A skipped stitch means the hook missed the loop of top thread as the needle rose. Nine times out of ten the needle is the cause: blunt, bent, the wrong point for the fabric (a universal on lycra), the wrong size for the thread, the wrong system for the machine (a household needle in a serger that takes ELx705), or not pushed fully up into the clamp. Fit a new needle of the right system, point and size, flat side to the back, pushed all the way up. If it still skips, work through threading, the needle plate and presser-foot pressure; if it skips on every fabric with every needle, the hook is out of time or burred and that is a parts job.
Causes, most likely first
- Needle: new, correct system, correct point for the fabric, size matched to the thread, fully seated. This is the fix in most cases.
- Needle system on a serger: many sergers take ELx705 or DCx1, not 130/705 H. The wrong system seats at the wrong height and the loopers miss the loop.
- Threading: the top thread must be in the take-up lever and every guide; a missed guide lets the loop form too late. Rethread with the foot up.
- Thread: old, weak or fuzzy thread, or a heavy thread in a small needle, fails to form a loop. Change thread and match the needle size.
- Presser-foot pressure: too little pressure lets the fabric lift with the needle (flagging) so no loop forms — common on knits and thick fleece. Increase pressure or use a walking foot.
- Needle plate: a burred hole or a wide zig-zag hole on fine fabric lets the fabric push down and flag. Use a straight-stitch plate for fine fabric; replace a burred plate.
- Fabric pulled or pushed: let the feed dogs move it. Pulling deflects the needle away from the hook.
- Hook timing or a damaged hook: skips on every fabric, often with thread shredding. A jam, a broken needle or a stripped hook-drive gear puts the hook out of time. The hook may also have a burr. This needs the manual and a timing check, or a technician.
- Serger loopers: a looper with a bent tip or burr, or the needle-to-looper clearance out, skips one side of the stitch.
The part that fixes it
| What you found | Part | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Any doubt about the needle | New needles — right system and point | /shop/needles/ |
| Serger taking the wrong system | ELx705 / DCx1 serger needles | /shop/needles/serger/ |
| Burred or cratered needle plate | Needle plate for your model | /shop/machine-parts/needle-plates/ |
| Fabric flagging on knits with correct pressure | Walking foot or straight-stitch plate | /shop/presser-feet/quilting/ |
| Hook burred, or out of time after a jam | Hook assembly (timing check needed) | /shop/machine-parts/hooks-races/ |
| Clicking under the bed, hook not turning with the wheel | Hook-drive gear (common on older plastic-gear machines) | /shop/machine-parts/gears/ |
| Timing belt slipped (industrial and some domestic) | Timing belt | /shop/machine-parts/belts/ |
| Serger skipping one needle thread | Upper or lower looper | /shop/machine-parts/loopers/ |
When it is not a parts problem
Change the needle before anything else, even if it is new — a new needle can be bent or wrongly seated. Then rethread. Then try the right point for the fabric. Only when a machine skips on quilting cotton with a new universal 80/12, correctly threaded, do we start talking about the hook. Timing is a bench job on most machines; if you are not comfortable with it, order the part and have a technician fit it.
Still stuck?
Email a photo of the stitch, top and bottom, with your machine’s model number to support@ultimatesewingandvac.com. Tell us what you have already checked and we will tell you which part — if any — to order.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my machine skip stitches on knits only?
Wrong point. Use a stretch or ballpoint needle and, if it persists, a walking foot to stop the fabric flagging.
Why does my serger skip stitches?
Usually the needle system — check whether your serger takes ELx705 or DCx1 — or a needle not fully seated. Then looper timing.
Can old thread cause skipped stitches?
Yes. Dry, weak or fuzzy thread does not form a clean loop. Try a new spool.
Is it the hook timing?
Only if the machine skips on every fabric with every correct needle, usually after a jam or a broken needle. That is a timing check.
What is a straight-stitch plate for?
A small round hole that supports fine fabric so it cannot flag; stops skips on silks and voile. Center needle position only.
Does the needle size matter?
Yes — a thick thread in a small eye and a fine thread in a big needle both skip. Match them.