Why Is My Embroidery Machine Not Stitching? 9 Fixes to Try

When an embroidery machine will not stitch, the cause is usually simple: the machine is not ready to sew, or the needle cannot catch the bobbin thread. Check that a design is selected, the presser foot is down, the embroidery unit is attached and initialized, and the bobbin winder shaft is back in sewing position. Then replace and reseat the needle, rethread with the presser foot up, and reinstall the right bobbin. If a needle strike came first, have a dealer check the machine.

If your machine is not stitching, it is either not ready to sew, or the needle is moving without catching the bobbin thread. Work through the list below from top to bottom. The early steps take seconds and fix a surprising number of cases.

This guide covers machines that make no stitches at all, will not start, or will not pick up the bobbin thread. Occasional gaps are a different problem: see embroidery machine skipping stitches. If thread is piling up under the hoop, read embroidery machine bird nesting. For snapping thread, see why embroidery thread keeps breaking, and for snapping needles, why embroidery needles keep breaking.

The steps draw on a Brother operation manual for one sewing and embroidery machine, plus Schmetz’s needle guide and a dealer-style troubleshooting article. Menus and part names differ by model, so follow your own manual where it disagrees. This site is not affiliated with Brother or any other maker.

Quick cause finder

What you see	Likely cause	Go to
Screen is dark, or nothing responds	Power off, power saving, keys locked	Step 1
Press start, machine does not sew	No design, foot up, winder shaft engaged	Steps 1 and 3
Embroidery arm will not move	Unit not attached or not initialized	Step 2
Needle moves but no stitches form	Needle, threading or bobbin	Steps 4 to 7
Loops or tangles under the fabric	Threaded with foot down	Step 5
Problem started after the needle hit something	Possible timing issue	Step 9

1. Make sure the machine is ready to sew

Brother’s symptom list for a machine that will not start is basic but worth reading slowly:

Nothing on the screen: the power switch is off or the plug is loose.
Screen is dim: the machine may be in power saving mode. Press the flashing Start/Stop button or touch the screen.
Keys do not respond: the presser foot or needle change key may have locked them. Touch the unlock key on the screen.
Nothing happens after you press start: no design may be selected, the presser foot may be up, or Start/Stop was not actually pressed.

If your machine has a foot controller as well as a button, check that the controller is plugged in firmly. One dealer guide suggests unplugging it to see whether the button works on its own.

2. Check the embroidery unit

Brother says the embroidery unit will not operate if it is attached wrongly, or if the hoop was put on before the unit finished initializing. Take the hoop off, reattach the unit as your manual shows, and let the unit finish its start-up movement before you clip the hoop on.

If the arm moves but stops partway, something may be in its path. Clear the area around the carriage, keep bulky fabric from catching on the machine arm, and support heavy fabric so it does not drag on the table edge. Brother also warns against bumping the presser foot or removing the hoop while it stitches. If that happened, follow the recovery steps in your manual.

3. Push the bobbin winder shaft back

The bobbin winder shaft has two positions. Brother lists a shaft pushed to the right as a reason the machine will not sew. Push it back to the sewing position. A dealer guide gives a clue for some Brother models: if the Start/Stop button stays amber, winding mode is still on.

4. Replace and reseat the needle

Brother’s manual gives two causes for a needle that cannot pick up the bobbin thread: a needle that is turned, bent or dull, and a bobbin that is installed wrongly. Start with the needle because it is quicker.

Lay the flat side of the needle on a flat surface and look at it from above and from each side. Brother says to throw away any needle that is not straight, and to change it if it makes an odd sound entering the fabric. Schmetz also lists a damaged needle, the wrong needle size and thread tension that is too tight among the causes of skipped stitches.

Install the new needle in these steps, for the machine in Brother’s manual:

Raise the needle and lock the keys so the machine cannot start by accident.
Cover the hole in the needle plate so the needle cannot drop in.
Remove the presser foot and loosen the needle clamp screw.
Slide the needle in with the flat side facing the back, all the way up until it stops.
Tighten the clamp screw firmly, put the foot back and unlock the keys.

A needle that is in backwards, or not pushed fully up, is a very common reason for no stitches. Brother also warns that a loose clamp screw or partly inserted needle can make it break. For needle types and sizes, see our embroidery needle guide.

5. Rethread the top thread with the presser foot up

Pull the old thread out and thread from the spool again, following the numbered path on your machine. Raise the needle to its highest point and raise the presser foot first. A dealer guide says threading with the foot down stops the thread seating in the tension discs, which leads to loops on the back. Brother says the same kind of mistake causes thread tangling under the fabric.

Also check that the spool cap fits the spool and that the thread has not caught on the spool pin. If the needle threader will not work, Brother notes that the finest needle size it lists does not work with the threader, so thread that one by hand. Our threading guide has more detail.

6. Take out the bobbin and install it again

Brother lists an incorrectly installed bobbin, an unevenly wound bobbin and a scratched bobbin as causes of bobbin thread trouble. Remove the bobbin, check that the thread is wound neatly, and put it back in the direction your manual shows. Close the bobbin cover fully.

Check that you are using the right bobbin. Brother says to use only a bobbin designed for the machine. A dealer guide says some Brother machines need plastic Class 15 bobbins and that metal ones can damage the bobbin case. Confirm which one your model takes in its manual.

7. Clean the bobbin area

Brother says knots, tangles or lint in the bobbin case can cause trouble, and a stiff handwheel is a sign to clean the race. With the machine off, remove the needle plate and bobbin case as your manual describes and brush out the lint. Look for scratches or burrs on the case, because Brother lists a scratched bobbin or case as a cause of bobbin thread breaks. See our maintenance guide for a cleaning routine.

8. Try a clean test with different settings

Once the basics are done, stitch a simple design on stable woven cotton with a fresh needle and a new spool. If it stitches there, the fault is with your project and not the machine. Fabric that moves in the hoop, or a stabilizer that is too light, can look like a machine fault.

Adjust upper tension only now, and in small steps. One dealer guide suggests testing after every half-step change. If you have changed settings a lot, many machines have a reset option in the settings menu. Check your manual first, because a reset may also clear the language and date.

9. Know when to stop and call a dealer

Brother says to contact an authorized dealer or service center if a symptom stays after you have worked through its list. Do this at once if:

The needle struck the needle plate, hoop or presser foot hard, and the machine has not stitched properly since.
You hear a grinding or clicking sound from inside the machine.
A new needle, correct threading, a correct bobbin and a clean race all fail to help.

Schmetz lists a machine out of adjustment as a cause of skipped stitches and recommends having timing, hook-to-needle clearance and needle bar height adjusted. We would not guess that timing is the fault until the steps above are done, but after a needle strike it is the first thing to ask about. Do not try to adjust it yourself. Our guide to using a Brother embroidery machine shows a normal start-up routine, which helps you spot what is out of order.

Habits that prevent most of this

Change the needle at the start of each project.
Raise the presser foot before threading, every time.
Attach the embroidery unit and wait for it to initialize before clipping on the hoop.
Keep the bobbin area clean and use only the bobbin type your manual names.
Stop at once if the machine sounds strained.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my embroidery machine not stitching properly?

Stitches that form poorly usually trace back to the needle, the threading or the bobbin. Brother's manual lists a bent or dull needle and a badly seated bobbin as the main reasons the needle cannot pick up the bobbin thread. Replace the needle first, then rethread and reinstall the bobbin.

Why is my embroidery machine not catching the bobbin thread?

In Brother's manual the two listed causes are a turned, bent or dull needle and a bobbin that is installed incorrectly. Fit a new needle with the flat side facing back, then take out the bobbin and put it in again as your manual shows.

Why does my embroidery machine run but nothing happens when I press start?

Brother lists these causes for a machine that will not sew: no design selected, the presser foot not lowered, or the bobbin winder shaft left pushed to the right. Check each one before anything else.

Can threading with the presser foot down stop stitches forming?

Yes. One dealer troubleshooting guide says threading with the foot down keeps the thread from seating in the tension discs, which causes loops on the back. Raise the foot, rethread, then lower it.

Should I try to fix timing myself?

No. Timing is set inside the machine, and Brother's manual says to contact an authorized dealer or service center when a problem persists. This matters most if the problem began after the needle hit the needle plate or hoop.