Why Embroidery Machines Skip at High Speed — Solutions for All Brands

When your embroidery machine begins skipping stitches at high speed, it can disrupt your entire design and cause poor stitch quality. This problem is common across all embroidery machine brands, including Brother, Janome, Bernina, Baby Lock, Tajima, Barudan, and others. The good news is that most causes of skipped stitches at high speed can be fixed with simple adjustments.

This complete guide explains why high-speed stitching leads to skipped stitches and how you can prevent the issue in both home and commercial embroidery machines.

Why Machines Skip Stitches at High Speed

At higher speeds, the machine requires perfect balance between thread tension, needle movement, hook timing, and fabric stability. If even one factor is off, the machine may fail to catch the bobbin thread, resulting in skipped stitches.

Some of the most common reasons include:

  • Incorrect needle type or a worn-out needle
  • Loose upper thread tension
  • Poor hooping or unstable fabric
  • Incorrect speed settings for certain fabrics or designs
  • Improper bobbin case tension
  • Wrong stabilizer type or not enough stabilizer layers
  • Hook timing slightly off at high rotation
  • Thread quality issues

1. Replace the Needle First

A damaged, bent, or incorrect needle size is the number one cause of skipping stitches at higher speeds. The needle must meet the fabric and thread requirements.

Try switching to:

  • 75/11 for light fabrics
  • 80/12 or 90/14 for medium to thick fabrics
  • Ballpoint needle for knits

2. Lower the Speed for Dense or Complex Designs

Some designs are not meant to be stitched at full speed. Dense fills, metallic threads, or stretchy fabrics require slower speed for accurate needle penetration.

You can read more about how speed affects embroidery on:
DigitEMB: How Machine Speed Impacts Embroidery

3. Check Stabilizer and Fabric Hooping

High speed increases fabric vibration. If the fabric is not hooped firmly or lacks proper stabilizer, the needle may not correctly catch the bobbin thread.

Make sure to:

  • Use at least 1–2 layers of stabilizer
  • Avoid loose or stretchy hooping
  • Hoop tightly without distortion

4. Adjust Upper Thread Tension

At high speed, thread tension increases naturally. If the tension is too loose, the hook cannot pick up the thread loop, causing skipped stitches.

Correct this by tightening upper thread tension slightly and testing on scrap fabric.

5. Clean the Machine and Remove Lint

Lint buildup in the bobbin area, needle bar, or hook system can cause timing inconsistencies at high speeds. Cleaning improves hook movement and thread flow.

Always clean before troubleshooting tension or timing.

6. Re-check Hook Timing

If the machine skips stitches only at high speed but works fine at low speed, the hook timing may be slightly delayed. This requires technician adjustment for some brands.

Skipping stitch troubleshooting is explained well in:
True Digitizing: Why Embroidery Machines Skip Stitches

7. Test Thread Quality and Compatibility

Low-quality thread frays faster at high speed, causing missed stitches. Always use high-quality polyester thread for high-speed runs.

More insights are available here:
Sewing Machine Fun: Embroidery Skipping Stitches Guide

8. Watch Video Guides for Real Fixes

Video tutorials help you visually understand needle changes, tension adjustments, and speed settings.

Useful video:
YouTube: Embroidery Skipping Stitches Troubleshooting

9. Download Verified, Clean Designs Only

Low-quality or poorly digitized designs can cause skipping at high speed because of bad stitch paths or density errors.

Download professionally digitized designs from:
EmbDesignTube

Final Thoughts

Skipped stitches at high speed are usually caused by minor issues such as needle damage, thread tension imbalances, or poor hooping. By following the steps above, you can solve the problem on almost any brand of embroidery machine. Regular maintenance, correct thread selection, and good stabilizer support will help your machine run smoothly even at higher speeds.