Sewing machine skipping stitches? Learn all about common causes and the top 10 fixes to troubleshoot this problem. Instead of a regular, even line of stitching, you’re met with some lengths of thread that are longer than others, skipping across the fabric instead of anchoring it together. These longer stitches are called “skipped stitches.” They’re frustrating and annoying, and they happen to even the most experienced seamstresses.