Hooping is the most common cause of puckering. Fabric that's pulled too tight, left too loose or hooped unevenly will pucker as the stitches form and pull on the fabric.

• The fabric should feel taut and flat in the hoop, like a drum - but not stretched or distorted
• Check for any unevenness, areas of slack or pulling in one direction
• Re-hoop carefully if anything doesn't feel right - taking the time to hoop well is the single most effective way to prevent puckering

Using the wrong stabiliser or not enough of it is the second most common cause of puckering. The stabiliser needs to match both your fabric type and the demands of the design.

• A dense design on a lightweight fabric needs considerably more support than a simple design on a stable fabric
• If in doubt, add an extra layer of stabiliser and test on scrap before returning to your project
• Not sure which stabiliser if right? Check out ourComplete guide to embroidery stabilisers

Upper tension that's too tight pulls the top thread taut and drags the fabric up along the stitch lines, which causes puckering even when the hooping and stabiliser are correct.

• Ease the upper tension back slightly and test on scrap fabric
• Make small adjustments and test after each one - large tension changes can create new problems

A dull or wrong needle drags through the fabric rather than piercing it cleanly, which can cause the fabric to pucker around each stitch.

• Replace with a fresh embroidery needle - when in doubt, always put a new one in
• Make sure the needle size is appropriate for your fabric - finer fabrics need a finer needle

Very dense designs put a lot of stitch pressure on the fabric. If the design has too many stitches packed into a small area, puckering can occur regardless of your settings.

• If you have access to the design file, try reducing the stitch density in your digitising software
• Alternatively, try a heavier stabiliser to give the fabric more support under the stitch load
• A topping - a layer of water-soluble stabiliser placed on top of the fabric - can also help with dense designs on difficult fabrics

How the fabric is supported during embroidery can also contribute to puckering.

• Don't pull or stretch the fabric while the design is running, let the machine do the work
• Make sure excess fabric is supported on the table rather than hanging off the edge, as the weight can pull unevenly on the hoop

Before returning to your project, run the design on a piece of scrap fabric of the same type with the same stabiliser. Check for any puckering as it stitches out and make any final adjustments before committing to your actual piece.