A chain stitch or a double chain stitch sewing machine or sewing element of a sewing machine comprising three elements: a needle; a looper; and a spreader improved in such a way that a collision of any two of the elements during the sewing operations will not cause serious damage to the sewing machine and stop periods as a consequence thereof. It is provided that the sewing elements are formed such that at least one sewing element, in particular the spreader, will dodge or break at the predetermined breaking point due to its design and/or material properties.