How to use a Sewing Machine

Sewing Machine 

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4/main things/ Know how to:

  1. Thread machine
  2. Wind bobbin
  3. Changing sewing needle
  4. Sewing tension

Other good things to know: stitches your machine makes, backstitch, cleaning out fabric dust from the inside, knowing the tension for different types of fabrics and the right sewing needle to use based on the fabric

 

[Anatomy of the sewing machine]

        .PDF with all the terms of each part of the sewing machine  

 

How to Thread your Sewing Machine:

*Home sewing machines tend to have #'s indicating where to enter the thread

  1. Pull the thread around the hook 
  2. Bring the thread down the line following the arrow down and then turn it up 
  3. Bring it inside the U-shaped hook (you may have to turn the wheel to bring the hook up), once inserted pull the thread down 
  4. Following the guide, you will lastly have to thread the needle 

How to wind a bobbin:

*Make sure your machine is plugged in

  1. Place the bobbin inside the bobbin winder, lock it in
  2. Hold the thread and wrap a bit around the bobbin before pushing it to the right
  3. Push the locked in bobbin towards the right 
  4. Now push down on your pedal, do not press hard. Press lightly first while maintaining the thread in your hands (**with an industrial machine, you do not have to hold the thread this way)
  5. Once filled, push it back into the initial position
  6. Cut the thread and remove it from the bobbin winder; now it is ready to be inserted inside the bobbin casting

How to Change a Sewing Needle:

  1. Loosen the needle clamp with the tool that comes along with your machine. In case yours does not have one, you can use a screwdriver or any tool with a strong enough flat surface. (once I even used a penny and it worked ahaha)
  2. Turn the needle clamp towards you. Tip: As you loosen the clamp, it is best you hold the needle to remove it. If not it'll fall as you saw in the video (I should had held it). 
  3. To reattach a new needle, take the new needle and insert it facing flat side towards you 
  4. Hold it in place with one hand as you tighten the needle clamp with the other hand

How to Figure out your Sewing Tension:

  1. Cut a piece of the fabric you are using to test the sewing tension
  2. Double check your machine thread is correct or if it needs adjustments 
  3. Use the number of your tension wheel based on the type of fabric (chart below)
  4. Chose the stitch size you want to use and sew a straight line
  5. If your result has puckers, increase or decrease the #in your tension wheel based on the fabric and increase the size of your stitch 
  6. Continue step 5 until finding the accommodating tension. If you keep doing this and it does not work, check your machine parts like the type of needle you are using or if inside the shuttle cover needs to be cleaned. Dust inside can cause puckers 
 

Types of sewing foots

Sewing machine foots.jpg

1. Walking foot

2. All Purpose Presser Foot

3. Cording Presser Foot

4. Roller Presser Foot

5. Satin Stitch Foot

6. Quarter Inch Presser Foot

7. Open Toe Presser Foot

8. Blind Hem Stitch Foot

9. Ruffler Attachment

10. Pintuck Presser Foot

11. Embroidery, stippling, & darning

12. Gathering Presser Foot

 

Types of machine sewing needles

Machine needle guide.jpg
 

Sewing machine Needle based on fabric

type of sewing machine needle.jpg
Kaara HenriquezComment