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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.Many folks drag out Aunt Millie’s 75-year-old sewing clunker from the garage or basement, thinking it’s good enough for a beginner. Turns out the instruction book for Millie’s machine has long since disappeared, and just before completing a project, the machine becomes possessed by demons that sabotage every seam. Just like your car, you want your sewing machine to be dependable. The machine doesn’t have to be a race car, and it doesn’t need every modern convenience known to man. It just needs to work well — every time. Your local sewing machine dealer can show you a wide range of models and prices. Many dealers offer machines on a rental basis, and some dealers let you come into their classrooms and use a machine during open sewing time. You can also take Aunt Millie’s machine into a dealer, have an honest assessment made about its general working condition and life span, and see if you can realistically count on using it.
Finding your way around a sewing machineAcquainting yourself with the parts of the sewing machine and knowing how it works keeps you and your sewing machine out of trouble. Consider this section of the book your road map to navigating a sewing machine. I tell you all about the parts on a typical machine (shown in Figure 1-3) and what you use them for.You may have a newer model, or you may be working on a serger (in which case, you should check out the section “Using a serger” later in this chapter). If things on your machine don’t correspond exactly to what I show you, consult the operating manual that comes with your machine to see how the parts compare.
NeedleThe most important part of the sewing machine is the needle. It’s so important that I devote a section to the needle, “Selecting needles for sewing machines,” earlier in this chapter. Always start a new project with a new sewing machine needle. A new needle won’t skip stitches or snag the fabric, and changing your needle regularly may save you from an unnecessary trip to the dealer just to find out that all you need is a new needle. (Ask me how I know this.)
Presser footSometimes incorrectly referred to as a pressure foot, the presser foot holds the fabric firmly against the feed dogs (check out the section “Feed dogs,” later in this chapter to . . . well, find out about feed dogs) so that the fabric doesn’t flap up and down with each stitch. For most machines, you can buy different presser feet for specialty jobs. Most machines come with four or five of the most useful variations, including the following:
All-purpose foot: This foot, which is usually metal, works well on a lot of fabrics. The foot is often available with a Teflon coating for an even smoother sewing experience.
Embroidery foot: Sometimes referred to as the appliqué foot, the embroidery foot is often made of a transparent material. The high, wide groove carved out on the underside allows the foot to glide over satin decorative stitches without smashing them into the fabric.
Blind hem foot: This foot helps stitch a truly invisible hem. The blind hem foot usually has a
wide toe on the right and a guide (which may or may not be adjustable)
and narrow toe on the left.
Button sewing foot: This foot usually has very short toes and a nylon or
rubber gripper designed to hold a button firmly in place.
Quilting or edge guide: This foot slides or screws on behind the ankle of the presser foot. The guide rides over the previous row of stitching for parallel rows of quilting or next to an edge for perfectly positioned topstitching.
Zipper foot: Not surprisingly, you use this foot to sew in a zipper.The foot has one toe, and you can adjust it either by sliding the foot over or by snapping it on the other side of the ankle.
Presser foot lever
Lift the presser foot lever to raise the presser foot. Doing so releases the upper tension so that you can remove the fabric. The timesaving knee-lift feature, common on commercial sewing machines, is available on some brands of household sewing machines. The knee lift allows you to have both hands free when removing the fabric from under the presser foot or when pivoting the fabric around a corner.
Feed dogs
Feed dogs, sometimes referred to as feed teeth, are saw-shaped teeth or pads that move the fabric through the machine. You sandwich the fabric between the presser foot and the feed dogs, and as the needle stitches up and down, the feed dogs grab the fabric and move it under the foot. Most machines allow you to sew with the feed dogs up or down. You do most sewing with the feed dogs in the up position; you use the down position mostly for mending or for free-machine embroidery, in which you move the fabric freely under the needle as it stitches.
Needle plate
Sometimes referred to as a throat plate, the needle plate rests on the bed of the machine and fits over the feed dogs. It has either a small round hole or an oblong hole that the needle passes through. The needle plate often includes a series of lines that run in 1⁄4-inch increments from the needle. For most sewing, you use the needle plate with the oblong hole. This way the needle has the clearance it needs and doesn’t break when you use a stitch that zigzags from side to side.
Bobbin and company
A bobbin is a small spool that holds about 40 to 70 yards of thread. The machine uses the needle thread and the bobbin thread to make a stitch. Machines usually come with three to five bobbins that are specially made for the machine’s make and model. Bobbins are wound on a bobbin winder. Check your operating manual for proper bobbin winding and threading instructions. After you wind the thread around a bobbin, the bobbin fits into a bobbin case, and the thread can be pulled up through the needle plate, ready for stitching. If you’re winding a bobbin that has a hole in it, double and twist the thread end, poking the folded end of the thread through the hole from the inside of the bobbin out. Place the bobbin on the winder, holding the thread end tightly. Start winding until the thread breaks off. This way, when you get to the end of a bobbin, the wrong end of the thread doesn’t accidentally get caught in the stitch. Bobbin winding does differ according to brand, so check your operating manual for bobbin winding instructions. No matter what brand you use, though, don’t overfill the bobbin if you want smooth sewing and the best stitch quality.
Free-arm
A free-arm, sometimes called an open arm, is a squared-off cylinder on the bed of the machine that lets you stitch around tubular areas, such as pant legs, sleeves, cuffs, and armholes, without ripping out a seam.
Flywheel
The right end of the machine has a flywheel, or hand wheel, that turns when you sew. The flywheel drives the needle up and down and coordinates the needle movement with the feed dogs when creating a stitch. On certain machines the flywheel allows you to manually control the needle, which helps you pivot fabric under the needle when sewing corners. To pivot your fabric under the needle, simply turn the flywheel so that the needle is down in the fabric, lift the presser foot, pivot the fabric, lower the presser foot, and then continue sewing. Depending on the machine model, some flywheels have a clutch or button that you must release when winding a bobbin. Consult your operating manual for specific instructions on bobbin winding.
Stitch-length control
The stitch-length control determines the distance the feed dogs move the fabric under the needle. When the feed dogs move with shorter strokes, the machine sews shorter stitches. When the feed dogs move with longer strokes, the stitches are longer. Your stitch-length control gives stitch lengths in one of the following two ways, depending on the make and model of the machine:
Millimeters (mm)
Stitches per inch (spi)
Throughout Sewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition, I give you stitch length settings in millimeters (mm) and stitches per inch (spi). The average stitch length for mid-weight fabrics is 2.5 to 3 mm/10 to 12 spi. For fine fabrics, use 1.5 to 2 mm/13 to 20 spi. (Anything shorter is almost impossible to rip out when you make a mistake.) For heavier fabrics, basting, or topstitching, use 3.5 to 6 mm/4 to 5 spi.
Stitch-width control
The stitch-width control sets the distance the needle moves from side to side. You always measure this distance in millimeters (mm). Some sewing machines have a maximum stitch width of 4 to 5 mm. Others create stitches as wide as 9 mm. A 5-mm width does the trick for most utility sewing. (Throughout Sewing For Dummies, I give stitch-width settings in a range that works for most sewing machines.)
Needle position
Needle position refers to the position of the needle in relationship to the hole in the needle plate. In center needle position, you center the needle over the oblong hole in the needle plate. In left needle position, you set the needle to the left of center. In right needle position, you put the needle to the right of center. A few older, less expensive models have either a permanent left needle position or a permanent center needle position. Most new models (made in the last 25 years or so) have an adjustable needle position. Adjustable needle position comes in handy when you topstitch, sew on buttons, and sew in zippers. Instead of manually positioning the fabric under the needle, you simply move the needle into the right spot by adjusting the needle position. The needle position control is usually around, near, or a part of the stitch-width control. If you can’t locate it, read your operating manual.
Stitch selector
If your sewing machine does more than straight stitch and zigzag, it has a way for you to select a stitch. (See Chapter 5 for more information on basic sewing machine stitches.) The stitch selectors on older machines are dials, levers, buttons, or drop-in cams. Newer, computerized models have keys or touch pads that not only select the stitch but also automatically set the stitch length and width.
Upper tension control
In order to make uniform stitches, your machine requires a certain amount of tension on the thread as it sews. You adjust the tension using the upper tension control, which is usually located on the top or front of the machine. The upper tension is usually marked in numbers — the higher the number, the tighter the tension, and the lower the number, the looser the tension. Some makes have the upper tension marked with a plus sign (+), meaning more tension, and a minus sign (-), meaning less tension. The old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” definitely applies to the upper tension control. Unless you have major problems with the fabric puckering or the thread looping, leave the tension alone. If you experience these problems, consult your operating manual or a qualified sewing machine dealer for advice on adjusting the tension.
Pressure adjustment
The pressure adjustment, which you can usually find above the bar that holds the presser foot, controls how much pressure the foot exerts against the fabric. For most sewing projects you want to leave the pressure on the full setting. This way, the fabric doesn’t slip and slide around under the foot, creating crooked seams while you sew. For some jobs, like sewing through very heavy fabrics or through multiple thicknesses or stitching complicated embroidery designs, lighter pressure works better. Consult your operating manual for specifics on your machine’s pressure control.
Take-up lever
The take-up lever is very important in the threading and normal operation of the sewing machine. This lever pulls just enough thread off the spool for the next stitch. Newer machines have a needle-up, needle-down function that automatically stops the needle in the up or down position without your having to manually turn the flywheel. Set this function for the up function, and the needle stops out of the fabric — you don’t unthread the needle with the next stitch. Set it for the down function, and the needle stops in the fabric for easy pivoting around corners.
Speed control
Many newer machines have a speed control. It works like the cruise control in your car or the feature in your computer that controls the speed of your mouse. You adjust the speed control so that you can’t sew faster than what feels comfortable.
Reverse button
At the beginning and end of seams, you often want to lock the stitches in some way so that they don’t come out. You can tie off each seam by hand (ugh) or use your reverse button. Simply sew three or four stitches, touch the reverse button, and the feed dogs back up the fabric a couple of stitches. Release the button, and the machine resumes stitching forward. The stitches are then locked off and secure.
Maintaining your sewing machine
A little-known pest infestation runs rampant in the world’s sewing machines — dust bunnies. These little guys can cause all sorts of problems for you, including the following:
Skipped stitches
Needle or bobbin thread looping when it shouldn’t
Noise and a lot of vibration
General sluggish performance You must keep lint dusted out from under the feed dogs and the area where the bobbin case sits in the sewing machine. When lint gets packed under the feed dogs your machine has a hard time making stitches. Read your operating manual before you clean out the lint. You need a good lint brush with a lot of bristles. Some — but not all — machines come with a good one; if yours is skimpy, buy a new one. Follow these general instructions to get rid of lint:
1. Fluff out your brush until it looks like you’ve stuck it into a light socket. This way, each bristle reaches into the lint-infested area and finds as much lint as possible.
2. Unplug the machine.
3. Remove the needle, presser foot, needle plate, bobbin, and bobbin case.
4. If you can, remove the race area, snap off the race cover, remove the hook, and then memorize how the hook and race cover go back together. Your operating manual most likely shows you how to fit the pieces together but find out before you start.
5. Brush away the lint collected in and around the race area, especially under the feed dogs.
6. Put the race back together.
7. Plug in the machine and run it without the needle, needle plate, presser foot, bobbin, and bobbin case.
8. Now put everything back on your machine. When replacing the needle, make sure the flat side goes to the back of the machine for a top- or front-loading bobbin. For machines with a sideloading bobbin, the flat side goes to the right. Removing dust bunnies from your sewing machine sometimes involves taking the machine apart (and then putting it back together). Your best bet is to figure out how to clean the machine by taking the after-purchase lessons offered by most sewing machine dealers. For really heavy, once-a-year cleaning and tuneup, see your local sewing machine dealer.
Using a serger
A serger is to sewing as a microwave oven is to cooking. I love my serger because it really speeds up the sewing process by sewing a seam, finishing the edge (like the seams you see in ready-made clothing), and then cutting off the excess fabric in one step. You can use a serger to stitch a wide variety of fabrics, but it can’t make buttonholes. A serger works much faster than a standard sewing machine, but it’s not as versatile. Most beginners start off on standard sewing machines.
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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.