Avoid Sewing Over Pins In Your Fabric (Injury Risk)
Sure, sewing over pins in your fabric is faster and more secure than removing them first, but, it’s dangerous.
Sewing over pins in your fabric is not recommended because your sewing machine needle could jam against them, causing damage and, possibly, injury.
Stay safe by removing pins before they pass under the needle.
Bobbin case location on a sewing machine
Front loading bobbin cases are always located on the side of the sewing machine facing the user.
Side loading bobbin cases are rarer on newer machines and are located below the needle plate.
Note: front loading bobbin cases can be used on side loading machines, but side loading bobbin cases, whether removable or inset, cannot be used with front loading sewing machines.
Avoid a sewing machine injury (simple tip)
A good and simple way of avoiding a sewing machine injury is to unplug the machine when not in use.
Some machines are easily turned on with a switch or button, which a curious pet or child might touch and turn on.
To be safe, unplug your sewing machine when you’re not sewing.
Basic sewing machine parts to know (All 5)
There are five basic common components in every home sewing machine that you should know how to use.
These five allow for user input while typical other parts, such as the motor and casing, do not.
The five basic parts to learn about are the bobbin(incl bobbin housing), the presser foot (and foot dogs), the needle, the throat plat (sometimes called the needle plate) and the electronic controls (electrical switches on older models).
Serger machines make sewing faster (and easier)
After becoming proficient with a traditional home sewing machine, it’s common to want to upgrade your machine for something faster and easier.
A serger home machine is the most common upgrade.
A serger sewing machine can handle seam sewing, edge finishing and trim away excess fabric all at once, making it faster and, with some experience, easier.
What a lockstitch machine is used for
A lockstitch sewing machine is designed for use in top-stitching, seaming, cover stitching and general use with knits and woven materials that stretch.
Just like the name implies, a ‘lock’ stitch keeps the stitching consistent and secure when the fabric is less rigid and more prone to breakage by stretching.
Cause of fabric movement in a sewing machine
The needle plate, a metal plate located under the needle, moves fabric forward during sewing.
The needle plate works best with an optional presser foot engaged above the fabric while sewing because the needle plate and presser foot then work in tandem at the same speed.
Sewing machine ‘walking foot’ description and use
A ‘walking foot’ is a small brace on your sewing machine that sits on your fabric and guides it past the needle while sewing.
The walking foot rests on the top layer of your fabric and ensures that the fabric moves ahead at relatively the same speed as the feed dogs below the fabric.
Cool facts about the first sewing machine
Barthélemy Thimonnier patented the first mechanical sewing machine in France circa 1830.
His crude machine used a barbed hook to create a chain stitch.
Still, Mr. Thimonnier’s machine was faster at producing garments, and it caught the attention of the French army, earning Mr. Thimonnier a lucrative contract making French military uniforms.
Sewing machines are worth fixing, here’s why…
Sewing machines are worth fixing when broken because, in the long run, repairs will save you money.
This is because most sewing machine parts can be replaced fairly cheaply in comparison with the cost of a total machine replacement.
It is not uncommon for a replaced sewing machine part to outlast its owner.
