Sewing Machines 101: The Basics (Part II)
Have you ever had a sewing machine? Do you know how fun this thing can be?
I couldn’t believe it myself but I’ve bought one. I felt pleasantly surprised by everything you can do with it!
But, if you want things to function smoothly, you need to know some basic stuff about sewing machines!
If you don’t know where and how to buy, how much money isn’t too much, and most importantly how to maintain your sewing machine, stay with me! I’ve gathered some most important things you need to know before and after you buy a sewing machine!
How to buy a sewing machine?
The first thing you need to do is decide which sewing machine you want to buy. In order to this correctly, think thoroughly about what you’re going to use it for!
Search for pictures. This will not only tell you the way a sewing machine looks like but also what is its size, where could it possibly fit in into your home.
After you decide (according to the picture) which one fits you best, take a careful investigation on how much this machine should cost.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy the most expensive one. You have plenty of good machines available online so use this gift internet gave you and choose the price you like!
Next, when you decide what you want and find the fitting price, ask around about the parts.
Just like when you want to buy a new car, see how much information you can get about the bad sides of the sewing machine you decided to buy!
Yeas, you’ve heard me, bad sides first! Get into bad things that can happen so you could know how much reparation will cost.
Sometimes the machine is not too expensive but you can’t find spare parts, or they’re too expensive!
Then, check everything about the parts you would eventually need to change (no matter how good they are), check their price and how easy you can find them!
When you decide what you want, get to know with sewing and how to maintain your sewing machine properly!
How to pick out a sewing machine?
Considering the enormous number of sewing machines on the market these days, and a variety of manufacturers, it can be hard to pick out the right one.
In my introduction, I’ve already given you some basic information about how to pick out a sewing machine.
We all know what’s the main determinant of buying – the money! But, don’t let that be the only thing you care about.
There are other things to pay attention to before you do the shopping, especially when it comes to sewing machines!
Like I’ve said decide what you need this machine for. Is it just for minor repairs, for you and your family, or you want to start working as a seamstress and deal with it professionally!
This is not an unimportant fact since the type of machine depends on what you are going to do!
Maybe you want to do embroidery! There are machines specialized for this type of work!
Choosing a machine that fits your needs is the most important thing.
Next is the money. Before you pick out and buy your sewing machine, decide how much money you want to spend on it!
Sure this doesn’t have to be a lot of money because you can find a secondhand sewing machine for some decent money!
Compare the information. There is a possibility to find the same type of sewing machine at a different price!
As I’ve mentioned check (and you can do this on the internet) how much do the spare parts for your machine can cost. You need to be aware of the fact that certain parts of your sewing machine are going to break down!
Go to a local sewing machine shop and ask around about the price. You can probably grab the chance to see at least some of the machines live. This can help you to decide!
Consult the dealer, but don’t rush! It is possible to find the same sewing machine on the internet and it will probably be cheaper.
Now take all the information you have and make your choice.
If you follow these steps, one by one, it’s hard to make a mistake even if you are green!
How to buy a good used sewing machine?
Most of the time, people can’t easily decide whether to buy a new or used sewing machine.
Of course, it’s always safest to buy a new one but if you can’t or don’t want to spend too much money on your sewing machine – you don’t have to!
Buying a used sewing machine can be a two-edged sword! I myself made a couple of mistakes and bought some rubbish!
That’s why I want to tell you what to look and pay attention to if you decide to buy a used sewing machine!
The exterior of the machine can be great but the interior…You probably know what I mean!
Before you buy a sewing machine that’s already been used, first check if it works at all!
Check for its handwheel. See how the needle goes up and down! You need to check this to see if the needle makes straight flat lines.
Why do I tell you this? Because I bought one machine (without checking) and the needle wasn’t ok!
Try choosing machines that aren’t entirely plastic, especially its parts (the outside doesn’t matter much). Metal parts are good because they last longer!
Check how well the machine was maintained, if it was cleaned and oiled properly!
You yourself should take care of this as well after you buy your own sewing machine!
Also check screws, spinners, case, pedal (if there is one) and every other part of the sewing machine you want to buy!
You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars repairing it or losing time on finding original spare parts (there’s always a possibility you can’t find them). Check thoroughly and then buy!
Where are Brother sewing machines made?
Yasui Sewing Machine Co. was established in 1908 by Kanekichi Yasui. He repaired and sold sewing machines. The first of ten sons that joined him and started helping was Masayoshi. He was his eldest son.
This man was very into domestic production since he started his company at the time when everything was about exported goods. He had troubles; many people didn’t believe it was possible to develop a Japanese sewing machine!
But, they succeeded! They’ve managed to develop shuttle hooks, the main part of a sewing machine!
The first sewing machine made entirely in Japan was introduced in 1932!
The company started spreading overseas since 1955. In 1958, they’ve established a regional sales company in Dublin.
In 1962, they’ve named the company Brother Industries, Ltd. They’ve continued spreading, earning enormous amounts of money!Today, this company produces great sewing and embroidery machines all over the world! What once was this family dream became reality! What’s most important, these machines are great, sold in millions and of extraordinary quality!
How old is my Brother sewing machine?
Since you can read about Brother Industries in the paragraph just above this one, I won’t bother you again with it!
Since this company was established in 1908 in Japan and later expanded overseas, you can’t expect these machines to be older than the right beginning of the 20th century.
However, even though these machines aren’t from the very beginning of the Industrial revolution they are very important because they have a sort of national identity!
They were the first Japanese sewing machines and that makes them special.
In order to find out about the exact date or at least a year when your Brother or any other sewing machine was made, look for a serial number!
Almost every sewing machine has one; the difference can be the place this number is set!
Some machines have the date written on the first or the last page of the manual. If you find any information but still can’t determine the exact age, contact customer support (every sewing machine company has it) and consult the experts!
Who makes Silver sewing machines?
Silver Viscount is a young company founded in 1990. The company was originally established in Mitcham, Surrey but transferred their offices to Bedford in 1999 and in 2001 moved again.
They are one of the UK leaders in the production and distribution of sewing machines!
Silver Reed Knitting Machines are the only major knitting machines produced in the world! They also make regular sewing machines and overlocker machines.
They produce spare parts and a number of accessories (threads, needles, yarns) for sewing machines.
Wherever you’ve bought your Silver sewing machine, you can call their support center and ask for any type of help you need!
How to identify old Singer sewing machines?
We’ve talked about this – what you probably need in order to identify how old your Singer sewing machine is, is a serial number.
According to the serial number, you won’t have trouble finding out where and when your Singer sewing machine was produced. This will show you the exact age which can be very important if you, for example, want to sell your Singer machine.
If your machine is old it can be considered an antique and you can sell it for a higher price!
That’s why you have to pay attention!
Singer Sewing Company had all this information on their website but has recently pulled them. This isn’t a big problem since there are still places you can find all the information you need in order to determine how old your Singer sewing machine is!
How often to oil sewing machine?
Maintaining your sewing machine regularly is the key to keeping it alive for a long, long time? That’s why oiling your sewing machine on time is essential. Without this, your machine won’t work properly.
So let’s see how often to oil sewing machine!
I always suggest my readers to first read the manual thoroughly. In every manual, you’ll find details you need to know about your sewing machine, and among other things, how often to oil your sewing machine!
Not only how often but also how to oil your sewing machine properly is very important!
Periods between two oilings depend on how often you use your sewing machine. If you don’t use it often, once a month or a bit longer is ok; but if you’re using it a lot you have to pay attention to a sound!
When your sewing machine starts to sound rough it’s time to oil it! By this rough, I don’t refer to some terrible, creepy sound. But, if you work on it for a while you’ll notice the difference!
Please, don’t ignore this if you want your sewing machine to last!
If you have some bigger projects, oil your machine after each project, just to be sure. I know we’re all in a hurry all the time, and sometimes have no time for rest, but instead of wasting your money on spare parts, repairs, or buying new sewing machines, take some time and share it with your sewing machine?
It will pay you back!
How to raise the bobbin thread?
What you need to know before you start sewing besides what bobbin is, is how to raise the bobbin thread. Using and operating your sewing machine properly is a must if you want it in the long run!
There are a few steps you need to follow to do this the right way!
- Before you start doing anything, turn off your sewing machine. This will remove the risk of any kind!
- The next step is to raise the needle. Just do this carefully and slowly. Here you really don’t need to squeeze the needle like you’re going to lose it, just hold it tightly and gently.
- Then you should raise the presser foot.
- Hold the needle thread.
- Hold your hand on a treadwheel. Hold it on the right side! Pull it towards yourself raising the needle.
- The next step is to pull the needle thread in order to raise the bobbin thread!
- After you open the loop, pull both threads back. Put them under your presser foot bull them out again and your sewing machine is ready!
It may sound harder than it is, but you’ll see once you try, you’ll have no problems raising bobbin thread.
How to install bobbin in Singer sewing machine?
Changing and installing bobbin in a Singer sewing machine is really easy!
How to do it?
Lift up your machine’s presser foot. Turn the wheel until the needle is in its highest position.
After this, open the slide plate and take out the empty bobbin. Put a new one. You should pull a few inches of the thread towards you. Place the thread in the holder.
Using the wheel, pull the thread up and down (gently) once!
When you see the bobbin thread is already caught on the upper thread pull them back and you’re done!
This is a pretty easy thing to do. You should just take things slowly and relaxed. You’ve got nothing to worry about. These things are designed to be done easily in the comfort of your home!
How to remove adhesive from fabric?
Stains on your fabric can be real trouble, especially glue stains. Let’s see how to remove them.
I guess that you like most people use glues and adhesives in your home. You, me, all of us use these to bond different types of materials together. Glue is a great thing for small repairs (like a broken cup and so)!
But what to do if glue or adhesive ruins your favorite fabric? And you just wanted to seam a new dress.
Don’t hesitate, there is always some solution!
There are things called dry cleaners. They are great if its fabric that can only be dry cleaned.
Apply it on the material, wait and your trouble will be removed! Most of these cleaners come with the instructions so you won’t have problems using it.
If you used commercial adhesive, and it somehow touched your clothes or some other material, buy the adhesive remover. These things are mostly used on materials on which you’ll directly apply the adhesive but can be a good solution for your clothes as well.
When you spill the adhesive on fabric, let it dry! Don’t try to remove it while it’s still wet – you’ll only make a bigger mess! Before it dries use something plastic, thin as a knife to scratch as much adhesive or glue as possible and then let it dry. If you use a cloth or something similar to wipe it, you’ll only put the adhesive deeper into the fabric and the problem will get bigger.
Now you see nothing is hopeless. A few good tips and your problem is gone!
There are a lot of things we should know about sewing machines and sewing itself. For most people, it can sound boring but I assure you it’s not!
From the first moment I met my sewing machine, I fell in love with it.
That inspired me to do researches and help people who are like I was – full of questions, qualms, and doubts!