Sewing Machine Basics
There is a vast range of sewing machines on the market today. They range from basic (and some super cheap) machines with no gadgets, to vastly technical embroidery machines that can be linked to your computer to create complex embroidery designs. These machines all look different but have pretty much the same basic functions which we will outline here.
Modern sewing machines work by linking 2 threads together in a ‘lock stitch’.
(‘Overlock’ sewing machines use a second needle as well but that is for another article.)
One thread is fed from above the fabric, the reel of thread is placed on the spool pin on top of the machine and the thread is fed down through the main arm to the needle. Different machines have different ways to pass the thread down to the needle, you will need to look at your instruction manual to be sure of how to do this for your machine.
There is also a tension adjuster for the upper thread to alter the pressure placed on it.
The lower thread is wound onto a bobbin that is placed in a section under the main sewing/throat plate, it usually has to be wound a certain way and a few cm or so of thead left out to be picked up by the needle when the machine is started. The tension on this lower thread is usually adjusted by turning a screw in the bobin case.
The bobbin winder is on top of the machine, you place your empty bobbin on the winder pin and wind the thread from the spool pin reel around to it. On my machine you flick the spool pin over to the left and use the pedal to wind the bobbin up.
Needles for sewing machines are screwed into the main arm just above the presser foot. These needles have the eye at the bottom tip, unlike a hand sewing needle that has the eye at the top. There is a ‘universal’ size (medium 14/90) that is suitable for most projects. It is a good idea to be sure the needle is sharp so change your needles reguarly.
The presser foot is put down on top of the fabric by a lever and is there to maintain pressure on it as it passes under the needle. Most machines come with several feet, the basic foot will come set up but also there should be a zipper foot, this allow you to sew really close to the teeth of the zip. Other feet are available for specialised jobs including hemming, gathering and attaching bindings.
The flat throat plate is marked with lines that can be used as a guide for aligning the edges of fabric as they pass under the needle. There is a hole in it which allows the needle to pick up the lower thread. Seam guides can be attached here.
Fabric is moved along under the needle by the movement of several ridges under the throat plate called the feed dog.
Modern machines have a reverse stitch control which is really handy for securing seams and it pays to get the hang of this to be sure your seams can’t come undone. The idea is to sew a little along, sew back again and then continue to the end of the seam and repeat at the end. For older machines without this function you can sew a few cm along, then leaving the needle down, lift the presser foot, swivel the fabric around the needle and sew back to the beginning, then swivel fabric around again and continue.
The foot pedal is the main control of modern sewing machines, it plugs in and works like the accelerator on a car, the harder you push the quicker it goes!
Practise is the key to getting along with your sewing machine and getting it to work for you. Maintenance such as oiling if it requires it, ensuring your needle is sharp and that it doesn’t get full of dust and fibres where it shouldn’t!
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