Sewing Parts
If you’re new to the art and craft of sewing, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the sewing parts that make up your machine.
Knowing how to maintain your machine, and knowing what each part does, will help you be a better crafter and will make your machine last longer.
First, and most importantly, you need to learn how to thread your machine.
A sewing machine works by feeding thread through a needle that draws the thread down through the fabric.
While the needle pulls it through, it connects with a hole in the bobbin compartment, bringing more thread up to intertwine with the top thread. This rapid twist and pull creates a solid line of stitching that holds the seam fast.
At the top of your machine is a spool pin. Here is where you will place your main spool of thread.
Modern machines will show you via printed arrows how to thread the machine through the parts down to the needle, but be sure to read your manual in detail for any little things that are easy to miss. Practice threading your machine several times, until it becomes second nature.
Always make sure the needle is raised to its highest point before bringing the thread through the sewing parts. The large wheel on the right side of the machine moves the needle – always, always turn the wheel towards you.
Never turn it backwards. Use the lever on the back of the machine, or under the center of it, to raise the presser foot. This is the part that runs along the top of the fabric during sewing.
Now, grab the end of the thread and pull it through the parts indicated. When you reach the tension assembly, take special care to make sure the thread is passed between the tension disks.
This assembly is what controls the speed at which the thread is fed to the needle. If not used properly, your seam will be too loose, or too tight.
Continue threading through the points and sewing parts indicated until you reach the needle. Most machines require that you thread from front to back, or from right to left, but this varies, so check your instructions!
