(Original post date: 4.13.20)
Isn’t is amazing and heartwarming to see so many people answering the call to make face masks? Whether you are making for your family, your friends, your neighbors, or for frontline and essential workers, your contributions are greatly appreciated.
For some of us, this call to action was the perfect opportunity to bring out our sewing machines from storage and get back to a much loved craft. For others, it was the beginning of a new hobby. With so many of us sewing now, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about maintaining our sewing machines. After all, it would be difficult to find an open sewing machine repair shop during these times.
I recently asked Kimberly Coffin from Sweet Red Poppy for advice on keeping our machines going. She offered the following tips.
Clean Your Machine
It seems obvious, but it’s something we can forget about in the excitement of creating. Dust, thread, and fabric particles can build up. It’s important to take time to use the little brush that comes with most sewing machines to gently remove debris. Pay special attention to the bobbin case and throat plate areas. Not all machines are the same, but most are similar to each other. So consult your owner’s manual for specifics on cleaning your particular sewing machine. You can also find videos showing how to clean your machine by searching “sewing machine cleaning” on You Tube.
Oil Your Machine
Much like a car, your machine consists of moving parts that need to be lubricated. Oiling your machine improves its overall performance and longevity. Be sure to only use oil that is specifically designed for sewing machines. Many machines come with a small bottle of oil you can use. How often you oil our machine will depend on how much you use it. If you only use your machine a couple of times a month, oiling it once every 3 months should be enough. Using your machine once or twice a week would call for a monthly lubrication. But if you are using your machine every single day, it’s best to oil it once a week. Again, you can consult your sewing machine manual or search You Tube for help. Here is a video demonstrating how to oil a sewing machine.
Change Your Needle
There are different needles for different textures of fabric. You should use the needle that corresponds to the fabric you are sewing. Regardless of the type of material, though, all needles will begin to dull over time. So it is necessary to change your needle regularly to maintain quality stitching. The general recommendation is to change your needle after every 3 full bobbins that you use. However, if you are sewing heavy fabrics like leather, denim, or thick fleece, your needle will dull quicker. In that case you will want to change your needle after each project.
A sewing machine in an investment in your creativity. Protect and grow that investment by performing proper and regular maintenance. Treat your Baby Lock, Kenmore, Pfaff, Janome, Brother, Singer, or whatever brand of machine you have right, and she’ll be good to you for a long time to come.
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