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How Do You Choose
The Right Stitch
And Properly Adjust It?
How To Adjust
Sewing Machine Stitches?
If you include all the hand stitches, sewing machine
utility stitches, sewing machine decorative stitches, serger
stitches, and industrial manufacturing stitches, you have a bunch of
stitches. On a moderately priced home sewing machine you will find
twenty to two hundred different stitches plus variations in stitch
length and stitch width as well as stretch factors. A top quality
home sewing machine will have eight hundred to a thousand different
stitches.
There are several distinctly different types of
sewing machines and each type uses slightly different systems to
select and form stitches.
Mechanical sewing
machines are the least expensive sewing machines and use the most
primitive technologies. An AC electric motor turns a belt which
turns the upper sewing machine shaft. The upper shaft transfers the
mechanical energy along the shaft past the cam system to the needle
system. A lever on a parabola connection transfers the mechanical
movement down to the lower sewing machine shaft which may be split
into a dual lower shaft one to drive the hook and a second to drive
the feed dogs. Stitches are formed in a mechanical machine by
aligning cam trackers (levers that rub against a cam gear with bumps
and shallows) with the cam gear so that when the cam gear moved the
tracker lever will bounce back and forth. This movement is then
transferred by lever to the needle assembly moving the needle bar
back and forth and up and down to form the desired stitches. The
alignment of the cam trackers is achieved by use of levers, buttons,
or dials protruding on the top or face of the sewing machine. The
user moves the stitch selector to the proper position, and the
trackers line up to form that stitch. Additional dials or levers are
used to adjust the stitch length and stitch width.
Electronic sewing
machines use electronics to control the power drive system and the
stitch selection system. Note many machines are blends of
mechanicals and electronic technologies, and others are blends of
electronics and computer technologies. Fully electronic sewing
machines use electronic circuits to manage motor output giving the
sewing machine greater torque, increased consistency, and smoother
sewing. Stitches are selected with electronic buttons that control
the production of stitches. Electronic sewing machines usually
offer more different stitches and more dependable sewing.
Computerized
sewing machines use the most advanced technologies to produce the
greatest number of different stitches, smoothest sewing, and most
dependable operations. Computer input is made either by touching
buttons on the computer keypad or a touch screen. The computer
takes the signal and manages a set of DC pulse motors to create and
manage stitches. It is common for computerized sewing machines to
offer hundreds of different stitches.
To choose a
stitch on a mechanical sewing machine turn a dial, move a lever, or
press a button. On an electronic sewing machine, press a button
attached to an electronic switch. On a computerized sewing machine,
press a button on the computer keypad or touch the selection on a
computerize touch screen.
Three basic types
of stitches are used: Utility Stitches, Decorative Stitches, and
Button Holes.
Utility Stitches
include the straight stitch, the zig zag stitch, the blind hem
stitch, stretch stitches, the overcast stitch, the blanket stitch,
and other useful stitches for practical purposes.
Decorative
Stitches include many varieties of satin stitches, outline stitches,
and specialty stitches.
Button Holes
include four step button holes, one step button holes, darning
stitches, and eyelet stitches.
What stitches
does your sewing machine have?
Take an inventory
of your sewing machine. Cut a long piece of test fabric and begin
sewing a short row of each stitch your sewing machine offers. One
by one make your way through every stitch your machine offers sew
out each one and adjust the length and width of the stitches to see
all the variations you have available. You may be surprised by what
your find. If your sewing machine is a cheap mechanical machine, it
may only have straight and zig zag stitches of various stitch
function settings (varied stitch length and/or width). If you have
a more expensive machine you may have twenty, fifty, a hundred, or
even hundreds of different stitches.
Make your own
stitch set book. Cut your stitch selections into pieces about four
inches long. Stack all your pieces one on top of each other. Sew a
seam along one side and keep this stitch set for later reference.
Now you know how
to select the various stitches on your sewing machine. You also
have a visual example of each stitch.
To learn more
about which stitch is used for what; get all your sewing answers at
sewing answers. Com. Read more about stitches at
http://www.sewinganswers.com/SewingHobby.php
AUTHOR:
Donna Trumble is a professional designer, seamstress, author, sewing
educator, and sewing business owner. She leads several
Sewing Show And Tell groups in her stores guiding participants to
shop sewing machines and learn about sewing and quilting.
David Trumble is a sewing
professional, author, semi-retired minister, sewing machine
technician, and CFO of Temple Sewing And Supply, Inc.
RESOURCE:
For more information on sewing show and tell groups, check out
"Sewing, The World's Greatest Hobby"
by Donna and David Trumble. And check out the local Sew And
Quilt Stores in Killeen, Temple, and Waco, Texas or at
www.sewandquiltstore.com.
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