The
Value
of
Professional Sewing Machine
Repair
can not be over emphasized.
The number one reason sewing machines breakdown
is neglect. But you can remedy this situation
and save hundreds of dollars all at the same
time.
My
Magnificent
Sewing
Machine
Now discover the secrets of
sewing machine repair for yourself. This
ecourse is designed to lead the beginning sewer
step by step to understanding how the sewing
machine works, how to maintain it, and how to
service it. This 240 page ecourse comes loaded
with sewing machine resources and
bonuses.
To guide your learning, a
step by step workbook is provided with the
ecourse.
Sewing Machine
Repair TNT
reveals the tips and tricks
the pros use to maintain, service, and repair
sewing machines.
Repair Manual
Collection
A special collection of
manufacturer's parts and service manuals are
provided for educational purposes to help you
learn the essentials of sewing machine
repair.
To Learn More About This
Ecourse ---
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Sewing
Machine Repair -Thread
Bunching
Or
How To Repair Thread Bunches Under
Fabric
When customers bring their
sewing machine in for repair at my shop, a
frequent complaint I hear is the thread bunches
under the fabric. This usually then leads to a
jam of some sorts and the customer fiddling
with the tensions and oiling everything in
sight. The finished result is a machine that is
jammed, tensions out of whack and a slippery
machine.
Thread bunching can be a
symptom of a few ills your sewing machine may
have. Some ills are easily rectified and some
others I would recommend you take the machine
to your nearest sewing repair shop.
Usually, thread bunching
under the fabric is a symptom of something
wrong above the fabric. There is an inverse
relationship between fabric and thread (top of
fabric is bottom thread, bottom of fabric is
top thread). Most people think thread bunching
on the bottom is the bobbin/bottom thread. This
is incorrect. We must look for problems
starting at the needle and upwards.
Follow the checklist and
instruction below to repair the thread bunching
issue. If by the end of the steps the problem
is not fixed you should bring it to a sewing
repair shop.
THREAD MACHINE - This first
and easiest thing to do is to re-thread the
entire machine. Pay special attention to the
take-up lever and the tension assembly.
Always have the presser foot
in the UP position when threading the machine.
This opens the tension disc to allow the thread
to nestle inside the assembly.
Make sure the thread passes
through the take up lever
Make sure you inserted the
thread in every thread guide
NEEDLE - I always recommend
a sharp needle. You may not notice any slight
bends, burrs or dullness in the needle which
would throw off the timing and the stitch
quality.
SPOOL CAP - If you have a
horizontal spool pin a spool cap is very
important. Its also very important the spool
cap covers the end of the spool of thread but
make sure its not too big or it will throw off
the thread tension.
TOP TENSION DIAL - The
setting should be between 3 and 5 on most
machines.
Make sure thread is
in-between the tension discs. On some machines
you can visually see the discs. On newer
machines it is hidden.
The best way to know if you
threaded the tension assembly correctly is to
put the presser foot in the DOWN position. Now
take the thread from the right of the tension
assembly and pull. Is there tension on the
thread or does it pull out very easily? If it
pulls out easily you threaded it incorrectly.
Try it again -- see step one.
FEED DOGS - Be sure the feed
dogs are moving and feeding the fabric evenly.
Turn the hand-wheel towards you a few times.
Can you see the feed dogs moving up and down?
Feed dogs are located on the needle plate.
If the feed dogs are not
moving
Some machines have a lever
to engage and disengage the feed dogs; make
sure they are engaged.
If they still are not moving
then you may a broken gear.
Now you can test your sewing
machine. Set the machine to the widest zig-zag
and the longest stitch length. Put a test cloth
(one fold in the fabric) under the presser foot
and give a go for about 20 or 30 stitches. Did
it jam? Is there bunching? I hope not!
Now check the stitch
quality. Look at the stitches on the test
cloth. Is the thread knot visible on either
side of the fabric? The knot should be
invisible. This means the knot is nestled
between the layers of the fabric and you cannot
see it. This is a good indicator of a good
stitch.
If you can see the knot,
then your tensions are out of balance and they
need to be adjusted. All sewing machines have a
top tension and a bottom tension. Both tensions
must be in balance to have a good stitch
quality. It takes quite a bit of experience to
balance tensions correctly. I do not recommend
doing it yourself.
If you have any questions
please feel free to leave me a comment.
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