Maintaining Your Sewing Machine
Set aside a good time to take a moment to do some rountine maintenance on your sewing machine. If you don't think to do anything with the machine other that sew with it until it decides not to work properly you could be in for big problems. If you get into the habit of doing some regular cleaning, maintenance on your sewing machine will never be a big job.. The areas that can get clogged up are the bobbin and the area around the feed dogs, the lint needs to be cleaned out at least once a month if you are doing spasmodic sewing, if you are sewing every day, after every sewing project. If you didn't get a little brush with your sewing machine tool kit, then an art and craft store will have a little stipple brush if you can't get one at your sewing store. Get out your sewing machine manual and get your self acquainted with where you need to clean and oil your machine. Every machine is different but your manual will have the instructions to keep your sewing machine in tip top condition.. You will probably need to remove a plate to get at the feed dogs and the bobbin case.Your bobbin could load underneath if that is the case then you may have to raise the needle up to its highest point and push back a couple of levers on either side of the bobbin case. If you have to take anything apart, then make sure you have noted where it came from so you can put it back.. Clean this area with your lint brush, usually comes with your machine, if not, as I said get a stipple brush from an art and craft store. With my machine, I can open the area where the light is and the thread passes through and give this a good clean too. Anywhere that your thread passes through will need cleaning on a regular basis. Once you have all the lint removed, check where the oil points are. A drop of oil is all that is needed at each point. NEVER EVER use anything except the special oil for sewing machines. Other oils are too heavy and will damage the mechanics of your machine. After you have oiled your machine, remove the needle and pressure foot and run the machine for about one minute at high speed. This helps the oil penetrate the machine and get to where it will do its work. Replace the needle and pressure foot, place a small piece of blotting paper or kitchen paper under the pressure foot and drop the foot down. If you are not going to use your sewing machine for a while, make sure you do this routine before packing it away. Doing this maintenance on a regular basis will give you many hours of trouble free sewing. Check out your machine's manual for the maintenance check that is pertinent for your particular machine. Look after your sewing machine and it will reward you with many hours of happy sewing. CTBaird is an author of many articles and the Sewing eGuide “Sew More For U” http://www.sewmoreforu.com Copyright © 2005-2006 CTBaird Rights Reserved Sew More For U
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