Hello Creative Community!
Wednesday is Understanding Your Creative Partner Day! Your Sewing Machine!
It is very difficult to create and find joy in the stitching process if your sewing machine is acting up. Join me every Wednesday, if you want to gain knowledge about your sewing machine!
On Monday I left you with a picture of a large thread tangle. Today I would like to write about why that can happen.
Questions to Consider (in the order I would trouble shoot) Top of machine only
- Is the thread a "poor" quality? Does it look "hairy"? Does it have thick and thin spots?
- Are there knots or slubs on the thread?
- Is your thread too heavy? (12 wt.)
- Too Light? (60/2)
- Is the thread one that is prone to shredding? (Rayon, Metallic)
- Is this a problem with your needle?
- Is the size of the needle wrong? (Eye too small for the size thread?)
- Maybe the needle is wrong type? Is the thread protected by the "scarf" of the needle?
- Is there a burr in the eye of the needle? Probably not.
Sew many questions to answer!
- A Fun Fact about how your machine forms a stitch is that your thread is pulled in and out through the eye of your needle at least 25 times before it is stitched into your fabric! What!?!?
- When you think about that fact, thread going back and forth through the eye of your needle, it is easy to understand how your thread can wear through some of the fibers and get stuck somewhere in your machine!
- I've found the top thread stuck in tension disks, thread guides, and in front of the opening in the needle!
- Usually the "issue" is poor quality thread. Spool some of your thread off. How does it look? Give it a tug. Does it break easily?
- A "normal" size sewing thread is a 50 weight 3 ply thread.
- The thread fiber can be cotton or polyester.
- I like to use a Schmetz Microtex Needle size 80/12 for most of my stitching.
- Needles break when the needle strikes the throat plate. Maybe that is a good topic for next week!
Knowledge often leaves you with more questions. If you would like to know more join me in class or join me each Wednesday!
The class Know your Machine is happening soon! Click Here to Register for Class!
Also, don't forget the Spring Cleaning Event scheduled for Friday, March 31!
Be Sew Knowledgeable!
Cathy | 