When it comes to sewing the simplest things can cause all sorts of trouble. For example, if you dont have your bobbin wound correctly you can find it hard - or impossible - to sew well. When sewing machines act up most owners call a repairman. That can be quite expensive and even unnecessary. Some sewing machine issues can be easily fixed by you! One common sewing problem - the fabric bunching up as you sew - is very simple to fix. First, keep in mind that you should always use the same weight of thread on top as you do in the bobbin. Unless youre doing a type of specialty sewing youll always use the same weight of spool thread and bobbin thread. Also, make sure the bobbin has been wound correctly. Do not wind bobbins by hand or overfill them. Although most machines have a feature which automatically stops the winding of the bobbin when its full, some dont. Stop short of filling the bobbin all the way.
If your tension isnt set right you can experience anything from having the fabric bunch up as you sew to thread that breaks as you stitch. There is a test you can do to see if your thread tension is too tight. Start by threading the machine with one color on top and a different color of bobbin. Make sure both threads are of the same thread weight. Fold a piece of fabric in half, sew across it on the bias line, then remove it from the machine. Hold the ends of the fabric and pull quickly, hard, until one thread breaks. If the spool thread breaks the upper tension is too tight. If the bobbin thread breaks the tension is too loose. If neither breaks, or they break simultaneously, the tension is right.
Before ever calling a sewing machine repairman make sure to check that the threading is done correctly and that the needle is in the right position. If a single thread guide is missed the machine will not sew correctly. Also, its not hard to get a needle in backwards and thats an expensive lesson if you call a repairman! The thread itself can cause many problems if it is old. The thread can break, can cause the bobbin thread to wad up, and can cause the fabric to bunch. Never use thread that is really easy to break, is dusty, or has been around for years. Its better to buy a new spool of thread than to have a garment fall apart the first time you wash it! Its expensive to call a sewing machine repairman especially if you can do the job yourself. Check the needle, the thread and the tension before ever calling for assistance. Likely, youll be glad you did!
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