Easy Threading Solutions For Your Sewing Machine
Incorrect sewing machine thread problems often force sewers to seek professional sewing machine care.
Thread is a necessity. The sewing machine needs thread to form stitches and connect fabrics. In most cases, it uses two threads.
One thread fills a bobbin and is placed under the arm of the sewing machine. One thread comes from above through the eye of the needle.
The needle moves up and down through the presser foot, fabric, and needle plate drawing the upper thread with it. This thread is caught by the mechanism below and wrapped around the bobbin thread. When the needle rises, the threads pull tighter until they form a locked stitch in the fabric.
There is only one right way to thread a sewing machine. With the thousands of different makes and models, it can be challenging to properly thread unfamiliar machines. Thread it right.
How do you thread a Singer 401a? Or a Brother 7000? Or a Bernina 830? What measures do you use to thread your sewing machine? Is the threading procedure the same for most sewing machine, or do you have to learn each machine by itself? Is there an easy way?
This easy to follow threading technique will produce great results on most machines. This quick and easy method will give you dependable threading.
Start threading with the top thread spool. There are many different designs of spools fat old wooden spools, plastic fat spools, and plastic narrow spools. They all work about the same, however, some work better horizontally or vertically. Therefore always set the spool pin on the best spool (available) for your machine. Use a spool cap on horizontal pins to prevent snagging.
Before threading further, look from right to left across the top of the sewing machine. You should see at least one and possibly more thread guides. It is essential that you inspect each guide to make sure it is smooth and has not rough edges that might snag the thread. File or smooth out these edges if necessary. Draw the thread from the spool from right to left through each guide sequentially. Make sure the thread flows freely off the spool and through the guides.
Some spool pins attach to the back of the sewing machine, and a few sewing machines have spool pins at the base behind the machine. Many people use an optional free standing accessory spool pin stand. These are usually sit behind the machine. Thread nets may be helpful. Smooth thread flow if vital, so double check by drawing a few inches of thread while you feel for snags.
Then thread the tension mechanism. This mechanism may be mounted on the front of the sewing machine or enclosed under the machine cover. Nonetheless, the assembly consists of two or more metal discs designed to press against the thread as it moves through the mechanism. This pressure is what we call tension.
This is a common point of problems. Unless the thread is properly seated in the tension assembly, the resistance applied to the tension may be far more than desired or far less. Often when threading the sewing machine, users fail to properly seat the thread here.
Avoid this problem by making sure the tension assembly is clean and free of debris, lint, rust, and rough spots. Then before threading the top of the machine, lift the presser foot. This will hold the tension disc apart. The thread should easily slide into position.
Once the tension is properly threaded, draw the thread through the tension spring or take up spring. This device maintains constant pressure on the thread and prevents it from flopping around.
Following the tension spring, the thread is threaded up and through the take up lever. Miss this lever and stitches mess up. Draw the thread through any final thread guides to the needle.
Test the upper threading now by taking hold of the thread with your left hand and gently tugging. The thread should flow freely. If it drags or snags, there is a problem that you must trace back to its origin. Now release the presser foot. Test the thread again. When you tug on the thread you should feel significant resistance. If you do not, double check the threading of the tension assembly. This completes the upper threading once you thread the needle.
Finally, thread the bobbin. Check to make sure the bobbin is smoothly wound on the bobbin ” not too tight or too loose. Insert the filled bobbin into the bobbin carrier. Draw the bobbin thread through the bobbin tension.
Pull the bobbin thread through the needle plate by holding the thread behind the needle with your left hand while you advance the hand wheel with your right. Turn the hand wheel around until the needle goes all the way down and rises back up above the needle plate. Pull with your left and to draw up the bobbin thread.