How to Troubleshoot Sewing Machine Problems
Do you have a sewing machine but aren’t really sure the best ways to take care of it, or fix problems when they inevitably arise? We all want to treat our machines well in order to get the best performance out of them, and to have them around for a good, long time! Doing routing sewing machine maintenance will definitely keep your machine running smoothly and will expand it’s lifetime!
I recently was given the chance to sit down and chat with someone who runs a service center for the Husqvarna Viking sewing machines and pick his brain for all the best ways to address sewing machine issues.
While we all want to sew perfectly straight lines with evenly spaced stitches forever and ever, I bet everyone reading this has experienced some sewing WOES at some point or another. What do you do when your thread keeps snapping? Why is my tension all kinds of crazy? What the HECK is going on with my bobbin!?!
Have you ever just been so frustrated with a machine that you just pack up for the day and come back later when you have more patience? Well, I am hoping these pointers may help clear up some of the confusion and provide many more happy hours in the sewing room (or, like many, dining room table).
When you have sewing machine trouble, the first step is to always unthread your top and bobbin threads, clean your machine, and then rethread it. I always use a little pipe-cleaner to get the lint out of my machine. Please do not ever blow air into your machine, as the force of the air can likely push the dust and lint particles further into it and can even mess up your sewing machine engine. I also found this really nifty, teeny tiny vacuum attachment set that hooks up to my Dyson and allows me to really give the inside of my machine a very thorough cleaning.
These simple steps of cleaning your machine and then re-threading it will often be all you needed to refresh your machine and remind it how to behave. If that does not work, my next piece of advice is to change your needle and check your tension settings. Some computerized machines these days have automatic tension settings, so if that is the case, you won’t be able to mess with yours. But, if you have a sewing machine that you can adjust the tension, I always suggest playing around with it until it feels juuust right!
As far as sewing machine needles go, there are SO many different kinds out there. I prefer to use universal needles like these. I always get a bunch at one time since they are not expensive and having a nice sharp needle is very important to keep your stitches perfect!
Another important thing to do in order to take the best care of your sewing machine is to take it in for regular maintenance by the professionals. See if the place you bought your machine offers maintenance service and try to have it serviced once a year. Think of it as a “Happy Birthday” present to your sewing machine! If you purchased your machine online or somewhere that does not offer maintenance, check out your local quilt shop as I am sure they’ll be able to help introduce you to a service professional!
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