Activity 5A – Reading: SEWING MACHINE TROUBLESHOOTING

I. Pre-reading:
1. What are the common problems with a sewing machine? List all the problems
2. Skim the text and compare your answers with problems mentioned in the text.
A.
How many times have you been in the middle of a project and your trusted sewing
machine has decided it doesn't want to sew? The fun part of sewing is completing our
creative inspiration, not fighting the machine!
Many times it is a very simple problem that we overlooked while absorbed in our
project. Here is a simple checklist for mechanical problems. Many things vary by
machine and this list is not a complete guide to your sewing machine.
Rather it is a guideline to save you an unnecessary trip to the repair shop and a load of
frustration. Always refer to your sewing machine manual.
B.
The most likely cause for your machine to skip stitches is the machine needle. If your
machine was sewing fine and suddenly decides to skip stitches, change your sewing
machine needle.
That machine needle is a sliver of metal and you may have inadvertently bend it while
tugging the fabric or by hitting a straight pin. Learning and understanding sewing
machine needles can save you hours of frustration.
If you find yourself changing the needle often, be sure you are allowing the feed dog to
feed the fabric through the machine and that you are not forcing the fabric which can lead
to bent needles. Even slightly forcing the fabric can bend the machine needle. Let the
feed dog do the work.
C.
Are you using a quality thread? Most bargain threads throw off excessive lint, have loose
fibers and knots which can all affect how your machine forms stitches.
Check the way your machine is threaded. Completely un-thread your sewing machine
and re-thread it. Remember to always thread your machine with the presser foot up.
Knotting thread on the bottom side is usually caused by upper threading errors.
Check the bobbin and be sure the bobbin is threaded correctly and that the bobbin case is
correctly threaded. Be sure the bobbin is in the bobbin case in the correct direction.
Always watch for bobbin wear, especially on the plastic type of bobbins. If the edges of
the plastic are showing abrasions, the size of the bobbin has changed and may be the
culprit. Although the size change is a minute, it allows the bobbin to wobble in the case
and changes the tension.
D.
Is it possible that you had some helpful little hands at the sewing machine, while your
back was turned? Children may know better than to touch your sewing machine, but all
those knobs and buttons can be irresistible.
Always unplug your machine when you are not using it and children are in the area. It is
very simple for them to step on the foot pedal while their small hand is on the needle bed.
E.
These adjustments vary depending on your machine. The rule of thumb for a turning disk
style adjustment is "righty tighty, lefty lucy". The disks are actually helped in place by
springs and screws, by turning them to the right you are tightening the spring, by turning
them to the left you are loosening the spring.
F.
Have you been so "in to" your projects that you have not taken the time to do basic
maintenance on your machine? We all do it, but we shorten the life expectancy of our
sewing machine by not properly maintaining it. There is nothing like machine problems
to force us to take the time to do basic maintenance that is described in your machine
manual.
II. While-reading:
Task 1: Match the headings numbered from I to VIII with the correct paragraph
numbered from A to F
I. Knotting or Breaking Thread
II. Regular Maintenance
III. Skipped Stitches
IV. Tension Adjustments
V. Helping Hands
VI. Bobbin problem
VII. A Checklist for mechanical problems
VIII. An introduction to sewing problems
Task 2: Read the passage and decide whether these statements are TRUE or FALSE
1. Skipped stitches are mainly resulted in by needles.
2. Only strongly forcing the fabric can make the machine needle bend.
3. The sewing machine can be rethreaded with the presser foot down.
4. You should turn the disks to loosen the spring
5. The life span of a sewing machine may be shortened by improper maintenance.