I’ll bet you all could guess for the next 15 minutes and not figure out what the answer is to the question — What is the most common sewing machine repair problem? My husband was a sewing machine repairman for over 30 years, and by far the most common repair problem was ……… the needle put in backwards! I know you all probably think this is hogwash, but is actually true. Sometimes there were children learning how to sew that just didn’t know how to put the needle in, OR somebody in too big a hurry to get a project completed and put the needle in wrong. I did that myself ONCE when I was trying to work warp speed to get a couple projects completed. When I called my husband in to check out the hopeless mess the knotted thread was – the first thing he did was take out the needle, put it in right, and commented, “YOU of all people should have known better than to do this!” Like I said I only did it ONCE, and learned my lesson.
There are other small things the machines will do that you have to keep an eye on. For example, my machine appears to have a real dislike for sewing velcro – the rough part. The thread keeps popping out of the little hook that directs the thread down to the needle. I have no earthly idea why it does this, but does it only when sewing velcro. After the first couple of times of getting the thread knotted up, I’ve learned to keep one eye on the fabric/velcro and the other eye on the little hook to see if the thread has popped out so I can get it back in line and continue sewing.
The “Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer” is a perfect book to get you through the many problems that can occur, and keep your machine out of the repair shop. This book goes through many problem/solution scenerios such as thread knotting in the bobbon area or on the fabric under the presser foot, in addition to teaching you how to “time” your machine and even shows you how to take apart the tension and put it back together again. If you’re like me, I just can’t do without my machine, and anything I can do to keep it out of the repair shop (and those super high repair prices!), the happier I am!
Check out the Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer book and the do-it-yourself information it contains!
HI 🙂 LOVE LOVE your blog 🙂 I subscribed a couple of years ago 🙂 Could you PLEASE re-send the 501 tips??? My GREAT OLD(6 yrs old) DELL DIED unexpectedly. She TOOK ALL of my downloads with her to the great PC heaven 🙁 Thank you so much for any help you can provide 🙂 The SEWING MACHINE REPAIR book IS FANTASTIC, BTW 🙂 I am a PROFESSIONAL seamstress. I make my LIVING this way=SEWING 🙂 I am STILL using my BELOVED Sears Kenmore… purchased in December 1974 🙂 She is SIMPLE and SWEET and EASY to understand 🙂 THANK YOU 🙂 CHERYL 🙂