Beginning today, I will provide tips and techniques for a variety of things "creative" on Sundays. Why? Knowledge is Power :-) I'm calling them Sunday Studio Tips, and I'm including a picture of my studio (before I loaded it up with all my stuff) so you can see where I work, (when I'm not working of course!) I love the pink and black. I worked with the nice man at the Benjamin Moore counter for quite a while before he was able to custom blend the perfect pink for me.
Today's tip comes from my own experience of the care and feeding of my Janome Memory Craft 11000. It's a wicked cool machine that treats me really well, if I return the favor.
Tip #1 - Cleanliness is not only next to Godliness, it can Simplify Your Life!
Machines, no matter the brand, need to be clean in order to work properly. Every time you take a stitch, lint and dust move through your machine. Fabrics and threads hold dust and produce lint like you would not believe! This week, I didn't clean the bobbin casing out until bobbin #3 on a project I was working on...WRONG! It was NASTY in there! Thus, today's tip.
When you change a bobbin, take some time to clean. Pop out the bobbin and use the tiny brush that came with your machine, a small paint brush, or a make up brush, and wipe out the area that the bobbin sits in.
A note on blowing into your machine to remove lint - DON'T! That will only make the dust and lint move around and into places you can't reach. You should also stay away from canned air unless you have the type made for sewing machines, and you have been shown how and where to use it. Don't ever use the canned air for computers, it's too strong for your delicate machine.
Get out your handy dandy screwdriver that also came with the machine, and pop off the plate. It's OK, you won't hurt anything. Continue the cleaning process as far as the brush will reach.
Next, pop out your bobbin casing and clean under it. It should just lift out, but if you've never done this before, look at how it sits in there so that you can put it back exactly the same way.
Brush around the needle area to get anything that has built up down there. If you have an automatic needle threader, clean that too.
Does the left side of the machine open, you know, the side where your thread runs through? If so, use your brush in there too. You'd be amazed what can build up. Not all machines open up like that, so just do what you can.
Your machine will love you, and in return it will sew nicely for you!
You should also get your machine serviced once a year, or twice if you're someone who sews in large volume. Servicing will also make your machine love you. Mine is going in for service this week.
Tip #2, The Importance of Thread
The type of thread you use will make or break a project, and can also wreak havoc with your machine. The wrong thread for a project, as well as old thread, can cause jams, breaks, and thread nests.
Thread has a shelf life. I usually use mine before it starts to break down, but in general, thread is really only good for a few years. One it begins to break down, it will lose it's sheen and strength.
I use cotton thread for sewing and rayon for embroidery. I don't care for poly threads, as they tend to be more linty. My new machine has never had anything but, and it seems to be quite happy.
Threads also come in a variety of weights. Make sure you are using the appropriate weight for your project. For example, machine embroidery thread is smaller than sewing thread. Machine embroidery bobbin thread is even smaller. Quilting threads come in different weights depending on the loft of your project and technique you are using. Make sure you read your pattern thoroughly for thread recommendations. If you don't know what to buy, ask. You'll be happier in the long run.
Come back next week for the next set of tips! Is there something you'd like to know about? Leave a comment with your question, and I'll see if I can answer it (or find the answer for you!)
Today's tip comes from my own experience of the care and feeding of my Janome Memory Craft 11000. It's a wicked cool machine that treats me really well, if I return the favor.
Tip #1 - Cleanliness is not only next to Godliness, it can Simplify Your Life!
Machines, no matter the brand, need to be clean in order to work properly. Every time you take a stitch, lint and dust move through your machine. Fabrics and threads hold dust and produce lint like you would not believe! This week, I didn't clean the bobbin casing out until bobbin #3 on a project I was working on...WRONG! It was NASTY in there! Thus, today's tip.
When you change a bobbin, take some time to clean. Pop out the bobbin and use the tiny brush that came with your machine, a small paint brush, or a make up brush, and wipe out the area that the bobbin sits in.
A note on blowing into your machine to remove lint - DON'T! That will only make the dust and lint move around and into places you can't reach. You should also stay away from canned air unless you have the type made for sewing machines, and you have been shown how and where to use it. Don't ever use the canned air for computers, it's too strong for your delicate machine.
Get out your handy dandy screwdriver that also came with the machine, and pop off the plate. It's OK, you won't hurt anything. Continue the cleaning process as far as the brush will reach.
Next, pop out your bobbin casing and clean under it. It should just lift out, but if you've never done this before, look at how it sits in there so that you can put it back exactly the same way.
Brush around the needle area to get anything that has built up down there. If you have an automatic needle threader, clean that too.
Does the left side of the machine open, you know, the side where your thread runs through? If so, use your brush in there too. You'd be amazed what can build up. Not all machines open up like that, so just do what you can.
Your machine will love you, and in return it will sew nicely for you!
You should also get your machine serviced once a year, or twice if you're someone who sews in large volume. Servicing will also make your machine love you. Mine is going in for service this week.
Tip #2, The Importance of Thread
The type of thread you use will make or break a project, and can also wreak havoc with your machine. The wrong thread for a project, as well as old thread, can cause jams, breaks, and thread nests.
Thread has a shelf life. I usually use mine before it starts to break down, but in general, thread is really only good for a few years. One it begins to break down, it will lose it's sheen and strength.
I use cotton thread for sewing and rayon for embroidery. I don't care for poly threads, as they tend to be more linty. My new machine has never had anything but, and it seems to be quite happy.
Threads also come in a variety of weights. Make sure you are using the appropriate weight for your project. For example, machine embroidery thread is smaller than sewing thread. Machine embroidery bobbin thread is even smaller. Quilting threads come in different weights depending on the loft of your project and technique you are using. Make sure you read your pattern thoroughly for thread recommendations. If you don't know what to buy, ask. You'll be happier in the long run.
Come back next week for the next set of tips! Is there something you'd like to know about? Leave a comment with your question, and I'll see if I can answer it (or find the answer for you!)
No comments:
Post a Comment