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LIESEL'S PRACTICAL POUFBUNNY AREA
on Petticoat Pond
1. INTRODUCTION
Warning! You could be seriously injured by a sewing machine. Keep in mind, you can get hurt with a sewing machine. An electric model may have a problem that could shock or even kill someone. If in doubt have a qualified repair person check it out. The needles are sharp and if you get a finger or something else in the way the needle could be driven into you. There are other places on the machine where things move and you could get pinched, cut, or otherwise damaged. Please read the safety instructions that came with your machine. So you’ve had fair warning. If you get hurt, don’t complain here. No claim is made as to the completeness or accuracy of these instructions. In fact I’m sure I’ll be leaving things out you would get in a formal class since I’ve never been formally trained in sewing myself. Proceed at your own risk. Again, I don’t claim to be any sort of expert. I’ll pass along the things I’ve learned about sewing by making mistakes and working my through them.
If your machine has not been used in a long time take it to a sewing machine service center and have it cleaned and lubricated. You can damage a machine by using it when it is not properly lubricated. I learned this one the hard way. The machine hadn’t been used in about three years and then after just a few minutes of use it started making a terrible noise. Find your sewing machines manual. I know, no one ever reads the manual, but this is one case where it really is the best way to get started. The manual saved the day more than once for me. Now the machine I have is a 20 year old plain electric model about the only thing fancy it has is zigzag and three specialty stitches. I can’t tell you anything about the ones with computers. Start out with a fresh spool of thread. There is no happiness in having to re-thread your machine in the middle of a seam. After you get experienced you’ll be able to tell if you have enough thread to do what you want, but for now start with a full spool and a full bobbin. Oh yes, bobbin, that will be our first topic. Get a good pair of scissors. Keep them handy and don’t use them for anything but sewing tasks. Always cut thread with your scissors. Thread is hard enough to get through the eye of a needle without the thread having a rough end.
All the machines I’ve seen sew using two threads. One of the threads comes from a spool of thread that you buy at the store. The spool sits on small metal spindle on the top of the machine. The spindle just goes through the hole in the spool. The other thread comes from a bobbin that is inside the machine under the plate where the needle does the sewing. The bobbin is just a small, usually metal, spool that you can put thread on. Several bobbins usually come with the machine so you can load them with the threads you use most often. Notice I said you put the thread on the bobbin. Here’s where you start to use your manual.
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