Sewing Machine Servicing and Crafting Classes in the Hudson Valley
Bought a secondhand machine? Have it serviced before you stitch!
Facebook Marketplace, thrift shops, and yard sales can be great places to find used sewing machines at reasonable prices.
Before you buy the machine, check that the machine is as complete as possible: bobbin case, bobbin(s), foot/knee pedal, power cord (if electric)/treadle belt (if a treadle machine), presser foot/feet. An original manual is always nice to have if available. Of course, all of these parts can be purchased as replacements if they are missing, but that adds to the total cost of your machine. Check the wiring as exposed, cracked, or brittle wires will be repairs needed before you can use your machine.
After you’ve bought the machine, but before you start sewing, it’s a great idea to have your machine serviced.
I recently serviced a beautiful vintage machine and the check spring was actually the incorrect one and had been jammed in the tension assembly, which meant the machine would not sew. I had another machine that, upon opening up, I found several rusted parts, including the tension discs…again, this machine would not sew properly as the threads were getting stuck and breaking on those rusted discs. In a third example, the stop motion clamp washer had been put in backward so the clutch knob couldn’t be properly tightened and had been gouged. All three issues were completely fixable, but could have been very frustrating for the buyers if they had tried to sew on their “new” used machines.
If you’ve bought a secondhand sewing machine (or have a machine that you’ve not used for a long time) and are in the Hudson Valley area, let’s set up an appointment and take care of your machine before you start using it!Write your text here...
Yuck! Lint in the Bobbin Area
It’s amazing how much lint and little pieces of thread can build up in the bobbin area and cause issues with sewing. Before you insert a new needle, remove the needle plate and bobbin/bobbin case and brush out any lint.
If you do all these things and are still having thread nesting or skipped stitches, there may be a timing issue with your machine, meaning the needle and the hook are not working in synch. This usually will require having your machine serviced.
If you’re in the Hudson Valley area and need to have your sewing machine serviced, let’s set up an appointment and take care of your machine!
