Hello.
In the previous video I talked about fabrics
and today I'll talk about sewing machines.
I know 3 types of machines: regural sewing machine
serger/ overlock
and coverlock.
Maybe there are also some other types,
I know there are also mixed types of sewing machines
but I will not talk about that.
I'll start with the regular sewing machine.
That's the necessary essential.
You can get by without overlock or coverlock,
but you need the regular sewing machine.
Every sewing machine comprises of the machine
and of the pedal that you plug into the machine and to the power socket.
Some machines you turn on by plugging to the socket,
mine has also a power switch that I have to push.
Basic machines has fewer stitches,
more proffesional have more stitches
and the modern ones are made also digital
where you just click all the settings.
On older machines you adjust the settings by dragging or twisting some handle.
My machine is Janome 415
it is a basic machine but it is enough
and I don't have experience with more professional ones.
I use few stiches that my sewing machine can do
most frequently regular straight stitch and a zig zag stitch.
Zig zag stitch is this one and untill I had overlock/serger
I used a zig zag stitch to sew over the edges of fabrics.
Stitch type can be selected by this wheel.
Regular straight stitch is A
so I set up A with the wheel.
Zig zag stitch is C
So I twist the wheel to point out to C and so on.
I don't use the other stitches very often.
These are stitches used to make a button hole.
I can show you how Imake button holes some time later.
On each machine you can adjust stitch length,
on my machine it is with this movable handle.
I set up the stitch length by dragging the handle to the left or to the right.
Usually I sew with the setting 2.5
but sometimes it's better to use longer stitch, for example when sewing leather.
I will talk about that in a separate video.
Here you can see some examples of different stitch lengths.
You can also set the stitch width.
On my machine it is adjusted by this other handle
dragging it to tle left or to the right.
By moving the handle, the needle moves to the left or to the right.
The original position of the needle is in the centre of the foot
and by dragging the handle, the needle moves to the left
and the stitch becomes narrower.
When the handle is on the right, the needle is in the centre of the foot.
When I drag it to the left, the needle moves to the left.
It is actually illustrated on the machine.
When sewing regular straight stitch you don't deal with the stitch width
because it goes only straight, not to the sides.
So basically I deal with the stitch width only when sewing zig zag stitch
or any other stitch that doesn't go straight but makes some shape.
For wide zig zag, I drag the handle to the right.
The narrower stitch I want the more I drag it to the left.
Here are some examples of different widths of zig zag stitch.
You choose the stitch length and with depending of what type of stitch and fabric you sew.
For example, when you secure the edges to prevent it from fraying
it's better to use narrower and shorter zig zag
to secure the edges properly.
Now look at this.
There are stitches from A to H in blue
and from A to H in orange.
The blue ones are regular stitches
that bottom row, the orange ones are elastic stitches,
more precisely stitches for elastic fabrics.
And when you look back here at the settings of the stitch length
you'll notice an orange signs of + and - (plus & minus).
So when I want to use this orange A stitch
which is a straigth stitch that is elastic
I will set A with the adjusting wheel.
But that's not enough because now I have set the regular A stitch, not the elastic one.
And I will set that with the handle that adjusts the stitch length.
I slide it to that orange signs.
And with the + and - I set either longer elastic stitch or shorter one.
Of course there is some difference between the regular straight stitch and elastic one,
I think that the elastic one goes also backwards.
The regular one does - - -
and the elastic one does - - and goes back,
- - and goes back, or something like that.
You have to try the stitches
but as I said I use mainly regular straight stitch and zig zag stitch
because I sew stretchy fabrics with regular machine rarely.
I sew them with overlock and I will talk about it later.
The last thing that can be adjusted is this disc
that increases or decreases the upper thread tension.
It can't be determined exactly what settings you should apply
It depends on the type of fabric that you work with.
Usually I have it set on 5
but sometimes you have to increase the tension and sometimes decrease it.
When the stitch is very stressed and the fabric shrunk you have to decrease the tension.
When the stitch is loose and you can see the loops you have to increase the tension.
This handle is for back stitching.
When I push it down (and hold it) while sewing
the machine sews backwards.
Then there is the needle
With this screw I either tighten the needle or loosen it.
When I turn it towards myself I loosen the needle, take it out
I can change it to new one, slide it into the opening
and turning the screw to the opposite side I fix the needle in place.
There are many types of needles.
Regular ones
Stretch needles that have different point
or jean needles that are more sturdy.
Every needle has it's thickness and the number is engraved on it.
Personally, I don't really care about the needle sizes,
I sew with one needle until I break it
and I use the number 75/11 for almost everything.
Sometimes I use a special needle, a twin needle
they are two needles that make two rows of stitches next to each other
and I will tell you something about it in another video.
Then there is the presser foot.
By pulling this lever down I slide it down,
by pulling the lever up I raise the foot.
This is the regular foot that I use most often,
then I have the zipper foot
that can get closer to the ziper teeth
and an invisible zipper foot.
I plan to make separate video about sewing zippers in and using these zipper foots/feet (?).
I have some others that I don't use
like for example this button hole foot
or rolled hem foot. You stuck the edge of the fabric into it
and it will roll the fabric just before it sewes it over.
A also have a special foot called walking foot.
you have screw it onto the machine, it has teeth
so while sewing the fabric is pulled both from the top and the bottom
so it is pulled more easily.
Then there is this detachable part where the storage compartment is.
I sew with it attached almost all the time
but sometimes it's better to detach it
to easier get to the fabric, for example when hemming sleeves.
Then there is the metal plate with engraved numbers.
There's 1 cm, 1.5 cm and 2 cm
which represents the distance from the needle when it is in the centre of the foot.
It's useful for sewing straight stitches equally distanced from the edge.
There are teeth under the foot.
By stepping onto the pedal or twisting this wheel on the side of the machine
the teeth start to move.
They move back and front, down and up
and that pulls the fabric under the presser foot.
Under the metal plate there is the space for the bobbin.
Bobbin is the bottom thread.
By grabbing and pulling this lever you take out the bobbin case.
I will show you how to wind the bobbin in a minute.
At the top of the machine there are these components.
This hook for the upper thread,
this screw serves for winding the bobbin,
these two rods can be pulled out and I can put thread onto it,
and this thing also serves for winding the bobbin.
First I will show you how I wind the bottom thread.
These parts are made for it.
Disclaimer: I wind the bottom thread differently than how it is in the manual.
According to the manual you put the thread that you want to wind onto the bobin onto this rod
wind it around the screw, same as it is suggested in the picture next to it
and then you turn it around the bobin.
But I do it differently.
I put an empty bobbin onto this rod
and push it to the right,
I turn the end of the thread around the bobbin a few times,
and step onto the pedal and the thread starts to wind itself.
I have the original thread on the ground and regulate it with my hands.
When the bobbin is full the winding stops itself.
Then I just snip it and it is done.
I insert it into the metal case so that the thread unwinds this direction.
I thread the needle through the notches and put it in place.
Now I'll thread the upper thread.
The process is engraved on my machine.
I twist the wheel at the side of the machine so that the needle is in its highest position
and a second hook comes out.
I place the upper thread onto one rod,
I guide it around the first hook,
I twist it around this plastic piece
I guide it around the second hook,
under the third hook
and behind the fourth hook.
Then I push it through the needle eye.
Now I have to pull the bottom thread up on that metal plate.
I twist the wheel at the side
the needle goes down under the plate
and brings the bottom thread up on it's own.
Now the machine is ready to sew.
I will tell you something about overlock and coverlocks.
This is seam made by overlock
and this seam is made by coverlock.
Overlock sewes 2 edges similarly as the regular machine
but at the same time it zig zags them.
It is similar as if you first sewed the edges by regular stitch
and them zig zaged them.
Coverlock sews only hems.
It's not able possible to sew 2 edges together.
You fold the fabric inside and coverlock makes from the outside 2 rows of straight stitches
and from the inside something like a zig zag.
So it's similar as if you locked the edge with a zig zag,
folded it inside and then sewed it in place either with one regular straight stitch seam
or two seams.
Overlocks and coverlocks are perfect for sewing stretchy fabrics
because sewing them on regular machine can sometimes get on your nerves
But if you're just starting to sew
regular machine is enough.
I have only overlock, not a coverlock
and I use it almost all the time.
I will not talk about it's components or show you the threading
because I assume that beginners don't use it
and the advanced sewers know how to use it
but if you'd be interested anyway , I could make a separate video about that.
That will be it for today's video,
I hope you liked it and that you learnt something new
and I will see you next time in another video.
Have a nice day ! :)
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