Sewing is a great hobby, and it is useful too. Once you know how to sew, there are a million possibilities.
You can start mending your clothes instead of going in search of a tailor. You can start stitching small items, pillows, and cushion covers.
As you progress, you will see how interesting the hobby is. It is also very useful because you don’t have to go in search of a tailor to make any dress that you want.
But the first thing one must learn before you start sewing is to thread the machine. In the beginning, the task might look very difficult.
But as you go on, you will see how easy it is to thread the machine. Threading it right is crucial to get a good stitch.
Understanding The Parts For Bobbin Winding
You must know the parts that are important for the threading purpose. In most machines, they are placed almost in the same place, so that you don’t have much trouble. There is a spool pin on top of the machine where you place your thread spool.
There is a bobbin pin quite close to it where you place the bobbin. The bobbin winder is close to the bobbin pin. The handwheel is at the far right of the machine. There is a bobbin winder tension disc on the top on the left side.
- Also see: Best Professional Sewing Machine
Preparing To Wind The Bobbin
This is the first step towards threading your machine. You must have the thread in your bobbin, which you will place below the machine to get your bobbin thread for stitching. You must first place the spool of thread at the spool pin.
Some machines have a spool cap, which is a small plastic cap to prevent the spool from slipping out of the pin. If it is a vertical pin, you don’t have to worry too much. Pull the thread from the spool, take it to the bobbin winder tension disc, and pass it from the back to the front.
Winding the Bobbin
Bring the thread to the bobbin and push through the holes before winding a few rounds on the bobbin. If there are no holes in your bobbin, you can wind a few extra rounds to secure the thread on the bobbin. Ensure to leave a little tail even after winding.
Place the bobbin on the bobbin pin. Push the bobbin pin to the right where the bobbin winder is placed. You can hear a click informing you that the pin is in place. The bobbin winder must be touching the bobbin. Start to spin slowly and then proceed to a speed you are comfortable with. Stop once the thread is level with the bobbin edges.
Know The Parts For Threading The Lower Half
You must thread the lower half of the machine from where the thread from the bobbin will be taken for stitching. On the left side, either below the needle or very close to it, there will be the bobbin compartment cover. Some machines have a bobbin casing inside which you must place the bobbin.
In other machines, you can place the bobbin straight into the bobbin compartment. You can easily open the cover and remove the casing. The compartment cover is usually marked in all machines, and the direction in which it should be opened is also given.
Threading The Bottom Half Of Your Sewing Machine
Before you place the bobbin in the case or the compartment pulls out a few inches of thread, which you must hold when you turn the handwheel. If there is a bobbin case, you must place the bobbin in such a way the thread comes out.
There will be a notch to pass thread out of the casing. Place the bobbin in the casing in such a way the thread is free on the right side. If there is no casing, the bobbin is inside the compartment with a few inches of thread loss. Lead the thread, as shown in the machine, and close the compartment cover.
Preparing To Thread The Upper Half
Before you thread the upper half, it is better to know a couple of parts through which you must thread the needle. There are thread guides to lead your thread through. There is a check spring holder on the front at the left side of your machine.
There is also the thread take-up lever, which is the one that moves up and down. Then there are the tension track and the needle bar thread guide. Finally, there is the needle that you must thread. Be sure to bring the thread take-up lever to the top so that it sticks out from the cover. This way, you can avoid removing the cover.
Threading The Upper Half
Most machines have a diagram of how to lead the thread. It is better to see that the thread comes from the bottom of the thread spool. The thread must be led through the thread guide near the tension disc. Bring the thread down to the check spring holder and take it up.
Bring the thread to the back of the take-up lever and slip it to the front so that it slides into the hole. Then bring the thread down towards the needle through the tension track. Bring the thread to the front of the need through the guide. You must always push the thread from the front of the needle hole through it towards the back.
Hold the thread and move the handwheel to make the needle go down and bring up the bobbin thread. Pull both threads to the left side, and you are ready to make your dress.
Conclusion
Threading is not a tough job, as many might think it to be. Most machines have the same method of threading the needle. Most modern machines have a diagram at the front of the machine to show you how to guide your thread to needle the upper half.
There can be slight differences between machines. Some may have bobbin casing, whereas others may not. The top drop-in method of placing the bobbin is very convenient as there is no casing. You can check with the machine manufacturer for such a model.
In some models, the top spool pin is horizontal. In such cases, the thread should come from under the spool.