I have a singer sewing machine here at home and i would really like to use it but it looks scarey complicated do they take some getting used to ,any tips etc?
I have a singer sewing machine here at home and i would really like to use it but it looks scarey complicated do they take some getting used to ,any tips etc?
If you can drive a car or ride a bicycle, you can run a sewing machine. Yes, there's a learning curve, but it's not a painful one.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
How easy? Depends on how picky you are. Rev touched on this subject. Watch Rev's sewing videos.
It's definitely easiest if you have someone around who can show you what's what. If that's not the case, read the manual to your thread injector and put a new needle in the machine. And practice on different scrapes of material. Different types of material take different tension. Your manual should have pictures showing you what correct tension looks like. Correct tension and a sharp needle go a long way. Have a seam ripper on hand too. Some of the best seamstresses I know use a seam ripper quite a bit on new projects. I use a seam ripper with pride. (It means I'm in the game.) Start by sewing 2 scrapes of material together. Then do a simple project like a stuff sack and go from there. There's a good youtube video on sewig stuff sacks. Definitely practice on scrapes of sil before you start sewing your sil project.
Final tip from me. Sew longer stiches in the beginning. Easier to rip them out. Definitely like riding a bike. The more you do it, the easier it is.
Last edited by HappyCamper; 05-04-2010 at 06:15.
Exercise, eat right, die anyway -- Country Roads bumper sticker
Fall seven times, standup eight. -- Japanese Proverb
Sewing machines are like any power tool. They have their own set of tricks. If your comfortable operating power tools, got some patience to learn, its not bad.
Fabric can be fussy, too, especially sil. Its really slippery stuff.
But, I tackled the "machine" a year ago, and have been learning ever since. If I can do it...anybody can do it!!
Lots of good vids on youtube, Rev has his "gear making/thread injecting" videos here on the forum. Watching those will help a bunch.
If you know someone that does sew, ask them to show you. Lots of little tricks, that make the job a lot easier.
Buy a bunch of cheapo fabric and go for it. You can learn most of the steps on scraps (old shirts, sheets, etc.) if you want. Then tackle the sil.
A good clean machine, well maintained will last for years. Good quality thread is another useful tool, bad thread makes for bad times.
Go for it!!!!!
Ambulo tua ambulo.
I was fortunate in having both an incentive, prototype Molly Mac Pack and Nested MacKAQ, as well as a teacher. My friend is a professional maker of custom marine canvas. He loaned me his Sailrite machine and has helped me with nearly everything I have made.
My biggest problem is that I am slow!
- MacEntyre
"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
www.MollyMacGear.com
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! is the vid series intended for folks just such as you. I have received a number of compliments saying it was very helpful.
You will need the manual or at the very least a threading diagram or someone who can walk you through that. That is the hardest initial step.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
What they said- and don't be afraid to go to the local sewing machine shop and talk to the folks there- they can (usually) hook you up with info, manuals, extra feet, and even local classes. (tho' the quilting ladies might look at you askance), just go with the flow.
Truth be told... if you can get attached to a machine quilting club you will learn more about sewing straight stitch lines in one meeting than you can learn in a month of trying to work it out yourself. That's all these people do is sew straight lines. (That is a bit of an over simplification) and they are so good at it they know all the tricks. Plus they work on massive size pieces of fabric. They would have absolutely no difficulty relating to the process of making an underquilt or sewing a tarp. Add to that the fact that women love men who sew... It's true. We can take them aback at first... But next to dogs... I suspect sewing is the next major "chick magnet." It's hard to beat dogs in that category tho.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
The hardest part is telling yourself that a man can do it. That's why we don't sew...we make gear. And it's manly to use powered tools, right? So that's why it's a Powered Thread Injector (PTI).
Seriously...like the others have said, it's pretty easy once you sit down to try it. Sometimes manipulating such thin material like silnylon is frustrating, but go slow and use pins until you get used to it, and it's not tough at all.
Just remember that everything happens for a reason. So if something is messing up on your maching...like you keep getting birds nests or something...just step away and post your problem here. We'll figure out the reason and you'll be sewing again in no time. I mean, making gear in no time.
“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story
- My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
- Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB
IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER
- MacEntyre
"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
www.MollyMacGear.com
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