Sewing machines can seem really intimidating but in this lesson we'll
help you understand the basic functions and features of a domestic sewing
machine and we'll help you set up a pressing station. Why do you need a
pressing station? Keep watching to find out. Much like a car, sewing machines vary
from brand to brand, and model to model, but also like a car they all have some
of the same basic features, even though these features might look slightly
different from machine to machine. Here in the studio we use Bernina, so I'm
going to show you this on our machine here. In this lesson we're like your
guide, not your instruction manual. We can't show you every machine but we can
help you get oriented. The Golden Rule with your sewing machine is to refer to
your manual. This is gonna help you identify each of the following features
on your machine. We recommend that you spend a day with your machine, going
through the manual and getting familiar. You can even label the different parts
on your machine with post-its while you're still getting used to everything.
So all you have to do is get out some scraps of fabric and try things out
until you feel comfortable. Once you are familiar with your machine set a
calendar reminder each month to go in clean it out, get it oiled if you need to,
and just make sure that everything is working well. This is really gonna pay
off in the long run. First let's talk about threading your machine. This is
where some people begin and end their sewing adventure. But once you learn how
to thread your machine, you can practically do it in your sleep. Again
you'll need to consult your manual to get the specifics, but you're essentially
pulling your thread so it runs here from the spool along the thread guide and the
take-up lever that moves up and down as you're sewing, all the way down
into the needle. Threading is simple after a few times and YouTube is full of
videos to help you thread if you just look up your specific machine. Next let's
talk about stitches. Most domestic sewing machines come with a variety of stitches,
some have dozens. How many do you really need? That depends on the types of
projects that you want to sew. If you want options for heirloom and specialty
stitches that might be a priority for you with your machine, but for sewing
garments you really don't need that many different
stitch types. The most commonly used stitches in garment construction include
a straight stitch, a zig-zag stitch, and a buttonhole. For the Bo top and the sew
along you just need a straight stitch, but we'll talk more about stitches later.
Sewing machines usually come with the ability to change the width and the
length of each stitch. There's a wide variety of reasons to change your stitch
length and width but when you are just starting to sew a woven garment a
straight stitch width the length of 2.5 is a good place to start. All sewing
machines have a backstitch button or lever. This will allow you to stitch in
reverse. Backstitching at the beginning and end of each row of stitches will
secure them. If you don't back stitch your seams might come undone while
you're wearing your garment and nobody wants that. Sewing machine tension
controls the amount of tension put on the thread while it's running through
your machine. If your tension is too tight it will result in tight gathered
stitches, but if your tension is too loose it will result in weak loopy
stitches. If you encounter tension issues, again, you're gonna want to consult your
machine's manual and test everything out on scrap fabric until it's balanced. Are
you sensing a theme here? It's all about practicing and testing. This is the hand
wheel which you can use to manually crank your machine. It's really handy if
you need to work slowly or precisely. This is the presser foot. The presser
foot holds the fabric down and against the feed dogs, which are the small teeth
that pull the fabric through the sewing machine as you sew. You'll raise and
lower the foot with a lever here. As you progress in your sewing adventure you'll
find that you need different feet for different jobs like installing a zipper
or sewing piping. Many machines come stocked with the basic feet that you'll
need to get started so don't stress, but the presser feet can also be
purchased separately. Just make sure it's compatible with your machine before you
purchase them. A bobbin is a small metal or plastic spools that's loaded with
thread before you start your project and it's inserted into the lower part of
your sewing machine. There are two types of bobbin housing: a top-loading bobbin
and a front-loading bobbin. Both have their advantages. A top-loading bobbin is
slightly easier to set up, you can also see your bobbin through a small plastic
door making it easier to tell when you're running low on bobbin thread.
Front-loading bobbins like we have on ours
here require a few extra steps when you're threading your machine but they
do offer more control over bobbin tension. Some machines come with a speed
control setting that allows you to slow down or speed up your sewing machine.
It's really handy. Some machines also come with a thread cutter. They can be
kind of hidden in weird places on your machine so just make sure to look out
for those. And those are the basic machine parts. Don't forget to read your
manual to learn all about what your machine has to offer, but next we're
gonna talk about ironing or as we like to call it in the sewing world pressing.
You have two important work stations in your sewing space whenever you make a
project you're going to spend almost the same amount of time sewing as you are
pressing. Really quick there is a difference between ironing and pressing
I'll show you. Ironing is a back and forth motion and totally cool to use on
your finished clothes, it will stretch a piece of fabric though so you don't want
to iron your fabric before you cut it or iron your seams while you're sewing, you
want to press! Pressing is an up and down motion. By pressing up and down you don't
risk stretching your fabric got it? You will use your iron almost as much as
your machine. Pressing not only makes your fabric look good it also aids in
the construction of garments. Look for an iron with good adjustable steam and
temperature. This will allow you to fine-tune the amount of moisture and
heat that you need for different kinds of fabrics. Some fabrics require a lot of
steam, other fabrics don't need any steam at
all. An ironing board is also essential for achieving a crisp professional
finish on your garments. A standard full size ironing board will allow you to
press cuts of fabric as well as full garments. Most of them are adjustable so
you can find the height that works best for you. A tailor's ham and a sleeve roll
are totally optional, but really handy tools. Since garments form 3D shapes, a
ham and a roll can make pressing those curves even easier. When you're pressing
your fabric you want to protect it from heat damage and any water stains so
you're just gonna want a press cloth. A press cloth is simply a piece of fabric
that you place over your garment when you're pressing and it will take any
risk of damage. Cotton muslin, cotton canvas, or even wool are all good
options for a press cloth. Just have a piece handy whenever you're pressing.
Here's a little tip: having a spray bottle handy will allow you to add more
steam power when you're pressing stubborn wrinkles or really thick seams.
There are a bunch more tools you can add to your sewing space but these are all
that you'll need to get started for your pressing station. All right so now that
you know all about your sewing machine and you've set up a pressing station,
it's time to gather some other handy notions. In the next lesson we're going
to learn about creating a sewing toolkit.