Old Sewing Machines are Hidden Treasures!

Step 2 Safety!

It is VERY important to understand that the needle moves up and down fast and you MUST keep your fingers and hands away from it!

If you have to learn on your own, please take the needle out of the machine, take the bobbin out and take the thread off and then learn to use the foot pedal.

Just plug in the machine and learn how to control the foot pedal. Practice going very slowly. A good seamstress doesn't sew at top speed very often! It's okay to sew very slowly. The stitches still form and you will keep yourself safe as you learn to feed the fabric under the presser foot and the needle.

If you can, please get someone with some sewing experience to watch you and teach you. You might even trade - offer to do something for them if they will teach you to sew :)

Comments

[Allan Wells]

I found it nearly impossible to get an industrial machine to go slowly until just recently when one of my Grade 3 students (9year old) at School told me, ' Mum just puts my sponge ball under the pedal to slow hers down'. Works a treat!!! A length of shockcord tied to the pedal and the kneelift shaft works just as well. When it comes to domestic machines my old Husqvarna 2000 has a reduction gear which you activate by pulling on the bobbin winder gizmo. It reduces sewing speed by one fifth but at full motor power. I wish all machines had this feature or something similar.