An Article From Machine Embroidery

Prevention is better than cure, as the old saying goes, so here are some handy hints that will help extend the working life of your treasured sewing machine.

Until a few years ago the sewer was expected to lubricate and clean the machine frequently, between servicing by a mechanic. While this is still the case with earlier, mechanical machines, the more sophisticated machines of today are precision appliances which require very little maintenance and little, if any lubrication. (Except Bernina machines that have metal parts that need to stay lubricated to aid in optimum performance).

It is still very important to remove the needle plate and remove any accumulated lint and thread regularly, but the most important aspect of machine maintenance relates to needles. It only takes one blunt needle to throw the needle bar height or timing out of adjustment, which can then translate into a costly service charge.

The best maintenance is preventative maintenance– use the correct needle profile and size and throw it away after 6– 8 hours of sewing or four hours embroidering in a hoop. It is also very important to ensure that the needle is inserted all the way into the needle bar and that the clamp is tightened correctly. Do not finger– tighten as this invariably results in the needle working loose. Also be careful not to over tighten by using a large screw driver or the wrong end of an Allen wrench.

Problems of burnt-out motors caused by the machine deciding to run itself are quite common and this is prevented by unplugging the machine when not in use. This is caused by the failure of a capacitor in the foot control or machine and mainly occurs in earlier machines.

It is also advisable to disconnect the lead from the power point of computerized machines when not in use, particularly in rural areas (and Florida)- as blown circuit boards caused by lightening strikes or electric spikes in the home can be very expensive.

It should also be noted that front loading bobbin systems require regular oiling of the shuttle race. Because of metal to metal contact this should be preformed at least every 6– 8 hours of sewing. It is important to then test-sew on a scrap of fabric until any oil residue disappears. Most other hook systems including those with plastic bobbin cases can benefit from a drop of oil when noisy.

When problems occur, try to isolate the problem by checking the bobbin, replace the needle and re-thread the machine, checking to see that the upper thread flows freely through the upper tensioner. As the bobbin case can be affected by threads and lint, and the tension spring can also become distorted causing variable tension, a spare bobbin case is a wise investment.

As a final note, when stitch quality is not up to standard and your machine needs attention, always take a sample of fabric and leave the machine still threaded. It is far easier for the technician to identify the problem in this way and it allows the machine to be test sewn on this particular fabric.

Be sure to bring your Bernina in for an annual cleaning if you sew at least two to three times a week. If you embroider alot, you might consider bringing your machine in more frequently. As always, take your machine to a dealer that SELLS your particular brand of machine. They have access to up to date servicing material as well as “actual” branded parts for your machine.

Look at these unfortunate sewing machines!

[View with PicLens]

 Elaine Elias                                           Denise Thornton

Betty Storke                                          Susan Holland

Sue Sprecher                                         Sarita Carter

Kathy Harris                                         Becky Taylor

Pam Whitford                                       Linda Verelli

Roxanne McTeague                              Barbara Hubler

Nancy Heath                                         Stan Rubin

Donald Post                                          Susan Collins

Bruce Williams                                     Jackie Minnie

Kathy Baltzell                                       Marge Sepulneda

 Congratulations to all of you!

Bosal’s Cutting Table Tips

 A step- by- step guide to acheiving the proper bond.

Properly selecting Interfacing: 

Always keep in mind what you want to make. If the project involves soft and fluid construction, such as a dress, soft fusible interfacing similar to woven’s. tricots and wefts would be used. If you are making a craft project, a heavy weight fusible non woven or sew in nonwoven would best work to attain the desired feel or hand.

Woven’s- superior strength and durability.

Nonwovens- least expensive, available in many weights and finishes.

Tricots- Soft, flexible and very strong. Great for underlining garments

Wefts- Soft, flexible and great support and shaping.

Needle punch- It’s supported, soft and available in sew in and fusible.

Always test and prepare the interfacing and fabric before fusing:

Washable wefts, knits and wovens can be pre shrunk in water. Place in HOT water (do not stir or agitate) for 15 minutes. Drain and let the interfacing lie over a drying rack. Non wovens have little shrinkage. A blast of steam from the iron prior to fusing works best.

Time. pressure and heat are the three key elements combined for a successful bond. Always test fuse the fabric and the selected interfacing prior to the start of any project.

Time: Time always depends on the thickness of the fabric and how much heat you are applying. Remember the resin or glue on all fusibles will draw towards a strong heat source. Begin on the wool setting. Since irons do vary in temprature, you might want to adjust the setting to find the correct melt point of the resin or glue on the interfacing. The fabric should be able to with stand the temprature for 8- 12 seconds.

Do not GLIDE the iron when applying the interfacing. Lift and press down,  slightly overlapping the areas where you have pressed.

To acheive the proper bond, always use steam and moisture, or mist a press cloth to protect the fabric.

Bubbling on one side of the fabric- Fabric and interfacing need preshrinking

Bubbling on both sides- Heat source too hot. Lower iron temprature

Poor Bond- Fabrics not compatible, water repellent, stain guarded

Poor Bond- Heat source too low. Raise iron temprature, increase pressure and dwell time

Don’t sit at home and watch football! Come visit your friends at Bernina Sewing Centre and save on your favorite Bernina products, Sewing supplies, and fabrics!

• 25% off ALL In-Store Products
• SUPER SAVINGS ON MACHINES & CABINETS! (830 Excluded)
• No Interest and No Payments for 24 Months on Bernina Products over $3000!

Come in all week to precut your fabric. 1 Yard minimum on sale fabrics, no additional discounts apply.

February 4th-8th

Be sure to join us February 13th and 14th for our Grand Opening of the new Lake Mary Store. There are going to be lots of great demonstrations every hour, Door Prizes that are unbelievable, and refreshments throughout the day!

Valentines weekend is the perfect time since we LOVE our customers and of course we LOVE Bernina. Come see the beautiful selection of fabric, patterns, books and all the great displays. Of course, we have a wonderful machine area that showcases all the fabulous Bernina machines and they are just waiting to show you what they are capable of!

We are very proud of our new home and want all of you to be part this GREAT EVENT! This is an open house so come anytime through out the day!

Saturday February 13th

9:30 until 4:00 Sunday the 14th- 12:00- 4:00.

Hope to see you there!

For More Information

Available now!

Now this is an original. The BERNINA 820. Offering the kind of high-performance features that’ll allow you to create more, create bigger and create longer than ever before. Which is why the 820 earns the highest marks from quilters. Not to mention fashion designers, fiber artists and crafters.

Key Features include:

• Most Space
• Fastest Speeds
• Jumbo Bobbin
• Total Stitch Control
• Centered Screen
• BERNINA Dual Feed
• Automatic Threading
• Superb Thread-Supply System

Find out more information regarding the Bernina 820 here.

The existing domain, BerninaOC.com, will continue to function but it will automatically redirect you to SewItHappens.com.

The EmbroidaBlock program consists of:

* 36 Blocks
* Quilt As You Go
* Pieced, Decorative Stitched, Embroidered and Quilted all in the hoop
* Full Color Slide Shows for each month
* Block sizes 8×8 – finished size 50″ x 50″
* Block sizes 5×5 – finished size 30″ x 30″

Come join us to have some fun and learn this new quilt technique using your embroidery machine. I’ll bet you didn’t know your machine could do this!

Who should attend:

* Embroidery machine owners who want to extend the usefullness of their machines
* Expert quilters who don’t think they need an embroidery machine to quilt!
* Novice quilters who want to take their quilting to the next level
* People interested in becoming quilters without the frustration of traditional methods