To really develop your sewing skills and build your confidence, you will need to practice the basics until it becomes apart of everything you do.
Thread the machine enough times to be able to do it
routinely. Make sure the thread is between the tension disks,
not in back or in front. Develop the habit of raising the take-up
lever to the highest point. See that thread enters needle from
grooved side.
Practice winding bobbins and inserting them in bobbin
case correctly. Pull up bobbin thread and lay both threads back
under presser foot. Is small wheel inside balance wheel tight?
Is screw attaching presser foot to machine tight? Is there any
thread from spool wound around spool pin? Is needle set in
right?
Try a piece of practice material before stitching at all
times. Is tension correct? Stitches should look alike on both
sides. Check with the instructions in your machine manual. Is
stitch size correct?
To learn to stitch straight with ease, practice without
thread first. Use paper with straight lines, traced circles, mazes,
wavy or scalloped lines, crossed loops as flower petals, and any
other intricate designs. Use double thicknesses of paper.
Work with machine threaded on designs traced on inex pensive material. Start with enough thread between the toes of
the presser foot so that needle will not become unthreaded.
Watch the edge of the presser foot as a guide, not the needle.
Stop with needle at the highest point, pull work straight back,
and cut thread with thread cutter, located behind presser foot.
Push threads back before continuing. Learn to back tack at the
beginning and the end of seams. Never turn balance wheel
the wrong way. Do not allow garment to hang unsupported.
Here are directions for some simple objects to make so that your practicing will be constructive. If you have any difficulty, use the index of this book and read full directions for the process that bothers you.
