The Thread Guide

Was doing a bit of Saturday afternoon sewing when my sewing machine suddenly stopped forming stitches. Knew I was near the end of my bobbin so took it out to check - and it had broken clean in two! It’s probably more than 20 years old and the plastic has clearly given up. Fortunately I have lots so fished out another one, wound on some thread and got the job finished. But might be time to treat myself to a new pack of bobbins!

Here’s an unusual issue to find while servicing a sewing machine - the mains plug was covered in melted wax! The owner sheepishly said it had been stored for a while in a room that was being used for many things and someone had appropriated it as a side table and put their candle on it, which then got knocked over… Fortunately no lasting harm done and a quick clean up has left it looking as good as new. The rest of the service has brought a slightly neglected machine back into perfect working condition and the owner has gone away full of ambitious sewing plans. If you’ve got a machine lurking 👀 that needs a bit of love, bring it to me and I’ll get you back on the right track.

If any of my crafty customers and followers fancy a social group to meet up with, you might like to check out Wi******er Women's Shed which is just re-establishing after having to close due to Covid lockdowns.

Who are we and what do we do?

The Wi******er Women's shed aims to create a safe and comfortable place for women to get together and chill! We also aim to share our skills and look to bring other people in to teach us new skills that would be beneficial, fun or interesting. I (Chloe) crochet and am more than happy to teach others. We've also had some knitters, embroiderers, and even had someone bring a spinning wheel, so all skills welcome!

How much does it cost to attend?

We are not seeking to make a profit from the group at all, so the cost is just £2 per person per week to cover the hall hire cost. If you'd like to attend but can't afford to, just ping us a message and let us know.

We will also provide tea and coffee with an honesty box. Suggested donation amount is 50p.

Where and when do we meet?

St Mary's Church Hall in King's Worthy (for now, although we may have to move to a bigger space depending on numbers) on Tuesdays starting 20th February, 19:00-20:30.

Do you need to have a skill to bring along?

Nope! We are all happy to share ours, and we even have some spare tools etc for people to borrow, so just come along and we'll teach you.

If you have any questions that haven't been answered in this post then please pop us a message and we'll be happy to help 😊

Underneath that shiny plastic casing, you’ll find the part of your sewing machine that does the real (reel?) work. This one is now clean and back together - and the timing has been corrected so it is once again forming stitches properly. All ready to go home! Anyone got sewing plans this weekend?

Can you tell what this is? A sewing machine came in recently that was rather past being due a service. Normally when I clean round the feed dogs (that’s the little teeth under your presser foot that grip the fabric and move it along) I use a small brush to clear the dust, but on this occasion I simply used tweezers to pick the lumps out! So yes, they’re lumps of compacted dust. The dust builds up from lint off your fabric and thread as well as dust from the surrounding environment. You don’t have to wait for me to do this for you - remove the needle plate and gently brush round the teeth and the gaps in between and your machine will continue to work more happily for longer.

New year, and cracking open the new diary! This first week is already completely full but if you’d like to book a service or repair for later in January, then do get in touch. Alternatively if you’re the proud owner of a new sewing machine that you aren’t sure how to use, or have just dusted down your old machine and made a resolution that 2024 is going to be a year of sewing (if only you could remember how!), then here’s a gentle reminder that I also offer one-to-one lessons in how to use your sewing machine or overlocker, which will get you setting up, threading and using your machine confidently. Always happy to give advice so if you’ve got a question, send me a message - or call! 😊

As we say farewell to 2023, I would like to thank all my wonderful customers who have entrusted me to care for their sewing machines this year - may your machines thread easily, may your stitches form happily, and may your creations be bold. And a huge thank you to all customers and friends who have helped recommend my services to others - whether in person or online - it makes a huge difference to a small business to have your support. It’s been a wet and windy week (month? Season?) but just for a moment the clouds have cleared, the sun is shining and the bare branches in my garden are framed against a beautiful blue sky. Here’s to the year ahead!

When the thread guide on this overlocker broke while working on an urgent project, an enterprising soul fashioned a replacement out of an old wire coat hanger. It’s not pretty but it allowed the task to be finished. The machine then languished in a cupboard for some time before it was brought to me. “Is there anything you can do?” Why yes, replacement part was easily available and not too expensive, and it’s now been fitted as part of a wider service and the overlocker should be good for many more sewing projects yet. If you’re not sure, do ask - it’s amazing what is available and I’m always happy to see if I can help you get back to sewing contentedly!

An unusual festive twist while cleaning the inside of this sewing machine - it had lots of sparkly sequins inside. It has a history of being used to make dance costumes and is now ready to go back to making dancers look fa-bu-lous!

Not too surprising the tension on this sewing machine was a bit dodgy when you see the state of the tension assembly. It’s been sitting unused in the corner for quite a while, but a thorough clean and a bit of love has got it sewing nicely. All ready to go home for Christmas!

You know it’s getting near Christmas when you get an emergency call out to fix an overlocker ahead of tonight’s sewing session to finish the costumes for the church Nativity play! Happy sewing, ladies 😊🪡🧵🌟

The tension dials on this overlocker were oddly grubby - but a bit of gentle cleaning has brought the right one up a lovely colour. The rest of them got the same treatment and machine is reassembled and back to work.

C O F F E E B R E A K After a frustrating time trying to figure out what was wrong with a sewing machine that my customer insisted was “broken” but worked fine for me, I have finally solved the problem - she didn’t have it threaded correctly! Quick reminder in how to thread her machine properly and she’s back to marvellous creations. Pause for me with coffee and a little home baked goodness before I tackle another machine 😊

Inside the foot pedal. I had a machine brought to me today with a malfunctioning foot control. The owner had been told by someone else that foot controls are sealed units that can’t be opened or repaired - this isn’t the case, though delicacy is required as they’re generally spring loaded! This one had a part loose that meant that no matter how much you pressed your foot down, the circuit wouldn’t connect. Gently retrieving the dislodged part and carefully re-inserting it in the correct slot has put this right and now the machine is back to sewing nicely. I’m always happy to investigate a problem with your machine so feel free to ask me if yours isn’t working.

This overlocker didn’t look too bad from the outside - but it was quite a different story when I opened her up! This machine has seen a lot of action and was well overdue some attention. Apart from cleaning out all the detritus, I spent a long time disassembling the tension dial assemblies and getting them all working smoothly and at the correct tension, so now she’s got a nice even stitch and is ready for many more years of happy sewing. Does your overlocker need some love?

Tip: when transporting your sewing machine, keep it safe! I’ve recently had a couple of customers bring me machines and say “it fell over in the boot on the way here” or “it fell off the seat when I braked!” Fortunately neither of these incidents resulted in much damage, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I generally put sewing machines in the rear footwell of my car where they fit snugly and can’t fall over or shift their position in transit. 😊

Back from a short break to the glorious English Lake District - stunning landscapes, challenging walks, good pubs and lovely family time - just what I needed to recharge. Just catching up on messages but if you need help with a sewing machine, drop me a line. 😄

Feels like the kids have only just gone back to school for the new academic year - but now the half term holiday is only a week away! This means I’ll be closed for a few days towards the end of the month. If you need a sewing machine looking at urgently, I can squeeze a couple more in this week - otherwise I’m now taking bookings for November. Get in touch if you need to book a slot.

B O B B I N S - it’s been a while since I mentioned them, so here is a reminder that you really need to be using the correct bobbins for your sewing machine. These two are the same diameter but different heights - the small one does fit in a machine designed to take the larger one, but it rattles around a lot which is both noisy and can interrupt the stitches forming correctly. If you’re not sure what bobbins you need, please ask!

In the queue for a service today: at first glance, you might think a Janome 7025 and a John Lewis JL150 don’t have much in common but look a little longer and you’ll see that they are very similar indeed. Probably won’t surprise you to learn then that John Lewis sewing machines are made for them by Janome!

Overlocker came in with a broken light bulb so I swapped it out for this LED replacement - the bayonet fitting means this a straight swap with no messing, but the resultant light is much brighter and should last longer. Improves the sewing experience for very little cost or effort!

Broken plastic part? Get replacement part. Fit it. Ready to sew.

If your sewing machine or overlocker has something broken, get in touch and I’ll see what I can do. Tell me the make and model of your machine and send me a photo or video of what’s broken.

This beautiful Singer Featherlight came in for some minor attention and I noticed that two of its rubber feet on the base had completely disintegrated, and the other two weren’t far behind. It’s a simple job to remove the old rubber and fit some new ones - and now she’s looking at her best again, plus doesn’t leave sticky black marks all over the work surface. Definitely an improvement!

How often should I get my sewing machine serviced? I get asked this question a lot and the answer really depends - how often do you sew? What do you sew? Where do you store your machine when you’re not sewing? In a perfect world we’d all have a pristine, instagrammable sewing space but in the real world our machines tend to live mixed in with kids’ toys, family dinners, the contents of the cupboard under the stairs and the pet cats! But if you bring your machine to me and when I open it the inside looks like this, I’m going to advise you that you need it looking after a lot more regularly!! 😆 When did you last get your machine serviced? Is it sounding a bit tired? Currently taking bookings for October so get in touch now if your machine needs some love.

Always nice when the postman delivers the spare part you ordered just in time for when the customer brings in her machine - this one will be first on the work bench next week.
It’s amazing what spare parts are available, so if you’ve got something broken, do ask!

A happy afternoon removing the dirt and grime, bringing back the gleam and shine! Now sewing sweetly and ready to go home.

I’ve been having a few technology issues so if you’ve been trying to get hold of me and not getting a response, my apologies. I think everything is back working now so please do shout if you need me.

In today’s episode of “things I have removed from the inside of a sewing machine” is this very small but perfectly preserved insect. Every day is a voyage of discovery! 😁

Got a messy job ahead today! 😊

Simple maintenance you can do at home! This is the bottom of a foot control pedal from a sewing machine that came to me recently. All those threads caught around the feet really shouldn’t be allowed to stay there. Next time you get your machine out, check the foot pedal and simply remove any trapped threads with your fingers, along with any human hair, pet hair, dust or other dirt that has gathered. Electrical appliances really should be kept clean! Happy sewing 😊

Found inside today’s sewing machine: 2 sequins, a broken needle and a broken bit of plastic - as well as a lot of dust and dirt. Machine is a lot happier now! 😁Does your sewing machine need me to put a smile on its face? Get in touch to arrange a service!