Undust & Lube Up [Sewing Machine Hygiene]
Posted by Wendy Breakstone Ladd | Filed under Quilting for Beginners, Tips & Techniques
I was piecing, piecing, piecing yesterday when I realized that I should probably try my straight stitch plate. So I started to make the change when I then realized that I haven’t given my sewing machine the love that it deserves.
I remember my sewing machine maintenance guy telling me that I should put a drop of oil into the bobbin case mechanism after every few hours of sewing [actual machine on, needle moving up and down hours]. I had already done this step, but realized that I basically added oil to dust. So out came my brush and Q-Tips and out came the dirt and dust.
Fortunately, this isn’t alot – at all! But still, its pretty gross. Try it and see what comes out of your machine.
Then get a good bottle of sewing machine oil from your local machine shop and lube up! [You can easily take the left protector plate off the machine and add a drop or two to the mechanics that moves the needle up and down.]
It takes all of 5 minutes and will save you tons of time in the long run!
Sew on!
~ WendyB
p.s. I did put the straight stitch plate on but see/feel no real difference… Input anyone?
July 8th, 2011 at 7:53 am
I find a craft type pipe cleaner (folded in half so you have no sharp metal) works better than athe q-tips. It gets all around the mechanism without leaving other lint. A drop of oil on the pipe cleaner helps the lint to cling.