Mini Guide: How to Use a Sewing Machine as a Beginner

A basic sewing machine is relatively easy to learn, especially if you pay attention from the beginning and dedicate time and energy to it. One of the best ways to learn about your sewing device is to use the product’s instructional manual and go from page to page.

Besides, you must learn to set your sewing device up before anything else. This is a very essential step as most sewing machines are pre-assembled. Therefore, you don’t have to do much work to get your best entry level sewing machine assembled.

Set Up Your Sewing Machine

To set up your sewing machine, you have to locate its power cord and switch and ensure it is attached to the foot pedal. Please ensure the foot pedal is located where your foot can comfortably reach and use it. Locate the knobs on the foot of the sewing machine.

You will find a knob with some inscriptions of letters which is used to change the stitches from straight to zigzag. There is also a stitch guide to the right of the stitch knob of most cheap sewing machines for beginners.

Your next step is to adjust the stitch length and width, and you will find the feature for this as a little wheel that you can turn at the side of the device. The hand wheel is the feature that takes the needle up and down.

Close to the hand wheel is the reverse stitch lever, which you only need if you want to stitch backward. You have to pull this feature down to activate reverse stitching. At the near top of the sewing machine is a dial for adjusting stitch length, and at its far side is a knob to change the presser foot function.

Learn to Thread and Change Needle

From beginner sewing machine reviews, most machines seem similar in manual threading procedures, though advanced machines have more accessible threading methods. To thread your sewing machine, put the spool of thread on the spindle at the top of the device, then ensure the spool holder is in place.

Take one end of the thread, pull it through, loop it at the bottom, and pull it up the left side and through the thread take-up lever at the top. Thread it through the needle once you pull it through the take-up lever. To change the needle on an entry level sewing machine, you must loosen the needle set screw first.

Then, pull the needle downwards and out of the needle bar before inserting a new needle. You must tighten the needle set screw once again after inserting a new needle. You need to test your sewing machine a few times and see if adjustments are needed.

Since you will constantly work on leather materials, you must identify the appropriate needle size for the material. A wrong needle applied on leather can bend or break, mainly if you use a high speed to sew the fabric. For a comprehensive guide on how to use a good sewing machine for beginners, consult the product manual and check Craftsselection.com product guides and reviews to learn more.