Q&A for How to Oil a Sewing Machine

Use a clean cloth to wipe the oil from the machine until the cloth comes away clean. After oiling your machine, always examine the presser foot, plate, needle, or bobbin carefully to make sure there's no oil present that could get on your fabric.

It's important to follow the instruction for oiling your machine, as it keeps the mechanics lubricated and running smoothly.

It could be a few things. Perhaps the tension not correct? Both the upper and lower tensions play a tug of war. If you are getting a straight line on the bottom piece of fabric then the upper tension is too loose. If you see a straight line of thread on the top then the tension is too tight. When the tension is right you will see nice even stitches where they meet in the middle of the fabric like peanut butter between 2 slices of bread. Also check the needle to make sure the flat side is towards the back, and also make sure the needle is not bent. So with this being said I would check the needle out first before adjusting tensions.

Some possibilities include the tension is too tight; the thread is caught between the tension discs; thread is caught in the bobbin area; or you are using the wrong size of needle for the thread.

Your machine probably has thread stuck behind the bobbin casing and it may need to be oiled.

Oil all moving parts well even if it is a new machine.

The upper thread tension may be too tight. Otherwise, your thread may be too thick for the needle (like if you are using quilting or button thread on a delicate knit).

Try oiling every moving part where it rubs another moving part. My new HD Singer locked up and I found a great repair person who said they need to be oiled upon purchase.

Yes, there should be a place to add oil like any other sewing machine.

Check to make sure you are using the correct bobbin. This happened to me, and after a lot of trial and error, I finally discovered that not all clear plastic bobbins are made the same!

Oh, yes! Oiling the it acts as a lubricant between the machine parts and it helps to run the machine smoothly, swiftly and quickly.

You stop, lift the presser foot, rethread the needle, lower the presser foot and continue sewing.

You could have thread around the pressure plate area, tangled up, Open up the machine, usually just the side (left) where your needle is located, and just do a visual inspection. If you see thread tangled, use tweezers to remove.

Check your bobbin to make sure it is the correct size. Check to make sure the bobbin doesn't have a crack or chip in it if it is plastic. If it does, throw it away and use a new one. Make sure your bobbin is in the case correctly. The thread should be coming out on the right side so that the bobbin spins counterclockwise.

Remove the bobbin cover and take off the bobbin. Also, remove the presser foot and grabbers. Clean these pieces, then oil.

It could be a bent needle or lint buildup in the bobbin area. Put a new needle in and check for lint by removing the bobbin and checking with a torch.

No, this will make the belt slip. If it is not geared or damaged, the belt material which could snap.