Q&A for How to Oil a Sewing Machine

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Question

How do you clean oil from a sewing machine?

Andrea Beaulieu
Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer
Andrea Beaulieu is a Professional Tailor, Fashion Designer, and the Owner of MOORE, a Brooklyn, New York based storefront and apparel workshop for gender-neutral, contemporary streetwear as well as custom-tailored products. Andrea has over 20 years in the fashion design and marketing industries and specializes in pattern making, draping, and the construction of garments. She holds a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Andrea Beaulieu

Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer

Expert Answer

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.

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Question

Why do I need to oil my sewing machine?

Andrea Beaulieu
Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer
Andrea Beaulieu is a Professional Tailor, Fashion Designer, and the Owner of MOORE, a Brooklyn, New York based storefront and apparel workshop for gender-neutral, contemporary streetwear as well as custom-tailored products. Andrea has over 20 years in the fashion design and marketing industries and specializes in pattern making, draping, and the construction of garments. She holds a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Andrea Beaulieu

Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer

Expert Answer

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

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Question

What causes slipped stitches on top of the material?

Community Answer

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.

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Question

Why is the thread breaking on my Singer Brilliance sewing machine?

Community Answer

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.

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Question

Why is my hand wheel very tight?

Erin Bingham

Community Answer

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

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Question

The hand wheel is very tight. What should I do?

Community Answer

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

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Question

Why does the top stitch keep breaking?

Community Answer

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).

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Question

Why is it so hard to turn my hand wheel?

Community Answer

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.

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Question

Can we oil an easy-stitch mini sewing machine?

Community Answer

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

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Question

If the topstitch looks perfect, but the bottom thread is loose and balls up, does that mean my sewing machine needs to be oiled?

Community Answer

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!

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Question

Should I oil an Easy Stitch mini sewing machine?

Community Answer

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

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Question

What do I do when the thread breaks when using a sewing machine?

Community Answer

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

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Question

After the bobbin is in and I turn the wheel to bring up bobbin thread, when I start to sew, I can get a few stitches. And then it becomes tangles and will not continue––what is wrong?

Crvharley

Community Answer

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.

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Question

What do I do if my sewing machine is not picking the thread from the bobbin?

Crvharley

Community Answer

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.

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Question

How do I oil my Singer sewing machine?

Community Answer

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

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Question

Why is my sewing machine not picking up thread from the bottom?

Community Answer

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.

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Question

Does my machine need to be oiled in the belt area?

Community Answer

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

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