- Change your needles often. I usually change with each project. Not only should you be using the correct needle for your fabric; you need a fresh needle. Bad needles cause countless problems, including snarls, sluggish sewing and damaged fabric. Small things affect your needles. Sewing polyester creates tiny burrs on the needle. Pushing through thick fabric or multiple layers can bend the needle. And let's not talk about what happens when you nick a pin.
- Stop with the takeup lever in the highest position. This makes sure your needle & bobbin threads are in the correct orientation to be pulled out of the machine. If you can't see your takeup lever, the top of the path is when your needle is in the highest position. Easy, but so important for avoiding snarls and messing up your tension.
- If it makes a funny noise, STOP! I've done it. Powered through that strange noise. It takes a lot of determination to break the habit, especially when you're in a hurry. The funny noise is telling you something's wrong. Ignoring it only causes trouble. You can damage fabric and seriously mess up your machine. Just STOP!
And on another note, Craftsy has a holiday gift for you. Starting today and running until December 24th, all classes are up to 50% off. Give yourself a gift or buy a class for a Crafty friend!
