Sewing machine help

Chubacheroo

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this..but I'll give it a go anyway.

I've got a sewing machine which is about 22 years old. It's never been serviced, so that's likely to be something I'd need to do, but am hoping for a cheap and quick way to sort it out - or at least a lead on what's gone wrong.

It keeps missing stitches, even though everything is threaded properly. Does anyone know of any sites which give tips on how to fix machines or perhaps know of anywhere in South London that fixes them for a reasonable rate?

It's a Singer Samb 4 if that's any help.

nuttywoman

I had this with my sewing machine until i put a new needle in, luckily it sorted out the problem.Will say though that sometimes new needles can be faulty, so give that a try.Also if your using cheapo thread sometimes that can cause it.
Hope this helps.
val

Rabbit

Have you checked the tension on the top/front and on the spool? mine has a tiny screw on the casing that the spool sits in and if you adjust that it might help.

I got a small bottle of oil with mine and I had a go at oiling all the bits myself, it seems to have made it quieter than it was.

Chubacheroo

Hmmm cool, will try a new needle and thread, although it was previously working fine with the same needle and thread. Thanks! And fingers crossed =oD

Mariel

Definitely oil it and clean it and then have it serviced. I once had to retire a Singer because of the same problem though (although it was really ancient). Or - just a thought - is it because you are sewing jersey? I can't seem to sew any type of jersey without missing stitches.

wendym

The fact that it was working find with that needle is a bit of a red herring if the needle has been in long enough to get blunt.

Even new machines can miss stitches if you are using a needle that isn't sharp enough, or the right one for the job - as Mariel says, jersey needs a ballpoint needle, and fine cotton eg lawn needs a fine needle.

Chubacheroo

I'm sewing rather thick fleece..so maybe the needle did get blunt! I didn't realise that would be such a problem..oooh!

ETA: Nope, that didn't help. There's a brand new needle, new thread (although to be fair, it is the same stuff - which has been ok before).

Are there specific parts which would need oiling? I'm not entirely au fait with oiling.

Mariel

Ah, that might explain it. I made my daughters a fleece a few years back and expected the stitching to be dead easy but it wasn't. Perhaps fleece needs a ballpoint needle too. Mind you I normally use ballpoint for everything as I sew so much jersey I just leave that needle on.
I'm not sure which bits you are meant to oil, anything that moves I expect - there might be instructions online, maybe on one of he manufacturers websites?

wendym

I have been sewing all sorts of fabric for years and years, and I have decided never to try to sew fleece again.

I ended up hand sewing the hem on a warm second lining for a jacket I made.

frugalfairy_3

Fleece is actually a knit and so a ballpoint needle may help. Also try a tiny zigzag (if your machine does one) and lengthening the stitch, this sometimes helps with slightly stretchy fabrics.

There may be dirt in the bobbin case or somewhere else round the needle, fleece can be quite linty and messy and might have jammed the bobbin's action a bit - can you get to the bobbin case easily and give it a brush out?

HTH
FF xx

hardpressed

Do be careful if you oil it, just give it a tiny amount and run it on a spare piece of material to get rid of the excess oil or you'll end up with oil spots on your sewing.