Learning to sew is a must !  It's easy to do with a minimum of equipment.  Hobbies are practiced for interest and enjoyment, rather than financial reward.  By learning basic sewing techniques, you will gain access to many more projects like boat covers, bimini tops, sail making, chairs and couch upholstering and more ! 

A basic straight stitch sewing machine in good order is what you need first.  No matter the make, model number or its cosmetical condition, it has to be made of metal parts.  Be suspicious of any machine which has a zigzag option on it.  Some hidden plastic gears on some models can lead to future problems when sewing heavy duty materials.  A sewing light should be installed and working on your machine.  Always have a spare bulb on hand in case you are in the middle of your project and the light goes off.  Sewing bulbs often burns when sewing because of the vibration.

PREPARING YOUR SEWING MACHINE - First of all, oil the top and bottom of your machine, by applying one drop of SEWING MACHINE OIL to all moving parts, holes, joints, and areas of friction (no WD-40, 3 in 1 oil, vegetable oil, motor oil or any other kind of oil not specified for sewing machines usage).  By doing so, your machine will run smoother and its motor will not overheat.  Before any sewing project, its always a good idea to oil a machine. 

Try to locate the instruction manual.  You can find a compatible manual for free on the internet.  This will help you to make a bobbin and to thread the machine.  Try to make a seam with a piece of your project's material.  First, after winding the bobbin and installing it in the bobbin case, install a brand new needle.  With the help of your manual, try to place the flat side of needle to the correct position.  You are now able to thread the machine, according to your manual.  You can use any type of thread for testing purpose.  You will have to "catch" the bottom thread (bobbin) by turning the hand wheel (towards you) so the needle goes completely down and up (one cycle).  You should see the bottom thread up.  Place your scrap piece of fabric under the presser foot and put the foot down.  ALWAYS turn the hand wheel (towards you) so the needle goes completely down.  THEN, press on the pedal so the motor will start the machine.  Make a few stitches and look underneath to see if the stitch is nice.  If there are small loops, you will have to increase the upper tension (dial with numbers on it).  If everything is fine so far, try to make a reverse stitch by moving the stitch lenght lever.  The stitch lenght allow you to make stitches of different lenghts.  The thicker the material, the longest stitch is required.  Sewing machines have a standard stitch lenght of 6 to 30 stitches per inch.   On some machines, you will find the letter "R" (Reverse) on a push button, on some others, you will have to place the lever completely up.  Reverse stitching is very important at the start and at the end of any seam.  This will "lock" the stitches in place and is very secure.  If your machine is not equipped with the reverse option, you will have to move the material to sew 2 or 3 stitches over the actual ones where you started and finished.

USING THE ZIPPER-CORDING FOOT - This is the most versatile accessory any machine should comes with.  Be sure to have the right one for your machine.  Some machines have a "low shank" foot system, others a "high shank" and some Singer models a "slant shank" system.  Sewing on the edge or making a nice, professional look piping job is very easy with this foot.  It is always adjustable so you can make a seam on the left or right side of your material.  Installing a zipper on a sleeping bag or on a tent is a breeze with this foot.  Making a new cording job when upholstering a couch or a chair is easy also. 

MAKE A SKETCH OF YOUR PROJECT - Its always a good idea to make a sketch of what you are planning to do.  This helps to figure everything and cut expenses also.   Material and time waste are frustrating and can be avoided simply by measuring everything.  This remembers me a carpenter who was spending a lot of money buying plywood sheets without measuring anything!  By making a simple 5' x 7' balcony, he took 3 sheets of 4' x 8' plywood.  He was cutting too small, too large, nothing was fitting properly !  Taking the right measures will always save you time and money.

WHAT THREAD SHOULD I USE ? - You will find heavy duty thread in fabric shops and at some sewing shops.  If your project consist of several feet of sewing, I recommend you a cone thread (1500 to 3000 yards) with a cone thread stand.  Smaller projects will require a few regular spools (approx. 200 yards per spool).  Keep in mind you will need twice the quantity of thread because of the bobbin.  Making a seam consist of the top and bottom threads.  For a 6 feet seam, you will need 12 feet of thread.   If you need a weatherproof thread which will resist to the sun exposure for sunbrella, boat covers, etc., I suggest you the Coats D-64 Upholstery nylon thread.  This thread is the equivalent of the commercial size 69.  It is available worldwide in any fabric store and serious sewing shops. 

If people find this guide helpful, perhaps I’ll write a few more focusing on other subjects related to sewing machines. Suggestions are welcome !!  Thank you for your time and please do not hesitate to e-mail me for any particular question.  I will gladly put over 30 years of sewing machine experience at your service!

If you’ve enjoyed this guide your vote would be appreciated :-)

Happy Sewing !!

Andre (alcnational)