Is your machine a possessed evil contraption?
Are you happily sewing along and suddenly your stitches are just not right, but you have no idea what to even look up to fix it?
Afraid to touch the tension dials?
Are you pretty sure it's a tension problem, but you have no idea how to fix it?
What do those numbers on the tension dial mean - is there like a 'right' option?
Spent $$$ on professional repair only to be told it was something simple?
How do you even know if it's an easy fix or something serious?
Ready to get rid of your machine?
Do you barely sew anymore because every time you do you end up crying and pulling out your hair?
Have you redone everything a million times, but still can't figure out what's wrong?
Everyone and their great aunt has told you their foolproof way to fix your problem. And you've tried them all - change the needle, change the thread, clean it, rethread it, use this special gizmo, talk nicely to it...
Do you just wish you could figure out what's wrong sooner rather than guessing?
How the heck does it do the actual sewing?
You understand the basics of how a car works...
...at least enough to know whether you have a flat tire or an empty gas tank.
YOU CAN KNOW HOW A SEWING MACHINE WORKS...
...so you know whether it's the tension, the thread or the needle!
It doesn't have to be a big mystery
Have you read a bunch of explanations and maybe 'sort of' get it, but still can't make your machine work?
Do you feel like you need 'dumbed down' explanations to fully understand?
You're not dumb.
You just need super clear concise VISUAL explanations.
I will help you understand so you can fix it fast
How a stitch is made
I use nice big 3D moving visuals so it finally makes sense.
I demonstrate on both a front loading bobbin and a top loading bobbin machine, and with old and new style tension discs.
Thread
Learn why threading a machine correctly is so critical. I also explain how different types of thread affect how the machine works and how to adjust your machine to use different kinds of threads.
Needle
Learn the types of stitch issues a bent or worn needle will cause so you can pinpoint your problem instead of guessing.
Since the type of needle being matched to your project makes a big difference in how well your project turns out, I have a great PDF chart you can keep next to your machine.
Best Practices
Did you know that some stitch issues are actually caused by bad sewing habits? If you’ve used a sewing machine for awhile, some of this will be old hat, but this time as we go through the dos and don’ts you will have more of an understanding of why you should do things certain ways.
Taming Tension
What happens when you’ve done everything ‘right’ but your stitches look horrible? I show what bad tension looks like and how to fix it. It makes so much more sense when you know how the machine works.
Troubleshooting
I give you a handy reference chart with the trouble shooting steps to follow to fix the simple stuff. You'll know you've down everything you can before you fork over the big bucks for a professional repair shop to look at it.
Here's what's included
- What is tension - and how to tell if it's not right (4:12)
- Where tension comes from on the machine (9:48)
- What to look for BEFORE adjusting your tension (0:03)
- How to know which way to adjust your tension (14:17)
- What tension problems look like on different stitches (2:05)
- How to adjust bobbin tension (8:16)
Other courses I offer
I am a quilt designer and teacher. Quilting is a great way to learn to sew and a calming creative passion.
