Are you a beginner in the field of sewing, but don’t know how to put the foot down on a sewing machine? Whether it’s a Singer, a Brother, a Janome, or another, the process remains the same. To help you learn this basic, yet crucial task, the following handy guide provides the required step-by-step instructions.
Although sewing machines come in various shapes, sizes and form factors, the overall result remains the same. Allbeginner sewers, who own a machine for the first time, are curious about how to use the foot lever. According to experts, the foot lever controls the action of beginning and ending the stitching process.
Before starting to use the foot lever, it’s important to prep the needle with the thread. Take a thread from the spool and route it from the spool to the thread guides, passing it through the thread take-up lever, the needle eye, the needle thread tension disc, and the bobbin windings.
Upon completing the thread routing part, set up the right presser foot. To do this, ensure the presser foot holder lever is up, while the buttonhole foot lever is down. Once the lever is in the right position, slide out the buttonhole foot holder, attach the required foot, and place the holder on the groove.
Having prepared the above steps, the following step is to put the foot down. Firmly press on the pedal, or foot lever, and allow the take-up lever arm to move the thread tension discs upward. As the discs move upward, the needle will move forward and backward, effectively creating the stitching.
Making Adjustments
Putting the foot down to beginning stitching is only half the job done. Users must also be able to adjust the speed, as well as the length and width of the resulting stitches. To do the same, use the adjustment dials on the machine.
Preset the speed to low, and use the leftmost dial to adjust stitch length. Set the dial to the longest stitch length, which helps gauge the actual stitching length. Then switch the stitching speed to a slightly higher speed.
Now, use the rightmost dial to adjust width of the stitches based on the materials being used. Use the dials to increase the width only if the stitch length is not up to mark. Users must ensure an even stitch length, width and stitch speed, or the stitches will weaken and disrupt the seam.
Reverse Operation
If there is an error in the stitching, sewers can use the reverse operation to correct it. To do this, press the reverse lever, located on the top-right of the machine, and the needle will move forward and backward. This will reverse the stitching and make it remedial.
Sewers must have patience and practice frequently. Once skilled with the basics of the foot lever, and the finer stitches such as buttonholes, practice some stitching on skillsess fabric. To do this, move the dial to a bigger length, such as 3.0, or 4.0, to get an even and elongated stitch.
Forming a Seam
Although stitching is the very foundation of forming a seam, sewers must also use the presser foot to start the actual seam making process. Pull out the fabric and place it between the presser foot and the needle plate, and use the wheel to raise the foot. This will lock the fabric in place and allow for even stitching.
To produce an even seam, sewers must also be careful about the cloth placement. Place the fabric at an even distance from the needle, and move forward by pressing on the wheel and rotating the wheel simultaneously. This will form the seam. Keep in mind that the more the wheel moves forward, the bigger the stitch length.
Ease of Use
Overall, the premise of using the foot lever on a sewing machine is fairly easy to grasp. The steps highlighted above may appear quite daunting to a beginner, but with a little practice, it can be mastered in no time. Once a steady hand is developed, sewers can move on to complex designs and techniques such as binding, gathered seams, bindings, and gathers.
To improve the overall stitching experience, sewers can also use different kinds of presser feet to form various kinds of seams. Working with decorative stitches, for example, requires a satin stitch presser foot. The types of presser foot changes from machine to machine, so it’s important to read the machine’s manual to find out the available types.
Upholstery Projects
For bigger, upholstery related projects, it’s important to use an adjustable presser foot that eradicates any kind of slippage. To do this, users must first measure the material properly, calculate the required stitch length, and select a thick type of thread. By using a thick thread thread and a strong needle, sewers can easily secure the fabric and ensure the stitches hold firmly.
Another important factor to consider when working with upholstery is the needle itself. A sharp needle should be used, as it will not only penetrate tough materials, but also pull the thread into the fabric more easily. Choose a size that’s not too large, as it can end up making large, sloppy stitches.
Factors to Consider
Regardless of the type of project, sewers must ensure the fabric, thread and needle are placed in the right combination. As a beginner’s rule of thumb, use a combination of lightweight fabric and a lightweight thread type with a matching needle.
Having this combination of material on hand can also make it a lot easier to learn how to use the foot lever in no time. Use heavier materials to practice harder stitches, such as overcasting, zigzag, and buttonholes. Once familiar with the stitches, advance to heavier forms of material.
Troubleshooting
No matter how easy the instructions may sound, things don’t always go as planned. At times, users will face stitching issues related to the needle, thread, and fabric. To identify the root cause, it’s important to look closely at the stitch and analyze what has gone wrong.
If the stitch is loopy, it means the thread tension is too loose. To fix this, adjust the tension dials to a higher tension. If the stitch length is too long, decrease the stitch length. Alternatively, if the stitch is too short, increase the stitch length.
For any other issue, adjust the needle type, thread type, and stitch length to determine the optimum combination. It’s best to practice the stitches on scraps of the same material until the stitching issue is resolved.
Stitch Problems
Lastly, different stitch designs and techniques require different or multiple types of needles, threads, and fabrics. For instance, if working on a project that requires a rolled hem, an edge stitch foot needs to be used to ensure the edges don’t cramp up.
Whenever sewing, it’s important to use the right kind of foot attachment with the necessary thread length and width. Too short of a thread length can cause skipped stitches, whereas too short of a stitch width can cause uneven stitches.
Having the right material, needle, and thread combinations is essential when using the foot lever on a sewing machine. By following the steps above, users can get the most out of the foot lever, and be a pro at hand stitching in no time.
