Sewing Equipment Teen Living Objective 12.01

Lockstitch A stitch that uses a thread above the fabric to meet another thread ____ From the bobbin. The two threads Lock to secure The thread.

Feed Dogs Two small rows of metal teeth that move the fabric forward under the the presser foot for each stitch.

Raising & Lowering the Needle The hand wheel raises and lowers the needle. The Needle must be in the Fabric to begin sewing.

Threading the Sewing Machine A diagram on the machine or in the owners manual will show the proper way to thread the machine

Regular Stitch A straight or lock stitch will be used for most purposes

Basting Stitch Basting stitch will be used for temporarily holding fabric pieces together and for gathering fabric.

Reinforcement Stitch A short stitch used to reinforce stress areas of a garment or point to an area of focus.

Zigzag Stitch A sideways stitch used to overcast seam edges that might ravel, make button holes, and sew special seams

Adjusting Tightness of Stitches The tension dial and the stitch length and width control help control the machine’s stitches

Presser Foot The presser foot helps hold the fabric down to keep stitches in a straight line

Thread Guides Help guide the upper thread through the machine for sewing.

Types of Needles Needles are used to bring the Thread through the fabric Sharps for most fabrics Ballpoint – for knits

Oiling a Sewing Machine A sewing machine should be oiled occasionally with an approved oil for sewing machines. Proper care will ensure that it works smoothly.

Serger A serger is a high speed sewing machine that cuts and sews at the same time.

Serger vs. Conventional Sewing Machine A serger has: Two, three four, or five threads 3-4 Loopers instead of bobbins Upper and lower knives to trim & smooth the fabric – Differential feed to keep some fabrics from puckering Blind hemming & decorative stitching – Special threads

Handwheel on a Serger The handwheel can control the threads and moves loopers by hand

Thread Guide Poles on a Serger Work to keep the threads from tangling To feed each thread through its own set of tension controls

Cones of Thread vs. Spools Sergers use cones of thread instead as they hold a large amount of special thread for smoother feeding

Removing Stitches Seam ripper is used to take out mistakes.

Shears vs. Scissors Shears are used to cut fabric They have long blades & two different shaped handles are bent to to allow fabric to lie flat on a table for ease of cutting. Scissors are used for trimming & clipping They are shorter. Handles are the same shape

Edge Finishing Scissors Pinking Shears are used to finish the cut edge of a fabric.

Press Cloth For some fabrics, a press cloth is needed to protect fabrics that may get damaged caused by the iron’s heat It can be dampened to provide additional steam for fabrics that are difficult to press