If you include all the hand stitches, sewing machine utility stitches, sewing machine decorative stitches, serger stitches, and industrial manufacturing stitches, you have a bunch of stitches. On a moderately priced home sewing machine you will find twenty to two hundred different stitches plus variations in stitch length and stitch width as well as stretch factors. A top quality home sewing machine will have eight hundred to a thousand different stitches. Many sewing machines include multiple sets of alphabet letters.
Sewing machines are not all the same. Even sewing machines that look alike, can be very very different. Sewing machines vary in the stitches they offer as well as how they make those stitches.
The least expensive sewing machines today are mechanical sewing machines. By this we mean, they use levers, gears, and belts driven by an AC electric motor to run the sewing machine. There are two shafts, an upper one drives the needle bar. A lower shaft drives the feed system and hook assembly. There is an absence of advanced electronics.
The mechanical devices that produce stitches are in the hundreds. Levers (cam trackers) rub against a cam gear with grooves and bumps that cause these levers to move back and forth. This motion transfers across the machine to alter the needle bars movement. The result is a needle bar that rises and falls in various positions left to right to form desired stitches.
Cam tracker alignment are adjusted by surface mounted dials, buttons, or levers. The position of the cam tracker lever determines the stitch produced. The position of the stitch selector lines up the tracker to form the selected stitch. If it gets out of line, it will fail to produce the desired stitch. To fix this, adjust the stitch selector connection on the cam tracker and align it with the proper groove on the cam gear. Also look closely to make sure the cam gear has not cracked or broken.
Electronic sewing machines use electronics to control the power drive system and the stitch selection system. Note many machines are blends of mechanicals and electronic technologies, and others are blends of electronics and computer technologies. Fully electronic sewing machines use electronic circuits to manage motor output giving the sewing machine greater torque, increased consistency, and smoother sewing.
Stitches are selected with electronic buttons that control the production of stitches. Electronic sewing machines usually offer more different stitches and more dependable sewing.
Computerized sewing machines use the most advanced technologies to produce the greatest number of different stitches, smoothest sewing, and most dependable operations. Computer input is made either by pre-programming, touching buttons on the computer keypad, or a touch screen. The computer takes the signal and manages a set of DC pulse motors to create and manage stitches. It is common for computerized sewing machines to offer hundreds of different stitches.
Buttons, dials, and levers are used by mechanical machines to choose stitches.
A button is used on an electronic sewing machine or stitch selection.
Touch the touch screen. Press a button on a keypad. Or, touch the button to choose stitches on a computerized sewing machine.
You can get a handle on your stitches with this little exercise. Make your own stitch selection reference book. Cut as many 5 by 7 pieces of plain fabric as you may need. Select one stitch at a time, and sew one seam across the piece of fabric. Sew similar stitches (utility, decorative, etc.) on each piece but spread out for neat appearance. Repeat the process for every stitch on your sewing machine. If you only have a few stitches, try sewing a variety of lengths and widths. This is an inexpensive and practical way to really get a handle on all your stitches.
Now you know how to select the various stitches on your sewing machine. You also have a visual example of each stitch. - 15790
Sewing machines are not all the same. Even sewing machines that look alike, can be very very different. Sewing machines vary in the stitches they offer as well as how they make those stitches.
The least expensive sewing machines today are mechanical sewing machines. By this we mean, they use levers, gears, and belts driven by an AC electric motor to run the sewing machine. There are two shafts, an upper one drives the needle bar. A lower shaft drives the feed system and hook assembly. There is an absence of advanced electronics.
The mechanical devices that produce stitches are in the hundreds. Levers (cam trackers) rub against a cam gear with grooves and bumps that cause these levers to move back and forth. This motion transfers across the machine to alter the needle bars movement. The result is a needle bar that rises and falls in various positions left to right to form desired stitches.
Cam tracker alignment are adjusted by surface mounted dials, buttons, or levers. The position of the cam tracker lever determines the stitch produced. The position of the stitch selector lines up the tracker to form the selected stitch. If it gets out of line, it will fail to produce the desired stitch. To fix this, adjust the stitch selector connection on the cam tracker and align it with the proper groove on the cam gear. Also look closely to make sure the cam gear has not cracked or broken.
Electronic sewing machines use electronics to control the power drive system and the stitch selection system. Note many machines are blends of mechanicals and electronic technologies, and others are blends of electronics and computer technologies. Fully electronic sewing machines use electronic circuits to manage motor output giving the sewing machine greater torque, increased consistency, and smoother sewing.
Stitches are selected with electronic buttons that control the production of stitches. Electronic sewing machines usually offer more different stitches and more dependable sewing.
Computerized sewing machines use the most advanced technologies to produce the greatest number of different stitches, smoothest sewing, and most dependable operations. Computer input is made either by pre-programming, touching buttons on the computer keypad, or a touch screen. The computer takes the signal and manages a set of DC pulse motors to create and manage stitches. It is common for computerized sewing machines to offer hundreds of different stitches.
Buttons, dials, and levers are used by mechanical machines to choose stitches.
A button is used on an electronic sewing machine or stitch selection.
Touch the touch screen. Press a button on a keypad. Or, touch the button to choose stitches on a computerized sewing machine.
You can get a handle on your stitches with this little exercise. Make your own stitch selection reference book. Cut as many 5 by 7 pieces of plain fabric as you may need. Select one stitch at a time, and sew one seam across the piece of fabric. Sew similar stitches (utility, decorative, etc.) on each piece but spread out for neat appearance. Repeat the process for every stitch on your sewing machine. If you only have a few stitches, try sewing a variety of lengths and widths. This is an inexpensive and practical way to really get a handle on all your stitches.
Now you know how to select the various stitches on your sewing machine. You also have a visual example of each stitch. - 15790
About the Author:
Discovermore about repairing sewing machines from Sewing Machine Technician David Trumble. Get one of his comprehensive sewing machine repair courses. Begin by getting yourfree beginner's sewing machine repair course.