My sewing machine needs adjustment but I don't know how and I can't afford to take it to a repair shop. The needle keeps hitting and breaking or bending really bad on the feed dog. Does anyone know how and what to adjust so the needle is in time with the feed plate. (The little teeth like things that help pull the material under the needle). Thanks to anyone who can help with this.
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Sorry, but your machine needs a professional adjustment. Do not continue to use your machine untill you have it repaired.....you could do more serious damage to it. A new machine would be more costly than repairing yours. Get a free (or low cost) estimate, then save your pennies. It might be less expensive than you think.
Make sure the needle is pushed all the way in the holder for it.
I had to have mine fixed once because it did not reverse. They did a cleaning and that fixed it. It only cost $40. I did get a recommendation from a sewing shop, tailor, as to wear to go for repairs. I used the person's name who refered me, if that made a diffence to the repairman.
That can happen when the needle gets too old. Replace the needle with a new one. This action solved the problem for me (because it's what I was told to do at sewing class years ago).
Thanks Cookwie, but I have replaced the needle with new ones but that is not the problem. The needle hits the plate when it goes down. I made sure I had the right needle for my machine and made sure it was inserted properly. I guess I will just have to take Memere's advice and save my pennies so I can take it to a repair shop.
You may simply have the wrong type of needles in your machine.Did you check the manual?
Other possible reasons may be:
As stated above - bent needle or needle inserted improperly (or crappy needles)
Plate is loose or crooked
Too much upper thread tension - or thread is caught elsewhere & not coming off spool properly - check threading
Too much bobbin tension - or bobbin is in backwards or upside-down
Thread is too thick
Fabric is too thick for needle
If you haven't trouble-shot all this stuff yet, check it out.
HTH
Oh and..
is it a zigzag machine? Did you doublecheck to see that needle position is set properly for the stitch you are doing?
Memere are you from louisiana???
Brenda, the feed dogs on your machine maybe have come loose. I see this a lot. Check the screws in them. If not the needle bar or feed dogs, one have jumped time not that big of a deal oh by the way I also live in Somerville Al
Thank you James. I will be sure to do what you suggested. I put my sewing machine away and have not used it since I posted the first time. I tried all the suggestions from others but none of them worked.
Please remember, all sewing machines need a good maintenance check up. The more computerized the more specialized the repair person.
I had been having an issue with my 25 year old machine and finally treated it massively. I had been doing my proper oil, cleaning, etc and blowing it clean with the air compressor from garage.
So I decided to buy a new one. Pfaff with utility sewing - not fancy. And when I brought my new one in the house, my old one worked perfectly after that. Karma?
Took my old machine to the shop of my new one and for $50 they went through it, tightened up, adjusted this and that, and now I have 2 machines to love.
Since they don't make machines like they did back when the Kenmore was new, I appreciate keeping it running. I paid $700 back then for the machine. Bells and whistles but nothing electronic. So I expect another 25 years with proper care.
Don't abuse it. Don't mess with the tension unless you know what you are doing. I keep notes besides the machine if making adjustments. Don't use cheap thread, match up thread with fabrics, and my rule of thumb I don't let anyone use it unless I can verify they know what they are doing. And it does not leave my house.
My husband has his sets in the basement for repairs of jeans, tarps, etc. On clean up day- where you can set things out to trash - one week a year - his seamstress got a new fancy one and set 2 good old machines out, stickers from there 'rehab in the shop' on them. I picked them both up. So we had 4 machines in the basement. Had another elderly friend who kept borrowing the simple one so her sister with dementia could use it - sew quilt squares. The last time she borrowed it I told her it was not to come back. It was hers.
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