Happy Sewing Machines

Time spent keeping your machine clean is time well spent and may save you money. I recommend taking a little time after each project, for example a quilt or a garment. Some people prefer cleaning after every other bobbin. When replacing the bobbin look for any lint that may have accumulated.

Bobbin area
First remove the bobbin and bobbin case if this is the type of machine you have. Some machines have bobbins that are referred to as lay in and you do not have a case to remove. Also removing the needle plate will
give you better access to the job. The brush that came with your machine will pick up a lot of lint. I actually prefer a craft chenille or pipe cleaner because they bend easily and get into small tight places without harming your machine.

Another option would be to use a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment. This pulls the lint out of the machine and removes it from the area. Canned air gets mixed reviews. If used to blow lint out of your machine always blow the air from back to the front of the machine. If you blow air into the machine it will pack the lint and dirt in and eventually
become a bigger problem.

Tension area
Many people clean the bobbin area but never clean the tension. As most thread has lint it helps to clean out the thread residue from your tension.
First step, always lift the pressure foot as this opens the tension disks. Your vacuum will pull the lint out of the tension just like it does in the bobbin area. Canned air will blow it out as long as you take care to blow out and not in.
Another simple method is using an index card with rubbing alcohol on the edge. The alcohol dries quickly so it will not rust in the tension, however running a card through the tension will help clean it as well.

Oiling
Last but not least we should oil our machine. Do not oil a machine until it has been thoroughly cleaned and always use sewing machine oil. Sewing machine oil is light weight specifically for sewing machine. Not all machines require oiling so consult your owner’s manual for details.

A good rule of thumb is to check each of these areas of your machine and give them a cleaning at the end of each of your projects. That way you start new with a tip-top machine.

Keeping up with maintenance with your machine with help you prevent expensive trips out for repairs, or even replacing your machine before you are ready to change things up. 

Happy sewing. And enjoy sewing your new Village Green Puzzle Mystery Quilt. It's going to be beautiful!