Good Morning, Quilters!
It is 2018 and I am excited about the New Year! I have so many plans for The Inbox Jaunt which will include a new look, a new name, new projects and quilt-a-longs as well as our old favorites: Tuesday Tutorials, Open Line Fridays, Seamstresses in Fine Art and Silent Sundays.
Each month we will have a primary focus and we will start with Sewing Machine Love.
GOOD STITCH FORMATION REQUIRES A MACHINE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER!
photo via We All Sew
QUILT OR DUST? THAT IS THE QUESTION!
As you may know, I’m not much on dusting–except when it comes to my sewing machine! When we free motion quilt, we LOVE pretty stitches and pretty stitches require a clean, well-oiled sewing machine!
When is the last time YOU cleaned YOUR machine?
If you can’t remember, then it’s been way too long! It’s a good idea to clean and oil your machine after every few hours of free motion quilting. The batting layer adds more lint than in other types of sewing.
Use a soft paint brush or a pipe cleaner to collect the loose fibers. Rebecca Ringquist of Dropcloth Samplers uses a variety of tools including a lambswool duster to remove lint. Read about her method HERE
You can also use your vacuum cleaner but do not use compressed air! Hans Herzog from BERNINA writes about the dangers of blowing lint into your machine at We All Sew HERE.
REFER TO YOUR SEWING MACHINE MANUAL
Christine Haynes from Craftsy recommends checking your sewing machine manual...(if you are like me, you might need to do a little sewing room maintenance to track that down!?)
If you need a replacement manual, check with your manufacturer. Many have online manuals:
Baby Lock, Bernina USA, Brother Company, Elna USA, Husquavarna Viking, Janome, Pfaff, Riccar, SINGER Company, and White Sewing Machines,
Read Christines Do’s and Don’ts post HERE
She includes a reminder to unplug your sewing machine whenever cleaning or oiling.
CLEAN AND OILED AND READY TO STITCH!
Now that you’ve completed a little Sewing Machine Love-take a break and try a new quilting motif–The (Clean) Sewing Machine Free Motion Quilting Tutorial is fun and easy!
Perhaps you could use it on a new sewing machine cover???
BIG PLANS FOR 2018?
What about YOU?
Is YOUR machine clean and ready for 2018?
Any exciting plans?
What quilts will YOU quilt this year?
We’d LOVE to hear!
Signed,
Lori-the-occasional-Dust-Buster
PS…If you like these motifs and tips, be sure to check out my book, Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3 or any of my Craftsy Videos!
PPS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
30 comments
Linda
I try to clean my machine after each bobbin change, or at the very longest, after each project change.
Aleeda Crawley
My friend’s mother, who inspired me to sew, put the fear of a dirty machine in me when she bought her Singer Athena 2000. She cleaned the machine before she began to sew–EVERY TIME, and change the needle at the very least when you begin a project. I downloaded a copy of all my manuals to a Dropbox (or iCloud or OneDrive, or Google Drive) so I can access them everywhere I go, even from my phone. I keep a copy of the manual in a beautiful, large zipper leather case that holds the accessories for each machine. Every machine has its own bag.
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Aleeda–my maiden name is Crawley!!! It’s not a name we see very often!! Where do you live?
Lois
I got the spring edition of Easy Quilts and found one pattern titled Nuts and Bolts. My brother is a mechanic with a birthday on Jan 25, so I have just a few weeks to make it for him! I’m not too good at FMQ, but will be using my walking foot to quilt it myself. More doodling and practice needed!
Martha
THANKS for all the tips and inspiration! A bit about my sewing & quilting plans: I have 3 sewing machines (1960’s era White zigzag with decorative cams and all metal parts which my father bought used for me in 1974; my paternal great-gram’s 1905 Minnesota Model D treadle which I inherited, researched and refurbished in 2107; and a straight stitch electric machine which was used by my maternal gram) plus a serger (1996 White). Whichever machine I’m using, I clean with each new bobbin and oil when a project is completed; that makes it ready when I want to start something so I don’t have to clean before I can begin! I do applique by hand instead of machine, but I mainly use my “workhorse”, the White zigzag, for sewing everything else (including piecework and quilting). In 2018 I hope to start free motion quilting with the treadle, and I am fixing my maternal gram’s machine to complete her quilt top which I also inherited in 2017. (Gram Martha started sewing it with both hand and machine piecing prior to her death in the early 1940’s. I never knew her but I was named after her. So this completed quilt will have been made over three generations ~ 70 years apart ~ by the two with the same name in our family).
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That is so cool! Cant wait to see it!
Lora Stovall
When I clean my machine, I fill 9 bobbins and put them in 3 groups of 3. Each time I finish 3 bobbins, I clean and oil the machine, when I finished all 9 I also change the needle. I may clean it more often, but this makes sure it doesn’t go too long.
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Love your system!
Ellen McKinley
I just got a second machine recently, but have been waiting for the table to fit it to arrive. Now that it is here, I need to set it up so I can send my first machine in for some “love…”
Pam Hotle
I probably clean my machine more often than the average person. I love cleaning out the lint! I clean my mom’s when I visit her. Sometimes at a retreat I will clean several people’s machines. One time when I took my machine in for a tune up, I was asked if I ever use my machine because it was so clean. I know, I’m weird!
Ellen McKinley
It’s really satisfying, isn’t it? Especially if there are big gobs of lint! I’m not so big on other cleaning, but I love cleaning all the dust bunnies out of sewing machines…
Bette
I’m always surprised to hear that people don’t clean and oil their machines regularly or take them to their favorite dealer for a yearly checkup. Just like a car, our machines need good maintenance to do the job and keep us quilting!
Donna Johnson
I have an Elma Carina that is 34 years old. I never needed to have it serviced because I kept her clean and oiled. The woman that sold it to me taught me how to remove and clean bobbin case, said Elna didn’t recommend teaching that to owners. I’m sure glad she did. My machine NEVER saw a repairman for her first 30 years. I had trouble with tension not holding so it was with a heavy sick heart I took her in. Found out it was a ball of lint in the first thread guide after tension disk!! Have recently purchased a computerized Janome 9400 and sadly know she will never last 34 years nor can I maintain her myself. But wait at 68 years old I won’t last 34 more years either!! And I have to visit my physician every 6 months now !!
Thank you Lori for all the beautiful tutorials and all the other fun stuff.
Christ be with you and your family
Donna here in fridged IN
quiltbabe
Clean the bobbin area EVERY time I change a bobbin. I had an old (got it in ’81, sold it in ’01) Kenmore 10 that was all metal and all mechanical. I could take it apart, clean and oil it all by myself, and I did, on a regular basis. Can’t do much other than clean and oil two spots on the Bernina Virtuousa that replaced it, and certainly can’t do anything but clean the bobbin area and oil one spot on the Bernina 830 sewing “computer”. It is so well worth the $$ to take them in at least once a year for a professional cleaning and adjustment.
Kerry
I clean my bobbin area every time I’ve used up 2 bobbins. That said I try and reach as far as I can to catch lint. But that photo above is such a nightmare! I dread to think what I can’t reach! My machine isn’t one that I can oil, but it’s due for a service. At the same time I shall take my “new” old 1953 featherweight to be checked over too. I’ll be ready for the retreats now! I love the vintage machines that aren’t electric, I can clean, oil and tinker with them myself.
The sewing machine pattern is really cute!
Rosemaryflower
I have all mechanical machines and know how to get to the hiding places.
“That being said” I have only been sewing with my 316G singer (my sweet mom’s and I named her Lena when she gave it to me back in the days of olden because she wanted a “new” machine and bought a 70’s type Singer at the PX in Brussels. That machine I have too, she is snoozing happily in the basement) So, I do need to get my 316 cleaned up, or at the least adjusted. I use it every day.
I know a guy. He lives 3 hours from here. I think there might be a place in NE Virginia near my daughter. I think they clean and adjust machines.
My other machines are also hibernating, but they are upstairs with me on the main level and they could use some attention just so they know I do care.
These are very good tips and advice. I keep all of my manuals that are sewing related together in a special “lock box”, no just kidding, in a drawer conveniently located.
I do not like misplacing stuff. These days losing stuff makes my remaining brain cells go into panic mode.
Happy New Year Lori
Best wishes for another fun filled year
Steve Mack
I spent Jan 1 cleaning adjusting and oiling seven machines from my daughter, wife and mother in law. I love them for their mechanical honesty.
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What a nice gift!!!
monicaolszewskisharp
I am awaiting hte arrival of my NEW Bernina 590. I am so excited…I can’t hardly wait. But no anticipated delivery date yet…..
Gypsybaker
Lori..looking forward to your inspiration in 2018. Now that I am “quilting” 2017 was
the year of having my Bernina 810 (yes, I’m that old) adjusted adnauseam by the
sewing machine guru who travels from shop to shop (he’s amazing), I’m hoping it
is clean enough. Once my husband (retired engineer) insisted on going with…now
guru eyes me with suspicion; but, I smile & say “thank you”… a lot. Husband is
itching to take Betina the Bernina apart, so he may clean it next…lol.
Pat
To Gypsybaker – That is hilarious- I can just picture the dynamics the way that you described them. Thank you for sharing.
Karen Quilts
I missed the info on the webinar. ???????? when is it and where is it???? Thank you
Kristin
Happy New Year! I have a queen size blue and white basket quilt waiting to be pinbasted and quilted, a t-shirt quilt for my son, many UFO’s and charity quilts I would love to get done!!
Karen Johnson
Thank you for the timely reminder….I am pretty good about cleaning out the bobbin area, but am long overdue for a professional cleaning and tuneup!
Liz
Hi, I love cleaning and oiling my machine! I know that sounds odd, especially if you knew me because I hate housework but my machine runs and sounds soooo much nicer when its had a clean and a ‘drink’, it’s like I can hear it purring ‘thank you’.
Barb Ellis
I clean my machine at least the bobbin area every time I change the foot or needle on my machine. I oil it ever month. I have never taken the case off and looked at what is in the main part of the machine. This year I am making bargello jacket and designing a quilt for my grandson. At our winter home we are working on a sampler quilt and I plan to do lots of FMQ on my Sam & Sue from the Olympics in Brazil and I have two other quilt tops to finish. That is all for now. I am learning stitch painting as well.
You have been my inspiration for all that I have accomplished in the past few years. Thanks a ton.
Susan Thomson
Am away from home (& machine) visiting kids. Spent yesterday online ordering oil and lubricant for Singer 221 and Janome DC 2013. Have queen size quilting project (my first of this size) when I get home, one charity quilt and one baby quilt. All are pieced and waiting for quilting. I love reading your posts. They give me inspiration.
Jacqui VMS
oh oh! Were you looking in my window yesterday? I was free motion quilting and the thread kept breaking…finally broke down and open her up and there were a lot of fluffies there! Cleaned them all up and hubby checked the bobbin case for me and reset the tension and we are good to go again…forgot a drop of oil, but will do that next. Thanks for the reminder! And, it’s sooo good to do. We just get so busy. My husband repairs machines and he will comment, “when’s the last time you gave that machine a drink? She sounds thirsty” LOL I’m always trying to finish one more thing!
Marie Johnson
Cool ideas. I am excited for 2018. I bought your book twice. Hardcover and digital copies. I love seeing your blog in my in box. You’re my inspiration.
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Thank you!!! I’m so glad you are here! We are going to be very busy at The Inbox Jaunt this year!
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