The precision of ballroom dancing is a lot like the timing of a sewing machine. Each part must act and react in perfect time. Every step must be coordinated.
Following the analogy one step further, sewing machine timing may actually be more like a square dance. There are hundreds of individual parts all moving, turning, and operating all at the same time. Unless they synchronize their performances, the sewing machine fails to work. Two basic areas are concerned.
Initially, we see the synchronization of the needle with the hook. Together they move, dancing around one another. The hook wraps the needle thread around and dances off forming a stitch in time. Sewing machine technicians describe this timing relationship as hook-needle timing.
Next, the graceful motion of the feed dogs rises, glides back, drops, and rises forward in perfect harmony with the needle as she rises up and plunges below the needle plate. This is known as feed dog timing.
Thus you can see how three key sewing machine elements must operate in complete harmony. Hook, Needle, and Feed Dogs each have numerous other parts that control and contribute to their performance. Hence, timing is everything. Without it, sewing will not result.
Check the action of the feed dogs in relation to the needle. When they are in proper time, the feed dogs are at the back and drop under the needle plate at the same time as the needle slides under the needle plate. It also rises in time with the needle. Then the feed dogs move back as the needle continues rising.
Now check out the action of the hook and needle. Take off the presser foot, needle plate, and front cover (if a front loading machine). Find the hook and watch it in relation to the needle. Now rotate the needle all the way down. When the needle starts moving backup, the hook slides behind the needle in the middle of a cut out on the back of the needle called the scarf. When you are sewing, a loop forms that the hook picks up and draws around the bobbin to form a stitch.
The bobbin thread and upper thread wrap together. While the needle and hook proceed through their actions under the needle plate, the feed dogs move under the needle plate from back to front. The needle proceeds to rise again up out of the bobbin area exiting the needle plate. At the same time the feed dogs rise up out from under the needle plate and begin move from front to back as the needle continues to rise. The thread from the bobbin flows through a bobbin tensioner providing resistance to the thread as it is drawn up by the upper thread knot. The upper thread is also under tension from the upper tension, thread guides, tension spring, and sewing machine take up lever. The thread from top and bobbin grow increasingly tighter until they form a locked stitch in the middle of the fabric. This process is repeated for every stitch.
Harmonious synchronized movement of all the parts is essential. The sewing machine will fail to produce desired result every time disharmony occurs. When a needle breaks or when your machine is forced beyond its design, quite often the timing is knocked out of harmony and the machine immediately begins messing up.
When the hook is just slightly out of time with the needle, you will notice skipped stitches or no stitches. This may begin on only one side of the zig zag stitch or intermittently. If the timing is just a bit more out of sync, stitch formation will become impossible.
If the feed dog timing is out of sync, the fabric will not move through the machine as expected. Threads may bunch up or the fabric may just not move.
The beauty of dance is achieved when the dancers move together in graceful harmony. The sewing machine produces amazing beauty when its parts operate in the same kind of grace harmony. - 14915
Following the analogy one step further, sewing machine timing may actually be more like a square dance. There are hundreds of individual parts all moving, turning, and operating all at the same time. Unless they synchronize their performances, the sewing machine fails to work. Two basic areas are concerned.
Initially, we see the synchronization of the needle with the hook. Together they move, dancing around one another. The hook wraps the needle thread around and dances off forming a stitch in time. Sewing machine technicians describe this timing relationship as hook-needle timing.
Next, the graceful motion of the feed dogs rises, glides back, drops, and rises forward in perfect harmony with the needle as she rises up and plunges below the needle plate. This is known as feed dog timing.
Thus you can see how three key sewing machine elements must operate in complete harmony. Hook, Needle, and Feed Dogs each have numerous other parts that control and contribute to their performance. Hence, timing is everything. Without it, sewing will not result.
Check the action of the feed dogs in relation to the needle. When they are in proper time, the feed dogs are at the back and drop under the needle plate at the same time as the needle slides under the needle plate. It also rises in time with the needle. Then the feed dogs move back as the needle continues rising.
Now check out the action of the hook and needle. Take off the presser foot, needle plate, and front cover (if a front loading machine). Find the hook and watch it in relation to the needle. Now rotate the needle all the way down. When the needle starts moving backup, the hook slides behind the needle in the middle of a cut out on the back of the needle called the scarf. When you are sewing, a loop forms that the hook picks up and draws around the bobbin to form a stitch.
The bobbin thread and upper thread wrap together. While the needle and hook proceed through their actions under the needle plate, the feed dogs move under the needle plate from back to front. The needle proceeds to rise again up out of the bobbin area exiting the needle plate. At the same time the feed dogs rise up out from under the needle plate and begin move from front to back as the needle continues to rise. The thread from the bobbin flows through a bobbin tensioner providing resistance to the thread as it is drawn up by the upper thread knot. The upper thread is also under tension from the upper tension, thread guides, tension spring, and sewing machine take up lever. The thread from top and bobbin grow increasingly tighter until they form a locked stitch in the middle of the fabric. This process is repeated for every stitch.
Harmonious synchronized movement of all the parts is essential. The sewing machine will fail to produce desired result every time disharmony occurs. When a needle breaks or when your machine is forced beyond its design, quite often the timing is knocked out of harmony and the machine immediately begins messing up.
When the hook is just slightly out of time with the needle, you will notice skipped stitches or no stitches. This may begin on only one side of the zig zag stitch or intermittently. If the timing is just a bit more out of sync, stitch formation will become impossible.
If the feed dog timing is out of sync, the fabric will not move through the machine as expected. Threads may bunch up or the fabric may just not move.
The beauty of dance is achieved when the dancers move together in graceful harmony. The sewing machine produces amazing beauty when its parts operate in the same kind of grace harmony. - 14915
About the Author:
Dr. David Trumble shares the secrets of repairing sewing machines. He has authored several helpful sewing machine repair courses including a free beginners course entitled: 7 Steps To Peak Performance For Your Sewing Machine.
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