The needle plate (sometimes referred to as throat plate) of your sewing machine serves two important purposes. First, it provides space for your needle and secondly it allows the feed dogs to come from below and seize fabric forward as you sew.
Needle plates can also be customized with seam allowance lines in both US and metric measurements, enabling you to mark fabric as you stitch. Damaged needle plates may cause problems like skipped stitches and broken threads – however a new plate could make your sewing machine function much more smoothly.
Feed Dogs
Feed dogs are metal teeth-like ridges which rise and lower through openings in a needle plate to grip fabric at its base and move it across to be stitched by needle.
Most sewing is done with the feed dogs raised and visible; however, darning and free motion quilting require them to be lowered beneath the throat plate or covered by an adaptor plate that comes with your machine.
On occasion, feed dogs may have difficulty gripping thick fabric when your stitch length is set to zero or you use a walking foot attachment. This may result in skipped stitches or fabric that doesn’t feed evenly through your machine.
Bobbin Cover
Every sewing machine requires a bobbin in order to function, with some having front-loading or top-loading systems, respectively. Either way, they need a cover that securely nestles their thread.
This bobbin cover also protects against lint that could potentially hinder stitching performance, so be sure to clean this area regularly for optimal functioning.
Before inserting the bobbin, raise the needle to its highest position (turning the hand wheel in your direction) so as to activate the take-up lever for threading purposes. Slot in your bobbin as detailed below; often the cover has a tab which can be pressed down to secure its position.
Thread Guidecomputer controlled embroidery machine
Thread guides are thin metal pieces used to securely hold thread on sewing machines, keeping it in place before it passes through tension discs. Once it passes those, it hooks back onto its original guide before passing back up towards the top of your machine.
The first needle bar thread guide 26a includes an introducing portion 26e for thread introducing, and a threading portion 26f that runs parallel. In addition, there is a spring receiving pin 57a located within its frame 52 for use within an arm 3 thread accommodating recess 7 for accommodating thread. Furthermore, there is a fixation portion 29a that secures its introducing portion 26 e.
Thread Take-Up Lever
Thread take-up levers, located above the presser foot on sewing machines, pull down on upper thread to feed it through and then lift back up once stitching has finished.
Establishing the appropriate height of your take-up lever is crucial to avoiding thread bunching and tangling issues.
If your take-up lever appears to be stuck, check its s