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.
Like a large square dance, each part of the sewing machine must follow the music precisely. Gears, levers, shafts, hooks, and needles must dance together harmoniously to perform the wonders of the sewing dance. This can be seen in two key areas.
First, there is the timing relationship between the hook and the needle which we call 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.
To understand the timing of the feed dogs and needle, we can simply remove the presser foot and rotate the hand wheel forward. As it turns watch what happens. The needle moves from it highest point down toward the needle plate. The feed dogs reach their farthest point toward the back of the sewing machine. The feed dogs drop under the needle plate just before the needle point reaches the needle plate. The needle continues to move down dragging the upper thread under the needle plate, and proceeds toward its lowest point.
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.
Both the hook and feed dogs perform their actions in perfect harmony with the action of the needle. As the needle starts it rise, the upper thread is wrapped around the lower thread in the bobbin. As the needle continues rising, the threads tighten. The lower tension pulls down on the bobbin thread. The upper tension pulls up on the upper thread. When these are in proper balance an amazing lockstitch forms hiding within the fabric. The feed dogs pull the fabric through to repeat the process over and over again.
The needle, hook, and feed dogs must move in harmony. If they fail to do so, the machine will not perform as expected.
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.
Feed dog timing controls the movement of the fabric. If it goes out of adjustment, the fabric will not move properly. The stitches may simply pile up upon each other until they make a solid ball. While timing is critical, it is also necessary to make sure the feed dog height is properly set. If the feed dogs are too low or too high, they will not feed properly.
Like those elegant dancers, harmonious synchronized sewing machine timing is essential. - 15478
Like a large square dance, each part of the sewing machine must follow the music precisely. Gears, levers, shafts, hooks, and needles must dance together harmoniously to perform the wonders of the sewing dance. This can be seen in two key areas.
First, there is the timing relationship between the hook and the needle which we call 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.
To understand the timing of the feed dogs and needle, we can simply remove the presser foot and rotate the hand wheel forward. As it turns watch what happens. The needle moves from it highest point down toward the needle plate. The feed dogs reach their farthest point toward the back of the sewing machine. The feed dogs drop under the needle plate just before the needle point reaches the needle plate. The needle continues to move down dragging the upper thread under the needle plate, and proceeds toward its lowest point.
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.
Both the hook and feed dogs perform their actions in perfect harmony with the action of the needle. As the needle starts it rise, the upper thread is wrapped around the lower thread in the bobbin. As the needle continues rising, the threads tighten. The lower tension pulls down on the bobbin thread. The upper tension pulls up on the upper thread. When these are in proper balance an amazing lockstitch forms hiding within the fabric. The feed dogs pull the fabric through to repeat the process over and over again.
The needle, hook, and feed dogs must move in harmony. If they fail to do so, the machine will not perform as expected.
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.
Feed dog timing controls the movement of the fabric. If it goes out of adjustment, the fabric will not move properly. The stitches may simply pile up upon each other until they make a solid ball. While timing is critical, it is also necessary to make sure the feed dog height is properly set. If the feed dogs are too low or too high, they will not feed properly.
Like those elegant dancers, harmonious synchronized sewing machine timing is essential. - 15478
About the Author:
Sewing Author David Trumble exposes the essentials 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.
