Learning how to use my Sewing Machine (kind of anyway)

This past week I was finally able to practice using my sewing machine! I decided to try sewing using an old rag so that I could just throw it away once I was finished.

I sat down, plugged in my pedal, and shoved my rag near the presser foot. After pressing on the pedal several times and following my cords, I realized that I had plugged in the machine and the pedal cord did not need to be plugged in because it was attached to the machine. Thus began the task of finding out where the power switch on my machine was. Once I found that, I again tried to press the pedal down. This time my needle began moving- I was about to get excited when suddenly the thread flew out of the needle hole from the up/down motion. *sigh* Now I had to find out how to rethread my machine. Lucky for me the thread had only come out of 3 spots, which I was able to figure out on my own and put back together before struggling to get it through the needles hole.  

Back to trying to put thread into fabric. I pulled the thread’s tail really far so that I could avoid another escape. I put my fabric back against the presser foot and slowly stepped on my pedal… nothing happened. Then I remembered that there is a way to lift the presser foot up—oh golly, another journey! Searching for the lever that lifts the presser foot up was slightly easier than searching for the power switch, and I found it a little quicker. I lifted up my presser foot, shoved my fabric underneath the foot near the needle, and clamped it back down onto the fabric. Pressing the pedal yet again, I finally succeeded in sewing the thread into the fabric, and bonus, I did not even sew over my finger!

After successfully sewing a few lines I cut some squares of fabric out and began sewing them together. Only problem was that I knew there was a certain way to do this, and I did not have any idea how to do so. I googled a video and discovered that you put them on top of each other, sew the edge, and then when you open them back up they will be attached. I also learned that after this step you should press the fabric with an iron. I did not do this step though, simply because it was a rag and I would be throwing it away anyway.

Now I am officially excited to start sewing but I am also dreading how much I still do not know. I currently have white top thread and red bottom thread. I have no idea how to change either of these things and I have no idea how to measure and cut squares of fabric. I also do not know how to refill the underneath threads, but I do remember my grandma doing so one time. SO I have a ton more to learn before I actually start my quilt. I did go to Walmart and pick up some $2.00 fabric to keep practicing on though, so hopefully I can keep learning new things about my machine while also learning how to sew straighter lines!

Here is where I went to learn my square sewing skills 😎