Who could have not seen a sewing machine? Hardly anyone. It is a machine that can be used for stitching fabric and other materials together with the help of a thread. The first sewing machines are believed to have been invented during the first Industrial Revolution to reduce the amount of manual labor needed to do sewing work in the clothing companies. The sewing machines have greatly improved over the ages since its invention by Thomas Saint in 1790. The sewing machine can be considered to have been one of the huge pillars that have supported the clothing industry through increased productivity and efficiency.
The sewing machines available today are diverse in design depending on their purpose and environment. The ones for personal uses in households are designed to be handled by a single person to sew items and use a single stitch type. Industrial sewing machines are, however, more diversified in their size and appearance.
With every machine comes the problem of repairs and if you own a sewing machine you may also be experiencing problems with the sewing machine every now and then. Here is how you can deal with the sewing machine repairs.
Sewing Machine Problems
Let us look into more detail the various problems that can grasp your sewing machine:
– The needles may have been broken.
– The presser foot may be improperly attached or bent.
– The needle may be misaligned.
– There could be incorrect pressure on the presser foot
– There is also the possibility of an insecure needle foot.
– The tension disks could be worn out.
– The feed dogs may be clogged.
– The presser foot may need adjustments.
Though these problems are quite common, you might be in need of help from a professional.
Sewing Machine Types
You need to get appropriate help depending on the type of your sewing machine.
Mechanical – These models are older and could get quite difficult for repairing if there are specific parts that are no longer available in the market. These machines run with the help of mechanical power and there would be dials or knobs to change the settings. The models are quite basic in comparison to the more advanced systems available now. The stitches can also be less precise. You need to get in touch with a technician who is more prone to handling older models.
Computerized – The computerized models are believed to have a longer lifespan and are hence, more expensive. The most exciting things about these are that they can handle exquisite embroidery designs and can handle a variety of different stitches. Some of them can even be linked to the desktop. The professional you should be looking for in this case should have quite a lot of experience in handling such models. It would be better if he has some expertise in your particular model, thus giving him an edge with your machine.
Electric – These are sort of a hybrid between the older and newer models, sort of a transition model. These are capable of creating many varieties of stitches and buttonholes. They also have LCD screens that allow the user to use little effort in adjusting stitches. These machines are also quite reliable and have longer lifespans. Lots of professionals would be readily available for these machines.
Don’t know how to make your plain denim look chic? Just add some quirky embroidered patches on them and you are good to go. Embroidered patches are very much in the trend and why would they not be? Apart from being cool, they are also extremely versatile. You can put these patches on uniforms, hoodies, denim, hats, overalls, and on any clothing of your choice.
If you have decided that you want your own customized patches, then here are four simple steps in which you can get them made the right way:
Decide the correct size– The size of the patch depends on what you are planning to put the embroidered patch on. When it comes to measuring the size of the embroidered patch, you need to decide the height and the width of the patches. If you are planning to put it on your denim or your hat, then a small-sized one, roughly around 2 to 4 inches, would be an ideal choice. Whereas, if you want it for a backpatch then you will have to go for a much bigger size, like something between 8 to 12 inches.
Choose a shape– Once you know what size patch you want to make, you can decide the shape of the patch. Some of the most basic shapes that you can go for are squares, circles, and ovals. If you want to go for any of these basic shapes, then you have the luxury of buying premade patches, where you simply need to create the design and the details you want to see in the patch.
Be clear on the concept– Most of the times, the designs of the patches are brand logos, symbols, or a message that conveys an event or a cause. So, it is vital that before you go ahead and design a patch, you are clear on what you want the patch to convey. You can use photographs or text to convey the design of your embroidered patch to the designer.
Finalize the design– Less is more when it comes to the designs that you select for your embroidered patch. If you go overboard and add too many things in the patch then it might end up looking chaotic. So, stick to one idea and turn it into a simple design. It is best to have a rough sketch of what you want the design to look like so that the designer knows what you are looking for. If you are getting an embroidered patch for personal use, then you can use your favorite quotes, movie characters, or a sketch you drew yourself.
Do your homework and be clear on what you want. Once you have a vision for how you want them to look, everything else will fall in place. Be up to date with the trending designs and shapes, so that you can take inspiration from them to make your own tailormade embroidered patch.
Embroidered patches pronounce versatility. You can use them on clothing and hoodies to market your brand logo or you can simply add these patches on your denim and make your denim look edgy and quirky. Designing an embroidered patch might get overwhelming if it is your first time and you do not know how to get going. While it is a common knowledge that you need to decide the size, shape, and the design of the patches, here are four other undervalued factors to consider, while creating the perfect embroidered patch:
Choose the backing wisely– You can choose from different types of backing for your patch. One of the most popular backings is plastic. Plastic backing ensures that the shape of your patch is retained by adding stiffness. If you want to try something different, then you can consider going for a magnetic backing, in which the back of the patch is a magnet. Adhesive backings are another popular type of backing, but they don’t last long, especially if you plan to machine-wash your clothes. If you want the patches to stay for long, then consider sewing them or going for the heat-seal backing.
Determine the embroidery percentage– The percentage of embroidery on the patch decides the price of the patch. The higher the percentage of embroidery, the higher the price. Typically, an embroidered patch has around 75% of embroidery. If you go with 75% of embroidery, then the rest of the patch will be the colored background of the design.
Decide the right border– Along with deciding the shape of the patches, you must also pick a border for your patches. If you choose any of the basic shapes like an oval or a circle, then you can consider going for the most common border type, called the merrowed border. The merrowed border, also known as an overlock border, is a border that wraps the thread around the entire fabric of the patch. This type of border looks aesthetically appealing and it adds to the durability of the patch. Note that the merrowed border cannot be used if your patch has pointed edges or it has an irregular shape.
Go crazy with the colors– You are spoilt for choice when it comes to the color of the embroidery. You can choose the colors for your embroidered patch from the hundreds of threads that are available in the market. Try to go for designs that use flat colors instead of different hues or color gradients, as it is difficult to get the color gradients embroidered.
The most intriguing thing is that you don’t necessarily need to put these embroidered patches on your clothes. Today, many people don’t mind getting customized embroidered patches just to add to their collection. So, instead of sticking to the latest trending designs, experiment with the sizes and the shapes and come up with your own unique customized embroidered patches.