How a Sewing Machine Works

Captain

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Thought this was sorta cool.

just_in_case_you_ever_wonder_how_a_sewing_machine_works-98670.gif
 
You honestly have no idea how many times I've wondered how one of those things works but simply haven't taken time to Google it. Never considered that it was two separate threads. Great post!
 
ebykowsky said:
You honestly have no idea how many times I've wondered how one of those things works but simply haven't taken time to Google it. Never considered that it was two separate threads. Great post!
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:confused: You've never operated a sewing machine?
 
I knew it was two separate threads (since I've loaded 'em), but beyond that, the results are so magical that I attributed it to sewing gnomes.

Good post!
 
ebykowsky said:
You honestly have no idea how many times I've wondered how one of those things works but simply haven't taken time to Google it. Never considered that it was two separate threads. Great post!
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Same here.
 
Henning said:
:confused: You've never operated a sewing machine?
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In his defense, I've used a sewing machine tons of times (a rarity for a relatively young buck such as myself; have my Mother to thank for that), but I still wasn't sure what happened inside to the two threads, and how that interacted with the hole the needle punched.
 
asechrest said:
I knew it was two separate threads (since I've loaded 'em), but beyond that, the results are so magical that I attributed it to sewing gnomes.

Good post!
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I used to work on industrial ones, getting one fine tuned can be a royal PITA.
 
Very cool to see it laid out! It makes sense looking at it now why it jams so easily
 
Grandma was big on sewing on her machine. I helped her load up many a bobbin as a kid.
 
Aeric said:
This takes it...:eek:
I know it's been asked before, but is there anything you haven't done?
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Very few machines I haven't worked on lol. I worked on sewing machines, antique cars, and was a photographer and lab tech all for the same family company, sometimes all on the same day.:rofl: Machines are machines, working on them doesn't change by application.
 
Aeric said:
Many decades ago my mother used her Bernina. Nice machine.
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they still are. I have three of 'em. Well, two sewing machines and one serger. And the embroidery module. The big one has a computer built in and can either download embroidery via a USB dongle or attach directly to my desktop/laptop computer.
 
DeeG said:
they still are. I have three of 'em. Well, two sewing machines and one serger. And the embroidery module. The big one has a computer built in and can either download embroidery via a USB dongle or attach directly to my desktop/laptop computer.
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Computers... :)
I think my mom's was about a 1955 model.
 
denverpilot said:
Is it serger or surger ? I never looked it up but always assumed the latter spelling. ;)
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Serger. A serge edge is one where the threads interlock along an edge to enclose the cut threads, usually for thick material such as a blanket or rug or to close up a burlap bag.
 
Very cool. Next, someone has to make one of those that illustrates how a baler knots a bale. That's another mechanical miracle.
 
What's the gray thing that catches the yellow thread? And how does it bring only half of the yellow thread around the green thread?
 
Man I wish I saw this picture when I was learning to sew.

Better yet, I used to use a Singer 20 for rigging and timing it was a bear. This picture explains it! It's still magic but now I know the trick!

Now if I could learn to keep my fingers away from the needles.....
 
I use to sew up my own pants back in the 60's when baggy pants were taboo. Ironed patches on the knees, fixed pockets.

The Brothers sewing machine my wife has is programmable. It does amazing things at the touch of a button!
 
Gerhardt said:
What's the gray thing that catches the yellow thread? And how does it bring only half of the yellow thread around the green thread?
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It grabs the thread as it turns by. My guess is that the ring is not flat but bent in throughout the arc to allow it to go around and grab the lower thread and hold open the loop of the upper thread.
 
Captain said:
It grabs the thread as it turns by. My guess is that the ring is not flat but bent in throughout the arc to allow it to go around and grab the lower thread and hold open the loop of the upper thread.
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Correct, it's helical in shape.
 
Sitting here this morning watching thousands of loops made trying to wrap my head around this. I have a bad feeling that before the day is out I'll be the owner of a sewing machine just so I can figure out how the dang think works.
 
Gerhardt said:
Sitting here this morning watching thousands of loops made trying to wrap my head around this. I have a bad feeling that before the day is out I'll be the owner of a sewing machine just so I can figure out how the dang think works.
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Then you're gonna buy a fabric plane that needs recovering and a roll of Ceconite so you have a reason to use that machine....:lol:;)
 
Captain said:
It grabs the thread as it turns by. My guess is that the ring is not flat but bent in throughout the arc to allow it to go around and grab the lower thread and hold open the loop of the upper thread.
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The graphic must be oversimplified though since one thread goes around each side of the green disc. Which I assume is representing the bobbin. That would mean the bobbin is not supported by anything and is magically floating beneath the needle.

At least that's what it appears........

I'll go stick my head inside my machine and report back. :)
 
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