Choose, use, understand.
How a machine works, which one to choose, how to sew a difficult fabric.
Deep dive
The presser feet you actually need, and which ones come in the box
Zipper, buttonhole, blind hem, dual feed: what each foot is for, which ones are usually in the machine's box, and how t…
Tutorial / How-to
Thread nests and skipped stitches: the causes, in the order to check them
A tangle of thread under the fabric, or a stitch that goes missing now and then: the cause is almost always the threadi…
Tutorial / How-to
Sewing jersey on a sewing machine, without an overlocker
Jersey stretches, its edges curl, and with the wrong needle it skips stitches. With a ball-point needle, a stitch that …
Deep dive
The right needle for the fabric: system, size and point
The needle packet carries three pieces of information: the system, the size and the point. Here's how to read them, wit…
Buying guide / pick
How to choose an embroidery machine: hoop, files, single-needle or multi-needle
An embroidery machine comes down to three things: how big the largest design you want to make is, which files it reads,…
Buying guide / pick
Do you need an overlocker? Overlockers, coverstitch and combos
An overlocker trims, sews and finishes the edge in one pass, and it makes a real difference with jersey. But it doesn't…
Buying guide / pick
Mechanical, electronic or computerised sewing machine: what really changes
What changes is how you select and adjust the stitch, and how much the machine does on its own. What doesn't change is …
Buying guide / pick
What do you want to sew? From project to machine type
Hems, clothes, jersey, bags, quilts or embroidery: every project asks something different of a machine. Start here to w…
Buying guide / pick
A used sewing machine: what to check before buying it
A used machine can be a good start, if you know what to look for: how it runs, how it sews, whether you can find the ma…
Deep dive
When to change your sewing machine needle
A worn needle isn't visible to the naked eye, but you can see it in the stitching and hear it in the sound. The signs t…
Tutorial / How-to
Cleaning and oiling your sewing machine: what the manuals say
Cleaning the feed dogs and hook helps every machine. Oil doesn't: many modern domestic machines should never be oiled, …
Deep dive
How many stitches you really need: straight, zigzag, buttonhole and stretch stitches
Thirty stitches or a thousand? For hems, clothes and jersey, a handful are enough, as long as they're the right ones. W…