Do you feel like sewing machine manuals are written in a different language? Are you having a hard time telling the difference between the presser foot and foot pedal? Still can’t find the feed dog? I’m here to set you straight on the names of parts of your sewing machine and how each one works to help you sew. It’s not as confusing or hard as it seems and once you know, you’ll be ready to start sewing ASAP!

1. Stitch selection dial
2.Stitch length dial
3.Stitch width dial
4.Upper tension regulation dial
5.Bobbin winder
6.Bobbin tension guide
7.Drop in bobbin holder
8.Reverse stitch lever
9. Handwheel

10.Spool holder pin
11.Thread guide
12.Take up lever

13.Needle
14.Presser foot
15. Feed dog

The Power Source

Power Plug & Foot Pedal: Located on the right side of your sewing machine, both of these need to be plugged in before starting to sew. Brother sewing machines have an all-in-one plug. Make sure it’s tightly connected to the machine and plug the other end into a power outlet. Place the foot pedal under the table where you can easily reach it with your dominant foot.

The amount of pressure applied to the foot pedal will determine the speed the needle moves up & down and how fast fabric feeds through the machine.

PRACTICE TIP: Take some time to practice applying pressure to the foot pedal. Alternate between going fast and slow. Notice the amount of pressure you need to sew at a comfortable speed.

The Adjustment Dials

The front panel of your sewing machine has a stitch selection dial(1). Some of the stitches are functional and others are decorative. It doesn’t matter how many stitches your machine has and more isn’t better. In reality, you will use a straight stitch or a zig zag stitch for 95% of your sewing.

Consult your manual for all of the stitch options on your machine and their various uses.

Each sewing machine also has three dials which should be checked & adjusted before starting a new sewing project.

STITCH LENGTH DIAL (2): This dial changes the length of the stitch on the topside of the fabric. By adjusting the length of the stitch you determine the strength and stability of the finished stitch line.

The largest stitch, or highest number on the dial, is called a basting stitch. This type of stitch is used to temporarily hold two fabric pieces together. Basting stitches are also used on a single layer of fabric to prevent stretching or to help gather a curved seam. Basting stitches are either hidden inside a finished seam or removed once they’ve served their purpose.

When the dial is turned towards the lower numbers, the stitch length gets smaller. Smaller stitches make a permanent tight stitch and are used for button holes and edgestitching.

EXPERT TIP → The SMALLER the stitch length, the HARDER it is to rip out. I sew most seams at 2.5 or 3 stitch length. The stitches are strong enough to hold the seam together for regular wearing and washing, but they are easy to rip out when I make a mistake.

STITCH WIDTH DIAL (3): This dial will change the width of a zig zag stitch. Before you start, change the stitch selection dial to zig zag stitch. As you increase the number on the dial, the zig zag stitch gets wider. When this dial is used with the stitch length dial, you can change the space between the zig zag stitch line and make it more or less compact.

PRATICE TIP: Take the time to play with the different stitch length and width combinations before starting a sewing project. Being familiar with the various options will help you pick the best one when you sit down to sew.

UPPER TENSION REGULATION DIAL (4): This dial adjusts the pull of the upper thread through the needle. The lower numbers create a loose thread, while higher ones make the thread tighter. On my Brother XM2701 the tension is set to 4.

PRACTICE TIP: Using fabric scraps, sew a stitch line the length of the fabric in a straight stitch. Flip the fabric over. The stitches on the underside of the fabric should look the same as the top. If they don’t the tension needs to be adjusted. If the bottom thread is making loops it’s too lose. Increase the tension. If the bottom thread is pulled into the fabric, it’s too tight. Decrease the tension. The good news is that once you have adjusted the tension, you should be able to leave it the same for the majority of your projects. But if you are sewing very thin or very thick fabrics, use a scrap and adjust the tension as needed.

The Bobbin & Threading Mechanism

The bobbin is the tiny plastic/metal spool that is wound with thread. It is placed into the lower part of the machine in a bobbin holder. The needle goes into the bobbin holder, loops around, and pulls out the bobbin thread. This action forms the stitch line on both sides of the fabric and creates a seam.

The bobbin winder (5) is on the top of your sewing machine. This device tightly winds thread around the shaft of the bobbin.

The thread from the spool passes through the bobbin tension guide (6) on the far left of the machine before winding onto the bobbin.

Once the bobbin is full of thread, drop it into the top load/drop in bobbin holder (7). Brother sewing machines have a diagram next to the bobbin holder to illustrate how to put it in correctly.

Each brand sewing machine is slightly different, so check your manual for the specific instructions for yours.

The Needle & Threading Mechanism

The spool of thread sits on the top of your machine on the spool holder pin (10). Thread unwinds counterclockwise from the spool. Make sure it is going around the top of the spool to the left.

The thread crosses the top of the machine and through the thread guide (11). The thread guide uses tension to keep the thread taught as it feeds through the machine.

The thread then goes down into the machine and back up through the take up lever (12). This little silver arm goes up & down pulling the thread off the spool and feeding it through the needle.

The thread goes through the needle (13) front to back. Pull a 6 inch tail under the presser foot toward the back of the machine.

The Presser Foot

Mounted to your machine behind the needle sits the presser foot (14). The main job of the presser foot is to hold the fabric flat while the needle passes through the fabric. The presser foot can be changed to accomplish different tasks, like inserting a zipper, making a button hole, or finishing a hem.

The Presser Foot Lever

The presser foot lever raises and lowers the presser foot. The fabric is held in place when the lever is down and allows for even sewing.

The Feed Dog

Below the presser foot in the base of your machine are metal “teeth” called the feed dog (15). These teeth work together with the presser foot to move the fabric towards the back of the machine while the needle and bobbin threads make the stitch line.

The Handwheel

Located on the upper right side of your machine the handwheel (9) spins in a counterclockwise direction. The handwheel turns, lifts & lowers the take up lever, which makes the needle go up & down into the bobbin.

To catch the bobbin thread, roll the handwheel towards you so the needle drops a loop into the bobbin. Continue to turn the handwheel until the needle comes back up bringing with it the end of the bobbin thread. Pull a 6 inch tail from the bobbin and pull it towards the back of your machine.

The Reverse Sewing Lever

When you press the reverse sewing lever (8), the direction of the stitches changes to sewing backwards on the stitch line. Use this technique at the beginning and end of seams to hold them in place.

There you go, all the names of the parts of your sewing machine and how they work together to make sewing magic happen. Now you are ready to start sewing!

Want more sewing tips and tricks from Sew Sew Lounge? Click here to join the interactive Facebook group, Let’s Talk Sewing for Beginners! hosted by Sew Sew Lounge. Weekly live events and plenty of helpful info to get you up and sewing in no time.
See you on the inside!