Free Motion Quilting Part 4 of ?
So it wasn’t a wheel – it was my sewing machine! I had probably used my sewing machine 6 hours this week and after 30 minutes of use the other day it started squeaking LOUDLY. I couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from – I thought it was the hand wheel area at first, then I wasn’t sure.
I continued sewing about 10 minutes and then decided I had better check this squeak out before I caused some real damage to my old White. A good cleaning and oiling was in order and I’d take it from there.
As you know I’d been “quilting” on paper which I knew would generate some dust. I pulled a surprisingly thick wad of “dust” from under the throat plate by the feed dogs. Proper oiling in the bobbin area didn’t eliminate the squeak.
Upon opening the side panel, there was less dust than I expected (based on the throat plate area). Oiling the specified points seemed to lessen the squeak, but it was still prominent.
I don’t recall when I had last removed the top cover so I continued to that stage of maintenance. Again, not THAT much dust. But, after each point was oiled I manually turned the wheel and there was a lessening of the squeak. By the time I had finished following all steps for cleaning/oiling in the user manual, the squeak was gone!
Hopefully I’ve solved the “problem” and haven’t set myself up for a future shop repair. Online I read you should clean/oil your sewing machine after every 8-10 hours of use, and others suggest as often as every-other bobbin. I’ve been remiss! If I continue machine quilting (and I intend to) I’ll be doing this cleaning/oiling routine often. My past piecing, clothing construction, and reupholstering did not have as much continual “running” of the sewing machine as I’ve been experiencing lately while doing the “free motion” machine quilting.
Live and learn! ~~K
So it wasn’t a wheel – it was my sewing machine! I had probably used my sewing machine 6 hours this week and after 30 minutes of use the other day it started squeaking LOUDLY. I couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from – I thought it was the hand wheel area at first, then I wasn’t sure.
I continued sewing about 10 minutes and then decided I had better check this squeak out before I caused some real damage to my old White. A good cleaning and oiling was in order and I’d take it from there.
As you know I’d been “quilting” on paper which I knew would generate some dust. I pulled a surprisingly thick wad of “dust” from under the throat plate by the feed dogs. Proper oiling in the bobbin area didn’t eliminate the squeak.
Upon opening the side panel, there was less dust than I expected (based on the throat plate area). Oiling the specified points seemed to lessen the squeak, but it was still prominent.
I don’t recall when I had last removed the top cover so I continued to that stage of maintenance. Again, not THAT much dust. But, after each point was oiled I manually turned the wheel and there was a lessening of the squeak. By the time I had finished following all steps for cleaning/oiling in the user manual, the squeak was gone!
Hopefully I’ve solved the “problem” and haven’t set myself up for a future shop repair. Online I read you should clean/oil your sewing machine after every 8-10 hours of use, and others suggest as often as every-other bobbin. I’ve been remiss! If I continue machine quilting (and I intend to) I’ll be doing this cleaning/oiling routine often. My past piecing, clothing construction, and reupholstering did not have as much continual “running” of the sewing machine as I’ve been experiencing lately while doing the “free motion” machine quilting.Live and learn! ~~K
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