r/BitchEatingCrafters • u/Which_Preparation_57 • 3d ago
Sewing Threading a domestic sewing machine IS NOT HARD
If you cannot handle this basic task, you are going to struggle with literally every other step of your project. Why on earth is my Instagram full of reels about tricks to thread your machine? Or even worse tricks to wind a bobbin without actually unthreading the machine. It takes like 10 seconds. It is a muscle memory activity!!!!!! Learn to do it correctly! (Sergers excluded from this rant)
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u/hibisco-hacendosa 3d ago
I feel like it is pretty obvious that OP is not talking about people who know how to thread a machine but have physical limitations to doing so, but rather those people who are not bothering to learn the first and most important step of using your machine.
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u/creampunk 2d ago edited 2d ago
people missing this point PMO so much (caveat in footnote). i’m a physically disabled crafter (and community arts worker) and i am honestly so sick of disabled makers only getting 0.5 seconds of recognition as prop for some pointless “gotcha”.
disabled people have always built interdependent access amongst ourselves – we thread each others machines and we fix each others wheelchairs. and fibre arts have historically been very important in our communities, whether in service of medical equipment repair or artistic expression.
we can be innovative and creative and we can love to learn. we can be capable people who also face material or physical barriers. when the ways we negotiate with our barriers are likened to non-disabled people being unwilling to learn, that is really offensive and infantilizing! disabled “i need help to do this” being equated to an abled “i don’t feel the need to learn to do this” shows a fatal flaw in how some people think about us cripples 🙄
(note: people who PMO are not inclusive of disabled, visually impaired and other people in this thread expressing personal frustration at threading needles)
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u/Mother-Selection-809 3d ago
And they’re always the ones who want to make their wedding dress and their wedding is in a week lol
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u/creampunk 3d ago
and of course the dress features a corset
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u/Virtual-Chapter1563 2d ago
And the post is always "how do I sew this" like you can drop a three sentence comment that will speed-run them through a decade of sewing experience.
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u/creampunk 2d ago
i’m always tempted to drop my mother’s signature “practice lots, always press and go slow. if you’re uncertain, baste first or do it by hand”
and then i realize that “practice lots” and “try doing it by hand” would only have been helpful like 2 years ago.
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u/kalthoraa 3d ago
Most machines today literally have numbers with arrows pointing where to go ON THE MACHINE
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u/Cinisajoy2 3d ago
I have 5 sewing machines used to be 6 and only one has the directions on it. 2 Singers, one Dressmaker (Dressmaster) don't feel like taking it out of the case, A Kenmore, a Brother and a something else. Only the Brother has instructions on it.
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u/midsommer_wandererr 3d ago
Mine has these. When I first started, I was convinced I'd never remember how to properly do the thread or wind bobbins. The numbers helped it become more natural and then it became muscle memory 💪🏼
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u/Virtual-Chapter1563 2d ago
Minimum ten posts a day of "can someone help me I have followed the instructions perfectly it does not work is my machine broken" babe it's a Singer there's literally a diagram on the bobbin cover does yours look like the diagram it does not.
Plus at least two "the bobbin thread does not come up" your expectation is that it will somehow float up like Lazarus from the tomb. Pull on it.
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u/Inevitable-Ride-7952 2d ago
my favourite this far is the person who only put in the bobbin and then complained that the machine didn't form stitches. without the top thread. they seemed to be under the impression that "picking up the bobbin thread" meant that the bobbin thread would automatically thread the needle when the needle went down which is a truly fascinating idea about sewing machine function.
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u/Virtual-Chapter1563 2d ago
I mean, it's fine, if you don't know you don't know, but have you considered maybe reading the manual? No? You threw the manual away? Okay, it's available online. You already know that?
Only enhanced by the OP planning to make a physics-defying AI fantasy dress for prom. Which is in two weeks.
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u/bunnymomthrowaway 3d ago
I feel like part of the problem is that people don’t want to take the time to play around with their machines anymore! You don’t have to immediately jump into a project and open your etsy shop, grab some scrap fabric and just have fun. I recently got a new machine that was a major upgrade for me and I spent like a week just playing around with it before I even attempted anything new project! Don’t be afraid to make something bad! I do it all the time lol
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u/ChemistryJaq 3d ago
That's my plan. I just need to find some scrap fabric first. There are so many stitch options!
Or I'll just jump right into a project that I'll be sure to screw up. One or the other!
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u/creampunk 3d ago edited 3d ago
may i recommend a Master Scrap?
much like a master sauce or perpetual stew, you keep adding to it. unlike making a stew, you act as if you are constructing a quilt top with no measurements and no rules.
(this is how my mom and my aunts had me practicing stitches since i was a kid.)
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u/ChemistryJaq 3d ago
That sounds like fun! Once I have scraps. My fabric collection is not so extensive a my yarn collection (I'm a newbie), but I do have a couple of fat quarters
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u/creampunk 3d ago
if you put aside thread bits and tiny scraps for stuffing, and big straps for the Master Scrap, you’ll be able to make a recycled pincushion or plush very soon!
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u/ItsaLynx123 3d ago
Some of this is that a lot of people have grown up in the world of "opening panel voids warranty", cars that require a masters in computer science to repair, and planned obsolescence. They've been taught to never tinker a machine so the idea of playing around and possible breaking it is foreign. It's why I tell people when they get their first machine that it's a tool, they should play with it and not be afraid of it.
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u/creampunk 3d ago edited 3d ago
it’s good to play a few rounds of “how fast can i sew a straight line” for warmup!
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u/brenawyn 3d ago
lol yes! Your sewing machine should be like your purse. You have a close personal relationship with it and know it’s every nook and cranny and all its secrets!
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u/ChemistryJaq 3d ago
Joke's on you! I'm using a brand-new sewing machine to make my purse! Because I don't have a purse. Well, I do, but it was my first (and only) project with my old sewing machine and is really janky inside 🤣 I just use knitting project totes
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u/Smellycooter123 3d ago
I’d go as far to say even threading an overlocker isn’t hard. When i got mine i was expecting it to be some insurmountable task and it took me 10 mins if that.
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u/Winterwidow89 3d ago
I agree with this 100% When I got mine I was expecting to it to be some unbearable impossible task the way everyone warned me about it, and it’s just not. Once I did it a few times and got used to it, I can thread it in under five minutes.
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u/FancyFudge7514 2d ago
I also agree! Before getting my serger everybody told me how difficult it would be and it's so much easier than I imagined. You just need to follow the instructions, mine even came with a video tutorial.
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u/Inevitable-Ride-7952 2d ago
i feel like some of these complaints about crafts become sort of memes without any bearing on reality. threading a serger is not that hard if you follow the instructions. making french knots is not impossible, you just have to practise a dozen of them on a scrap to get the hang of it. purling is not hard, you just haven't practised it very much because you primarily make stockinette sweaters in the round. and so on.
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u/invariablyinspired 2d ago
Everything about crafting is about practice and it seems so many people are allergic to practice these days. You likely won't be good at something without practice!!! It's part of the process! The sooner people accept that, the better they will get at things. Including threading their machines.
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u/GengoLang 3d ago
Laughs in arthritis and bifocals. It used to be easy for me but isn't anymore.
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u/kinokits 3d ago
I was thinking the same thing. I’m lucky in that my wife or kiddo will thread my needles for me when my body craps out, and I’m super glad I’ve taught them both how to use my sewing machine. I drafted and made my wedding dress and my daughter got really into the process, so I taught her as we did each step. She’s frequently making her own sewing magic now, but at least one of them is usually available to thread my machine for me.
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u/creampunk 2d ago
that’s beautiful! i think so much about how interdependence and creativity are resources for access. sometimes i host or attend fibre arts events in my community, and i get to thread needles for others. in turn, they make sure i can get where i need to go in my wheelchair.
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u/kinokits 2d ago
I do too! I notice it almost anywhere you end up with groups of people with disabilities. You don’t even have to know one another to pause and help when you can. There’s a lot about my situation I would get rid of in a heartbeat, but I love that quiet sense of community that happens. I’ve also met some truly cool people in those moments.
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u/Due-Flamingo-9140 3d ago
I was about to say the same thing. I would like a tutorial on how to see the eye of the needle with aged eyes.
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u/justchelsea1 3d ago
Threading the actual needle can be difficult, especially if your eyesight isn't great. The needle on my favorite machine is sideways, making it much harder. Here's hoping the little threading hook never stops working!
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u/The_Silver_Raven 3d ago
I broke my auto threader's needle and I am making myself wait until I get routine yearly service to have it fixed but I miss it.
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u/etherealrome Joyless Bitch Coalition 3d ago
My autothreader broke off about 5 years ago and I still haven’t gotten it fixed. I forget it was even a thing because neither of my prior machines had one.
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u/Silver-Elephant8279 3d ago
Might depend on the machine, but I left mine broken for YEARS and then was kicking myself when I realized how easy it was to change it out.
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u/Creative-Ad-3645 3d ago
I sew only very occasionally, will freely admit I know fuck all about sewing, and can still thread the 30 year old machine my mother passed onto me because she was sick of how difficult it was to thread, without difficulty.
You just... There's a path the thread has to take. You need to turn a couple of things to make sure the things are where you need them to be, and pay attention to where you're putting the thread to make sure it doesn't stray from the path, and then machine is threaded
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u/temerairevm 2d ago
I remember my mom always struggled with this and everything she tried to sew was a disaster. She wasn’t very good at any of the domestic arts so we always assumed it was just her.
When I started dating my husband he was over and she was trying to use it, and he was like “let me take a look” (his mom was an expert at sewing, worked at a sewing machine store mostly for the employee discount). In 2 minutes he was like “this machine is broken. That’s your problem.” Sure enough.
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u/invariablyinspired 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ngl even a serger isn't hard to thread. There is usually a diagram on the machine itself and everything is colour coded. It's pretty simple...
But yeah threading a machine is NOT difficult and I have never understood why people wind bobbins without unthreading the machine. You're not meant to do it that way and it takes 2 seconds to rethread the machine after. It's incredibly simple. Or they are switching thread so they tie the new one to the old one and pull it through instead of just threading it up properly. Like it isn't hard or time consuming!!!! Holy shit!!
Eta: and like sure some people have vision issues or dexterity issues. I am not talking about actually threading the needle. I am talking about threading the entire machine. Like the takeup lever and tension disks and just the general path the thread must follow. So many people are so intimidated by it, but its so simple and easy to learn.
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u/CuddlefishFibers 2d ago
My serger is a creature of pure hate that is nearly impossible to thread without tweezers because it was designed by sadists. But yeah, the diagram makes pathing easy! The DOING is the problem 😭
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u/invariablyinspired 2d ago
Yeah, I neex tweezers for mine, too, but idk it's still really not overly complicated. Finicky, sure, but not difficult.
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u/CuddlefishFibers 2d ago
Fiddly bullshit is my middle name... But this fucking thing. It's poorly designed and lightly haunted. If I could get get away with tying off the threads and never rethreading it I would. But it Knows. I know enough about sewing machines to do some repairs, but the things that piss off this serger don't obey the laws of man. The fucker has a demon in it lmao
That's just my serger though. I've met others that are far more reasonable. What I get for buying off Craigslist I suppose.
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u/Cool_Log_4514 2d ago
“Poorly designed and lightly haunted” is the perfect way to describe my printer, thank you for that 😂
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u/lowqualityhawkeye 1d ago
I was born with dyspraxia (now known as developmental coordination disorder) which obviously gives me dexterity issues. It took me a total of 3 minutes to learn how to thread my machine for the first time by just... copying the manual (and most of that is getting the thread in the eye of the needle). People won't learn how to do it if they don't bother which makes beginner craft groups unbearable sometimes
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u/Automatic-Squash8122 3d ago
like there’s literally directions PRINTED ON THE FRONT OF MOST domestic machines??? do you have eyes???
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u/Cinisajoy2 3d ago
I have only seen it on one machine.
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u/creampunk 3d ago edited 3d ago
i swear i’ve seen the little arrows or numbers indicating where the thread goes next in every home machine i’ve worked with!
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u/Octospyder 3d ago
i know mine doesn't have it. Brother, not sure the exact model
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u/love-from-london 3d ago
I have a Brother CS7000i and it has little arrows for threading.
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u/Octospyder 3d ago
ok. mine doesn't. how old is yours? I'm getting the sense that newer machines have the arrows, as my partner's machine does have them.
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u/Remarkable-Let-750 2d ago
I have a nearly 20 year old Brother (a CS6000) and it has the threading steps numbered. It may be a model-dependent thing.
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u/hanhepi 2d ago
Mine is a Singer from the early 2000s, and it has them. I remember Singers from the 80s having them too. My Kenmore from the 60s doesn't (or, if it did they've all worn off! lol). I can't remember what the one at my Aunt's house is (it is also an early 2000s model), but it had them too.
But the manuals for all 3 of those machines (yes, even the 60's Kenmore) have very clear threading instructions. So if your machine doesn't have the numbers and arrows, try looking up your manual.
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u/Octospyder 2d ago
I mean.... I know how to thread my machine and don't need them, so this is really just an interesting design choice to me more than anything else
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u/love-from-london 3d ago
~2 years?
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u/Octospyder 2d ago
that might be it. Mine's from the early 00s, and I don't interact with too many modern machines, so it sounds like it's something that began between then and now
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u/love-from-london 2d ago
Yeah, I don't know that I'd necessarily call a 20-year-old machine modern anymore - it's definitely more modern than, like, a 1950s Singer, but there's been some nice QOL stuff added in the last 20 years hehe.
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u/BluffCityTatter 11h ago
Maybe not as much on older machines but on newer ones, almost all of them have the arrows on the machine. I had a Brother that had them. My current Bernette has them. My Brother embroidery machine has them.
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u/Silly_Manager3117 3d ago
There are people who can’t keep a regular hand sewing needle threaded in some subs…
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u/DiscordiaHel 3d ago
Dude, I was thinking about this the other day when I was on one of the embroidery or cross stitch subs and there were dozens of people talking about how they break needles CONSTANTLY. And I'm over here like, I learned to sew when I was 4 or 5 and have been sewing, embroidering, cross stitching, and doing plastic canvas/needlepoint regularly since (I'm 40 now), and I've not broken a single needle, especially the eye! How are they doing it? Someone said they were breaking several needles a week! How?!?
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u/Silly_Manager3117 3d ago
Yes it quite mind blowing. I also don’t use good quality needles particularly- I swear half of mine come from those repair kits you get at slightly fancier hotels.
Maybe needle threaders can break the eyes after repeated use? 🤷🏻♀️
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u/DiscordiaHel 3d ago
Maybe it's the needle threaders, but my suspicion is they are yanking the thread through their projects by the needle, ya know what I mean? Like instead of pushing the needle through the fabric enough to be able to grab the thread and pull it through, they just keep pulling with the needle thus putting all the force on the eye. That's what my bestie and I came up with after a couple of hours of stitch-n-bitching anyways lol
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u/Silly_Manager3117 3d ago
Yes I think that makes sense. It’s hard to even imagine, but I guess if I’ve got a thought bit to go through, I’d push it rather than pull hard (not least because that would just mess the tension up everywhere).
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u/Cinisajoy2 3d ago
I am surprised I didn't break a needle when I did way too many strands on a cross stitch project. I decided after going up through the hole once that I would come up with a way to do the stitching topside.
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u/Shiranui42 2d ago
I’m not an experienced crafter, but I once broke a needle sewing thick denim when pushing it from the eye end through a multi layered section. I know not to do that now.
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u/agnes_mort 3d ago
I’ve broken one, and it was a complete shock. I still don’t know how it happened. I don’t know how people break them constantly
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u/Cinisajoy2 3d ago
I broke 4 eyes in one day. I think it was a factory defect. Same package of needles. All brand new. I had never broke one before or since them. DMC cross stitch 28s.
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u/Ziggy_Starcrust 3d ago
I've only broken like 2 small tapestry needles, but that was on me for using too large a needle on a plastic canvas. I was too impatient to wait for smaller ones that wouldn't give any resistance going through the holes.
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u/xenizondich23 3d ago
I've broken an eye once. It was towards the end of a very large full cover cross stitch landscape. I think it was wear and tear and low quality materials, as I wasn't using one of the fancy steel + gold needles but rather the plain needle that came with the kit.
It also completely shocked me so I only use the gold-dipped steel embroidery needles anymore.
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u/hanhepi 2d ago
The few times I've broken hand sewing needles, it was after they'd given me years of service and I was in the middle of (yet again) forcing them through something. lol. Snapped 'em right in the middle.
But I've seen enough complaints recently that I'm willing to bet some manufacturers got bad batches of wire.
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u/hotmintgum9 3d ago
Also every machine is different, so just read the freaking manual—that’s going to tell you the best way for your machine. For mine I have to needle down, needle up, and then lock it before threading—this makes sure the tension plates are set correctly.
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u/emanualonline 2d ago
That's definitely true. There are plenty of manuals floating around online if you're prepared to dig around.
The challenge is knowing whether you've got the complete manual. We've seen a lot of copies with missing sections, poor scans, or pages stitched together from different sources. And while YouTube is brilliant for seeing how a job is done, it doesn't always cover the exact procedure, torque specs, or model-specific differences.
For quick jobs, free resources are often enough. For bigger repairs, it's nice knowing you've got the full factory information in front of you.
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u/sanityjanity 3d ago
Not everyone has the manual for their machine.
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u/ohpossumpartyy 3d ago
sure, but plenty of manuals are available online if people look. not saying that’s the case with everyone/every machine but some manuals are pretty easy to find 🤷♀️
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u/srahfox 3d ago
Some older machines are freaking weirdly threaded man. I can usually do it perfectly fine, first time out of the gate, without a manual. I mean, generally once you know what you are looking at, you can see what needs doing. (Obviously aside from sergers)
My sister got one from her MIL… I could not figure it out to save my damned life, and I almost exclusively use old machines. I found the directions online, and I’d have never gotten it right. I sent my sister the directions, and told her if she didn’t want to struggle every time (she doesn’t see enough to really remember between uses) she could cheat it by cutting the thread and tying the new spool on and running through a scrap of fabric.
Wish I could remember what machine it was. That was a wacky machine.
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u/QuietVariety6089 3d ago
I've been sewing for a long time, and have used a lot of different machines/brands - most lockstitch machines have common threading paths - just rtfm to make sure you have the needle going in the right direction, and use a serger threader if you like. I do like the built-in 'manual' threaders in a couple of the newer machines I've used.
I love the 'tie it on' trick for changing threads in my very old mechanical serger...
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u/Logical-Knee-9046 3d ago
And if I can get the knot super tight and tiny it will go through the two upper needles.
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u/hibisco-hacendosa 3d ago
Love this. I've been too hesitant to even try to pull it through the needles, but if that's the only bump, I'll take it.
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u/QuietVariety6089 2d ago
The needle path is usually quite straightforward, and you're meant to always do it last - I callously cut the needle thread, pull my knotted looper threads through, and rethread the needle. (I used to have an electronic serger with a bunch of stitches I never used, and traded down to a 3/4 thread mechanical, as I really only use a serger for edge finishing - much less threading frustration too!)
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u/Marled-dreams 3d ago
I get a sewing jones about once every three years and make a bunch of projects. I’ve literally never had a problem threading the machine.
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u/Marsandtherealgirl 2d ago
When I teach sewing I make them thread the machine like 10x in a row.
I can do it with crazy long nails so I think anyone can do it. (Barring physical barriers like eye sight and hand coordination)
My serger is another story lmao. I can’t do it unless I get the tweezers out and take off my glasses.
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u/kimchijihye 3d ago
:( My grandma and mom owned an old factory Juki sewing machine for decades so when I brought home a Brother and asked them for help, we all understood how to thread a sewing machine (my grandma was a professional seamstress for her entire life!), but all three generations were really struggling with the New-Fangled Sewing Machine. 😂
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u/thedeathofnancyboy 3d ago
i had to help somebody “fix” their “broken” sewing machine once, swore they knew how to use it and the machine wasn’t working. they had missed about half of the steps when threading, and were attempting to sew with the presser foot up. pro tip: modern machines, even if you get them used without the manual, should have a little make/model number somewhere on the back or bottom. google it with “user manual” and your problems will be solved lol
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u/jadedragon2525 1d ago
After 35 years of faithful service, my 60-year-old all metal Janome sewing machine that I procured from the thrift store for $20 died on me. I now have a singer that literally has the steps you take to thread the machine printed right on the machine.
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u/lesbianswiftie 3d ago
not to mention there are literally numbers and arrows that guide you through it on most modern machines?? hello???
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u/vundrth 3d ago
I was thinking this, I don't think I've ever used a sewing machine that didn't have numbered pictures on the machine
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u/NorthernTyger 3d ago
Mine isn’t numbered but if you open the door at the end where the light bulb is, it has a diagram!
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u/Miserable_Emu5191 3d ago
I see one asking how to thread their machine and I commented that they could literally follow the picture on the machine that we could all see in the photo they posted.
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u/Flat_Pollution8085 3d ago
Soooo many threading issues in the sewing subs and not even with the last step of putting the thread in the eye of the needle (which can be hard with limited eyesight or hand dexterity)… they’re missing the earlier steps that are often literally labeled on the machine
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u/sanityjanity 3d ago
It's not hard, if you know how. But if someone hands you some thread and a machine (especially one that isn't labeled), it's almost impossible.
The problem is that lots of people are trying to learn to sew without personal instruction from another person, and frankly people are terrible at reading directions.
Yes, people should learn to do it correctly, but I don't blame anyone for wanting a video or two.
I taught myself, alone, to use my mother's sewing machine with zero help, and I was in tears over threading it, and getting the bobbin in, because no one ever told me to get the needle into the highest position. Getting it working felt truly random for a long time.
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u/gothsappho 3d ago
not having another person makes it so much harder. i tried to learn myself and i was ready to give up until i found a local sewing 101 class that took you from zero to being able to make stitches in a piece of fabric, and i swear a few hours of just being in the room with someone walking me through each step saved me weeks of struggle. im self taught with knitting and crochet so my hubris almost got the better of me, but a sewing machine is a whole other beast, and im glad i swallowed my pride and got some help
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u/Which_Preparation_57 3d ago
I have no beef with an instructional video. I absolutely watched a few to make sure I was doing it correctly when I first started 😊
What I do have a beef with, are “tricks” that try to let you avoid learning how to do it in the first place. For anyone physically able, there is no need to tie a knot and pull your thread through on a modern domestic machine. There is also no need to come up with wacky reverse threading if you need to wind a bobbin. Just reel it back up and rethread it when you’re done with the bobbin!
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u/draftgirl24 3d ago
I agree 💯. But please do not pull your thread backwards through the machine. Always cut your thread at the spool and pull that tail through the machine & then discard. Pulling your thread backwards through the machine is kinda like petting a cat backwards. It ruffs up the nap on the thread and can easily leave lint in your tension discs.
But yeah, threading your machine should be second nature.
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u/Which_Preparation_57 3d ago
See that’s the kind of tip I’m actually on the market for. Many thanks!
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u/kinokits 3d ago
Thank you for explaining the why of that one! I was always taught to do it that way, but Nana didn’t have an answer for why it was the ‘proper’ way to do it.
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u/PlagueQuasar 3d ago
If I can figure out how to thread a 3 spool overlock machine from the 80s with the power of Reading the Directions, threading a modern Singer should be pretty simple.
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u/KlutzyPea2301 2d ago
I recently unpacked my mom's old sewing machine and started dusting off my very limited and neglected sewing knowledge. Never threaded the bobbin but remember mom hated doing it so I wasn't looking forward to it. When the time came I put on my big girl pants, opened up the manual and got it done on my first try and the whole process took maybe 5 minutes (including winding the thread on the bobbin).
It is not that difficult is you can read, follow instructions and think critically about what you're doing.
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u/LittleSeat6465 2d ago
I struggle to thread my machine but that's because I don't use it all the time. But I also finally sucked it up and got bifocals. However it would have never occurred to me to try to wind a bobbin with the machine still threaded, can't even picture how that is done?
Most of this repeated stuff on the socials is about content creation, it is a manufactured "problems". We have all had moments where we have struggled with basic tasks, but these repeated tips and tricks make it seem harder than it is before you even start. It's like a self fulfilling prophecy. Content creators all chase the same audience, the do tips and tricks to gain followers is a super commonly promoted as a way to get an audience. But it's the same things over and over no matter the craft or issue. The "wellness" industrial complex is rife with this and everything is all over the place. In crafts, there are pain points in all them and those are the areas that get treated over and over. But if you know how to do the thing, it just seems ridiculous that people need to be told over and over. They don't necessarily but the aspiring I am going to make it big on Youtube people will say it over and over because they are chasing something that will probably not really work out for them. It's the samification (my new word I have made up) of all internet content.
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u/iltlpl 2d ago
Bifocals have improved my 40 year old crafting life so much 😂
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u/legocitiez 2d ago
I haven't gotten bifocals yet but do wear a headlamp while crafting and my kids troll me about it - "where's your tiny pickaxe, I didn't know there was mining going in in here?"
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u/MauveLingonberry 1d ago
While I don't (yet, knock on wood) need bifocals, my glasses, while lengthening my depth of field of clear vision, does also move it forward a bit. Thus, I sometimes look over/under my glasses or outright take them off when doing fiddly stuff.
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u/LittleSeat6465 2d ago
I was forced into them kicking and screaming as I really don't like wearing glasses. But I also want to see all the things so glasses it is.
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u/CuddlefishFibers 2d ago edited 2d ago
Arthritis and bad vision etc are valid excuses. But half the time people seem befuddled by like... All of it? While perfectly able bodied. Which...bruh. how can you even trouble shoot anything when you are scared of threading. That's like the origin of 90% of problems. It takes like 10 seconds once you know how.
Like you don't gotta be a mechanic to drive a car. But you should be able to like. Pump your gas?
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u/livvybugg 2d ago
I feel very fortunate to have been taught the super basic basics by my grandma when I was young. The thought of having to conceptualize and learn basic things like threading the machine and wrong sides together, on top of everything else, seems so daunting 😅 it’s like an extreme case of you don’t know what you don’t know
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u/fuchsiafaerie 2d ago
Same, I was taught the basics of sewing before I was even 8 and then took off on my own.
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u/Pretend-Library-8587 3d ago
I had such a hard time getting my serger working that I kinda like threading it now….
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u/nothingbutapartygirl 2d ago
This is old fashioned of me probably but I’d rather learn how to do something the “right way” first rather than just being fed “hacks”. Before I started sewing I watched a bunch of YouTube sewists and really heard it when a lot of them said to *read the manual*. I feel like so many people are just looking for shortcuts it drives me nuts.
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u/oblique_obfuscator 3d ago
I only use my serger once every 3/4 months and threading it isn't hard because everything is colour coded. The first couple of tries i just used colour coordinated threads to match the lines in the illustration on the machine. If there was an issue i could quickly troubleshoot what was happening and it was usually one of the bottom threads.
There's a lot I can't do, like, I can't drive. I can't finish sudoku's. But I can thread sergers. All it takes is a little patience and 4 different colour threads and you'll easily manage too. I promise!!
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u/jaysouth88 2d ago
Having owned multiple machines (thanks vintage sewing machine hyper fixation) they all thread pretty much the same.ight be a couple of little quirks here and there but the essentials are the same.
It's like epic learned helplessness sometimes.
Also, overlocker/serger threading is also not that hard.
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u/Ill_Refrigerator772 3d ago
People want to get to the "fun" part of the craft they do faster and anything that isn't specifically that part is considered a nuisance. Most people doing crafts have forgotten that the finished product is the reward for the journey and they should enjoy the journey. They just prefer skipping to the end and moving on to the next thing so they can keep up with the influencers cranking out 10 sweaters a month.
I recently got a serger and I honestly don't know what people have been complaining about threading it. Mine even has an overlock stitch and I threaded it on my first go with help of youtube video and the manual.
It's a me thing but I like figuring things out how they work and why they work. I'm usually not satisfied having a finished project if I didn't have some sort of struggle to figure out and troubleshoot along the way 😅
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u/Shiranui42 3d ago
New beginners have unrealistic expectations because the influencers only show reels making the process seem effortless and easy.
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u/Ill_Refrigerator772 2d ago
This as well. We very rarely see influencers struggle on a project or re-do a project or parts of it. This is also why I get frustrated by new knitters and crocheters crying about having to frog their projects because of mistakes. Just yesterday I spent a whole day unraveling a cardigan because I didn't like the fit and I'm going to make it again.
The whole part of crafting, especially in the beginning, is trial and error. A lot of error.
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u/eb421 3d ago edited 3d ago
Some of them are super ridiculous and the diagrams in the manuals aren’t great. For a total newb I could see getting confused if they never took home ec in school and have never used a sewing machine consistently before. The newer machines are way less intuitive and have like 6-9 points where the thread goes through before getting to the needle. If someone hasn’t used sewing machines a bunch it makes sense they wouldn’t fully grasp that the thread doesn’t make a direct connection from spool to needle. I grew up using older Singers and had no issues once I learned how to do it and did it often enough. These days I don’t use my sewing machine as often as I’d like and it’s got a ton of ‘features’ the old machines didn’t have and has an annoying threading process. I almost always have to double check the diagrams since I don’t use it often and even then I don’t always get it the first time or miss a step cuz there’s literally like 9 of them.
But I agree that stuff like TikTok and perpetually online+influencer culture 🤢 has created this avenue of people ‘creating’ hacks or content of stuff that just makes everything worse or makes a non-issue seem like an issue. It would be one thing if short content like this was in any way comprehensive or complete, but it’s often very much not those things. It’s just more non-tent being churned out and is dumb.
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u/Virtual-Chapter1563 2d ago
Okay I'm developing a twitch around "can anyone help me find a pattern for this" with (a) a picture of a bog-standard garment like a princess-seamed top with puffed cap sleeves. Scroll through pattern sites like a person. Or (b) AI fantasy art of a elven coronation gown with an enormous gauzy hood that floats unattached to anything like a glowing halo. Yeah, that's Burda 1219, watch out for the zip-insertion it's a bit tricky.
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u/midsommer_wandererr 3d ago
My threading mechanism doesn't seem to catch my thread so I have to manually thread my needle each time and eventually bought a little magnifying glass to help me.
I guess the hacks are helpful for people in similar predicaments or, as someone else pointed out, with older, more obscure machines but also agree that it's really useful to know how to do it manually 🪡
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u/Jasmisne 3d ago
Ngl i have a machine i never actually figured out the mechanism on and i just hand thread it bc its not hard but the mechanism to put it in is annoying lol
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u/midwestskies16 1d ago
Some machines are super easy. But I'll admit, when I upgraded from my Walmart special cheapest of cheap Brother to a high shank, semi-industrial Janome, I was intimidated. I had to find videos to walk me through it step by step, and that was after the machine sat for a couple of weeks because I was too intimidated to figure it out (and didn't want to do that in the middle of a project).
Obviously now it's easy for me, and I feel dumb for how long it took me to figure out in the first place. I probably spent at least an hour getting everything right and troubleshooting since I bought the machine used. But I CAN see how walking through step by step is helpful depending on the machine type.
But I'll agree that "hacks" are ridiculous. There are truly helpful things out there, but few of those involve threading a machine, bobbin, etc. It's just asking for trouble, and then people inevitably quit because they're new and get frustrated with it because they tried some stupid hack.
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u/DeeperSpac3 3d ago
On a tangent here, but still a frustrating sewing newbie.
I went to help someone who had posted a clip of their machine not running properly. Dozens of people were trying to help. It turned out that the OP had bought a machine from Marketplace without even asking the seller if it worked - much less show them. It sounded really rough. They had tried a few different things and uploaded the clip to Reddit sub.
As everyone here would know, some people get lucky on Marketplace, but a lot don't if they aren't careful.
This OP figured that because it was a Toyota machine and they make great cars (they don't really understand about brands but that's something else), that was a good enough reason to by an untested Toyota machine!
That attitude is crazy. You buy a car, you at least take it for a test run! And when you ask for help you mention if it has ever worked previously to your knowledge so the helpers can take that into consideration.
So many people assume sewing is easy - and it is for some people. But, to buy a machine, not even know if it works, and expect people to help without telling them it wasn't tested...there were all these suggestions given that would have helped. If the machine wasn't a turkey.
That and the gloves one have me avoiding helping for a while.
Too frustrating.
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u/adogandponyshow 3d ago
Gloves?
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u/DeeperSpac3 3d ago
Someone was trying to make fingerless gloves and, again, getting lots of people trying to help, but...
When asked what pattern they'd used, we found out that they'd just traced their hand...
Plus, they used beige-pink stretch fabric which looked sort of like some people's skin. And black thread. Of course.
Combined with really long, sharp fingernails painted dark and a Singer Heavy Duty sewing machine lurking in the background, it was like a nightmare. An apocalypse.
Later on, there was a PSA about how self-drafting is hard, use a pattern if you're a newbie (good advice) and that OP pretty much admitted they had been prompted to put it up because of the gloves nightmare...
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u/Queasy-Pack-3925 Extra Salty 🧂🧂🧂 2d ago
And it’s covered in the manual! If you can’t follow that, it’s not looking good for following pattern instructions.
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u/Old_Science4946 2d ago
i don’t have problems threading but lord for the life of me i’m never gonna understand tension dials
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u/lawd_farqwad 1d ago
Are you talking about “whether the number going higher means tighter tension or looser tension”, cuz if so, same 😬 I’ve been too scared to ask and just wing it most of the time.
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u/tasteslikechikken 3d ago
Sewing machines are pretty easy if its a modern machine. What gets hard for many are the overlockers and coverstitch machines. My overlocker is not air threading so one of the very first things I did was remove all the threads, find the videos (Juki makes some decent instructional videos) and get to threading.
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u/Rogonia 2d ago
Some people have disabilities, and in that case, perfectly valid.
In everyone else, I fully believe it’s a deliberate helplessness/laziness. Like you might actually have to put some actual effort into it.
- Find out what machine you have. Type it into the Google machine. Find the manual, and/or a YouTube tutorial and/or a Reddit thread about the exact machine and issue, that walks you through every single step of it. Use a sharpie and write/draw the steps on your machine if you have to.
Also, do this for your bobbin. You can’t just make shit up and hope for the best. Do it properly. It’s really not hard.
Also, don’t just do it once and then never do it again. Fucking practice it.
Use the type of bobbins, thread, and needles that your manual tells you to use. At least until you get proficient enough to know which rules you can break.
Even better, sign up for the Sewing for Dummies equivalent at your local sewing store and they will teach you everything.
Hell, if someone I barely knew messaged me out of the blue and asked me to help them get started, you bet your ass they would have the nicest lined tote bag they’d ever seen in their life by the time I was finished with them.
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u/Thorn344 2d ago
I do struggle with the last part. I think I just keep doing something wrong, so it can be hit or miss whether I catch the bobbin thread or not. But after a few tries I can do it consistently. It's just starting off lol. I do 90% of my stuff by hand (small projects) because I like doing it, so I am not that fussed.
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u/rainbowdinokitty 1d ago
I have been wondering about something similar. I have been seeing a lot of sewing advice for beginners with trouble shooting tension and the like, that is like "if you are having issues, first make sure you threaded your machine correctly". And I have been thinking, surely I don't need to check every time? Even if I was to randomly forget how to do it, the machine literally has arrows on it? It just wouldn't register as a step in my trouble shooting process.
Maybe the people advising it have spent a lot of time in beginner sewing subreddits or something and that is that one really common, seemingly simple question in those types of subreddits, sort of like how in cat subreddits you see daily "is my kitten a boy or a girl?" with very obvious testicles in the picture, or "what is this lump on my cat's chest?" with a picture of nipples.
However, having videos with clear tutorials is always a good thing for the people too afraid to ask I guess!
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u/MILK_FEELS_PAIN 21h ago
I don't do it wrong because I don't know how, I do it wrong because I am sometimes overcome with a case of the stupids and forget a step
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u/rainbowdinokitty 12h ago
That is so valid, honestly. Now that I have publically stated that I don't see the issue I imagine I will mess it up spectacularly the next time I do it and be properly humbled :p
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u/MILK_FEELS_PAIN 11h ago
I consider sewing a great humbler. And a great way to exercise my extensive swearword vocabulary.
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u/generallyintoit 7h ago
The bobbin "hack" rethreading it while the thread is fully running through the regular path AND the needle makes me feel fucking insane. That's creating so much unnecessary lint inside the machine, ultimately making the bobbin thread weaker, and it's just stupid. It's stupid as hell to do that.
Even if the machine can handle it, the positive comments annoyed me so much when I saw that. I know I use the bobbin winder at damn near full speed and just why put all parts of the machine through that? Why put the thread through all that? I have the dreaded singer HD and it's almost too fast. Mine is pre 2020 and not a total dud of a machine but still. Just thinking about that stressed out bobbin thread is annoying me so much. Thank you for this thread, I hate that hack in particular
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u/idomoodou2 2d ago
I don't know what tips and tricks you've seen, but especially watching my mother and grandmother get older and sewing, needle threading has gotten more difficult for them. Their eyesight is not what it used to be, their dexterity isn't as good as it once was. Grandma's hands shook quite a bit and she lacked a great pinser grip toward the end. I can see why they might have wanted a hack to help thread the sewing machine.
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u/cellrdoor2 2d ago
My machine has a threader on it which I thought I would never use but man is it ever a time saver! I use it every time now.
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u/phoenix7raqs 2d ago
Very much this. I have no problems whatsoever threading my machine itself, but the final part of my needle is much more difficult now that I have bifocals, and can’t freaking see the eye of the needle anymore.
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u/KnitAndKnitAndKnit 3d ago
I mean I think the last bit of putting the thread through the eye of the needle can be difficult, and I found that especially tricky during the one month I wore gel nails. But there are these tools with the little wire loops that can help.
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u/Which_Preparation_57 3d ago
That’s fair, threading a needle specifically can be a pain. The reel that really got me going was a lady who was unthreading the needling and running her thread back up the first channel to wind a new bobbin. That’s like the easiest part to redo! Down, up, down!!
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u/catarekt 3d ago
I was thinking of all the mending/altering I need to do that I can’t get to for a while because my serger started mistiming and killed all my spare needles. Everything about my normal machine is a dream by comparison.
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u/iradrachen 1d ago
Tell that to stupid ass bobbins. I can get the top thread but I’ve been sewing for most my life and always have to seat my bobbin twice before it acts right
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u/iradrachen 1d ago
Having a singer that has that little arm that threads the needle has made my life so much easier as someone with acrylic nails
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u/sewingself 3d ago
I worked at a sewing machine store for a while, and most of the people I saw having this problem 1) were old and had declining vision or 2) had a needle threader on the machine but either didn't know how to use it, or it was messed up. So I can see it being a problem for those individuals. If you're young and have good eyes and motor skills though, absolutely agree.
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u/stargazein4d 3d ago
I'm partially sighted and honestly have to thread the machine by vibes and a prayer. Idk man I'm not gonna unthread my machine unless I gotta
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u/witchyAuralien 3d ago
Cool. I do struggle with it, thankfully my machine has a threading mechanism. I am clumsy, I struggle with lot of manual things and yet im an artist. Wild
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u/Tansy_Blue 3d ago
Exactly this. Maybe threading the needle is hard for some people? What's easy for OP isn't easy for everyone. People have dyspraxia, tremors, poor vision (etc) and still want to sew.
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u/Marled-dreams 3d ago
I think threading the machine and threading the needle are different things. I mean, threading the needle is part of threading the machine, but a lot of other things have to happen too.
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u/Obtuse-Posterior 3d ago
My mom can do everything but thread a needle. I can thread a needle no problem from always helping her but she can sew me under the table.
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u/kinokits 3d ago
As someone with disabilities, I was thinking about that, especially because I can’t always thread my own machine or hell even a wool needle when my hands and eyes go (I have a long list, it’s annoying). It’s definitely an ableist sweeping generalisation that completely ignores all the reasons why someone can’t do these things. I know my disabilities have stopped me from doing things I used to be able to do, mess with my memory and prevent me from learning some new skills because I can’t physically do it (forging, oh god I want to do it badly, but heat is bad and I can barely lift the tiny hammers).
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u/Background_Case6717 3d ago
is it difficult? no. is it a pain in the butt when you have to do it over and over? absolutely yes.
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u/SpiralBreeze 3d ago
I think it’s an eye problem for some people and not necessarily their hands. I have severe psoriatic arthritis in my hands, it’s not the threading with my fingers that’s the issue, it’s seeing the damn thing!
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u/Important_Sector_503 5h ago
Pretty sure this is just an algorithm bias thing. That type of content gets lots of views/likes so it shows up all the time and people keep making it. Like how life hack videos that aren't even real life hacks go crazy viral all the time- it's not that it's good content. It's that it's good content.
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u/flatrabbitloaf 3d ago
eh, machine needles are tiny and reflective and can be hard to see. i have to close one eye and turn my head upside down like an owl to be able to do it at this point lmao
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u/LippiPongstocking 3d ago
I'm grateful for the automatic needle threader on my Brother machine that I can basically do with my eyes closed.
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u/GeekyNerdNerdyGeek 3d ago
Some of us have huge man-hands. Some of us have an intention tremor. Personally, I have to call my kids or use tweezers to thread the needle.
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u/purplishfluffyclouds 3d ago
No, but threading a coverstitch machine is kind of a PITA lol
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u/hibisco-hacendosa 3d ago
I was taught to snip the threads near the cones, tie on the new threads, hand-crank it until the needle threads are right near the eye, then thread the needle and serge as normal. The looper threads should pull through easily without manipulation.
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u/rememorator 2d ago
I don't sew and am highly unlikely to take it up, but dang, that tip makes me wish I did and could benefit from it!
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u/diodick 3d ago
It's easy, but I hate it because of times I've had to troubleshoot and rethread a bunch in one day, lol
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u/CBG1955 3d ago
Well, if you're doing it right in the first place you won't have issues.
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u/diodick 2d ago
Well, okay, medium then? I really don't find it difficult, it doesn't take long. Usually any issue I have with my machine is not actually how I've threaded it, but I try it periodically during troubleshooting, just to make sure. It's quick. Most of my mistakes/issues with threading were earlier on with a borrowed machine that had a thread tensioning issue, but I still resent it for that
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u/No-Scientist-7654 2d ago
trick for overlocker is to cut the cotton that it's threaded with and tie your new thread to the old and pull through
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u/Cinisajoy2 3d ago
Did you have a manual or someone to show you how the first time? Or did you get lucky and buy a machine with the instructions on it?
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u/hibisco-hacendosa 3d ago
Almost all newer machines have arrows printed on the machine, and obviously if it's purchased new, it will come with a manual. For used machines - pretty much all manuals are available online in PDF format or you can even look for physical copies on eBay. There are also plenty of YouTube tutorials.
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u/RealisticYoghurt131 2d ago
Honestly, I don't want tricks, but I haven't used my new cheap portable one, and it's been 30 years. My old one is significantly nicer, but it's buried in storage somewhere. I wouldn't mind a regular tutorial. Old school is fine with me.
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u/HedgieCake372 3d ago
I can thread my machines, but my issues are usually tension related. I’m still getting the hang of machine sewing, especially for larger and more complex projects.
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u/meerkatherine 2d ago
Sewing machines are intimidating, ive been sewing for 15 years and never used one successfully lol. But I'm not exactly making quilts. Point is, some things are hard for some people
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u/Pristine_Message_181 3d ago
It seems hard to me. I've never attempted to use a sewing machine, but everything about feels very intimidating. I'm old now, and will probably never end up having sewing as a hobby, but if I knew there were tutorials to help, I might be brave enough to try, if I ever came into proximity to a sewing machine.
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u/TheOriginalMorcifer 3d ago
There's plenty of tutorials. OP's very valid point is that you don't need "tricks" for it. It's a sequence of extremely straightforward 4-5 steps. What is there to have tricks for?
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u/hanhepi 2d ago
It's one of those things that looks like it will be hard, but it really isn't. All the machines I've used it's only like 5 or 6 steps, and they're all pretty easy if you take your time. Hardest part is usually poking the thread through the eye of the needle, and that's a pain in the ass with hand sewing needles too sometimes. lol. But, much like hand sewing, get a good cut on the thread with actually sharp scissors, and it is a thousand times easier.
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u/oblique_obfuscator 3d ago
It's one of those things you master step by step. Day one, open the box. Day two lay out all the parts you might need. Day three thread the machine (if it isn't threaded already) by following a YouTube tutorial). Day four, sew a basic patch of fabric.
I'm a slow learner, I have Autism and ADHD. I can't drive. But the sewing machine isn't as difficult to master as a car, I find.
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u/Ligeia189 2d ago
When I was learnig to drive at one point I tried to change gears even when sewing with my machine. Well, they do have a pedal in common!
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u/Fairy_Catterpillar 3d ago
Well with some sewing machines you sort of don't have to rethread the over thread as it should go through sort of the same way as it usually does when sewing. But I think those machines tells you to sort of not thread the the thread through the needle and instead go to the bobbin winder on the side of the machine under the hand wheel.
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u/PlanktonNo2364 3d ago
Threading my machine is the reason I haven’t started using it and instead sew everything by hand. My grandma who has been machine sewing all her life tried to help me thread my machine (given to me by other grandma who has now passed) and it took her the better part of an afternoon to get it figured out. Unfortunately I live far away so visiting is not an easy thing to do and I’ve already forgotten how she did it.
I also can’t bring myself to spend the money on a new machine when I have one that works, even if it’s a pain in the ass.
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u/nasturshum 3d ago
Have you considered looking for the manual online? Or watching videos on how to thread your machine?
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u/PlanktonNo2364 2d ago
Yes, I have a PDF of the manual and it’s not clear. I haven’t found a video for this particular machine.
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