Learning to Use Bernina 350 PE | K Shannon

HOME ECONOMICS I BEGINNING SEWING COURSE MANUAL

Source: Symaster.no

Home Economics I

Beginning Sewing Course Manual

Learning to Use Bernina 350 PE

English 310

Dr. Kiddie

December 1, 2014

ii

Contents Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ iii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ iii

Key to Signs .................................................................................................................................................. iv

Safety Instructions ....................................................................................................................................... iv

Getting Familiar With Your Machine Before You Begin Sewing

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Terms ............................................................................................................................................................ 3

Preparing Your Machine For Sewing

How to turn on your machine ..................................................................................................................... 10

Threading Your Machine

How to load thread onto the horizontal spool pin ..................................................................................... 11

How to thread your machine ...................................................................................................................... 11

Winding, Inserting, and Removing a Bobbin

How to wind thread onto a bobbin ............................................................................................................ 16

How to remove the bobbin case from the bobbin housing ........................................................................ 19

How to insert a bobbin into the bobbin case ............................................................................................. 19

How to insert a bobbin case and a bobbin filled with thread into the bobbin housing ............................. 20

Removing and Attaching Presser Foot Soles

How to remove a snap-on presser foot sole from the presser foot ........................................................... 22

How to attach a snap-on presser foot sole to the presser foot.................................................................. 22

Removing and Inserting a Needle

How to remove a needle from your machine ............................................................................................. 23

How to insert a needle into your machine ................................................................................................. 23

Sewing

How to sew a 5/8-inch straight stitch seam using the seam guide ............................................................ 24

How to sew a zigzag stitch using the seam guide ....................................................................................... 26

Extras

How to start or stop sewing without using the foot controlpedal ............................................................. 30

How to temporarily sew in reverse ............................................................................................................. 30

How to adjust the width of a zigzag stitch .................................................................................................. 30

How to adjust the length of a straight or zigzag stitch ............................................................................... 30

iii

Shutting Down Your Machine

How to shut down your sewing machine ................................................................................................... 31

Help

Frequently asked questions ........................................................................................................................ 32

Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................................... 32

List of parts referenced in this manual ....................................................................................................... 34

Index............................................................................................................................................................ 35

Table of Figures Figure 1 Accessories Pouch Contents .......................................................................................................... 2

Figure 2 Presser Foot Shaft and Sole .......................................................................................................... 3

Figure 3 Back View of Sewing Machine ....................................................................................................... 5

Figure 4 Side View of Sewing Machine and Foot Pedal .............................................................................. 6

Figure 5 Top View of Sewing Machine ....................................................................................................... 7

Figure 6 Front View of Sewing Machine ..................................................................................................... 8

Figure 7 Threading the Upper Thread ....................................................................................................... 12

Figure 8 Rear Thread Guide as Viewed from Behind the Machine .......................................................... 13

Figure 9 Hooking the Thread Around the Take-up Lever .......................................................................... 14

Figure 10 Taking the Thread Around the Lower Thread Guide .................................................................. 15

Figure 11 Taking the Thread Through the Curved Guide Above the Needle .............................................. 15

Figure 12 Rear Thread Guide as Viewed From Behind the Machine ......................................................... 17

Figure 13 Winding a Bobbin ....................................................................................................................... 18

Figure 14 Inside of the Bobbin Housing ..................................................................................................... 19

Figure 15 Thread Inserted Under the Plate of the Bobbin......................................................................... 20

Figure 16 Presser Foot Shaft and Sole ...................................................................................................... 21

Figure 17 Removing and Inserting a Needle .............................................................................................. 23

Figure 18 Seam Guide ................................................................................................................................ 24

Figure 19 Red Seam Guide Receiving Hole ................................................................................................ 25

Figure 20 Fabric in Position for Sewing ...................................................................................................... 25

Figure 21 Zigzag Stitches of Differing Widths ............................................................................................ 27

Figure 22 Seam Guide ................................................................................................................................ 27

Figure 23 Red Seam Guide Receiving Hole ................................................................................................ 27

Figure 24 Fabric in Position for Sewing ....................................................................................................... 28

Figure 25 Power Cord Wrapped Underneath the Foot Pedal For Storage .... .…………………………………………31

List of Tables Table 1 Key to Signs ..................................................................................................................................... iv

Table 2 Sewing Machine Parts: Back View .................................................................................................... 5

Table 3 Sewing Machine Parts: Right Side View ........................................................................................... 6

iv

Table 4 Sewing Machine Parts: Top View ..................................................................................................... 7

Table 5 Sewing Machine Parts: Front View .................................................................................................. 9

Key to Signs Table 1

Safety Instructions Use the sewing machine only for the

purposes described in this manual.

Use only the attachments provided

in your accessories pouch.

Never operate the sewing machine if

it has a damaged cord or

plug.

it is not properly working.

it has had liquid spilled onto

it.

Notify your instructor if any of the

above apply.

Never operate the sewing machine if

any of the air vents are obstructed.

Keep your fingers away from all

moving parts.

Never drop or insert any objects into

any openings in the sewing machine.

Do not pull or push the fabric while

sewing. This may bend or break the

needle.

Do not use bent or broken needles.

Do not disconnect the sewing

machine by pulling on the cord.

First, turn the power switch to “O”

(off), then grasp the plug and pull it

from the power outlet.

Turn the power switch to “O” (off)

when making any adjustments in the

needle area.

Caution

IMPORTANT List

Note

1

Introduction Welcome to the Beginning Sewing course for Home Economics I.

Upon mastery of the procedures in this manual, as a beginner home economics

course student, you will have the basic sewing machine operation skills for the

Bernina 350 PE.

You will be able to perform the following tasks which are required for a passing

grade in the Beginning Sewing course for Home Economics I:

Turn on your machine

Load a spool of thread onto the

horizontal spool

Thread the sewing machine

Wind thread onto a bobbin

Insert a bobbin into the bobbin

case

Insert the bobbin case into the

bobbin housing

Remove the bobbin case from

the bobbin housing

Attach a snap-on presser sole

Remove a snap-on presser sole

Remove a needle from the

machine

Insert a needle into the

machine

Sew a straight stitch

Sew a zigzag stitch

Shut down the machine

2

Figure 1

Accessories Pouch Contents

You will be supplied with a Bernina 350 PE sewing machine which includes a snap-

on presser foot shaft and an accessories pouch (see Figure 1) which includes the

following supplies:

Mettler no.100 (164 yds.)

spool of thread

Snap-on presser sole # 37

Snap-on presser sole # 20

Scissors

1 pkg. universal sewing

machine needles

Seam ripper

Seam guide Foam pad

Mid-sized spool cap Two empty bobbins

IMPORTANT: Confirm that all the supplies are inside the accessories pouch.

3

Terms Bobbin housing: The bobbin housing is the compartment in the white arm just

below the feed dog area of the sewing machine that houses the bobbin case and

the bobbin. The housing also includes the bobbin thread cutter located to the

right, inside the opening to the housing.

Presser foot: The complete presser foot includes a shaft and a sole (see Figure 2).

The presser foot sole holds the fabric in place while sewing and has an opening

for the needle to fit through. Different presser feet accommodate the movement

of the needle for different types of stitches.

Figure 2

Presser Foot Shaft and Sole

Right side of the fabric: The right side of the fabric refers to the “front” of the

fabric. Most fabrics have an obvious right and wrong side.

Seam: A seam is a line of stitching that holds two or more layers of fabric

together.

Seam allowance: A seam allowance is the area between the edge of the fabric

and the stitching (the seam) on the pieces of fabric that are being sewn together.

Common seam allowances for basic sewing are between 1/4” and 5/8”.

4

Getting familiar with your machine before you begin sewing

Locate on your sewing machine the parts listed in the following parts diagrams

and familiarize yourself with their functions as listed in the tables (see Figures

2,3,4, and 5 and Tables 2,3,4, and 5):

IMPORTANT: All sewing machine parts included in the sewing machine

parts figures (Figures 3-6) and tables (Tables 2-5) are in boldfaced type the

first time they occur in each set of instructions. When you encounter a

bold-faced term, you may refer back to these figures and tables to locate

the part on the sewing machine. However, it is important that you become

familiar with the location of the parts on your sewing machine so that you

do not have to repeatedly refer back to the diagrams.

5

Figure 3

Back View of Sewing Machine

Sewing Machine Parts: Back View Table 2

Name of Part Function

A Rear thread guide Guides the thread into position to feed into the thread take-up lever

B Presser foot lifter Raises and lowers the presser foot C Thread cutter Convenient mechanism to cut thread without

scissors D Stitch plate Flat metal piece below the presser foot that has

openings to accommodate the needle and the feed dog and markings to align the fabric

6

Figure 4

Side View of Sewing Machine and Foot Pedal

Source: Blog.Bambersew.com

Sewing Machine Parts: Right Side View

Table 3

Name of Part Function

A Power switch Turns the power to the machine on and off

B Power supply cord Provides power to the machine from an electrical outlet

C Foot control cord Takes power to the foot control pedal

D Foot control pedal Starts and stops the machine motor

7

Figure 5

Top View of Sewing Machine

Sewing Machine Parts: Top View

Table 4

Name of Part Function

A Foam pad Gives the thread a secure fit on the spool pin

B Engaging lever Engages the bobbin winder motor C Thread cutter Convenient mechanism to cut thread

without scissors D Stud Supports the thread during bobbin

winding E Rear thread guide Guides the thread during bobbin

winding and when threaded through the machine during sewing

F Mid-sized spool cap Stabilizes the spool of thread on the spool pin

G Horizontal spool pin Holds the spool of thread used for sewing

8

Figure 6

Front View of Sewing Machine

Source: blog.bambersew.com (photo only)

9

Sewing Machine Parts: Front View

Table 5

Name of Part Function A Bobbin winding spindle Holds the thread during bobbin winding B Bobbin engaging lever Engages the bobbin winder motor C Hand wheel Manually raises and lowers the machine

needle D Keypad Has buttons with numbers 0-10, #, and

clr for selecting types of stitches E Stitch length selection buttons Adjust length of individual stitches F Start/stop button Starts and stops the motor without use

of the foot pedal G Reverse button Forces the feed dog to operate in

reverse H Needle clamp knob Tightens and loosens the needle I Presser foot When lowered, stabilizes the fabric as

the feed dog moves the fabric underneath the needle

J Bobbin housing Compartment which holds the bobbin and bobbin case

K Feed dog Toothed plate which moves the fabric underneath the needle and controls the length of the stitches

L Needle Raised and lowered by the motor and pierces and takes thread through the fabric

M Thread take-up lever cover Protects the moving thread take-up lever and provides a thread guide

N Needle up/down button Controls the position of the machine needle

O Thread take-up lever moves up and down, pulling thread from the spool

P Screen Displays stitch width/length, presser foot number, stitch number, and needle position

Q Stitch width selection buttons Control the width of individual stitches

10

Preparing your machine for sewing

The first steps in preparing to operate a sewing machine are to learn where the

power supply cord and the power switch are located and how to use them to turn

on the machine (see Figure 4, page 6).

How to turn on your machine

Caution: These are the steps for turning on your sewing machine; however,

the machine should be turned off when you are attaching, removing, or

adjusting any parts.

1. Locate the power supply cord on the right side of the machine.

2. Plug the power supply cord into the outlet underneath your work space.

3. Locate the power switch on the right side of the machine above the power

supply cord with “l” for ON and “O” for OFF.

4. Press in the top of the button marked with the symbol “l”.

Note: The machine light will come on, the needle will vibrate, and the

machine will make a grinding sound. This is normal.

5. Unwind the foot control pedal and place it on the floor.

Threading your machine

Before you can begin to sew, your machine must have thread properly loaded

through all of the thread guides, the take-up lever, and the needle. This section

will show you how to load thread onto the horizontal spool pin and how to

position your thread so that it moves smoothly through the thread guides from

the spool to the needle (see Figures 5 and 6, pages 7 and 8).

11

How to load thread onto the horizontal spool pin 1. Slide the foam pad, white side first, onto the horizontal spool pin located

on the top of the machine.

2. Slide the spool of thread onto the horizontal spool pin.

Note: Place the spool so that the thread unwinds clockwise.

3. Locate the mid-sized spool cap inside your accessories pouch. This cap will

be about the same size as the end of your spool of thread.

4. Slide the spool cap, smaller side first, onto the horizontal spool pin snugly

against the spool of thread, but not so tight that the spool of thread will not

freely spin.

How to thread your machine 1. Turn the power switch off.

Note: When taking thread through any of the thread guides, it may be

helpful to hold the thread gently taught between your index finger and

thumb of each hand.

2. Raise the presser foot lifter to raise the presser foot if it has been lowered.

3. Load thread onto the horizontal spool pin (see instructions above).

IMPORTANT: Refer to the following diagram (see Figure 7) in steps 4-11

below.

12

Figure 7

Threading the Upper Thread

Source: Bernina 350 PE Manual

4. Pull the end of the thread loaded onto the horizontal spool pin across and

to the left of the top of the machine.

13

5. Hook the thread underneath the silver rear thread guide located on the top

back left of the machine (see (A), Figure 7).

Note: You may need to stand up to see exactly where to hook the thread

(see Figure 8).

Figure 8

Rear Thread Guide as Viewed from Behind Machine

a. Guide the thread through the notch in the white body of the machine

just beside the silver rear thread guide.

b. Take the thread under the sliver rear thread guide.

c. Bring the thread up, against the rear thread guide, toward the top of

the machine.

6. Bring the thread up over the top of the machine toward you, following the

arrow, through the slit (see (B), Figure 7) then straight down the front of

the machine.

Note: The thread should move freely through all of the thread guides. If

the thread does not move freely when tugged, remove it from all of the

thread guides and begin again.

14

7. Pull the thread underneath the silver thread take-up lever cover arm on

the left front of the machine (see (C), Figure 7) and alongside the arm, back

up to the top of the arm.

8. Raise the needle, if it has been lowered, by turning the hand wheel

clockwise.

Figure 9

Hooking the Thread Around the Take-up Lever

9. Take the thread through the slit at the top of the silver thread take-up

cover arm, back, then forward in the direction of the arrow. This will hook

the thread around the thread take-up lever (see Figure 9) located at the

top left of and just behind the thread take-up lever cover (see (D), Figure 7).

Note: It will be helpful to use both hands to guide the thread into the take-

up lever.

10. Take the thread straight down, again alongside the silver thread take-up

cover arm, but not against it.

11. Take the thread through the lower thread guide (see (E), Figure 7) located

just above the needle clamp knob.

15

Figure 10

Taking the thread around the lower thread guide

a. Pull the thread to the right, then take it behind the opening on the

right side of the lower thread guide located just below the needle

clamp knob (see Figure 10).

Figure 11

Taking the thread through the curved guide above the needle

16

12. Take the thread to the left of the needle and through the opening on the

left side of the curved thread guide (see Figure 11) just above the needle

(see (F), Figure 7).

13. Take the thread through the eye (opening) of the needle.

14. Take the thread through the opening in the presser foot and toward the

back of the machine.

15. Trim any excess thread.

b. Take the thread to the left of the machine, then in front of and across

the thread cutter.

c. Pull the thread down behind the thread cutter to trim.

Winding, inserting, and removing a bobbin

In addition to the upper thread running from the spool to the needle, your

machine must have thread coming from a bobbin located in the bobbin housing,

below the stitch plate. From your view, the machine needle appears to simply go

down into and back out of the fabric creating a neat row of stitching. But below

the work surface, a bobbin hook moves forward and grabs the needle’s thread

forming a loop from the thread, and then pulls the loop around the thread

extending from the bobbin. A stitch is formed when the two threads are pulled

taut as the fabric is moved forward by the feed dog.

This section will describe how to (1) wind thread onto a bobbin (2) remove the

bobbin case from the bobbin housing, (3) insert a bobbin into the bobbin case,

and (4) insert a bobbin case and a bobbin filled with thread into the bobbin

housing.

How to wind thread onto a bobbin 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Load the spool of thread onto the horizontal spool pin.

a. Slide the foam pad onto the horizontal spool pin located on the top

of the machine.

17

b. Slide the spool of thread onto the horizontal spool pin. Place the

spool so that the thread unwinds clockwise.

c. Locate the mid-sized spool cap inside your accessories pouch. This

cap will be about the same size as the end of your spool of thread.

d. Slide the spool cap, smaller side first, onto spool pin snugly against

spool of thread, but not so tight that the spool of thread will not

freely spin.

3. Locate an empty bobbin inside your accessories pouch.

4. Place the empty bobbin on the bobbin winding spindle located on the top

of the machine, in front of the spool of thread.

5. Pull the end of the thread loaded onto the horizontal spool pin across and

to the left of the machine.

6. Hook the thread underneath the silver rear thread guide located on the top

back left of the machine.

Note: You may need to stand up to see exactly where to hook the thread.

Figure 12

Rear Thread Guide as Viewed From Behind the Machine

a. Guide the thread through the notch in the white body of the machine

just beside the silver rear thread guide (see Figure 12).

b. Take the thread under the silver rear thread guide.

18

c. Bring the thread up, against the rear thread guide, toward the top of

the machine

Figure 13

Winding a Bobbin

7. Bring the thread up and to the right about two inches, behind the silver

stud (see Figure 13).

8. Wrap the thread once around the stud in the direction of the arrow in front

of the stud.

9. Bring the thread to the right of the machine behind the bobbin winding

spindle.

10. Wrap the thread around the bobbin two to three times in the direction of

the arrow, then through the bobbin thread cutter located underneath the

bobbin engaging lever.

11. Gently pull thread against the cutter to trim excess thread.

12. Turn on the power switch.

13. Press the bobbin engaging lever toward the bobbin to start the bobbin

winder motor. The bobbin winder motor will shut off automatically when

the bobbin is full.

19

14. Lift the bobbin up from the bobbin spindle and pull the end of the thread

under the bobbin thread cutter.

Figure 14

Inside of the Bobbin Housing

How to remove the bobbin case from the bobbin housing 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Open the door to the bobbin housing.

a. Pull down the door from the notch on the left side of the door.

3. Grasp the bobbin case latch (see Figure 14) between your thumb and index

finger of your left hand and pull the latch toward you.

4. Lift the bobbin case out of the bobbin housing.

How to insert a bobbin into the bobbin case 1. Hold the bobbin case with the opening facing you and the extending finger

of the case to the left.

2. Hold the bobbin so that the thread is coming from the bobbin clockwise.

3. Place the bobbin in the bobbin case.

4. Pull the bobbin thread up and to the left (counterclockwise) into the slot on

the top of the bobbin case.

20

Figure 15

Thread Inserted Under the Plate of the Bobbin

5. Continue pulling the thread in this direction until it passes under the plate

on the top of the bobbin case and then into the C-shaped notch just in front

of the extending finger of the bobbin case (see Figure 15).

Note: If the bobbin is threaded correctly, the bobbin should smoothly turn

clockwise as you gently pull on the bobbin thread. Be careful to grasp only

the bobbin case, not the bobbin itself, or the bobbin will not spin freely.

How to insert a bobbin case and a bobbin filled with

thread into the bobbin housing 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Hold the bobbin case in your right hand with the extending finger of the

case pointing up and the opening to the bobbin case toward the machine.

Secure the bobbin inside the case with one finger.

3. Lift the bobbin case latch with your left hand.

a. Grasp the latch between your index finger and your thumb.

b. Pull the latch toward you.

4. Insert the hole in the center of the bobbin case onto the horizontally

extending pin in the bobbin housing as far as it will go.

21

Note: Make sure the bobbin case is securely in place or it may come loose

during sewing.

5. Release the bobbin case latch (see Figure 14, page 19).

6. Pull the thread to the right and down across the bobbin thread cutter

located to the right of the inside of the bobbin housing door.

7. Close the bobbin housing door.

Attaching and removing snap-on presser foot soles

Your sewing machine requires a presser foot to hold the fabric in place as the feed

dog guides it underneath the moving needle. Some presser feet, called standard

presser feet, consist of a combination of the presser foot shaft and the presser

foot sole (see Figure 16). Other presser feet consist of a presser foot shaft

equipped to receive a presser foot sole that is easily snapped into place. When

the sole is snapped onto the presser foot, the complete apparatus is referred to

as “the presser foot.”

This manual will provide instructions for the snap-on presser foot and two snap-

on soles. You will learn to change a standard presser foot in the Advanced Sewing

class.

Figure 16

Presser Foot Shaft and Sole

22

How to remove a snap-on presser foot sole from the

presser foot 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Raise the presser foot.

3. Press in on the red plastic button on the back of the presser foot. The sole

will fall from the presser foot.

How to attach a snap-on presser foot sole to the presser

foot 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Raise the presser foot.

3. Position the presser foot sole on the feed dog underneath the needle and

presser foot so that the bar across the presser foot sole lines up

underneath the opening on the bottom of the presser foot.

4. Press the presser foot lifter (see Figure 3, page 5) down to lower the

presser foot until the presser foot sole clicks into place.

Removing and inserting a needle

Your machine uses a needle for thread to pass through and form stitches.

Sometimes it may be necessary to remove a needle and install a new one. This

section will tell you how to remove a needle from your machine and how to insert

a needle into your machine.

Many different types and sizes of needles are available to accommodate various

thicknesses of fabric. For this course, we will use a universal needle that sews

most woven and knit fabrics.

23

Figure 17

Removing and Inserting a Needle

How to remove a needle from your machine 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Grasp the needle with your left hand.

3. Turn the needle clamp knob counterclockwise with your right hand until

you feel the needle loosen.

4. Remove the needle (see Figure 17).

How to insert a needle into your machine 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Turn the needle clamp knob counterclockwise 1-2 turns if it has been

tightened.

3. Place the needle (flat side toward the back) up into the needle hole to the

left of the knob, with your left hand (see Figure 17).

4. Push the needle as far as it will go up into the needle hole.

5. Turn the needle clamp clockwise until the needle is snugly held in place.

You will feel the needle set into place after you have turned the needle

clamp 2-3 times. Do not over-tighten the clamp.

24

Sewing

A straight stitch is the most common stitch used for everyday sewing. Many

garments require a 5/8-inch seam when sewing two pieces of fabric together. A

seam measurement is determined by the distance between the raw or folded

edges of the fabric and the line of stitching.

The zigzag stitch is used as a decorative stitch, but is also used on stretch fabrics

to allow the stitches to stretch with the fabric and is used around the raw edges

of fabric to prevent fraying.

How to sew a 5/8-inch straight stitch seam using the

seam guide 1. Turn the power switch off.

2. Thread the sewing machine if it is not threaded (see instructions pages 10-

16).

3. Attach presser sole no. 37 (see instructions page 22).

Figure 18

Seam Guide

4. Attach the seam guide.

a. Lower the presser foot lifter to lower the presser foot.

b. Hold the curved arm of the seam guide with your right hand so that

the straight bar is horizontal and pointing left and the curved arm is

pointing toward you (see Figure 18).

25

Figure 19

Red Seam Guide Receiving Hole

c. Insert the seam guide into the red hole on the right side of the

presser foot (see Figure 19).

Note: The seam guide should fit snugly into the red hole, so you will have

to exert pressure to fit it into the opening.

d. Press the seam guide in until the curved arm is lined up with the 5/8-

inch marking on the right side of the stitch plate.

5. Raise the presser foot lifter to raise the presser foot.

6. Turn the power switch on.

Figure 20

Fabric in Position for Sewing

26

7. Place the fabric into position for sewing (see Figure 20).

a. Fold in half (right side to right side) the 8” x 8” fabric square provided

by your instructor.

b. Hold the fabric so that the folded edge is on your right.

c. Place the fabric on the switch plate so that the folded edge is against

the seam guide and the top edge of the fabric is positioned directly

underneath the needle.

8. Lower the presser foot lifter to lower the presser foot.

9. Set the needle to stop in the UP position.

a. Press the needle up/down button until the correct position is

indicated on the screen by a needle and an arrow pointing up.

10. Press the foot control pedal to begin sewing.

Caution: Press the foot control pedal gently 1/2-3/4 of the way down to

keep the motor running at a slow speed. DO NOT PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE

WAY DOWN.

11. Sew to the end of your fabric square.

Caution: You may gently guide the fabric with both hands, but do not pull

or tug the fabric as it passes underneath the presser foot. This will cause

faulty stitching and the fabric will bunch up under the presser foot.

12. Release the foot control pedal.

13. Lift the presser foot lever to raise the presser foot.

14. Cut the machine thread.

a. Lift the fabric square and move it to the left of the machine so that

the thread runs across the thread cutter.

b. Pull thread firmly against the thread cutter to cut the thread.

c. Trim excess threads on fabric with scissors.

15. Pull the machine threads toward the back of the machine.

How to sew a zigzag stitch using the seam guide

27

Figure 21

Zigzag Stitches of Differing Widths

Source: www.sewingschool.org

1. Turn off the power switch.

2. Attach presser foot sole # 20 (see instructions page 22).

Figure 22

Seam Guide

3. Attach the seam guide

a. Lower the presser foot lifter to lower the presser foot.

b. Hold the curved arm of the seam guide with your right hand so that

the bar is horizontal and pointing left (see Figure 22).

Figure 23

Red Seam Guide Receiving Hole

28

c. Insert the seam guide into the red hole on the back of the presser

foot (see Figure 23).

d. Press the seam guide in until the curved arm is lined up with the 5/8-

inch marking on the stitch plate.

4. Place the fabric into position for sewing (see Figure 24).

Figure 24

Fabric in Position for Sewing

a. Fold in half the 8”x 8” fabric square with the right sides of the fabric

touching each other.

b. Hold the fabric so that the folded edge is on your right.

c. Place the fabric on the switch plate so that the folded edge is against

the seam guide and the top edge of the fabric is positioned directly

underneath the needle.

5. Lower the presser foot lifter to lower the presser foot.

6. Turn on the power switch.

7. Set the needle to stop in the UP position.

a. Press the needle up/down button until the correct position is

indicated on the screen by a needle and an arrow pointing up.

8. Set the stitch number on the keypad.

29

a. Press 2 to select a basic zigzag stitch. The number 2 will appear on

the screen to indicate the stitch number.

9. Press the foot control pedal to begin sewing.

Caution: Press the foot control pedal gently 1/2-3/4 of the way down to

keep the motor running at a slow speed. DO NOT PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE

WAY DOWN.

10. Sew to the end of your fabric square.

Caution: You may gently guide the fabric with both hands, but do not pull

or tug the fabric as it passes underneath the presser foot. This will cause

faulty stitching and the fabric will bunch up under the presser foot.

11. Release the foot control pedal.

12. Raise the presser foot lifter to raise the presser foot.

13. Cut the machine thread.

a. Lift the fabric square and move it to the left of the machine so that

the thread runs across the thread cutter.

b. Pull thread firmly against the thread cutter to cut the thread.

c. Trim excess threads on fabric with scissors.

14. Pull the machine threads toward the back of the machine.

Extras

This section will cover some extra functions of the machine that are not required

in the Beginner Course, but are useful to know after you have mastered the

required functions (see Figure 6, page 8 for a diagram of the parts used in this

section).

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How to start or stop sewing without using the foot

control pedal 1. Press the Start/Stop button on the front of the machine.

How to temporarily sew in reverse 1. Press and hold down the reverse button to sew a short distance in reverse.

The machine will sew in reverse as long as you continue to hold down the

button.

2. Alternatively, press and release the reverse button. The machine will

continue to sew in reverse until you press the reverse button again to

return to normal sewing.

How to adjust the width of a zigzag stitch 1. Press the appropriate stitch width selection button.

a. Press the right stitch width selection button to make stitches wider.

b. Press the left stitch width selection button to make stitches

narrower.

Note: The computer screen will display the stitch width setting across the

top left of the screen with numbers 1-5.5.

How to adjust the length of a straight or zigzag stitch 1. Press the appropriate stitch length selection button.

a. Press the right (down) stitch length selection button to make stitches

longer.

b. Press the left (up) stitch length selection button to make stitches

shorter.

Note: The computer screen will display the stitch length setting down the

right side of the screen with numbers 5-0.

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Shutting down your machine

When you are finished with your sewing session, you must take steps to ensure

the machine is safe until the next session. This section will tell you how to shut

down your sewing machine.

How to shut down your sewing machine 1. Turn off the power switch.

a. Press in the bottom of the button marked with the symbol “O”.

Figure 25

Power Cord Wrapped Underneath the Foot Pedal For Storage

1. Wind the foot control cord (see Figure 25).

a. Wrap the foot control cable around the spool located on the bottom

of the pedal.

2. Place the foot pedal on the table beside the sewing machine.

3. Unplug your machine from the wall outlet.

Caution: Always unplug your sewing machine after you are finished sewing.

The sewing machine is a computer and the electronic components could be

damaged during a sudden power surge or outage.

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Help

Frequently asked questions What is the difference between a presser foot and a presser foot sole?

Some presser feet consist of a combination of the presser foot shaft and

the presser foot sole. Other presser feet consist of a presser foot shaft

equipped to receive a presser foot sole that is easily snapped in to place.

The sole is the part of the presser foot which touches the fabric as it is

sewn, just as the sole of a shoe touches the floor. When the sole is

snapped onto the shaft, the whole apparatus is commonly referred to as

“the presser foot.”

How can I return to a straight stitch after I accidentally select a

decorative stitch?

Press the clr (clear) button once. If you have selected a buttonhole stitch,

press the clr button twice.

How can I remove faulty stitching?

Use the seam ripper included in your accessory bag to cut the stitching

loose from the fabric.

Troubleshooting When winding a bobbin, the thread is loose and loopy.

Check to make sure the thread is wrapped around the stud in the

direction of the arrow.

IMPORTANT: You will need to remove the thread from the bobbin that

is loose and loopy or the machine will not sew correctly.

The needle hit the presser foot and broke.

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Check the screen and the presser foot number (located on the top of the

presser foot sole) to make sure you are using the correct presser foot for

the stitch you are attempting to sew. If the opening in the presser foot is

too narrow for the type of stitch, the needle may hit the presser foot and

break. Remove the needle and insert a new one.

Check to make sure you have the correct needle installed for the type of

fabric you are sewing. Thicker fabrics require needles specific to the

fabric.

The machine has power, but the needle seems to be locked.

Check the bobbin case to make sure it is properly installed.

A number and a dash or two dashes appear on the stitch number area of

the screen.

The machine requires a two digit number if the # button was pressed

before the stitch number. Press any number to replace the dash, then

press the desired stitch number.

The fabric is bunching up underneath the presser foot.

The fabric may have been pulled or tugged during sewing. Raise the

needle with the hand wheel if it is in the down position. Raise the

presser foot. Cut the threads and remove the fabric from the machine.

Remove the stitching from the fabric with the seam ripper and begin

again.

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List of parts referenced in this manual Bobbin engaging lever Bobbin housing Bobbin winding spindle Feed dog Foam pad Foot control cord Foot control pedal Hand wheel Horizontal spool pin Keypad Mid-sized cap Needle Needle clamp knob Presser foot lifter Needle up/down button Power supply cord Power switch Presser foot Presser foot lifter Rear thread guide Reverse button Screen Start/stop button Stitch length selection buttons Stitch plate Stitch width selection buttons Stud Thread cutter Thread take-up lever Thread take-up lever cover

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Index Bobbin engaging lever, 9, 18, 34 Bobbin housing, 9, 19, 20, 21, 34 Bobbin winding spindle, 8, 9, 17, 18,

34 Feed dog, 3, 5, 9, 16, 21, 22, 34 Foam pad, 2, 7, 34 Foot control cord, 34 Foot control pedal, 6, 26, 29, 34 Hand wheel, 9, 34 Horizontal spool pin, 7, 10, 11, 12, 16,

34 Keypad, 9, 34 Mid-sized spool cap, 2, 7, 11, 17, 34 Needle, 9, 34 Needle clamp knob, 23, 34 Needle up/down button, 26, 28, 34 Power supply cord, 6, 10, 34

Power switch, iv, 6, 10, 11, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 31, 34

Presser foot, 3, 5, 9, 34 Presser foot lifter, 11, 22, 24, 25, 26,

27, 28, 29, 34 Rear thread guide, 5, 34 Reverse button, 9, 34 Screen, 9, 34 Start/stop button, 9, 34 Stitch length selection buttons, 34 Stitch plate, 5, 34 Stitch width selection buttons, 34 Stud, 7, 34 Thread cutter, 3, 5, 7, 15, 16, 19, 21,

26, 29, 34 Thread take-up lever, 5, 9, 14, 34 Thread take-up lever cover, 14, 34