A COMPLETE GUIDE ON ALL SEWING JARGONS & TERMINOLOGIESSEWING MACHINE PARTS

An automatic function that determines the correct thread tension for the fabric you're using, although it can be re-functioned to your own preference.

Automatic Thread Tension

A small spool for holding the thread in the bottom of the machine. The thread needs to be wound onto the bobbin before you start sewing – al-though most electric machines have a bobbin-winding function and newer sewing machines of-ten have a drop-in bobbin.

Bobbin & Bobbin Case

This small pin sticks out of the top of the sewing machine and is used to load thread onto the bob-bin.

Bobbin Winder

Buttonholes are exactly what you'd expect – the holes in clothing that buttons slot into. Many sewing machines have multiple buttonhole styles, sewing them in either a 1-step or 4-step process.

Buttonholes

A metal plate positioned on the bed of the ma-chine with tiny zigzag teeth that feed the fabric from front to back while you're stitching. As the needle exits the fabric, the feed dogs rise up and grip the fabric against the presser foot, slide backwards and then pull the fabric with them. Some machines have a drop feed dog function, al-lowing you to manually move the fabric under the needle – this is useful for embroidery and mend-ing.

Feed Dogs

A sewing machine is driven by a belt inside that synchronizes the moving parts so that they work together to form a stitch – the speed of this belt is controlled by a foot pedal positioned on the floor. The more pressure you apply with your foot, the faster the machine will stitch. However, some ma-chines offer a switch that allows you to select a high or low speed setting, giving you greater con-trol of the speed.

Foot Pedal

The free arm allows you to sew longer garments like sleeves and trouser legs. The concept is sim-ple: usually concealed in the bed of the machine, the free arm will pull out into a protruding cylinder shape, thus extending your workspace!

Free Arm

Useful for free machine embroidery, this feature allows your fabric to move more freely through the machine when the feed dogs drop down.

Integrated Drop Feed

The needle plate fits over the feed dog on the bed of the sewing machine and covers the bobbin, with a hole for the needle to pass through. Needle plates usually have lines etched onto them to in-dicate the measurement away from the needle, helping you to stitch even seams.

Needle Plate

This function enables you to program the needle so that it always finishes in a certain position – ei-ther up or down.

Needle Up / Down

This essential feature holds the fabric flat under the needle and against the feed dog to secure your fabric in place. Extremely easy to change, there's a range of different feet available, each with a different purpose.

Presser Foot

This is the pin at the top of the machine that holds the cylindrical plastic reel that carries the thread. Some machines come with two spool holders to allow sewing with two different colors of thread at the same time with a twin needle.

Spool Holder

These needles allow you to stitch two parallel rows at a time for a stronger or more decorative stitch, commonly used to create pin tucks.

Twin Needles