Replies

1. 
   fitsewbeautiful | Jul 06, 2023 11:58am | #1

   I hear your frustration, and yes, this does happen to other people, too!
   A general checklist for when sewing machines go wrong:
   1) Unthread and rethread the machine, top and bobbin.
   2) Dust out and oil bobbin case area, as directed in the manufacturer's instructions
   3) Rewind the bobbin. If you have a variable speed bobbin winder, use half speed. Make sure that the thread is wound evenly, with even tension.
   4) Change your needle. Your needle size and thread weight should match your fabric.

   Even if you do all that, buttonholes can still go wrong. Most often, buttonhole feet get caught on the bulk of the turned seam allowances. When the foot catches, the machine stitches form on top of each other, which results in a "short" buttonhole. To avoid this problem, clip, grade, and press your front facing area or cuffs before you sew your buttonholes. Make sure that those pieces are a uniform thickness and not too bulky.

   All that said, in the end one gets what one pays for. Inexpensive machines rarely make good, consistent buttonholes. When shopping for a sewing machine, take lots of scraps with you (most dealers just have quilting cotton scraps, which ANY machine can sew.) Interview the machine thoroughly; put it through all the functions that you will use.