How to Thread a Sewing Machine: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
THE SEWING MACHINE
Let’s get you comfortable with your sewing machine.
Whether you are brand new to sewing, someone who has tried before but gave up after one too many thread jams, or an experienced sewist who wants to build stronger habits — spending time getting to know your machine is always valuable.
Your sewing machine is not mysterious. It is a tool and like any good tool, the more familiar you become with it — the easier and more enjoyable it is to use.
The goal of this chapter is simple:
By the time we finish, I want you to feel like your sewing machine is a friend — not a machine you are afraid to touch.
The Basic Skills Learn to Sew Series is designed to build the habits that make sewing fun, easy, and successful.
That all begins with one very important skill:
Knowing how to thread your machine correctly.
SUPPLIES:
Sewing Machine — Your machine should be clean, working, and ready to sew.
Thread — Use good quality thread. For this series, I recommend Gutermann Sew-All 100%
polyester thread. Or you can use any new polyester all-purpose thread available.
Correct Bobbin for Your Machine. This is important. Bobbin shapes may look very similar, but they
are not interchangeable. Every sewing machine has specific bobbins designed to work correctly with its tension system. Using the wrong bobbin can create endless frustration. For example, if I use anything other than the correct bobbin designed for my Janome 2212, I am setting myself up for a
difficult sewing day. Avoid generic bulk packages of bobbins. Instead, purchase bobbins from your sewing machine brand or ask your local sewing machine shop for guidance.
Scissors or Snips — You will need a small pair of scissors nearby for trimming thread.
Sewing Machine Manual — If you still have the manual that came with your machine—wonderful! If you don’t, download a PDF copy from the manufacturer’s website before we begin. Every sewing machine is slightly different. I will show you how my machine works, but you will always follow your own machine’s instructions for specific steps. Your manual is your sewing machine’s personal guidebook. Keep it close.
• •
This written tutorial is designed to accompany the video The Basic Skills: How to Use a Sewing Machine included in your Basic Skills Video Series.
The video will move quickly through the machine, while this chapter gives you more detailed information. Ideally, use both together.
If you have two devices, watch the video on one and read along on the other. Pause me often.
Play with your machine.
Follow along step-by-step.
When we finish, there should be no mysteries left between you and your sewing machine. So grab your machine, take The Beginner’s Oath, and let’s begin.
Anything you see in bold is something I especially want you to notice or remember. If you don’t recognize a part, take a moment to find it in your manual’s sewing machine diagram.
Every sewing machine manual should include a page showing the names of all the parts of your machine. This is your map.
GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR MACHINE:
First, let’s turn your machine on.
Find your:
Foot pedal
Power cord
Machine outlet
Plug everything in and place your foot pedal comfortably on the floor.Tailor’s Tip
Keep an extension cord nearby. It makes sewing much more pleasant when your cord reaches comfortably without crossing your workspace or blocking your path to your ironing board.
You also need:
Good lighting
A small trash bin handy
Trust me—these small details make a huge difference.
Turn your machine on and make sure your light is working. With your hands safely away from the needle area, gently press the foot pedal and watch your machine move.
Notice three things your machine does when it sews:
The needle moves up and down.
The thread take-up-lever moves up and down.
The handwheel rotates toward you.
Now let’s learn what each part does:
HANDWHEEL
Your handwheel is located on the side of your machine.
It allows you to manually control the movement of your needle.
Turn it toward you and watch what happens: The needle goes up and down.
The handwheel does the same work as your foot pedal, only slower and with more control. Here is one of the Golden Rules of Common Sewing:
Treat your handwheel like a dear friend and always turn it toward you.
You can turn it away from you, but it is very likely to create a thread jam. Especially when you are learning, it is tempting to turn the wheel backward when you want to “back up” a stitch.
Don’t.
Stop, remove your thread, and start again if needed.
Learning this one habit will save you so much frustration.
REVERSE LEVER
Find your reverse lever and press it a few times.
This button makes your machine sew backward.
You will use it every time you begin or finish a seam.
Those backward stitches lock your stitching in place so your seam does not unravel.
Get comfortable finding this lever.
You will use it constantly.
STITCH LENGTH DIAL
The stitch length dial controls how long each stitch is. A larger number creates a longer stitch.
A smaller number creates a shorter stitch.
Long stitches are looser and easier to remove.
Short stitches are tighter and stronger.
For this series, I recommend starting with a stitch length 3. It creates a strong stitch while still allowing you to remove stitches when you need to.
And yes—there will be times when you need to remove stitches.
That is part of sewing.
Commercial garments often use a stitch length around 2.5. We’ll get there later.
PATTERN SELECTOR
This dial chooses your stitch type.
Have fun with this one.
Look through your manual and learn what each stitch does, what needle it requires, and when you might use it.
When I first started sewing, I loved experimenting with every stitch my machine offered.
Today, I mostly use:
Straight stitch
Zigzag stitch
Buttonhole stitch
Those three stitches can take you far.
THREAD TENSION DIAL
Sewing is all about balance.
Every stitch is created by two threads working in harmony:
The top thread
The bobbin thread
Together they form a tiny knot that holds your fabric together.Beautiful sewing happens when those threads have the right relationship with each other. That relationship is called tension.
A higher tension number makes the top thread tighter.
A lower tension number makes the top thread looser.Different fabrics require different tension settings, but most everyday sewing happens somewhere in the middle. For many machines, that means around 4 or 5.
We’ll explore tension more when we sew the Gigi Knit Tee.
PRESSER FOOT
Your presser foot must always be down when you sew. Always.
If you press your foot pedal while the presser foot is raised, your thread will likely tangle underneath your fabric.
You will then need to stop, remove your thread, and start again.
Find your presser foot lifter & practice raising and lowering it.
Your machine will have different presser feet for different sewing techniques. We’ll explore changing feet during Basic Skill #2: The Zipper Clutch.
For now, simply get comfortable attaching and removing your regular presser foot.
Sometimes, while sewing quickly, your foot may pop off. No panic.
Nothing is broken.
Simply re-attach it and continue.
NEEDLE & NEEDLE CLAMP SCREW
Lower your presser foot.
Turn your handwheel toward you until your needle reaches its highest position.
Find your needle clamp screw using your manual.
Hold your needle with your left hand and turn the screw toward you with your right hand. The needle will come out.
This is normal.
You will change needles often depending on your fabric, and sometimes needles break.
That happens.
I carry hundreds of needles in my sewing kit when I travel for photo shoots.
Now look closely at your needle. One side is rounded & one side is flat.
Here is another Golden Rule of Common Sewing: Flat to the back. The flat side of your needle goes toward the back of your machine.
Push the needle upward as far as it will go, then tighten the screw.
Practice removing and replacing your needle until it feels familiar.
THREADING YOUR MACHINE
Now we thread.
This is the most important skill you will learn in this chapter. Threading a sewing machine is simple, but it is also very specific.
Each step matters.
Most sewing frustrations come from one tiny missed step while threading.
Follow your manual carefully.
Threading your machine correctly every time will make your sewing life dramatically easier.
For this exercise, you need a spool of thread and an empty bobbin.
We will wind a bobbin first.
Follow your manual for the exact placement of your spool and bobbin because every machine is slightly different.
On my machine, the thread unwinds from the back of the spool. I learned that detail years into my professional sewing career.
I finally read the manual.
It completely changed my sewing.
WINDING THE BOBBIN
Place your thread on your spool pin.
Wind your thread around your empty bobbin by hand about 15 times so it has a secure beginning.
Place your bobbin on the bobbin-winding spindle.
Follow your manual to engage bobbin winding mode.
Press your foot pedal gently and watch your machine fill the bobbin evenly.
Isn’t that satisfying?
When the bobbin is full, your machine will stop. Remove the bobbin and trim the thread.
THREADING THE MACHINE
Now thread the top of your machine.
Follow your manual exactly.
I recommend printing your threading diagram and keeping it near your machine until you have memorized it. For practice: thread your machine completely 10 times.
Yes, TEN.
This may feel repetitive, but your future sewing self will thank you.
Soon, threading will become automatic.
INSTALLING THE BOBBIN
Your machine may have:
A front-loading bobbin
A top-loading bobbin
Check your manual.
Follow the instructions for your specific machine. Remember: every machine has its own personality.When inserting your bobbin, remember this:
If your bobbin looks like a q, you will sew quality.
If your bobbin looks like a p, you will sew like poop.A little silly?
Yes.
But you’ll never forget it.
BRINGING UP THE BOBBIN THREAD
Once your bobbin is installed, you need to bring the bobbin thread up through the needle plate.
Hold your top thread loosely.
Turn your handwheel toward you.
The needle will go down and come back up, bringing the bobbin thread with it.
Pull both threads together and place them behind your needle plate.
You are ready ... You are ready to sew!
PRACTICE SEWING
Now take your printed Practice Stitching Guide and pretend it is your fabric.
Print this page as many times as you would like to practice. Go to the video The Basic Skills: How to Sew and practice with me.
Remember:
Watch.
Pause.
Try.
Repeat.
Your hands are learning.
And that is where sewing begins.