Sewing Machine Repair: Learn to Do It Yourself

The home sewing machine is a wondrous invention. Just think of all the things you can do with it. 

• You can make and repair clothes for your family.
• You can craft personalized gifts for your friends
• You can create beautiful décor for your home.

Working on a sewing machine can help you relax, de-stress, and have fun. And, of course, being able to make and repair certain things yourself is a great way to save money.

There’s no denying the benefits of having a good sewing machine.

But what do you do when your sewing machine goes on the fritz?

Have you ever had a sewing machine that either stopped working, or stopped working properly? Did you take that machine to a to a repair shop to be fixed? If so, you know how much sewing machine repair can cost.

But what are the alternatives to paying to get your sewing machine fixed? Struggling to work with a malfunctioning machine? Buying a brand new sewing machine? Giving up on sewing altogether?

Actually, there’s another alternative. And that’s learning to fix your sewing machine yourself.

The truth is that just about anyone can learn to do basic sewing machine repairs. In fact, if you can learn how to use a sewing machine, you can learn how to fix one.

There are many ways to learn sewing machine repair, from taking classes, to attending workshops, to looking for tutorials online. Even reading a good book like How to Repair Sewing Machines at Home can teach you the basics of fixing and maintaining a sewing machine.

Knowing how to fix your own sewing machine can save you from costly sewing machine repair bills. But there are plenty of other benefits.

Some Benefits of Learning to Repair Your Own Sewing Machine

Learning to fix your own sewing machine has many benefits, some more obvious than others. Here are a few of them.

You’ll save money on sewing machine repairs.

Okay, this one is pretty obvious. If your sewing machine starts to have a problem that you can fix, you won’t have to pay someone else to fix it for you.

After all, you probably started sewing in part to save money. So the last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of dollars on getting your sewing machine repaired.

In most cases, fixing your own sewing machine isn’t as hard as you might think. Knowing some simple fixes for the most common problems can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.

Do regular maintenance to keep your sewing machine in top shape.

When you know how to fix your sewing machine, doing routine maintenance on it will be a breeze. And the better maintained your sewing machine is, the less likely it is to need complex and expensive repairs.

Many experts suggest having your sewing machine serviced by a professional every one to three years, even if the machine seems to be working fine. These “tune-ups” help ensure that your machine stays in good working order. But they also cost money.

Well, once you know how to fix your own sewing machine, you can do these “tune-ups” yourself, as often as you like, and it won’t cost you a cent.

Enjoy the satisfaction of fixing your own sewing machine.

As a sewer, you know how satisfying it can be to make something yourself. When you finish a project, and are pleased with the results, you experience feelings like pride and satisfaction. And wanting to experience those feelings again is part of what keeps you sewing.

Being able to fix your sewing machine all on your own can give you the same feelings of pride and satisfaction. And, of course, you’ll feel satisfied about the money you saved because you didn’t have to take your machine to a repair shop.

Earn money repairing other people’s sewing machines.

When you know the basics of fixing sewing machines, you can charge for your sewing machine repair services. And you don’t have to be an expert to do this.

In most cases, when a sewing machine is on the fritz, the cause is some relatively minor problem that can be easily fixed. It just takes someone who knows how to identify the problem, and knows the easy fix for it. 

Well, you can be the “someone” who knows how to find and fix those problems.

Even if you come across a problem you can’t fix, you can simply refer your customer to a pro with experience doing more complex sewing machine repairs, no harm no foul.

You can also charge to do routine sewing machine maintenance. Many people love to sew, and love their sewing machines. But they don’t all love doing the routine maintenance required to keep their machines in tip-top shape. In fact, many would happily pay someone else to do the routine sewing machine maintenance for them.

Sewing machine repair is a great way to make extra money. Sewing is a popular hobby, and it’s not hard to find sewers in need of repair services. And you can fix sewing machines in your spare time, in the comfort of your own home.

5 Ways to Learn Sewing Machine Repair

You’re convinced. You want to learn how to fix your own sewing machine. You might even want to start a sewing machine repair service to make some extra money. Question is how can you learn how to fix sewing machines? 

The answer really depends on your objectives. Consider the following questions.

·    Do you want to know how to fix a specific problem your sewing machine is having right now?

·    Do you want to know the basics of sewing machine repair, so you can keep your machine in excellent condition and not have to pay when it needs to be repaired?

·    Do you want to make money with a sewing machine repair business?

Whatever your goals, here are five ways you can learn to fix your sewing machine. 

1. Read the Manual for Your Sewing Machine

If you want to know how to fix your sewing machine, the first step is learning your machine inside and out. And reading the manual from cover to cover is a great place to start. This will give you some general knowledge on your machine’s parts, features, and inner workings.

Your manual will probably tell you how to do routine maintenance on your sewing machine to keep it in good working order. The manual might also have a troubleshooting section that details some common problems you might experience with your sewing machine. You’ll also get tips on how you can try to fix those problems.

If you don’t have the manual for some reason, you can try to get another copy from the manufacturer. You can also find many sewing machine manuals online, free to download and print.

Reading the sewing machine manual is just the beginning. It probably won’t help you fix really complex problems. It also won’t help you learn to fix other types of sewing machines. Still, the manual is a good place to start learning the basics of fixing your machine.  

2. Find Answers Online

You can find just about anything online, including information on fixing your sewing machine.

There are many websites and blogs that can help you keep your sewing machine in top shape. They can also help you repair your machine when it malfunctions.

When searching online for a way to fix your ailing sewing machine, it’s usually easier if you know exactly what the problem is before you start your search. But if you don’t know, there are websites that can help you pinpoint the problem, usually by asking you a series of questions.

Once you know what’s wrong with your sewing machine, you can search for a tutorial to help you deal with that specific problem.

Doing general web searches won’t necessarily help you learn the ins and outs of sewing machine repair. But if your sewing machine is acting up, or has stopped working altogether, the right tutorial can help you get it up and running again.

Once you know how to recognize and fix a specific problem, you’ll be able to identify and fix that problem much faster next time. You’ll also be more confident about dealing with any new problems that pop up as you work with your sewing machine.

3. Take a Class or Course

Taking a class or course is a good way to learn the basics of fixing sewing machines. Once you have that foundation in place, you can go on to learn about more complex sewing machine repairs.

The best classes and courses will teach you how to repair many different types and models of sewing machines, the best tools for sewing machine repair, and even how to find free and cheap parts.

You can find some good sewing machine repair courses online. You might also be able to find a class being given at a local trade school or community college.

Classes and courses require an investment of time and money, things some might not be able to spare. Still, if you want to start a sewing machine repair business, and can find the time and money, a class or course might be worth your while.

4. Attend a Workshop

Sewing machine repair workshops are like crash courses. They try to fit as much information as they can into just a few hours. And they can be great options for anyone who wants to start sewing machine repair business, but can’t commit weeks or months to a class or course.

Sewing machine repair workshops typically last for 1 to 3 days, and are held at places like convention centers. They are usually taught by sewing machine repair experts with years, if not decades, of experience. 

In these workshops, you’ll be shown the basics of repairing different types of sewing machines made by several popular sewing machine manufacturers.

Unfortunately, a sewing machine repair workshop being held in your area might be a rare event. Workshops can also be pricey, some costing several hundred dollars. And there’s usually a limit on the number of attendees they will accept, meaning you’ll have to act fast to reserve a spot.

Still a workshop can be a good way to learn a whole lot about sewing machine maintenance and repair in a very condensed amount of time. 

5. Get a Good Book on Sewing Machine Repair

You probably have plenty of books about sewing. But even if you just want to keep your own sewing machine in good shape, you should have at least one or two books on repairing sewing machines.

A good book on sewing machine repair, like the aforementioned How to Repair Sewing Machines at Home, will teach you how to solve the most common problems a sewing machine might experience.

These books will also teach you things like how to choose and maintain your tools, how to do routine maintenance, and how to find free or affordable parts sewing machine parts. Some books even cover the basics of starting a sewing machine repair business.

The great thing about books on sewing machine repair is that they allow you to learn at your own pace, in your own time. You don’t have to rearrange your schedule to attend a class, or scrape together the money to attend a workshop, because books require a lower investment of time and money.

Even if you attend a workshop or take a class, having a few good books on sewing machine repair will be a lifesaver, especially if you want to make money fixing sewing machines for other people.

Learning to fix your own sewing machine might sound a little daunting at first. But, once you start to learn the basics of sewing machine maintenance and repair, you’ll realize how easy it actually is.

Once you’ve developed this skill, you’ll be able to keep your machine in tip-top shape, and quickly fix most of the problems that can pop up when a sewing machine sees regular use.

Not only will you pay less to have your machine serviced and repaired by other people, you can even use your sewing machine repair skills to earn some extra money.