Repair Café Workshop: Maintenance and Running Repairs for your Sewing Machine

Don’t throw away your sewing machine, fix it! 

A free workshop for residents and sewing enthusiasts of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge.

In this workshop, Jennie of Cheeky Handmades will be taking you through the fundamental steps for  servicing, assessing problems, fixing your sewing machine, (if viable), teaching you how to repair and service the mechanical parts yourself. 

Please note: Jennie does not fix electrical or electronic components.

"I’ve been repairing and running repair workshops for over a decade and love empowering people to look after their own machines. I will run through common issues, show you things that often go wrong, and then we can spend an hour looking at your own machine and its problems. Bring your own machine and please do not forget your lead and pedal! I cannot fix electrics or computer issues."

www.cheekyhandmades.co.uk

What to bring

Your sewing machine

The foot pedal and power lead

Bobbins for your machine

Any sewing feet for your sewing machine Reading glasses or any magnification tool you like to use

This workshop is RIGHT for you if...

You are bringing your own sewing machine that you have experience of using and feel it could benefit from some running repairs and/or maintenance.

This workshop is NOT RIGHT for you if...

you are bringing a machine that you have bought secondhand or salvaged from a skip or bin and have not been able to get it to work - this will need much more attention than is possible in a group workshop.

you are bringing a machine that does not switch on - this needs a different specialist - the Restart Project fixers at the Repair Café might be able to help.

your machine has a screen and the screen is doing odd things - this needs a different specialist. your machine isn’t picking up the bobbin thread and when you look inside the bobbin area nothing moves - the gears will have gone and they can’t usually be repaired by Jennie.

you are bringing an overlocker that needs new blades or loopers, or the stitch plate is broken.

there could be damp or moisture in the electrics (e.g. it has been in a damp shed for years) - damp machines are a safety risk and should not be brought.

you only have a mini sewing machines or battery operated sewing machines - the mechanism is different and this workshop will not cover this. This workshop is part of the East London Repair Café Summer Season, commissioned by East London Waste Authority

I found today's class incredibly useful! Although I've been sewing for some time, my knowledge of the sewing machine itself was quite limited. This course really helped fill in the gaps, giving me a much better understanding of how the machine works and how to maintain it properly. 

When I got home, I applied what I learned right away. I opened up one of my machines and discovered that the feed dog was broken inside, but I think the machine can still work. On another machine, the wheel isn't moving, but at least I was able to troubleshoot based on everything I learned today.

Thank you, Jennie, for such a helpful class!

Workshop attendee at Highams Park Reuse & Repair Fair

Images show Sewing Machine Repair Workshop with Cheeky Handmades courtesy of Laura Martinez