Sewing Machine Maintenance

ワンピース、タンクトップ、キャミソール、雑巾、ゴミ袋入れ、とたて続けに裁縫に取り組んだのがひと段落したところで、埃だらけになったミシンの掃除をしました。
掃除機で綿ぼこりを吸い取り、まじめに油まで差しました。

私のミシンは私と同い年なかなりのお古だけど、まだまだ私の大雑把な裁縫にも快く応じてくれるすごいやつです。
最近のコンピューター搭載な、いろんな機能満載なミシンを見るとうらやましくなるけど、このミシンが元気すぎて新しいミシン買ういい訳ないしね。

Now that I have recently completed several sewing projects, namely my M6713 knit dress, Maria Denmark Day to Night Drape Top, So Zo's cami, rags, and plastic bag holder, I decided to clean up my sewing machine. Yes, I know I probably should clean after every project. Better late than never.

So I vacuumed the sewing machine (with a regular vacuum; I don't have one of those fancy tiny hand-held vacuum) and oiled it. I actually did it both my sewing machine and my serger.

My sewing machine is a 37-years-old, old fashion mechanic sewing machine, it still runs great and accommodates my rough sewing. I get envy of those new fancy computerized sewing machine that cuts thread, can adjust needle position, and can set up to stop needle up or down, but as long as this guy is working fine, I don't have a good excuse to spend big bucks to buy a new machine.
It's OK though; I like my guy and he does what I need to do. Maybe if I become more seasoned, advanced sewer, I may upgrade my machine.

Anyway, while I was oiling this guy, I could not stop comparing sewing machine to a car. The Man of the House is a big car guy who can pretty much assemble a car from scratch, and his saying is that it's much easier to fix and maintain an old stick shift car than a new fancy automatic car. Looking at my all metal sewing machine, I can totally understand that. I can open top and bottom and probably if I want to, I can unscrew other parts to open more. It's all mechanic and it's all there. Very simply made.

Compare this guy to my Brother 1034D serger, which is not a computerized machine but still a newer production and all plastic, the difference is stark. Maybe it's just the 1034D is a lower end cheap serger, but are all recently made machines like that too? There is only so much you can open without breaking the plastic and how am I supposed to clean and oil other than the little area you can see when you open the threading channels? Don't get me wrong, I have no complaint of my 1034D in any functional way; it's just too plasticky compare to my sewing machine.

Anyway, now my machine is cleaned and oiled, it's time to start my skater dress.