How To Remove Needle Plate Cover
A needle plate cover is an essential part of a sewing machine. It contains holes that the needle goes through during the sewing process to deliver the threads that form the stitches onto the fabric.
It covers the bobbin and also contains seam marks to help you assess how far from the edge of the fabric or sewing machine you are sewing.
How Do You Remove A Needle Plate Cover?
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First, remove the frame around the cover plate depending on the design of your sewing machine. With the frame out, you now have access to the bobbin cover. This can be easily pulled off the sewing machine to expose the bobbin. Remove the bobbin.
Now, you have access to the needle plate cover, Unwind the screws holding it in place. Usually, there are two. When they are loose, insert one finger under the needle plate to lift it while you can use the other hand to lift it off the sewing machine.
Step-by-step Guide To Remove A Needle Plate Cover
Method 1. Removing The Needle Plate Manually
Step 1. To remove the needle plate start by raising the needle. This is because the needle plate is directly below the needle. If you don’t raise the needle, you will injure your hands as you try to pry open the needle plate. Or, you could break the needle.
Step 2. Now that your needle can’t harm you or break as remove the needle plate, you can switch off the machine.
Make sure to also unplug the sewing machine from its power supply so that it is completely off and no currents of electricity are passing through it. This ensures that is now safe to work on the machine without fear of electric shock.
Step 3. Raise the presser foot. This gives you access to the needle and its holder. Remove the needle first from the sewing machine, then the presser foot and the presser foot holder.
Removing these parts of the sewing machine offers you more space to maneuver as you work to remove the needle plate cover.
Step 4. If you have any other attachments on your sewing machine near the needle plate, gently pull them off or unscrew them from the sewing machine. This includes an embroidery unit or a flatbed attachment.
Step 5. Now, all you have is a clean needle plate cover area. Before you can reach the needle plate, you need to remove the frame that holds this area together.
The frame surrounds the needle plate and the bobbin cover. Removing it allows you to access the bobbin cover, the bobbin, and the needle plate cover.
Step 6. The bobbin cover is the closest to you. Slide its latch, open then pull it up and off the sewing machine. It will expose the bobbin case which you can also remove to allow you enough space to maneuver the needle plate cover off your sewing machine.
Step 7. All the above steps have been clearing the path for the needle plate cover to come off with ease. With nothing blocking it now, place your right-hand finger onto the latch.
With your left hand, reach to the left side back of the needle plate and find a notch and hold your finger in place. Place your left-hand thumb on the front of the needle plate cover.
Depending on your sewing machine, rather than a latch, you will find that your needle plate cover is held in place with two screws on either side. Using a screwdriver or any other sharp object, loosen your screws, pull them off and store them safely for when you return the needle plate.
Step 8. Now, slide the needle plate cover towards you as gently as possible. Or, pop the latch and lift it off its position gently sliding it towards you with both hands to remove it from the sewing machine.
Removing your needle plate allows you to thread the bobbin properly and to check the cause of any issues with your sewing. It also allows you to lubricate the sewing machines in these parts that are not easily seen. They are important parts that need to move with ease especially when you are sewing.
If the parts under the needle plate cover are clogged with threads or have poor lubrication, you will have a hard time sewing. This is because the needle will not move as fast as it normally does, and it will also not reach the bobbin threads on time. Thus your sewing will pucker, tear and look ugly.
Method 2. Removing The Needle Plate Automatically
Step 1. Raise the needle. This gives you ample space to pull out the needle plate cover. Depending on your sewing machine, it also provides space that will allow your needle plate cover to open and stay in place while you check the thread positioning and lubricate your sewing machine.
Step 2. Raise the presser foot and the presser foot holder also. Remove them completely if necessary. This provides you with space to reach your bobbin area and underneath your needle plate cover.
Also, remove any other attachments that you may have fixed on your sewing area. You may use accessories on your sewing machine besides your presser foot that allow you to sew easily and more comfortably. Remove all these things for the needle plate to open easily.
Step 3. Depending on the type of your sewing machine, you will see a button towards the right-hand side on the lower end. Press this button.
Your needle plate cover will spring open automatically. Providing you access to the bobbin and the inner workings of your sewing machine.
Why Causes The Sewing Needle To Hit The Needle Plate Cover?
Once in a while when you are sewing, you will hear some uncommon sounds from your sewing machine. These are sounds made when your sewing process is not as smooth as it should be. This could be due to your sewing machine facing some malfunctions.
One of the most common sewing machine malfunction is when your sewing needle hits the needle plate cover while sewing.
This problem occurs when your sewing machine needle is bent or broken. Sewing machine needles need to be changed regularly especially if you use the sewing machine regularly. If you don’t it may break or bend and make your sewing pucker up. Remove your broken or bent needle from the sewing machine as soon as you see it.
Another reason why your needle may hit the needle plate cover is that your needle plate may not be well installed. You will have to remove it and install it correctly to proceed with your sewing project.
Third, you may be making a stitch that is not compatible with the presser foot that you are using. If this is the case, you will need to change your presser foot.
Confirm that you have the right presser foot by turning the handwheel counter-clockwise and checking that the needle doesn’t touch the needle plate cover.
How To Take Care Of Your Sewing Machine Bobbin
A bobbin is one of the most important components of a sewing machine. It ensures that a stitch connects to the fabric being sewed correctly. The needle stitches the top stitch then collects thread from the bobbin to sew the bottom bobbin stitch.
To properly take care of a bobbin in your sewing machine, you need to always ensure that you use the right bobbin for your sewing machine. The wrong bobbin could further destroy the bobbin case and you will have to replace both.
Another way to take care of your bobbin and sewing machine is to use the appropriate needle for sewing the different fabrics you are sewing. The wrong needle will hit the bobbin wrongly, damaging it together with your fabric and sewing machine.
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