The A-Z Guide to Sewing Machines: Pressure Control

PRESSURE CONTROL EXPLAINED

When the take-up lever is lowered, pressure is exerted on the foot, which in turn presses onto the fabric regulating its flow through the machine. There are occasions when this pressure needs to be increased or reduced. If you are working on a very thin, slippery fabric it will require extra pressure to travel forward under the foot. Conversely, thicker fabrics will require a reduced pressure to travel freely under the foot.

When quilting or sewing down appliqué shapes a light pressure only is required because you will need to turn the fabric easily to follow the outline of the design, so the pressure will be reduced. Always slacken off the pressure when using wadding or when sewing across thick seams. When you are sewing on stretch fabrics the pressure also needs to be reduced because a strong pressure would press onto the fabric causing it to stretch as it was sewn, and the seams and hems would appear wavy.

CHANGING THE PRESSURE

The control to alter the pressure varies with different machines. Some machines have a silver knob on the top, above the presser-bar which has a silver band round it. If you press the band downwards the knob ‘pings up’, reducing the pressure on the foot. The knob can be pushed downwards to increase the pressure. There is usually a line marked on the side of the knob for normal sewing.

Your machine may have a numbered dial on the left hand side above the needle. (Do not confuse this with the tension dial which is usually on the front). The lower the number the lower the pressure. On some machines the top left hand side of the machine swings open to reveal a numbered dial — again, this is the pressure control and the lower numbers decrease the pressure.

Some of the newer machines have automatic pressure control, and the machine automatically adapts to different thicknesses. This is fine except when you need a light pressure in order to manipulate your material, e.g. when quilting, sewing patchwork or appliqué. For this reason I would prefer a machine with a manual control.