Making stuff and doing things.

This is my local anarchist newsletter, i love this cartoon i think it sums up the point about anarchism brilliantly. So that last post was a bit deep so i though that it would be good to learn how to do something, so here is an excerpt from the brilliant "Making stuff and doing things" By Kyle Brano adapted from numerour zines, anarchist, autonomous, feminist and punk/band zines etc.


So "How to Set Up a Sewing Machine" is the one i chose, i have been meaning to learn how to do this for some time and maybe by repaeting it here something will stick!! Lets hope so! a sewing machine can be a real handy item - you can alter and repair thrift store finds, quickly peg pants, make your own clothes, quilts, bags, pillows, toys hats and tons more. Its fairly easy to get a hols of a cheap second hand singer check out classifieds, flea markets or local bulletin boards. Plus, once you put the word out, you can never tell who may be getting rid of a machine. I got a 1960's singer from my boss's wife. One tip would be to stay clear of the newer computer chip run machines, stick to the simpler manual ones. Serious repairs are cheaper. Here's how to get the bobbin all set up. To fill a bobbin is simple

1. Make sure the needle is at its highest position (turn the hand wheel towards you)
2. Either open up the throat plate (flat metal plate under needle) or the metal door on the side of the machine under the throat plate.
3. Reach in and pull the latch on the bobbin case out to pull the whole thing out. The bobbin should just fall out of the bobbin case once you tip it.
4. While winding the bobbin you need to stop the motion of the needle. Hold the hand wheel and turn the smaller wheeel towardds you. It will seem like you just loosened something. Now when you push on the foot pedal - the needle just stays in one place.
5. Put the empty bobbin on the spindle and move the bobbin winder level to the right (it moves the spindle to the right also)
6. Put a spool of thread on the spool pin. Wrap the thread around the bobbin winder tension bracket and wrap it around the middle of the empty bobbin.

1. Start the machine up with the floor pedal and if everythings right it should start filling up the bobbin with thread from the spool. If not recheck everthing.
2. When the bobbin is full, cut the thread, move the bobbin winder lever back, take the bobbin off the spindle and re-tighten the smaller wheel on the hand wheel.
3. Put the bobbin back in the bobbin case.
4. Thread the Machine :

• Raise the needle to the highest position again.
  
• Put the spool of tread on the spool pin (if you just filled a bobbin it should already be in place)
• Then lead the end of the thread thru the thread guide, needle thread tension regulator, take up lever, down the needle. Always from left to right through the eye.
• To gather up the bobbin thread, turn the hand wheel slowly towards yourself, while holding onto the end of the thread, keepturning untill the needle passes in and back out of the throatplate. When it comes back out it should have the bobbin thread hooped in with the top thread. Pull on the top thread to lift it entirely out of the throatplate. Take both threads and pull tillabout 3 " inches are from the pressure foot. Lay them to the right side. And the machine is finally set to go.