presser foot setting query from novice

[dafyddcoch]

HI everybody, I'm new to machine sewing but love machinery generally and am loving making curtains etc from up-cycled fabric and have made a vest and repaired a few of our towels using an late fifties/early sixties Jones CBD straight-stitch machine. However, I'm trying to finish making a pair of double thick curtains made from an old fancy queen-size duvet cover and when stitching the tape to the top hem, so 4 layers of thin cotton plus the tape, the bottom stitch is often missed with one big bottom stitch and when starting, the bottom cotton is very tangled Also, the material feeds in very jerkily at times. I've not adjusted anything but after looking at the hook timing in the bottom thread it is a smidgen out but equally, it has been working fine and still does so on thinner material. After looking online, I think it may be that I need to adjust the presser foot pressure which is currently set on 3.5, down to 1.00 for the thicker bits and then I need to reset it for the areas with less thickness. Am I wide of the mark? Mad? Deluded?  A danger to sewing machines?

Thanks for reading

[Ploshkin]

Sorry, can't really help with the presser foot adjustment but don't think you should need to be changing it mid sew.  You can't do any harm by experimenting.

To avoid a bird's nest when you start off, hang on to your threads when you start - that was a little tip I picked up from quilting where you've got many little seams crossing each other and nests would cause lumpy havoc.

[KayK]

Try adjusting the presser foot, but a simple trick is to use the hand wheel slowly to go over the lumpy bits - takes the strain off the motor and is slightly more controllable.

[dafyddcoch]

Try adjusting the presser foot, but a simple trick is to use the hand wheel slowly to go over the lumpy bits - takes the strain off the motor and is slightly more controllable.

Thanks both

[BrendaP]

@dafyddcoch   It sounds as though you need a hump-jumper,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U91iJMKJ23g

You can imprivise with a bit of cardboard.

[dafyddcoch]

@dafyddcoch   It sounds as though you need a hump-jumper,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U91iJMKJ23g

You can imprivise with a bit of cardboard.

Brilliant thank you and yes, I obviously need a hump-jumper. Mind you, my wife's ears pricked up when I was looking at the video and the woman said in that lovely accent "You need a hump-jumper"; thankfully despite our senior ish years, we're a 'modern couple' lol.