Investing in your sewing future – servicing your machines

Regular servicing ensures optimal performance from those trusty machines so that they keep on giving us the best stitch, seam, buttonhole and tension that we need to make our sewing look the best it can and less like something that is obviously sewn at home.

As with a number of areas in our lives, we tend to put off some things because we are too busy just doing stuff.  For example, checking your tyre pressure and oil when you go the the garage – no longer known as a “service” station for those of us of a certain age – to fill your car with fuel, or cleaning and oiling the sewing machine when you just want to get that garment sewn.  Periodically, a repair or a proper service is called for and then you may phone or drive back to where you bought the machine and the shop is GONE!

In my perfect world, what I’d like to see is every neigbourhood having a butcher, a baker, a full service sewing centre … but with the increasing demise of bricks and mortar stores for specialised sewing machine sales and service businesses, there is often even greater likelihood that servicing with be ignored or put off.

So the new reality is that we now may need to take our machines to the fabric/quilting/craft shop which is the agent for our brand and leave it there.  If that isn’t available, you’ll have to find another technician who has the expertise and experience with your particular type of machine.

How you can help…

What I’d like to compile is a comprehensive directory of servicing businesses and agents for machines we own in our area – whether is be a suburb in Auckland or any other town or city in NZ.  Local knowledge is invaluable and worth sharing.  One day, you might be on holiday in Fjordland and have to find a repair shop…you’ll thank me later!

So to get things started, you can check out the 2 service teckkies listed on our other page https://sewingconnectionauckland.wordpress.com/sewing-shops-and-services/.

Also below is an excerpt from Diane Parton’s friend’s email. She’s recently had her Bernina serviced in Mt Wellington, Auckland:

I can remember in the past people having problems with Bernina servicing.

Tell any Bernina owners to go to The Ribbon Rose. The machines get sent to Wellington to be serviced by Colin, #1 Bernina man in NZ until he trains Steve Forlong who owns the Ribbon Rose shop.

Machine home and purring like a kitten!

So, please feel free to leave a comment below about any servicing business or person that you’d recommend to others and also what brand or type of machines you’ve had repaired.  Then it can go onto the list for others to refer to.

It’ll certainly pay dividends in the end!