Machines & tools

A long, loose straight stitch used to temporarily hold fabric layers together for fitting or easing before permanent stitching is sewn.

A small spool that holds the lower thread supply, fitting into the bobbin case beneath the needle plate to form the underside of a lockstitch.

A metal or plastic holder that houses the bobbin and regulates lower-thread tension via an adjustable spring before the thread reaches the needle plate.

A spindle and motor mechanism on a sewing machine that winds thread evenly onto an empty bobbin, usually engaged by disengaging the main stitching mechanism.

A presser foot, often with a sliding or automatic template, that guides the machine through the multiple stitch passes needed to form a buttonhole.