I love crafting, especially for making quick and easy projects. Lately I had been wondering whether mini sewing machines are any good at sewing or not. So I decided to buy the most adorable mini sewing machine and test it out. And when I say mini, I really mean teeny tiny mini. I mean this thing is smaller than my toaster!
So here, let me show you the different mini sewing machine parts and what they are supposed to do. In short, you just need to be aware of the parts at the front, top, left and right of the mini sewing machine. Once you see these parts up close, the mini sewing machine becomes a breeze to use. Check these out below!
Little Miss S who is five years old decided to help me take everything out of the box. And so you will see her little hands in some of these pictures! All the better because you can get a feel of the actual size of this mini sewing machine when held by little hands.
Unboxing the mini sewing machine
As you can see inside the box, the mini sewing machine is nestled between two blocks of Styrofoam to protect it from knocks and bumps. Once you take the machine out, you will find some accessories stored within the packaging as well. There is also a flat-packed extension table that slides out easily.
One of the things that I like about this mini sewing machine is that it looks cute and user-friendly, unlike traditional sewing machines which can appear daunting for beginner sewists.
Mini sewing machine size
Like I said earlier, my new mini sewing machine is actually smaller than a bread toaster! I placed a 12-inch ruler next to it and you can see that this mini sewing machine is around 8 inches wide and no more than 10 inches tall.
When you attach the extension table, the whole set-up does get wider. But the basic sewing machine is only around 8 inches by 10 inches. Now that’s small!
Mini sewing machine parts ─ front view
The best way to understand any sewing machine (mini or regular), is to visually break it down into its different planes.
So as you look at the mini sewing machine from the front, there are four main things that you will notice. Let me show you what these are.
Upper thread bobbin
In a regular sewing machine, a spool of thread sits on top. This thread makes the stitches on top of your fabric as you sew.
However in mini sewing machine, you don’t have a full spool sitting on top. Instead, you have a bobbin stuck on the front to do the same job. And so it is called the upper thread bobbin.
Thread tension screw
In every sewing machine, the stitching thread needs to be kept taut to get smooth even stitches on your project. The thread tension screw performs this function by passing the thread under tension down to the sewing needle.
Three purple buttons
On the right side of the machine, you will see a crescent-shaped cluster of three purple buttons. When you look at these up close, you will see that each button has a specific function.
The top button is for the light switch. The light shines down directly onto the fabric you are stitching so you can see clearly as you sew.
The middle button is the on/off switch. You will only use this button when you are not using the foot pedal.
The bottom button sets the speed of sewing. You can continuously sew at two speeds: high and low.
Cuff slot
On the bottom left of the sewing machines body, you will see a slot or a notch. This is designed to help you sew narrow, tubular projects for example sleeves or the bottom of trousers.
Mini sewing machine parts ─ right side view
On the right side of the mini sewing machine, there are three parts which are noteworthy.
Hand wheel
The hand wheel helps you move the sewing machine needle up and down manually.
Foot pedal port
This is where you plug in your foot pedal
DC power port
This is where you plug in your mains power supply cable.
Mini sewing machine parts ─ left side view
On the left side of the mini sewing machine, there are a few things going on.
Take-up lever
A purple lever lifts and lowers the silver presser foot. The presser foot, as the name implies, presses the fabric firmly down onto the base plate of the sewing machine.
You can only sew when the presser foot is in the lowered position. To get the fabric out or to turn it, you need to lift the presser foot using the purple lever.
Thread cutter
You will see a pair of tiny purple scissors next to a small purple blob. This is actually a hidden cutting blade that you can use to snip the threads once you finish sewing.
In this way, you won’t have to pull out your scissors every time you need to snip the thread.
Bottom thread bobbin
Underneath the presser foot is the base plate of your sewing machine. Part of this base plate is translucent and can slide open to reveal the bottom thread bobbin.
The bottom bobbin supplies the thread for the underside of the stitch you are sewing. The base plate is translucent so you can see if you are running out of thread.
Mini sewing machine parts ─ top view
When you look at the mini sewing machine from the top, take note of two things.
A silver shaft
This moves up and down as you sew. You do not have to worry about touching or using this part of the sewing machine. It is a crucial moving component of the machine and needs to be left alone to do its own thing while you sew.
A hidden spindle
This is a clever little spindle which is used to wind the bobbin. You place your thread reel on top of the spindle and then wind the bobbin. Once your bobbin is full, the thread reel can be removed and the spindle tucked back down again.
Mini Sewing machine parts ─ rear view
As you can see from the rear view of the mini sewing machine, there is nothing there that you need to worry about.
Mini sewing machine accessories
My mini sewing machine came with a few different accessories. Let me show you what these are and what they do.
The presser foot
You use the presser foot to operate your sewing machine with your foot. Basically you connect the presser foot to the sewing machine and then place it underneath your table. Now you can simply press down on the black lever with your foot to operate your mini sewing machine.
The power supply
I live in England so my mini sewing machine came with a 3-pin power adaptor. However under the sewing machine, there is a slot for batteries in case you don’t want to use mains supply.
Bobbins
My mini sewing machine came with a supply of 4 bobbins. But I reckon I will have to purchase more because let’s face it: I’m not going to unwind and rewind a bobbin every time I want to create a new project. It’s always best to have a ready supply of spare bobbins at hand in your craft room.
Sewing machine needle
My mini sewing machine came with a spare Organ 90/14 needle. I don’t know anything about this Organ brand; but this size of needle is typically used for sewing heavyweight fabrics.
I am hopeful that by providing this particular needle, the manufacturer is confident that this mini sewing machine can actually handle some thicker materials, despite its puny size.
Needle threader
The mini sewing machine can be a little bit fiddly to thread, quite simply because it is so small. But once you get the hang of it, is very easy to thread the machine. To help speed up the process, there is a needle threader included with the accessories.
Extension table
One of the reasons why I decided to buy this particular mini sewing machine is that it came with its own extension table. So despite being such a tiny size, it is possible to drape and sew larger fabrics on the sewing machine.
The mini sewing machine extension table 
The legs fold out 
The table is ready to be used
And there you have it ─ all the parts of a mini sewing machine as they come straight out of the box! I will post here about how this mini sewing machine performs along with projects to make on a mini sewing machine. So keep watching this space.
Browse my website for easy tips and tricks to make quiet books at home. Or click here to find free printable patterns to use at home. Holler below if you have any questions or comments.
Happy crafting!
Related questions
What does a presser foot look like?
A standard camel-toed presser foot for straight stitching 
A wide presser foot for zigzag stitching
A standard presser foot is a flat, camel-toed object that sits below the sewing machine needle. Most presser feet are made out of stainless steel, but some newer ones are made of translucent white plastic. Nevertheless, all presser feet press the fabric on to the sewing machine’s base plate.
