The Fix That Took Too Long: A Lesson on Stubbornness from My Overlock Repair
It's almost embarrassing how long it's taken me to repair a broken upper looper on my overlock. I broke the looper while working on a project about three years ago, possibly longer—about five years ago? I ordered a replacement part, which was exactly what I needed. However, when I received it, I couldn't figure out how to remove the broken part from the machine. After a few attempts, I gave up, deciding to deal with it after I finished moving into my mother's house during my transition to my final move to Dallas.
I planned to try again once I got to Dallas. Unfortunately, in all the moves, I lost the replacement part and stubbornly refused to buy a new one, thinking the old one would eventually turn up. Well, it still hasn't, and it's been far too long. Not having my overlock was creating unnecessary friction in my projects, causing delays and forcing me to find time-consuming alternative ways to finish seams. While this worked for some projects, like using French seams on chiffon and peach skin fabrics, it wasn't suitable for everything.
Suffering From Self-Inflicted Wounds
French seams don’t work for everything, obviously. My frustration was completely unnecessary, and all my problems could have been solved if I had just ordered the $8 part again. In the meantime, I figured out how to remove the broken part—I just needed a little torque and the correct tool. Finally, I ordered a replacement part for the lost one, received it, and fixed my machine. (I recommend the parts available from SewingPartsOnline.com. They clearly indicate which parts will work for your machine, process orders quickly, and offer excellent customer service.)
After recalibrating my machine, I was thrilled to see my little workhorse running again. I've had this machine since college. If it weren’t for my user error of breaking the upper looper by taking pliers to it because I had accidentally bent it out of shape—again, user error—it would never have been out of commission.
It's funny how my stubbornness caused so much frustration. I plan to do better next time there’s a simple solution I’m holding out on because of the sunk cost fallacy. Consider this a mini review of my machine: you can get replacement parts if you break it, and it seems to be resistant to illogical behavior.
Lesson Learned
Now that my machine is working again, I feel re-energized about the projects I have left in the Fabric Stash Challenge. Let this be a lesson to me, and to you if you need it, not to put off something simply on principle. Waiting so long was silly goose behavior. Refusing to replace the part again out of frustration and waiting so long to get back to it simply because I remembered how frustrated I was before was also silly goose behavior. It's a reminder that stepping away when frustrated is good, but I should have returned to the problem much sooner. When I finally did, it was obvious how to fix it.
Sometimes this may be resourceful and resilient in other areas, but for some reason, this particular thing tripped me up. I am considering the circumstances of the time when I first attempted the repair—I had a lot of frustrations on my plate, and this simply wasn't a priority. But even small things can weigh on your mind. Having the concern of “I miss my overlock, and I need to fix it” removed has cleared a path for me. It may not seem big, but this machine is an integral part of my garment construction practice. The fact that I was willing to be without it for so long speaks to something else. I knew I didn't have the time to devote to my projects, but now that I do and my machine is working, I have no excuses.
So, here’s to giving ourselves breaks when we need them and also not taking too long to return to a problem. We make our lives easier if we just give it another try.
About My Machine
The Singer 14SH654 is still available for sale, and I recommend it if you're in the market for a fairly low-cost overlock/serger. I have the “Ultralock” version. The same model number is also used for the newest version called the “Finishing Touch.” You can usually find the “Ultralock” version pre-owned for less than $200. I’ve seen them for as low as $50 on eBay, though the shipping cost is usually high due to its weight. The Finishing Touch version retails for just over $500 brand new.
This particular machine I bought for my mother, but she never used it. I found myself needing one in college, and she said, “Why don't you use the one you got me?” So, while it was originally a gift to someone else, it ended up being one of the best gifts I ever gave myself. My mother never really needed the overlock as her sewing pursuits led her to quilting, where it wasn’t necessary.
Truly,
Claire
Resources
Singer 14SH654 Overlocker Ultralock
Replacement Upper Looper for Singer 14SH654 and similar machines
