Sewing machine maintenance?

[untonuggan]

Hi all, I'm new to the community! I learned to sew when I was in elementary school and my mom (wisely) channeled my Little House on the Prairie phase into quilting classes. I got a Brother sewing machine for Christmas back in the day, which I've used intermittently since then for projects such as altering jean length (I'm short); sewing curtains; making bags; etc.

I've decided I want to try to get more actively involved with sewing ever since I saw some Regency sewing patterns described in Jane Austen Knits magazine. I know, I am a dork.

Here is the question. The last time I used my Brother sewing machine it smelled kind of...weird. Metallic. I tried applying some sewing machine oil (after consulting the manual). That seemed to help for a little bit, but then the smell came back. Do I just need to oil it frequently, or should I take it in to a sewing machine shop for some maintenance? I have had this machine for almost 20 years and haven't done any maintenance, but it hasn't been getting very heavy use...then again, if a car doesn't get very much use it definitely needs extra maintenance.

Thoughts?

Comments

[sporky_rat]

I would suggest taking it just to make sure you're starting out with the best advantage. I totally know that feeling of 'why are you acting so weird, machine?' but yeah, go ahead and take it.

[pearl]

I agree - it's hard to figure out what the problem may be without being there ourselves, so it's probably best to let the professionals have a look.

But my older sewing machines (particularly the portable ones that sit in carrying cases for long periods) often have a musty metal/oil smell about them. Could it just be that leaving the machine with the cover off for a while could help?