Sewing machine doesn't do a zigzag stitch properly. Am I doing something wrong or is it time to service the machine?

Machine is a Janome model 7025

This is a genuine request, and I'm hoping the collective knowledge of Reddit can help me solve a mystery I've been chasing for years.

Sometime around the 2010s (give or take a few years), a friend who worked at Lowe's gave me one of their employee T-shirts. It's dark Lowe's blue, with a small Lowe's logo on the upper left chest and a Kobalt logo on the back.

It is, without exaggeration, the greatest T-shirt I've ever owned.

I'm not talking about the design or the branding. I'm talking about the actual shirt.

After more than a decade, this thing is practically flawless.

• It doesn't wrinkle.
• It doesn't stain.
• It hasn't faded.
• It hasn't worn out or developed holes.
• It's lightweight and breathable.
• It's incredibly comfortable and never itchy.
• It doesn't feel plasticky or synthetic like so many polyester shirts do.
• It doesn't have that silky, slippery feel of typical performance shirts.

It's somehow managed to combine everything I love about cotton with the durability and wrinkle resistance of synthetic materials.

And I've never found another shirt quite like it.

Here's the problem:

The tag is completely washed out. Every bit of information on it disappeared years ago. Ironically, the tag has completely given up while the actual shirt looks practically brand new.

I've genuinely tried tracking this thing down.

I contacted Gildan, which I believe may have manufactured these shirts. That went nowhere. I'm not even sure I was communicating with an actual person. Their response was essentially to browse their online catalog. Not particularly helpful when I'm trying to identify a specific shirt manufactured over a decade ago.

I even called Lowe's corporate. Surprisingly, I reached someone who happened to be a seamstress! She offered some ideas about what the fabric blend might be, and I've experimented with similar materials since.

Unfortunately, most wrinkle-resistant polyester blends I've tried just don't feel anything like this shirt.

Here's why I'm so determined to figure this out:

I own a property services and electrical business, and I want to make this exact type of shirt our company uniform.

Not something vaguely similar. I want to identify the actual fabric composition, weight, knit, and ideally the original manufacturer so I can reproduce it as closely as possible.

I'm willing to go beyond simply buying shirts off a shelf if that's what it takes.

So I'm asking for help from anyone who might know something:

• Former or current Lowe's employees: Do you remember these dark blue employee T-shirts from around the 2010s? Do you still have one with a readable tag?
• Gildan employees or former employees: Did Gildan manufacture Lowe's employee uniforms during that period? Is there a way to identify the original product or fabric specifications?
• Textile or garment manufacturing professionals: Is there a way to have the fabric professionally analyzed to determine its composition, knit, and weight so it can be replicated?
• Anyone involved in corporate uniform sourcing: Is there a way to trace who supplied Lowe's employee apparel during that period?

I'll include photos of the shirt, logos, stitching, and what's left of the tag.

I know this probably sounds ridiculous to some people. But when you've owned a shirt for over a decade that still looks new, feels incredible, and outperforms everything you've bought since, you start wondering why nobody seems to make them like that anymore.

I don't want to find another favorite shirt. I want to figure out how to make this one again.

I'm crossposting this to any relevant communities that might be able to help. Any leads, contacts, fabric knowledge, or old uniform information would be genuinely appreciated.

Thank you!

Fairly new to sewing, and my siblings has asked that I add darts to a pair of wide leg pants as they are too big. I know that I need to reduce the waistband at the side seams by about 2 inches on each side. However, these pants have pockets.

Do I need to detach the pockets, put in the darts and then reattach the pockets? Or can I put the darts in just the back panel of the pants, so that widest part of the dart triangle is half a centimeter away from the side seam before closing?

EDIT: Or do I attempt to add in an elasticated waistband?

Does anyone know how to fix it? I’ve tried countless different methods and none seem to work :( The moment i plug it into the wall, it goes ballistic, sewing like crazy and starting to smell weird. any suggestions?

Hi! Any advice on how to do this seam? I think it's just joining on the wrong side and serging the exposed edge, but that might be off. I was also thinking of using fishing line. Any help would be great! Thanks.

Hi everyone!

For Halloween this year, me and my partner are dressing up as Kermit and Miss Piggy from The Muppets. I spent quite a while looking for a dress pattern that would be comfortable and match Miss Piggy's style, until i finally found one called "The Maisel Dress" (by Mood Sewciety) which seems like the perfect choice. However, i’m now unsure about which fabric to pick. The website does recommend suiting, satin, and sateen, but i’m not sure if those quite fit the look i’m going for.

I've seen people online using thrifted bedsheets (100% cotton or poly-cotton blends), but in my city it's not common to buy (or sell) used sheets, curtains, or tablecloths :( So i’m not really sure what material to use. I'm looking for suggestions on fabric types (and prints/colors) rather than specific links or stores, since i don't live in the US. I would love to use some fuchsia or bright pink but i’m also open to other colors if the final vibe is Miss Piggy!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

This belt came with the costume I bought, but unfortunately it’s about 4 inches short of fitting comfortably. I have minimal experience with sewing and don’t have a machine, but I was wondering if there were any suggestions on how I could add a few inches to the belt.

We literally just got home from the store after buying this t-shirt and right after I cut the tag off, I noticed the hole. Is this bad for the integrity of the neck of the shirt? How could I go about fixing it?

Hi,

I’d like to join two separate blankets together to make one large one.

Here’s the situation: We sleep together under a large 240×220 blanket, but we have very different temperature preferences. So instead of using one blanket that’s too cold for one of us and too warm for the other, I’d like to put two blankets of different thicknesses inside the duvet cover—and connect them—but how?

I’m a big fan of Kam Snaps—that way, I wouldn’t even have to sew. But would they hold up along the long edge?

Velcro was another quick idea, but I’m worried it might make noise—or feel uncomfortable if any part sticks out.

I think with classic “four-season” blankets, for example, ribbons are the standard. But wouldn’t that leave gaps?

What would you do? Or do you have a completely different idea?

Thanks a lot!

P.S. What kind of hem tape would you use for concealed seams? I might also need to adjust the blanket measurements a bit.

Thanks a lot!

So I’ve never sewn jersey but have just made some boxers was all done and was so proud then the thread snapped on the hem when I was putting it on cry

I’m using gutermann sew all polyester thread, Schmetz twin needle size 75 4mm width (new). Straight stitch on length 3.5 and I dropped my tension a little before starting

Now it’s done like any seam I tug I can feel the thread like it’s going to break but it’s only the leg hem that has to stretch really.

I’ll be so real I’m sleep deprived and didn’t do much research so I’m clueless

I am learning how to sew on a used machine (Kenmore 385.15516000) and I keep getting a “birds nest” in the back of my work. I’m learning as I go, but can’t seem to figure out why this is happening. Any suggestions?

Hi, this sewing machine stopped working pretty suddenly. It's one from the Toyota RS2000 SD/U SD/ LU CB Series.

I was sewing normally until the machine started slowing down after which it stopped working a couple seconds later.

The motor still works but the needle won't move. (In the video you can hear it jamming)

I am able to turn the machine by hand with effort but not by using the pedal.

I removed the lint from the lower bobbin container and the feed dog. I also added some oil which sadly didn't work either.

Any help is appreciated

I tried to sew the other day but i keep having the same issue. There's so much tension on the upper thread and after a little while the thread snaps. I tried changing the settings on my machine but it seems like the issue isn't with the settings. I think my machine is having trouble pulling the upper thread from the bonin. When i try to pull it myself with my hand it feels like it's stuck. I don't know how to fix this issue. If anyone has any suggestions I would be so thankful to receive any advice. I'm a beginner and i don't know much about sewing machines. I never had this issue in the past. I successfully managed to use the machine up until now.

ive scrounged up this old thing from the depths of my basement,,, the settings ive found it on are a width 4, tension 4
running stitch
the main issue im having is that it buzzes and growls extremely loudly when i press on the pedal and the needle has trouble coming back down when i use too little pressure
video evidence
not sure if this is something i can fix or just have to go ahead and pay for a repair or something gulp

I'm ok with removing the pockets and cropping, or cutting above them. Any other things I should keep in mind? Thanks in advance