A sewing apparatus for applying a stitch of thread to a piece of fabric is provided. The apparatus housing includes a platform for supporting a piece of fabric, and contains a grasping member that is moved to grasp and release a thread segment fed through the housing by a needle holder. The needle holder is positioned to hold a needle that has a needle aperture for pass-through, therethrough of the thread segment, and is movable between a withdrawn position, and an advanced position in which the needle holder drives the needle through the piece of fabric to bring the thread segment into position for grasping by the grasping member. The sewing apparatus also including a needle holder driver for driving the movement of the needle holder and a thread puller for pulling the thread segment to an exterior of the housing for a user to cut.

A controller performs a free motion sewing operation of driving a sewing machine motor to move a needle bar up and down in a state where an upper end of a feed dog is located below a needle plate. The controller performs a thread tension control operation of, while performing the free motion sewing operation, controlling an actuator to adjust a length of a spring during a first period to a first length and to adjust the length of the spring during a second period to a second length shorter than the first length. The first period is at least part of a needle up period in which a lower end of a sewing needle is located above the needle plate. The second period includes at least part of a needle down period in which the lower end of the sewing needle is located below the needle plate.

A controller performs a free motion sewing operation of driving a sewing machine motor to move a needle bar up and down in a state where an upper end of a feed dog is located below a needle plate. The controller performs a thread tension control operation of, while performing the free motion sewing operation, controlling an actuator to adjust a length of a spring during a first period to a first length and to adjust the length of the spring during a second period to a second length shorter than the first length. The first period is at least part of a needle up period in which a lower end of a sewing needle is located above the needle plate. The second period includes at least part of a needle down period in which the lower end of the sewing needle is located below the needle plate.