Sewing Tip – Page 3

December 16, 2022

Handy Notions: Seam Guides

Whether you’re just learning to sew, teaching a novice sewer, or just need a little extra security to make even seamlines, there’s a seam guide to help you with the process.

In addition to sewing seams, guides are also helpful for evenly applying trims equidistance from an edge, hemming, decorative stitching, or topstitching. While the machine presser foot edge is a good guide for small distances, a movable seam guide can go anywhere on the machine base for wider spacing, either left or right of the foot.

Look at the machine throat plate as most have markings for various distances from the needle, often up to 1”, sometimes on both sides of the foot, and sometimes in metric designations. But, if those markings aren’t enough to keep you on the straight and narrow, consider some other options.

Magnetic Appeal

One of the most common seam guides is a raised edge shape that magnetically adheres to the machine base. Because it’s easily removable, you can use it only when needed for a particular task. A single guide can be used on multiple machines if you have one specific to classes or travel.

Magnetic Seam Guide available on Amazon.

Magnetic seam guides come in a variety of shapes and sizes—some designed for curved edges, others for corners and some for straight seaming.

Adhesive-backed Guides

Instead of a magnetic backing, some seam guides adhere to the machine with a repositionable adhesive. They do not damage the machine’s surface, but can be moved as needed. Some offer curved edges for guiding both inner and outer curves with confidence.

Clover Needlecrafts Stick n Stitch Tool available from Amazon.

Screw-in Guide

Depending on your machine brand and model, there may be a screw hole in the top of the machine base that can support a screw-in seam guide. These guides are adjustable and slide on the screw to set the correct distance from the needle, but that distance is limited.

Universal screw-in seam guide available on Amazon.

Quilting Guide

An add-on quilting guide may be an optional or standard accessory for your machine, depending on brand and model. Though designed for spacing quilting lines, it’s also usable for seaming and topstitching a set distance from the fabric edge. The guide has an adjustable “arm” that extends from the presser foot shank and slides to create a guide for evenly spaced stitching. It’s secured at a specific setting with a small screw to keep it from slipping from the chosen distance. If you’re looking for wide spacing, be sure to check the length of the extension arm.

Presser Feet

Some machines work with a presser foot that has a built-in adjustable seam guide. Because of its attachment to the foot, the guide edge is limited in distance from the needle position. Check with your machine dealer to see if this foot will fit your machine.

Presser foot with a seam guide available on Amazon.

Gridded Base

If a small add-on guide doesn’t pack enough “oomph” for you, consider a lined addition to your machine’s surface so you can have measurements extending on one or both sides of the presser foot for foolproof following.

Repositionable seam guide available on Amazon.

When positioning a seam guide, remember to measure the distance needed from the needle position, not the presser foot edge.

DIY Seam Guides

Instead of purchasing a separate accessory, many people have opted for DIY seam guides of all sorts. The most common is to adhere a non-marring and removable tape, such as painter’s tape, to the machine base at the desired distance from the needle. It’s easily repositionable for various tasks and you can write notes on it; plus, it had two parallel edges, so either one can be used depending on the stitching width needed.

Another simple option is to stretch a rubber band tautly around the free arm of the sewing machine at the desired distance from the needle. A piece of narrow elastic tied around the arm works in the same manner.

If you have a pad of sticky notes in your office, move them to your sewing room and adhere the entire pad to the machine base to make a raised-edge seam guide. The glued-together side should face the needle.

~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at gwizdesigns@aol.com.

November 4, 2022

How Bad Is It To…

We all have our idiosyncrasies and shortcuts to help our sewing go faster and easier, but are some of those things harmful to the final product?

How bad is it to sew over pins?

Pretty Bad

While technically you can sew over pins that are placed perpendicular to the seamline, it’s better not to as several bad things can happen. Firstly, the needle may hit the pin resulting in a broken needle. If not broken, damaged beyond use. Shards from a broken needle can fly and injure you, and bits can become lodged in the machine’s bobbin mechanism. Secondly, the pin may bend and become lodged in the bobbin mechanism causing damage. Hitting a pin can also hurt the timing on the machine, necessitating a service call. It’s fine to sew up to the pin, but remove the actual pin before crossing it.

How bad is it to mark my fabric with an ink pen?

Really Bad

Marking fabric with an ink pen can lead to some catastrophic results. Some inks are permanent and could show through the finished project, especially if used on light colors. But perhaps worse, during washing or dry cleaning, the ink can run, permanently discoloring the project fabric. There are many types of pens and pencils designed specifically for use on fabric, so they are much better choices. Many are easily removable so there’s no risk of damage. So, don’t grab the Sharpie® when you really want the FriXion®.

How bad is it to watch TV/listen to music, an audio book or podcast while I sew?

Not Bad at All

As long as you can still concentrate on your project directions, it’s fine to zone out with another relaxing option. If you’re watching something compelling on TV, it may slow your sewing a bit as you don’t want to miss something captivating in the plot.

How bad is it not to preshrink my fabric?

Really Bad to Not So Bad

This topic is one of the most controversial in sewing, as there are die-hards on both sides of the arguments. Depending on the fiber content and how you plan to care for the project, the answer may swing to the other end of the pendulum. For garment sewers, preshrinking fabric is sometimes a rite of passage held over from school home economics classes. If you don’t preshrink, obviously fit is affected should the fabric shrink during care, so the “rule of thumb” is to pretreat the fabric as you plan to care for the garment. Some fabrics are fine with normal laundering, others, like wools, are best being steam pressed, either at home or by a drycleaner.

Some fabrics, like denim and handwovens, may experience residual shrinkage, meaning that they continue to shrink, so pretreating more than once is desirable.

Unless the label states that it’s washable, do not wash wool fabrics, as they can not only shrink a lot, but also felt, changing the original hand of the fabric irreversibly.

The subject of preshrinking divides the quilting community. Some like to ensure no later shrinkage, others like the feel of unwashed fabrics showcased in a quilt. If a quilt is washed, it tends to pucker up a bit anyway, depending on the fabric and batting used, and that look is not necessarily a negative. Long story short for quilters—it’s a matter of opinion, but be consistent throughout the project to avoid any surprised later.

How bad is it to not backstitch at the beginning and end of seams?

Kinda’ Bad

It’s ideal to cross a seam with another seam to secure it, but in many cases that’s not possible. If you don’t backstitch at the beginning and ending of a seam, it can begin to pull out. Some machines can be programmed to backstitch automatically, others offer a lockstitch that will simply stitch in place or greatly reduce the stitch length to anchor seam ends.

Some places, like the pointed end of a dart, are best not backstitched so as not to build up a heavier stitching line. At the end of a dart, simply shorten the stitch length starting about ½” before the end to secure the stitches. This technique works anywhere you don’t want the added bulk and/or visibility of backstitching—like on sheer fabrics.

If you’re topstitching, don’t backstitch, as the build-up of stitches will show. Instead, pull the top thread to the underside and tie off with the bobbin thread to secure.

October 7, 2022

Pattern Weights

What’s’ your preferred method for cutting out projects—pins or pattern weights? There are sewists who swear by one or the other, but most of us tend to love both, depending on the fabric being used.

Pins hold pattern tissue firmly in place for cutting, but there are some fabrics where pins can leave permanent marks and, lo and behold, if you’re not pinning within the seam allowance, there could be those telltale marks. Vinyls and some faux suedes are prime examples of fabrics that benefit from the use of weights over pins.

Weights hold fabric flat against the cutting surface and if you cut with a rotary cutter instead of scissors, nothing moves. However, you do need to protect the surface with a special mat to avoid damage to the table top.

You can cut a weighted pattern with scissors, but it’s a bit tricky since the scissor blade tends to “pick up” the fabric as you cut, potentially shifting the weights around the perimeter.

In addition to eliminating the potential of pin marks, weights help secure slippery fabrics in place—a task much harder with pinned pieces that can slide around. Weights are also preferred on thick fabrics where pinning is near impossible—think wool coating or mohairs.

So, bottom line—there’s a place to use both methods of securing the pattern to the fabric.

Small weights can also be used at your machine to keep slippery fabrics from driving you crazy while seaming.

Let’s take a look at weights…

Many companies make pattern weights, from tiny rounds to large, heavy, flat metal rectangles used in the garment industry to secure multiple thicknesses on long tables.

Cast iron

If you’re cutting large pieces, like draperies or curtains, these iron weights can be handy for holding layers together without shifting. The raised handle makes them easy to move around as needed, and because of their weight, they stay in place with aplomb.

Glass

Circular glass weights are ideal for holding smaller spaces, and they have the advantage of being able to see through them in case you’re matching plaids, prints, etc. Just line up the pieces and weight them in place while you align adjacent pattern pieces.

Fabric Bags

Weighted fabric bags in various sizes and shapes are another option for pattern weights. Usually filled with metal shot or shavings for weight, these handy little notions can be stacked atop each other if you need more weight in a particular area of the pattern piece you’re cutting.

DIY Weights

While available readymade, handy little fabric pillows or bags are easy to make yourself in any size or shape you need for your work. Just be sure the outer fabric is densely woven to keep the filler safely inside. If you use clean sand (from the pet store) or ground walnut shells for filler, it’s best to add a liner as well to ensure no leakage, but that’s not needed if you use metal shot or rice, beans, etc. for the weight you need.

Other options suggested by guild members include using rolls of pennies for weight—especially handy for narrow pattern spaces like straps and facings, but note that they can roll too.
Open the pantry and check out sardine and tuna cans for potential weights. While these are larger in size than many weights, they are readily available and of course the contents are edible after use in case it’s near lunch time. Can-size weights are better used with large patterns, like home décor items.
Out on a beach walk? Pick up some large flat stones to create weights. Again, paintable for fun.
Small ceramic tiles are also perfect for pattern weights. A tile store always has scrap pieces and sometimes they just give them away.
Either covered or uncovered fishing weights are another DIY option—available in various shapes, sizes and weights depending on your needs.
Head to the hardware store and look at flat metal washers—available in many sizes, these are ideal to use for pattern weights. For more fun, paint them bright colors, wrap them with yarn or fabric strips, or decoupage some fun fabrics to the surface.

Using Weights

Just as we pin near the pattern edge, weights are best positioned in the same area. Depending on the shape of the pattern pieces and the weights, position the pieces near the corners for added hold.
If your fabric is larger than your cutting surface, use weights on the fabric around your pattern pieces to help keep it from sliding.
Weights can also be used on paper—like for tracing patterns from a multi-size sheet master. They help to keep both from sliding and keep lines continuous.

~Linda Griepentrog Linda is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at gwizdesigns@aol.com.

August 19, 2022

Sewing Swimwear: The Details (preview)

Sew a swimsuit in August? Of course! It’s still swimsuit season in many locations; however, a recent visit to a new gym with an indoor pool was a good reminder that aquatics classes are becoming more popular. This is especially true when they have titles like Aqua Fitness and Aqua Arthritis Movement.

For those who have tried on a swimsuit in a brightly LED-lit fitting room with what surely is a funhouse mirror, it’s easy to turn your back, remove the offending garment, and make the snap decision to make your own suit. If this sounds like you, rest assured you can make a well-fitting suit that dips, curves, minimizes — and maybe even hides — some areas in about half a day.

Pattern

In the “good old days,” Kwik-Sew and Stretch & Sew were the go-to companies for great results. You may still be able to find some of these patterns online but the choices are still endless when it comes to available swimsuit patterns and an online search will yield many results to choose from. A few things to note when choosing patterns:

If you’re looking to hide certain areas, shirred or gathered details flatter and hide wherever they are.
Neckline ruffles will draw the eye up and away from the hips.
Bias cut stripes will slenderize the figure.

To learn more about sewing swimwear, including choosing fabric and patterns, which elastic to use, lining, fitting, sewing tips, and more, the complete version of this article is available on the ASG Members Only blog and requires member login.
CLICK HERE to read the full article. Not a member? Join online!

March 16, 2022

How to use the Piping Foot (video)

Watch this 60 second video on how to use a piping foot.