My Top 3 Rules for Successful Sewing (or How to NOT Break your Sewing Machine!)

What I tell my students or anyone else who will listen. 

Successful sewing tips. 

1- bobbin case

2- handwheel

3- DON'T touch that tension!

My scores for the 1/2 scale challenge

Yikes! I just got my 1/2 scale dressform, garments and scores back in the mail. OUCH! I really don't mind any of the scores about fashionable or creative. I don't feel especially strong in those areas. But the construction scores, 2.5 and 3, yup those sting a little. And I really don't get the comment. I don't ever want anything to look homemade, handmade? yes. But what does deconstructed mean? Should I have parts of the actual jeans in the finished garment? Like a button or raggedy hem? I like a neat, professional finished looking garment. Its a challenge I have in the reconstructed things I do make. When YOU purchase something recycled, do you want everyone to be able to tell when they look at it? Its why I started putting the seams on the outside. Sigh, I'll live. But I think my husband will tire of hearing about this tonight.

A Long Winter

 It was a long winter here in Michigan and elsewhere. And in spite of the 80 degree temps yesterday, we are back into the 50's today.

I wasn't able to spend much time in the shop because of the new baby and the low temps. It feels so good to be able to go out and play again.

Sewing refreshes my spirit and calms my nerves. It gives me a sense of accomplishment as well as some extra income.  I've got a lot to do. I have sorting and cleaning, my contest entry and lots of plans for denim.

In the meantime, I have been looking at my Alabama Chanin books. I made a cute boa! But alas not with hand sewing. I always change my mind at the last minute and opt for speed.

I also struggle with focus. I have much to do at home, and in spite of good advice early in my sewing career, have never managed to do just one thing. I write, I teach, I sew and on top of all my family responsibilities something gives. We must eat, but the house isn't always clean and the laundry gets done when we are out of everything! I am blessed to have an understanding husband and so many great opportunities. The examiner.com page gives me the opportunity to meet many interesting people. While I'm not really shy, I am a little insecure and have been surprised by the very positive response I receive when I use the title to help with an introduction.

I still like to sew for others when I can. It has to be someone I've known for a while because my family keeps me from meeting too sharp of deadlines now, but I still love the pre cut out repetition! Thanks for stopping by :) time to make dinner!

Beginner sewing tips

I've recently had the opportunity to see some of the mistakes that beginners to operating sewing machines often make. So, I've got some suggestions to make your sewing machine work better. I don't want newbies to become frustrated before they can even start sewing.

First make sure the tension dial is in the factory setting. If you don't remember where that is, put in it in the middle of the range, usually about 4. Now forget how to move this dial.

Set the machine to a 2 1/2 - 3 in the stitch length. It is easier to pick out.

Use muslin or a quilting cotton for your sewing practice. That means a quilting needle or a universal or a sharp 11. I like Schmetz and have had good success with Organ. Other brands are good, I just haven't used them. Buy a couple packs with different sizes, plus ball points.

Make sure the bobbin is wound properly. Even, not crooked, and nice and tight, not squishy to the touch. Make sure there are no tails sticking out of the top.

Make sure the bobbin is placed into the bobbin case properly, or placed into the drop bobbin properly. See your manual or these pics for examples of bobbins. There is no one size fits all answer, it depends on your machine.

Pfaff 6091, thread goes off to the right.


Bernina 950, thread goes to the left.


If your only thread stand option is like this buy one of these or these.



See your manual for proper threading. If you don't have the manual, try to find your machine here. I will try to do some more threading tutorials soon. The rules are pretty much the same, machines just look different.

Place your foot all the way up on the foot pedal, not just your toes. Use even pressure, less for slower or more to go faster.

Situate the fabric under the presser foot, needle down, then presser foot down. ONLY TURN THE HANDWHEEL TOWARD YOU! NEVER (NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!) TURN THE HANDWHEEL AWAY FROM YOU! Even if it means the wheel has to go all the way around.

Let the machine do what it is designed to do. Don't "steer" the fabric, guide it. Its OK to be a little off starting out, keep your corrections gradual and it won't be as noticeable.

If you want to slow down, use less pressure with your foot, don't hold back the fabric. I can't stand the sound of working against the feed dogs.

Backstitching should be limited to about 3 stitches.

Change your needle often, this is not a place where you should be skimping and saving money. If the stitch isn't right and you are positive the threading and bobbin are correct, try a different needle, you can use this chart. Make sure the needle matches your fabric and you are using a compatible thread.

A seamstress is not a patternmaker.

A seamstress is not a patternmaker. If you are looking for someone to make patterns, do not ask a seamstress. A patternmaker can sew, but if I call myself a seamstress, I am not implying that I can make patterns. If a patternmaker says he/she can't sew then find yourself another patternmaker.

I was asked many years ago to sew samples for a self-described patternmaker who lamented that she could only draft patterns but could not sew to save her life. After contracting to sew 10 designs, already cut out, for $50.00 apiece I discovered the problem. Nothing fit together. She couldn't sew because she couldn't draft. I was inexperienced at the time and brought the garments to a experienced patternmaker. She confirmed my discovery. I gave it all back and didn't charge her anything because she had spent $5000.00 for a booth at a show.

If you don't know this basic truth, its time to stop. You aren't ready for production. Go here, buy her book.

Some Basic Sewing Information.....

1.Don't turn the hand wheel backwards. Never. It should only be turned towards you.
This is something that comes naturally to me because I learned to sew on a treadle machine. I'm surprised at how many people try to do this. This is the best way to mess up the timing on your machine.

2.Leave the tension on your machine alone! The only reasons you should be touching it are for speciality feet, special needles or some machines ask the tension dial to be set differently for the button hole. First rethread, make sure the bobbin is in correctly, and make sure the needle is the right size and type for the fabric you are sewing. Otherwise leave it on the factory setting.

3.If you want to slow the fabric down, step lighter on the presser foot. Don't slow the fabric down by holding it back. You will get an uneven stitch and just might break your motor too.

4.The sewing machine sews in a straight line. You are not making the sewing machine sew straight, you are guiding the fabric under the presser foot in an even fashion. If you veer off correct gently, don't try to do it too fast.

That is all I can think of right now, I've been reading Yahoo answers and I'm not happy with some of the sewing advice that is given. I really have to stop reading. They are always telling people to adjust tensions! I RARELY touch my tensions. I have to stop reading them. Someone is insisting that you have to thread your machine with the presser foot up?!? Huh? What nonsense! As if that makes any difference at all. In fact, I'd say I'm more likely to thread the machine with the presser foot down! My Industrial machines have a knee lift, so the presser foot is definately down when the machine is threaded. And with my home machines, I put the foot down when I'm threading to get it out of the way of the needle. The only time I can think of it making a difference is if there is an auto threader that requires it to be up.

OK, I think I feel better now. Sigh....

Denim Refashioning and Project Runway

Side View Chevron Skirt
Originally uploaded by Diane Slade Inc

Now I know I'm not the first, and I also understand I won't be the last, but I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get more of my ideas done before they did the denim stuff on Project Runway! One thing I notice is that they seemed to be matching the denim and part of the fun for me is to use the different colors. I've only seen the show a couple of times, because we don't have Bravo, but I've been thinking of renting or buying some of the previous seasons.

A Yahoo! Group I read has been taking about the shows, thats how I know about the recent developments. I'm sure that now there will be more people inspired by the shows great designs and I'll not be alone in my crazy pastime of cutting apart jeans! I just made a big pile to work on too! I'll have to get a pic on Flickr.

I just bought a pattern to try out yesterday. Its not everything that I've been thinking of, but I've been burning to make a jacket out of the recycled denim and procrastinating because of the pattern work involved in making my own design. So, I purchased Butterick B0458 by Connie Crawford. I will only have to make the sleeve a two piece to make it fit on the jeans. Its a nice little Fitted Jacket and I can try out her patternmaking style. I do have her book Patternmaking for Fashion Design to make my own patterns. Connie is very well respected by everyone that I have ever heard mention her name.

Interfacing

I am reminded, as I work on a project, that it is oh so important to have the right kind of interfacing in a project. The interfacing I chose is much to heavy for the fabric I'm using and I fear that I have ruined the jacket. This was an experiment, hence the grabbing and using of the nearest interfacing, but it is a pain to have to analyze an element that i wan't looking into!

The purpose of interfacing is to give a design element more body. The purpose is not to change the fabric into something else. A lightweight fabric calls for a lightweight interfacing. Adding an interfacing that is too heavy will only compromise the quality of the fabric that you enjoyed before you began.

So now I'm back to the drawing board!!

Sewing Over Pins *Again!*

I hate when someone says "DON'T SEW OVER PINS" because I do it. They act like the machine will self distruct or something.

In the recent June/July 2007 Sew News magazine, however, is the most rational explaination of why you shouldn't sew over pins I have ever read. On page 18 is a column by Sandra Betzina, Sewing Solutions, and she writes "Don't sew over pins except when cross pinning to avoid shifting joints. Sewing over pins can cause a drag on the bobbin, which weakens the seam. Sewing over pins can also dull or bend the needle".

I always do the cross pinning and sewing over and I believe it causes undue frustration to worry so much about pulling them out just in the nick of time. But she also points out, without all the doom and gloom, that it can bend or break the needle as well as drag on the bobbin.

I almost didn't finish reading the column when I read the "don't sew over pins" part, but I'm glad I did. I appreciate a rational approach to a familiar subject.

I actually met Sandra Betzina once, sort of. I was working in Christine's booth at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, MI. She came to the booth looking for Christine and found only me, since Christine was off somewhere schmoosing or lunching. Sandra is an extremely charismatic person. I'm a little socially inept anyway, but she rushed in and shook my hand, said some nice things about Christine, and buzzed off leaving me a little spellbound.

I doubt I'll ever register in her memory, but I'll never forget that moment.