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From: wanda00doty
Date: 10-24-2004, 01:50 PM (1 of 13)
Hi I just joined this forum and am very excited to learn from ou all. I have recently started sewing by hand and just as I thought I was ready to sew with a machine I learned that I CANT SEW A STRAIT LINE to save my life!  Is there a trick to this? Is it just practice makes perfect or is it that some people have it and some just dont?? I do ok when I can use the guide, but when your fabric covers the guide, that just throws me!It seems like the easiest thing to do would be to sew a strait line so I am embarassed to have to ask.  I just cant tell if I am going strait while I am sewing. I cant really afford to take lessons right now so I want to keep trying by myself. Is there hope for me? Thanks a bunch! Wanda 
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User: wanda00doty
Member since: 10-24-2004 Total posts: 2 
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From: shirleyp
Date: 10-24-2004, 03:30 PM (2 of 13)
| Don't every say you can't learn. Many people can't sew straight. Are you using a sticky quide made from felt. If you can move it, do that. Move it to the measurment you want. Lay your fabric against it and sew. |
User: shirleyp
Member since: 02-12-2002 Total posts: 352 
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From: MaryW
Date: 10-24-2004, 03:51 PM (3 of 13)
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Don't be embarrassed. We all started out the same way. When your seam lines are crooked, do like Shirley says and stick tape or a sticky note where you need your fabric edge to be. You need some sort of guide to keep you on track. When you sew, keep your eye on the fabric edge, not your needle. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: paroper
Date: 10-24-2004, 08:01 PM (4 of 13)
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When I learned to sew, we started with straight lines on notebook paper (no thread). After we had finished an entire sheet, we graduated to the same thing with a piece of fabric underneath using thread. Then we practiced corners and curves and finally a full sheet of one big spiral. by the time we finished, we could sew a straight line and we had control of the machine. It takes a little while to master the machine sewing thing. One thing to remember, if you turn a corner, leave your needle in the fabric, lift your presser foot, turn your fabric, put your presser foot down and continue sewing. Your machine may have a piece of metal that is flat with an upturned edge and a slit in the bottom that looks like a screw goes into it. It is probably 2-3 inches long. If you have one of these, it is a fabric guide. You can set it at the correct distance and use it to guide your fabric through the machine. You should have a screw hole in your machine bed to attach this piece. Some machines, line mine have a bar that goes into the back of your presser foot and can be adjusted to guide your fabric. Most machines come with some sort of guide. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: shirleyp
Date: 10-24-2004, 08:43 PM (5 of 13)
| Good idea, learning to sew on paper. I'm going to have to try this for curves, does it work for stippling? |
User: shirleyp
Member since: 02-12-2002 Total posts: 352
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From: wanda00doty
Date: 10-24-2004, 11:06 PM (6 of 13)
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Shirley. Paroper, & Mary THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! I am so impressed with the kindness here, thanks for taking the time out to help! So many great suggestions and tips...Y'all are stuck with me IM MOVIN IN!  You know I will be sewing paper for a while lol I just want to get it down and hopefully I will LEARN a good lesson on patience in the mean time. Gosh I could not help but ZOOM at first it was so frustrating, but I think I have it under control now. Although every once in a while my foot seems to seem like it has a mind of its own....baby steps. I always wanted to learn to sew and tried so many times and gave up, I'm older and a little more patient so I think I will be able to stick with it this time...plus now I have the luxery of all of your WISDOM. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!! A big HUG to you all!!! Wanda |
User: wanda00doty
Member since: 10-24-2004 Total posts: 2
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From: Mother in Law
Date: 10-25-2004, 02:12 AM (7 of 13)
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Hi Wanda, You are right on when you say these are all nice people. Their the best. I sew clothes all the time and I'm very critical of my work, but many times I thought my sewing looked awful and someone came along and said gee that looks great. Now I don't scrutinize every stitch I do............ just look at the over all project. Glad you came in and asked. That's the only way you can learn. I'm still finding short cuts and way to do things easier. |
User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 10-25-2004, 12:44 PM (8 of 13)
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Wanda, I don't know what machine you have, but some machines have a switch for controlling the speed of the stitching. I have a Janome-New Home Memory Craft 4000 and I have 3 sewing speeds on it.. When my Grands are here and 'helping me ' to sew, I always use the slow speed for safety.. And sometimes when I am doing a technique that is new or just tedious I use the slower speed.. You might have that feature on your machine, but if you don't some others have put a piece of sponge or fabric under the foot pedal to help .. You will soon get the hang of steady speed.. Welcome to the site.. I know you will love it.. I have been sewing since I was 14-- I'm 70 now and I still learn something new almost every day.. Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: paroper
Date: 10-25-2004, 02:41 PM (9 of 13)
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We couldn't wait to graduate from the paper to material! When we did, we were amazingly good at controling the machine! Patience sometimes really pays off. One thing that my home ec teacher used to do was pick up the garment and look straight down the seam. Then she'd have us look. She'd say, "Look at that seam about 3 inches from then end." We'd look and then she'd say "Rip". She was a perfectionist, but I'll never forget the day that I got a pat instead of the terrible word. I don't think that sewing has to be that perfect by any means, but when you learn to be proud of your work, not only does it make your garment look better, you feel proud to wear it. At that time, it was almost embarrassing to have garments homemade. Many of us were thrilled to have a garment that had been purchased at any price so it was important that we have a degree of pride in what we could make. Now it is the other way around, to have a garment custom made is rare and seamstresses are even more rare! I hope that you enjoy your new hobby! pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: cychen
Date: 10-27-2004, 10:05 AM (10 of 13)
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I used to put a masking tape on my throat plate to help me sew straight. However, after having to move the tape to different seam allowance lines (5/8, 1/4, 1-1/2, etc.), my tape started curling and my throat plate became sticky. That's when I switched to using a thick rubber band. I got mine from a supermarket -- you know the purple or blue kind that supermarket uses to tie big leafy vegetables like broccoli or kale? Rubber band wraps around, stays put and can be moved easily. I started sewing in February of this year and I thought sewing was too hard because I couldn't even sew straight. I did try the paper practice method. It definitely helped. I would suggest that for your first project you pick something like a tote or a pillow pattern where no one will notice if you don't sew in a perfectly straight line. Plus, try to find a pattern where both the cut line and the sew line are clearly marked (or you can mark the sew line yourself 5/8" from the cut line). Being able to see where you are sewing helps you build your confidence and allows you to practice moving your hands/fingers with the feeding motion of your machine so that you can guide the fabric effortlessly. I once heard the analogy of how sewing is like driving. The car can go straight but will need our hands on the steering wheel to guide it slightly once in a while to keep it going straight. Sewing is the same. The feed dogs will feed the fabric somewhat straight but it's our fingers/hands that keep it straight. Good luck! Christine |
User: cychen
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 15 |
From: fisherfolk
Date: 11-13-2004, 07:18 AM (11 of 13)
| Just one extra thing to everyone else's advice - I have a Pfaff that has a walking foot as a standard attachment, and I find that it helps to keep the fabric firm on the sewing plate, which limits the movement of the fabric, which in turn, helps to keep the sewing straight. |
User: fisherfolk
Member since: 11-07-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: momto7
Date: 11-13-2004, 11:14 AM (12 of 13)
My gramdmother was a seamstriss. so sewing came to me naturally. Now my sisters thats a different story. They come to me because they can't sew a straight lie either. I tell everyone to follow the lines on the machine where the materail lays. I made a line for mydaughter to use and it worked with her. practice makes perfect so don't worry you will get the hang of it. 
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User: momto7
Member since: 09-02-2004 Total posts: 16 |
From: llsunday
Date: 11-14-2004, 02:40 PM (13 of 13)
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What type of feed system does your machine have? Some machines have a feeding system that pulls fabric off to one side.... that does make it hard to sew straight no matter how good you are . Mine has a box feed system which evenly pulls the fabric under the presser foot. Except when I am doing a narrow seam, then it only catches half of the feed dogs & can pull off the side. |
User: llsunday
Member since: 09-26-2004 Total posts: 16 |
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