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From: mozeyrn
Date: 05-25-2006, 04:39 PM (1 of 9)
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I need to get my side seams to even up a little better when putting the outside layer and the inside lining on my bags (they were just a hair off last night so I had to rip it out). I figure I'll use a walking foot this time (it came with my machine). My question is: Do I need to do anything special with it or just attach and sew? I was going to pin the inside and outside layers together and put both layers underneath the needle and stitch. Is there anything else I need to do? I've never seen one used and I can't get a picture in my mind after reading the manual. I'll do a test with scraps first - the bag I'm making is for someone who is paying me so I don't want to do a "test run" on the final product. Thanks for any help! - Maureen.
Learning something new with every stitch!! Kenmore 16231000 |
User: mozeyrn
Member since: 11-29-2005 Total posts: 349 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 05-25-2006, 05:10 PM (2 of 9)
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Mine is built in and I use it for everything unless I am using a foot that it won't work with. If the fabric is especially slippery I sometimes hand baste -- but that is pretty rare since I've had the Pfaff. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Patty22
Date: 05-25-2006, 06:25 PM (3 of 9)
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Maureen, How do you treat your seams? Do you serge them? Press them open? If you are sewing over seam allowances that are both placed in the same direction, your foot may shift the fabric slightly going over the "hump." If you press your seam allowances to one side, make sure that your lining and outside fabric seams are butted up to one another with seam allowances going in opposite directions. If the lining or the outside is a bit larger than the other piece, you could always put the larger size closer to the feed dogs while you sew (will ever so slightly gather the fabric if you don't pull the fabric as you're sewing). With my walking foot, all I need to do is attach and sew - no special adjustments. Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-25-2006, 09:48 PM (4 of 9)
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If your seams are off just a tiny little bit it might not be from the fabric slipping (or not slipping). If you lift your fabric even a little bit to cut it out the lower piece will be slightly larger than the top. If you roll it when you cut the difference can be even greater. If the seam if off but it is on the straight of grain and doesn't pucker, I wouldn't rip it out. You might do more damage than good if you try to work the extra fabric into your seam (something to think about).
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: mozeyrn
Date: 05-26-2006, 09:51 AM (5 of 9)
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I think one of my seams weren't opened up so they went the same way which would move things around. I need to make sure I pin all my seams open and then re-stitch. The material got caught up on the feed dogs so I had to help it along once or twice - I'm sure that was enough to shift the material too. I may get frustrated and put a project to the side for a little while, but I don't give up. - Maureen.
Learning something new with every stitch!! Kenmore 16231000 |
User: mozeyrn
Member since: 11-29-2005 Total posts: 349 |
From: AndreaSews
Date: 05-26-2006, 04:34 PM (6 of 9)
I was having trouble getting seams to match up for a while too. Specifically shoulder seams. I'd have them all matched up when I pinned and then somehow they were no longer matched up when I got them stitched together. Then I learned a new pinning technique: You stick the pin through the points that you want lined up, on all layers. Many people prefer to pin parallel & along the stitching line, but on the trouble spots where seams need to match up, I'll pin right through that point and place that pin across the stitching line. This way you can keep on stitching until you're very close to that pin and then take it out and inch your way over the spot slowly. My shoulders are looking much better these days 
Andrea
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User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005 Total posts: 1007 
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From: paroper
Date: 05-26-2006, 06:56 PM (7 of 9)
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Directional sewing is KEY to good shoulder seams. If you cut and sew against the grain instead of with the grain you'll stretch the seams. That is why you have arrows to remind you which way to cut AND sew on shoulder seams and neck seams, long seams on a-line skirts, etc.
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: Patty22
Date: 05-26-2006, 07:31 PM (8 of 9)
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All this talk about shoulder seams..... Maybe some stay-stitching - just as one does on shoulder seams - may be an extra step to prevent your fabric from shifting before it is stitched... Just thinking and typing here.............. Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 05-27-2006, 07:02 PM (9 of 9)
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A lot of shoulder seams have to be eased, to make them fit properly.. Measure the distance between the notches on the front and back pieces and you can see it.. (by holding them together , I mean) I was taught to put the longest side on the bottom as I was stitching...and I pin at the notches on the seam line as someone else suggested, also..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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