http://easysewingtechniques.blogspot.com/p/equipment-and-tools.html
Now that you have everything in order, let us begin. You will need a notebook to take notes.
The first thing I want you to do is to get familiar with your machine. Experiment with your different stitches and stitch lengths. Your manual should tell you what presser foot to use for the different stitches as well as the stitch lengths. Make your stitches on scrap pieces of material. (See Stitches/Needles). Sew a line of stitches, stop, examine the stitches to see if you need any adjustments. When your stitches look like you want them to, make a note of your adjustments in your notebook. Also, you want to try different threads and thread weights for top-stitching, buttonholes, etc, different materials as well. Today, sewing machines have a lot of decorative stitches-try them out. Use a different color fabric from your thread, that way, the stitches will show up well. Practice, practice, practice.
These are a few tips to make sure your sewing is tangle-free.
- Never run a threaded machine without fabric in it, if you do, you will end up with a tangled mess in the bobbin area.
- Thread the machine correctly for smooth operation. (See your sewing machine manual.) Incorrect threading may cause a number of problems. The thread could break, the stitch could be uneven, the needle could slip stitches, or the machine might not stitch at all. Sometimes the thread gets caught around the needle spindle or on some other part of the machine. If you cannot locate the problem, remove the spool and rethread the machine. Sometimes the problem will take care of itself. Check to see that the needle is the right size for the work you will be doing. Be sure that it is inserted properly. The grooved side of the needle should be on the same side of the machine as the last thread guide, if not, the needle may not stay threaded.
- For quick and easy needle threading, hold the tip of your finger or a piece of white paper behind the eye of the needle--this makes it much easier to see.
- To pull up the bobbin thread, hold the top thread with your left hand. Turn the wheel toward you until the needle goes down and comes back up again. Pull the top thread gently to pull up a loop of the bobbin thread. A quick stroke with the tip of the closed scissors under the raised pesser foot will send both threads to the back where they belong. Keep both threads under the lowered presser foot when you stat to sew, that way, they won't pull into the bobbin hole and become tangled.
- Leave at least four or five inches of top and bottom thread at the beginning of your sewing. This will keep the top thread from pulling out of the needle when you start to sew. It will also prevent the thread from being pulled into the bobbin area and becoming tangled. Holding the thread ends for the first few stitches will also prevent them from tangling, and will keep the fabric from being pulled down into the needle hole.
- If your machine has a throat plate for zigzag stitching and a separate one for straight stitching, be sure to use the right one. If you straight-stitch with the zigzag plate, the material will pull down into the large hole and pucker. This is especially true of sheers and lightweight fabrics. On the other hand, if you try to zigzag with a straight-stitch throat plate, the needle will not go through the hole; rather, it will hit the plate and break your needle.
LET'S DO SOME STRAIGHT STITCHING!
The seam is the basis of all garment construction and is the first thing a student should master. Well-sewn seams will assure you of a garment without puckers or bulges. Straight, even stitching is the foundation of a garment that hangs well, fits well, and looks professional. Here are a few pointers to help you.
- Do not be afraid to use a guide until you become accomplished at searming. Most sewing machines have a 5/8" marking on the throat plate to guide you in making the standard seam allowance. Some machines have markings every 1/8", starting at 1/4" and going up to1". If your machine is marked, follow these markings faithfully. Follow them for topstitching as well as for seams. If your machine is not marked, you can place a strip of tape 5/8" from the needle on the right side of the presser foot. Be sure it is straight. It must be parallel with the edge of the presser foot. Put another piece 5/8" in from of the needle, at right angles to the first piece, or draw a line on the first tape 5/8" in front of the needle. This will aid you immensely in turning corners. If you prefer, you can buy a seam gauge and attach it to your machine. It is adjustable, so you can set it for any width you like. Do not overlook the self-stick sewing tape (any fabric store carries this), expecially when you are topstitching. Follow the markings and you will get nice, even lines every time. With a little practice your eye will soon become accustomed to the standard seam allowance. You will find yourself knowing exactly how wide your seam should be.
- When topstitching close to the edge of a fabric, or when making parallel rows of stitching close together, the right edge of the presser foot is an excellent guide for making a straight line.
- If you pin-baste your garment together for fitting purposes, make sure your pins are in a nice, straight row right on the seamline. Place them all with their heads pointing down so that you can pull them out as you sew. Be sure to line up your seam in a straight line in front of the needle so that it will feed straight into the machines as you sew. Material that veers to the right or left will sew that way. When marking darts, seamlines, or other straight lines on your fabric, it is a good idea to use a ruler to draw your chalk lines. They will be easier to follow if they're straight to begin with.
