[Nfb-krafters-korner] Sewing a straight or curved line
Blindhands at aol.com
Blindhands at aol.com
Wed Jan 12 17:22:46 UTC 2011
Now this is how I sew a straight line by hand.
I first of all have to use a tape measure or my preference is a hem ruler.
A hem ruler is 6 inches long, made out of metal, has notches on the edge
of the ruler and then has this metal piece that is attached in the center
of the flat ruler part. This piece of metal fits in the middle slot and is
raised up. Coming out from the sides of the centerred metal piece is kinda
like two not quite triangles of metal. Now I don't have one in my hand so
this is pure memory description. These notches on the side of the ruler
are measurements of I think 1/2 inches [might be 1 inche, but I don't think
it is that large]. So if you want to Sew a 1 inche seam you put this center
piece at the 1 inche notch. It is made to hold it in place at the point
you put it. It is more secure in the notched areas, but it does hold
pretty well.
Now I always use quilting pins. They are the ones that have a large
plastic head on them, are long just under 2 inches I believe and are really
sharp. So with the hem ruler measure what seam allowance you want or what you
want to sew. Measure from the straight edge with the 2 pieces of fabric
together and matched up eevenly at the edges. Now measure having the
triangles of the ruler matched up with the edge of the fabric. Take the pins and
pin through both layers of fabric pushing in and out of the fabric once
with the pin. Use the straight edge of the ruler to guide your pins.It is
maybe 1/2 inche straight edge on the ruler. Now continue putting pins along
this seam allowance maybe every 3/4 of an inche. You will eventually after
using this method determine what spacing is good for you. Once you have
your pins in place, they should be paralell to the edge of the fabric.
Another wise laying in the direction of your seam, not up and down from the
edge. Now sew along in the directions of the pins using the pins as your
guide in spacing down from the edges. If you have spaced them close enough
together you can remove the pins as you approach where they are pinned into
the 2 pieces of fabric.
You can use this same method for sewing in chapes, but sewing curves or
circles you will have to use more quilt pins to guide the shape you want to
achieve.
The large pins are easy to remove as you go along and will hold in place
the fabric. They are also nice and sharp and will pearse thru the fabric
easily.
I have a magnetic pin cushion that you can get at Joann's. It comes with
the long pins with the large plastic heads. So while you are sewing if
the pin cushion is near enough to you, I kinda toss the pins to the pin
cushion and the magnet is strong enough to grab the pins. If any pins drop it
is easy enough to pick up the pins with the magnet. As long as you don't
have an awful lot of pins on this magnet, you can hold it upside down and the
pins will not fall off.
Joyce Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
Blindhands at AOL.com
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