[NFB-Krafters-Korner] Sewing on buttons and sewing machine questions.

Fri May 8 17:14:24 UTC 2020

Would you be willing to offer this as a class?  There are probably others
that would benefit from it as well.
Thanks!
Tammy

-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Krafters-Korner <nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf
Of Tracy Carcione via NFB-Krafters-Korner
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 7:36 AM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists' <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NFB-Krafters-Korner] Sewing on buttons and sewing machine
questions.

Hi Ari.
I gave a class on sewing on buttons.  If you want to share your phone
number, I'm willing to call you and explain the process.  You will need a
button, something to sew it to, like your pajama top, some thread to match
your fabric, and a needle threader.
It's pretty simple, and I think I can talk you through it in just a few
minutes.

You pin the seam with pins going perpendicular to the seam, not parallel to
it.  You put the pins 2-4 inches apart, whatever suits you best.
When I sew with a machine, I put down the foot that's around the needle,
then carefully put my finger near the foot and near the seam edge.  Don't
get your finger in front of the foot, or you can get run over.  Done that,
wasn't fun.  Then make the machine go real slow, especially while you're
getting the hang of it.

You can email me directly at Carcione at access.net.
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Krafters-Korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Ari via NFB-Krafters-Korner
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2020 7:55 AM
To: Crafter's Corner Email List
Cc: englishrider91 at gmail.com
Subject: [NFB-Krafters-Korner] Sewing on buttons and sewing machine
questions.

Hello, everyone,

I've been tryingt to find tutorials for sewing on two-hole buttons. I
purchased the starter kit from WayAround some time ago, which includes some
two-hole buttons. I also had a button on a pajama top come off last night.
So, I'd like to be able to learn how to fix my pajama top, and also be able
to add WayTags to my clothes. I could use the oval-hole buttons that you use
a safety pin for attaching them to your clothing, but I'd like a more
permenant solution. Not that the pins aren't permenant, exactly, but I have
had one time where the pin came out of a work shirt of mine (which had one
of those aluminum Braille tag attached) and both the pin and tag came off.
Luckily, I was able to find both, but this is why I'd like to attach tags by
sewing them on. Besides, knowing how to sew on a button is just something
good to learn.

Anyhow, I've read some tutorials on-line, and I'm still confused. I'm
planning on buying the sewing kit from WayAround, which comes with thread
that's invisible (I wonder how that works), 25 two-hole buttons, a needle
with a hole in the eye to make threading easier, and a cork to stick the
needle into. The instructions say to cut a piece of thread, bring it down
through the eye, and then double it and knot the ends together. Why do this?
Does it make things stronger when you sew on the button?

The other questions I have are about sewing with a sewing machine. I have a
Brother XM2701. We purchased it before I really considered what features
might or might not be useful for a blind sewer. It's not computerized, and
has a dial on it, but the knotches that it clicks into are pretty small. I'm
hoping each knotch on the dial corresponds to a setting, or I'm going to be
in trouble. Anyhow, I've heard of screw-in seam guides, and I've been trying
to figure out if this machine can use one, but either it can't, or I'm
having a really hard time searching Google. So, does anyone who has this
machine know if there is a screw-in seam guide? If not, could a magnetic
guide work, if one is available for the machine? How do you like the
magnetic guides? I'm worrying about the possibility of a magnetic one
sliding, which is why I thought a screw-in type might be better.

Also, I'm trying to figure out if this machine has a needle guide, since I
think that would be safer for someone who's totally blind. I mean, I can't
see to guide the fabric, so I'm going to have to really touch it, not just
hold it, which means getting rather chummy with that needle, which is wicked
sharp. If their isn't a needle guide, could one be added? Could I just use a
thimble?

Okay, so now for my last set of questions. This is about seams again. I know
that you pin fabric together to keep it together while you sew. Do you pin
along the entire length of the seam, leaving, say,  an inch or two between
pins? I know the point of the pins is to keep the fabric together while
sewing--but I'm worried about keeping the seam straight. Do I have the right
idea with the pinning? Also, how do you know where to put the pins to make a
specific seam, like, say, a 5/8-inch seam? How do you know that as a blind
sewer?

Sorry for the interminable questions, but I'd like to get started sewing. It
seems like such an exciting craft to get into. Besides, we've had our
machine for months, and I haven't done a thing with it. This is primarily
because the Brother video that shows you how to set things up is shot in 2D,
and my husband is having a hard time figuring out how to use the needle
threader. We're going to see my mother in-law tomorrow for Mother's Day,
complete with carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, which I have to bake
today, and we're taking the sewing machine with us. She has some experience
with sewing machines, to see if she can help us with that.

Thanks,
Ari
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