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

Fri May 8 17:17:22 UTC 2020

Hi. I have a brother runway CS5055 PRW I believe its name.

I have had it for a few months and have learned a lot so I will try to
answer all your questions.

I found a user manual online you should read a few times.

https://support.brother.com/g/b/manualtop.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=hf_xm2701eus

I have attached the PDF file. Use Adobe or an apple device to open it
for easier read.

Quick Note
I use an app called Aira to help with a few things here and there and
it has helped since I do not have anyone with eyesight around at all.
Mind you they do not know anything about sewing but can tell you what
they see and you make your choice from there.

First my sewing machine is computerized and has a digital screen but
this does not make things difficult if anything it is easier because I
can punch in the number that is associated with the stitch I want and
I know that i have the exact stitch I need.

You will only use a few stitches so finding a way to mark this on your
dial will help.
You need to learn your tension. Mine is a wheel that sticks out on the
top of the machine almost right above the needle but near the front.
It is half way exposed on the top half.

i know that if I spin it all the way to the left it is at 0. If I put
my finger on the far left and push it as far to the right without
lifting my finger off the wheel my tension is now at 1.5.

I know where the 3 and 4 is witch are common numbers but you may need
to use something a bit less or more.
You can use painters tape to measure use as a seam guide. Have someone
put it on the 1/4, 1/2 and 1 inch marker that should be printed on
your machine. Have them tape all the way over the front and to the
bottom. You may need this line out this far at times. They will need
to layer and this is OK. You will just use the edge for guidance.
Do not use tape that has texture. I did and it causes my fabric to drag a bit.

The user manual says you have what is called a zigzag foot already on
your machine. This one is fine.

I have used a lot of different foot attachments on my machine and
found a walking foot works well and I use the split in the foot as my
guide.
My over casting foot worked wonders and even better once I ripped off
the little peace that looks like a knife and something I never quiet
figured its purpose.
It gave me a perfect 1/4 inch seam but I found a needed a walking foot
because my fabric was getting more thick or slippery with each
project.

A walking foot has the teeth that helps pull your fabric along so the
fabric is being pulled from both the top and bottom creating a
smoother sew.

OK. as for the automatic needle threader I need to start with how to
thread the machine.

You have a marker on your fly wheel and you need to have it point
strait up. Put your spool of thread on the spool holder and make sure
your presser foot is lifted up.

Push the flat plastic disk on and make sure the spool cannot move too
easily. This will help you from pulling the thread too much.

Pull the end of the thread  out and across the back of your machine
and threw a meddle loop hook on the top back of the machine.

On the far side you have a couple of lines that runs from the top back
and down the front of the machine then back up again. Run the thread
through this starting with the line on the far right and top back of
the machine.
You will hold the end of the thread in your left hand an use your
right hand to guide the thread. Keep hold of the end and pull the
thread through the gap inside the line. Go down toard you following
the line until you come to the bottom. There will be an over lap piece
of plastic that sticks out, tuck the thread under and keep following
the line.
Loop under and back up until you are almost back up on the second line
and then pull the thread way over to the right then up and over to the
left as if you are make a large circle around the top of the machine.
Then stop. Give your thread a little tuck and feel if it as caught on
something inside. If it did congratulations you manage to hook it. If
not try again and make sure your wheel marker is strait up. The fly
wheel and needle moving causes this inside hook to move up and down.
You cannot feel is unless you really try to cram your finger inside
the gap and spin the wheel a bit.
Continue pulling the thread the rest of the way down.

as for threading the needle.

Spin the fly wheel a little to raise your needle as high as you can go.
If you look at the needle threader you will see a flat lever that when
pushed down causes the threader arm to swing forward and a claw to
catch the needle. Inside this claw is a hook that catches the thread
and drag is through the whole once the lever is released.

You should also see a stick that points down when the lever is not
pulled. You want to grab your thread from above and loop it from right
to left behind this stick then with a middle or ring finger on your
left hand pull the lever downa and hold tight. Pull it to the left
too.

Make sure the claw swings fowward and you should be able to feel a
groove going horazontle on the claw. Tuck your thread from left to
right into this grove and pullup and back toard you to see if it
catched on the hook. If so let go of everything at once. The hook
should have pulled the thread threugh about half an ich. gently swipe
the tail end of the thread to the left by swiping your hand over the
machine but not over the needle.

Pinch the thread from behind the needle and pull it through.

On 5/8/20, Sandra Gayer via NFB-Krafters-Korner
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello Ari,
> I've started learning how to sew just before Easter. My Mum, who is
> sighted, is teaching me. I have learned some stitches by hand. I don't
> feel up to a sewing machine and I'm enjoying sewing by hand. Once you
> get the hang of it, buttons will be fun, although I don't like the
> tiny ones much. I'm hoping someone will point out a comprehensive
> sewing video series on YouTube like the Crochet videos posted
> yesterday, they were fab!
>
> I hope you get on well with your sewing machine. Between us, we'll get
> sewing classes back on the KK menu.
> Very best wishes,
> Sandra.
>
> On 5/8/20, Ramona via NFB-Krafters-Korner
> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Ari, Amy's instructions about sewing on a two-whole button are spot on.
>>
>> It sounds to me as though you received a self threading needle in your
>> kit.
>> That means that the end closest to the eye is slightly split. You can put
>> the sharpest end, the point, of the needle into a pin cushion and pull the
>> thread across the very end of the needle, and it will pop into the eye.
>> You
>> can also use a needle threader on any needle. The wire loop threader is
>> the
>> cheapest and most widely available. If you decide to go that route, let an
>> experienced sewer know if you need help.
>>
>> Seams on machines: Remember that the needle goes down into the machine to
>> make a stitch through the presser boot. You can use the presser foot as a
>> guide. It is essential that your fingers do not get on top of the presser
>> foot, just in front of it. Many machines also have a seam guide with them
>> or
>> available for them. The seam guide is made of plastic or metal and is
>> screwed into the sewing table of your machine. These can be set for #enst?
>> or one half inch seams and other widths. You can baist the seams, but
>> pinning works. I like to place the pins with the heads to the right-hand
>> edge of the fabric so they are easy to remove as you sew. Most modern
>> machines are supposed to sew over vertical pins, but then you have to go
>> find them after you finish the seam. It seems easier to ramove them as
>> they
>> approach the presser foot.
>>
>> Good luck. Let us know how you are doing.
>> Ramona
>>
>> On May 8, 2020 8:02 AM, Amy Stannard via NFB-Krafters-Korner
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> For sewing. On buttons i usually get a pair of eyes to thread the needle
>>> for me and then if you lay the tow hole button on top of the fabric that
>>> it needs to be sew to . Bring you needle thrugh the bakc of the fabric.
>>> If
>>> yo cna put a knot in the end of the piece of thread before bringing it
>>> thrugh the fabric that does help to hold it in palce. Just pull the
>>> thread
>>> all the way through then once you have done that poke the needle through
>>> one of the holes, does not matter which one pull it through and then put
>>> the needle back down through the hole and bakc thorugh the fabric that
>>> you
>>> need to put under neath as you do this and pull the needle thorugh the
>>> hole and through the fabric. You keep pulling the needle through form the
>>> bakc and up thrugh the button and bakc down again severla times unto the
>>> button is secured tightly against the fabric.
>>> In easy steps
>>> 1. Thread needle and tie a knot in the end, if you have eyes aks them to
>>> do this
>>> 2. Pull the needle through the fabric and through one of the holes in the
>>> button and pull thread all the way through
>>> 3. Make sure you start first by pulling the needle and thread thorugh
>>> form
>>> the bakc of the button, coming up form underneath and pulling thread form
>>> one of the button holes
>>> 4. Poke the needle bakc through the second hole going in the opposite
>>> direction pulling thread all the way through
>>> 5 repeat coming up form the bakc through the button hole and bakc down
>>> through the second hole two or thread times until the button feels like
>>> it
>>> is securely in place
>>> 6 when you have finished your last stitch you will end up with your
>>> needle
>>> with thread on the bakc side of the fabric the button in attached to. If
>>> you have eyes ask the to tie is off for you for this is was way. If not
>>> then you  can instead pull the needle with thread bakc and forth thrugh
>>> the piece of fabric under the edge of the button by piercing the fabric
>>> just edge of the button you have sewn so that the thread is univ.
>>> invissable out the outside of the garment. Pull the through from the bakc
>>> through to the front of the fabric and bakc thorugh to the bakc again,
>>> doing this severla times and ending up with the needle at the bakc of the
>>> fabric once done. Then just a i of the thread and this should hold it all
>>> in place.
>>> Hope that is of help t those who need it
>>> Amy
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> > On 8 May 2020, at 12:55 pm, Ari via NFB-Krafters-Korner
>>> > <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > 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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>
>
> --
> Sandra Gayer DipABRSM, LRSM.
>
> Soprano Singer
> www.sandragayer.com
>
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>
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>
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