This week my mother in law Shannon was able to help me. I'm so grateful for her expertise! She has years of sewing experience, and was able to teach me what I hadn't understood from reading. She also reminded me of a quote in our book that talked about how just because someone is expert in an area doesnt mean that they know how to teach well. Shannon was able to connect with me on my level, and could remember what tricks I needed to know to overcome common beginners/novice mistakes.
First, we worked through the tension problems I experienced last week. Flipping the bobbin around opposite to normal bobbin positioning solved the bunching thread problem! The tension worked perfectly, and we were able to experiment with different thread patterns. She taught me about the different stitch lengths (4 for basting, between 3-3.5 for regular stitches, and 3.75 for top/decorative stitching). We figured out the different stitch types, and she showed me how to use the button hole stitches (alternating between a "bar tack"/side-to-side stick and two other steps). I also showed her three of my favorite skirts/dresses, and she showed me which stitching options on my machine sewed the different seams/hems on my clothes.
I'd also been confused about reading about the grain of fabric. All woven fabric have orientation of the threads which affect how they hang on the body when sewn into garments. The selvedge (edge of the garment that was last on the loom) is parallel to the straight grain which has the least amount of stretch in a fabric. The cross grain runs perpendicular to the straight grain and has a little bit more stretch. And two bias grains run at 45 degree angles from the straight and cross grains. I've heard about the bias before, with ladies explaining the importance of them in making skirts when I was younger, but I never knew how to tell how to find it. Shannon explained that the bias grains are the stretchiest parts of the fabric, and showed me how to pull a fabric in different directions to help me determine which grain I was following. If a flimsy fabric is cut along the bias, it can look shapeless when worn on the body. But if a stiff fabric is cut along a bias when making a garment such as a round skirt, the bias helps create the openness of the piece.
This time with Shannon was invaluable. Besides showing me how to determine the grains of fabrics, she taught me in which situations they could be used. Associating the application of the information has helped me to remember it with less effort. She also helped me identify some of the miscellaneous parts that came with my machine (I have a button holer and zipper foot!), and taught me that I can use regular sidewalk chalk to mark fabric for cutting.
She also showed me the different needles my machine came with. Thicker needles are good for quilts and jeans, size 12 needles work for almost anything, and size 10 works for stretchy fabric and delicates because the needles are thin. Long narrow spools of thread tend to be higher quality than the short squat spools, and almost anything can be sewn using just white, black, or grey thread. Finally, if thread is bunching underneath the fabric and the bobbin's orientation is not the problem, I probably have a dull needle and need to change it.
I feel a lot more confident this week. I'm learning more of basic facts of what tools work best in different situations and needs. Our book said that we feel more motivated and learn more by success rather than failures--I feel excited to start sewing more, and to use our own machine. I look forward to what the next week will bring!
First, we worked through the tension problems I experienced last week. Flipping the bobbin around opposite to normal bobbin positioning solved the bunching thread problem! The tension worked perfectly, and we were able to experiment with different thread patterns. She taught me about the different stitch lengths (4 for basting, between 3-3.5 for regular stitches, and 3.75 for top/decorative stitching). We figured out the different stitch types, and she showed me how to use the button hole stitches (alternating between a "bar tack"/side-to-side stick and two other steps). I also showed her three of my favorite skirts/dresses, and she showed me which stitching options on my machine sewed the different seams/hems on my clothes.
I'd also been confused about reading about the grain of fabric. All woven fabric have orientation of the threads which affect how they hang on the body when sewn into garments. The selvedge (edge of the garment that was last on the loom) is parallel to the straight grain which has the least amount of stretch in a fabric. The cross grain runs perpendicular to the straight grain and has a little bit more stretch. And two bias grains run at 45 degree angles from the straight and cross grains. I've heard about the bias before, with ladies explaining the importance of them in making skirts when I was younger, but I never knew how to tell how to find it. Shannon explained that the bias grains are the stretchiest parts of the fabric, and showed me how to pull a fabric in different directions to help me determine which grain I was following. If a flimsy fabric is cut along the bias, it can look shapeless when worn on the body. But if a stiff fabric is cut along a bias when making a garment such as a round skirt, the bias helps create the openness of the piece.
This time with Shannon was invaluable. Besides showing me how to determine the grains of fabrics, she taught me in which situations they could be used. Associating the application of the information has helped me to remember it with less effort. She also helped me identify some of the miscellaneous parts that came with my machine (I have a button holer and zipper foot!), and taught me that I can use regular sidewalk chalk to mark fabric for cutting.
She also showed me the different needles my machine came with. Thicker needles are good for quilts and jeans, size 12 needles work for almost anything, and size 10 works for stretchy fabric and delicates because the needles are thin. Long narrow spools of thread tend to be higher quality than the short squat spools, and almost anything can be sewn using just white, black, or grey thread. Finally, if thread is bunching underneath the fabric and the bobbin's orientation is not the problem, I probably have a dull needle and need to change it.
I feel a lot more confident this week. I'm learning more of basic facts of what tools work best in different situations and needs. Our book said that we feel more motivated and learn more by success rather than failures--I feel excited to start sewing more, and to use our own machine. I look forward to what the next week will bring!
It is always great to have an expert come in and help! It sounds like you got a lot of problems resolved and, your mother-in-law must've done a good job explaining things! A confident feeling is good to have, especially at this point in our blogs!
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