Sewing is a fun and creative way to keep you entertained and relaxed. Sewing has great benefits that go from making and mending your own clothes to helping cloth the kids' dolls. This is a very cost effective exercise as clothes are becoming ever more expensive. When sewing you want a straight line, the way to achieve that is with a seam guide.
Your seam is very important when sewing; this will determine whether or not you can get your hand in your pocket or even your leg right through those pants you just made. With a seam that isn't straight not only will the item look a little off, it really won't function the way you want it to.
This is the role and importance of having and using the guide. After all, what's the point of having something if you are not going to make use of it? Perhaps the question is, most people see it there but what is it and how does one use it?
So the question is how does this guide work? What is its function and how do you know you have one? Well the sole purpose of the guide is to keep your seams running straight. This is normally a metal plate with measurements and lines to follow. Most sewing machines have one, if yours does not you can easily make one.
This does not mean that you have to go out and buy a small plate of steel and start engraving lines and numbers on it. There is a much simpler method. Take a ruler and a fine marking pen, measure from the tip of the needle the length you require and make a mark. Then take some craft tape, preferably not clear. If you use clear tape you will be straining your eyes to see the marking. Remember to stick it down straight!
Now that you have your marking in place you are ready to get sewing. Line up your material on the chosen measurement and start sewing. Remember to keep an eye on the material and the guide to make sure you do not go off line. Go at a speed that you feel comfortable with, just remember that too fast and too slow is also a problem, you will learn as you practice.
Remember not to use clear tape as this will make it very hard for you to follow the edge as a guide. Write down the measurement used so you know for future or encase you get interrupted later on. When you have finished you can remove the tape accordingly. It's best to use a tape that is not too sticky. You do not want to have sticky residue left on your sewing machine.
Remember that even with a raised one, you can still go off- line. This is due to the materials flexibility. Keep an eye on what you're doing at all times and you will get to sewing straight in no time at all. Soon you won't just be mending old clothes, but making new ones too.
Your seam is very important when sewing; this will determine whether or not you can get your hand in your pocket or even your leg right through those pants you just made. With a seam that isn't straight not only will the item look a little off, it really won't function the way you want it to.
This is the role and importance of having and using the guide. After all, what's the point of having something if you are not going to make use of it? Perhaps the question is, most people see it there but what is it and how does one use it?
So the question is how does this guide work? What is its function and how do you know you have one? Well the sole purpose of the guide is to keep your seams running straight. This is normally a metal plate with measurements and lines to follow. Most sewing machines have one, if yours does not you can easily make one.
This does not mean that you have to go out and buy a small plate of steel and start engraving lines and numbers on it. There is a much simpler method. Take a ruler and a fine marking pen, measure from the tip of the needle the length you require and make a mark. Then take some craft tape, preferably not clear. If you use clear tape you will be straining your eyes to see the marking. Remember to stick it down straight!
Now that you have your marking in place you are ready to get sewing. Line up your material on the chosen measurement and start sewing. Remember to keep an eye on the material and the guide to make sure you do not go off line. Go at a speed that you feel comfortable with, just remember that too fast and too slow is also a problem, you will learn as you practice.
Remember not to use clear tape as this will make it very hard for you to follow the edge as a guide. Write down the measurement used so you know for future or encase you get interrupted later on. When you have finished you can remove the tape accordingly. It's best to use a tape that is not too sticky. You do not want to have sticky residue left on your sewing machine.
Remember that even with a raised one, you can still go off- line. This is due to the materials flexibility. Keep an eye on what you're doing at all times and you will get to sewing straight in no time at all. Soon you won't just be mending old clothes, but making new ones too.
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