Stitching by Machine

Part 4

Stitching Lengths

Basting

Temporarily holds

Very long, 6 stitches per inch

Standard

Permanent seams

10 – 12 stitches per inch

Reinforcement

Add strength to areas

Very short stitch ( 15 – 20 per inch)

Types of Machine Stitching

Stay-stitching

Prevents stretchingas you handlefabric

Placed on bias andcurved edges

Directional stitching

Prevents seamfrom stretching orchanging as youstitch

Stitch with thegrain

Standard seam stitching

 5/8 of an inch

Almost all patterns

Backstitching

Secures ends of a row of stitching

Stitch back and then forward again

Understitching

Keeps facing from rolling out

1/8 inch

On right side of fabric, see figure 12-5 page 503

Topstitching

Decorative and functional

Outlines seams, secures facing, holds hems

See Figure 12.6 Page 503

Edge stitching

Holds fabric and seams in place

Topstitching very close to finished edge

Zippers and neck edges figure 12.8

Stitch-in-the-ditch

Holds two or more layers together

Secure neckline, armhole, etc

On the outside in the groove of the seamline 12-9

Zigzag stitching

Used to finish seams, buttonholes, attachcording

Decorative designs 12-10

Specialty stitches

Decorative

Before You Sew

Practice sewing on scrap material

Is the stitch length correct?

Are stitches correct width?

Is the tension right?

Needle smooth and straight?

Presser foot firm and tight?

Handwheel tightened after windingthe bobbin?

Unit Construction

Unit construction – completeindividual parts as fully as possiblebefore sewing them together

Complete stay stitching etc

Removing Stitches

Mistakes happen

Remove with seam ripper, threadclippers or small scissors

Hand Sewing

Thread a needle

Usually single thread

Make a knot as shown on page 506figure 13.1

Types of Hand Stitching

Basting stitch

Temporary stitching that marks or holdspieces together

Removed when permanent stitching isdone

Two types

Uneven (13-3) and even (13-2)

Running stitch

Simplest

Gather, ease, tuck,quilt

Use where little orno strain See figure13.4 Page 507

Backstitch

Strongest handstitch

Repair machinestitch seams andfasten thread ends(13-5)

Pick stitch

Variation of thebackstitch

Used to insertzippers (13-6)

Slip stitch

almost invisible

Can attach onefolded edge toanother

Patch pockets,hems, linings, etc(13-7)

Over cast

Prevents raw edges from unraveling

Diagonal stitches over edge of fabric(13-8)

Hemming stitch

Slanted stitch

Finishing stitch (13-9)

Blind stitch (13-10)

Barely visible fromgarment’s right side

Hemming andholding facingsdown

Catch stitch (13-11)

Criss-cross stitchholds two layerstogether

flexible

Cross-stitch (13-3)

Decorative stitch

Center back of pleat jacket

Buttonhole stitch (13-14)

Handworked buttonholes

Attaching hooks and eyes

Decorative finish

Blanket stitch (13-16)

Thread loops, eyes and belt carriers

Decorative finish

Chain stitch (13-19)

Forms thread loops, eyes and carriers

Double thread to form a series of loops

Pressing Fabric

Press (raising and lowering iron )ratherthan iron (slides back and forth)

Use correct temperature setting

Always test your fabric to see reaction

Press on wrong side whenever possible

When pressing on right side, always use apress cloth

Never press over pins

Always press seams and darts beforeother seams are stitched across them

Press directionally with the grain

Press seams flat before you pressthem open

Press curved areasover a curvedsurface

Tailor’s ham

Prevent press markson right side, slippieces of paperunder the edges ofthe seam

Check the fit of thegarment before youpress sharp creases,pleats

Don’t over press

When pressing an entire garment

Start with small areas first

Collars, cuffs, yokes

Later press large flat areas

Pressing Techniques

Flat areas

Place garment on ironing board withboth seam allowances to one side

Open the fabric and place over board

Curved areas

Darts, curved seams (tailor’s ham)

Press darts and seams flat to blendstitches

Place fabric wrong side up on tailor’sham

Enclosed Seams

Press seam flat

Press seam open

Turn right side out, gently push outcorner or point

Press garment section flat on ironingboard

Gathered areas

Press seam allowances together flat

Slip garment over end of ironing board

Press direction up into the gathers withthe point of the iron

Shrinking in Fullness

Hold the iron above the fabric to allowsteam to penetrate before pressure

Use your fingers to pat out any folds

Press edge of the fabric to shrink infullness

Final Pressing

While constructing garment

Light pressure will remove wrinkles

Light touch up at end

Making Darts

Fold the dart withright sides togethermatching stitchinglines

Stitch from the wideend to the point

Stitch the last twostitches as close tothe fold line aspossible

Tie the thread ends

Pressing Darts

Always press dart before crossing itwith another seam

Page 514 figure 15-4

Gathering and Easing Fabric

Adjust stitch lengthto 6 – 8 stitches

Stitch the first rowof basting next tothe seam line

Leave the threadslong

Stitch second row ¼inch away and leavethread long

See page 516 figure16-1, 16-2, 16-3

Pin the fabric edges matching, notches,seams, etc

Pull up both bobbin thread from one end

Gently slide the fabric along the stitching

Wrap ends around a pin

Distribute gathers evenly and pin

Stitch with standard stitching along stitchlines

Shirring is formed by several rows ofgathers

See page 518 figure 16-5

Easing most often used at shoulderseams

See page 518 figure 16-7

Sewing Plain Seams

Stay-stitch any bias or curved areas

Pin baste fabric layers together

Raise the needle and take up lever

Position fabric under needle

Lower presser foot

Backstitch for ½ inch and thenforward

Stitch forward slowly and evenly

Clip threads at the seam end andbeginning

Finish the seam edges if necessary

Turning a corner

Stitch to within 5/8 inch stop withneedle in fabric

Lift presser foot

Turn fabric

Lower presser foot and continue

Turning a Sharp Point

Take one or two diagonal stitchesacross the corner

Raise presser foot, leave in needleand stitch diagonal

Reinforcing

Reinforcement stitches on side ofeach point

Prevent fabric yarns from pulling out

Special Seam Treatments

Trimming

Seam allowance in cut to ¼ inch (evenly)

Grading

Trim each layer of the seam allowance to adifferent width (reduces bulk)

Clipping

On curved seams, making tiny clips orsnips (1/4 to ½ inch)

Notching

Curved seams withtoo much fabric

After beingtrimmed or graded

Cutting out tinywedges no morethan 1/8 to seamline

Apply Facings

Facing is turned to inside for a smoothfinish

Three basic facings:

Shaped

Shape is the same as the area to be covered

Extended

Is an extension of the garment pattern piece

Bias

Strip of bias fabric stitched to garment

Applying Fasteners

Hooks and eyes

Many sizes and types

Page 530 figure 20-1

Snaps

Hold overlapping edges together

See page 531 figure 20-4

Hook and Loop Tape

Special nylon tape fastener

Comes in strips or precut

Page 531 figure 20-5

Buttonholes and buttons

Collars, cuffs, etc

Page 532

Buttonhole types

Machine-stitched buttonholes

Zigzag stitch

Handstitched

Lightweight or loosely woven fabrics

Bound buttonholes

Strips of fabric for the opening

Buttonholes are made in garment beforefacing is attached

Buttonhole Placement

Horizontal

Page 532 figure 20-8

Vertical

page 532 figure 20-9

Machine stitched buttonholes

Start on a scrap of fabric

1. Mark location of buttonhole onright side of fabric

2. stitch the buttonhole

3. place a pin across each end ofbuttonhole to prevent cutting throughstitching

4. cut hole opening using smallscissors

Button Placement

1. overlap fabric edges withbuttonhole on top

2. place a pin through the buttonhole

3. Slip the buttonhole over the headof each pin and separate the garmentsections

Page 533 figure 20-11, 20-12

Attaching Sew-through Buttons

1. using small backstitches, secure a double threadat the button marking

2. place toothpick, heavy, pin on top of button

3. bring the needle up and through one hole, overthe toothpick and down through the second hole

4. remove the toothpick and pull the button to thetop of the thread loop

5. wind the thread tightly around the stitches underthe button to form the shank

Page 534 figure 20-14, 20-15, 20-16

Zippers

Check the zipper package

Staystitch any curved or bias area

If seam allowance is less than 5/8inch use seam tape

Check the pattern guide to seewhether zipper should be stitchedbefore or after facing

Check the length of the zipperopening

To shorten a zipper; machine zigzagacross coils to form new stop

Stitch garment seam below zippermarking

Prepare zipper opening, machine bastit closed

Applying a Zipper

Centered Zipper

Machine baste seam and press open

Place zipper face down

Spread garment flat and right side up

Begin stitching at lower end on the rightside

Begin again at the lower end

Pull thread ends through

Remove basting

Page 535 figure 21-1

Lapped and Fly front Application

Machine base

Open zipper

Machine stitch through zipper tape

Close zipper and turn it face up

Machine stitch close to fold

Page 536 figure 21-3

Invisible Zippers

Looks like a plain seam from theoutside

Applied before rest of seam isstitched

Hems

Skirt and dresses

Use a yardstick or skirt marker

Keep marker at right angle to the floor.

Pin every 3 to 4 inches

Pants

Fold fabric edge under and pin

Jackets

Fold fabric under along hemline and mark andpin

Sleeves

Ben arm to the hand is in center of waistline

Fold sleeve edge under and pin

Eliminating Hem Fullness

Machine baste ¼ inch from hem’s upperedge

Turnhem up and pin at each seam andcenter

 use pin to pick up stitch of bobbin thread

Gently pull the thread toward seam to easeextra fabric

Press hem allowance

Page 538 figure 22-3

Finishing Hem Edge

Machine zigzag finish

Seam tape

Pinked finish