As a beginner to sewing, it is crucial that you familiarise yourself with the fundamentals of using your machine. Before embarking on your first project, practice on some scrap fabric until you feel confident using it effectively.
Always use thread of similar colour and thickness* throughout both needle and bobbin in order to minimize tangling, creating a seamless seam finish.
Sewing in a straight line
There are a few strategies for sewing straight lines on your machine. First, ensure the fabric is correctly positioned before using tape or masking tape to mark your exact seam allowances and sew consistently straight lines.
Use a ruler and fabric pen/pencils to draw straight lines on fabric before stitching them with your sewing machine – this will help improve both pacing and evenness of stitches, while being useful when working on smaller seams/hems.
Many beginners experience difficulty sewing in a straight line due to fabric shift. This can often be linked to not locking stitches at the start and finish of seams by turning their handwheel or pressing a button that lowers their needle.
Sewing in a curved line
Curves may be more challenging to sew than straight lines, but that shouldn’t put off budding sewists. With proper sewing machine technique and practice, beautiful curved seams can be achieved and look stunning in clothing and accessories. First ensure your machine is prepared by checking stitch length, threading tension and tension control – also be sure to clean it from time to time as this will reduce any chance of an accidental crease getting caught in its needle!
Start by marking your curved edge with fabric marker or tailor’s chalk, so as to more clearly visualize its seam line and ensure accuracy when sewing it. Next, clip evenly-distributed wedges into the seam allowance of your curve without cutting into its staystitch line – this step will reduce bulk inside your curve while speeding up stitching process, yielding smooth and consistent curves.
Sewing in a zigzag
A zigzag stitch is an ideal solution for sewing stretchy fabric as it encloses loose threads, preventing them from fraying. Furthermore, it can be used to mend tears or reinforce seams – its length and width depend on how many threads need to be enclosed by its operation.
The zigzag stitch can be an efficient and simple alternative to serging for beginner-to-intermediate sewists looking to finish fabric raw edges at home. It’s straightforward and can easily be adjusted depending on what size stitch you require.
Use of the zigzag stitch can create an eye-catching surface embellishment on fabric. Experiment with different thread types and colors until you find what suits you best; alternatively use this stitch over lightweight cords or yarns using an open toe foot (an accessory available with certain machines) if necessary to avoid stitching directly into their cords; to secure this stitch you could tie a knot at its end before cutting.
Sewing in a decorative stitch
Stitching with decorative stitches can add immense value to your garments. Use decorative stitches along hemlines, stitch down raw edges of fabric or incorporate them into other parts of your sewing project – however there are certain things you should keep in mind before taking this route.
First, test the stitches on a scrap piece of the same fabric you will be sewing with, experimenting with stitch width and length to find what looks best. Furthermore, selecting the appropriate thread type is critical: using inappropriate yarn can cause bobbin thread to appear above your decorative stitch design, ruining its aesthetic.embroidery machine that hooks up to computer
Be mindful to sew slowly when using decorative stitches; otherwise, their quality could suffer at full speed. In contrast, sewing at a slower pace will produce better and more uniform results. If unsure how to create certain decorative stitches, refer to your sewing machine manual for assistance.
