Learning to sew with machine, need advice!

[hollymh]

I'm learning to sew with a Brother, I'm looking for tip and advice to help me along the way, we live overseas and I don't know anyone who can teach/help me so I'm self-teaching. I would really appreciate any help or advice that avid hobbiest have to offer

So far I can sew staright lines, but I always mess up the curves

Practice makes perfect?!

 

[chicks4kids]

If you're messing up the curves, I'm guessing that you're pulling on the fabric too hard and possibly sewing too fast at this point...slow d o w n. You'll get it! It does just take practice! Congratulations on picking up a new hobby! Sewing is such a wonderful, fun thing to do!

 

[hollymh]

Quote:
Yea, trial and error, I watched my mom sew but after my parents divorced she never picked it up again so no one taught me. I thought I had to pull it b/c it wasnt feeding the material, then I forgot to add thread to my bobber and oh man the first time was a mess lol I have got down the straight lines just not curves, I'm trying to be able to sew a simplicity bunny for my daughter by Easter for her Easter basket along with an outfit for it so I'm really hoping I can learn quickly! I have watched a few videos on how to sew curves and learned what I was doing wrong for there so here's to hoping!!!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I think it's great that you are doing this!

Maybe try slowing down your sewing speed a little on the curve. Your hands may be having trouble keeping up with the needle. The needle may be stitching faster than your hands can move the fabric around in a curve.

Sometimes for a sharper curve, you may want to pause along the way with the needle down, lift up the presser foot so you can reposition the fabric, put the pressor foot down, sew a little more, etc. The feed dogs are moving the fabric forward in a straight line, but the fabric needs to be moving along in a curved direction. Repositioning the fabric may help a little bit. Especially on something like the tip of a bunny ear or turning a corner, you need to stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot and reposition the fabric.

Good luck with your projects!

 

[hollymh]

Quote:
Thanks! I was wondering this, so I should keep the needle down still in the fabric and turn the ear?

 

[goldenluver]

yes,

also a push to one side as you pull from the other, gently, as if you are trying to pivot at the needle. you don't want to pull or push so much that you create a stretch in any direction.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
Thanks! I was wondering this, so I should keep the needle down still in the fabric and turn the ear?

Yes! Keeping the needle down keeps it in the proper position while you adjust the fabric. If you raise the needle and then move the fabric, you "lose place" with the needle and have a string on top and bottom of your work that isn't in line, leaving a skipped stitch. Ask me how I know this...

 

[hollymh]

Quote:
Thanks! I was wondering this, so I should keep the needle down still in the fabric and turn the ear?

Yes! Keeping the needle down keeps it in the proper position while you adjust the fabric. If you raise the needle and then move the fabric, you "lose place" with the needle and have a string on top and bottom of your work that isn't in line, leaving a skipped stitch. Ask me how I know this...

I'm going to guess trial and error b/c that's how I have pretty much figured everything out!

So I made some pillows for my kidlets tonight and was really proud of my straight sticth but is it ok to leave the pins in as I sew, I have heard different views on this some say it's fine while others say I risk breaking my needle

Not sure what to do so I have opted to free hand with no pins while I sew. My 4yr old is so excited to have all these new things mommy has made! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside lol

 

[WoodlandWoman]

That is so great that you are sewing for your kids! I bet they're really excited about it.

Some people sew over pins and some people don't. I don't. You can pin fabric together off to the side, parallel to the stitching line, where they won't be in the way. This works great for straight seams. Even if you leave them in, you won't be sewing over them.

You can pin perpendicular to the stitching line, where the pin crosses the stitching line. This is better if you are going around a curve, where fabric pieces could have more of a chance to shift out of place. Or for quilting, where you have points coming together that need to match. Of course it works great for straight stitching, too. If you do it that way and don't want to sew over the pins, just remove them as they get close to the foot or needle. I have a pin holder right next to my machine, so I can pull them out as I sew.

I don't use as many pins as some people do. I tend to use them as needed. Sometimes that means none or not very many, sometimes that means a lot. It just depends on what I'm sewing. I'm sure you'll develop your own style as you sew. If you're comfortable with what you're doing and it turns out the way you'd like, then that's a good thing! I've noticed with sewing, like many things, there are a lot of different ways to do the same thing that all work. Some ways are just easier or more comfortable for particular people. So, don't feel bad if you do something a different way and you're happy doing it that way.

 

[Scoop]

Hi Holly! Here's what a professional seamstress/teacher once taught me. Take out the pins BEFORE you run over them, by the time you get to them they have already done their job and the pressure foot is holding the fabric together at that point. She said she once broke a needle by running over a pin and it flew up at her eye! Thankfully she was not injured and never ever sewed over a pin again! That really got me thinking because I had always left them in, and yes, I broke so many needles I would never be able to count them. Sometimes I couldn't even find the part of the needle that broke off! Have to wonder about damaging the machine or a toddler getting hold of it. Soooooo... I take out all my pins now and have not broken a needle in a long long time. Funny that this was brought up on this thread - my DD just asked me the other day which way to do it, too! Good luck with your sewing projects! Oh, and by the way, I taught myself to sew, you get better with each project and learn new tricks all the time, it's wonderful. I would love to see what you made if you feel like posting pictures!