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Understanding Thread Tension

Understanding Thread Tension
by Claire Shaefferexcerpted from Threads #78, pp. 39-41 Many sewers avoid the tension dials on their machines like the plague, certain they'll only make matters worse if they make adjustments. In fact, there's nothing very mysterious about setting and adjusting thread tensions on your sewing machine, whatever its make and model. What's potentially more confusing is that many apparently tension-related problems are caused by factors other than misadjusted tension dials. Let's look closely at how to identify and correct "tension" problems, both with and without touching the tension settings. Don't miss other sewing machine tutorials like this one by purchasing a print subscription of Threads magazine. Meet your tension toolsIn order to form a row of stitches that looks the same on both sides of the fabric, the same amount of thread needs to flow from the spool and the bobbin simultaneously. The tension discs and tension regulator together are called the tension assembly. Related:  Sewing

Olivia's Snack Bag {Tutorial} This is a fun little project. These cute little snack bags help reduce waste by not using Ziploc bags. Plus, you will look uber chic pulling one of these out of your bag. :) They are perfect for kids or those long car rides we all dread. Bonus? Items Needed: Prewashed Fabric : I cut out (8) 7" x 6.5" pieces of cotton fabric. 4 pieces per bag. Light weight to medium fusible interfacing Marking pen, chalk, or pencil 12" long piece of Velcro Point turner for the corners (not necessary but nice to have) Hot iron Sewing Thread Sewing pins Measuring tape or quilter's ruler Sewing machine How to make your own reusable sandwich bag: Step 1. Iron out your fabric first. Follow instructions on your interfacing, and apply to one side of the liner. Step 2. Place a 6" strip of Velcro (either the fuzzy piece or the hook piece) 1/2" from the top of your fabric, and pin it onto the right side of your fabric. Stitch Velcro onto fabric. Step 3. Place the liner right side up on your work surface. Sew 1/4 from the top.

Winter Warmers Sarah and I had a Mother/Daughter sewing session this afternoon and made up some Heat Packs. Now we are finally getting some winter weather, these will be put to good use soon. It is a great project for beginner sewers as they are quick to whip up. We used left over fabric from our flannel pajamas as the flannel will make an extra cosy heat bag. We made up a few extra ones for gifts. They are basically just two rectangles of fabric sewn together. Cotton fabric, 2 pieces each measuring 28 cm x 15 cm (10 1/2 ” x 5 1/2 “) Co-ordinating ribbon or trim, 1 piece measuring 5 cm length (2 “) Wheat, 500 g Dried lavender, 2 tablespoons Matching thread Sewing machine Hand sewing needle Funnel Method: Fold the piece of ribbon in half and position it 5 cm from the corner on one of the long sides of quilting cotton, and baste in place. Use a funnel to fill the bag with 500 g wheat, and 2 tablespoons of dried lavender. Lavender Wheat Bag Use to warm up your bed or soothe aching muscles Related March 26, 2012

Quilt Class 101 - Week 3 - Cutting Week 3 - Cutting!! Cutting is so so important when making a quilt. I think sometimes it can be over looked or rushed. When I first started quilting I had no idea what tools I needed, or how to use them properly. Tools There are lots of different tools that you can get for quilting, but there are a few, that I feel are a must! Rotary Cutter - When making a quilt, you really shouldn't use scissors to cut your fabric. Cutting Mat - If your using a rotary cutter you need a cutting mat. Ruler - A clear acrylic ruler. There are a few things your will find along the way that you will need. Like i said...When I first started my cutting skills werent great. Fabric Requirements OR 2 charm packs ( 84, 5" squares) OR 12” strips of 7 Different fabrics. 60" x White fabric or a Main Solid Colour (I used Kona Cotton - Snow) How to Cut Properly 1. 3. 4. Place your LEFT hand firmly on the ruler to hold it in place. 5. 6. It is important to have the piece of fabric you are measuring and cutting UNDER the ruler.

How to Sew Hems by Machine - 12 Methods for Sewing HemsFreePatterns.com Reap extra dividends from your sewing machine investment by using it to stitch the hems in the things you sew. After reading this article, you’ll have the basic whys and how-tos for how to sew a dozen different sewing machine-stitched options. Yes, there is definitely a place for hand-sewn hems, but often the machine-stitched alternative looks better and is easier to execute. You’ve probably noticed machine-sewn hems are found on virtually all ready-to-wear fashions and decorator furnishings today, no matter how high the price tag. When you tap the power of the sewing machine for hemming, you’ll create a finish that’s not only polished, but quick to sew, strong and durable, too. This hem can be sewn on any straight-stitch machine model and suits a wide variety of fabrics. Finish the raw edge of the hem allowance with serging or zigzagging, or clean-finish it (turn under and press 1/4 inch, edgestitching if desired).Turn up the hem allowance width, press and pin in place.

Sewing Zippers in Bags Tutorial 1. (aka Zippered inner bag pocket) **UPDATE** If you'd like this tutorial (or any of my others) in PDF format click here. Note: to view the PDF tutorial, you will need the latest Adobe Viewer program. Get the latest version of the viewer absolutely free by clicking on the button below: Here is a tutrorial for zippered pockets inside bags. A zippered pocket in one of the lining pieces of my bag-to-be. Here's how I put it together Shopping list (as if you were buying from a shop, if not using stash fabrics 0.5 yard of fabric for pocket0.5 yard of Vilene Firm Iron-on1x 7" Zip Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger. 1. Iron the same sized interfacing onto the wrong side of pocket pieces. Sew some stitches around the end of the zip to secure the zip halves (as shown in the pic) Sew this end of the zip together. 2. Mark a rectangle that is as wide as length of your zipper teeth x 1cm high. Sew the front pocket piece onto the bag lining piece by sewing only all around the rectangle (which is blue in my photo). 3. 4. 5.

10 Tips to Prevent Frustration When Sewing — Sew DIY 1. Research There are so many great sewing blogs out there and a lot of them share tips for specific patterns or dilemmas. Before I start any new project, I do research on what other people have to say about the pattern regarding fit and construction. It can save a lot of headaches to see what other people have done and what has or hasn’t worked for them. For example, it’s great to see if other people of a similar body type sized up or down or needed to change any other design elements. 2. A muslin (or toile) is just a test version of a pattern. By making a muslin, you’ll be able to do all the fiddly adjustments on a cheap fabric and not worry about ruining it. It’s a good idea to have fabric for making muslins on hand. 3. Before starting a new project, it’s ideal to have all of the notions and supplies ready to go. 4. Anytime you’re about to start a new project test stitches, needles, thread and seam finishes on a scrap of your fabric. 5. Is a technique just not working for you? 6. 7.

The Awesome Bag Tutorial with Guest Meg of elsiemarley happy monday everyone! did you have a good weekend filled with sewing, knitting & crochet? you ready for some more inspiration and projects galore? meg's projects seem effortless, they are so organic and i find myself so drawn to her work, thoughts and her blog. whenever i find myself needing to find a boost of good ol creative energy i pop on over to elsiemarley. this pastry chef is now making the most delectable crafts & sewn goodies instead of chocolate's and boy am i happy she is. just like chocolate meg lures you in and then once you take your first bite it's instant luv! i tell you....blogging is just so much fun and then when you blog and get to have bloggers you are amazed by on a weekly basis come post on your own blog...well.....it's just fab and one of the many reasons why i love what i do! so get ready to open up another pressie! Hello Mommyhood readers, Meg from elsiemarley here! materials 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 21. 21.

Threading My Way: Pillowcase Tutorials Following on from my recent Pillowcases for Oncology Kids post, I thought I'd do a round up of free pillowcases tutorials I've found online. Pillowcases are super easy to sew - great for someone new to sewing - but it helps to have measurements and a quick how to. 1K+When I first started making pillowcases, I found a pillowcase tutorial, over at Flower Press. Now, a pillowcase is not hard to make, but the tutorial saved me working out the measurements myself. This particular tutorial gives measurements for Australian, UK and US standard pillowcases. Pillows vary in size from country to country. My suggestion would be to measure an existing pillow or pillowcase. I've grouped the tutorials according to countries. Case in point... Pillowcase tutorials on Australian sites... Most of the pillowcases listed above have plain seams exposed on the inside of the pillowcase. For those who would prefer a tidier inside, I've listed a few more tutorials. Do you have a favourite tutorial? ...

Awaiting Ada: Bubble Quilt I’ve been working for a long time on this puff quilt, I started it around Christmas time and it just kept getting pushed to the side. When we were little we had this great bubble quilt that our grandma made us, and I wanted to make one for Ada. I only vaguely remembered what it looked like, so my puffs are much bigger, but it turned out great and Ada loves squishing the colorful puffs! I made a practice puff a while ago for my Puff Pin Cushion and kept the same dimensions. I finally finished making an alternative method for making a bubble quilt, You sew the entire top together before you stuff the puffs! Check out my newest finished bubble quilts! Here are some other bubble quilts! The size I made is a little strange, it’s quite long and narrow, so for now we just play with it on the floor, but I’m thinking it would look amazing at the foot of her bed when we eventually turn it to a toddler bed. Step 1: Pick out a bunch of scrap fabrics that you like. Repeat on all four sides.

Rag Quilts - How to make a Denim Rag Quilt | FeltMagnet Supplies Now that I had the material I had to cut all of it into blocks, I used a rolling cutter and 6" x 6" acrylic block to cut the fabric. You will also need a small pair of very sharp scissors later to snip the seam allowances. I used just my plain old sewing machine to put the blocks together, and a 100/16 size sewing needle for heavyweight fabrics. Cutting the Blocks The first thing I did was cut all the blocks. So this quilt was made 12 blocks x 14 blocks, which would be 60" wide x 70" long. But using these simple measurements you could add or take away depending on how big you want your quilt to be. Arrange the Blocks Once all the material is cut up into blocks, you will then want to lay out each row the way you want the material to show. Lay out one row of twelve of the backing fabric, with right sides of fabric facing down. Do this at 10 rows of 12 blocks, So looking at it you should have all blocks to be one backing fabric and one denim. Sew Blocks Together Sew Rows Together

Nicole Mallalieu Design - Tips and Tutorials for Making Bags and Purses Tips & Tutorials Back to top VIDEO TUTORIAL - How to set in eyelets with a setting tool VIDEO TUTORIAL - Simple method for inserting purse feet. VIDEO TUTORIAL - How to Use a Clover Quick Yo Yo Maker This is an absolute must-read for anyone embarking on bag-making! ALWAYS use interfacing on any bag piece where the pattern reads "cut [specified number] i/f". Interfacing creates structure if it is used on the body of the bag - but is entirely optional here, and using it depends on the weight of the fabric and the finished look that you require. By fusing interfacing to every piece of the outside of the bag you'll add a lot more structure and "OOMPH" to the fabric. You can interface the lining if you want a stiff lining, but it shouldn't be the main support in the bag. It's important to remember that by adding an extra layer of interfacing to a bag piece, you are also increasing the bulk of the fabric. Click here to see the range of interfacings at Nicole Mallalieu Design 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 3.

Easy Flannel Burp Cloths Tutorial | making good choices These flannel burp cloths make a wonderful baby gift. They’re easy to make, and while they are a practical item they are a lot of fun when sewn up in unique flannel prints – the possibilities are endless! The curved shape helps them stay on your shoulder during burping, and also allows them to wrap around baby’s neck to act as a bib. In addition to your usual sewing notions and thread, to make these burp cloths you will need: Flannel – You can get 2 complete burp cloths out of a half yard of flannel if you’re using the same fabric for front and back. Batting – I like to use Warm & Natural cotton batting. Pattern – You can download my pattern piece here. Cut out one piece of flannel for the front and one for the back. Sandwich the pieces like so – batting followed by flannel pieces right sides together on top. Clip the seam allowance to 1/8″, leaving the seam allowance as-is around the inside curve. Fold the .25″ seam allowance inside the burp cloth along the inside curve and pin. Related

Sewing Tutorial: Turtle Pincushion {With Pattern} As written here a few weeks ago that I have a new plan for Greeny & Pinky – the turtle pincushion pattern, I keep my promise and make good of it….. ***drum roll**** Please welcome….. COMBO Turtle Pincushion with Sewing Kit There are compartments to keep scissor, thread and some sewing needles in a proper place [Click "Next" on the photo browser above, picture 5 shows the compartments, or you can scroll down to see the step by step photos below]. This combo version is doubled the size of the original, but all you need to do is just enlarge the pattern to 200%. Previously, I gave out the Greeny & Pinky turtle pincushion pattern upon request. In this tutorial, there are 2 versions of turtle pincushions you can make: To make a smaller felted body version of Greeny & Pinky, use the written instruction below.To make the Combo version as shown on the pictures above, use the step by step photos after the written instructions. Oh, by the way if you would like to know where the scenery is….

The Easiest Way to Repair a Split Zipper | Man Made DIY | Crafts for Men | Keywords: zipper, diy, fix, clothing It happens to the best of us. On a jacket, pair of jeans, backpack. Zippers are moving parts, and as the ManMade Fourth law of physics goes, anything with moving parts will eventually wear out or break. But, no worries. When a zipper splits, you don't need to toss your goods. This tip comes from Danni Trestor, author of our DIY Tailor series. Okay, the zipper. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Is your fix a little more complicated?

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