Monday 22 June 2015

Zigzagging

I hope your vision of me over the weekend was stitching the zigzag on the edges of each of these pieces.
We aren't discussing how many at this point, especially as I am still working out the joining back together! But suffice it to say that each long side of front or back is 36 pieces. and with 4 sides (2 front + 2 back)...you do the maths!

So, the two piles needing to be stitched

and one of the piles which was already stitched.

The stitching is easier to do with the shoulder than the cutting was. (But it is tedious!)

My set up at the machine.

I use a blind hem stitch when I cover edges of things with zigzag. It helps the stitch to properly form over the edge without drawing the fabric up into a lump. My blind hem foot has a little bar, so the stitches form over the bar and then slide off it to the back as the piece goes along.
The little red bit at the front of the foot is adjustable for guiding your project edge along. For using the blind hem foot as a blind hem foot, it would be useful for getting it right for the 'bite' of the blind hem stitch.

You can  see the threads I will be using. The dark turquoise is what I am using on the lilac fabric. It is much paler when seen as a single thread. I am not doing a very close zigzag. Just enough to hold the edge together and add a bit of glistening.

If I get it right, I can go from one piece to the next like quilters do with chain piecing.

5 comments:

Kathleen Loomis said...

I am really eager to see what this dress is going to look like! I can't visualize anything from seeing the bits and pieces, even though I have probably sewed 500 dresses in my lifetime.

And now that I don't sew garments any more you tell me to use the blind hem foot for overcasting the edges! What a great idea!

Sandy said...

Hi Kathy,
This weekend I was at the point where I wondered if what I visualised would actually come together from the bits and pieces!

But today I have sampled the joining them up part and I am pretty confident. However, I think this is a one off for sure. Or at least chopping pattern pieces up in to larger chunks! I am still doing edges, but I have called it quits for today.

I hope you enjoy the blind hem foot idea. Depending on your machine’s foot, the amount you are allowed to zigzag may be restricted. I can’t go less than 4 for width because the needle hits the bar. But some machines have a different configuration...like and edge foot. So you have to work out how to get your machine to do it.

Blind hem feet for doing blind hems on garments is a real waste of time if you ask me! It is much tidier looking to do the hemming yourself. The margin of what works for the amount of ‘bite’ and the thickness of cloth and all those other things is Very Small. I do think they are time savers and less obvious for doing curtains/drapes, though. Then it comes into its own.
Sandy

irene macwilliam said...

I used to use the blind hem stitch for adjusting the lengths of clothes for my girls. I found it such a time saver and they were less inclined to catch in wear than when I hand stitched the hems by hand. I of course was only using the blind hemmer on cotton and courtelle which was very in when they were young.
Intrigued to know what all this mystery is leading up to. When will be the reveal.

Sandy said...

Do be patient! I am working right out straight! LOL
Also getting urgent emails from the organisers, even though they said the deadline for photos was the 30th. So, hopefully by the weekend, I will have photos that pretty much give the look it will have from the stage. and then do finishing’s off from there.

Yes, I think if you can get the blind hem stitch set right, and if you were doing it for kids clothes, it would be a lot quicker.
Sandy

Maggi said...

You certainly like to challenge yourself!