Wednesday 26 February 2014

Are you straight-line challenged?

Lately I have been bemoaning the fact that I just can't seem to sew a straight line anymore despite investing in a computerised sewing machine with three stitch speeds to help me do such a simple task. It can get very frustrating as I am trying to make a few girls' skirts to take up for my daughter to sell when I visit in a few weeks.


I painstakingly measure, pin and then sew at the slowest speed and I still sew a crooked line!
   

I was so pleased with myself as I thought I had sewn the pink ribbon on nice and straight in the above photo until I had a closer look and found two sections where it was crooked. 

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My feeling of frustration wasn't helped when I watched Dana's new tutorial on how to make a simple skirt and she doesn't even pin and whips up a skirt in ten minutes or so! I have made her skirts before and they have taken me a lot longer than ten minutes believe me. :-) She is such a clever girl.

I started to wonder about when this phenomenon started as I remember sewing clothes for my children when they were little without these hiccups occurring. I even made their underwear as the KnitWit craze started at that time and knit fabric became very popular and a lot of young mums became quite adept at making Tshirts, shorts and track suits. Actually I just did a search for KnitWit and I see they have a website as well as a retail store in Perth.



I must admit that when the children became teenagers machine sewing gave way to other crafts such as beading...


 ...and embroidery so I guess I got a bit out of practice. But this is ridiculous. Now I will have to cut the bottom off the skirt and add another piece of fabric on ... but next time there will be no ribbon embellishment!

Becoming straight-line challenged can't be a result of getting older otherwise I wouldn't see throngs of happy grey haired ladies filing out of the patchwork shop after attending a workshop where they had spent hours sewing intricate and perfectly matched bits of fabric together.

Then again, I do have the habit of keeping a pair of 'el cheapo' glasses in every room in case I need to read anything. Now don't tell me that YOU don't do that if you are an older person and only have to wear glasses for reading. :-) I know heaps of people who do that.

 Perhaps I should just put my prescription reading glasses next to my sewing machine and leave them there! Do you have any hints to help me sew in a straight line...once again?









12 comments:

  1. LOL, I wish I had some advice to give. But I never managed a straight line. Not even in my youth:-)

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    1. Ha ha, Damaria I think I used to sew straight so am not sure what the problem is now. I used to have a really good Husqvarna so perhaps it was a better sewing machine. It's a shame it died.

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  2. That will be my excuse I'm old & need glasses. Its funny years ago when I used to make curtains & soft furnishings I could get a straight line close to the edge no problem at all using an industrial sewing machine now I have a normal sewing machine & struggle. Its funny when I was sewing your swap items I was saying to myself I hope Chel doesn't look at my sewing to close. I never pin perhaps that's something I should start doing & only sewing once kids are asleep

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    1. Your swap item is just lovely, Sarah. I think you are very good at sewing.

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  3. I reckon the best thing I ever bought for my machine was a #10 foot (it's an edgestiching foot for a bernina sewing machine) and it takes ALL the hard work out of sewing straight lines. I has a guide which makes sewing straight lines, especially topstiching a breeze. You can probably get them for other types of machines as well :)

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    1. Thanks for that info, Virginia. I am going to Spotlight tomorrow so will see if I can buy a similar foot for for my Brother machine.

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    2. Nanna Chel, If this picture helps at all (I'm topstitching here- straight stitching near the seam edge)- The foot looks like this
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/49182185@N02/6078707914/in/set-72157625245373847/lightbox/
      You can see the little piece of metal in the middle of the foot that works as a guide. I had a similar foot for my Janome as well. Good luck at spotlight. I think that foot is worth it's weight in gold :)

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  4. Thanks Virginia. I will see if I can pick one up tomorrow. I have a $10 voucher to use up. Love your sewing.

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  5. I believe this comes from looking at my work too closely - when I am done if I just take off my glasses and hold it back from me a bit it always looks better! I also put a piece of blue painters masking tape at the seam allowance I'm going for - having a nice long line to judge from seems to help me! (cute skirts)

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    1. It doesn't look too bad without my glasses, Kathy. Perhaps I should just leave them off. :-)

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  6. Sadly Nanna Chel, I have never been able to sew in a straight line. I failed my year seven sewing class, and I believe it scarred me for life. Luckily, I prefer crochet anyway. (Unluckily, it's not nearly as useful in everyday life!)

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    1. I remember sewing samplers when we were at school back in the 1950s. That sounds like a long time ago. There weren't a lot of dress shops around in those days unlike today so my mum made all our clothes and most girls could sew. I don't think we learned to crochet though and I would like to improve my crochet skills this year. Thanks for visiting, Kirsten.

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