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Learn to Sew Lesson #10: Learn to Stitch

How to pin
                                                                                  

    Usually you’ll be pinning two pieces of fabric right sides together. Place your pins about a half an inch
    away from the edge of your fabric. And you can place pins into your fabric either parallel to the edge or
    perpendicular to it.

    Be sure to remove each pin before it reaches your machine needle. Sewing over a pin could damage
    your machine or break the needle, which could be dangerous.


Seam Allowances
                                                                                   

    The seam allowance is the distance you sew your seam from the raw edge of your fabric. Most
    patterns are designed with a 5/8” seam allowance (check your pattern instructions to be sure).
    Therefore, you’ll be stitching 5/8” from the raw edge of your fabric unless otherwise instructed.

    Most machines have seam guides – lines etched into the throat plate (the metal part that sits beneath
    your presser foot) to help you sew straight seams. As you sew, just place the raw edge of your fabric
    against the appropriate seam guide.

    If your machine doesn’t have seam guides, you can make your own by sticking a piece of tape onto
    your throat plate, with the edge of the tape 5/8” from the needle.


Straight Stitching
                                                                                   

    This is just sewing in a straight line.

    One way to practice stitching straight is to sew along the printed lines of a piece of notebook paper
    with an unthreaded needle.

    Practice stitching before making your first project. Take a good-sized square of cheap fabric, fold it in
    half, and just sew. Experiment with all the different types of stitches your sewing machine can make,
    adjusting both length and width.

    And as you start to sew a new seam, pull the two thread tails away from you for your first couple of
    stitches. This helps keep the front edge of your fabric from getting pushed down into the throat plate
    by the needle and possibly jamming the machine.


Basting
                                                                                   

    Sometimes you’ll need to stitch fabric sections together temporarily. You can do this with a basting
    stitch - a straight stitch that has a very long stitch length. The longer length of these stitches makes
    them easy to remove. Try the longest stitch setting on your machine for basting.


Ending a Row of Stitching
                                                                                   

    At the end of a row of stitching, you’ll usually want to anchor your seam to keep it from coming loose.
    The most common way to do this is to backstitch. After making your last stitch, stop, leave your presser
    foot down and put your machine into reverse. Sew two to four stitches in the opposite direction.


Stitching Around Curves
                                                                                   

    Curves can be a bit tricky to navigate. When you stitch a curved edge, it’s important to make sure the
    raw edge of your fabric stays at the seam guide. Take your time around curves until your skill develops.
    And although it can be tempting, don’t stretch an inner curved piece of fabric into a straight edge to
    make it easier to sew. You’ll end up stretching your fabric out of shape.


Stitching Corners
                                                                                   

    To stitch a corner, as you come to it, slow down and stop 5/8” (or whatever your seam allowance is)
    from the edge of your fabric. Leave your machine needle down in your fabric, lift your presser foot, and
    pivot (turn) your fabric until the next fabric edge is against your seam guide. Place your presser foot
    back down and continue sewing.

    For stitching a very deep angle that will be turned, such as in a shirt collar, stop stitching slightly more
    than 5/8” (or whatever your seam allowance is) from the edge of your fabric. Leave your needle down
    in the fabric, lift your presser foot, and pivot your fabric about forty five degrees. Put your presser foot
    down and make one to two stitches. Leave your needle down in your fabric, lift your presser foot
    again, and pivot your fabric until the next fabric edge is against your seam guide. Put your presser foot
    down and continue sewing. The stitching will be squared off at the tip of the corner instead of coming
    to a sharp point. This actually helps create a sharper point once your item is turned right side out.


Zigzag Stitching
                                                                                   

    A zigzag stitch is created when your machine needle makes a side-to-side motion while your fabric
    moves forward. It can be used for decorative topstitching, to finish a raw edge, or as a stretch stitch
    when sewing knits. You can use a fine, dense zigzag stitch to make buttonholes if your sewing
    machine doesn’t have a buttonhole stitch. Both the length and the width of a zigzag stitch are usually
    adjustable.