moreland

I attended a class at a retreat this week and the lady told us how to keep the edges of long seams together. Why hadn't I heard this before in the 69 years that I have been sewing?????
Anyway she told us to hold the bottom fabric with our right hand and to hold the top fabric with our left hand as you match up the edges and then feed the fabric into the sewing machine. I can't believe how easy it is to have edges perfectly matched! Thought maybe I wasn't the only "old timer" or new sewer for that matter, that had not heard of this tip.
I seldom attend a class but what some tip or technique is taught that is new to me. Isn't learning new things great! I love it.

ghostrider

Sounds too easy to stretch the edges that way to me. I'm glad you're so happy with it, but I'll stick with pinning for ease and acuracy.

DebraK

I would worry about stretch as well.

crafty pat

I guess we are never to old to learn new things.

QuiltnNan

sounds great. but, as others have said, i'd be afraid of stretching

joyce888

I'm a pinner too. The only time I don't pin is when I'm sewing on binding and even then I'm very careful not to stretch or pull either one.

Prism99

I don't pin when sewing long strips together, but I do stop about every 10 inches or so to re-position. Next time I have long strips to sew together, I will try the two-hand method! Since the strips are cut on-grain, stretching shouldn't be a problem as long as I am careful to simply guide the strips and not place stress on them.

Jim

I pull mine taut but not enough to stretch the fabric...been doing this for 20 yrs and never a stretching problem

gigi712

I saw a video where a gal was demonstrating this and she wasn't pulling on the fabric, just manipulating it as she sews along the seam. I learned something that day, too.

Tartan

If sewing long strips together I always pin at intervals. I think it helps to keep the strips from stretching and from me pulling on either of them inadvertently.