I'm having problems with a seam allowance... this is going to be hard to explain, I hope someone recognises it!

When I'm sewing pieced blocks together, it's inevitable that at some point the block on the bottom will have a seam allowance that is pressed in the direction away from me, and what's happening is the feed dogs are tangling it and trying to turn it back, and it's ending in a big tangled mess.

I never used to have this problem, what am I doing wrong?

I get that problem once in a while. What I do is just go REALLY slow and sometimes take the tip of a pin to try to hold it down while it's being sewn.

sewing machines are moody little cusses, aren't they? mine will zip along just fine through point tips, backward pressed seams ... you name it. but, just as it has lulled me into a false sense of blissful security ... WHAM!!! big blobs of chewed up whatever. drives me nuts. :roll:

try putting little bits of paper torn from your junk mail under those intersections. save a tree ... and your mind. :wink:

If I think they will be a problem, I pin them the correct direction and don't remove the pin until I am just about to sew over it.

Thank you... it's been driving me insane!

I've never had this much trouble before, just the odd one or two, and suddenly it's happening all the time.

Will try all of the suggestions tonight, and let you know.

:-)

On my machine it's not the feed dogs that causes the problem....it's the throat plate or bobbin cover that flips the seams. The bobbin cover is contoured somewhat and the seams sometimes get caught when they pass over the cover.
What works for me is to pin every seam in place....sew at a slower pace and stop with the needle down when I come to a pin....lift the fabric up from the throat plate and let the seam settle back into place before removing the pin, then continue sewing to the next pin. It takes a little more time to sew a seam but your seams will not be flipped in the wrong direction anymore.

Don't forget - the iron is your friend! A well pressed (not ironed) seam will be more apt to stay where it belongs. Pressing means up and down, not ironing into submission!!

Haven't tried the paper under, but that sounds like a great tip! Also going slower, and pressing, and..... All those things sound really good and make sewing fun when everything works correctly! I hate problems, and once they start, they keep ona comin', so slowing down seems to help. Sometimes walking away and coming back later help too! :wink:

I just visited a web site that had a tool to keep your seams going in the the directon you want them to go. It is called "Direct a Seam" and I saw it on Jhittlesewing.com
This may be something I could use also! :?

When you pin - pin with the point towards the raw edge. Make sure the point is not to the raw edge of the fabric. You will break less needles this way. My H says I have 2 speeds when I sew. OFF and FAST! Nothing in between.... I don't know the meaning of slow. Big lol!!!