Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • Complaint About Me >
  • Complaint About Me

  • Complaint About Me

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 10-24-2010, 09:34 AM
      #71  
    Member
     
    Join Date: Oct 2010
    Location: Upstate NY
    Posts: 79
    Default

    Do NOT look at the needle! It only goes up and down.
    I make a mark well in front of the needle to use as a guide for the edge of the fabric. Keep your eyes on that mark.
    This also works when making half square triangles...
    Good luck.
    By the way, I'm teaching my 9 yr. old neighbor how to sew and this tip helped her immensely!
    gramalama9 is offline  
    Old 10-24-2010, 09:37 AM
      #72  
    Member
     
    Join Date: Oct 2010
    Location: Upstate NY
    Posts: 79
    Default

    Just read some of the other posts, and someone used almost the same words...."guide for the edge of the fabric". She looks like me too....lol!
    Didn't mean to plagiarize...just coincidence.
    gramalama9 is offline  
    Old 01-31-2011, 11:53 AM
      #73  
    Google Goddess
     
    Join Date: May 2009
    Location: Central Indiana (USA)
    Posts: 30,181
    Default

    thanks everyone for all of the tips
    craftybear is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:25 AM
      #74  
    Senior Member
     
    mtngrl's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Location: Stuck in a Canadian Winter
    Posts: 314
    Default

    I had this problem and was very frustrated with myself. THEN I bought a Brother sewing machine at Wal Mart for a travel machine and I was able to sew a straight line right away. I realized the feed dogs on my old machine were causing the problem by skewing the fabric to the left. The cost to repair was more than my machine was worth. I now have a new machine and all my seams are straight.
    mtngrl is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:53 AM
      #75  
    Senior Member
     
    Join Date: Dec 2011
    Location: South East, PA
    Posts: 345
    Default

    when we were working on a group quilt at our Guild, one of our more "senior" members (one who has won numerous awards by the way!!!) Worked with me to perfect my 1/4" --- turns out, a big part of the problem is a wobbly machine foot!!! I love that particular machine, but the bottom of the foot has too much "play" in it... changed to a "Litte Foot" and my problem was solved! I still use the painters tape trick, but my 1/4" is so much more accurate (Not perfect yet, but at least straight lol)
    scrappingfaye58 is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 11:02 AM
      #76  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Jan 2012
    Location: NE Missouri
    Posts: 6,418
    Default

    I paper pieced dark fabric flying geese yesterday. Followed those straight lines on the paper as if laser beamed. Then Iwhen I removed the paper to attach to border on the dark fabric. eek! My poor eyes just wouldn't do the trick and I waved all over the place. Need more light and painter's tape, and a post-it note and anything else anyone knows about. Don't think it is just you!
    Quilter 65 is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:30 PM
      #77  
    Power Poster
     
    gabeway's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Nov 2009
    Location: Kansas City, MO
    Posts: 10,490
    Default

    Reading glasses at2.5 helped me.
    gabeway is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:39 PM
      #78  
    ro
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Dec 2010
    Location: West Islip, NY
    Posts: 659
    Default

    thank you, thank you, thank you. i didnt even go any further. that is me exactly. i even draw in pencil the lines and still can't get it straight.
    ro is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:48 PM
      #79  
    ro
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Dec 2010
    Location: West Islip, NY
    Posts: 659
    Default

    Originally Posted by wishiwerequilting
    I would like to add just a few suggestions to the advice given so far (all excellent suggestions!)
    1. Before you cut, spray starch your fabrics. I like MaryEllen's Best Press, but you may use any spray starch you like, even if you make your own solution. Just use it.
    Try to make your fabrics feel like the weight of construction paper, and then cut them. That's how stiff they should be. I know it sounds like a lot, but I learned that suggestion from Debra Wagner, who is an award winning quilter, and she is right. So much easier to cut the fabrics, and to stack them together and piece.
    2. If you feel like you need to draw a seam line (probably not necessary, but if you need "training wheels" until you get the feel of things, ok), place your fabric on a sandpaper covered mat, cardboard, whatever, and then draw lightly with a fine mechanical pencil so as not to stretch the fabrics out of shape.
    3. I have used this technique when teaching kids to sew, and some adults can benefit from it as well....
    when you are getting ready to place your fabric pieces Right Sides Together (RST), put a tiny drop of elmers school glue (or applique glue...whatever you have) in the seam allowance.
    When i say tiny, i mean tiny...like the size of a quilt pin head, or bead.
    Do it in a few places along the seam allowance of the right side of one of the fabrics. Then put your next piece of fabric on top to make your little fabric sandwich that needs to be sewn RST. Heat set the glue by pressing the fabrics with your iron. This eliminates the need for any pins.
    You can assembly line sew these pieces - just stand at your ironing mat for a bit and glue and heat set a whole bunch, then feed them into the machine and cut threads after they come out the other side of your needle - typical "chain piecing".
    You should have accurate 1/4" seams, and the pieces should be exactly one on top of the other with edges aligned.
    4. Lastly, it's my opinion...(i'm not a machine tech, so i could be wrong, but i swear this is the case) that some machines "kick" the fabrics out of alignment. It's as if the feed dogs are mis-aligned. I can sew on some of my students machines and i can't sew straight either, then sit down at my machine and i am fine. sometimes it is not the sewer but the machine. if all else fails, get yours checked out, and/or try sewing on some other machines to see if there is a difference.
    Hope this helps. Love all the suggestions here!!
    i loved suggestion #3 to use the glue. i follow the needle, put lines on the seam allowance; however, sometimes the bottom fabric isnt exactly next to the top layer. but the tiny dot of glue should do it. thank you for that suggestion
    ro is offline  
    Old 01-04-2013, 02:55 PM
      #80  
    ro
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Dec 2010
    Location: West Islip, NY
    Posts: 659
    Default

    why don't you bring it back to where you bought it. or to a certified brother dealer. they should be able to look at it and tell you what's wrong with it.
    ro is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    schnurke
    For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
    13
    12-18-2012 08:26 AM
    3Gquilter
    Main
    0
    04-06-2010 12:54 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter