Press your seams in opposite directions and pinning exactly in the seam line and then a pin on each side of that pin. As I sew up to the first pin I remove it and when I am one stitch from the center pin, I remove it and then the third pin. I find that this works for me. I hate frogging (rip-it, rip-it).

I found a walking foot for my featherweight at the Houston quilt show and, while I don't remember exactly how much I paid, it was was under $50. It works great. Hope this helps.

Great instrucions. I had not ever heard of doing it this way, but it seems very logical and workable.
thanks, Mariah.

If possible have the top seam facing into the machine and the bottom seam facing away from macine. this lets the top seam butt into the bottom seam. sometimes if can't do the whole seam this way I will stop and turn the block over and start from other end. I use clovers fine pins and can sew over them going slowly if have a problem seam. I pin on both sides of the seam into each seam allowance this holds it in place. good luck

I bought a generic walking foot for my featherweight for about 30 or 40 bucks and it works great. Check around on pricing.

I pin on both sides of the seam, only a couple threads width from the seam. I leave my pins in, and when coming to a seam, I sloooooow right down until I'm over both pins, THEN I take my pins out and move along to the next. It is time consuming, for sure, but my seams end up nearly perfect every time.

Fab tips yet again!

I also use glue especially on long seams. I use either elmers white glue or usually glue stick, just a dab & I heat set it with my iron and have had much luck with this method. I discovered this when doing a memory crazy quilt for my daughter with a lot of different kinds and weights of fabrics that kept slipping and the pins just did not hold it together very well.

[quote=Prism99]Glue baste the joins instead of pinning the joins. I do this at the ironing board. Align the seams as you want them, then put the tiniest dot of glue inside the seamline and press with the hot iron. I use Elmer's washable white glue. The glue washes out later or, if you need to open up the seam, comes apart if moistened with a drop of water from your fingertip.

Thanks so much for this tip...sure is making my life easier :lol:

I have a featherweight and I use a singer low shank walking foot without any trouble. I believe I paid 20.00 for one several years ago.

what are folk-pins? I have to use safety pins due to termors also use large coated paper clips.

I feel kind of stupid as I never knew you use a walking
foot when sewing seams together.

I use glue. I found a video by Sharon Schamber where she uses washable white glue when she does her bindings. I've discovered it works really well for sewing blocks and matching seams as well. Now I buy a bottle of the stuff every time I find it on sale 'cause I use it so much :)

Fork pins. They are shaped like old-fashioned hair pins, with two prongs. Here's a photo of some:
http://www.amazon.com/Fork-Pins-35-P...dp/B002LMVF68/

This is a GREAT idea! I love it. I've always pined the joins and sewed as close as I dared to, some times actually going over the pins by accident, and sighing a sigh of relief that I didn't break a needle. Since I am PP right now, there are plenty of places where matching is a must. From now on I will glue theses places. Thanks!

Great advice! I can't wait to try it out.

Thanks for the Fork pin information they look like I may be able to use those with out leaving my DNA on everything I sew. just ordered 2 packs of them, if I can't use them some other quilter I know may want to try.
:thumbup:

Some great suggestions here. Thanks to all of you for the answers and to Mariah for asking.

I love my walking foot. It really helps keeping everything matched up. I bought it last year for $176 and it was well worth it. Used tax return money.

you will love the fork pins. I put a regular pin perpendicular at the point thru all the layers and then put the fork pin in and remove the regular. really holds all those layers in place and keeps the point just where you want it. takes a bit of getting used to, but sure do work well.

I sew over the pins. I slow it down just before I get to the pins. I very rarely hit a pin.

I leave the pins in....

You should be able to Google E-Bay and see if anyone there has one.

peg-TX

I pin my seams, when I get to the joint, I walk the needle over with the flywheel so I don't break the needle. After I am two stitches past the needle, I remove the pin. Seems to work for me.

As suggested from someone else try using a stilletto . I use mine all the time.

When I pin the seams, I put a pin straight up and down through the seam to make sure the seams are lined up. Not 'in and out' like you would normally pin a seam, just straight up and down. The pin a bit before the seam and a bit after and take out the up and down pin. Then sew s-l-o-w-l-y up to the pins and take them out BEFORE you hit the pin.

When I pin the seams, I put a pin straight up and down through the seam to make sure the seams are lined up. Not 'in and out' like you would normally pin a seam, just straight up and down. The pin a bit before the seam and a bit after and take out the up and down pin. Then sew s-l-o-w-l-y up to the pins and take them out BEFORE you hit the pin. If you look at my avatar, you'll see that I had to do this MANY, MANY times, and it worked fine.

Let's see if I can explain what I do. When the seams are locked together, I place a pin pretty close to the seam on both sides. Then when I'm sewing, I approach the first pin very slowly so as not to hit it. By this time I am on the seam allowance so that seam is not going anywhere because the needle is holding it in place. This is when I remove that first pin. I proceed slowly until my needle is on the seam and then I can remove the other pin. Clear?

i finally bought a stilletto, and i use that to hold the seams together after i take out the pin.....really really helps line them up better....gina

if you go to ebay and do a search for a walking foot for FW you will find some for under $30

You can use a walking foot for piecing? I thought it was only for quilting.

Mariah,
I got my walking foot for 19.95 at amazon. It works like a charm. Same one at 2 different lqs were 49.95 and 69.95.
Go figure...

Since I have been starching my fabric, matching seams has improved a lot. I also press seams in opposite directions so they will nestle. I always use my walking foot.

I really press the seams in the opposite direction so they butt up together better. I pin them until I get close to the seam. Good luck!

I got the walking foot for my Featherweight on eBay. I don't remember the price, but it certainly wasn't very expensive. I only use it for small projects.

On one of the professional's TV shows, they used a U shaped pin with a prong inserted on ea. side of the seam. She then inserted a reg. straight pin between the prongs & then removed the U pin. So I went out & bought U pins but forget to use them. Duuuh. I've often wondered if anybody actually uses them.

i also use glue on my seams, in fact Fons and Porter sells glue sticks, but I agree Eimer's glue just as well and much cheaper

I don't know where you live, but in Canada a walking foot for a feather weight is @ $40.00 I have 2 feather weights and had to buy walking feet for both. Just thought you would like to know.

Here is a link for the walking foot that fits the FW machines and several other old Singers. The link to purchase is on the page as well as the info you need about the foot it's self. It's $20.

http://blog.sew-classic.com/2009/11/...king-foot.aspx

ok I hope I can get this soou can understand it! m put pin in straight up and down in both seams right sides together. p erpendicular to fabric. pin horozontillay on either sideof first pin remove first pn and sew it always works for me

I pin parallel to the stitching line -- OUTSIDE the seam allowance. If seams are pressed in opposite directions, this should be sufficient. I also keep my Clover seam ripper on my machine deck to use as a stiletto with a little pressure. It is so fine that it goes right under the presser-foot to keep seam in place, yet it can be pulled out just before the needle goes down. I shouldn't say this, but I've never hit the ripper point with a needle (please don't let this jinx me!). I haven't tried glue, but have pinned like this: put a pin through the seam intersection of top piece, then continue the point through the intersection in the bottom piece. with the pin at 90 deg. of the fabric, pin (perpendicular) just before and just after the seam and parallel to the seam "boxing it in." Remove pins just before you come to them. For really tough intersections, do this AND do 4-6 basting stitches, then check accuracy before doing final stitches. Remove basting after stitching.