Sewing in one direction causes bows?

Reply Subscribe

Page 6 of 9

« First

Last »

Thread Tools

04-30-2011, 08:59 AM

#51

Qwiltylady

Senior Member

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: In hiding

Posts: 454

I use a walking foot on a Singer 201 and always sew my strips the same direction and have never had any bowing ever!

04-30-2011, 09:25 AM

#52

catmcclure

Super Member

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Bay Area near San Francisco

Posts: 1,213

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoowendy

There are very few strips of fabric that are exactly the same length. Therefore, if you sew two strips together you will get one strip offset from the other. The ends that are exactly even are the ends you started with. Sew the two sets of strips together from the wonky end.

04-30-2011, 10:05 AM

#53

patdesign

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: So. Fla now, Va orig

Posts: 1,565

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonnieLoree

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpeters1200

That is so weird. Are there any ideas about why this happens?

I have a project going where I'll only need 3 strips, but it's something I can practice on since I have to make 13 sets of the 3 strips. I have never heard of that before.

I'm hoping with 13 strip sets I can hammer out a way to try and keep all that together. I've always sewn them in one direction so they are all even on one side.

That just seems so weird to me.

Your bottom fabric is always being pulled in by the feed dogs, and the pressure foot is always pushing towards you. See the position of my hand in the picture? Curl the palm of your hand towards to. Don't set your hands flat and expect it to feed in right. You can take that one to the bank. :thumbup:

Spoken like a sewing pro who knows the score. :thumbup:

04-30-2011, 10:23 AM

#54

betsey

Member

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 55

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenini

Fons and Porter sell arrow pins and I've found them for cheap at Tues Am, but still cheaper is the yellow flat flower pins, take a magic marker and draw an arrow on them...or leave your strip set in the machine at the end of the seam you just sewed. Then when you come back, you will always know you need to start that new seam at the end that is under the foot.

BTW, I think it does make a difference. Before I knew to do this I made some really bowed sets!

This is a great method. Regarding the F&P arrow pins-I would not recommend them-at all.

04-30-2011, 10:26 AM

#55

jpthequilter

Super Member

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: Port Lavaca, TX

Posts: 1,276

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoowendy

I think after cutting the thread, pressing, going downstairs to get coffee, answering the phone, picking up scraps off the floor . . . . . I will SURELY forget which direction I was sewing when sewing a whole bunch of strips.

Does anyone have an easy method for remembering which direction you sewed each strip?

Should I just use a perm. marker to mark an arrow in the seam allowance at the start of each strip? Or maybe there's an even easier solution . . . . please post any ideas.

Thanks!

Cut the thread off short with the machine cutter at the end of the row. So look for the short thread where you ended sewing, no need to mark it. Start sewing at that end, keeping in mind your arrangement of strips. alternating the direction every time.

04-30-2011, 11:49 AM

#56

k9dancer

Super Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Mena, Arkansas

Posts: 1,351

I don't pay any attention to the direction I sew my strips. I do spend a lot of time prepping my fabric with starch and ironing before I cut, and I always check that the tension and presser foot pressure is correct before I sew those strips. I don't have the bowing problem. Then again, I don't sew 30 strips together, either.

04-30-2011, 11:57 AM

#57

Polliwog

Junior Member

Join Date: Feb 2011

Location: Dallas, GA

Posts: 232

I always use my dual-feed (walking) foot on my two Vikings (6460 and Sapphire) and Bernina 150 for sewing any long strips together, as well as for any borders, pieced or plain. The walking foot came with the Bernina which is also called the Quilters Edition.

04-30-2011, 02:18 PM

#58

BobbiSue

Junior Member

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: WV, USA

Posts: 266

I also do the two strip method and it works very well..

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnieF

I was reading a blog and the woman was talking about making scrappy strip quilts....her specialty....you know the ones where you cut all the fabrics by width of fabric and just arrange them in rows. She said the way she conquers the bowing of the strips is by sewing the strips by twos....and then sewing the 2-strip sections together...and then the 8-strip sections. Apparently she says that by having 2 strips sewn, it stabilizes the fabric and you don't have to do that right to left and left to right sewing. It's worth a shot.