Thread: when to do the satin stitich question.....

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Karla....05 is what I use. Just go S L O W and keep needle down when turning, picking your foot up. (foot on machine, not foot on your leg :) )
Turn ever so slightly and you'll have it done in no time.
YOu could take a practice cat and try on that to see how you would do.

Terri....so glad you clarified which foot to pick up...you've got such a wonderful sense of humor.

Originally Posted by mgshaw

I use stabalizer with satin stitch when I use fusible. You put it behind the entire piece, under the background fabric. :D Does this make sense? Not sure I am explaining it right.

Ok, so you have everything fused down, then you put stabilizer on it? How do you see where you have to sew?

Originally Posted by auntluc

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Karla....05 is what I use. Just go S L O W and keep needle down when turning, picking your foot up. (foot on machine, not foot on your leg :) )
Turn ever so slightly and you'll have it done in no time.
YOu could take a practice cat and try on that to see how you would do.

Terri....so glad you clarified which foot to pick up...you've got such a wonderful sense of humor.

Well, just gotta make sure. Don't want her leaving the needle down, then picking up her foot and nothing moving. lol
She may be a teacher, but you know...sometimes kids just get to ya. lol

Either way, I'd test my machine on scrap first - it is a lot harder to pull out decorative stitches than regular. When you are doing that, it should be evident whether you need to use stabilizer, and whether the default width and length are giving you the look you want. Go slow and use your needle down setting to pivot on corners.

I've always done decorative stitching before assembly, but you may be able to get away with it using a blanket stitch.

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Originally Posted by mgshaw

I use stabalizer with satin stitch when I use fusible. You put it behind the entire piece, under the background fabric. :D Does this make sense? Not sure I am explaining it right.

Ok, so you have everything fused down, then you put stabilizer on it? How do you see where you have to sew?

just for example say you are appliqueing a single block, fuse your applique peice to the block, turn the block over, pin the stabalizer to the back of the block, turn the block back over, stitch the applique, when done remove stabalizer.

Melissa, I KNOW what you mean...put it on the 'backside' Terri only understands mucky talk lol!!!!!

:lol: :lol:

I do my appliqueing before I sandwich and quilt it.

Okay! Got it! I did a practive circle with batting, but Melissa--you're right--I do not want to turn the mass around for every turn of a tail. :D I should be able to start today....

My kids are both here! :D :D :D Rach and I made rolls for tomorrow's dinner...I made soup and fed Justin, now the dishes are done. Having kids home is hard work! :lol:

I agree Barnbum about the kids being lots of work but ssssooooo worth it. One of my two will be home for Christmas and I am already planning and looking forward to it. We talk on the phone all the time but I'm looking forward to them being here.

Okay--I know I am a visual learner... but how do you take the 'stabilizer' off once you've sewn on it! You gals aren't talking about the spray stuff--but a piece of fabric of some sort?? I'm confused. I don't need to know to work on this... but I'm still befuddled.

I applique a lot and generally use the blanket stitch before quiltitng and jsut do outline quilting around the piece once the sandwich is put together.
I 'm sure that you have discovered that everyone has a favorite method. I woudl say to experiment and see which one appeals to you the most before doing the cats.

There are different forms of stabilizer.

one is a tear away which is a paper that once you sew through it you pull it away. Another kind is cut away. Another is water soluble.

Sulkey is probably the major supplier of it although there are others out there.

I know I learn better with pictures. Hopefully this helps.

This is the water soluble type. I will cut a bunch of it off then when I get it wet it will disapear.

In the center of the wreath you can see part of the paper that is still there. It kept my fabric from being all wavy & bumpy when I sewed it.

Originally Posted by barnbum

Okay--I know I am a visual learner... but how do you take the 'stabilizer' off once you've sewn on it! You gals aren't talking about the spray stuff--but a piece of fabric of some sort?? I'm confused. I don't need to know to work on this... but I'm still befuddled.

I always use a tear away of some sort. Typing paper works very well if you dont want to go buy the commercial stuff. I use it most of time even though I have a roll of the "real" stuff. But you dont want to just rip, hold your fingers over the line of stitching as you pull with the other hand.

I sewed two cats!!! It's not purrrfect, but where I went a bit off line looks like hair. :wink: I'm using my extension shelf and boy does that use neck muscles I don't use to haul water. :? I found a pair of green rubber gloves I bought to try to keep my hands dry in the winter, but they aren't warm enough--but they're perfect for moving fabric!! They are invaluable to me now!!

The only thing that I don't like is home many holes this puts in the fabric--I can see them when I hold it up--yikes. Seems I should use a dark batting, but I know it'll be fine once it's together.

I understand stabilizer for between an applique piece and the back, but not behind the back. If it's so thin it can be torn or wash away--how can it be helpful?

I'm such a newbie in some areas, many areas. :roll:

Originally Posted by barnbum

I understand stabilizer for between an applique piece and the back, but not behind the back. If it's so thin it can be torn or wash away--how can it be helpful? :roll:

It gives you a scootch more room to avoid puckers and helps keep thread in place. Sometimes without it, bobbin threads will migrate to the front. You will see this more with tight stitches, like satin stitches and some deorative stitches.

I use those rubber fingers when going around curves - and even when not doing curves - they work great when piecing too. No hot gloves!

Melissa, thanks for that tip, never heard of that one before. I learn something new all the time here.

Elle

Originally Posted by mgshaw

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Originally Posted by mgshaw

I use stabalizer with satin stitch when I use fusible. You put it behind the entire piece, under the background fabric. :D Does this make sense? Not sure I am explaining it right.

Ok, so you have everything fused down, then you put stabilizer on it? How do you see where you have to sew?

just for example say you are appliqueing a single block, fuse your applique peice to the block, turn the block over, pin the stabalizer to the back of the block, turn the block back over, stitch the applique, when done remove stabalizer.

Well, DUH!! Why didn't I think of that??
Sometimes I just make things harder than they are. lol

Huh...ya'll seem to have found all the answers...so Karla...can we see those cats now????

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Originally Posted by mgshaw

Originally Posted by tlrnhi

Originally Posted by mgshaw

I use stabalizer with satin stitch when I use fusible. You put it behind the entire piece, under the background fabric. :D Does this make sense? Not sure I am explaining it right.

Ok, so you have everything fused down, then you put stabilizer on it? How do you see where you have to sew?

just for example say you are appliqueing a single block, fuse your applique peice to the block, turn the block over, pin the stabalizer to the back of the block, turn the block back over, stitch the applique, when done remove stabalizer.

Well, DUH!! Why didn't I think of that??
Sometimes I just make things harder than they are. lol

:lol: :lol: :lol:

i prefer the looks of the blanket stitch - not so thick and more handmade looking. it can be done with the invisible thread too. if you have an applique foot you can do it easily by lining the edge of the fabric with the inside edge of the foot. then if your needle can be moved from side to side, place it in exactly the right spot to hit the applique.

without a photo this is clear as mud i suppose.
good luck oh- something else i never knew till recently...it helps to make the zig zag part of the stitch narrower as you turn sharp corners.

Can´t work with that invisible thread, can´t see where I am going :D :D

Elle

I have used tissue paper for stabilizer before.