Sideways / Directional Sewing
 

Hello,

I am very new to the sewing world and have a very specific task in mind. I am looking to sew stripes up the side of a pant leg and do not want to have to pull the inner seem apart to do this.

I have learned that some models of sewing machine have a "Sideways" or Directional Sewing option. I have been trying to research these machines and find what the average price for something with this feature is however essentially all the manufacture sites do not show prices and do not link to dealers with websites that have the ability to buy online.

I am hoping someone here may be able to give me insight into what the least I would have to spend on a machine that is capable of doing this task.

Thanks,

Doug

You can accomplish this by lowering your feed dogs. Feed dogs are those teeth under your presser foot that feed "guide" fabric under the needle automatically. When you lower the feed dogs, than you have to guide the fabric manually in the direction you want to go. This is called free-motion. Most machines have the ability to lower the feed dogs either by a switch or button. I gotta warn you, though...this takes practice because you now have to move fabric at the correct speed to ensure your stitch length stays uniformed. So, practice on scraps first... If there is another way to do "stitch sideways" I am not familiar with it.....
And, since it's a pant leg, this may prove difficult without opening a seam.
Welcome to the board...

I think unless you have a machine with a very long free arm(can't think of one) so the pant leg won't bunch up under the machines arm or a post machine(industrial) you're not going to accomplish this task the way you're imagining it to be done unless you sew it by hand.

Cari

There are machines that sew sideways. As far as I know, cost is several thousand dollars. If you have a specific machine in mind, you can get an idea of pricing by creating a free account at patternreview.com and doing a search for reviews on that machine. All of the reviews are written by people who have purchased that model, and they typically include their purchase cost in the review.

For me it would be less trouble to open up the inner seam than to struggle with it closed. It would also help in lining up the stripes so they're straight and lay flat.

My BERNINA machines have a free arm which I access by taking off the snap on platform. When I repair my husband's jeans I slip the pants leg over the free arm and lower the feed dogs (like Teen mentioned) and stitch the patch on. There is no reason you could not sew the stripe on in the same way if your machine has this feature. You would need to practice the stitching to be consistent. Good luck with your endeavor.

Welcome from western NY and happy quilting :)

I have a Husqvarna Designer 1 which has a feature which allows you to sew sideways. I was so excited when I saw that. However you cannot adjust the stitch length, very short, and it is used mainly for darning and patching. If anyone who has this model knows how to increase the stitch length, I would appreciate that info. Doesn't quite answer your question though.

HI and welcome. I have a Viking (big bucks) that does 8 way directional stitching. As mentioned above, depending on the length of your free arm, and the inseam length, you may or may not have enough room for the entire pant leg to be scrunched onto it. if you do want to pursue this, take a pair of slacks with you to the dealership.
I personally would also just open the opposite seam.

Hi & Welcome!

Even with a machine with directional sewing, it is going to be difficult to get the lengthwise pant leg under the machine foot without opening the seam. At some point the material will bunch up and might catch the underside of pant leg.

It would be easier to open seam line and then restitch. You might not have to open seam into the hem area depending on the project.

Another option is to use a permanent fabric glue and glue on the stripes. I would use a bias tape maker so the edges are turned under if you are using fabric. Ribbon could be attached directly to the pant legs.

Good luck & again Welcome!