Atlanta
Sewing
Machine
Co.
1510 Southlake Parkway,
Suite 1H Morrow Ga 30260 (770) 968-9911
Do not allow the fabric to stretch when cutting and
marking. Do not allow it to hand over the edges of the table.
Do not use pins to secure the pattern. Trim the excess
paper along the cutting lines of the pattern, and use weights to keep the
pattern from shifting around.
Mark around the edges with chalk. Lift the pattern
out of the way to mark notches and avoid using small nips in the edge to mark
them. If you use even the smallest of cuts for notches, the cuts have a nasty
habit of "growing" larger.
Use a new sharp needle (not a ball point or universal
point). A sharp, violet-band needle, size 10 or 12 in both your sewing machine
and serger is recommended. If you are having trouble getting the fabric to
feed evenly without bunching when using your serger, try this needle before
you replace your cutting blade.
Serging is best for all seams. If you don't have a
serger, use a small zig zag (1 mm wide and 1.5 mm long) on the sewing machine.
Use the differential feed on the serger, and the walking
foot on the sewing machine. This usually works to tame the slipperiness and
uneven feeding of layers.
If you are finding it hard to get started at the beginning
of each seam on the sewing machine, place a lightweight machine embroidery
tissue underneath the fabric and hold the thread. Remove the paper gently
after you're done.
What you do depends on where the hem is, and your
equipment situation. For all hems, first serge/zig zag the raw edge and mark
the hem allowance on the right side of the fabric with chalk. To hem side
slits and simple necklines, turn the hem allowance to the inside and sew from
the right or wrong side. To hem bottom hemlines and simple necklines, the
treatment of choice is to use the twin needle from the right side. Blind hemming
works well for hemming bottom edges too. Forget about hand hemming-the fabric
is so stretchy the stitches will pop once you've worn the garment a couple
of times.
Are
there any special techniques for working with 2-way-stretch knits?
Steps for putting in a zipper
- It's hard to pin the zipper in place--
so use sewing tape or masking tape - or even hand baste.
- Don't forget to put your zipper foot attachment
on!!
- Make sure both sides of the zipper tape
are evenly matched at the top.
- Don't sew down one side and then up the
other-- this will often skew the zipper as the fabric creeps. Sew from the
top down on both sides.
- Basting the opening closed while you are
installing your zipper helps tremendously - it stabilizes the fabric and
ensure that it is centered.
- If all of the above fails, buy "Invisible"
zippers - these are nearly impossible to do wrong, as they have very detailed
instructions, and have a special zipper foot.
Selvage refers to the lengthwise finished edges
on a piece of fabric. These edges are usually a little stiffer and firmer than
the crosswise, or cut edge of the fabric, and will not ravel.
If you buy a piece of fabric that is 45" wide
by 2 yards long, the selvage edges are along the 2 yards, and the cross wise
edge is along the 45" side of the fabric.
Fabrics "with nap" will reflect light differently,
or have a one way pattern or design. If your fabric has nap, it is very important
that you follow the "With Nap" layout on your instruction sheet. Fabrics with
nap include the following:
- Pile fabrics - like velvet, velveteen,
velour, and corduroy.
- Fuzzy surface fabrics, such as brushed
flannel, fake fur, plush felt.
- Shiny fabrics, such as satin, damask, and
some knits.
- Plaids and stripes with an uneven repeated
pattern.
- Printed or woven motifs with a "this end
up" look, or one way design.
Stay stitching is a line of regulation length
(about 8 stitches per inch) stitching that prevents curved or bias edges, such
as necklines and armholes, from stretching out of shape as you are handling
your fabric pieces. If your pattern instructions require it, this should be
the very first thing you stitch on your garment. To staystitch, stitch 1/2"
from the cut edge of the fabric. On deep curves, shorten the stitch length so
the stay stitching doubles as reinforcement stitching.
Lightweight soft fabrics include crepe de
chine and charmeuse. Soft transparent fabrics include chiffon and georgette.
They are all fragile and elusive. Follow these tips for easier cutting and
handling.
When cutting out, lay the fabric on a non-slip
surface, such as one that is padded or covered with cloth. Or, if the fabric
is transparent, trace the required number of pieces onto tracing paper with
a pen. Place a single layer of fabric on top making sure the grainlines are
properly aligned and the fabric is as straight as you can get it. Cut through
the paper and fabric all at once. Hem or sew as soon as possible; allowing
the pieces to rest causes the edges to relax and "grow" larger.
To minimize wobbly seamlines, use a walking foot
for even feeding of the layers, and sew slowly for greater accuracy. If the
fabric gets pulled below the needle plate, you may need to stitch on top of
tracing paper or embroidery paper, removing it carefully afterward.
Avoid backstitching-use a smaller stitch at the
beginning and end of each seam instead.
Use narrow hems. Included are: the rolled hemmer
on your serger/overlock machine, hand rolled hem or narrow machine rolled hem.
Consider trimming the seam allowances and darts
to ¼" (6 mm) on very sheer fabrics. French seaming of seam allowances is another
option.
Use sharp shears or a rotary cutter. Use
pattern weights rather than pins. If it is absolutely necessary to use pins,
use silk pins and pin only into the seam allowance.
Use a new needle, Universal Point, Yellow Band,
in a smaller size, such as 60/8 to 70/10.
Use a loosely balanced thread tension.
Iron with a low temperature. Sheer and lightweight
fabrics are easily damaged by hot ironing.
Avoid excessive handling and unpicking of seams.
What's
the difference between a ‘denim’ needle and a ‘universal’ needle?
Most needles you purchase off the wall are
a universal unless otherwise noted on needle package. Universal needles are
slightly rounded at the tip and are used for both knit and woven fabrics.
Most people mistake larger needles for denim
needles. Using a size 18 would be like driving a nail through fabric due to
the slightly rounded point. A denim needle has a very sharp point so that
it will penetrate tightly woven fabric much easier, therefore a size 14 denim
is all that is generally needed.
How
often should I change my needle?
Sharp
needles make better looking stitches so needles should be changed fairly often
to keep your stitch quality consistent. When doing machine embroidery, change
needles every 10,000 stitches. This means if you are doing large embroideries,
you'll need to change needles after every design to get the best possible stitch
quality. In garment construction, you'll need to change needles about every
third garment. In quilting, change needles after every third bobbin.
How
often should I oil my sewing machine/serger?
With
constant use, you should oil your sewing machine or serger about every 10-12
hours of use. A rule of thumb for a machine that is used less often, or used
quite a bit and then left to sit for extended periods of time, is to oil it
after you are through with your project, and then remember to run it every so
often so that the oil is kept distributed through the machine. Of course, you
never oil a computerized machine.
When
should I have my machine serviced?
We
recommend that a machine sewn on regularly be serviced once a year.
What
does a serger do and do I still need my regular sewing machine.
Sergers
seam, overcasts, and trim in one step. This process takes you two or three steps
on your sewing machine. The serger gives you the professional seam and/or finish
that you have always wanted. With a 5-thread serger you would be most likely
to complete a garment with the exception of buttonholes or zippers. The most
widely purchased serger is a 4/3 thread with differential feed. There are some
sewing techniques that cannot be done on a serger, such as topstitching, buttonholes
and zippers. A serger, like a microwave oven, is a wonderful tool and makes
the job go much more quickly, but will not replace the conventional machine.
My
thread is making loops on the underside of the fabric, do I need to adjust my
bobbin tension?
No!
Absolutely not. If the thread is looping on the underside of the fabric that
means that the needle tension is too loose--the loops are formed because there
is insufficient top tension to keep the thread on top. If the bobbin thread
is coming to the top of the fabric it means the needle tension is too tight
and is pulling the bobbin up. You should be able to get a balance stitch by
adjusting the needle tension. We don't recommend that you adjust the bobbin
tension. This could cause more problems than it will cure.
Do
I need to have my embroidery machine plugged into a serge protector?
:
Yes, absolutely. All computerized machines can be damaged by
power serges and should be plugged into serge protectors.
Will
my sewing machine use a twin needle?
If
your sewing machine loads the bobbin in the front or is a top drop in bobbin
it should have no problem. Your manual should tell you. Older machines that
thread the needle from the side will not use twin needles.
Will
serger thread work in my sewing machine?
Serger
thread is made to be use in a serger, which uses three to four threads to finish
a seam. Therefore, when you put serger thread on your sewing machine your stitch
quality will be affected. For garment construction you should use good quality
polyester or cotton covered polyester all purpose thread for the best results.
1323
Metropolitan Parkway Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30310 (404) 752-7817
