Monday, September 5, 2011

The Beginners Guide To Sewing Machines - Part 2

By Jane Green


What Sort Of Stitching Patterns Do I Need?

There are two stitches that people new to stitching will need. These are the straight stitch and zig zag stitch

All machines have a straight stitch, its the most typical and most used stitch by nearly everyone. So its considered the default.

Most machines will have a zig zag stitch but be certain to check because there are machines out there that don't have this. They're far and few between, but they're still out there, so just make sure to check the machine.

There are a couple of other stitching styles that are nice to have but aren't necessary. These are button hole stitch and stretch stitch.

Stretch stitch is perfect for for anything that requires a little room to manouver around the seam, so its good for a patchwork quilt which use a bunch of different materials, but it isn't essential.

Do not be too worried about getting a button hole stitch, a few people love this kind of stitch, but button holes can be done with a zig zag stitch setting.

Any Other Tips?

Check the machine can be reversed or is able sew backwards. This is fairly significant as some older machines don't do this and its really convenient when you have to do this.

Always get the vendor to show in detail, how to thread the machine. Just about every machine has an other way of threading the needle. There's few things worse than having a new machine to play with and having no idea how to start using it.

If you buy one and forget this step, you might get lucky and find a video that shows you the right way to do it on YouTube, but this should only be a back up solution.

If you're purchasing a second hand machine, don't forget to check the electric cord for indicators of fraying and wear and tear. You don't want to get zapped while sewing a quilt!

Keep these tips in mind and you'll be sure to buy a winner!




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