How to Hold Your Fabric to Sew Accurate Seams
Keeping your fabric in a death grip is bad for your posture but can also lead to machine damage! I see this habit with some of my beginning sewing students, so I wanted to share some tips for gaining control while also letting go.
0:00 - Intro
00:23 - How do you hold your fabric while sewing?
02:32 - Demo 1
04:03 - Demo 2
05:46 - This matters even more when you’re NOT working with a machine that’s built into a table or cabinet.
06:18 - A closer look at why this matters/ how it works.
07:37 - Sometimes a walking foot/ even-feed foot helps.
08:48 - Final plea - Let go!
Пікірлер: 49
I’m 72. The tip about folding the fabric back on itself is a new trick for this old dog. Thanks! 😂
@twinsnneedles
2 күн бұрын
Happy to help!
Basics-and-fundamentals "win the game." Thank you for the reminder!
@twinsnneedles
11 күн бұрын
You’re welcome!
@lynetterene
Күн бұрын
I agree
Been quilting for years, but really appreciate the reminder to remove my death grip. Looking forward to putting these techniques into practice
@twinsnneedles
14 күн бұрын
Glad to hear it!
Wow. I have taken online sewing courses, watched tons of videos, practiced sewing straight seams. I have never been told these methods. Thank you so much for your help and advice. Thanks for making this video. I would be interested in more technique videos please.
@twinsnneedles
2 күн бұрын
Thank you for the compliment! I am planning more technique videos!
@lynetterene
Күн бұрын
Me too
@lynetterene
Күн бұрын
@twinsnneedles good to hear that 😊
Thank you, I had my third sewing class tonight. I was trying to teach myself how to guide the material gently with my left hand. Now I know how I should be holding it properly.
@twinsnneedles
17 күн бұрын
There are opinions about this, but I’ll always try to use the technique that helps reduce stress!
Great tips! Thank you!👌
Thank you for this great video, you have helped so many.
@twinsnneedles
9 күн бұрын
What kind words!
Very helpful--thanks.
Thanks for the thumb flip technique
@twinsnneedles
2 күн бұрын
No problem!
Great advice. When I first started sewing the seams always came out wavy. Finally realized I was stretching the fabric.
@twinsnneedles
17 күн бұрын
It’s so easy to accidentally stretch the fabric!
@cassieoz1702
4 күн бұрын
@@twinsnneedlesunless it's useful when stitching knits
@twinsnneedles
3 күн бұрын
@@cassieoz1702 Some knits do respond well to stretching as you sew, but test to see if you like what you get!
@cassieoz1702
3 күн бұрын
@twinsnneedles apart from my quilting, almost all my sewing (garments) for 40 years has been knits, so, since before machines had fancy 'stretch' stitches. The only way to sew was really straight stitch with ease built in (because using zig zag looks awful if you need the seam to lie flat). The issue is to choose fabrics with good elastic 'memory'
Hello! I'm so glad I came across your channel 😊. I've had my machine only 4 days and yes, I'm guilty of the 'death grip' ! Watching this so early I can get out of the habit quicker and be kind to my machine, which has forgiven me, luckily! 😊. 'Feed, not Force' is my motto ! 😊 Thank You so much 💓 And you have a new sub.👍 Even your voice has helped relax my nerves! I will press that bell for your notifications. I'm practising with some old t-shirts and making dusters before I embark on making cozy fleece pads for my 3 guinea pigs 💓 Excellent video, no fuss, clear and informative 👍
@twinsnneedles
17 күн бұрын
Glad to hear it!
Excellent advice !!! I cringe whenever I see someone ( on other Videos ) "demonstrating" sewing techniques and they are "pulling" on the fabric being sewn...
I used to hold on to the fabric for dear life 😅
@twinsnneedles
Күн бұрын
Understandable, but a habit worth breaking!
Thank you so much for sharing ! Can you recommend what to do when the sewing machine is on top of the table? I know that you mentioned, but I don't have any ideas. Thanks
@twinsnneedles
4 күн бұрын
Holding the fabric this way ALSO helps when a machine is on top of a table. I would argue it’s probably extra important then. For some machines, an extension table is an option, too. They can be kind of expensive, but nice to have.
@cocasio7190
4 күн бұрын
@@twinsnneedles thank you!
I love a walking foot
@twinsnneedles
Күн бұрын
They are great for those long seams!
Great info. But if you’re holding the fabric right, and the top and bottom fabrics aren’t feeding evenly, it likely means your presser foot tension needs adjustment.
@twinsnneedles
14 күн бұрын
That can be true! I do like to teach this technique since many of my students have machines that don’t have that adjustment as an option.
@lynetterene
Күн бұрын
How do I know when to fix my tension?
@dorothyyoung8231
Күн бұрын
@@lynetterene when the top and bottom layers of fabric don’t feed evenly even though you’re hiding your fabric correctly as Catherine describes.
It always bugs me to watch people sewing on TV and see them pulling the fabric through the machine!
@twinsnneedles
8 күн бұрын
I’m not saying there’s NEVER a reason to do it, but it should not be an everyday technique!
@jackiesnead1
3 күн бұрын
Especially when they tell you not to pull on the fabric and they’re obviously pulling on the fabric
I must be really spoiled because that machine she’s using is so slow. I now appreciate my Juki TL 18 even more.
@twinsnneedles
15 күн бұрын
Sometimes the spring in my knee lever acts up, that’s why it’s running a little slow. I need to oil that!
@dcwatashi
15 күн бұрын
@@twinsnneedles for a moment I thought I was imagining things
@dorsetboronia6744
3 күн бұрын
Yes agreed. Mine is Juki TL 2010. Love. Love. Love it. Had it 4 years and use it every day.
@Agatha1031
2 күн бұрын
Fast stitching can mean fast mistakes. My 301 is faster than that model Juki. Sure, it's nice when I'm doing long boring seams, but speed for a demonstration isn't necessary.
@dcwatashi
2 күн бұрын
@@Agatha1031 yes that’s true, but this was so painfully slow, and she explained the reason. I think I will make some more pillowcases so I can go full throttle on those long, boring seams. 🤣🤣😂