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Old Sewing Machine Maintenance

Old Sewing Machine Maintenance
According to the old Singer parts lists, that big spokey wheel on the end of your vintage Singer is the balance wheel. According to most folks who use a vintage Singer it’s the handwheel, so it’s the handwheel as far as we’re concerned here, and we’ll be looking at its removal and replacement, with a bit of a detour on the way. But why, pray, would anyone want to take the thing off? “The clutch?” Well, the clutch is what lives behind that big chromed knob in the middle of your handwheel, and without the clutch your machine would be nowhere near as user-friendly as it is. When you hold the handwheel and turn the stop motion clamp screw clockwise, as you do for normal use, it clamps the handwheel to the shaft onto which it’s fitted, so that when the handwheel turns, so does the shaft. That upping-and-downing is the motion, which you stop by unscrewing the stop motion clamp screw when you want to wind a bobbin. As you take the chromed knob off, one of two things will happen.

DIY Custom Fabric Labels Custom clothing labels using iron-on transfers (©2005, www.grumperina.com. Updated September 13th, 2010. Information and images contained within this tutorial are copyrighted and cannot be used for any unintended purposes without my explicit permission. Many people have asked how I make these adorable and completely customized labels for my handknits: It's simple, cheap, creative, and allows me to put the recipient's name, fabric content, care instructions, and even a little cartoon on the label! Click here to proceed with the tutorial: You will need: - inkjet printer - iron (no steam!) - satin ribbon, 5/8" - 1/2" wide, or whatever is suitable for your project - anti-fraying liquid (Fray Check , Fray Block, etc.) - iron-on transfers, whichever are suitable for your printer. Let's get started! You will need to design your label using graphic software. Follow the instructions on your iron-on transfers. You can reuse the same iron-on transfer paper over and over again. Ta da! All done!

A Few Words on ePortfolios I was asked, I think that it would be of a great interest that you (as a world wide reference in education) can write a very brief review (between 200-300 words) about your vision regarding ePortfolios. (Graphic: Helen Barrett ) e-Portfolios have been around for a number of years now and we're beginning to see how they may be applied in learning and development. An e-portfolio is a collection of digital materials uploaded by a student to an e-portfolio repository; the repository owners can then make this material available publicly to prospective employers or clients, as requested by the student. A good example of such a system is the Desire2Learn ePortfolio system. A good ePortfolio system will not only allow storage and sharing, but also interact with social networks and support comments and annotations.

Bag Your Jacket Lining Lining a jacket makes it last longer and become easier to slip on and off. Best yet, using the bagging method is as quick or quicker than finishing an unlined jacket. Photo: Sloan Howard. by Sandra Millettfrom Threads #88, pp. 56-59 Sewing jackets is something I like to do, but lining them is another matter. By the time I get to that point in construction, I'm ready to put on my new jacket and sashay out the door. Prepare to bag All jackets benefit from having a lining; it lets the jacket slide easily over other clothes, drape correctly on the body, and stand up to wear and tear. If you're using a pattern without a lining, it's easy to make a lining pattern. The bagging procedure begins only after the jacket and lining have been constructed, but there are a few details to attend to before construction. Since the jacket's seam allowances will be pressed open, don't serge any two seam allowances together, as you might be tempted to do, for example, on the center-back seam.

How To Sew Darts - Coletterie For beginners, sewing darts tends to seem like a complicated step. I know that I was confused about getting a straight line and ending right at the point. Double pointed darts seemed even more confusing. After some time spent practicing, I was able to master the art of the dart. I’m sure that if darts are troubling you, these tips will help you! Straight Dart Straight darts have only one point with dart legs along the edge of the pattern. 1. 2. 3. Curved Dart Curved darts are often used around the bust as they can be very flattering. 1. 2. 3. Double Point Dart Double point darts tend to be found on dresses with simple lines. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Free Pattern Fitting Series Pattern Fitting Series I am presenting a pattern fitting series entitled "My Approach to Successful Pattern Fitting". This series is written and produced solely by myself and all of the content is offered from my experience in the Fashion Industry and tailored to appeal to a DIY Sewist/Sewer. Gather A Ruffle Without Pulling A Thread I enjoy using center-gathered strips to use as a ruffle embellishment (often called a "Euro-Ruffle"). The ruffled strip on the top pictured above is for my little friend Julianna, age 3, but I have used this same technique with narrow ruffles around necklines or sleeves on adult garments. The ways to use this embellishment are limited only by your imagination. In this tutorial, I will show you how to make a center ruffled strip, without having to pull any gathering threads! You can click each photo to enlarge it, then click the << BACK button of your browser to return to this page. First, start with a strip of woven or knit fabric. The top pictured above was embellished with 1-3/4" strips of woven fabric that have been finished like this-- Since the strips will be gathered, you may need to start with more than one strip so that it will be long enough. After stitching them together as shown above, trim off the the excess "triangle", leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Labels: Sewing Tutorials

Fabric Labels Tutorial Many people have asked me how I make my labels so I have decided to make this little tutorial including pictures and any little tips that I have learned along the way. You will find that making your own labels is quite simple and much cheaper than purchasing custom labels. Pour yourself a cup of tea and enjoy. Materials needed:computer, graphics program (I used photoshop) & inkjet printerregular printer paperiron-on transfer paperutility knife, cutting mat & metal rulerribbon (I used 1/2 inch natural cotton twill tape)iron & ironing boardscissors Step 1: Design your image using your program of choice working with a resolution of 300ppi for a clear image. The height of your image should be smaller than the width of your ribbon. Step 2: Print your labels. Step 3: Cut out the images preferably into long strips using your utility knife, cutting mat and ruler. Step 4: Iron the transfer onto the ribbon. Step 5: Peel off the backing paper. Step 6: Use them!

Make Your Own Clothing Labels This is part 2 of my 3 part label tutorial for textiles like clothing and bedding. Here are the 3 chapters: part 1 – what to say (or what the FTC wants you to put on your labels) part 2 – how to make them (DIY process of printing & cutting the labels on fabric) [you are here] part 3 – how to attach them (considerations for comfortable labels) This photo tutorial will walk you through how to print your own fabric labels and some lessons I’ve learned along the way. Step 1 – choose your treated fabric for your labels. In order for your printer ink to stain the fibers and last, you must use 100% natural fibers. If you don’t want to treat the fabric yourself, you can buy pretreated fabric sheets for your printer at craft stores or google them. And here is why picking your own fabric is important: you want your clothing labels to be comfortable when the garment is worn, and you don’t want them to unravel. I’ve got 2 fabric options for making your own labels that are comfortable: Done!

How To Sew A Circular Bottom Neatly Round bottom is a nice feature not only for bag bottom but also for a cylindrical pouches and bags. Here is how! Step 1. Make a card board template for a half circle. Make sure that you do this very neatly. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4. Step 5. Step 6. Step 7. Step 8. Here is what I made earlier! Fabric Cutting Techniques & Tricks I had a run in with a piece of rayon spandex jersey this past week. I ended up cutting it with an underlay to keep it from moving around. It reminded me that an underlay is useful for other things besides chiffon, georgette, and charmeuse. WHAT IS AN UNDERLAY? An underlay is a piece of paper placed under the fabric that you are going to cut. It keeps the fabric from shifting in the cutting process and going off grain. WHY DO I NEED TO DO THIS? If you are cutting pairs, like 2 sleeves or 2 fronts, make sure you lay your fabrics face to face so that you don’t end up with 2 left sleeves. ESTABLISH A STRAIGHT GRAIN If it’s a fabric you can tear, like chiffon, that’s the easiest way to establish the straight grain. Use weights to hold the start of the fabric at the line you have drawn at a right angle from the edge, across your paper underlay. PLACE YOUR PATTERN ON TOP OF THE FABRIC Place your pattern on the top and use the weights to hold the pattern down. Do not use pins! Like this:

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