How To Adjust The Two Most Basic Sewing Stitches
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How To Adjust The Two Most Basic Sewing Stitches
How To Adjust The Two Most Basic Sewing Stitches
Except for vintage sewing machines or industrial models, most sewing machines nowadays have straight stitches and zigzag stitches as default options. They are also useful in most construction projects. They are of utmost essential and should be mastered if you want to pursuit sewing.
Sometimes you have to adjust the stitches to suit to project, either the length or the width or both. These skills are as important as knowing how to make these stitches. However, the two require different ways to change.
Find more information: Best Product Reviews CraftsSelection
1 - The Straight Stitch
This is the most common utility stitches for construction projects and also the best choice for seaming unless the fabric is stretchy. If you have to deal with stretch fabrics, there is no shortage of stitch options for this particular need.
Straight stitch is the basic stitch on every sewing machine
In fact, the best simple sewing machine for beginners will have straight stitches as the basic. Visit our website at CraftsSelection.com for more helpful sewing machine reviews.
Straight Stitch Length
The most common adjustment when it comes to straight stitches is the length. This seemingly small adjustment can improve the overall appearance of the stitches and help avoid puckered seams.
Straight stitches with minimum length can be called lock stitches. This is one of the ways to avoid backstitching but still provides the same securing effect. When adjusting the length is too much of an effort to do, you can always back stitch, it is easy to do anyway.
Straight Stitch Width
You have control over the width of the stitches as well. To be honest, these are straight stitches, the width I am talking about is not what you are having in mind. In fact, it is more about controlling where the needle lands. This comes in handy when you have to apply straight stitches to not-so-straight patterns. Depend on the model of the machine, you have options on the location of the needle, but the three most basic are left, right, and middle.
Aside from the basics above, many machines give users more options on this width. The more options you have, the more you can control where the needle lands.
To know how far you can adjust this setting, refer to the user manual that accompanies your machine. This book is the most reliable source of information around. Many brands also upload the manual online so if you cannot find yours, surf the internet to find a replacement.
Tension Adjustments
Depend on the type of fabric you are dealing with, the straight stitches will appear smooth or not. If you are sewing heavyweight fabrics or something that is particularly thin, adjusting the tension is advisable. Bear in mind that straight stitches cannot stretch so if you intend to sew stretchy fabric, you may want to find something else otherwise your stitch lines will appear messy and puckered.
Every machine has tension adjustment, the difference lies in how much you can adjust it. For minimum adjustment, some best cheap sewing machine for beginners is the best.
No machine is created equal so refer to the manual before you attempt to turn the tension knob or the bobbin case screw. Always test on a piece of scrap before you sew on the project.
See also: CraftsSelection.com The Best Sewing Machine Reviews
2 - The Zigzag Stitch
Zigzag stitches are particularly useful for stretchy fabrics and being seam finish. While adjusting the length and width of straight stitches can change their appearance and little of its effect, with zigzag stitches, you can adjust them to fit more needs.
Zigzag stitches
Zigzag Stitch Width
Unlike straight stitches when you adjust the width, you change the needle position. With zigzag stitch, you actually change how much the needle swing. The only common thing is the width of the stitches will be changed.
- For seam finish, you need to make sure that the stitches are wide enough to keep all the fibers in place. Seam finish is to prevent fabrics from fraying after all. Making too narrow stitches and you risk affecting how stable the seams are.
- For stretchy fabrics, the stitches must be narrow so that they can stretch when the fabric does.
Zigzag Stitch Length
Adjusting the length does not produce the same effect as with the width. Setting the stitches to be short enough and you will have bar stacks while increasing the length can make the seams look like they are made of straight stitches.
Always test first
Testing is important for the perfect-looking project and it is more so when it comes to zigzag stitches. Zigzag stitches need a harmonious combination of length and width and testing is essential to see if you have found the right setting you need for the project.
Zigzag stitches can stretch but that property also depends on the type of fabrics you are dealing with. Keep a few pieces of a scrap of the same type of fabric and test on them first. If the setting is correct, the stitch lines will stretch with fabric while if it is not, the stitches will break.
Get to Know Your Machine
To make an adjustment, you need to know how far the machine allows you to take control. The best source, in this case, is the user manual. When you have read all the related information, experiment on scraps until you feel that you are confident with putting what you have learned on projects.
The same caution should be applied to stitch combinations. Each of them can work well on numerous types of fabrics, so always test to see what works on which. A tock of scraps again is essential. After each project, instead of throwing the redundant away, keep some of them for future use, you will need them, believe me.
For anyone who is looking for a good coverstitch machine, this article may help
What Is The Best Coverstitch Machines To Buy - Complete Coverstitch Machine Reviews. For hemming, straight stitches are more common than zigzag stitches. However, if you need to deal with knit fabrics, using a cover stitch machine will bring about better results.
Except for vintage sewing machines or industrial models, most sewing machines nowadays have straight stitches and zigzag stitches as default options. They are also useful in most construction projects. They are of utmost essential and should be mastered if you want to pursuit sewing.
Sometimes you have to adjust the stitches to suit to project, either the length or the width or both. These skills are as important as knowing how to make these stitches. However, the two require different ways to change.
Find more information: Best Product Reviews CraftsSelection
1 - The Straight Stitch
This is the most common utility stitches for construction projects and also the best choice for seaming unless the fabric is stretchy. If you have to deal with stretch fabrics, there is no shortage of stitch options for this particular need.
Straight stitch is the basic stitch on every sewing machine
In fact, the best simple sewing machine for beginners will have straight stitches as the basic. Visit our website at CraftsSelection.com for more helpful sewing machine reviews.
Straight Stitch Length
The most common adjustment when it comes to straight stitches is the length. This seemingly small adjustment can improve the overall appearance of the stitches and help avoid puckered seams.
Straight stitches with minimum length can be called lock stitches. This is one of the ways to avoid backstitching but still provides the same securing effect. When adjusting the length is too much of an effort to do, you can always back stitch, it is easy to do anyway.
Straight Stitch Width
You have control over the width of the stitches as well. To be honest, these are straight stitches, the width I am talking about is not what you are having in mind. In fact, it is more about controlling where the needle lands. This comes in handy when you have to apply straight stitches to not-so-straight patterns. Depend on the model of the machine, you have options on the location of the needle, but the three most basic are left, right, and middle.
Aside from the basics above, many machines give users more options on this width. The more options you have, the more you can control where the needle lands.
To know how far you can adjust this setting, refer to the user manual that accompanies your machine. This book is the most reliable source of information around. Many brands also upload the manual online so if you cannot find yours, surf the internet to find a replacement.
Tension Adjustments
Depend on the type of fabric you are dealing with, the straight stitches will appear smooth or not. If you are sewing heavyweight fabrics or something that is particularly thin, adjusting the tension is advisable. Bear in mind that straight stitches cannot stretch so if you intend to sew stretchy fabric, you may want to find something else otherwise your stitch lines will appear messy and puckered.
Every machine has tension adjustment, the difference lies in how much you can adjust it. For minimum adjustment, some best cheap sewing machine for beginners is the best.
No machine is created equal so refer to the manual before you attempt to turn the tension knob or the bobbin case screw. Always test on a piece of scrap before you sew on the project.
See also: CraftsSelection.com The Best Sewing Machine Reviews
2 - The Zigzag Stitch
Zigzag stitches are particularly useful for stretchy fabrics and being seam finish. While adjusting the length and width of straight stitches can change their appearance and little of its effect, with zigzag stitches, you can adjust them to fit more needs.
Zigzag stitches
Zigzag Stitch Width
Unlike straight stitches when you adjust the width, you change the needle position. With zigzag stitch, you actually change how much the needle swing. The only common thing is the width of the stitches will be changed.
- For seam finish, you need to make sure that the stitches are wide enough to keep all the fibers in place. Seam finish is to prevent fabrics from fraying after all. Making too narrow stitches and you risk affecting how stable the seams are.
- For stretchy fabrics, the stitches must be narrow so that they can stretch when the fabric does.
Zigzag Stitch Length
Adjusting the length does not produce the same effect as with the width. Setting the stitches to be short enough and you will have bar stacks while increasing the length can make the seams look like they are made of straight stitches.
Always test first
Testing is important for the perfect-looking project and it is more so when it comes to zigzag stitches. Zigzag stitches need a harmonious combination of length and width and testing is essential to see if you have found the right setting you need for the project.
Zigzag stitches can stretch but that property also depends on the type of fabrics you are dealing with. Keep a few pieces of a scrap of the same type of fabric and test on them first. If the setting is correct, the stitch lines will stretch with fabric while if it is not, the stitches will break.
Get to Know Your Machine
To make an adjustment, you need to know how far the machine allows you to take control. The best source, in this case, is the user manual. When you have read all the related information, experiment on scraps until you feel that you are confident with putting what you have learned on projects.
The same caution should be applied to stitch combinations. Each of them can work well on numerous types of fabrics, so always test to see what works on which. A tock of scraps again is essential. After each project, instead of throwing the redundant away, keep some of them for future use, you will need them, believe me.
For anyone who is looking for a good coverstitch machine, this article may help
What Is The Best Coverstitch Machines To Buy - Complete Coverstitch Machine Reviews. For hemming, straight stitches are more common than zigzag stitches. However, if you need to deal with knit fabrics, using a cover stitch machine will bring about better results.