Stitching on a 'Sandwich'

You don't usually have to do the basting stitches by hand. Unless your fabric is very stiff and unyielding, you should be able to gather it by using the longest available stitch on your sewing machine. I used to use two rows about 1/8" apart.

It is kind of slow, but it comes out nice that way.

Lucille

I guess that I should have said to do the basting by machine. My bad. I almost always baste by machine for such - just a long stitch length, and go. Though I probably gather with rows closer to the 1/4" apart - but whatever works. Poor Anne - but aren't you glad you're done?

Yup.

ellice

ellice said

I think it would've been worse if I tried to ruffle or baste using my machine. As it was, there wasn't a straight seam in the whole pillow .

sort of -- next time I'm out and about, I'll try to remember to look at pre- gathered/ruffled trim, possibly buy some but definitely practice, practice, practice!!!!

I use a very easy and neat alternative to frills. I make the cushion cover about 2" bigger each way than necessary, then topstitch around , about 1" in from the edge.

My openings are overlaps, done in the middle of the back of the cover, so no zips or fastenings.

Joyce in RSA.

Poor baby - that can be frustrating. One of the tricks for straight sewing on the machine - put some layers of masking tape on the throat plate - parallel to the direction the fabric is going through (as in from front to back of the machine). Put the tape on with a ruler next to it so it's straight, and at the width or stand-off from the needle that you want the seam allowance to be. Build the tape up so it's a definite thickness. When you sew - the fabric seam allowance will butt up against that little mound of tape and keep you on a straight path.

Honestly, I still do always try a practice with anything I'm sewing in the machine - just to be sure stitch length, tension, etc are right. There are always scraps by it.

ellice

And even easier way is to use a pad of Post-its. Put the edge of the pad where you want the edge of the fabric to go when you are sewing the seam. Tape the pad of Post-its down and you're good to go :-). Even better, IMNSHO **AND** assuming you don't have an electronic sewing machine, is to go to the craft store and buy some sort of magnet with a straight edge. They sell the self stick stuff on a roll or you can buy a little bag of magnets. Determine where you want the edge of the fabric to be when sewing the seam and just set you magnet along that line. I will usually add some tape if the magnet is a bit weak. I'm lucky, I have a magnet that came with my machine. It is stuck inside a metallic cover with extended curved flanges on one side to make it easier to guide the fabric straight into the machine. I used it all the time when I was quilting before I got my fancy schmancy electronic machine. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

Good idea. I always have a bunch of "roll" magnet stuff around - for my lovely needle cards that I make. Personally, I just seem to be able to get straight seams, so only occassionally put a guide down on the machine. Which is fancy schmancy as you say - though not as fancy as yours

At least the machine is out and visible, and this thread is making me feel guilty. I'm on the hook to do curtains for friends - and have the bolt of fabric, the trim fabrics (I'm strip piecing the tie-backs, and doing some border panel around the main fabric as well) but I keep forgetting to go to Hancock and get the lining fabric (on sale). So I can do this. Maybe this weekend. The machine has done nothing lately except finish the edges on a bunch of linen . And the poor borders for my throw are still hangin' on the ironing board - waiting, waiting, waiting....

ellice

Anne,

Since this thread came up again.........

I've been thinking about your original query about embroidering through a quilt sandwich as I've been working on my own fabric art pieces........(a small doll and three different blocks). If you want to keep using heavier wool strands to embroider with, you can just embroider the top fabric layer with the wool strands and then stitch all three layers together with random or scattered stitches in a matching background thread color or for more creative fun, a contrasting color....can also randomly stitch individual bugle or seed beads for added texture and glitter too!

So far, this how I've been stitching my fabric art pieces using applique & embroidery techniques.........I did all the embroidery with silk floss on the top fabric layer and then stitched all three layers of the fabric sandwich together with the random stitching also with several strands of silk floss. Depending on the body or how fine the top fabric is, I'll add a thin interfacing to give the fabric more "body" to anchor the embroidery stitches.

Another creative technique I'm using is to embroider an original simple little story or rhyme to go with the embroidered images & motifs using several strands of silk floss. The use of text or fonts is a good way to add more decorative visual interest to the piece as well as to "quilt" the fabric sandwich together.

The addition of beads & contrast thread colors adds more design fun to the fabric art.......then there's the basic running stitch......I use this to create circular or zig zag patterns on open background areas quilting all the pieces together......depending on the design, the thread can blend into the background or be a contrasting color for more design POW!

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've saved all the messages for future reference. I learned alot from this adventure.

1. I don't have to do what other people do. IOW, just because someone else is comfortable working in a certain way doesn't mean that I have duplicate that technique.

1. Practise might not make perfect but it wouldn't hurt.