I have a Viking Freesia 415 and I'm trying to use the one-step buttonhole foot, which I haven't done in a really long time, practicing on scrap of the garment material, including interfacing. The rows come out two close together to cut between without ripping threads on one side. How do I avoid this--am I doing something wrong?
Dolores
Could be a number of things. Is your fabric flimsy so that it puckers a bit between the rows? Is it puckering under the zig-zag stitches and not leaving enough slack for a decent-sized channel between the rows? Are you holding it too firmly and not allowing the machine to carry the fabric through the process? Might need adjustments of pressure or tension? Might need a better quality of thread (maybe yours is stretching and causing puckering)?
The only suggestion I can think of off the top of my head (might come up with something cleverer after I've had me coffee) is to pause at the end of the first buttonhole run (ie after the first row of stitches *and* bar-tack have been sewn) and move the work ever so slightly to give a better gap between the rows.
When I cut my buttonholes, I use a seam-ripper. I poke the point in at one end of the buttonhold and then poke it out again about 1/16" further along. I take care to ensure the poke-in and poke-out are lined up so that I'll be cutting through fabric, not stitches. Next, I poke the other end of the buttonhole in the same way. Once that's done, it's a simple matter to join up the two slits with the seam ripper: poke into the first slit and out of the second one. They ought to be in line with each other, so you should get a decent result.
Another idea that has just occurred to me is to use a small piece of iron-on interfacing to stabilise flimsy fabric. If you're feeling brave, you could cut the front facing out of a rather heavier gauge of iron-on I/F than you might normally use?
Please let us know how you got on. Best of luck with the project! ;-D
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