Leaders/Enders & Starters /Stoppers

Here's a confession, I've never quite "got" the trick of putting a piece of scrap fabric through first, I do see why you want to do something, but the way I space out when chain piecing, the first is no different to the others and thankfully that's find almost all the time and when it goes wrong and I don't know why it does this, it goes badly wrong! I don't think I'm spacing out too far, I have tried closer and it takes longer to snip them apart and a couple of stitches tend to come undone.

The ends, now, I don't understand that, the feed dogs are mostly behind the needle, I suspect it's lose of concentration, or losing the bit you are watching as it vanishes under the foot.

Anne

an enigma for sure. just off the top of my weary brain... how bout if you used a long (3x 12"ish (long enough to hold both ends)) strip of fabric just for the purpose of starting/ending, maybe a double thickness that size, wof folded in half so it lasts forever, hmmmm. could also be left under the presser foot when the machine is not being used, thereby being right in position for the next lot of sewing.

sew across the 3 inch width with the ends out to the sides and hold the two sides taut as it goes thru the machine. would that keep the machine from eating the beginning and/or veering off the end?

i only sometimes use starters/enders when i remember, lol. yet another mystery of the universe, eh. jeanne

The very FIRST two pieces of fabric I start about 4 stitches in, backstitch, and then sew from there to the project I'm working on.if I'm going to get gopher guts it'll be there and not 2" into the project. For the ending, I SLOW DOWN to almost crawl, hold the fabrics together a bit more firmly, as I had just been guiding them before, and sew onto another 2" square that is closely butted to the previous fabric. Yuppers, takes a bit of practice but soooooo worth it. I have seen some quilters (on a TV quilt show) that use tweezers or even use a stiletto (bamboo skewers is my choice when I use them) to hold the last bit straight. Even saw one gal use her index finger next to the presser foot on the right side while kinda smooshing the fabric from the left. I was surprised she didn't get a bubble but she didn't.

Butterfly (Easier to show than 'splain)

Hi

My Mom and I use a piece of the cut-away stabalizer scraps that we have from our machine embroidery. We use about a one inch square piece and can use it over and over. It is thick enough that it doesn't get pulled down into the bobbin case and stiff enough that it starts sewing through and past the presser foot. We just butt up the piece that we are actually going to sew and off we go. I suppose that any thicker piece of stabilizer type of stuff would work.

Steve Alaska

No matter *what* it is- or what you call it- ya just gotta start and stop with *something*..... How do you keep from having the sewing machine eat the beginning piece or veer off the final piece?????

Leslie (stirring... stirring... stirring... LOL) & The Furbabies in MO.

The reason I use one to start is because if I'm not holding onto my thread, the bobbin thread will catch up under my first few stitches. Using a leader just eliminates that problem from a seam.

I have 2 pieces of sandwiched squares that I use, I keep them by the machine in a little basket. If I can remember to grab them when I start, they work great. They are heavily quilted. Every once in a while I shave all the long hairs off of them.

Oh! Using them also relieves the need for going back and trimming threads - another plus.

Cindy

Leslie,

With the starter (or whatever you want to call it), start in the middle of the fabric the first time. That way there's no leading edge for the machine to eat.

For the final piece, I keep pressure on the fabric with my left hand and slow way down - it's easier to guide the fabric and to keep it from veering off the edge.

I use a straight stitch throat plate (single hole) and hold my threads to the side while beginning.......no fabric eaten by the machine gremlins.......

Laurie G. in CA

LOL If you are starting a new seam, you need to hold the threads under and to the back of the pressure foot for the first few stitches. That is a basic "rule" that I think many of us forget, or just never learned. Reason: When the thread is carried through the fabric and down to the hook for the stitch to be formed, more thread goes "down" than is needed for the stitch itself. The take up lever pulls that excess thread back up from the bobbin area. However, if there is nothing holding the free end of the top thread, instead of pulling the excess out of the bobbin area/shuttle race it just pulls more off the spool and leaves the excess down in the bobbin area. After a couple of stitches the end of the thread is securely held by the fabric and the stitch forms correctly. Note: I think that many people will remember something if you explain the "Why" as well as the "what"-- must be the teacher in me.

As for the end> That other thread was getting wild! Okay, for the ten million dollar > question---

Howdy!

I keep a bit of thicker cotton fabric (a batik scrap is good) as a Leader/Starter/Don't-Eat-This! beginner fabric; start sewing in the middle of it (a couple of inches of fabric on either side of the needle) to keep the machine from eating the good piece coming up, same as tho' I'm chain piecing even when I'm not. Some of those Leader pieces get a bit fuzzy w/ all the thread sticking out of it , and often I will pull out the threads & just keep using the same Leader until the fabric gets weak. I'm cheap but I'm easy.

R/Sandy

I honestly never have, Leslie. I make sure the needle is sharp, start a stitch length or two inside the edge and start with a reverse stitch. If it goes down the hole, I stop, take the bits out and start again. Veering off at the end is avoided by going very slowly and holding tight. . In message , Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. writes

Depends on which machine I'm using. My Janomes are fine with me holding on to the thread tails to start, and are very happy sewing right off the end. My treadles (all vibrating shuttle models, if that makes a difference) really want to start and end on fabric, so I always keep two piecing projects going -- that way I can alternate if needed.

I've never been able to wrap my brain around using a scrap to start and end on. If I'm going to sew it, it's going into a quilt. :)

If you are using your machine right and it is running properly it shouldn't be eating fabric. (maybe chiffon but not cotton) Like sewing straight I don't have a lot of suggestions but asking exactly what your particular machine wants from the dealer might help. Taria

Kathy Applebaum wrote:

Considering that the manufacturer of one of the treadles went out of business in the 1890's, asking might be a bit hard! LOL

Actually, they don't eat fabric, they just have a tendency to break the top thread if there's no anchor cloth. Since every VS machine I have does it, and no non-VS machine I have does it, I'm assuming it's a "feature" of the VS, and one possible reason they don't make that design anymore. :)

The first machine I got when I was 10 yo was a VS ('o4 vintage). I don't remember having too much trouble. The computer is sitting on the cabinet now otherwise you would have derailed my day and I would be playing with it. : )

I doubt a whole lot of folks are still doing a lot of piecing on VS machines. There still are a lot around though.

So what are folks do>

Speak firmly to your machine! Mine only tries to eat the corners of triangles, so I try not to start with those. Roberta in D

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

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When you use a leader/ender and chain piecing, about how far (or how many stitches) do you leave between the fabric pieces?

Jerry in North Alabama

I'll have to check it out tomorrow. I never thought of it. I just sew them ...and keep on going.

Butterfly (mak>> Howdy!

Jerry, I just butt it right up. May have a stitch or 2 between, but my machine doesn't really like to sew fast with no fabric and tends to break the top thread, so I just keep on sewing. When you snip apart, even with the next seam right up there, there is enough room to snip the threads. (If I do leave more of a gap, I have to remember to sew very slowly until I am back on fabric. sigh)

Pati, >

There's about 2 stitches between them. Did a bit today my normal sped and had no problems. Once you get into the habit the next fabric will be right there for you to sew on.. I usually have a few blocks ready to go on the bin by the SM that I keep under the cutting table when not in use. I just pull it over, pull my squares and off I go. Bin is the 4 drawer stack that I got at Target that's on wheels. Get a stack sewn, sew them together, press, and pop them on the Design Wall.