Let me share a tip about one of the most awesome tools you can have around for occasional use.
I'm doing the finish work on the Sapphire Stars QOV for Sterling, which includes a flanged binding that is made from a Vietnam era uniform shirt. Which is basically olive colored heavy denim.
That means some very thick corner layers to sew through on the final round! Without this tool, stitches get slammed in together and thread nests erupt on bottom almost every time and even on top too often. With it - beautious sewing the way it's supposed to happen!
This is the angled shank plate that came in the accessories bag of my machine. It's intended use is for spacing to sew on buttons. Its real use at my house is to do thick corners!
Basically, it's a Jean-a-majig doubled up and angled. A Jean-a-majig would provide the same service for you if you can't find a fancier shank plate. But the angled part is super nice to hold onto as you're working, and gives you two sizes of height control to best match whatever you're working on.
The first place you use the shank for sewing binding corners is in the back, when you've turned the quilt and are ready to start sewing the second side of the corner. Without the shank, the foot tips way up and can't provide the counter-pressure to the feed dogs like it's supposed to. This quilt definitely needs the thicker side of the shank for that back support (and you can see that the foot still tilts a good bit, but this help lets it do its job at a slow stitching speed):
Once a few stitches have moved forward, the foot's toe will want to tip down and it will no longer be able to do its job in conjunction with the feed dogs. So you move the shank around front and slip it right under the foot, with the gap leaving a needle path. (On this side, the thinner shank option is better.)
You need the shank arms to go in there past the needle, so position the gap around it.
Sew nice and slowly until the foot completely clears the fabric hump behind it, then you stop using the shank.
And, Voila! A corner is successfully stitched down with no skipped stitches, no nests, and no crammed-up stitches. :)
This tool resolved so many binding headaches I used to get. I didn't know about it for a very long time, so it occured to me to share the knowledge when I had it out this morning, although it was "new to me" a while ago.
Now let me go sew the vintage rank patches onto the corner fields. . .
~*~ Linking up at:
WOW - WIPs on Wed at Esther's
Let's Bee Social at Lorna's
WIP Link-Up at Brook's
"New to Me" at Celtic Thistle
wow! what a great tip!
ReplyDeletethanks so much for linking up!
brooke@sillymamaquilts.com
So that's what that is for :) I was looking for mine the other night because I use the small little hole that's in one of the legs to change my needle. It's easier to maneuver it into position without dropping it. I had no idea you could use it for this. It's like the clouds have parted and light is shinning through :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tip! You have a viking just like mine love it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great tip! :)
ReplyDeleteGood to know! Thanks for passing along your esoteric knowledge :)
ReplyDeleteI've say fit ages that I need to get a Jean-a-majig. Thanks for the tutorial on how that type of thing works!
ReplyDeleteI am always impressed as to how you can use a machine and come out with such precise work.
ReplyDeleteI would never ever be able to figure out even how to makes seams meet!
Great idea and tip Lynette going to sthe eve if it’s avaliable here in OZ would be great when he ing jeans going over those thick seams Thanks so much. Cheers Glenda
ReplyDeleteTop tip for 2018!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, aren't you clever! Great results. I cannot wait to see this quilt finished.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip Lynette, I don't think I have one of those accessories for my machine but I do have a Jean-ma-jig which has saved my sanity on several occasions :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up to New to Me too