Progress has finally been made with Zoe's blanket. I finally was able to unsew all the outside stitching that was attaching the front chenille to the back butterfly fabric after it had not sewn up correctly for the third time. Then I decided the best way to handle it was to hand baste around the entire blanket. So I did. I forfeited a nap time and went to it. Surprisingly it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. Tonight I went back and using the regular machine stitched the edge where I had basted, and am planning on serging it on my mom's real serger, hopefully tomorrow, but if I don't make it there tomorrow, then maybe early next week. All that will be left to do then is tack the middle, sew up the turning inside out hole and sew a border so that it lays flat. Maybe, just maybe, if I hurry up on it, the whole thing will be done by the time Zoe's born. Then again, that could be a lofty goal.
And Now for the Sewing Tips:
I learned three things about working with Chenille. First off, having a walking foot (an attachment that draws the top fabric through the machine at the same rate as the bottom fabric.) on your sewing machine is wonderful... unless you are sewing chenille. Then you want to take off the walking foot and lay your fabric so that the chenille is on top. That way it just feeds better though the sewing machine. Secondly, Baste... Baste... Baste. Can I say it again? Baste. It made all the difference in the world while trying to sew the fabrics together with the regular sewing machine. Thirdly, you have to either zigzag or serge the edge of the chenille fabric as often as possible. The chenille fabric likes to shed and or fray, so after many washings would need to be fixed if the edges are not finished in some fashion during construction.
4 comments:
Very pretty, Meagan! I hope Zoe loves that blanket, because you have put a lot of effort into it!
Cool Meagan! Love the blanket and love the tips! Awesome.
It looks so snuggly! My mom told me that I absolutely must get a walking foot. So, as we drove to a sewing shop, I innocently said "So, are they expensive?" My mom says "Uh huh" and then I say "Oh. Like $30?" and she says "Umm... a little more than that." And then we get to the store and it costs $95!!!! What in the world? Ok, so I have a Viking and I'm not sure if that is why it is so expensive, but sheesh! How am I supposed to get into sewing when all the essential tools cost so much? I'm mean, I've already invested about $1,000 in my yarn and scrapbooking stash. It's so frustrating that being crafty costs so much money. Pooh!
lol... There is only one brand of sewing machines that have a walking foot built in, and that is the Pfaff brand. That is the kind I have. In the next few years, the patent expires so the other machine brands are going to start being able to integrate them into their machines as well. In the meantime they can be bought as an attachment and like you said they can be kind of expensive. You mom is right though, it can make a world of difference to your sewing projects, especially if you are sewing two different fabrics together. However, it is just as possible to do basic sewing and learning without a walking foot, the final project just doesn't seem quite as professional without having to adjust the tensions. I didn't have a walking foot for the first few years I sewed.
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