How I …..edgestitch round corners
Posted: August 16, 2013 Filed under: Gadgets & Gizmos, How I... | Tags: Dressmaking, Gadgets, How I ... 14 Comments
Not always easy to get the next stitches to run evenly..
Whats difficult about that I hear you say? NO problems with that exercise. Though sometimes the fabric doesn’t want to feed evenly when you turn that corner. So I give you….. the beer mat solution.
The beer mat is key
By putting a beer mat (free from most public houses – just buy a drink!) behind the fabric, to support the foot, the feed dogs work well and can feed your work evenly through the machine without that ‘bunched thread’ that sometimes happens when you try to do this. It also helps when crossing a seam that has lots of bulk.
Stack as necessary
The mats can be stacked up to the height needed to cope with whatever thickness your work is – and they are kinder to your needle if you happen to catch them than a commercial ‘hump jumper’.
Reward!
And the commercial product (the grey gizmo on the left) is no good for putting your end of day reward on!
Do you have any ‘non standard’ gadgets in your work space that you couldn’t do without?
The Material Lady 
Thanks for the tip. I just move very slowly around corners and have never used the ” commercial product”.
As for unconventional gadgets I use old glass bottle stoppers for weights when cutting patterns. I have others just can’t think of them off the top of my head.
That was part of my reason for this post – it is such a normal thing to me to use beer mats in this way I had forgotten it wasn’t standard until a client asked why I had them. I’m hoping to get some good ‘odd tools’ in response!
What a great tip. Thanks for sharing it.
Your post has made me have a revelation: Finally I know what this commercial product is used for. I have been wondering forever! Thanks so much for sharing!
Yes, they do look very odd!
Good idea, a pub crawl will have to go on my next ‘to do in the UK ‘ list.
And you can justify it as necessary for sewing supplies!
Ah, brilliant!! Sometimes the best solutions are so simple and right in front of your face, but you do not think of them. Thanks for sharing this with us. Off to the pub for ‘sewing research’ purposes. (I’ll tell them you sent me…)
Mine’s a half!
Brilliant idea. I have a little lifting tool that helps with bulky fabrics.
Thanks for the tip – I use a wooden meat tenderiser for hammering the corners flat and my pin cushion is an old sock stuffed with scraps!
So that is what the meat tenderiser I have is for!
Beer mats, excellent idea! 😀 I just fold up some left-over fabric & stuff that behind the foot. I don’t have any “unusual” tools – I think… *heading off to check sewing box*
That’s a great tip! I usually use a couple of pieces of the scrap fabric. Unusual tools? ALL the time. “Making do” is something I’ve inherited!