Friday March 22, 2024
... LOOKING AHEAD ...
Another week spent up in my Happy Place, ‘The Sewing Gypsy Studio’, as preparation for ‘getting ahead with the Blog’ is high on the priority list. The reason behind that is of course, I have a big road trip planned, and I’ll be away from home for a couple of weeks. Do you ever find that your ‘Have to Do’ list is way longer than your ‘Want to Do’ list? I’m constantly distracted by lots of fun things I want to make, and my work tables sure tell the story there.
There are jars of buttons, piles of fabrics, a basket of decorative threads, multiple reference books, patterns … and even beads out at the moment! And that’s just one worktable … best I clear it out after finishing this post or I’ll fall further behind on my ‘self-imposed schedule’ of stitching, photographing, writing up and finishing off the ‘business end’ of 10 more Blog posts before I leave … in less than a month’s time! I’ll just need to add the social stuff when I’m away … as after the retreat, I’ll be staying with my dear Mum in Townsville, visiting family and friends, and generally taking some time out from The Studio here.
The road trip begins in less than a month now, as my ‘Sewing Buddy’ Sandy and I are heading up to Townsville for the ‘Journey Cut Create Retreat’ on Magnetic Island – four amazing days spent sewing whatever you’d like, or joining in with a Tutor and Class … or walking the beaches, lounging by the pool, or anything else a tropical North Queensland Island provides! Kathryn from Just Country Crafts has been hosting these retreats for many years now, and I was thrilled to join in last year when I completed 2 Mini Poppins Bags (Spoonflower for the fabric), a bathrobe (Bernina fabric of course – just for at Retreats), and four little projects that were included in our ‘Retreat Bags’.
This year I’m teaching a class, using the fabulous Ruffler accessory – a fun project, that they can do over the four days, a little at a time, whilst still enjoying the company of lots of other sewists. Last year there were around 50 in total at the Retreat – a great venue, setup, catering, shopping (Kathryn has a mini-shop setup!) … and time away. Below are photos from last years group, along with my B590 all set up, and my car all packed up! Lucky I don’t drive a vintage hotrod or VW – I’d need a trailer! Townsville is just less than a 1400km drive from home. It will be a two day drive, with lots of chat, coffee and a few little ‘leg stretch breaks’ for me. Then early the next morning, we drive onto the Magnetic Island Car Ferry, arriving just 40 minutes later, packed with sewing stuff to the roof lining I bet. I’ll add some photos to those weekly blogs … if I remember!
Yikes … lots of blogging/sample stitching to do first! Time for me to hang out my Studio sign …
... The Studio Update ...
All quiet on the ‘outside work’ and ‘inside reorganisation’ front here this week. A drier weather week too, so the outside area has had time to dry out ready for more digging and then paving. I did however, manage to give all the benches a good wipe over, empty my work bins, and pack and post off a few little embroidery orders I’d completed. Mundane stuff I know, but it is all part of enjoying my time up here, and it is nice to start every day with at least dust-free benches … and floor!
... Did You Know? ...
Which Blind Hemming Stitch?
Before we look at the next foot in my Big Book of Feet Challenge, Blindstitch Foot #5, I thought I’d chat a bit about the stitch/es that are used with this foot.
Blind Stitching, by machine, uses a folded edge of the fabric to hide the stitches taken by the needle over just a few threads of the fabric, appearing almost invisible on the outside of the garment. Here’s what our Bernina Tutorial shows us …
When stitching on any of my machines, two options are available, Blind Stitch #9 (for most fabric types) and on my 4 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series Machines, Narrow Blind Stitch #29 (for light, fine and soft fabrics). My little Simply Red 215 has only 11 stitches, so just #9 on her!
Where available, the Bernina Creative Consultant can be accessed to select the correct stitch for the fabric that you are sewing.
Firstly – I chose a Medium Weight Woven Fabric and it selected Stitch #9 … (this is my B790PRO screen)
… next when choosing Light Weight Woven Fabric, it selected Stitch #29.
Once the Green Check has been selected, the machine goes to Sewing Mode, with the stitch automatically set up for you, including any changes to needle position, stitch length and width, and indicating which foot should be used, even on my B435 which does not have Foot Recognition. *See ‘Foot’note at end of post.
... “It’s Just a Jump to the Left, and a Step to the Riiiiiiiight” ...
Blindstitch Foot #5
Blind hemming by machine, with its roots in manual hand stitching for concealed finishes, has progressed significantly. Commercial blind hemming machines pioneered using a single, very fine thread for neat hems, although they did prove vulnerable to unravelling, especially when a heel got caught in the trouser/pant leg hem!
Domestic sewing machines initially lacked finesse, resulting in imperfect hems, which appeared to pull up with a tuck-line on the right side of the garment.
Bernina’s Blindstitch Foot #5 marked a significant advancement, featuring a blade for fabric alignment and a looser stitch (to eliminate puckering and tucks) and later on, they added a spring for smooth movement over seams. As the machine takes a zigzag stitch, both legs (the ‘zig’ and the ‘zag’) are sewn over the blade, creating slack for the blind hem to hang freely. The ‘zig’ goes into the fold of the hem, (“it’s just a jump to the left …” – thanks Rocky Horror Picture Show!) and the ‘zag’ stitches close into the very edge of the hem allowance (“… and a step to the right”).
Blindstitch Foot #5 comes as a single version only. It fits on machines right across the Bernina range. The important feature of this foot is the metal blade through its centre, which curves as it reaches the needle opening area. When using this foot, I change out to a 5.5mm Stitch plate and select that plate in the Security Setting area.
Foot #5 had 4 different techniques to stitch out. Nice simple samples this week.
... This Week’s Foot Highlights or Challenges ...
Easy samples as I said, however fabric choices, knowing how to fold the fabric and what stitch alterations can be made is all great background knowledge, and will determine how good your result is. As mentioned before, the Creative Consultant will help you initially with this.
‘Blind Hem’ was on a medium weight ‘suiting’ type of fabric – my favourite for demonstrating this foot/stitch in a class. Initial row of ‘blindstitch’ was almost perfectly blind … the needle missed stitching into the edge several times! Second attempt – changed stitch width to 4.0 and NO missed stitches in the fold at all … and it does help when you first learn this technique, to baste your hem into place after the first folding.
‘Hand-look Hem’ – my personal favourite for doing garment hems. It’s all in the fold, and how much you fold back – all instructions in the Big Book of Feet of course. I just love the way the thread creates a little chain along the edge.
’Drapery Hem’ – a straightforward sew, and one I use if hemming sheer curtains … and that reminds me, I have 3 sets yet to shorten/hem for up in the Cabin!
‘Edgestitching’ – honestly I never use this foot for edgestitching, as I much prefer my Foot #10/#10D for this task, though Foot #5 did the edge nicely … however, as it was a 5.5mm stitch width foot only, needle positions were more limited than with my 9mm stitch width Foot #10D. Here’s a photo of tucks stitched with Foot #5 on the Left, and Foot #10D on the right for comparison …
The feature /benefit that I’m loving this last week, as you may have already guessed, is the Creative Consultant.
... A Little Something Extra ...
Another eBook for Your Collection
Bernina’s Machine Hemming Techniques eBook has some great helpful hemming information such as using your free-arm for tubular stitching of trouser hems, general guidelines for hem depths and a clear diagram for folding up your fabric before blindhemming. I’ve always referred to this as a ‘z’ fold when I teach.
Here is a link to the ‘Just SEW it Machine Hemming Techniques eBook’ …
... and a Tool Tip ...
Hemming garments with an even ‘turn-up’ is made so much easier with my Clover ‘Hot Hemmer’ … I can fold, measure and press the hem with either a steam or dry iron, all in one step. The heat resistant, thin ruler has a non-slip surface, and it’s been in my ‘Hot Stuff’ basket for years! (Thanks to those fabulous Fireman Calendars!)
Clover have a few different versions now – a longer one with a curved section, and another one that would be great for straight and curved corners … maybe a bit more shopping sometime soon? Clever Clover stuff !
Bernina’s Foot of the Month March 2024 *
is # 35 Invisible Zipper Foot – 20% off – contact your preferred Bernina Dealer for this fabulous offer. … This foot makes inserting invisible zippers a breeze! I’ll be covering this foot later in the Blog.
*Australia and New Zealand Promotion Only – ends … 31st March 2024 …
Chat again Friday,
‘Foot’note:
On machines with Foot Recognition, the Foot # on the screen changes colour to Yellow when selected, and on machines with Foot Recommendation, the Foot # remains white.