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Okay, this one is a little bit embarrassing... I've always known it in the back of my mind, but it really became painfully obvious when I had to sew a bunch of straight seams to separate all of the kitchen towels that I had woven into one long piece: I can really only keep a good, straight, well-measured seam when I have the seam allowance on my right (the picture on the left, above).
When the seam allowance is off to the left (picture on right), I have a difficult time keeping it straight and even.
So, how about you? Do you sew equally well on both sides? Am I just being lame and all I need to do is practice on the other side? Or can I blame it on being right-brained? or left-brained? or right-handed? or something? ;)
When the seam allowance is off to the left (picture on right), I have a difficult time keeping it straight and even.
So, how about you? Do you sew equally well on both sides? Am I just being lame and all I need to do is practice on the other side? Or can I blame it on being right-brained? or left-brained? or right-handed? or something? ;)
17 comments:
Practice Gwen, practice. I can sew left to right.
I avoid having a seam allowance on the left as much as I can. My sewing is terrible. So for me, the seam allowance must be on the RIGHT.
Sounds normal to me. :)
I can sew the wrong way but much prefer to do the right way - after all that's how your sewing machine is designed.
I'm not as good at sewing on the wrong side either. I blame is on the fabric getting bunched up in the machine!
Sewing slowly helps. I don't like to sew on the left, but sometimes it is necessary. Same problem occurs if you have a machine with a continuous reverse--a bit tedious to sew a long straight seam in reverse.
I can sew both side though I like sewing with the fabric to the left.
It's easier that way because the machine doesn't bunch up in the machine arm.
Also some machines don't have a guide on both sides.They only have a guide on the inside side.
I have sewn with the seam allowance on the left, but not often - or recent - enough to remember non-normal results.
I mostly sew on the right, the left only if I have to.
I rarely sew with the seam on the left. It is harder because the machine gets in the way. My home ec. teacher made us practice following the lines on notebook paper on our machines.
Since most of the stuff that I sew is HUGE (four metres of fabric in a skirt is not unusual) I almost always sew with the seam allowance on the right. Putting all the fabric on the right simply doesn't fit.
I can sew with the seam allowance on the left, but it isn't nearly as nice - the reason why one side of my invisible zip goes in great and the other needs work.
But I think it's the throat plate - mine is only marked on the right. If there were the same marks on the left, then it would be just as easy, right? g
I don't do it often, usually just when putting in zippers. I generally don't find it too hard though.
This is a great question and something I teach in my class. If you want to sew straight lines you have to do your seams allowance on the closed end of the machine and allow all your fabric to slide through the open end of the machine. You really can't sew that straight trying to shove all the fabric through the closed end.
I explain it like this. My husband is a cabinetmaker. When he has to cut a piece of plywood he puts it on his table saw which has a blade on one side (our needle) and a table to push the wood through. He has to push it through all together and not let the side opposite of the blade to go more or less then the blade. He has to push it through at the same time to cut a straight line. It's the same with us and fabric. If the fabric pushes down towards our lap or falls off the back of the table we can't do a straight line. The same is true when you try to push all your fabric through the closed end of the machine. So the right way to do it is to always have your seam on the closed end and let your fabric hang over the open end. But sometimes its not fun to do everything the right way :) So wish I had a visual to explain what I just wrote. I may have to do a little youtube vid and post it :)
So happy you are feeling better!!
Enjoy all your sewing moments inside because it sure is hot outside!! :) Only being a few hours away I know you're hot up there too.
I have to say one more thing. You're talking about seams - its a different story when I'm doing edge stitching. I totally use both sides of the foot to get closer to the edge of the fabric.
I can do both, but when I started, all my seams were to the left because I am left handed. When I'm tired, I still do it there. It wasn't until I got serious about it I learned to do it on the right. Now, I'm okay either side.
I can do both, but when I started, all my seams were to the left because I am left handed. When I'm tired, I still do it there. It wasn't until I got serious about it I learned to do it on the right. Now, I'm okay either side.
I can do both, but as others said, it's much easier when you aren't constantly re-arranging the fabric. But then, the way my sewing table is right now, I'm fighting fabric getting hung up on another machine and often a cat. My machine has marks on both sides, but I sometimes make the marks longer with painter's tape. For me, it's rather like driving - the farther down the road I look, the straighter I drive.
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