Pfaff’s unsurpassed buttonholes

My Pfaff Creative makes unsurpassed buttonholes. It's a computerised machine, so of course she's got programs for several types of lovely buttonholes. But this is not unique and not particularly remarkable. The most remarkable bit is a simple mechanical aid that makes all the difference. The first thing you notice is of course the sliding…

Sewing crêpe, satin and peach fabrics, or You vs. the Pucker Demon

Crêpe, satin and peach fabrics come in several types and fibres, but they always remain difficult fabrics to sew. In particular, most machines have trouble sewing a straight seam along the length of the material - it puckers. Yes, it means the tension is too high, but no, it is not actually too high, and…

3D printed bobbins jamming in the heat

Is it too hot to be sewing? The temperature is 30C (86F) - we're having a heat wave. My new 3D printed bobbins for Adler 87 suddenly started jamming. My old plastic bobbins for computerised Pfaff 7510 are also suddenly jamming! I blame the heat which makes the plastic expand. With Pfaff and other machines…

Felled rolled hem that lies flat

Summer dresses often have wide skirts, so the hems are curved. Yet they also often have rolled hems that don't roll nicely on curves, they get all wrinkled up. I found that a two-step hem works better and lies flat, and I'm using the felling foot again to make it. See my previous post on…

False French seams for fine fabrics

Ah, summer! Hot weather means ice cream, lightweight fabrics and frequent washes. In sewing terms it means that the seams must be strong enough not to unravel in all those washes, which is easier said than done because lightweight fabrics are often loosely woven too, so they fray and disintegrate easily. But we don't want…

Sewing fine jersey with a twin needle

The finest jersey doesn't do well on a regular sewing machine - you can never get a flexible enough stitch that doesn't go pop when the jersey stretches in wear. For this reason I normally use one of my long bobbin machines to sew it, and with great success. To me, this is the only…