Hemming a Kilt, Sewing Accessories that Help

[Pleater]

With experience using a sewing machine does become quite enjoyable and relaxing, plus there is the satisfaction of seeing a major project going together quickly.

Making curtains for the house, for instance - we have large windows, was prompted by finding some cheap good quality material and buying as much as I could carry home. With some tape off eBay I started to construct new curtains, and despite the size and quantity it was just a matter of getting the fabric lengths right and having the machine loaded up with the right colour thread. True it did take hours, but the same job sewen by hand would have taken weeks and been really boring.

There are all sorts of feet available, and most mid range, or even lower range machines can do the stitches, but for cheapness they are often sold without the necessary feet to achieve them.

Some attachments, such as the ruffler, will work of any machine even an old treadle type, as it works with straight stitching, so do the ones for putting on tape or bias binding, though the ones for making the straight stitch machines do a zig zag stitch are actually quite dangerous as they bend the needle, and often break it with bits of it flying around with some force.

I have picked up various feet and attachments over the years. Some are the snap on kind, others are put on by removing the snap receiver and fixing them in its place.

You can get feet for sewing on zips, buttons and other round fasteners, for turning over tiny hems, for overlocking and doing buttonholes - and lots more. Just because they were not supplied with the machine does not mean that you can't use them on it.

[creativeaccents]

Thanks for the education and the great suggestions. My heavy duty Singer is built like a tank and tackles even the heavy materials and multiple layers with no trouble at all. Tomorrow calls for a trip to the local Singer distributor!
My wife's machine weighs about three times what my Singer does, is easy to sew with, but I have never found anything about a "Best Made" for some instructions. I have identified what adjusts the length and width of stitch as well as the tension and foot presure, but there is a round dial on the top with numbers that I haven't a clue what it is supposed to do. Anyone ever heard of a "BestMade" ?

[creativeaccents]

Minor correction, but it has impacted my web search all day, the brand of my wife's machine is BESTBUILT.