Free Machine Sewing on Card and Paper
Moira Neal February 2010
This is part of what I am teaching at Belstead this weekend. There is an art to free machine sewing so don't be put off if you can't do
it straight away! Practise, practise, practise until you gain confidence. At
first, just try and create small areas of free machine stitching. You can
always sew on a separate piece of card and then add it to your page if you
are not confident to sew straight onto a sheet of 12"x12" card. It is a good
idea to use a pencil and paper and practise drawing flowing lines, scrolls
and leaves without lifting the pencil from the paper! It is quite difficult
at first but it is worth getting used to doing it on paper first before you
try and sew the design. I like to use rubber shelf matting under my fingers as I sew. It allows you
to have fingertip control as you sew. You will need to drop the feed dogs
(or cover them, depending on your machine. Check your instruction manual)
You then control the movement of the card and therefore the stitch size. The
faster you move the card, the bigger the stitches. If you do not move fast
enough the card will disintegrate! There is a balance between the pressure
you use on the foot pedal and the speed you move the card. Keep on playing
and experimenting until you become confident. Once you feel confident, have a go at making a scroll border. I usually
start with a long wavy line that culminates in a scroll. I then sew back
along the same line, this times adding leaves and more scrolls. I find this
the easier way to work as I have a skeleton shape to work onto. Creating background designs:
In the same way as quilters add pattern to their work, you can make
background patterns using stitch. You can add hearts, stars, leaves or any
other design as you sew, incorporating the shapes between wavy, swirling
lines of sewing. Again, use a pencil and paper before you start on the card.
Moira Neal February 2010
This is part of what I am teaching at Belstead this weekend. There is an art to free machine sewing so don't be put off if you can't do
it straight away! Practise, practise, practise until you gain confidence. At
first, just try and create small areas of free machine stitching. You can
always sew on a separate piece of card and then add it to your page if you
are not confident to sew straight onto a sheet of 12"x12" card. It is a good
idea to use a pencil and paper and practise drawing flowing lines, scrolls
and leaves without lifting the pencil from the paper! It is quite difficult
at first but it is worth getting used to doing it on paper first before you
try and sew the design. I like to use rubber shelf matting under my fingers as I sew. It allows you
to have fingertip control as you sew. You will need to drop the feed dogs
(or cover them, depending on your machine. Check your instruction manual)
You then control the movement of the card and therefore the stitch size. The
faster you move the card, the bigger the stitches. If you do not move fast
enough the card will disintegrate! There is a balance between the pressure
you use on the foot pedal and the speed you move the card. Keep on playing
and experimenting until you become confident. Once you feel confident, have a go at making a scroll border. I usually
start with a long wavy line that culminates in a scroll. I then sew back
along the same line, this times adding leaves and more scrolls. I find this
the easier way to work as I have a skeleton shape to work onto. Creating background designs:
In the same way as quilters add pattern to their work, you can make
background patterns using stitch. You can add hearts, stars, leaves or any
other design as you sew, incorporating the shapes between wavy, swirling
lines of sewing. Again, use a pencil and paper before you start on the card.
1 comment:
Moira, Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am going to give it another go this weekend. I think the problem was I had the top feed dog down and too loose tension. Thank you so much for all your help. I will let you know when and if I have success. Pity I am too far away to pop on down to your class, that would have been a great learning experience. The examples in your photo are fabulous, I really love all your work.
M xx
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