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--- flat-earth_method [2015/03/12 23:10]
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+++ flat-earth_method [2015/04/01 23:23]
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 ====== The Flat Earth Method ======
+If you are using a coverlock combi machine, this is for you!!
 Some Coverlocks have a Flat-Earth attitude. My Pfaff 4874 is like that. It has some marvellous features, the most remarkable ones the top-and-bottom coverstitch and some top-deco coverstitches. As soon as those special stitches are selected, the machine goes into Flat-Earth modus, no negotiation possible. It will only work on a perfectly flat and even number of layers. The slightest hump or bump and the skipped stitches start happening. Stabilizers, hump jumpers or changing the settings ….all to no avail. The way to stay out of conflict is the FLAT-EARTH METHOD. Basically it means doing all the hemming and binding first and assembling later.
-The Pfaff 4874 is no longer being sold, so what is my point in telling this. Well this thinking out of the box may also be useful if someone wants to use a single combi machine: a COVERLOCK. Switching between overlock and coverstitch function becomes realtively easy when you first hem and bind the individual pattern parts and assemble them later. Actually on a normal T-shirt I would start with one shoulder seam, then I'd bind the neckline, then I'd overlock the other shoulder seam, then attach the sleeves etc….. SO why not sew both shoulder seams after the binding has been done? And why not hem the front part, the back part, the sleeves and assemble them afterwards? The only tricky part is getting the parts to line up really neatly - more about that later - apart from that the Flat-Earth-Method is a peace of cake.
+The Pfaff 4874 is no longer being sold, but it has taught me to think out of the box. Anyone using a coverlock or combi machine, may find it useful to do all the coverstitch work first and then switch to overlock modus to assemble. Switching needles and threads can be minimized by hemming and binding the individual pattern parts of a T-shirt f.ex and assembling them later. Actually on a normal T-shirt I would start with one shoulder seam, then I'd bind the neckline, then I'd overlock the other shoulder seam, then attach the sleeves etc….. So why not sew both shoulder seams after the binding has been done? And why not hem the front part, the back part, the sleeves and assemble them afterwards? The only tricky part is getting the parts to line up really neatly - more about that later - apart from that the Flat-Earth-Method is a peace of cake.
+Actually this can be expanded…… a girl's dress with a gathered skirt would be done in the following order:
+Hem the skirt parts with a 2 needle wide or narrow
+Gather the skirt parts with a chain stitch
+Attach the gathered skirt to the bottom of the front and back part with a chain stitch
+Top stitch the seam with a 2 needle wide or narrow
+Hem the sleeves
+Bind the neckline of front and back by attaching the binding with a 2 needle narrow followed by top stitching with a 2 needle narrow
+Switch to overlock and sew the shoulder seams
+Attach the sleeves
+Sew the underarm and side seams press and
+Top stitch the ends of the seams with a few stitches or a bar tack on the sewing machine.
+So how to line up those ready hemmed parts neatly? I prefer to start sewing about 2.5 to 3.75cm (1 to 1 1/2inches) from the edge and sew towards the edge. This way the pressure foot on the sewing machine stays level and will not get stuck on the edge. I use some tear away stabilizer to help the knit fabric move smoothly. I make a few reverse stitches, snip the threads and carefully tear away the stabilizer along the stitches. Then I overlock the seam, making sure to move the joined edges underneath the needles of my overlock machine. I manually lower the needles into the fabric before putting my foot on the pedal. As I approach the other end of the seam, I slow down, making sure the extra layers continue to move. If necessary I use the back of my tweezers or some other little tool to gently guide the layers. If necessary I use the hand wheel to finish the last couple of stitches.
-Actually this can be expanded…… a girl's dress with a gathered skirt would be done something like this: Hem the skirt parts with a 2 needle wide or narrow Gather the skirt parts with a chainstitch Attach the gathered skirt to the bottom of the front and back part with a chainstitch Topstitch the seam with a 2 needle wide or narrow Hem the sleeves Bind the neckline of front and back by attaching the binding with a 2 needle narrow followed by topstitching with a 2 needle narrow Now switch to overlock and sew the shoulder seams attach the sleeves sew the underarm and side seams press and topstitch the ends of the seams with a few stitches or a bartack on the sewing machine.
+{{ ::joining_edges_after_flat_hemming.jpg?800x600| }}

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