Hello All,
I've never joined a forum before and I may not post correctly so apologise in advance, but I need advice.
My mother passed away in October 2019. We were incredibly close and over a year later I feel her loss every day. She was a talented seamstress and upholsterer. I on the other hand preferred cross stitch and a few years ago took up knitting. I didn't need to sew as she made things for me!
After many years renting I now have a home of my own and in between renovating a large, very overgrown garden, I am making curtains and cushions. I've managed to muddle through so far but am now completely stuck.
I inherited my mother's Janome 3-18 sewing machine. I want to make cushion covers with 8mm flanged cord but, with the feet I have available the machine simply won't sew close enough to the cord for the stitches not to show. My mother used the machine to make cushions with piping and somehow managed to use the feet that came with the machine. But, of course, now I can't ask her how she did it!
After hours of research I've invested in an adjustable zipper/piping foot for the machine which has now arrived. I eagerly fitted it but am stuck again...
The foot is screwed into position so doesn't lift up and down like the other feet.. :thinking: I've tested it on a scrap piece of fabric/piping and initially the cotton was bunching up underneath. I've increased the tension to 7 and that's cured the bunching but now the stitches aren't catching - just long loops underneath. I've rethreaded both the bobbin and the cotton on top! What am i doing wrong? The fabric is a medium weight so not very thick.
I remember when I was a child I used to try to make a few things with my mother's constant guidance (I managed a couple of skirts and a top) but hated the old Singer sewing machine which seemed to go wrong every two minutes.
and I think that put me off sewing. The fact that my mother made all sorts of things with it ( including a beautiful satin ballgown for me) proved it was probably my stupidity or impatience...
I would appreciate any advice /wisdom bearing in mind I'm about to look up what a 'feed dog' is!!!
Thank you for reading...