The Sewing Place
The Emporia => The Show Must Go On => Topic started by: sewsilly on July 06, 2017, 17:38:11 PM
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The phrase "it all depends" may be the answer here, but I am in constant debate with myself to machine stitch or hand stitch appliques on to stretch bodices. I am curious what the general feel is of others towards the benefits of each style.. why hand stitch if machine stitching is faster and retains a stretch?
Thanks!
Stephanie
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I just put a dab of glue in one or two places to hold them them in place and let it dry. Then later 'it depends' how I am feeling as to how I sew them. If I feel like sitting watching tv in the evening I will sit and hand sew, but if it's during the day and I want to get them done I drop the feed dogs, use the darning foot and free machine stitch around the edges. Either way is okay. Ann x
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Any photos, Ann, to see how different they look? I'm wondering what sort of hand stitch you use and how visible it is.
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Here comes the "it all depends" again! It all depends on the edge finishing. Bought and custom made motifs are usually pre-finished around the edge so when hand sewing I usually slip stitch over the edge. If I am cutting my own motifs out from lace they will have a raw edge so I usually do a small running stitch just inside the edge I have cut. The raw edge is not usually visible unless you inspect it very closely. If I am using a corded lace which is usually attached to a very fine net, I cut out leaving a quarter inch or so of the net on, and stitch outside the cord with a running stitch. With this sort of lace though, it means you are cutting through the cord a lot to create the shapes you need. In this case I go around and put a small spot of gem-tac on the cut to hold the cord in place, then quite often a rhinestone if it needs more disguising! The free-machining method is much quicker of course and you can keep changing direction without having to move the bodice around and can be used for all the different sorts of appliqué. Sorry, can't provide pics as I never seem to get round to taking photos, relying on my customers to send me one. Besides, I haven't worked out yet how to get them from my phone on to here!! Ann x
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Yet another "it depends", I zig zag stitch if the appliqué is made by me from Lycra, or stretch lace, but I usually hold it in place with either bondaweb or 505 glue to stop it slipping when machining. But if the appliqué is not stretchy, then I tend to put the costume on a dummy and glue, then hand stitch (I dont trust the glue to keep it in place).