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Piecing question


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This may seem like an old and obvious issue, but I must be more particular that I used to be because it's bothering me more now.  Here's my question.

How you do all keep your top fabric from ending up longer than the bottom piece when piecing?  I can start with two identical lengths of fabric and unless I stretch the bottom piece a little, or use a stylus and "feed in" the top piece as I sew, or use pins, the top pieces 'pushes' along and ends up hanging over the bottom piece.  Even with small pieces it does this.  I don't like to 'tug' on the pieces for fear of distorting them.

I have a Bernina Virtuosa 160 and don't want to get a new machine because I'm not sure that would solve anything.  I have an even feed foot but it's rather clunky for quarter-inch seams so I just use my quarter-in foot.

I've tried starching my pieces prior to sewing them but unless I starch a lot it doesn't seem to help much.

I played around with the pressure on the presser foot but that doesn't seem to help either.

I do pre-wash all of my fabric so I'm sure that takes some sizing out. The main reason I pre-wash is because all of my stash is already pre-washed from years of collecting.  It's not a small stash. :rolleyes:

Any suggestions appreciated!  Maybe I'm just being too picky!

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Sorry, I'm not much help because I have to pin to keep them even.  I don't know if starching well before you start will help.  Other than use a walking foot, that's the only thing I know to do and I don't like my walking foot for normal piecing.

But my bottom fabric is always longer than the top fabric if I don't pin.

Joan

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Hi pat

one thing to do is place the fabric under the foot and drop the needle in the fabric  before

starting the seam. or You can use a piece of scrap in first ,butt the fabric againt that to help

support. chain piece.  use the least amout of foot pressure you can and do starch the fabric before cutting.

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The reason the top piece ends up longer that the bottom piece when seaming long borders is because the feed dogs (with grippers) will push the bottom fabric along. The top fabric only has the smooth underside of the foot to help it feed under the needle and thus gets less "help" to feed evenly. That's why an even-feed foot (walking foot) is essential especially when seaming long pieces. The top and bottom fabric are fed under the needle with pressure both on the top and the bottom fabric.

 

Starching and careful, close pinning will help keep the fabric pieces butted together and more even. You say you have a clunky walking foot and prefer to use a quarter inch foot--- I imagine for accuracy. Is it possible to move the needle to the right with your machine so you can still get an accurate quarter inch and use the walking foot as well?

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Hi....I have problems with my Bernina 630 doing this too...so what I do...is I usually piece the blocks with my quilting foot.....but then when I start stitching the rows together and especially the borders and binding.....I switch to my waking foot...also use my walking foot to put my binding on....It is more cumbersome to use the walking foot...but it really does help.....I found that there is a line on my walking foot that I can use for my quarter inch seam...it took a bit of practice to get the scant 1/4 inch seam .....I did recently get a little Pfaff with the attached duel feed foot....but really haven't tried it yet on a long seam....seems to be working for shorter piecing of the blocks....I also don't remember having much an issue when I pieced with my Viking D1....but it has been a while since I have done that.....lin

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I know you said you didn't want to get a different machine, but if you can't find a solution that you like, please check out some of the Pfaff machines.  It wouldn't have to be a fancy priced new one, just be sure it has the integrated dual feed.  I have had Pfaffs with IDF for at least 15 years and that upper feed leg is almost always engaged when I am sewing, piecing quilts or making the daughters' (4) wedding dresses.  My fabrics stay together for the full length of any project.  I used to have a machine that needed the walking foot and the foot style with the IDF of the Pfaffs is wonderful.  I don't pre-wash or starch.

 

 

Hope you can find a solution quickly.

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I have the same Bernina as you have. It's a good machine. I use the techniques Linda mentioned and do fine. My pressure foot tension is on the lighter side. Starting with a little piece of folded fabric and chaining, then ending with one helps keep things smooth and it cuts down on loose threads to handle. My grandson had a similar problem but he was hanging onto the top fabric to guide it while the feed dogs were pushing the bottom fabric. Might try having a hand in front and on the side and move with the fabric.

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The reason this happens is just what Linda said.  Most machines do this to some degree.  You do have to place the pieces into alignment before you begin to sew, and you have to hold them even as you sew, and yes, you do have to realign as you are sewing and maybe tug a bit on the bottom piece as you continue to sew.  I have heard of people using paper under the bottom fabric, but I think that would be a pain.  On long seams like borders, I pin in several places, and tug just a little as I sew between pins.  The operative words are "just a little."

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My Viking sewing machine doesn't have this problem. However, when I am trying to match points exactly and one of the points keeps moving, I flip the piece and sew on the other side. This puts the long side on the bottom to get gathered up a bit and the short side on the top to stretch a bit.....perfect points! Does that make sense?

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oh..one thing I forgot to mention......I have gotten a "straight stitch" plate for most of my machines.....it really helps with the piecing especially pointed pieces like triangles.....and I do use a scrap to start when chaining....just got remember to put the safety on the width if your machine has that setting....on the ones that don't, I put a sticky note on the machine over or by the place where I select the stitch....I busted a needle the other night when I went to zigzag as I forgot and my sticky note had fallen off....Lin

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Thank you ALL for such great advice!  I knew I'd get wonderful suggestions from this group of quilters.

I did put on my single-needle plate.  Embarrassed to say I'd forgotten I had it, always afraid I'll zig-zag with it in.  But as Lin says, a sticky note solves (hopefully!) that problem.

Good to hear comments about the other machines.  I considered buying a Pfaff with IDF but wasn't sure if the dual feed worked as well as expected, but it sounds like it does.

I do use the walking foot for long seams and it does work fine, it just seems too big for the small piecing.  I'll have to play around with adjusting the needle position and might get away from the 'clunkiness' of the foot.

Never thought of the glue basting for normal seams but that's an idea.  I did use Sulky spray glue when doing a Lone Star and it helped tremendously when matching seams.  I'm not much of a glue person but that stuff was wonderful.

I'm going to print out all of these suggestions and play around.  Some fabrics are worse than others, plus I've been doing some paper-piecing today which adds an entirely different dimension, but is quite forgiving, if you cut the pieces big enough.  :D

 

Thanks again everyone!!

 

Pat

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Yes,  I have found that some fabrics seem to stretch a lot easier then others even among the 100% quilt shop fabrics.....I find that moda fabrics and batiks seem to be the most stable....I love the feel of Northcott...but that one seems to stretch easier....and all the others vary.....I do try and remember to "best press" or use starch if I am using one of the stretchy ones....even flannels vary from stable to not so stable....I made one of those rag quilts years ago...it was mostly moda flannel  but I had some others in it....what I found was that the moda did not fray as much as the others and the raw edges of the moda flannel is still a lot more intact than the other flannels....when piecing...it really does help to have the most stretchy fabric on the bottom.....if I have Northcott on top and a moda on the bottom as I stitch...the Northcot almost always "grows" by the end of the seam....but...I really, really, like the feel of Northcott....seems the longer I piece and quilt...the more I learn and the less I know.  LOL.....Lin

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I have the Viking Designer 1 USB, the Burnette H70 or H40, and the featherweight and they all do the same thing...

 

What Kaye Woods taught, and she's made banners that go across a street with no distortion, and it's by the way the fabric is held.

 

I pin about every foot.  Then lift both layers of fabric up off the sewing bed about 6 inches and hold it at a curve with the top inside the curve and the bottom on the outside of the curve. 
Do not hold it up high enough to block your view of the needle/presser foot, but do make it a easily recognized as a curve.  Let the two fabrics feed thorough together, but also make sure the two layers are snug against each other.

 

DO NOT stretch or try to hold back the fabric, just hold it and let it feed through.  To restrain it will cause ruffles on the bottom side.

 

Ergo, seams that match both pieces at the end of the seam.

 

I use this for sewing anything longer than 6 inches, and the fabrics come out just right.  I even use it when making things like the microwave bowl holders, aprons, pot holders or hot pads, baking bags etc.

 

I hope this explains it right. 

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