How to Sew a Straight Seam – which is not always as easy as it feels like it should be
(Background: Two weeks ago, I spent most of the week sewing through 3,000+ yards of thread, for fifteen 5ft by 15ft pieced drapes as part of a theater project. I taught a handful of people a true sewing fundamental – proper pinning – and spent most of the time sewing super long straight seams & thinking. This is one of the things I thought. )
I’ve taught a dozen or so people to sew over the past couple years, and as it turns out there are tons of things that can screw you up when you first sit down at a sewing machine.
There are lots of new things to learn, no motion is entirely intuitive, and it turns out, that sewing a seam in a straight line is not as easy as it feels like it should be.
Intuitively, you watch the sewing machine needle. It’s the most eye catching part, it moves up & down, it’s the piece of the machine actually creating the stitch.
Except, watching the machine needle is not how you sew a straight seam.
When you’re sewing, by the time the fabric meets the needle, you have very little control over your seam. You can make a sharp adjustment, (like turning a corner), but that’s about all you can do.
The only way you have control over where your seam is going, is by focusing on the path the needle is taking instead of the place the needle is.
If you’re focused 2-3 stitches ahead of the needle, you have time to make slight adjustments and sew a straight seam.
If you’re focused on the stitch that’s being created, you don’t have time for those slight adjustments, you only have time for something drastic. Like sewing a corner, or breaking out the seam ripper.
Finding Colors that Sing
Finding colors that sing.
Many color combinations work well together.
They’re beautiful, and full, and play off of each other.
Coexisting to make the world a more beautiful place.
Some color combinations sing.
They hum, and vibrate, and resonate.
They wibble, and warble, and trill.
They make your eyes light up and dance.
These are the combinations that are kinda-weird, but totally amazing.
Unexpected.
In the best possible way.
The combinations that transcend “that works.”
The combinations that wander into “that’s amazing” territory.
And set up camp.
What if, we take two steps past “it works?”
Two steps towards finding colors that sing.
7 tips on crafting for yourself this holiday season
Personally, I’m going the “not crafting for other people this year” route, but I know that’s not always an option. And if you’re crafting for other people during the holidays, it can be hard finding time to craft for yourself. So I’ve put together some tips on how to craft for yourself, while crafting for other people, while making it through the holidays.
These are primarily knitting related tips, but they can translate into other crafts.
Tip 1: only craft for people who are really and truly craft worthy. Not everyone appreciates handmade, and that’s ok. Just save handmade for people who “get it.”
Tip 2: put the intricate lace shawl aside. I love my lace, but it does not make for good holiday knitting. If you’re making big & complex things for other people you probably should’ve started in July, and if the project is for you, I say put it away till January.
Tip 3: simple projects. Projects that you can work on while being around people, and projects that you can pick up and put down easily are the way to go. Simple knitting & crochet projects are excellent for this.
Tip 4: carve out time for yourself. Even if it’s just 20 minutes to work on a personal project.
Tip 5: split your crafting time into “time you’re crafting around other people” and “time you’re crafting alone.” This is kind of a combination/variation on Tips 3 & 4. You can designate your “crafting time around people” as personal crafting time, and then work on other people’s gifts during the time you’re alone – this works especially well if you’re trying to keep the projects a secret. OR you can designate the “time you’re crafting around other people” as “time to work on simple projects” and the “time you’re crafting alone” as “time to work on complicated projects.” Which ever works for you.
Tip 6: only craft for yourself. Don’t try crafting for people and jump straight to getting gifts made by other people. This is a sure-fire way of having time to craft for yourself & gives you an opportunity to support independent makers, and small businesses.
Tip 7: decide to make gifts at the very last minute. Every year I say I’m not going to make gifts, and then every year, a week or so before Christmas I change my mind. This means that the week leading up to Christmas is kind of a crafting nightmare, but the weeks leading up to the week before Christmas are all about crafting for me.
This year, the plan is (again) to not craft for Christmas, and instead to focus my crafting time on the self-made wardrobe, (and not being cold.)
But of course, that’s what I always say. So we’ll see what happens.
