Mark the sewing line by tracing around a template with a purple air-soluble marking pen. (If you are in a humid area, mark the pieces just before you sew them.)
When possible, sew before you cut. If you need to cut before you sew, use a Dream Seamer (a brass button with a hole in the center) to add seam allowance by trancing around the template again with the tip of the marker in the Dream Seamer. (You can get a Dream Seamer in most quilt shops. Dritz also has a similar device available in fabric shops.)
Sew exactly on the sewing line and then cut (if you didn't cut before sewing).
If your sewing machine seems to eat knit fabrics, you are using the wrong pressure foot and throat cover plate.
Use the cover plate for straight stitching — the one with the smallest hole.
Use the applique foot, or the metal one with one short side, so you can see the stitches.
Taking the time to pin carefully is important if you want a perfectly proportioned doll. (Especially for knit fabrics.)
The pins should point toward the center of the work.
I sew very slowly and carefully and do not remove the pin until the machine needle is only one or two stitches from the pin.
I never sew over the pins because hitting a pin can burr the sewing machine needle. A burred needle will cause tiny holes along the sides of the seams that will not be apparent until you are stuffing. Then it's too late to do anything about it and hours of work are wasted because the doll is ruined beyond repair.
Removing the pin too soon will cause the fabric, which has been stretched or eased, to slip and defeat the purpose of using the pin. If the fabric slips, you will wind up with an uneven and unsightly seam that is almost impossible to correct. It will distort the shape of the doll. (It's really faster to toss it out and do a new piece than to try and fix it.)
Trim to about 1/8 (2mm) except between fingers and around the ears and genitals where the trim is closer.
Sew slowly and carefully, especially around fingers and ears. If your machine has a feature that makes it stop with the needle down, use it — it will help you turn your work accurately without creating a glitch. Be careful not to catch fabric in the seams. This happens most often around the torso sides, at the shoulder, and with the foot sole at the back of the heel.
All seams should be double sewn for strength. After sewing each seam, stitch exactly on top of the first line of stitches. Sew the second time on the opposite side of the fabric.
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Copyright © Jim and Gloria Winer. |