Read Ebook: It's Fun to Sew Aprons and Skirts by Johnson Theta

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Ebook has 238 lines and 14903 words, and 5 pages

Plan a shopping tour with your club before buying your fabric. After studying the different cotton fabrics, have your leader and mother help you select the fabric for your scarf, apron, or skirt. If you plan to make a double scarf, buy 1/2 yard additional fabric like your skirt and the same amount of a contrasting color.

You will need two washcloths if you plan to make the TV slippers. Select medium weight washcloths either with or without border trim.

Learn to use the sewing machine

For those of you who are starting with this phase, this section will help you become acquainted with the parts of the machine and will tell you how to use it.

When you can recognize these parts and know their use, you are ready to learn to run the machine. Check these points before you start to use the machine:

How to start the machine

You are now ready to get the "feel" of running the sewing machine. You will first practice starting the machine off slowly and evenly.

If you use an electric machine, you must learn how much pressure to put on the knee or foot control. Remember there is a lot of power in an electric machine.

If you use a treadle machine, put both feet on the treadle, one ahead of the other. With your right hand, move the balance wheel forward or back, whichever is right for your kind of machine. Take your hand off the balance wheel and treadle with your feet, pressing first with your toes and then with your heels. Practice treadling until you can run it smoothly at a moderate speed.

How to stop the machine

Try stopping the machine by slowing down the treadling or releasing the pressure on the electric control. With your right hand, stop the balance wheel. Turn the wheel slowly until the needle is raised as high as it will go. Always do this when you stop the machine. Practice starting and stopping. You will do this many times while you are sewing. Try stitching both forward and backward if there is a reverse lever on your machine.

Practice sewing on paper

Now that you can run the machine, practice sewing by first stitching on paper. Draw some straight and curved lines on paper as a guide to follow as you stitch. Here is how to do it:

Place the end of a line under the needle.

Lower the presser foot. This holds the paper securely and helps feed it through the machine.

Start the machine by turning the balance wheel. Treadle slowly or press on the foot or knee release of the electric machine.

Guide the paper with both hands. Place the left hand in back of the needle and the right in front of the needle. Keep your hands at a safe distance from the needle when stitching.

When you can stitch straight and control the speed of the machine, you are ready to learn to thread the machine and start sewing an easy-to-make article.

Thread the machine

You can best learn to thread the machine by having your leader show you how to thread it. Then practice while she watches you. Watch closely when she draws the bobbin thread to the top and see how she pulls both threads back of the presser foot. Learn about the tension. The tension determines whether or not you have a good stitch. Until you are older, have your leader or mother adjust the tension for you. Watch her while she does it.

Check the stitch

Pull both top and bobbin threads back of the presser foot. Place a double thickness of cloth under the presser foot and make several inches of stitching. Inspect the stitch. Does it look the same on both sides? If not, have the tension adjusted until it does.

Use 12 stitches to the inch for the type of sewing you will be doing. Have your leader show you how to adjust the length of the stitch.

When you have finished sewing, raise the needle as far as it will go. Raise the presser foot and pull the fabric back about 4 inches from the needle. Cut the thread with your scissors or on the cutting knife on the side of the needle-bar.

Use a cloth gauge

A cloth gauge placed to the right of the needle will aid you in making straight seams. Place a strip of colored scotch tape, band aid, or adhesive tape to the right of the needle if you do not have a gauge. Watch the edge of your cloth as it follows along the gauge rather than watching the needle when stitching. This will help you make a straighter seam.

Your posture at the machine

Posture is important. If you sit "tall," you will be less tired and will do better work.

Become a 4-H machinist

There is a special activity planned to help you learn how to use the sewing machine. It is called "Know Your Sewing Machine." Ask your leader and county home agent about this.

Learning to use the machine is the most important part of this clothing project and it is a lot of fun. Bring your mother to club with you the day you study machines so she can enjoy it with you. When you have learned to use the machine and can pass your test for a 4-H sewing machinist, your leader will sign your certificate. You are now ready to start to sew.

Have you learned to:

Start and stop the machine? Run the machine smoothly? Wind the bobbin and place it in its case or shuttle? Thread the machine, top and bobbin, and pull up the bobbin thread? Adjust the length of stitch? Stitch on straight lines, corners, and curves? Guide, not force, the fabric? Tell a good stitch?

Learn to press cotton

Examine the iron--locate the different parts. Set the heat indicator of your iron for cotton. This will keep the iron at the correct temperature.

Cotton may be ironed on either the right or the wrong side. If your fabric does not iron out smoothly or take a sharp crease, dampen it. Here is how to do it:

Dampen a piece of cheesecloth and squeeze it tight. Do not make it wet. Place it over the cloth you want to press and set iron on it. Steam will form and dampen the cloth.

Always iron or press with the grain of the cloth. Follow the warp or the filling threads. Do not iron on the bias.

Sew--have fun

Now that you have practiced using the sewing machine, you are ready to make a scarf, slippers, or sewing kit.

Make a scarf

This scarf may be made larger than the measurements suggested but it will require more fabric. Using these measurements, a square of cloth can be cut into four scarves. It will be more economical to cut a scarf this way if four in your club use the same colored fabric.

Plan to have your scarf match or look nice with your skirt. For a double scarf, have one side the same as your skirt fabric and one a plain or contrasting color. A single scarf may either match your skirt or be a contrasting color.

Double scarf

Cut two triangles of fabric--

Pin right sides together and sew a 1/2 -inch seam around edge.

Start sewing 6 inches from center of scarf. Stitch around scarf and stop 3 inches before reaching starting point . The opening is for turning your scarf.

Press the seams open. Then trim the seams until they are 1/4 -inch wide. Trim off corners. Turn your scarf and press.

Baste a slot for headband, 14 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Sew across one end. Turn and stitch along basting threads. Turn and stitch across other end. See diagram.

Sew 2 inches of opening, leaving 1 inch open to insert head band.

Insert head band and your scarf is finished.

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