How to: Using Hemming Foot for Sewing Machine.

Have you got one of these sitting around?

Hemming Foot for Sewing Machine.

I've been having adventures with the hemming foot on my vintage Bernina. After long being intrigued by this little device I sat down to play with it. I had tried it out some years ago, but the finer points of its use escaped me. 

Then I did a bit of research. I found a very good explanation of how to use the hemming foot at Jan Andrea's blog. She uses nice clear pictures to explain things, so happily there is no need in my trying to write a tutorial here, please go and have a look at her work, especially to learn how to do neat corners.

This is what I learnt:

1. Start sewing with a flat roll (before feeding into the twist).

1. Roll the first bit of fabric and put the foot down on top of it, sewing the first inch or so flat before feeding the fabric through the twisty bit.

2. Don't feed too much through the twisty bit.

2. Don't try to feed too much fabric through the twisty bit or it goes all lumpy. 'Too much fabric' depends on the fabric you're using so always do a test swatch. I found this video very helpful, she's hemming a wedding dress :)

3. Here are corner pictures pre and post research:

My clumsy corner invention

Now I know how to get a lovely corner!

4. I also discovered that this foot is only suitable for very light fabrics, much to my chagrin as I had banked on using it to do the hem on an apron (which I've just finished).

Here you can see the hemming apron disaster (on a light-weight denim cotton):

Starts off ok.

Fabric too think, doesn't get caught by the stitches.

Have you learnt to do anything new recently?

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