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?

PS. If you are an Etsy Seller you can promote your items on this blog right now for free in the Etsy Stock Take. Please come and join in :)

Etsy Stock Take - Week Four

Lavender Sachet

 Etsy Stock Take - Week Four

UPDATE! Don't post your links here anymore, please click on the link to go over to the latest Etsy Stock Take! I plan to do this at the end of every calender week, so please look out for the newest post!

TWITTER: Follow the fun on Twitter use: #etsystocktake  

So... I didn't make anything for my Etsy shop this week. Uh oh! My excuse is that 4 family members came to stay this weekend and I've been shopping and cleaning etc...

As I am committed to improving my shop I took a few minutes to try and improve the presentation of an item already listed. The item I worked on is a lavender sachet of my own design. I am preparing a tutorial for beginner crocheters so that they can make their own, I hope to get that done soon! 

I recently learnt that tweaking the brightness and contrast of my photos makes them look so much better and more professional. 

Here is a before photo (you can see the after above!):

Do you think there is an improvement? Do you have any Etsy photo tips to share?

Kat x

Join me:

I hope that you fellow Etsian's will join me in showcasing your new items each Sunday (or anytime after that really!).  Let's blog hop!

You have 3 options:

1. Post your link to your new items in the MrLinky Blog Hop widget thingy at the bottom of this post.

2. Write a new post on your blog, title it Etsy Stock Take and link back here, in the comments section.

3. Not a blogger? No problem, simply leave me a comment with links that go to your new items in your Etsy shop.

I will list the links to each week's stock take on my Jewels page. Please go and have a browse!

It'd be lovely if you took a moment to go and check out some stuff that others post below. Let's show our support for each other craftwise!

I'm hoping that my goal of listing one item a week will be a powerful motivator and a source of promotion for us all...

 

What do you think?

Snow again in Hamburg.

Snow in Hamburg this morning!

There we go - more snow in Hamburg! A proper snow this time. The kind that is waiting for you like a mysterious wonderland, that surprises you when you peek out from behind your curtains in the morning. We had sun and partial clouds forecast for this weekend, so this was a lovely unexpected event.

I just hope they clear the roads as I've got to do a long drive tomorrow. I don't want ice!

How's the weather where you are? Do you have the same season as me?