Category: how it works

Posted on by

Nerding out on materials and tools

For the first time in my many years of working in vinyl, I came across a seam in my rolled vinyl. A seam in the backing knit, you can see a little bit of the impression on the front side of the material.

Trims back just fine, I’m using these cut pieces for linings so no biggie.

Also, I’m getting lots of use with the utility blade razor cutter I got from Tandy, great for cutting piping cord and notching curves and corners through multiple layers, etc. and the blade switches out with a couple screws. It came with an angle template which I haven’t used yet.

Not as quick-change as my American Line utility knife, which just opens and you can switch the blade out easily. My favorite knife for ease of changing blades!

Everything is easier with the right tools!

Posted on by

How to Sew An Applique on Vinyl Using a Vintage Walking Foot Machine

I made a little video about stitching detailed appliques, uploaded it to YouTube and added some annotations/notes (not sure if they can be seen in all browsers?)

This machine may date to the 70s (maybe 60s?) I’ve had it since 1995, the second walking foot machine I ever bought.
(I’d like to give a shout-out to Maurice at City Service Sewing Machines, he’s the best in town.)

Please check it out, and let me know what you think!
Thanks xoxo JNA

Posted on by

How a sewing machine works

Kiddo #1 watched me sewing, got a bit quiet and said he wished he were a girl. Why? Because girls get to do things like sew. Of course I told him some men sew, and in some cultures men knit rather than women, which cheered him up. And I promised to teach him once he was old enough to run a machine safely (I forget if I was 7, 8 or 9 when I learned? 10 with knitting though I know kids learn much younger.)

Then he asked how a sewing machine works. We found two animations online: here, and here. Timing is everything 🙂 and once it gets out of whack you have to re-time or get serviced (if you’re in Austin, I very highly recommend Maurice at City Service Sewing Machine.)

The machine I usually work on is a walking foot (though my needle moves up and down without the forward-backward motion shown in the video.)

Growing up pre-Internet, we just had a How Everything Works book, nearby library, or Dad to consult. Though most times we figured it out, animation or video (or even good diagrams!) would have been really helpful.