I have a sewing machine question. I'm about to try and make a waterproof make-up bag from, amongst other things, a plastic rain mac. Do you think it will break my sewing machine (actually its my mums so i'd better not break it...)if I was to put the mac through it, or would i be better hand-sewing?
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Don't eat fruit and nuts. You are what you eat...
I think it might be ok (n will know better) but I would suggest putting a new needle in, a heavier one for jeans. Also hand turn it first to see if it goes through ok. If theres a problem getting to a shop to buy, let me know and I'll post one down with the mac.
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Take care
Kathy
I don't think it will break it. The worst that will happen is that it will jam.
Kathy is right, though I would say a sharp needle rather than a thicker one to start with. Also remember than the way a machine moves fabric through under the needle is by "grabbing" it with the feed dogs (those toothed plates underneath the presser foot). So your waterproof fabric may get mangled if it's very thin. I would do it with the waterproof stuff as the top layer (assuming that you are using it as lining with something else on the outside).
Don't make the stithes too close together or you'll end up with a line of perforation points rather than stitching. But your make-up bag would have to be really stuffed to put too much strain on the seam!
The main problem with sewing plasticky fabrics tend not to be that they are too tough for the machine, but rather that they slither about. I sew with the pins at right angles to the seam normally so that I can sew over the top of them without stopping to pull them out. One tip is to "pin" it with paper clips so you don't get holes created by the pins, but then you DO have to take them out as you go along or they get permanently stitched in the seam!
Let us know how you get on.
n
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Greenlady
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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Location: Scotland!
Posted: 20 Feb 2006 02:32 pm Post subject:
