Doing a wavy hem skirt on a dance outfit. What is the alternative to fishing line? I've seen a product of varying widths and colours. Resembles stiff nylon mesh.What is this product called. Thanks

What's the model? Do you have the stitch selector set on straight stitch, or on a stitch with a width component, like a blind hem stitch?
Some machines consider straight stitch to be a zigzag stitch of width=0, while others have separate settings for a straight stitch and a zigzag (or other) stitch.

Are you absolutley sure you're not getting a problem with stitch formation on, for example, wide zig-zag. Check again, using a different colour top and bottom and make sure that the stitch is being formed properly with only the top colour on top and bottom colour on the bottom. It sounds as though the bottom loop is not being picked-up by the hook properly. Make sure you've thoroughly cleaned-out any fluff under the stitch-plate and remove the hook/shuttle and give the hook race a good clean and give it a single drop of oil, even if you've got the lightweight part-plastic hook/shuttle fitted.

You need a foot like this one so you can guide the folded edge of the fabric hem along against the white plastic foot. This is a generic style snap on blind hem foot, your machine should have one in the accessories that looks like this if your machine has a blind hem stitch included in its functions.

You fold the fabric into a upside down Z shape and run the top folded edge along the white guide with the fabric under the foot, hard to explain but once youve done it once, it makes sense.

You need to select the stitch on your machine that looks like 3 small zigzags, then one bigger one, or 3 straight stitches, then one zig zag to the side. This is the blind hemming stitch. You'll possibly also have a blind hemming foot to use, which helps with guiding the fabric fold into the machine and keeping it even. But if not, you should be able to buy one from your Huskqvarna dealer or a generic one from www.sewingpartsonline.com may well fit.

You'd be best served by visiting http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/machineblindsti.htm for photos and intructions if you've never done blind hem stitching before.

Blind hemming works best when hemming straight edges of fabric such as a ruffle on a full skirt - if there is any curve in the seam, it gets much harder and the result won't look so good. In essence, you press the fabric hem up, then fold the hem edge back under so you have a "S' shape, then sew along the single layer with the folded edge sitting against the foot guide. Then when the machine takes the 4th wide stitch, the needle swings to the left and catches a small stitch into the upper folded layer, then back onto the hem. The trick is adjusting the stitch so that the wide stitch doesn't show much on the right side of the garment

here is a link to great info on sewing.about.com which explains this technique with images, http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/machineblindsti.htm

In brief, you need to fold the fabric to be hemmed into a Z shape with the wrong side hem edge at the bottom of the Z.

The Blind stitch is either three straight stitches then a wide zig zag which swings to the left and catches a little bit of the folded edge, or three small zig zags, then one wide zig zag to the left to catch one stitch into the folded edge. The zig zag style has a little more stretch in it so works good on jerseys and knits.
You need to use the blind hemming foot which helps you to line up the folded edge and keep it at a constant distance from the needle. It will look like this.
Turn the little silver screw to move the white plastic guide left or right until you've got just a smidgen of fabric being stitched by the left wide stitch. Always do a practice sample first to get the stitching and guide set right. On most machines you can vary the width of the big zig by adjusting the stitch width dial a little.

You need to adjust the blind hemming foot guide so that the needle is just catching a tiny amount of your folded fabric because this is the stitch which shows on the right side of the fabric when you unfold the Z. So forget trying to hem satin or expensive fabrics this way, a hand sewn stitch will give a much better finish.

Blind hemming works best on a hem which is continuously straight on the same grain line, its not great for a curved hem. So if you've got a tiered skirt or the frill on a bed valance, it is fine as the fabric edge to be hemmed will be a continuous straight length. You can use it on a slightly curved hem for jerseys as the fabric has more give, and patterns will help to disguise the stitching too.

I hope that this helps you to sew your blind hem, 4 thumbs up if so.

Just trim the fabric to the desired hem length plus one inch, then overlock around this raw edge with thread close colour match to the fabric.

You then have the choice of either stitching around with a stretch stitch on your sewing machine, or hand sewing.

Being lycra shouldn't change how you hem them unless the trouser leg is extremely close fitting and the hem seam is going to be under tension.

My first choice would be using a twin needle in straight stitch from top side but this finish can pop/break if the hem is under tension. But perfect for most knit hems.

If you hand sew then you can turn up hem allowance and put a length of fusible hemming web inside the hem allowance and press it to hold. Then do a back stitch hand sew around to hold hem in place.

If you sew with the regular sewing machine, then use either the stretch stitch or a very small zig zag, and a ball point or stretch needle.

On ready to wear you would see a coverstitch hem but your overlocker doens't have this stitch.

I have the same model, have you turned the first knob on left, the stitch selector, to the stitch you want? Then turn the middle knob, the stitch width to "4". Use the colour guide marks shown in the little picture on left of the knobs so you are dialing up the right settings. So for the zig zag, elastic blind hem, scallop, overcasting and multi-stretch stiches, 1-6 on the diagram you'll be setting the left knob to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively and the stitch width and length knobs to "green", you can vary the length and width to suit what you want.

Then for the cams, you need to set everything zero, turn stitch selector to 7, the cam setting. then turn the width to orange again (3-4) and the stitch lenth selector to the orange setting, right around the knob. This engages the "Elnagraph" the device under the flap on top of the machine to read the discs. Basically the green stitches the needle is swinging from side to side while the feed dogs move the fabric forward, making your zig zags, blind hems etc.
But when you engage the Elna graph, the machine matches stiches by moving the fabric "forward and backwards at certain times, while the needle does its thing from side to side. This is what makes elastic or stretchy type stitches because you are putting "stretch" into the seam by sewing forwards and backwards.

Please note: always turn your stitch width and length back to Zero BEFORE you make any changes to the left knob and select a new stitch as this saves on wear and tear to the moving parts in these wonderful machines.

I do hope this assists you and I haven't just told you stuff you already knew!

I have the same model, have you turned the first knob on left, the stitch selector, to the stitch you want? Then turn the middle knob, the stitch width to "4". Use the colour guide marks shown in the little picture on left of the knobs so you are dialing up the right settings. So for the zig zag, elastic blind hem, scallop, overcasting and multi-stretch stiches, 1-6 on the diagram you'll be setting the left knob to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively and the stitch width and length knobs to "green", you can vary the length and width to suit what you want.

Then for the cams, you need to set everything zero, turn stitch selector to 7, the cam setting. then turn the width to orange again (3-4) and the stitch lenth selector to the orange setting, right around the knob. This engages the "Elnagraph" the device under the flap on top of the machine to read the discs. Basically the green stitches the needle is swinging from side to side while the feed dogs move the fabric forward, making your zig zags, blind hems etc.
But when you engage the Elna graph, the machine matches stiches by moving the fabric "forward and backwards at certain times, while the needle does its thing from side to side. This is what makes elastic or stretchy type stitches because you are putting "stretch" into the seam by sewing forwards and backwards.

Please note: always turn your stitch width and length back to Zero BEFORE you make any changes to the left knob and select a new stitch as this saves on wear and tear to the moving parts in these wonderful machines.

I do hope this assists you and I haven't just told you stuff you already knew!

You can use a twin needle if you want the look of top stitching (like t-shirt).

For the blind hem, you need to baste the hem and then the fold so they do not shift as the machine stitches the hem.

I like to test each of these techniques by making a sample with the same fabric and adjusting length when using the twin needle or width and length when doing the blind hem.

Twin needle does limit the stitching to a straight stitch or a very, very narrow zig-zag - this has to be hand walked to be sure neither swing hits the presser foot or needle plate before stitching.

You need to fit a rolled hem plate

Hi:

You can easily trim a hem down a bit before actually hemming it up. Many patterns allow for a lot longer hem than you will ever use, but that also allows for people both for adult and childrens patterns that may need the extra length. Often if you know the length you will need before you cut the pattern you can make the adjustments before you cut the pattern. As to putting a button hole in a hem, I have done so, especially on an adults outfit where the hem will never likely need to be let down. Sometimes on a childs pattern, putting the button hole in a hem means you can not let the hem down, and as I learned with my youngest two kids, who went through growth spirts twice a year and could easily grow 3 inches in less than 3 weeks during this time, I did not want to limit my options so I never put a button home or any trim through a hem line that might limit my ability to lengthen a newly made outfit.

Hope that was helpful to you.

Patchz