Thread: Sewing n00b seeks assistance!

Hi folks!

A good friend has recently helped me get set up to hem a too-long skirt. It's been measured, marked, cut, and pinned, and is all ready to go on the machine.

Problem is, said good friend is now out of town for several days, and I have realized how little I actually know about using a sewing machine. I've got it all threaded and the bobbin is wound, and it is sewing OK on a piece of scrap fabric that is not from the skirt. When I tried to test it on the scrap from the skirt, though: FAIL. It's kind of like the top thread isn't catching the bottom thread, so stitches just aren't forming. I'm guessing that since it worked on the other fabric, the fabric I'm using must have its own issues. The skirt fabric is shiny holo stretch fabric. You've all seen it before, I'm sure. The reverse of the fabric is not shiny.

With this kind of fabric, what should I be doing to make it work? Do I need a special kind of needle? What kind of stitch should I be using? Straight? Zig-zag? Something else entirely? Should I do something about thread tension? Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

I would try using a "Stretch Needle". These are needles made especially for fabrics like that. Also, while you're at the store picking up needles, buy a bottle of "Sewer's Aid". It's a lubricant for your needle that will help it punch through the holographic foil that's likely on your fabric. This type of material can be a challenge to sew.

Here is a question: What kind of skirt is it? If it is a narrow skirt, ou might be farther ahead to hand hem it.

{{{HUGS}}}

It's a trumpet skirt. It flares out at the bottom. Maybe 2.5 yards at the bottom edge?

What kind of stitch would I use to hand-sew it? I usually just use a plain old stitch that looks like -------.

Total n00b, as I said!

For such a hem I use a narrow zigzag pulling the fabric between my fingers so it rolls, hiding any loose threads. For hand sewing I would roll it tightly and use a running hem stitch. Resembles a bit of a zigzag. It would be impossible for me to keep the stitches straight plus the looping stitches help control the loose threads. The stitch I refer to resembles "WWWWW"s that touch.