frustration
#11
You can use leaders to start your piecing and that prevents fabric being sucked into the throat plate. fraying depends on the fabric some fray more than others, you just might need higher quality fabric. cheaper fabric frays more.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Bosque County, Texas
Posts: 2,709
This adds to the cost but is fool proof. Attach wash-away stabilizer to the back of your fabric that you are sewing. Let it extend beyond the fabric so that you start sewing it first then the fabric that you are joining together. The stabilizer only needs to be under the part that you are sewing and the part that is fraying - probably not more than 2 inches width of stabilizer no matter how wide your fabric pieces are. After your fabric is stitched, spray the stabilizer. It will dissolve away. It will have solved the problem of the fabric being eaten by the feed dogs and the fabric edges fraying, then it will dissolve away- all for a few pennies and a few minutes of preparation.
Last edited by TanyaL; 02-21-2012 at 05:51 PM.
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
Did you pre-wash your fabric? I find that tends to reduce fraying because it shrinks the fabric and tightens the weave thus lessening the fraying. DON'T pre-wash your cut pieces! That's asking for trouble. You could cut your subsequent pieces a tad larger and use a 'true' 1/4 in. seam instead of a 'scant' 1/4 in. and that will give you a bit more 'wiggle room' with fraying. If you have a zig-zag hole plate on your machine, you might want to invest in a single hole plate to reduce the chance of fabric being eaten as well.
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Mechanicsville, IA
Posts: 1,497
I also had problems with this when I first started quilting. At a beginners quilting class they suggested (as mentioned) purchasing a different throat plate with a small hole in it for straight stitching. I followed their advice and have had hardly any problems since. Although the purchase wasn't exactly cheap.
#16
Little tip, ALWAYS start your first piece with the needle down, and then try to chain piece if the pattern pieces lend themsleves to it. It will be more gentle overall on the fabrics, as noted by others make sure the fabric is cut on the straight grain. I always prewash, then iron with spray strarch, and have never had problems.
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