How can I sew a strait line?

Question

I cant sew a strait line on my sewing machine.

How can I?

Answer 1

kay is right on it! I would like to add that because the bulk of your fabric lies to the left of the machine that it helps in the way you handle the fabric as it is being fed under the presser foot... guide the fabric with the right hand and use your left hand to keep the rest of the  fabric straight and evenly  fed on the opposite side of the fabric that is being fed under the foot...

Answer 2

Watch the edge of the fabric against the guide mark... don't watch the needle.  

And practice sewing straight lines by sewing on sheets of paper -- unthread the machine, put a piece of junk mail under the presser foot and sew.  At the corner, put the needle down into the paper/fabric, raise the presser foot, and turn the corner, lower the presser foot and continue to sew.

When you're happy sewing straight lines, cut the edge of some paper into gentle curves and repeat the exercise till you can sew inside and outside curves at a constant seam allowance.  When you're happy with that, try the same exercises on fabric.

If you continue to have trouble with your sewing machine, try another and see if you're any better with that machine.  Or have someone who is experienced sew on your machine for a test strip or two.  It is possible to have feed dogs and presser foot not be parallel to each other, which means one set of feed dogs pulls harder than the other.  If this is the case with your machine, a sewing machine mechanic can make that adjustment for you.  

The paper sewing exercise is one I make any beginner I teach do -- paper is easier to handle than fabric, and that way, you get to work on one skill at a time.

The other thing to try to do while you're practicing is to sew faster.  It's usually easier to sew a straight line when you can feel the wind in your hair than when you're sewing  

v e r y   s l o w l y  &  c a r e f u l l y.

Answer 3

Does your machine have a speed adjustment? Sometimes it's a switch on the foot pedal. If it does, use the slowest speed.

Then, pick your seam allowance and look for a guide on the machine bed. Most patterns assume the seam allowance will be 5/8, so look for a line with 5/8 next to it. Go slowly enough that you can run the edge of your material right along the line.  

Answer 4

Hold the cloth firmly and bring it through the sewing machine straight.

Answer 5

When my daughter was first learning I put a piece of blue painters tape  on the machine at the 5/8 mark (which is what most seams are) you can also just draw a line with a sharpie pen. Just make sure it is completely dry before using fabric on the machine. I did this on one of my older machines.

To practice sewing straight, use notebook paper. You don't even have to thread the machine. just follow the lines on the notebook paper

Answer 6

even better--how do you spell a straight line?

Answer 7

I have a seam guide on my pressure foot for a true 1/4" seam when I'm sewing quilt parts. If not doing that follow the seam guides on the right side of your needle...other than that try watching the linked video