Hitting the corner with the needle

[PlanoMike]

I'm new to using a sewing machine. I have a Class 26 from LMC. When sewing along and come near to the corner, my next stitch will either be short of the corner, or past it. I haven't figured out how to put the needle in the corner when I come to a turn. Can anyone give me any help, hints, suggestions?

Help me , Thank you so much,

Mike Caldwell

[AlZilla]

Al Bane has a video (which I can't recall exactly) where he slowly overshoots the corner but doesn't sink the needle. He stops and shortens the stitch with the length lever until the needle is where he wants it, then sinks it.  Turn corner, return stitch length and continue sewing. 

[Hags]

I wish I had a pat answer to this. I will use the smallest stitch that will work, and I try to avoid square corners. 

[bladegrinder]

I have a Cowboy 4500 I got last year, never used a sewing machine before and learned everything I know so far from this forum and experimentation and screw ups.

that said, I'll admit as I'm sewing in the back of my mind I'm always praying everything goes good and the stitching flows seamlessly till I'm done. obviously this corner business happens to everyone and the way I've been dealing with it is go real slow approaching that corner, if it looks like it's going to overshoot i bring the needle up then raise the foot slightly and move the work piece back by hand while lowering the needle by manually turning the flywheel, when it looks good hit the pedal and drop it home...then slowly bring the needle half to two thirds back up to make sure it catches the bobbin thread...

then make the turn out of the corner and continue on.  one thing I'll add, shortly after I got my machine I removed the little brake pad in the servo motor. that brake won't allow you to turn the flywheel by hand unless you press on the go pedal a short distance, which I found to be REALLY short between releasing the brake and the motor running.

[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, PlanoMike said:

I'm new to using a sewing machine. I have a Class 26 from LMC. When sewing along and come near to the corner, my next stitch will either be short of the corner, or past it. I haven't figured out how to put the needle in the corner when I come to a turn. Can anyone give me any help, hints, suggestions?

Help me , Thank you so much,

Mike Caldwell

This depends on the importance of the finished article and how it will be seen by others. When it is fairly high end I mark a point in the corners before i start stitching so that it gives me some warning to adjust the stitch length before i get to the corner hole. If it is of critical importance I work out the distance of the start and stop holes and work out the gap for each stitch to be even before I start. I actually do a print out to show the print spacing and then get some leather scrap of the same thickness  as the job to be done and do a few stitches to compare my sewing against the printed. This will get me a perfect stitch spacing from start to finish without any adjustments. This crocodile covered memorial book is an example of one I have done this way recently.

[Hags]

Another trick I've seen is to use a awl and make a hole in the corner. If you get the needle near it it will pretty much drop in.

[Fraulein]

I have a class 26 as well. Pretty much what @bladegrinder said, I go real slow when I get close to the corner and pay attention to that last stitch. When I get to about where I think the last stitch will be I stop using the foot pedal completely and turn the wheel by hand till my needle almost touches the leather, then I can raise the foot and manually move the leather so that last stitch lands exactly where I want it to. Then I can turn the wheel to sink the needle and turn the piece, lower the foot again and keep right on sewing.

I'll add that I didn't have to remove a brake pad or anything on my class 26 to be able to turn the wheel easily.

Good luck!

[Docado]

In addition to above comments. 

 

What helped me most  was to have my stitches set to a length that I knew. 

For instance if stitches were set to 6 per inch. 

I would mark material at the place I wanted the corner stitch to end. 

I would then measure 1/2” before I would reach the corner in my stitch line. 

If I positioned needle correctly at 1/2” mark, it was almost certain to be placed correctly in the corner mark. 

That also gave me 3 stitches to adjust if needed. 

[Northmount]

Moved to leather sewing machines.

[DonInReno]

It’s great practice to sew a squarish spiral on a 4” or so square piece of leather - draw out lines every 1/2” in from all four corners - try to sew as straight as possible and hit all corners exactly.  Sew in a spiral until hitting the middle then sew in a spiral going out in between your first stitches.

The key is to not let the needle hit the leather on the corner stitch unless it’s exactly where you want it.   With the needle near the leather surface use the reverse handle and observe what that does to the needle - if that movement won’t position the needle in the right spot get used to letting up on presser feet tension and move the leather until you are right on.

I don’t have great vision in dim shadows so a strong work light helps me a lot.

Im not using a magnifier yet and probably should be, but one of the visor looking ones that can be flipped up and down easily even over glasses can be had in various magnifications.

[JLSleather]

On 4/25/2023 at 5:46 AM, RockyAussie said:

mark a point in the corners before i start stitching so that it gives me some warning to adjust the stitch length before i get to the corner

[Quade]

Quote

I'm not using a magnifier yet and probably should be, but one of the visor looking ones that can be flipped up and down easily even over glasses can be had in various magnifications.

This. Along with very bright lighting.   I have a couple of these visors some with LED lights and some not.  The older you get, the more lighting you need.   I use magnetic mount lights that stick to the machine that I can point right down near the work too. 

[keithski122]

I just use my reverse lever to position the needle before it makes the corner hole, obviously the stitch will be shorter than previous stitches.

[PlanoMike]

On 4/24/2023 at 8:39 PM, AlZilla said:

Al Bane has a video (which I can't recall exactly) where he slowly overshoots the corner but doesn't sink the needle. He stops and shortens the stitch with the length lever until the needle is where he wants it, then sinks it.  Turn corner, return stitch length and continue sewing. 

I checked it out. Good solution for a class 4. My Class 26 doesn't have the same reverse.stitch length control, so I have had to work out a solution for myself.

Thanks for your thoughts and help. 

[PlanoMike]

On 4/25/2023 at 6:06 PM, Fraulein said:

I have a class 26 as well. Pretty much what @bladegrinder said, I go real slow when I get close to the corner and pay attention to that last stitch. When I get to about where I think the last stitch will be I stop using the foot pedal completely and turn the wheel by hand till my needle almost touches the leather, then I can raise the foot and manually move the leather so that last stitch lands exactly where I want it to. Then I can turn the wheel to sink the needle and turn the piece, lower the foot again and keep right on sewing.

I'll add that I didn't have to remove a brake pad or anything on my class 26 to be able to turn the wheel easily.

Good luck!

Thanks, Im pretty much copying your technique. Works good and I'm practicing it. My corners are getting better.

Thank you very much.

[Fraulein]

5 hours ago, PlanoMike said:

Thanks, Im pretty much copying your technique. Works good and I'm practicing it. My corners are getting better.

Thank you very much.

So glad I could help! Good luck in all your future endeavors!