Top stitching belts and straps

[Suze]

that pretty blue painters tape works quite well on my REGULAR sewing machine

so did clear tape and a marking pen - -put clear tape down, mark it - cover with another piece of tape to keep marks off of your material

but the important part is watching the needle for me too. and keeping foot off of the "accelorator" when you don't need it there.

[Bree]

I use a roller guide and other kinds of guides as well. Weaver sells a nice guide plate for their Adler machines. They aren't hard to make.

I can stitch without the guide but it is more work for me. Lord knows I have enough work without making more for myself. So I like anything that simplifies my sewing.

On my midweight Juki machine I use special topstitching feet with a little spring-loaded "wall" that I run along the edge of whatever I am sewing. It saves a lot of time and helps make sewing irregular items a lot easier.

BUT... you still have to concentrate and follow the needle regardless of the guide. I have failed to do that on a bunch of occasions with very very sad and sometimes expensive results.

[UKRay]

Loads of good advice, so many thanks friends!

I'm a little afraid of filing bits off the machine at present but I recognise the value of all your suggestions. Currently my needle goes through a little hole in the foot which makes it pretty hard to see it enter the leather and harder still to keep the stitching accurate. I may just have to get rid of the hole - unless anyone can tell me why I shouldn't? Then the bit behind the needle can get a blob of red paint and hopefully I'm fit to go!

I'm going to get a roller guide to help me get used to the way the machine works but I can see how Bob's hand control thing could work for me so I'll be trying that too.

I do find myself fixating on steering the leather and forgetting to pedal 'slowly' so the machine gets faster and faster... Muchos scary!

More practice, more practice, more practice.... LOL

[hidepounder]

Loads of good advice, so many thanks friends!

I'm a little afraid of filing bits off the machine at present but I recognise the value of all your suggestions. Currently my needle goes through a little hole in the foot which makes it pretty hard to see it enter the leather and harder still to keep the stitching accurate. I may just have to get rid of the hole - unless anyone can tell me why I shouldn't? Then the bit behind the needle can get a blob of red paint and hopefully I'm fit to go!

I'm going to get a roller guide to help me get used to the way the machine works but I can see how Bob's hand control thing could work for me so I'll be trying that too.

I do find myself fixating on steering the leather and forgetting to pedal 'slowly' so the machine gets faster and faster... Muchos scary!

More practice, more practice, more practice.... LOL

Ray,

I was concerned about modifing my needle presser foot also and finally decided that the worst thing that could happen was that I'd have to buy a new presser foot. Art or someone else may know of a good reason not to do this, but I haven't heard one mentioned yet. I think the purpose of the long foot may be to make it easier for the presser foot to climb on thickening material, but on my machine that function hasen't really been affected. If I'm not mistaken, Troy West said he did the same thing with his new (Toro?). I didn't dream this up....I saw a new machine set up that way in a show in Pomona, CA. I don't remember the brand, it was similar to my Adler so I went for it! Nine years later, I'm still sewing with that modified foot.

Hope this helps,

Bob

Edited May 3, 2009 by hidepounder

[UKRay]

It helps a lot, Bob. I'm going to take a file to the little hole in a few minutes simply because i can't see any reason not to. I suspect the 'hole' has a purpose that is not linked to leather - my foot is not a specialist leather foot, just the standard one fitted as new. It probably protects the needle from fabric 'rucking up' and jamming things up. Leather isn't going to do that so I feel quite safe. Your post has given me the confidence to do the obvious...

Thanks.

Ray,

I was concerned about modifing my needle presser foot also and finally decided that the worst thing that could happen was that I'd have to buy a new presser foot. Art or someone else may know of a good reason not to do this, but I haven't heard one mentioned yet. I think the purpose of the long foot may be to make it easier for the presser foot to climb on thickening material, but on my machine that function hasen't really been affected. If I'm not mistaken, Troy West said he did the same thing with his new (Toro?). I didn't dream this up....I saw a new machine set up that way in a show in Pomona, CA. I don't remember the brand, it was similar to my Adler so I went for it! Nine years later, I'm still sewing with that modified foot.

Hope this helps,

Bob

[hidepounder]

It helps a lot, Bob. I'm going to take a file to the little hole in a few minutes simply because i can't see any reason not to. I suspect the 'hole' has a purpose that is not linked to leather - my foot is not a specialist leather foot, just the standard one fitted as new. It probably protects the needle from fabric 'rucking up' and jamming things up. Leather isn't going to do that so I feel quite safe. Your post has given me the confidence to do the obvious...

Thanks.

Ray,

I don't know if removing the entire hole is necessary. I think I'd just try opening up the front so that you can see in, first. Leave the rest of the foot around the needle just to keep the leather in place.

Bob

[superchute]

Ray we just did that to our new toro. Dad cut and smothed out about 25% or the loop in the front and now you can see the needle going helps a lot and love it

Russ

[UKRay]

For one reason or another I didn't get around to doing that filing job today (got busy making stuff) but I'm planning on doing it asap. Anyone know why the little ring of metal is there on the foot? What purpose does it serve?

Ray we just did that to our new toro. Dad cut and smothed out about 25% or the loop in the front and now you can see the needle going helps a lot and love it

Russ

[Suze]

my best guess Ray would be if you are using the machine to sew thin stuff - sany canvas or thin leather it is to keep the thread from draging the material up with the needle.

as I noticed the Toro that Johanna has - the presser foot is pretty "open" not like a "regular sewing machine"

Oh and I had a thought on how to keep your machine from going "light speed" when you don't want it too

put a block of wood under the pedal so that it can only depress so far and no more. Built in speed control.

[Art]

Hi Ray,

The best way is to dig a groove and sew in it. You can also press a groove with a screw crease, just wet the leather and crease it, you don't need to get it hot. I used the roller edge guide, and haven't used it in years, a finger works about the same, I learned that way on the Campbell where the slowest speed was fast. If you are sewing an intricate pattern (and a holster qualifies for that) groove it; it takes a little while to be comfortable, but pretty soon, you don't even think about it, kind of like backing up a semi (or articulated lorry?).

If you want an edge guide, pm me with your addr, I have a few somewhere around here.

Art

My lovely new Highlead sewing machine is now in place, complete with its shiny new silent servo motor, just waiting for me to get my act together enough to use it properly. I'd like to be able to top stitch belts and straps but find myself drifting away from the edge as I stitch up the length of the belt.

I'm currently using my fingers as a guide but I wonder if I should bite the bullet and spend the money on a roller guide to make the job easier. Can anyone tell me how to use one of these things and has anyone got any other tips for me on keeping the stitching straight.

And yes, Luke. I am going to practice a lot!