Sewing Close To Buckles

[cercyonis]

I'm not much of a seamstress, so why am I trying to learn the basics of sewing on an Artisan 3000 with leather and biothane? To drive myself nuts, I guess. I have done a general search of the Web and this site, but can't find anything specifically about how to get the stitches close to buckles. The presser foot gets in the way. If I lift the presser foot, I get weird stitches. What's the trick?

~Jennifer

[TwinOaks]

Use right toe presser foot. Or the left toe presser foot. If you don't have either, contact one of the sewing machine distributors from this forum and they can get one to you. The l/r toe foot is basically half the presser foot, and allows you to run the center foot (where the needle is) right to the edge of something like a buckle. You'll still have to allow for the width of the center foot, but you should be able to get VERY CLOSE.

Here's a (somewhat blurry) picture showing what I'm talking about. Forgive the picture quality, it's a 'rush job' from a old camera (whopping 3 mega pixel and no macro):

The feet for YOUR sewing machine will be smaller than this one (Tippmann Boss), but this is just to show a 'one sided foot'.

[dirtclod]

If you start next to the buckle going down the length of what ever your sewing you can't get real close. But going back up the other side you can sew pretty close to the buckle. Trick is to make sure you enough of a lap so that it is secure. Not sure of that makes sense or not, if it doesn't i try to take a couple of pictures tomorrow.

[cercyonis]

Thank you for the replies. I received a few different presser feet with the machine, so I'll dig and see if any fit the bill.

[cercyonis]

Nope, all the presser feet I have extend out in front of the needle area. Time to spend more clams!

[Kevin]

If you can get hold of some old leather halters and look at the pattern of the stitching on the buckle piece, you will see how to do it. I have never stitched on a machine that lets you stitch all the way up to the buckle. You start on one side by the buckle and stitch across and down the other side down to the ring. Then start on the other side, stitch up toward the buckle, stitch across and end up by the buckle again. You will end up with a kind of curvacious V below the buckle.

Do not look at an Indian halter as they are sewn by hand and are able to stitch up to the buckle.

Good luck,

Kevin

[Ferg]

This may not go over too big with you but anyhow

Sew as close to the buckle as you can, up one side and down the other, Hand stitch across the strap at the buckle. If need be begin in the last machine stitch, hand sew to the buckle and across the strap even with your machine stitch and down that side to the last stitch. Tie off your hand stitching.

Another way is to simply stitch across the strap at the buckle beginning with a "wrapped stitch" on the edge, stitch across strap to stitch line and do another "Wrapped Stitch" .This is strong and attractive even if it does take a little longer.

This is a small photo but perhaps you can get the idea for the "Wrapped Stitch" from it.

ferg

Nope, all the presser feet I have extend out in front of the needle area. Time to spend more clams!

[TwinOaks]

Nope, all the presser feet I have extend out in front of the needle area. Time to spend more clams!

Ah, now I think I see what you were asking...

Turn the work sideways, and use either the left or right toe foot. You can guide the needle about 1/8th inch away from the buckle...like this-

Is that what you were talking about?

[cercyonis]

Hey, thanks for the examples. I don't want to purchase another presser foot at the moment, because they are super-duper expensive! So I'll try some of these methods. The thing is, I've read somewhere that it isn't a good idea to sew straight across the strap. It made sense to me because sewing pokes holes in the leather, which seems to make sort of a perforation across the strap. I figured that's why I've seen a lot of horse-tack straps sewn with a fish-like shape. Does this make sense or does it sound like a buncha baloney? I'm here to learn.

[stelmackr]

Hey, thanks for the examples. I don't want to purchase another presser foot at the moment, because they are super-duper expensive! So I'll try some of these methods. The thing is, I've read somewhere that it isn't a good idea to sew straight across the strap. It made sense to me because sewing pokes holes in the leather, which seems to make sort of a perforation across the strap. I figured that's why I've seen a lot of horse-tack straps sewn with a fish-like shape. Does this make sense or does it sound like a buncha baloney? I'm here to learn.

Just grind the toe off of one pressure foot.

Bob Stelmack

www.pslac.org