My sewing stiletto... |
For whatever reason, it didn't occur to me to check to see if I'm an outlier
on this until now. I am one of those who does regularly use something
to guide my fabric under the needle when I sew.
Mind you, it's not often that I use the actual stiletto that you see pictured
here; more than likely, I'll just grab a pin and use that.
And I know, it's generally not recommended to use something metal that may
accidentally strike the needle and break and then perhaps fly into your eye.
(Yikes!)
That said, the likelihood of that happening is probably quite small for an experienced sewer. A fairly experienced sewer might still be more likely to stitch a finger by accident, which is another reason why using a stiletto is a good idea.
For many reasons, we tend to reach in close with our fingers while we sew.
Depending on the kind of safeguards that may or may not be built in to any
particular machine, catching a finger may not be that difficult to do. (If
you're into gruesome things, do a search for I sewed my finger by accident and check out the images.)
So why are we doing this?
YouTuber Don Kim using his stiletto... |
The short answer is to control the fabric. I attribute it to two problems: fabric drag and insufficient pressure on the top piece.
Most of us have experienced "fabric drag" while sewing, particularly if the
piece is larger than a sheet of paper. Those who have their sewing machines
sitting flush inside a sewing table are the lucky ones who don't have this
problem. For the rest of us, we have to put up with the sliding that occurs
when the part that's already sewn goes back, down, and to the left, dragging
the remainder of the piece being sewn off kilter. (Know what helps? An
extension table!)
I find that to control this "off to the side" movement, I need to keep the
sewn part straight with my left hand while my right hand guides the
fabric as it feeds under the presser foot. This is when we stick our
fingers where our fingers shouldn't go. So use a stiletto, please.
A second, less acknowledged problem is that the top fabric of what we're
sewing often needs a little extra guidance. The feed dogs of a sewing
machine move the bottom fabric along quite adequately, but the top
fabric (even if the presser foot pressure is set properly) can stretch,
resulting in uneven results upon completion; i.e., the top fabric is
"longer" than the bottom. This can be especially noticeable with knits.
Gently pushing and evening out the fabric as you sew — with a stiletto held
horizontally — can be helpful.
I have another example of my own to show when a stiletto is supremely useful. Thick seams can be difficult to keep pinned at the ends, where they are often even thicker due to the confluence of two seams.
Getting in close with a stiletto to ensure that a thick seam is held down... |
I'm sure you've experienced the common outcome of having the ends of a seam
like the one shown here come out crooked. Depending on what it is, it may be
a superficial defect, but to ensure better results, use a stiletto to help
you push down on the protrusion.
...aided by a hump jumper... |
In this case, you can see that to ensure even greater success with thick
seams, you should also employ a
hump jumper to level out the
surface of what you're sewing. You can probably tell that the one I'm using
in the photos here is merely
a notebook, but what a helper it's been in the sewing room!
Another use for a stiletto is a timesaver for quilters. I've seen them use stilettos to "page" through a stack of quilting squares more easily.
The stiletto shown above is from Clover (Hold It Precision Stiletto) and is a bit pricey, if you ask me. (At least it seems to be so in Canadian dollars, between $18 and $24.) I came by mine from a gift certificate that I won from AllFreeSewing back in 2016. It is versatile, however, with a silicone tip at the other end that assists with pressing seams open at the ironing station. I also like that the pointy end is angled unlike most other stilettos.
But there are other stilettos that you can buy (or DIY, like a sharpened
wood BBQ skewer or "make do", like a tiny screwdriver), so it's a
worthwhile addition to your sewing kit.
My “stiletto” is my seam ripper.
ReplyDeleteNever knew there was a formal product or name for the "pusher" and like one other responder, I use my seam ripper and many other tools that are at hand. Thanks for the chat. /Kris
ReplyDeleteSince you asked ;=) Yes, I do use a stiletto! I like "That Purple Thang" I got decades ago for about $3 USD. It's springy but stable plastic and purple, so easy to find. And yes, I have sewn threw my right index finger. I was home alone and the hard part was
ReplyDeletehand cranking it back up... It had to be done. Now you see why I use a stiletto!
Above by Lodi
DeleteOMG!! Nothing else to say to that... I don't even want to imagine what that felt like! Yes, keep using your stiletto. (Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I deleted one of your extraneous entries above.)
DeleteYes I use a stiletto, I got a lovely Tula Pink one recently and keep reaching for it.
ReplyDeleteBefore looking it up, I'd already assumed it would be a pretty; I just confirmed it. Pricey, but a nice design.
Delete