When you repeat things enough times, they should become second nature, right? But truth to be told, I still struggle to remember some very rudimentary sewing things. Perhaps those are related to my struggles with telling left from right. Or perhaps I just need to be more mindful of what I do?
So here goes – a list of sewing things I can never remember!
Should the upper thread run on the inside or the outside on a regular sewing machine?
Not sure how big of a difference this makes, but I suppose it matters?
The answer:
The thread should run on the outside when sewing, at least according to my Bernina manual. But when you are winding the bobbin the spool thread should run on the inside, again according to my manual. Perhaps this why I get confused. I would love if someone with more knowledge on this spool issue could chime in at the comment section!
How to adjust the tension on the sewing machine
Every time I get unbalanced stitches I need to consult a sewing book to see if I need to tighten or lower the tension settings. I guess the loops should be a clue, but I still can’t get my head around it.
The answer:
Loops on the right side: lower the upper (needle) thread tension.
Loops on the reverse side: increase the upper thread tension and/or decrease the bobbin thread tension.
Threads has done an extensive article on how to adjust tension on the sewing machine
Which side “should” the fly front be on
When ever I add a zipper fly to a pair of trousers I have to visit my wardrobe to check if the fly should be placed on the right or left side. When I don’t, I can sew an entire pair of jeans before noticing the fly is on the wrong side. I guess it shouldn’t be a huge deal, but I can attest it really feels like the zipper is placed wrong every time I zip up the trousers.
The answer:
Normally the zip fly sits on the left side. But apparently both sides are “correct”. Can someone shed more light on this issue? I don’t want to talk out of my hat and give you guys the wrong answer.
Which side the buttons “should” be on a shirt?
Again, I always have to prowl my wardrobe every time I sew a shirt to make sure I put the buttoning on the “correct” side. This is kinda embarrassing to admit, that I care on which side the buttons should sit on the shirt since it’s one of these pointless ways we differentiate between the sexes, but when I put the button on the side where I’m not used to, it feels odd, just like with zipper flys.
The answer
On “male” shirts the buttons are on the right and while women’s shirts have them on the left.
The Atlantic has done an interesting article on the history of this weird gender based phenomena of female and male button placement.
So now it’s out there, that despite having spent many decades sewing, I still can’t remember some very rudimentary things!
Do you have any sewing stuff that you struggling to remember despite doing them numerous times?
