Basting Stitch

The sewing machine discussion got me browsing for a limitation I find
on my
"discount store machine".

All the patterns I have be looking at talk about machine basting but my
Brother is limited to 4mm stitch length which is useless for basting.

I browsed around the web looking at more (much) expensive machines and
find
the same limitiation.

How does one baste with a machine?

js

-
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
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Dear Jack,

The largest stitch on your machine is meant for machine basting. If it
does not come out easily, you may need to loosen the tension, but mark
it before you do this, so that you can return it to its original
setting. My machine is pretty basic, and the largest setting is 4.0.
I use it all the time. I've never had to change the tensions. (My
machine is in the $500 range.)

Teri

My Bernina has a basting stitch. It lengthens the longest stitch
to something over 1/2" if I remember right.
Taria

wrote:
The sewing machine discussion got me browsing for a limitation I find
on my
"discount store machine".

All the patterns I have be looking at talk about machine basting but my
Brother is limited to 4mm stitch length which is useless for basting.

I browsed around the web looking at more (much) expensive machines and
find
the same limitiation.

How does one baste with a machine?

js

-
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

In the early 1970's I had a Singer slant needle that had a basting stitch
that would sew stitches about 1/2 inch.
Barbara in FL & SC

My Bernina has a basting stitch. It lengthens the longest stitch
to something over 1/2" if I remember right.
Taria

wrote:
The sewing machine discussion got me browsing for a limitation I find
on my
"discount store machine".

All the patterns I have be looking at talk about machine basting but my
Brother is limited to 4mm stitch length which is useless for basting.

I browsed around the web looking at more (much) expensive machines and
find
the same limitiation.

How does one baste with a machine?

js

-
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

My janome machine has basting stitch and it allows to to move the
fabric through the machine (feed dog down I think) making the stitch
any length you would like. You determine the length of the stitch by
how you move the fabric. it is excellent.
wrote:
The sewing machine discussion got me browsing for a limitation I find
on my
"discount store machine".

All the patterns I have be looking at talk about machine basting but
my
Brother is limited to 4mm stitch length which is useless for basting.

I browsed around the web looking at more (much) expensive machines
and
find
the same limitiation.

How does one baste with a machine?

js

-
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

If you can drop your feed-dog and drive slowly, then why do you need the
basting stitch?

In article .com, Deb
of http://groups.google.com uttered
My janome machine has basting stitch and it allows to to move the
fabric through the machine (feed dog down I think) making the stitch
any length you would like. You determine the length of the stitch by
how you move the fabric. it is excellent.

--

AJH
alpha dot hotel echo yankee whisky oscar oscar delta at tango echo
sierra charlie oscar dot november echo tango

She who would like to be obeyed once every Preston Guild Mar 15,
5:28 am show options

Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles.sewing
From: She who would like to be obeyed once every Preston Guild
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Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 13:28:18 GMT
Local: Tues, Mar 15 2005 5:28 am
Subject: Basting Stitch
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If you can drop your feed-dog and drive slowly, then why do you need
the
basting stitch?
---
One thing I've found the machine basting stitch good for: doing
almost-invisible side hems on curtains/drapes. (That was before I got a
lockstitch machine)
Cea

If you can drop your feed-dog and drive slowly, then why do you need
the
basting stitch?

It doesn't change the need for a basting stitch but if you "drive
slowly"
the stitches will be close together and nothing new is accomplished. I
suppose you could say drive slowly and push fast. It is however, a very
interesting idea.

I tried using the spring action quilting foot and got the same effect
without having to lower the dog which can not be done on my machine.
It
uses a "darning plate" as a cheap alternative. As a point of interest,
it
moved and the needle pierced it when futzing this morning. No damage
done
but that is probably one reasons it is made of plastic.

The problem that remains is getting it to stitch slowly enough for good
control. I presume this is one of the compromises with a low end
machine.
It growls and grunts when starting slowly and usually takes a few
stitches
before I can slow it down. This is one feature of my wife's old touch
and
sew that is much nicer. It also has a long basting stituch using the
programming disks but I never tried it.

I took the machine apart this yesterday and one of those bevel gears is
stripped again. Still can't come up with enough reasons to get it fixed
again.

js


--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

Dear Jack,

I taught fashion design for 25 years at three different universities.
We always used the largest stitch on the machine for basting. There is
little or no need for 1/2 or 1 -inch long basting stitches; this can be
done by hand for pleats or other holding methods. But for basting
together a garment, applying a zipper, and other areas where firm hold
is required untile the finishing stitching is completed, even cheap
machines can be used.

Teri

Dear Jack,

I got to preaching about basting, and forgot to tell you how great your
pictures are. Your owls seem to be quite content in their house. How
many chicks do they normally lay? Will all survive?

I'm a city girl who would love to live in the country.

Teri