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By a.duff453@btinternet.com
#12540
hi folks total newbie to upholstery so be gentle :grin:
im following the apprentice course on lucky needle but im stuck with keeping the pieces lined up when sewing a curve
when i get to the middle im always about 1/4 inch off and about 1/2 inch by the time i get to the end im following the video but cant figure out where im going wrong any help or advise will be much appreciated as im totally stuck with this thanks in advance :thumbsup:
By Mikesimpson
#12541
Depending how tight the curve is will make a big difference in the difficulty to stitch up straight. When I first started I would use hand staples in the seam allowance to hold the two pieces together when I would stitch them up and this helps keep it all lined up. You can also use binder clips or something similar. But you cant push or pull on either piece at that point to make adjustments along the way, so its easy to end up with a crease in the seam. Are the pieces you are sewing up foam backed? Have you tried putting relief cuts in the seam allowance of the piece that will need to stretch around the curve? A picture of what you are doing will be helpful also. Some of this stuff seems hard to do at first, but with much practice it gets easier to understand what needs to be done. You will definitely have lots of pieces that don't turn out right and that's just part of the learning process. Luckily most material is pretty low cost, so if you screw something up just cut another piece and try again.
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By vicstric
#12543
I have been sewing about three years on a very part time basis. The problem you are having is the bane of my existance. I have found no easy way to allow for this problem in my layouts. I understand what happens. I just cant figure out a way to allow for it.

What I have found is to make your alignment marks on the straight sections and make relief cuts on the curved sections and just sew, being mindful of your 1/2" (or whatever) seam allowance as you are sewing around the curves/corners. When you get past a curve, look ahead to the next alignment mark and start making corrections very slowly to be lined back up with your marks. Depending on how far you are off and how long the stright section is, you can make little corrections and get everything lined back up.

I am not sure if it is just the practice or that I somehow got better at it, but it seems to get better with practice. Never throw scraps away if they are big enough to practice making curves. Practice, practice, practice.
#12545
Thanks for the tips folks im following the lucky needle apprentice course so ive got a 6x6 right angled piece curved at the top edge like a pizza slice and ive to sew a rectangle puece onto the curve its just a scrap of vinyl no foam back on it in the tutorial it all looks straight forward no staples and just a mark in the centre when i try it im half an inch out by the time i get to the end but ill give the staples a go see if that helps me and ill just have to keep practising and be patient thanks again for all your help
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By Adam12
#12547
Working the material is a big part of stitching.l, it's up to you to pull or tug the top or bottom layer to get the match marks lined up, you'll get it with practice and at some point it just becomes natural.
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By CnC
#12591
Having the exact same issue myself. Made the practice pieces as per instruction in the Apprentice course and must have disassembled a few pairs over 2 dozen times retrying. No amount of tugging, relief cuts or praying to whatever Gods that might listen gave me a satisfactory result even once. The curve, stitch and appearance looked pretty good but couldn't get either the alignment marks or ends to meet up??
#12601
Hi folks so here's the pictures of my end result way off my centre mark and miles off by the end im wondering if the cheap vinyl im using has some part to play or is it just my lack of skills 😁
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By John Long
#12604
@BigRig Looking at his picture, it appears to me the problem is with his pattern making, not his sewing. I am wondering if he is making his pattern with proper alignment marks and then adding the seam allowances or maybe trying to somehow make the pattern with the selvedge included which would in effect move his alignment mark along the radius of the curve.

That may be far fetched but looking at the picture, it looks like the alignment mark is off before he begins to sew. ?????

John Long
John, DEH liked this
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