If you want something done right...

[Dahlia]

@baymule and @ducks4you do you know how to tell the sewing machine to slow down? I'm making great progress with the sewing machine, but this problem has stumped me.

If the sewing machine is going at a slow or moderate pace, I can keep it in line with what I want to do and handle the curves easily. Unfortunately, it seems to be 0 to 100, and only slows down after going super speed. I've tried pressing sloooowly on the petal but it just remains stopped until it hits a certain point, then goes super fast, then slow when you release the petal.

Any tricks for getting it slow/medium right off the bat?

The answer at least for industrial Sailrite machines is the "power pack." That makes it so you can start super slow and the stitching is very controlled! My Singer machine does not have that option. It makes sewing more challenging for sure having to sew 0- 100!

 

[baymule]

I’m glad @ducks4you had the answer, I sure didn’t!

 

[Zeedman]

Some cosplayers, like this girl in Germany, creates a pattern for cosplay armor by wrapping herself in duck tape for the correct fit, then she cuts it, and creates the armor pattern from That.
I could get a link from one of her videos from DD's, if you want.

So plastic wrap & duck tape - if not careful & too tight, that could maybe turn into sort of a cosplay anaconda??? Maybe something best done with a friend?

 

[AMKuska]

So plastic wrap & duck tape - if not careful & too tight, that could maybe turn into sort of a cosplay anaconda??? Maybe something best done with a friend?

Really? In my area people will literally get duct taped to the wall for charity. You buy a strip of duct tape for $1 and they are literally dangling off the ground by the time the event is over. Don't think anyone died.

 

[Zeedman]

Really? In my area people will literally get duct taped to the wall for charity. You buy a strip of duct tape for $1 and they are literally dangling off the ground by the time the event is over. Don't think anyone died.

It was the plastic wrap being too tight which could IMO pose a risk.

 

[flowerbug]

You are my hero!!! I think the sewing machine is a godsend for hemming and other work that is grindy, but I'm still hand sewing those tiny barbie sleeves, bunched skirts, and other details. I want to start making Genshin Impact outfits for the dolls for my own entertainment, but sewing is so hard right now.

if you hem larger pieces of fabric before cutting them up that may also help a great deal.

the foot pedal control works for speed control on Mom's machine, but it also has a slide switch on the machine for another level. i think it has three settings there. it is a pretty heavy duty machine and for as much as she uses it i'm glad she got it, but it sure wasn't cheap.

 

[ducks4you]

One nice thing is that ALL manuals have been scanned and available online, so if you have lost yours, or inherited your machine, you can find your answers.
Sewing machines have been around for 150 years+.
They have lots of features, BUT, there are not standards. Each brand designs their own.
ALL I can tell you is that, when I was working on costumes in college, we Dreaded making a seam mistake, where you had to sit with a seam ripper and pull out all of the thread. Good time to visit with friends, but a REAL time waster.
I have learned that hand sewing never goes away.
Last summer DD made a bustle period dress Very last minute, for her western trip. She combined two different patterns and the directions for the sleeves were nonexistant.
I had to figure out which was left and which was right.
The clue had to do with the design which had 3 pieces for each sleeve. I knew that the extra arm piece had to go to the Back of the arm.
I first lined up the arm seams and the lower arm hole seam so that I made a clean "+", then firmly hand stitched that.
Then I found the top of the sleeve, 180 degrees up from the armhole and adjacent to the front and back bodice seam, then, again lined them up as perfectly as possible.
THEN, I hand stitched several inches up in front and up in back from the bottom armhole, then eased the rest in.
What was left went to DD for a fitting. She was satisfied, then took it home to her machine to complete the arm/sleeve seams.
We are talking hours of work, but the finished product was worth it.

 

[AMKuska]

Well...this one looks good but you can see her belly button through the fabric

 

[Branching Out]

Every time I see these dolls I am reminded of the good times that I had playing Barbies when I was young. My mom kept everything, so I still have most of them, including the 70's Winnebago and a big orange Barbie Corvette. Lots of Go-Go boots too. Lol. They still even have that plastic fragrance that takes me right back to my childhood.

 

[Dahlia]

Every time I see these dolls I am reminded of the good times that I had playing Barbies when I was young. My mom kept everything, so I still have most of them, including the 70's Winnebago and a big orange Barbie Corvette. Lots of Go-Go boots too. Lol. They still even have that plastic fragrance that takes me right back to my childhood.

Barbies were fun for young girls to pretend with. I hand sewed dresses for mine. I also played with those plastic horses that were so beautifully made. I had a large collection of them. Sometimes the Barbies would ride them! Lol!