Pages

▼

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Lubrication

We all know the importance of lubrication.  Most of the time the only thing wrong with a machine is that it needs cleaning and oiling.  We can certainly perform magic on these old machines with just a little oil and heat.

I am making slip covers for the couch with Crypton fabric.  http://www.cryptonfabric.com/  I saw it advertised in a dog magazine a few years ago and found some on line.  I bought the fabric three years ago.  It's time.

The material is backed with a waterproof substance which gums up the needle. 


I cut 1.5 inch strips from an old sheet and used them as basting tape.  It helped some.  But not enough.  I switched to a smaller needle, a little bit better.  I cleaned the needle off with alcohol every few inches, definitely a PITA.  Finally I saw this in my stuff drawer in the loft:
I put this on the needle every time I came to a pin.  It is definitely better but I will be glad when this project is over.  Three down, five to go.  I have one small problem.  I over bought.  Usually not a problem when purchasing fabric.  This time it was.

UPDATE

I realize that I did not write about my solution to the gummy needle problem.  Wax paper.

at

7 comments:

  1. DreinPAAugust 9, 2013 at 11:29 PM

    I could not come up with one appropriate joke...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ElizabethAugust 10, 2013 at 8:08 AM

      Awww c'mon. The Dutch word to sew is naaien. Really.

      Delete
  2. SheilaAugust 12, 2013 at 3:57 AM

    What were they thinking?? I wonder if it might help if you put the fabric in the freezer first. Then sew fast 'cause it will warm up in 5 minutes. Or run some beeswax or a crayon along the stitching line first? Or maybe waxed paper on top or bottom? Just some wacky ideas that may be more of a pain than lubing the needle. Thanks for posting this -- I will never buy that fabric.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ElizabethAugust 12, 2013 at 7:18 AM

      Wax paper on the top. On the bottom it starves the dogs.

      Delete
    2. SheilaAugust 12, 2013 at 10:21 AM

      ha ha. Starving the feed dogs. I was wondering about that -- too slippery, you're right. You need a liquid CO2-dispersant attachment that spot-cools the line of stitching just before the needle gets to it. It should come with every order of Crypton fabrics, and be magically designed to work with any machine.

      Delete
  3. Roger v.d. VeldeSeptember 6, 2013 at 9:28 PM

    No, no, no. What you need to do in a case like this is use that material for something else (like e.g. lining the dustbin until collection day) and buy some material with no waterproof backing on it to make the covers. Sometimes it's best to just admit the mistake and save yourself the problems before getting in too deep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ElizabethSeptember 7, 2013 at 7:36 AM

      Sorry Roger, I spent over 200 dollars on that fabric and there is no way it is being used in the dustbin. The slip covers are done, I used wax paper between the presser foot and the fabric and that solved the problem.

      Delete