12 Tips for Sewing Long Seams

We've all been there. Wonky and wavy fabric can be so common and frustrating when it comes to sewing longer seams. It can happen for a variety of reasons but rest assured, there are a few tips that will help you prevent seams from bowing and your fabric from shifting. Keep reading!

PREPARATION TIPS

• Starch - Starch helps with so many things. I've found that my fabric is generally less unruly when I take the time to starch it because it adds a stiffness to my fabric that makes it easier to work with. I like using Best Press.

• Cut as "on-grain" as possible - This matters more with some quilt patterns than it does with others. But if you have issues with cutting straight WOF strips, check out this blog post. 

• Pins or Glue - This step is crucial. Believe me, I would love to skip this step more than anything, but the reality of it is...it truly makes a difference! Now there are many different pinning methods out there; for the most part, it doesn't matter how you pin your fabrics...just believe me when I say: it is going to make the biggest difference in keeping your fabrics aligned as you sew! I like using these "fine" glass head pins. If you're into using glue (or want to try it), this glue stick is really great. Just keep in mind that you don't want to use too much glue because of a reason that I'm sharing later on. So keep reading. :)

• If you are able to "nest" your seams, this can take the place of pinning or it can be an added bonus to pinning. This means if you're sewing together a long row of blocks to another long rows of blocks, you press one row seams to the left and the other row seams to the right. Having seams pressed in the opposite direction allow them to "nest" and stay aligned as you are sewing. 

 

SEWING TIPS

• Walking foot - Using your "walking foot" or "even feed foot" will help the layers of your fabric go through the machine evenly. When you're sewing longer seams, your fabric has more time to slowly shift. As your feed dogs are moving the fabric on the bottom through your machine, your presser foot is slightly pushing against your top fabric in the opposite direction. A walking foot helps grab your top fabric so that it's moving along at the same rate as your bottom fabric.
• Sewing Machine Positioning - It can be helpful to position your sewing machine on a table so that there is space behind it and to the left of it. Bonus points if there is space right beside you on your left. Managing the weight of the quilt top is crucial. Gravity can pull fabric and make your fabric pieces or your seam a little wonky, especially if there's a lot of it. I think this is one of the reasons why piecing together a Backing for my quilt is my least favorite activity. Those big cuts of fabric can be hard to manage! Because of this, it's important to support your fabric whenever you can. You want your fabric to glide through the machine effortlessly as if it's floating through without the effects of gravity. You can get creative with this and position your ironing board or a small table directly to your left so that it supports the weight of your fabric as you are sewing. 
• Gentle Hands - Be sure you are not pulling or stretching your fabric as you are sewing. You want to lightly and gently support the fabric as your feed dogs and walking foot do all of the work.
• Slow Down - Speed is not the name of the game here! If you have speed control on your sewing machine, turn that way down and take your time. Sewing quickly can sometimes make your fabrics shift. 
• Increase Stitch Length - I've noticed when I sew with thinner fabrics the tension from my seam can cause slight puckering in the fabrics. Experiment with lengthening your stitch length ever so slightly to see if that makes a difference with any waviness that can happen with a long seam. I typically do not increase my stitch length longer than 2.4mm. 
• Alternate Sewing Direction - This can be hard to explain with words, so I created a diagram below. Essentially alternating the direction that you sew your seams can help "offset" any sort of bowing that happens. 

Pattern featured above is Valley Song.

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PRESSING TIPS

• No Steam - Generally speaking, pressing your fabrics with a dry iron will help prevent you from warping and/or stretching your fabric. If you prefer to use steam to press your seams, consider using a dry iron first, then lightly steaming the seam once it is already initially pressed. 

• Press instead of Iron - Remember to use an up and down motion with your iron. Try to avoid sliding your iron as this can stretch your fabrics. 

• Press the Seam Open - This is another debatable topic but I've found that when I'm pressing longer seams, if I'm pressing that seam open, I'm less likely to accidentally warp those fabrics. I think this is because it's easy to slide the iron if you're pressing to one side, which can pull your fabrics. With pressing the seam open, you can more easily use an "up and down" motion that generally keeps the fabrics in place better and it gives you a flatter, more accurate seam. 

• If you use glue instead of pins, be sure to only use a little bit, otherwise, it can be a little difficult to press the seam open. 
• If you press your seam to one side, consider "setting the seam" first like I demonstrate in this blog post. 

 Quilt featured above is the Upscale Plaid quilt pattern. 

BONUS TIP: If you are sewing strips on something like a border around your quilt, always remember to measure your pieces and cut them to the exact length that you need. Sewing a longer strip then trimming off excess can sometimes make that seam wonky and also create extra "fluff" on the other side of that strip. It's tempting, but I've found that when I slow down and really take the time to measure and cut what I need (or cut what the pattern tells me to), then pin that strip in place, but end result is always a better outcome. 

That's all for now, my friends! I hope you found these tips helpful. :)

Happy sewing!

-Brittany

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