Love Sewing — Issue 45 2017

LIGHTNING BOLT STITCH NO. 11

ON BELOW IMAGE

This clever variation on a zigzag is a

neater alternative. It reduces puckering

on lightweight or very stretchy knit

fabric and bias seams, while permitting

the seam to be pressed completely

fl at. It’s so called due to its lightning

shape and has a narrow width of 2.0

and a length of 2.5. Be wary that this

stitch can be extremely hard to unpick

so being confi dent with your sewing

is key.

OVEREDGE OR OVERCAST FOOT AND

STITCH NO. 9 ON BELOW IMAGE

If you don’t have an overlocker at

home you can replicate the robust

stitch it creates with a special foot

and stitch setting. The guide on the

foot runs along the side of the fabric

and a little brush spreads out the

thread as you sew to cover the raw

edge. You can also adjust the width

you need, choosing a wider stitch

for thicker fabric. It is a slightly slow

process as the needle must stitch

multiple times before moving on so

patience is key with this fi nish.

Here is our cheat sheet

of stitch settings to get

a fantastic fi nish on

your free pattern gift

MASTERCLASS

STITCH

SUCCESS

TRIPLE STRAIGHT STITCH NO.5 ON

BELOW LEFT IMAGE

This tough stitch is formed when the

machine’s feed dogs move the fabric

forward and then backward while the

machine sews a straight stitch. The

forward-backward movement gives

stretch but the multiple lines of stitching

provide the durability. Use this stitch

at points of stress, such as armholes,

for a long lasting fi nish. This process

isn’t ideal for lightweight knits that may

ripple or pucker but the results are great

for durable knit garments that will have

a lot of wear.

TWIN NEEDLE

Using two spools of thread and a regular

straight stitch, you can create a stretchy

topstitch that mimics the e ect of a

coverpro machine. Your bobbin thread

will zigzag behind the two stitching

lines on the RS, creating a polished look

inside and out.

Amy says...

Remember the fi nished measurements

are printed on the pattern tissue! This

helps you pick the perfect size

Win!

Enter our competition

on page 73

LIGHTNING BOLT STITCH NO. 11

ON BELOW IMAGE

your free pattern gift

http://www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 21

LS45 p18 mccalls dress.indd 21 19/09/2017 17:46