Recently I started crocheting and fell in love with tunisian. For the holiday break I got it in mind that mayhaps I could actually manage a scarf in top bar stitch but.. I seem unable to crochet a straight border on the left hand side.
I've started over several times, watched various tutorials and I really think I am doing the same 'thing' for every final stitch: first picking up a loop 'normally' after the final post, then following the final post downwards and stick the hook into its loop plus the second 'loop' at the bottom, yarn over, pull through, chain one - but clearly something is totally wrong. I was visiting family over the past couple of days and just crocheted on but now that I am home again I am contemplating to start over once more. It's just that I am out of ideas on how to avoid this from happening. Am I missing something crucial or something oddly specific to this top bar stitch? https://imgur.com/a/VJaKZqQ
Am planning to crochet a border to either side once the middle panel is finished - do you reckon I will able to hide the uneven left side or should I indeed start over (after collecting your wisdom) once again?
Update: bearing /u/use-username's comments in mind I went back to making test swatches and settled on quite a simple 'solution', which I think works pretty well: my original 'piece' didn't seem to suffer from parallelogramism much so I abandoned the alternating rows again, but kept the extra yarn over 'trick': for each forward pass pick up a loop trough each front top bar including the one to the left of the last post. Then yarn-over, and pull up through the final stitch (both strands) of the preceding/side row. So you end up with two loops on your hook instead of one for the final stitch, then start the return pass by yarning-over and pulling through two loops. I'm pretty happy with how that's turning out - here's to hoping I'll finally make it to the end of this scarf now ;)
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/sm03UW5
Update one skein in and I the new swath is turning out so much better than the old one, am really happy that I started over. Top: old piece with messy edge (was also found by the cat so there's some cat hairs >.<), bottom: new piece.. As can be seen I also followed /u/mladypain 's advice on marking the first stitch in each forward pass - definitely helps!
I also modified my description above of what I ended up doing somewhat.
Hullo all!
Are there any techniques for sewing stretchy fabrics such as spandex, stretch velvet, Jersey, etc with a straight stitch? My only machine is a Singer 66, and I'm not sure if it's time to invest in a more modern machine for such projects, buy a serger, or ask to borrow a friend's. I've tried using the zigzag apparatus and it's... Finicky with the best of times, especially with napped fabrics like velvet.
Thanks in advance!
I'm seeing that a lot of midcentury straight stitch sewing machines came with all sorts of doo-dads: ruffler, gathering foot, tucking foot, adjustable hemmer, etc. Plus you could add on bigger attachments like zig zaggers and buttonholers.
Which foot or attachment is your favorite? Which have worked well for you in the past and which made you say "meh"?
Id like it to look store bought, but I was always under the impressing that you should do zigzag for stretch knits.
Hey y'all! I have a question about the straight stitch! Whenever I do it, the stitche never seems to lay flat on the backing, it always seems to be a little lifted. Any ideas as to the cause of this? Has anyone else had this problem.
I'm a continental knitter.
For purls, I always knit through the front leg, wrapping under then over+between the needles (I think this is ccw).
But I've never been able to knit stitch - it's always like a brain fart in my hands. BUT I can do through the back loop and wrapping the yarn from the top of the needle to the bottom. So when I pull my working yarn up it's in a "U" (with the working yarn being the left arm of the U). I'm pretty sure this is clockwise.
I was fine with slow, twisted knits and straight purls, but I actually prefer knitting this way as it's much closer to crochet. The stitches are coming out a bit different than the back of my regular purls but I think that might just be a tension issue.
