Doubling the thread through the needle and knotting the end is a trick for small children who have not yet developed enough co-ordination to keep a thread in the needle — but all of the other parts of the instruction assume that you already know how to sew. For example, what on Earth do they mean by “double knot”? I have seventy years of experience, and I can’t figure it out.
Button sewing: He recommends an extremely difficult method of leaving a space between the button and the fabric. I presume that this is because it takes many words to describe how to use a toothpick or pin as a spacer, and it would have required an extra picture.
The thread should match the thread holding on the other buttons. If there are no other buttons, match the fabric or make an artistic choice.
Trim the ends short, then tie the knot? This is repeated in all three panels. What has Mr. Trotman been smoking?
In this case, “tie a double knot” could mean “take a couple of buttonhole stitches over the threads on the back.” A buttonhole stitch is a half hitch.
I guess the point is that anyone can learn to do these things. If you need better instructions, there are other places that give better details. It is better than, “If a button falls off give it to someone else to fix”.
My Home Ec teacher tried to make my stay after school until I sewed on a button. They just didn’t get that I had coordination issues. My mom was not pleased. I hoped that I could learn now from this comic, but nope, I still don’t get it.I also once sewed an embroidery project to my leg. Not just my pants, my leg.I think I need more help than a comic can give.
None of the panels suggest using a thimble. The five stitches suggested for sewing on a button probably won’t make your finger sore, and I never use a thimble when using a coarse, blunt needle to darn soft, open hand knits, but poke your finger with the blunt end of a needle enough times to hem a skirt and you could end up bleeding.
Egad, FOUR YARDS of thread in the needle? You’ll be hauling the thread in hand-over-hand at every stitch! There is a way to manage, if you are doing running stitch: at each stitch, pull through just enough that you have enough thread to make the next stitch until you feel a slight resistance to pulling through, then draw through the huge loop, adjust the tension so that the thread isn’t loopy and the fabric isn’t puckered, and continue, leaving the majority of the thread in a huge loop to be drawn through later. I use this trick only when basting with large stitches that use the thread up inconveniently fast.
aunt granny about 7 years ago
Doubling the thread through the needle and knotting the end is a trick for small children who have not yet developed enough co-ordination to keep a thread in the needle — but all of the other parts of the instruction assume that you already know how to sew. For example, what on Earth do they mean by “double knot”? I have seventy years of experience, and I can’t figure it out.
aunt granny about 7 years ago
Button sewing: He recommends an extremely difficult method of leaving a space between the button and the fabric. I presume that this is because it takes many words to describe how to use a toothpick or pin as a spacer, and it would have required an extra picture.
The thread should match the thread holding on the other buttons. If there are no other buttons, match the fabric or make an artistic choice.
Trim the ends short, then tie the knot? This is repeated in all three panels. What has Mr. Trotman been smoking?
In this case, “tie a double knot” could mean “take a couple of buttonhole stitches over the threads on the back.” A buttonhole stitch is a half hitch.car2ner about 7 years ago
I guess the point is that anyone can learn to do these things. If you need better instructions, there are other places that give better details. It is better than, “If a button falls off give it to someone else to fix”.
Jayneknox about 7 years ago
My Home Ec teacher tried to make my stay after school until I sewed on a button. They just didn’t get that I had coordination issues. My mom was not pleased. I hoped that I could learn now from this comic, but nope, I still don’t get it.I also once sewed an embroidery project to my leg. Not just my pants, my leg.I think I need more help than a comic can give.
Robert Nowall Premium Member about 7 years ago
“Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine…”
aunt granny almost 7 years ago
None of the panels suggest using a thimble. The five stitches suggested for sewing on a button probably won’t make your finger sore, and I never use a thimble when using a coarse, blunt needle to darn soft, open hand knits, but poke your finger with the blunt end of a needle enough times to hem a skirt and you could end up bleeding.
aunt granny almost 7 years ago
Egad, FOUR YARDS of thread in the needle? You’ll be hauling the thread in hand-over-hand at every stitch! There is a way to manage, if you are doing running stitch: at each stitch, pull through just enough that you have enough thread to make the next stitch until you feel a slight resistance to pulling through, then draw through the huge loop, adjust the tension so that the thread isn’t loopy and the fabric isn’t puckered, and continue, leaving the majority of the thread in a huge loop to be drawn through later. I use this trick only when basting with large stitches that use the thread up inconveniently fast.