Sew Independent!

Why teach sewing beyond replacing buttons and fixing dropped hems?

• Develop tactile sensitivity and build organizational skills.

• Build confidence and self-esteem with success.

• Change the student’s view of their capabilities.

Sew Much to Talk About!

1) General Tips

2) Tips for Teaching Threading, Measuring, Cutting, and Machine Sewing

3) SAFETY: Instruction caveats discussed as we go through the tools and techniques

4) Incorporating Volunteers into the Sewing Room

5) The World is Flat, Rectangular, and Made of Fabric: Beginner Project Ideas

General Tips: Some things I’ve learned while teaching sewing:

• Get the student sewing or cutting as soon as possible.

• Stay positive and up-beat no matter what happens.

• Stress SAFETY through good habits and techniques as well as organization.

Tips for Teaching Threading a Hand-Sewing Needle:

• Consider not teaching “how to thread” first.

• Is your student spending a lot of time searching for the thread?

Which Type of Needle?

• Do you, as a teacher, favor one type of method or needle over another?

• How do you decide which threading method to introduce to a student?

Threading a Sewing Machine

• Left hand pulls and directs the thread while right hand verifies.

• Left hand holds only about 4-5”.

• Work with the minimum amount of thread necessary to avoid tangles.

Self-Threading Sewing Machine Needles

• Presser foot should be down and needle up. Thread end to the left.

• Hold thread horizontally and pass under the needle to come up behind it.

Self-Threading Sewing Machine Needles

• Hold thread against the right side of the needle shaft.

• Drag the thread down the needle shaft until it clicks into the hole on the right side of the needle eye.

• Maintaining thread tension with both hands, pull the thread through the needle.

Inserting Bobbins

• Bobbins have to be inserted with the thread unwinding in a specific direction.

• Place the filled bobbin on a flat surface. Pull the thread with the left hand. Feel if it spins clockwise or counter-clockwise with fingertip of right hand.

Inserting Bobbins

• “Front-loaders” require a dexterous left hand.

• “Top-loaders” have easier access.

• Either way, the left hand pulls the thread into the notch of the bobbin casing as the right hand verifies that thread is going in the correct place.

Starting Machine Sewing: Fabric Placement

• Painter’s tape is quick and easy for marking seam allowance.

• Lower the needle then push the fabric in.

• Then lower the presser

foot.

Before You Hit the Gas Pedal…

Check 4 things:

1) The fabric is aligned on the right.

2) The presser foot is down.

3) Left hand is holding the needle thread and the bobbin thread.

4) All fingers are in a safe position.

Cutting Tools: Scissors

• 7” length is good for beginners.

• Weak hands can use spring-action scissors

• Always close scissors before putting down.

• Bring the thread to the scissors, not scissors to the thread.

Cutting Tools: Rotary Cutters• (top) Push slider

button forward to expose blade.

• (bottom) Best for class is the “squeeze-handle” model. Comes with a button to freeze position of blade.

• (left) However, students sometimes freeze the position with the blade exposed!

Preparing to Cut Fabric: Fabric Alignment

• Fabric must be cut on the grain.

• Use dymo tape with a single line of dots 2 and 5 repeated, painter’s tape, or puffy paint to create a tactile straight line.

• Place marker lines in two or three locations on the cutting mat.

Preparing to Cut Fabric: Fabric Alignment

• Use fingertips at each end of the strip of dots to make sure the edge of fabric touches the dots perfectly.

• This can take time and try the patience of new sewers. Consider assisting more in the beginning. It takes time to develop a feel for handling fabric.

Preparing to Cut: Rotary Cutter and Ruler

• Use a wide quilting ruler made for rotary cutters.

• Place tactile “warning strip” along right side of ruler (where the cutting happens).

• Use straight edge of the cutting board to match up with the straight edge of the ruler.

Preparing to Cut: Rotary Cutter and Ruler

• Make sure fabric is wrinkle-free and way is clear by touching the length of the ruler.

• Students need to have a set location to put tools.

• Keep pressure on the ruler with left hand to prevent any shifting of fabric or ruler alignment.

Cutting (Like a Hot Knife Through Butter!)

• SAFETY: fingers of left hand should not be on the warning strip of tape.

• Bring the rotary cutter

into position and go through the motions of cutting without exposing the blade.

• Cut a lot of scrap fabric before using the student’s fabric.

Rotary Cutter Technique

• Cutter should be on cutting board not on fabric to start.

• Left hand presses firmly down on ruler.

• Cut in a smooth stroke, pausing to move left hand as needed to stay abreast of cutting action.

• Correct cutting has a distinct sound and feel.

Incorrect!

What is wrong with the technique used in this picture?

(2 things)

Use a Template to Cut Squares or Rectangles

• Templates allow a student to measure without measuring.

• Template must be the same thickness or more than the ruler.

• Students must have good tactual skills to detect fabric edges around template.

How Do You Align Small Strips of Fabric?

• Align the ruler lengthwise along the side of the cutting mat.

• Teach students to use a gentle light touch when aligning anything to prevent shifting of ruler and fabric.

How Do You Align Small Strips of Fabric?

“Check twice, measure twice, cut once!”

Cutting Small Squares

• Once strip of fabric is aligned, the template and ruler can be used to cut the strip into sections.

• Teach student to check for accuracy of previous cuts by feeling for exposed fabric around top and bottom edges of template.

Fiskars 45 mm Fabric Rotary Strip Cutter

IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA…• Edges make fabric

alignment easy.• Bar clamps down and

hold fabric securely in place while cutting.

BUT• No room to measure

with template.• Cannot cut 45” wide

fabric even when folded in half.

Cutting Patterns with Scissors

• Student must be able to pin pattern without lifting edge of fabric.

• Free hand checks scissor blades position prior to cutting.

• Have more than one copy of thicker paper patterns for beginners.

Instructing Machine Sewing

• Sew “seams” through paper without thread.

• Right hand checks for accuracy as the left hand supports and smooths the fabric.

• Fingers are safe from the needle as long as finger tips are resting on the fabric.

Instructing Machine Sewing

• For best accuracy, the right hand should check fabric placement beside the pressure foot to keep seams straight.

• The horizontal knob that hold the needle in place may hit knuckles of the right hand if the fingers are curled too much.

Independent Measuring

• No ideal solution for measuring less than ¼ inch.

• Counting bumps very slow.

• Often no room to add braille markings.

Independent Measuring

• Count bumps once and then use tape or a safety pin as a marker if measuring the same distance more than once.

• Some students prefer to incorporate their magnification devices with sewing for greater accuracy and ease.

Transferring Pattern Markings to Fabric

• Tailor’s tacks work best. Use thicker button thread or even fine yarn in the beginning to the tacks easier to feel.

• This is an essential skill for advanced sewing. Teach it early on as part of small, simple projects.

Volunteers in the Sewing Room

• Set boundaries: when should they get the instructor?

• Share how sewing is accomplished with vision loss. This will dampen “do for” tendencies promote student independence.

Projects to Suggest to Students

• Pillow cases• Fabric eco-friendly lunch

bag• Tote bag or purse• Drawstring bag: slate

and stylus bag, cane cozy, shoe bag, lunch bag, laundry bag

• Apron• Simple Quilt

Final Thoughts…

• Teach trouble-shooting and fixing mistakes.

• Help student develop a method for telling the right side of the fabric.

• Give students time to sew alone and experience the independence.