Different Types of Stitches:    Straight Stitch, Baste Stitch, Zigzag Stitch

QUESTION: When a pattern calls to  STRAIGHT STITCH, what is the recommended stitch length that I would set my sewing machine setting to?

ANSWER:  Anywhere the pattern calls to straight stitch, this is a basic instruction to set your sewing machine stitch length dial in the range of 2-3 on your sewing machine.  You can find your stitch dial by referring to your sewing manual for your sewing machine.   If you do not have a manual, look for the dial that has black line dashes in a straight line.   With Your fabric under the presser foot of the sewing machine, slowly start sewing forward in a straight line.  This is referred to as the Straight Stitch or Stitch.

QUESTION: What does BASTE STITCH mean and how do I create it?

ANSWER: When the pattern directions call for a baste stitch you would set your machine stitch length dial on your sewing machine to the highest number. That number is either 4 or 5, depending on the manufacture of your sewing machine.   A baste stitch is a longer stitch created by your sewing machine.   This stitching is not made for wear, it is only used to hold or to tack the two fabric pieces together, and perhaps remove at a later time.  It is not a stitch that you would create for normal wear.  With your fabric under your presser foot of the sewing machine, lower the presser foot onto the fabric and begin to slowly baste stitch forward.  You will notice these are longer stitches.

QUESTION: What is the easiest way to sew straight?  I seem to be sewing crooked,  I feel like I am sewing in a weave or wavy stitch on the fabric. 

ANSWER:  I recommend that you get a piece of fabric in a stripe pattern to start you practice sewing straight stitches using your sewing machine.  You would simply follow the printed stripe on the fabric, making sure you are sewing directly on top of the line of the stripe.  You would start off by cutting one yard of fabric making the sure that the stripes are running up and down.  Start by aligning the sewing machine needle in the up position, directly on top of where the pattern of the stripe begins.  Slowly rotate the hand wheel of your sewing machine toward you, till the sewing machine needle enters the fabric at the start of the stripe.  Make sure the stripe pattern is running top to bottom and not side to side.   Begin sewing slowly directly on top of the line of the stripe and continue sewing slowly all the way down the fabric piece to the end of the fabric.  Examine your stitch.  Repeat the process using another line in the stripe pattern fabric, making sure the stripes are running up and down and parallel to the presser foot edge.   Repeat for another 8 rows of stitching.  This will help you keep your eye on the line of the stripe in the fabric, and will help you practice sewing in a straight line.    

Now, most of the patterns call for a 5/8 inch seam allowance.  Look on top of your sewing machine, the flat side on top to the right of the sewing machine needle.  If you sewing machine does not have 1/4 or 3/8 or 5/8 inch guide,  make your own guide. This is how you will make your own guide for sewing.   Start by rotating the sewing machine wheel till the sewing machine needle is in the halfway position.  Make sure the the sewing machine needle is not completely in the upright position or, either in the lowest position, but somewhere in the middle.  Now place a ruler to the right of the needle and measure 5/8 of an inch length directly over the flat part of the surface,on your sewing machine.  Mark the 5/8 inch point with a permanent marker. Now make another 5/8 inch mark directly below the first one.  Then take a piece of masking tape, or some kind of visible sticky tape on one side only and mark off the 5/8 inch area by placing the tape on the right side of the outside of the mark line that you created with your marker.  Now you are ready to start sewing your 5/8 inch seam.  Start by placing a piece of solid, non pattern type of fabric directly under the presser foot, with the edges on the right side of fabric side touching theleft side edge of the masking tape.  Make sure it only touches the tape, and  that the fabrid does not overlap the masking tape,  or cover the tape area.  If it does while you are sewing, you are not sewing the seam at 5/8 inch.    Repeat and practice with a straight stitch as often as you need on the fabric.  This will help guide you to sew straight without the aid of the patterns in the stripe fabric.  

QUESTION:  The pattern says to finish the raw seam edges with a  zigzag stitch.  How do I create that type of zigzag stitch using my sewing machine?

ANSWER:  You want to start out by setting your stitch length dial to 1 or 2.   The you will want to set the stitching width dial at about 3.  Refer to your sewing machine manual for the stitch width dial or look for the dial that shows a zigzag   or z stitch.  It will look like a large Z reducing in size to a small z and then to a straight stitch with broken lines.  Somewhere between the small z and the large Z is where you would set your dial on the width of the stitch.  Most sewing machines, if the dials have numbers on them, work well at 3, to start experimenting.  As your proficiency in sewing increases, you can customize the look, but for right now, lets learn the basics.  So now you have the stitch length dial set between 1 and 2 or 1.5, and the stitch width dial at 3.  Place the edge of the right side of fabric seam, positioned in the middle of the presser foot, and lower the needle into the fabric.  The needle position in the sewing machine should be in the middle of the needle shank, and not too far off to the right side, nor too far off to the left side.   Lower your presser foot onto the fabric with the needle piercing the fabric and begin to stitch slowly.  What you will notice as you sew down the raw edge of the seam is the the zag stitch will go over the raw edge of the fabric, as the zig will move to the left side and pierce the fabric to the left, and will repeat in a side to side stitch as follows: zag to the right, and zig to the left, zag to the right and zig to the left. As you continue to stitch you will notice a series of Z’s stitch pattern being created.  You want to make sure that the middle of the Z is where the edge of your raw seam should be placed. Continue till you end at the bottom of your fabric.    Stop at the bottom edge, making sure the sewing machine needle stops in the top position, and lift the presser foot in the up position, then slide the fabric away from the machine, and clip your threads close to the fabric.   Depending on the weight of the fabric, you can adjust your stitch length width and length dials on your sewing machine to create your desired finish.  Precut sample fabric pieces to determine the look you would like your finished seams to have.