Stapler and fabric (DIY trick)

[Ramblinrev]

The carpet tape does not end up in the seam. It is a temporary fixture to hold the fabric down and none of the adhesive comes off onto the fabric when you pull the fabric off. So the needle never sees the carpet tape.

I am at a loss to understand what this looks like and how it is of benefit. I use my hands to guide the seam through the machine. The rest of the fabric is free to flip, flop, bunch and move however it might want. As long as it stays out from under the needle it makes no difference to me where it goes. In fact, being able to bunch it up makes it easier for me to control the flow of the fabric. I must be missing something here cause I jhust don't get it.

[litetrek]

I am at a loss to understand what this looks like and how it is of benefit. I use my hands to guide the seam through the machine. The rest of the fabric is free to flip, flop, bunch and move however it might want. As long as it stays out from under the needle it makes no difference to me where it goes. In fact, being able to bunch it up makes it easier for me to control the flow of the fabric. I must be missing something here cause I jhust don't get it.

OK. It doesn't sound like you like my suggestion. Fair enough. Don't use it. You have already warned others not to use it either. everyone can make their choice. I agree with you by the way about staples and removing pins.

Glueing down a 1/2 inch of fabric is difficult unless you have some way of holding it down and flat. I layed down a strip of double sided tape on the edge of a table and used it to hold the fabric flat (on the table) while I glued the seam. When the seam dried I peeled it up. The tape stays on the table when you peel off the fabric.

[Ramblinrev]

OK. It doesn't sound like you like my suggestion. Fair enough. Don't use it. You have already warned others not to use it either. everyone can make their choice.

I fear I did not express myself very well. I really did not understand how you were using the carpet tape. This explanation helps quite a bit. If one is going to use adhesives of some sort, which is as you say their choice, then your use of carpet tape makes sense. I've been stitching for most of my 64 years and have developed my own systems and recommendations. Sometimes that means I don't understand what other people do. So my apologies for coming off the way I seemed to. I was seeking my own enlightenment. You provided that. Thanks.

[litetrek]

If you've been sewing for decades you certainly don't need my idea. I was a fairly good at sewing back when I made Frostline kits as a teenager. These days I'm out of practice and this idea got me done without having to use pins which I hate. That said others would be wise to listen to your advice. I am very patient. I put on minimum glue, scraped the excess off the glue area with a plastic putty knife, allowed each seam to thoroughly dry and then let the whole finished glue up dry for a week before putting it on the machine. I wouldn't want anyone to gum up their machine. I didn't damage mine but after some thought I decided it's possible you could damage yours if you're not careful.

[litetrek]

Also ramblinrev no apology is needed. Thanks, though. I learned my love of the outdoors in the Allegheny National Forest on and around the Tionesta in Forest co. PA.

My southern friends tell me I "go northern" sometimes when expressing myself. I'm originally from western PA.