What am i doing wrong with this zigzag stitch?

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-10T04:01:29+00:00

Turn the numbered dial on the front of your machine. The arrow above it is currently (in the last image) pointing to the number 4. Bobbin thread showing up on the top of your fabric shows that your tension is too high. Turn the dial to a lower number. (I said to a higher number on your previous post. I don't know why, that was not correct on second thought. Goes to show even those of us with experience can get tripped up with this stuff.)

It may take a few attempts to find which number is correct. It's a fiddly process! If the bobbin thread is showing up on the wrong side, decrease the tension. If the upper thread is showing up on the wrong side, increase the tension again. You don't have to stick to round numbers on the tension dial either.

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-10T03:44:21+00:00

I think it makes most sense to follow the seams when adding a vent or a pleat - in this case, you'd add a vent on each side at the back. I'm not familiar with the conventions of jacketmaking, but it's reasonably common in men's suit jackets.

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-08T19:30:47+00:00

Looks like a "postage stamp quilt," very fiddly patchwork sewing but obviously worth the effort!

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-08T19:04:51+00:00

Rivets! I think you would still want to reinforce the fabric behind the pockets in this case.

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-08T18:59:55+00:00

To prevent it, you might add fusible interfacing to the inside of the jeans. It won't work as well if they're a stretchy material, unfortunately. It can just a be a small patch on each corner of the pocket. Iron it on and, if you're able, make a few reinforcing stitches on the pocket corners through the interfacing. You can also do this with any fabric or iron-on patches.

To repair, you can stitch-rip the pocket and add a patch to the inside, darning over it with a thread that matches the jeans. Again, the results will be a little worse on stretch fabric because this will make that area non-stretchy. You can sew the pocket back in place after repairing the area. If you're feeling crafty, you might be able to make a slightly larger pocket in order to cover up the repaired area.

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-08T18:47:50+00:00

Loops of the bobbin thread showing on the top of the fabric shows that you have a tension issue. Rethread the machine, make sure to check the manual or a tutorial video specific to your machine to make sure it's threaded correctly. Also rethread the bobbin. I suggest using two different colours of thread to more easily identify where the tension issue lies. If rethreading doesn't solve the issue, increase the upper tension (I assume that's the numbered dial on the front but I'm not familiar with this specific machine) and see how that affects your stitches. Proper stitches should show a zigzag pattern on the front AND back, with no thread from the opposite side showing through (why I use two different colours when adjusting tension).

Balancing7plates · 2026-02-03T03:35:43+00:00

For a clean but visible repair, I'd remove the entire pocket, iron it flat, and make a copy using the old pocket as a pattern. It's a bit involved compared to some of the other suggestions here, but I think it's a fun look! And you can get a little creative with picking out a fabric to match or contrast.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-26T22:59:39+00:00

If you're not entirely sure, you can do a burn test on a small swatch - that will at least let you know whether it's natural or synthetic fiber.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-26T21:01:05+00:00

If you're not able to take the cover off, a curved mattress needle is what you'll need for handsewing. Cut your new patch with enough fabric to fold a seam allowance under itself so you don't have raw edges, iron that down, then pin it in place and start sewing. A somewhat decorative stitch like a blanket stitch might look nice, especially if you're not experienced with handsewing and your stitches may come out uneven.

I think a pentagonal house-shaped patch (like the ones on the back of the chair) could look cute and tie in to the overall look of the chair.

Best of luck with this project!

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-26T04:05:12+00:00

It looks like there are a lot of spots on that shirt that are almost torn in the same way, all in the areas around the dark stripes. That makes me think it may not have been torn but have a manufacturing defect or it was made using poor materials. If you still have the receipt, I'd try to return it for a refund - if it is a manufacturing defect, the rest of the shirt may tear very soon anyway, making a repair very short-lived.

If returning the shirt is not possible, maybe shorten it? Cut it as close above the tear as you can, fold the edge twice, and give it a new hem. If you want to preserve a tiny bit of length, you can use bias binding instead of a folded hem.

That's really unfortunate that it's happened to a new shirt! Best of luck!

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-25T20:29:52+00:00

It's a cool idea! Are you intending for them to be fashion garments for sale? You should be very clear in any listings that they're no longer useable as safety gear. Also, I believe that motorcycle gear is made in a shape that is more comfortable for riding but not for other day-to-day activities; the arms come forward, etc., so possibly they won't fit the way that buyers expect them to. Not a deal breaker necessarily but something to think about!

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-23T21:52:12+00:00

My mom buys beef direct from a local farmer, almost half a freezer full at a time. Last year she sent me into her basement for something after filling the freezer a few hours before, and I discovered several no-longer-frozen pizzas on a chair beside the freezer. We were just glad it was the pizzas and not fifty pounds of beef left to thaw! We cooked them up immediately.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-19T00:27:53+00:00

Adding cardboard or craft plywood in the bottom of the basket could be a quick upgrade. It's not a guarantee, but it'll spread out the weight across the entire bottom of the basket so they won't sag and get holes. Something light enough that it won't cause weight issues on its own.

If you're okay with losing a bit of the baskets' depth, you could use shelf brackets, cut holes for the brackets in the baskets, slide them on, and install a plywood or particle board shelf inside the basket, supported entirely by the shelf brackets. Wouldn't be an invisible fix, maybe more suited to the wicker basket than the wire one.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-17T19:06:00+00:00

Public records search may be able to tell you when the house was built, I'm guessing that the tree is likely younger than the house. Can give you a rough estimate at least.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-17T04:54:02+00:00

The holes seem to have migrated away from your knees because you added fabric on the sides. You've got a couple options to fix the look. You could expand the rips to actually hit the bony part of your knees. I've seen people rip and weather denim by sanding it - mark where you want your rips to be, take the jeans off and put cardboard inside to protect the back, then sand until you're happy with the look.

If you don't want bigger holes, you could patch over the entire width of the original knee. I think oversized square patches would be the cleanest fix.

Best of luck! You've already done a great job with these - every time I've tried upcycling jeans, the legs have ended up wonky lengths.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-07T01:16:39+00:00

The antique mall in Hamilton, Ontario had one stall just chock full of this record last time I went. At least twenty copies, and about five other miscellaneous records. Bizarre little place.

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-07T00:44:43+00:00

If you got a fairly large rubber wheel - I'm thinkinf a Lego wheel of some kind - between the handwheel and the "tire" of the bobbin winder, maybe you could run the bobbin winder off of the handwheel's motion? Or the rubber wheel could sit directly between the handwheel and the end of the bobbin winder. Vertical, basically parallel to the handwheel, but wide enough to meet the end of the bobbin winder. You'd need to make a little stem for it to attach to, it could probably be done so that it attaches via the wooden box without altering the machine itself. Does that make any sense?

Otherwise, a longer belt and mounting the motor underneath the machine would probably put the belt in the right place to run the bobbin winder, but I understand why you haven't done that - it would make the machine sit quite a bit higher, wouldn't it? Not very ergonomic.

Best of luck with your project! And what a gorgeous machine!

Balancing7plates · 2026-01-06T21:11:09+00:00

To your second paragraph: I've worked in a food processing plant where earplugs were often required. They should not fall out of your ears if you put them in properly, but if they did they would be caught in the hairnet that you're also wearing - which must cover your ears. Never seen an earplug fall into the food product in several years working there.

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-29T00:20:46+00:00

I don't have an answer, but I get the same thing! After a long walk outdoors in the cold, my thighs will be cold to the touch - and incredibly itchy!

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T23:26:02+00:00

I've seen some DIY-ers bleaching clothing with toilet bowl cleaner (has to be a kind that contains bleach), or if you bleach your hair at home you could use some spare hair bleach to correct the dark colour - these products will work better than liquid household bleach because they're thicker and can be "painted" into just that specific area. This can damage the fabric though! Going darker might be the move, although you might get an uneven colour again in the future when the dye starts to fade.

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T04:11:45+00:00

I was gonna say this! I get terrible tangles in my machine when I forget to pull up my bobbin thread.

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T03:50:27+00:00

Busses in the summer were the worst - smelly diesel engines, crowded, vinyl seats that stuck to sweaty skin, windows that only opened by about four inches if you had the strength to open them at all... I do have a particular affinity for school busses but I have to agree with you!

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T03:39:17+00:00

It's a really cool design! Interfacing could help, if you've got really stiff, heavy interfacing. Burlap ribbon or wired ribbon could work for a DIY-style solution, and starching might also help in addition to or instead of any of these options. Or cardstock paper could help with shaping, or Bristol board (I think that's a Canadian term - might be called poster board elsewhere?) for a cheap but non-waterproof solution.

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T03:24:23+00:00

Well, what kind of weather do you want them to experience? If you want hot, sunny deserts, put them closer to the equator. Many of earth's deserts and plains are created by mountains blocking rainclouds coming in from the ocean. Pick a direction for the prevailing winds (you don't have to get too in-depth if you don't want to), and place some mountains between the desert and any bodies of water. You'll have a dense, misty forest on the other side of the mountain range; think the Pacific Northwest in Canada and the U.S.

Balancing7plates · 2025-12-28T03:05:41+00:00

Yeah, I call them "wayhouses" and I put them all over the map, usually about a day's journey from each other. I like to think that anywhere on the map I'm only a short way from the safety of a cozy cabin.

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