Linda McGehee

Machine Savvy: Tips for Creative Sewing

Linda McGehee
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Meet your instructor, longtime sewing expert Linda McGehee, and learn more about the tips and techniques you can try with your Janome sewing machine. Use the class as a reference, watching and rewatching whichever lessons suit your needs!
Linda goes over some of the handy features of many modern sewing machines, including the knee lift, free arm and specialty feet. Demonstrating with the Janome Quilter's Companion Professional machine, the Horizon Memory Craft 8900, Linda shows how to use a couching foot to lay down thicker, decorative threads on your fabric. Then learn how to use a piping foot to add a professional finish to your sewing and quilting projects!
Continuing with the the Horizon Memory Craft 8900, Linda shows you how to use your sewing machine's throat plates to guide your sewing and to accommodate different stitch types. You'll see how to swap out throat plates and how to make a quick sweep underneath to keep your machine clean. Your presser feet can also guide your sewing, while Janome's dual feed system keeps your fabrics moving smoothly under your needle without resorting to a walking foot.
Get a handle on decorative stitches as you sew along with Linda. Using Janome's compact computerized sewing machine, the Magnolia 7330, Linda demonstrates how to install a presser foot and select a stitch such as a satiny scallop. You'll see how easy it is to vary stitch lengths and widths to change the look of your stitches. You can even remove the foot pedal and let the machine sew along at the right speed for the stitches you choose!
Many modern sewing machines make buttonholes automatically -- just pop a button into the buttonhole foot, choose your buttonhole type and let the machine stitch away! Linda demonstrates with Janome's Quilter's Decor machine, 4120QDC, then shows how to use a zigzag stitch to sew buttons on in jiffy.
Janome's Horizon Memory Craft 15000 embroidery machine has all the bells and whistles you could want. Linda shows how easy it is to go from sewing machine mode to embroidery mode, then demonstrates how to set up simple designs such as monograms. With a few simple clicks, you can add more complexity to your designs. Linda shares a few examples of how you can play with embroidery in all of your sewing projects. Your imagination is your only limit!
 
 
6 Lessons
1  hrs 5  mins

Unlock the features and tricks of your Janome machine with instructor Linda McGehee. Learn to raise your presser foot without changing the position of your hands. Sew pant legs, sleeves and bags easily with your machine’s free arm. Make your work pop with gorgeous couching and eye-catching corded piping. Switch out your throat plates for better results. Sew an accurate blind hem that looks hand-stitched. Move two layers of fabric through your machine evenly. Adjust your machine’s built-in stitches for wonderful decorative effects. Sew better buttons and buttonholes. Plus, customize your embroidery designs for extraordinary results. Make your stitching more fun, creative and beautiful!

Linda McGehee

Linda McGehee is a pattern designer, author and instructor with 40 years of sewing experience. She is also the owner of Ghee's mail-order sewing and notions company. Linda has traveled the globe demonstrating and teaching at trade and machine conventions, consumer shows, guilds, shops and on television. Linda has published several books on sewing, including Creating Texture With Textiles, Spiraling Schemes and Chromatics, Simply Sensational Bags, The Perfect Bag: 101 Stylish Looks from Simple Patterns and Zip Couture: Chic Bags with Easy Zipper Applications.

Linda McGehee

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4 Responses to “Machine Savvy: Tips for Creative Sewing”

  1. Kathy

    Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! This will be my inspiration for utilizing the different stitches on my machine, using the different presser feet, using different kinds of threads, etc. Loved this video.

  2. Alina Rotaru

    Brilliant class. Thank you.

  3. Sue S

    Is there a website for this instructor? Her waistcoats are just amazing. I want to learn how to make those!

  4. Janice Martinez

    None

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