I’ve always had a problem finishing sewing projects. As a young girl I loved to sew. Growing up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin my family was not well to do so I made a lot of my own clothing in high school. But when I finished a piece it usually ended up in my closet, unhemmed for weeks or even months! Sometimes my Mom would end up finishing the skirt or dress or slacks. I just didn’t like to hand stitch hems!
Sadly, it seems that this aversion to finishing has carried over to my weaving. I recently completed weaving four lovely dishtowels and I knew that I just had to hem them before I could start my next project or they would probably never be finished. Then I realized I had stashed four placements (also unhemmed) that I had woven over a year ago. I had recently woven a poncho and hung it up in my closet, unhemmed, and also in need of some additional finishing touches. I decided it was time to confront my problem head on. I vowed that I would not begin my next project until all three of these unfinished projects were completed.
I resurrected my sewing machine and located my machine’s manual. Amazingly, I still remembered how to thread the machine and wind the bobbin! And, after I looked up the correct setting on the machine, I managed a pretty good straight stitch on the dish towels.
My poncho required a bit more work. I decided to add some decorative trim and I needed to add some seam binding along one selvage edge. It also needed hemming. After consulting the internet, I figured out how to add the seam binding (I’d never done that before!) and after some struggle I straight stitched the trim and added a hand stitched hem!
The last project I need to finish were the four place mats. The woven fabric was a bit bulky so I decided to simply hem them using a zigzag stitch to secure the ends along with a machine stitched blind stitch. Never having used my sewing machine to blind stitch I once again consulted the internet and was rewarded with several very helpful videos.
I am amazed at how much easier using my sewing machine has made finishing my weaving projects! Having completed my backlog of unfinished woven items I’m looking forward to my next project without feeling guilty about not finishing the last ones!
Loomcraft Weaver 