I have never liked buttonholes but I did used to make them on my old Singer. Now that I have a Bernina, which came with an automatic buttonhole foot, I have found I have never mastered them. However when I first got my Bernina all I did was quilting so I never really needed them.
Now that I am clothes sewing I decided it was time to master them. So I have chosen a shorts pattern (McCalls 5633) to make as we are going to the beach for a few days next week. This means I have this week-end to make them (I know there is nothing like the last minute!)
So this afternoon I have reached the stage I need to make a buttonhole so I prepared a practice piece of fabric, watched the DVD, read the instruction manual & thought that doesn't look so hard! However I have followed the instructions meticulously and this is the result every single time:
The buttonhole doesn't go right back to the start to make the second sidebar! So all this time I thought it was just a mysteriously difficult thing to do and guess what - it is easy! BUT my automatic buttonhole has a fault!AAARRRGGGHHH!
Now it is Saturday afternoon and our local Bernina dealer is shut until Monday! Therefore no new shorts for the beach this time! I am just hoping and praying that it is something they can fix quickly and I don't lose my machine for any length of time! I may even see if I can take it in on Monday morning before I go, so that if they do need to hold it at least it will be while I am away. Wish me luck, our local dealer is not known for their friendly, efficient service... let's hope they surprise me this time!
OK... parting shot (copycat that I am!) This is a photo of a waterlily in the pond in our front yard. We have had the waterlily plant for a few years but this is the first year it has flowered...
Oh NOES! How very very frustrating! at least you can take it in... or actually, if you want to leave earlier Monday, give it to me to take in for you.
ReplyDelete(I may be going to gym tomorrow just to walk on treadmill....)
Gorgeous waterlily!
After years of wrestling with my Husqvarna automatic buttonhole foot, I gave up on it in favour of a new manual buttonhole foot. Best decision I ever made! It gives ME control not the silly machine. :) It does require me to watch and press a button as the buttonhole is sewing but my buttonholes are now perfect everytime.
ReplyDeleteHmmm . . what a frustrating problem. I do hope you can get some answers from the shop.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful water lily flower!
Argh!!!! I can imagine your frustration, thinking you *must* be doing something wrong, only to find out it's not you after all. I have a mechanical Bernina (1008) with a 5 step buttonhole, a bit of a pain but at least I'm the one responsible for getting the legs to match up. Perhaps I should count my blessings!
ReplyDeleteButtonholes: ARGGHH! When I need them done right I'll go into NYC and get them professionally made for $1 per buttonhole.
ReplyDeleteSue - I hope they fix it because when I first got my new Bernina that's the first thing I tried and they work beautifully. I've put buttonholes on all sorts of things since. When you get it fixed a good tip to remember is to thread the hole in the bobbin latch (you may know that already). You can do manual ones with a manual buttonhole foot if you have one of course but they're not as much fun - when they work.
ReplyDelete