Learning about rolled hem feet

[Scouter_Ken]

I did need to use tissue paper on the ridgeline where I was going through 2 layers of 1.1 silpoly XL, but did not need tissue paper for 3 or more layers.

tried several test strips of fabric before attempting the ridgeline, using different tensions, stitch lengths, etc, but the fabric kept slipping and the longest setting of stitch length kept varying between what I expected and very short. gave up and used tissue paper. worked fine.

longer test strips for a rolled hem (3 layers) seem to work without tissue paper.

[JackM]

On the silpoly I would opt to clip (or pin, ugh) the hem and use a walking foot.

The walking foot makes slippery fabric soooo much more fun to work with.

I clipped and I used the walking foot, and I still got stitches from a full 4 to so small I couldn't tell them apart (really difficult to rip). This was the first pass on the ridge, two layers. It occurs to me that I may need to clean the feed dogs, but the walking foot is new, unused before this.

[JackM]

Success at last! I know we are off topic, and I won't belabor things any further, but I felt the need to finish my report. I did clean the dogs, but didn't get much. Tissue paper AND the walking foot worked out well. The resultant hem is not Jellyfish perfect, but I am not ashamed to say I did it. Live and learn! I am living proof that "you're never too old to learn something new". Now for the standing hem with grosgrain per Cowboy.

[MikekiM]

Nice. More than one way to skin the cat.

[MissileMan]

This thread and Jellyfish's videos have been quite helpful. I picked up the set of rolled hem feet that JackM purchased, but discovered sewing machines come in three varieties: High Shank, Low Shank, and Slant Shank.

I have a Singer Electronic that uses a slant shank, so I am now waiting on a plastic adapter that will let me use snap-on feet. *sigh*

Hopefully the adapter will work and allow me to have a bit more consistency than my freehand rolled hems.

[JackM]

I recently came across another problem. I had purchased the rolled hem set, and a bias tape foot from the same manufacturer. I had checked to be sure the adapters would fit properly on my wife's Elna machine, and noted that the adapters are identical. When I started to attach a 5/8" grosgrain, as bias tape, on a tarp that I am working on I discovered that I could not lower the needle. On close examination I discovered the the needle slot on the Elna foot is much closer to pin than on either of the two adapters. I remedied the situation in rather crude fashion with a burr in my Dremel.



In the first photo the standard Elna "A" foot is on the left followed by the two adapters, one unmodified and the other "Dremeled". You can clearly see the difference in the location of the needle slots. In the second photo the bias tape foot is shown assembled on the left and the rolled hem foot is seen on the right assembled with the 3/8" hem roller.

[MikekiM]

The rolled hem feet I am using look like this..

Both fit on the quick release adapters and are used on a low shank machine.



Sent from somewhere east of Montauk...

[MissileMan]

Success! I had to order a slant shank adapter from eBay that is a plastic adapter, but it works. I was able to sew about 6 inches of a good looking rolled hem (I always used to freehand it).



I need t practice more, but this shows promise. I would not want to switch the adapter often (being plastic), but I now have a selection of rolled hem feet.

[MikekiM]

Have a similar piece but it's solely for the quick change function...


Sent from somewhere east of Montauk

[Snowball]

I haven’t had much luck with the narrow hemming feet’s. However I made a DIY hem guide and it works every time but the finished hem is wider, approx ½” or 12mm. I have made 20+ hammocks and 3 tarps with this guide in anything from 1.0 to 2.2 ripstop nylon, Silnylon and SilPoly.
The guide will not do everything for you (none of these tools will).
Take your time and do not pull or push the fabric. Let the machine do what its designed to do otherwise you will interfere with the feeding process.
I haven’t tried but I think it is possible to make a similar guide for a more narrow hem.
The key word for a guide tool is smooth edges and corners otherwise the fabric will stick to the guide and will not feed properly. It also applies if you do any kind of modification to existing tools.