Does anyone know of a tutorial on sewing puppet hands. I've seen many on how to prepare the foam for the hands, but not the actual sewing of the fabric (hand glove) Do most machine or hand stitch? I find hands and feet the most difficult of all the process.

Billy d.

Project puppet have how to sew hands in their plans, I machine sew min leaving a gap down the side to insert the foam, I will try and make one and take photos of the process there are quite easy.

I thought I did have a video on it but I don't. Oh well I will have to make one!

I do not have the sewing part to show but basically I trace the hands on the fabric cut out a around it leaving a generous amount of material and then so it using an embroidery foot for the sewing machine so you can sew freely in any direction.  Sew around your fingers following the lines.  Then cut about 1/3 away from your sew line as you cut it out.  There a nice hand will emerge.  DO NOT CUT IT OUT FIRST it will be a nightmare to try to sew along the edge.

Hope this helps....I guess a new video to do.  "Focused on sewing hands."

Daryl

What does a embroidery foot look like?

Not sure what Daryl's embroidery foot looks like but not sure that is big question here.   There are what is called "feed dogs" on a sewing machine.  Those are on the bottom plate coming up form where your bobbin is.  They look like little ridges that have teeth on them.  During normal sewing they move up, back, down, forward.  This movement grabs the fabric and moves it along.  On many machines (not all) you can drop the feed dogs so they do not grab the fabric and manipulate it yourself.  That is what happens when you use an embroidery foot on a sewing machine that has this feature. A google search on the phrase embroidery foot well bring up all the different types out there.

I guess my reason for asking is that ................. when I sew hands on a machine I usually have to walk the needle by moving the needle up and down by hand around the tips and in between the fingers. I'm a bit of a heavy foot with the foot peddle and end up sewing to fast and messing up my stitches. I'm trying to learn a easier way of machine stitching. I can sew real well by hand..................... which is what I do most of the time.

Well even with an embroidery foot and the dog feeds down you have to guide the direction of the stitch so if you have a heavy foot on the accelerator, it is going to still be touchy. I would say that as it is with anything, practice makes perfect.  See if your machine has the ability to lower the dog feeds and then pull out a scrap of fabric and trace some hands on it.  Practice following the lines.  If things don't get better then go with hand sewing.  There is no shame in hand sewing, and many times I prefer it.

I draw the hand on the fabric with a fabric marker (one that disappears after 24 hours or can be wiped off with a damp cloth).  Sew first, then cut.

I use a machine. After doing a bunch, you get to the point where you can go around the corners, etc. without walking (hand controlling the wheel) the machine.  I have found that a clear presser foot works better than a metal one.

i hate making hands! it seems with hand sewing... one sideways stitch will mess up a finger! when it comes to hand sewing should you cut first or sew then cut the hand out? anyway sorry billy i wasent any help.

When I hand sew, I normally cut then sew.  The main reason for this, is that I am a big fan of the whip stitch and you can't do that unless the piece is cut out.   Actually the same would be true if you where using the ladder or henson stitch.