This document provides summaries of different types of sewing machine feed mechanisms: - Drop feed is used by most household machines and involves feed dogs that move the fabric horizontally past the needle when it is withdrawn. - Needle feed moves the fabric while the needle is inserted and is used in industrial machines to prevent layers from slipping. - Puller feed grips the fabric from behind and pulls it with more force than other feeds, useful for heavy materials. - Manual feed controls stitch length and direction entirely by moving the fabric and is used for freehand embroidery and quilting.

1. SEWING TECHNOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

2. Feed mechanisms
Besides the basic motion of needles, loppers and
bobbins, the material being sewn must move so that
each cycle of needle motion involves a different part
of the material. This motion is known as feed, and
sewing machines have almost as many ways of
feeding material as they do of forming stitches. For
general categories, there are: drop feed, needle feed,
walking foot, puller, and manual. Often, multiple
types of feed are used on the same machine. Besides
these general categories, there are also uncommon
feed mechanisms used in specific applications like
edge joining fur, making seams on caps, and blind
stitching.

3. Needle feed
A needle feed, used only in industrial machines, moves the
material while the needle is in the material. In fact, the
needle may be the primary feeding force. Some
implementations of needle feed rock the axis of needle
motion back and forth, while other implementations keep the
axis vertical while moving it forward and back. In both cases,
there is no feed action while the needle is out of the material.
Needle feed is often used in conjunction with a modified drop
feed, and is very common on industrial two needle machines.
The advantage of needle feed over drop feed is that multiple
layers of material, especially slippery material, can not slide
with respect to one another, since the needle holds all layers
together while the feed action takes place. Household
machines do not use needle feed as a general rule.

4. Puller feed
Some factory machines and a few household machines are
set up with an auxiliary puller feed, which grips the
material being sewn (usually from behind the needles) and
pulls it with a force and reliability usually not possible with
other types of feed. Puller feeds are seldom built directly
into the basic sewing machine. Their action must be
synchronized with the needle and feed action built into
the machine to avoid damaging the machine. Pullers are
also limited to straight seams, or very nearly so. Despite
their additional cost and limitations, pulling feeds are very
useful when making large heavy items like tents and
vehicle covers.

5. Manual feed
A manual feed is used primarily in freehand embroidery,
quilting, and shoe repair. With manual feed, the stitch
length and direction is controlled entirely by the motion of
the material being sewn. Frequently some form of hoop or
stabilizing material is used with fabric to keep the material
under proper tension and aid in moving it around. Most
household machines can be set for manual feed by
disengaging the drop feed dogs. Most industrial machines
can not be used for manual feed without actually removing
the feed dogs.

6. Drop feed
Presser foot raised with feed dogs
visible
The drop feed mechanism is used by almost all household machines and involves a
mechanism below the sewing surface of the machine. When the needle is withdrawn from
the material being sewn, a set of "feed dogs" is pushed up through slots in the machine
surface, then dragged horizontally past the needle. The dogs are serrated to grip the
material, and a "presser foot" is used to keep the material in contact with the dogs. At the
end of their horizontal motion, the dogs are lowered again and returned to their original
position while the needle makes its next pass through the material. While the needle is in
the material, there is no feed action. Almost all household machines and the majority of
industrial machines use drop feed. Differential feed is a variation of drop feed with two
independent sets of dogs, one before and one after the needle. By changing their relative
motions, these sets of dogs can be used to stretch or compress the material in the vicinity
of the needle. This is extremely useful when sewing stretchy material, and overlooks
machines (heavily used for such materials) frequently have differential feed.

7. Vintage Davis vertical feed (walking foot) sewing machine produced around 1890.
A walking foot replaces the stationary presser foot with one that
moves along with whatever other feed mechanisms the machine
already has. As the walking foot moves, it shifts the workpiece
along with it. It is most useful for sewing heavy materials where
needle feed is mechanically inadequate, for spongy or cushioned
materials where lifting the foot out of contact with the material
helps in the feeding action, and for sewing many layers together
where a drop feed will cause the lower layers to shift out of
position with the upper layers.

8. Sewing Terms
 A - Adjustment - minor change made directly on the
pattern tissue prior to cutting fabric. Many patterns
have adjustment lines printed on them for
lengthening and shortening.
 B - Baste - a temporary method of holding two or
more layers of fabric together by sewing with long
stitches.
 C - Casing - a closed tunnel of fabric that encases
elastic or a drawstring.

9. D - Dart - a stitched fold that tapers from a seam to a point
in the body of the fabric, used to create shape and control
fullness.
E - Embroidery - decorative designs fromed by machine or
hand needlework.
F - Facing - a piece of fabric used to finish raw edges,
particularly at garment openings such as armholes,
necklines, and front and back openings.
G - Grain - the direction in which the threads that make up
the fabric run.
H - Hem - the raw edge of any fabric, but usually of a
garment, turned back to the wrong side and stitched down.

10.  L - Lining - a soft, lightweight fabric used to cover
inside construction details while giving the garment
a smooth, custom-made look.
 M - Marking - the transfer of significant construction
symbols and lines from the paper pattern to the
fabric. Common marking methods include: tracing
wheel with dressmaker's carbon paper, tailor's
chalk, tailor's tacks, thread tracing, and
disappearing ink pens.
 N - Notion - all the items, other than the fabric and
pattern needed to complete a sewing project.
(Buttons, zipper, trim, etc.)
 O - Overcast Stitch - an overcast stitch is used to
finish raw edges and prevent raveling.

11.  P - Pleat - fold of fabric that provides controlled
fullness. Pleats may be partially stitched or pressed
down.
 Q - Quilting - to stitch through two or more layers of
fabric, including a layer of light padding, to creat a
design.
 R - Raw Edge - any unfinished edge.
 S - Seam - the basic structural element of all
garments, formed by joining two or more layers of
fabric together with a straight machine stitch.

12.  T -Trim - decorative and functional notions added
to a garment for decoration or to finish the inside of
a garment.
 Z - Zipper - a fastener made of two rows of metal or
plastic teeth that are joined to fabric tapes, and a
sliding "pull" that interlocks the rows.
 You now have a basic knowledge of terms used in
sewing and crafts construction. The most important
thing is to take you time and have fun.

13. Clothing construction - Sewing

14. Sewing project
 Now that you've got to grips with your sewing machine, you'll be itching to
make something! I've gathered together a few suggestions for things you
might want to try, but first a few tips for choosing an easy project. I'm a big
advocate of diving into sewing fearlessly, but for your very first project you
might want to ease yourself in gently:
* Zippers and buttonholes are a little tricky at first, so go for a project that
doesn't need a fastening, and save the fun for another day!
*When buying fabric, a medium-weight cotton would be good for a first
project as it lies flat, presses well and won't slide all over your machine.There
are lots of lovely printed cottons available in department stores,
haberdasheries and online fabric shops.
*You might also want to consider whether you can see yourself making up
the same pattern a few times. Once you've completed your first project, it's
worth going through it again to remind yourself what you learnt... and so you
can feel you've made progress with your second try!

15.  No zippers, no buttons, no fuss! Just scope to practise
your straight stitching and learn the basics of garment
construction. Super simple fitting, to demystify the
jargon and demonstrate every step in detail. A rare
beginner project that's actually wearably stylish!
One-Hour Skirt
A delightful video tutorial by Brett Bara author
of Sewing in a Straight Line.This skirt is so easy, it
doesn't require a pattern - just your own waist and hip
measurements - nor a zipper as it's elasticated at the
waistband. A great project for using the prettiest or
wackiest fabric you can

18. The end