When an article in Fashion incubator suggested that pins do not allow cutting as accurate as weights I thought I would get some and see for myself if that is true. http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/to_pin_or_not_to_pin.html
I am not totally convinced of the incubator’s views.
Why, because unless the weights are close to the edge you can’t cut uniformly.
But pins do allow you to get close to the edge.
And the test cutting was pinned along the edge rather than perpendicular to it.
I can’t find O-weights on the internet.
Apparently O-weights have pins on the underside to grip the fabric/pattern paper.
I was trying to visualise what advantages it might have over the pins. One thing I know weights will not facilitate is moving the fabric and pattern around the table for cutting purposes.
Does anyone use weights. If yes, what kind and what source.
Which would you rather use
Edited 6/17/2008 11:33 am ET by rekha
Replies
Earlier this year I came across a set of these weights (Weight Mates) at a thrift store so I bought them for around $3. Since then I have used them a number of times and found them really useful. They are great for copying patterns, for instance.I am not giving up pins altogether as they are probably more accurate. I have to remember to be careful with the weights because of the grip pins so that I don't place them on my finished work surface but on the other hand those same pins do a good job of securing the fabric. They came with a styrofoam pad for storage. They are for sure worth $3.00 but I don't think I would have bought them otherwise.
I have seen one in ebay auction, of different sizes.
The O-weights are not cheap - ~$12 for 4 pieces.
I think I will stick to the pins and could buy fabric instead of weights.
Thanks for your input
Edited 6/17/2008 12:45 pm ET by rekha
My mother who was a total perfectionist would never use pins to attach the pattern to the material. Instead she used weights -- any thing that was in the living room, (we did not have a sewing room), ornaments, vases, books, and item by item as each was cut out, was then pinned to the pattern to identify it. Needless to remark no weight was allowed to alter the direction of the scissors and all were cut out exactly to the pattern shape, which incidently she had drafted herself.I learnt to sew at school used printed patterns (which were a total mytery to her) stuck pins in and approached it all from a differnt aspect. Variey is the spice of life!
I don't know whether your mother was sewing in the Depression days which would explain why pins would be very dear indeed.
Was that the case? And don't forget your perceptions of your younger days are totally different from when you are older
No, not at all. She considered that using weights was a more exact way of attaching the patterns to the cloth than pins, which she considered to form a "tuck" in the cloth and so was not as accurate. There was never any shortage of pins that I saw, and while we had hard times here we did not have the "depression". Mind you, we may have one now that we voted against the Lisbo Treaty!
You can save money by making your own weights using washers from the hartdware store. Clean then to be sure that they are not oily. You can wrap the washers with scraps of fabric or sew then into a fabric circle/pouch like a yo-yo. You can also make your own weights with recycled cans and rocks, gravel, sand, or metal beads. Of course you can use the canned food in your pantry.
Tuna cans, soup cans....at times the closest thing was a bottle of wine! (I use the dining room table to cut out patterns)
I"ve used table knives for weights. They are handy since I cut on my dining room table and nice and flat so that they don't get in my way. I do like the idea of big washers. I have some little thread holders that my daughter made and they'd work well for storing large, flat washers, too. Annie
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