Is there a secret to machine sewing curves?

[emelsea]

I have so much trouble when I'm machine sewing around curves and circles. Is there a trick to keeping my seam allowance even?

[orangefoot]

Patience?

Seriously, sewing slowly around curves gives you more control over where you are going as does having shorter stitches.

Do you have seam guides on your footbed? If you do you can watch the fabric edge and the seam guide instead of watching the needle. Or you can use the edge of your presser foot as a guide.

If you are having real trouble have you tried drawing the shape directly onto your fabric and sewing along that?

[allnaturalmom]

I don't know if this is true or not, but I read somewhere if you are doing just a straight stitch for sewing around your curves, that using a 'straight stitch' foot (along w/slowing down) will help to give more control. IDK?

[Porcelain Interior]

Pin the dickens out of it.

Go SLOW.

Have a seam ripper handy.

[sewchris2642]

Along with what the other posters have said, I'll add practice sewing curves on paper. Draw circles on paper (small circles and large circles; use the rim of a glass and edges of plates and saucers for your circles) and sew with no thread in the needle. Practice keeping the needle on the line. When you are done practicing, throw the needle away. Sewing on paper dulls the needle and affects it's performance.

[WC_hapamama]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

Pin the dickens out of it.

Go SLOW.

Have a seam ripper handy.

This, and occasionally stopping to turn the fabric (while the needle is through the fabric). After a while you learn how to eyeball it.

[SleeplessMommy]

I have a seam allowance foot (for quilting) which would take all the guesswork out of the curves. There is also a purple pen which fades as it dries (24hours) you could try that one!