So You Want to Sew?: zig zag box with V shaped corners

Hi all and welcome to another installment of my "So You Want to Sew" series. :) This is #4! Yesterday, I showed you how to stitch a zig zag box with square corners. Today, we will be stitching a zig zag box with V shaped corners as shown below.

Even though I am showing you HOW to do this, I must admit I SUPER RARELY use this sewing method. It drives me crazy. LOL You'll see soon WHY it drives crazy. I felt in the name of "teaching" I needed to show you so have the option, but at the same time I have to tell you I don't do it. K, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let's get started!


Here is what the finished product will look like:


As with all other zig zag stitching, center the seam of your card stock with the slit in the presser foot. Start sewing as close to the edge of the inner piece of card stock as you can.

I am using the H zig zag for this (the biggest zig zag on the Janome sew mini).

Here I have sewn along one edge of my card stock. When you sew with the zig zag stitch, you will notice that the needle goes left...right...left...right...left...right... LOL When you get close to the edge of your card stock you will STOP using the foot pedal and will instead begin using the knob on the right side of your machine, turning it toward you to make the needle go left... right... left... right... get it? LOL WELL... THIS TIME... when you think you are at the proper place to make your right turn and start sewing a different side, you will make sure your needle is on the LEFT instead of the right (as in the square corner tutorial). Remember that when you turn your card stock 90 degrees, the seam of your card stock should be CENTERED with the presser foot.

Like this: (when I turned my paper 90 degrees, my needle was on the LEFT) Remember if your paper is *slightly* off center, just move your paper subtly when you begin sewing on the new side.

Continue doing that until you have sewn on all 4 sides. Once you finish with the 4th side and are about to meet up with the 1st side, you will need to stop before you overlap what you have sewn on the first row. UNFORTUNATELY this technique is not super reliable to have corners that meet up properly at the last stage. I did try to deliberately line up the holes, but was unsuccessful. BLECH!

Now, you pull the thread tails to the back and tape down with scotch tape.

IF I were to sew a panel like this, I would HAVE to cover up that corner with an embellishment of some kind. The other 3 corners were pretty uniform and I am ok with them, but if it's a mistake, COVER IT UP! :)

Here is a finished corner close-up.

Here is the finished piece with V shaped corners.

And THAT is why this sewing technique drives me crazy! That corner is all wonky and unacceptable! LOL Like I said, if you were to cover it up it would be fine. :) The other 3 corners were clean and finished.

Now that you have seen 2 different zig zag boxes, which do you prefer? Squared corners or V-shapes corners? Are you comfortable with zig zagging now?

I hope you are learning to love your sewing machine! I know I love mine!

I still have more sewing tips and tutorials coming. :) Next, we move on to STRAIGHT stitches. :)

Have a great day!