Sewing Question

[sunflower1944]

Not a quilting question, but so many of you ladies do other sewing too that I thought you could help me. I am making a Jelly Roll Dress for a little girl where you make the little skirt part from jelly roll strips. Then you use elastic thread (three lines of stitching) around the top where the waist is. Then you are suppose to gather it. My question is - should I pull on the elastic thread to gather? Or pull on the regular thread to gather? I don't want to mess it up. If I pull on the elastic thread with the waist still have stretching to it or will that stretch it out too much?

Help!
Thanks

[Jean Sewing Machine]

How are you attaching the elastic thread? Is it going in the bobbin? If so, I have no advice because I've never done that. If you are using a zigzag stitch across the elastic thread (the way I would do it) then you pull the elastic thread after you have sewn across it. The zigzag stitch forms a mini casing for the elastic. You need to tie the ends of the elastic thread very well with a lot of knots, or it will pop loose. I would use a little bigger round elastic, like the stuff you use to fasten hats on your head (making an elastic chin strap for a hat) and then tie the ends of it very well. I make costumes for plays, and that is how I would do it for a costume. I would think your pattern would tell you what to do.

If you pull the regular thread to gather it, then it will have no give and she won't be able to stretch the skirt to put it on, the first time she tries to do that, she will break the threads, and that will not be good.

Does this help at all?

[K. McEuen]

In the past, when sewing with elastic thread (in the bobbin only) there was no need to pull to gather. The elastic thread almost makes the fabric smocked, with stretch. If you were to pull the elastic you would lose some stretch. If you were to pull the top thread you'd cut into the elastic thread.

If you get your tension set correctly the elastic stretches as it feeds through the bobbin and then relaxes when done and this gathers the fabric. I would be a bit concerned that only 3 lines of stitching is supposed to form the waist of a skirt. I'm not sure that is going to be strong enough to hold it in place.

[sunflower1944]

Thanks Karen. The pattern says to use 3 lines of stitching and to pull to gather. Then using the elastic thread, again in the bobbin, to stitch to the tee-shirt. The instructions aren't all that clear to me.

[sunflower1944]

How are you attaching the elastic thread? Is it going in the bobbin? If so, I have no advice because I've never done that. If you are using a zigzag stitch across the elastic thread (the way I would do it) then you pull the elastic thread after you have sewn across it. The zigzag stitch forms a mini casing for the elastic. You need to tie the ends of the elastic thread very well with a lot of knots, or it will pop loose. I would use a little bigger round elastic, like the stuff you use to fasten hats on your head (making an elastic chin strap for a hat) and then tie the ends of it very well. I make costumes for plays, and that is how I would do it for a costume. I would think your pattern would tell you what to do.

If you pull the regular thread to gather it, then it will have no give and she won't be able to stretch the skirt to put it on, the first time she tries to do that, she will break the threads, and that will not be good.

Does this help at all?

Thanks Jean, Yes it is in the bobbin. I was thinking I should probably zig=zag across the elastic thread. We'll see what happens. The pattern does say to use in bobbin with a longer stitch length for the top thread and gather and tie knots, but didn't say if I should gather from the top thread or the elastic thread.

[Sandy Navas]

Jo, it is definitely people who write instructions like that who have caused me to become a free thinker and one who just barrels into a pattern and does it like I want to! Good luck with this.

[sunflower1944]

Thanks Sandy, I sent an e-mail to the company that made the pattern and haven't heard back yet. I am going to do 2 strips of scrap fabric and try it both ways and see what happens.

[sunflower1944]

Thank you for your input. I tried it both ways and ended up pulling the elastic thread. Then it is sewn onto the little t-shirt with the elastic thread in the bobbin. I love the way it came out. I will be adding a little bow or yo yo or flower to the neckline for a little more detail.

[jingleme]

That is incredibly adorable!!! WTG!!!

[sunflower1944]

Thanks - was easier than I thought it would be. I will be doing another soon.