The Sewing Room

Artytarty

Hi, I've recently stated a wee bit of simple sewing again.
I made an apron recently and found it very difficult to pull hte thread to get gathers at the top. I loosened the top tension down to about 3, but it was too tricky so i endeded up sort of pleating it by finger as I fed it through the machine.
Does anyone have a good tip for gathering? Or do you use a special gathering foot?
It is Ok, my apron , but I'd like it better if it was all frilly!

hart44

Thanks Pep, I am going to make some handwarmers with the rest.
Well it was what came to mind when I saw it orignally lol.

I got it from this seller on ebay JaskWear.
slimsukie

It is still available (find it on page 13 of his shop) £3.99 per metre and 75p p&p

Kandipandi

hart44 wrote: »

Me again

Ive just taken a pic of the hearts I was playing with yesterday, Ive done this for my OH
http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac266/hart4334/th_flameinghearts.jpg
I had some flame fabric so made a small & large heart & joined them with a little heart button.
I need to learn how to round the tops better hehe.

Oh and my finished (at last) cushions, my mum & mum-in-laws mothers day gifts
http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac266/hart4334/th_cushioncoversfront.jpg

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac266/hart4334/th_cushioncoversback.jpg

I love your cushions - how organised you are! I had forgotten about mother's day till just now

Kandipandi

Re. Interfacing, I asked my habidashers for medium weight interfacing for my bags and it is fine.
It stuck really well, I ironed it on with lots of pressure and no steam.

almond

karmacookie wrote: »

Hi Almond

Do you stitch in pelmet interfacing for bags?

have only done a few for dd wedding yes i did stitch it in and make sure you trim at an angle

almond

Artytarty wrote: »

Hi, I've recently stated a wee bit of simple sewing again.
I made an apron recently and found it very difficult to pull hte thread to get gathers at the top. I loosened the top tension down to about 3, but it was too tricky so i endeded up sort of pleating it by finger as I fed it through the machine.
Does anyone have a good tip for gathering? Or do you use a special gathering foot?
It is Ok, my apron , but I'd like it better if it was all frilly!

do two lines of stitch on the longest you have and gather up its a lot easier this way did 6 bridemaids dresses this way and if the thread breaks on one all is not lost

rosalie-lavender

Artytarty wrote: »

Hi, I've recently stated a wee bit of simple sewing again.
I made an apron recently and found it very difficult to pull hte thread to get gathers at the top. I loosened the top tension down to about 3, but it was too tricky so i endeded up sort of pleating it by finger as I fed it through the machine.
Does anyone have a good tip for gathering? Or do you use a special gathering foot?
It is Ok, my apron , but I'd like it better if it was all frilly!

I use a gathering foot but before I had it I used the method that almond described. I have also seen a third method where a cord was laid along the material and zig- zagged over making sure not to catch the cord. The cord is then pulled to gather the fabric up. For finer materials like aprons though I would use Almond's method.

Gathering feet are very useful once you have got used to them but not all machines have them listed as available to buy as optional extras and like all attachments bought as extras they can be expensive.

Savvy_sewing

Artytarty wrote: »

Hi, I've recently stated a wee bit of simple sewing again.
I made an apron recently and found it very difficult to pull hte thread to get gathers at the top. I loosened the top tension down to about 3, but it was too tricky so i endeded up sort of pleating it by finger as I fed it through the machine.
Does anyone have a good tip for gathering? Or do you use a special gathering foot?
It is Ok, my apron , but I'd like it better if it was all frilly!

There are a few ways of doing this.
firstly you use the largest stitch on the machine, or a baste stitch if it has one. Then you sew two lengths of threads, side by side, about the distance of the side of the foot, or about 4mm-5mm apart. Then you draw together with the bottom threads. Loosen the tension on the little screw on the bobbincase.

Secondly you could wind (by hand) sheering elastic onto the bobbin thread, and sew. This will gather it up as you sew. Very easy and handy to do. It also gives you some give while fitting into your apron strings, or gathering into facings etc on garments.

Or you could run two rows of tacking stitches, (by hand)< and gather.

Good luck.

in-the-beach-hut

Sunshine12 wrote: »

Just found this during my interfacing investigation!!

Thanks Sunshine for your investigations :cool: (MenInBlack style outfit for investigating the mysteries of interfacing....)

Having read the various websites I am now even more confused and scared of interfacing... :think: I guess it's just a game of trial and error, but not very MSE as I'm buying loads of different ones to try! (Sorry Martin :money:) I'll try medium weight as Kandipandi says (thanks!) and will see if that's any better... Thanks also for the zippy info.

hart44 - I love your cushions! And your amazing forward planning skills :T I'm still working on my husband's valentines gift... maybe it will be ready for next year :rotfl:

hart44

Thank you Kandip and beach for the kind encouragements . If you knew how long I have been trying to get the cushions done you would laugh :rotfl:, they started off to be my mum's christmas prezzie then it was going to be for her birthday in July but then I remembered mothers day and it pushed me to finish them :rotfl:the back of one still needs a little rosebud as I noticed in the pic how uneven it looked.

Im now looking forward to geting on with the bags I want to do . Also I have still to do my OH sock monkey I promised him for valentines

Im loving everyones great projects