Can someone explain how you hem the top, and how you do the elastic and everything. I just dont know what to do, the way i did it was so retarted and i was trying to sew over a huge bunchy mess and my machine didnt like that at all! Heeellppp! There has to be an easier way to do this without killing my machine
You need to make a casing for the elastic to go in and then you sew up all but an opening to thread the elastic through with a safety pin. Thread the elastic through. Sew up the opening and if desired at each side seam so the elastic doesn't roll later. You could make a self casing like on this top: http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/efs_peasant_blouse.html or like here: http://www.sew-whats-new.com/sewinglessons/class4.shtml You can make a casing from bias tape: http://www.shira.net/sew-top.htm this explains how to do a drawstring waistband: http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/drawstring.php
I looked at those sites. I must be really stupid because i didnt understand them. i dont know what bias tape is. im just gonna give up and leave clothes making to people who know what their doing.
aww don't give up!!!!! it's a lot of trial and error and a whollotta PATIENCE!! but it's soo rewarding!! i'm nowhere near being a professional sewing mama but i enjoy making clothes for myself and friends. when i first started i just put stuff together... had no idea about bias tape, darts, gathering or any of that!! eventually you'll get it as you progress!! i wish i could explain it to you, but everytime i make something i usually have to walk away from it to clear my head. then i get back to it and it all seams (lol) soo clear... so, don't give up, it'll start making sense and you've got some masterpiece just waiting to come alive, i'm sure!!!!
lol... bias tape is http://www.jkmribbon.com/wrights/trims/tape200.jpg you should be able to find it in the fabric dpt. next to the zippers and threads. Another link to how to use it for a casing: http://www.wrights.com/class/sewing/singlefoldbias/singlefoldbias.htm You can also make your own bias tape: http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/biastape.php But, you don't *need* it to make a skirt. It's just one way of making a casing Casing: Fabric envelope of sorts for encasing elastic, a drawstring, or similar material, usually along a waistline, cuff, hem. Elastic waist slacks have a casing into which the elastic is woven. Sweat pants have a turned up casing into through which elastic is encased (if there are not ribbed cuffs). You can just fold over the top of your skirt to make a casing. (incasing) like this: http://sewing.about.com/library/sewnews/library/aafash0303a.htm Don't give up. Look, you can see in this pic, I didn't have enough fabric to fold over and make a self-casing and didn't want to use bias tape. So, I used ribbon that I had that was larger than the elastic I was using. I could tell you how to do this type of casing if you'd like.
when i made my first, yet crappy, skirt this is what i did. i didnt make it wide at the bottom either. i just used one whole piece of fabric and hemmed all 4 sides. the top part i folded over and ironed it so it would stay. then i lifted it up a bit and put a long piece of elastic along the entire length of the top. Then i pinned it in place in case the elastic slipped inside while i was sewing and i would never be able to get it out. Then i just sewed the hem closed. I sewed it up the back side and put it on and it looked retarted. To keep it on i just tie the elastic together. So now i think what everyone is telling me to do... is... god i dont even know. I dont know how to get it all bunched up and have the back completely sewn and not have to tie the fricken elastic like a big fricken loser that i am. GRRR I dont know what to doooooo! I hate elastic now. I have absolutley no idea what to do. These directions dont make any sense to me. I cant visualize it in my head. Does anyone have any pictures of what they do? like a step by step thing? I need a visual aid!
the top part i folded over and ironed it so it would stay. then i lifted it up a bit and put a long piece of elastic along the entire length of the top. ... not a good idea. You sew *almost* all the way around the top of the skirt, you leave a hole to "thread" the elastic in after you have sewn the casing. Then you take a safety pin and put it on one end of the elastic and thread it into the casing .... give me a sec. i'll see if i can mock up some of my craptaculous pics to explain a little better.
hmm...ok... so for the top of the skirt, what i should do is fold it over about an inch n half or so...iron it a bit, then sew but leave a lil spot open to thread in the elastic... but..ok so after the elastic is in.. do i sew it down, like sew both ends of the elastic together and then let go and it'll be bunchy? or ... wait..eh.. i dunno. maybe i should make a tiny lil skirt for practice or something. I dont know how im gonna get the elastic in there. If im using a lil piece, it'll just get lost in there. I dont get how i sew the back closed. eh. Im a disaster
fold over once again (this will depend on how wide your elastic is... you want to make it as wide as your elastic + 1/2" wider and sew close to edge) I used a zig zag stitch so it shows up a little clearer, but you'd use a regular straight stitch... Then you sew all around the bottom edge of the casing to form a little tunnel for the elastic to go through, but remember to leave an opening to put the elastic in the tunnel Then wrap elastic around your waist or hips or wherever you want the skirt to fit. Add about 2" of extra elastic and take a safety pin and place it on one end of the elastic. This is so you can feel, pull, ease the elastic through the tunnel (casing). Then take the elastic safety pin first and stick it in the hole you left in the casing:
And then you just got to bunch the fabric, pull the safety pin and kinda tug it along until you pull it all the way out and it looks like this: then you overlap the elastic and sew it with your sewing machine: You need to pull on the waistband and this should make the elastic go into it and you can sew up the little hole or leave it open to make it easy to alter later ... up to you hope that makes sense
Ok i read the first post w/ the pictures you had on there, and so i cut out 2 pieces of fabric and sewed them together, but how am i gonna hem it if their already sewn together? Maybe its cuz im doing a super tiny one.. and my hands are sweaty cuz its so hot out. And also i cant really tell in the pictures, but where is the hole gonna be? And .... ok so u said to sew a hem, and then fold it over and sew.. another hem? Maybe i read that wrong.. im gonna go back and check again.
Ok i just explained how to do the (top) casing part for the elastic. But yes you do sew the whole skirt together before hemming it and you don't leave an opening anywhere on the hem. (Top= casing; hem= bottom) You put the hole wherever you want, usually it's on the center back, but you can put it *anywhere* you feel that it won't bother you.
Ok.. im gonna take a lil break and go get my dad and bring him home. After that, im gonna make a normal size skirt(might even try an applique if im not too frusterated) I think im getting this now.
The reason you sew the whole skirt first and then sew the hem is to make sure the hem is even around the whole skirt. So if your material is a little off you can kinda fudge/fix it and make the skirt the same length all the way around.
Ok so i got the 2 sides sewn together, and the first wtf is it called done(ya told me to fold the top over and sew that, then fold it over again-well i got the first part of that done) and after i do that i gotta make the bottom look nice... but i got a question... i found some purty ribbon... could i use that instead of whats it called? Will it still work? Eh.. yeah it will wont it! i dunno why im such a dork. Why wouldnt it work? This one is pretty good looking. Hell i might even do an applique!
When you're doing the top you fold it over and iron it 1/4 of an inch- you're doing this so when you fold it over again to make the casing the raw edges aren't exposed. You don't *have* to sew the first fold down. You do have to sew it down once you fold it over again though. Just make sure to leave an opening to thread the elastic through. You *can* go back and sew up the opening once you've put in the elastic or drawstring. If you want to make a drawstring type skirt then you should either make a buttonhole on the right side of the skirt or use a couple of two-part eyelets to make holes in the fabric so you can tie the drawstrings from the outside while it's on. (You can use ribbon, drawstring, lace, or twill tape for the ties.) You would make the buttonholes or add the eyelets after you've folded the material 1/4 of an inch and prior to the second fold. That way the holes are not all the way through all the layers bc/s that wouldn't do you any good if it went through all the way. You would also add some stabilizer (either a couple layers of fabric or some iron on fusible) to reinforce the area where you add the buttonholes or eyelets. For the applique bit: http://www.cookiepants.com/applique.htm this is the best tutorial i've seen for it. You should move closer- then I could just go over and show you how to do all this.
lostcove: what a very nice person u r explaining step by step!! now i know who to ask for help around here
It's no problem at all. Right now I'm living vicariously through everyone elses sewing bc/s I have company and can't make a mess of my house like I usually do when no one is around. I just wish I had a better camera to make the pics clearer.
