Browsing Tag

sewing tips

Valentine’s Sew Along: Finishing the Waistline with Elastic

Tutorial, Valentine's Day Sew Along, Videos January 25, 2017

Sorry it’s taken me a bit to post this next quick and easy step. I’ve been overloaded with Valentine’s orders! But here I am with the last step of the panties. After this, we will start on the bra.

This part is easy. We’re just going to finish the waist edge with fold over elastic. I’d recommend just trying them one one last time to make sure the fit is exactly how you want them.

The elastic here should not gather or pull in the waist line too much. It should just create a nice snug edge. The panties themselves are fitted, so the elastic edging just creates that extra bit of stability around the top.

Starting from the inside of the garment, find the approximate side-point of the waistline. This is where we will start applying the elastic. Use a zig-zag stitch to “baste” it on. The foldine of the elastic should run alongside the raw edge of the waist. I have a super easy way of joining my elastic into a continuous loop, which you can read about HERE. I don’t like to sew it into a loop first, then apply – I prefer to fold the raw edge under and cover it with a tight row of zig-zag stitches. This is just a personal preference! No one way is better than the other.

Once the elastic is “basted” on, trim back any excess fabric that extends beyond the stitching line. Fold the elastic along the fold line, so that the elastic is essentially binding the waist edge, and top stitch in place using a zig-zag stitch.

For detailed step-by-step instructions, please checkout this how-to video. Otherwise, there are lots of details in the pattern instructions!

How to sew knit fabric without using a serger.

Tutorial May 16, 2016

I sewed without a serger for years. Now that I have one (two actually) I feel like I couldn’t live without it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create beautifully finished garments without one.  I’m going to go over a few different stitches that most sewing machines will have that will allow you to sew seams in knit fabrics that stretch!
I sew on a Pfaff Select 150. It is a an entry level Pfaff, fairly basic with no computerizations, but like many machines, it comes with a variety of machines for sewing knits. The ones I use most often are a basic Zig-Zag Stitch (pretty much every domestic sewing machine will have this option), a Stretch Stitch, and an Overlock Stitch.  My previous machines, a 1970’s Singer and a vintage blue Elna with discs that changed the stitches, all had these types of stitches.  
The zig-zag stitch is the most important of all of the stitches, especially for sewing lingerie. My Pfaff allows for great customization in the width and length of the stitch which is something I find very useful for lingerie sewing. For sewing seams on 4-way stretch fabrics, I opt for a narrow zig zag.  Using the narrow zig zag stitch allows you to sew your seam just as you would if you were using a zig-zag stitch.
The next stitch I want to mention is the Overlock Stitch. This stitch combines a straight stitch with a wide zig-zag stitch and looks kind of like the blind hem stitch. Before I got my serger, I liked to use it to finish raw edges after sewing my seams with a zig-zag stitch.
Zig-zag stitched seam with faux-overlocked edge
Using the Overlock stitch is easy, though can be a little slow because the machine has to do some fancy maneuvering.  Simply stitch so that the zig-zag segment of the stitch wraps over the raw edge of your fabric.  I find that this seam finish works best of sturdier knits, like cotton-lycra jersey. Lighter rayon jersey knits tend to roll a bit more for me.
Using the Overlock Stitch to finish raw edges.

The last stitch I wanted to mention is the Stretch Stitch (or at least that’s what I call it). It creates a very stretchy seam, but on my machine, is pretty slow going because of the complexity of the stitch.  When I’ve used this stitch in the past, I’ve simply trimmed my seam allowance right back without any extra seam finish.

 If you are new to sewing knits, spend some time getting to know the different stitches on your machine. There are so many options for sewing stretch seams and finishing edges without having to use a serger. These are just a few options, and I hope you find them useful!