SewTech04: Button Loop

 

SewTech03: Button Loop

source: http://www.colettepatterns.com/blog/category/tutorials-tips-tricks

SewTech02: Ruffle

Start with a strip of fabric, your desired width, and one and a half to two times the length of what you're sewing it to

Adjust your machine to a strait stitch, in the longest stitch length available. Then loosen your top thread tension all the way

Sew two parallel lines down the side of your strip, leaving long threads at the ends

Then find the bottom (bobbin) threads....

And pull them with one hand, while gently pushing your fabric away from them with the other hand.

Once your strip is the right length, gently scoot arrange your gathers so that they are even. (Do this while still holding your bottom threads, otherwise the gathers may slide further down your threads, changing the length of the strip.)

Then pin your ruffle to whatever it is your sewing it to, with right sides facing each other.

When you sew your ruffle on, change your stitch length/tension back to normal, and be sure that you sew your new stitches above your gathering stitches, so they don't show when it's done.

Then you may pull out your gathering stitches, if you'd like!

SewMark06: Flower Pin

Fold it in half

Here’s what the petals look like open

Start by making larger ones and get progressively smaller. Not too small, though. For a large flower, you will need about 15 petals. Begin stacking them as shown

Here’s what it looks like when they are all stacked

Now get a needle and thread and pull the first stitch through the middle

Stitch a small ‘x’ so everything is in place well

Now that everything is secure, we are just going to form the flower more. I fold it in half and stitch it through

Then after that I fold in half again and make another stitch through

Here’s what it looks like after those steps

After that, tie it off in the back

You can add to it whatever you want to attach it. You can buy pins and glue it on, you can use a safety pin, a barette, whatever you want. You can also add fun things to the center like a pearl, a diamond, a fabric center, a button- anything!

By: http://www.madebylex.com

SewTech01: Shirring

Shirring!

To shirr, all you need are three things: Fabric, thread to match your fabric, and elastic thread!

When first cutting your fabric, remember that your piece will be about half the size when finished, but with lots of stretch. If possible, I recommend marking your lines out first with a fabric pen or quilter's chalk. You can space your lines as far apart as you like, but most people usually make them somewhere around 1/2" apart, give or take a little. And just remember that the closer they are, the more gathered it will look!

Then wind your bobbin by hand. I used a little tension while winding it, but not much. (Don't be afraid! It took about 20 seconds!) Continue to thread it through the bobbin's thread guides, just as you would with regular thread, using regular thread on top!

At the beginning of your first row, do a couple of backstitches, to secure the stitches.

Sew with a straight stitch all the way down your first line.... (I used regular stitch length and thread tension)

At this point, you can either backstitch again, and clip your threads, or simply just lift the presser foot, turn your fabric around, setting down the presser foot on the next line, and keep sewing!

Repeat for as many rows as you have, backstitching at the very end. Your first row won't look very gathered, but as you go along, it will pucker up nicely! The more rows, and the closer they are to each other, the more gathered it will be.

Then spray lightly with water, and press. (Do not slide the iron over them, just gently press down, lifting the iron to move.)  The water/iron with tighten the elastic back up even more, and you'll have a lovely, stretchy garment:

By: http://www.rufflesandstuff.com