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Making multiple tucks on batiste is harder than you'd think or I'm doing something wrong
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2200	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 10/3/12 4:33 PM Blind Tucks Tutorial I'm using this tutorial and I practiced on a small leftover piece of the fine, sheer 100% Swiss cotton batiste. I put it over an Olfa board and could see the squares through the fabric to aid in the marking. I sewed 7 or 8 tucks using my Featherweight machine. They all look uniformly curved. I'm going to try on more time and just hand stitch using a tiny running stitch and see if that's any better. I'm trying to tuck a piece of fabric so I can cut the bodice out of a baby's gown .... ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com
CM_Sews Intermediate CA USA Member since 9/18/04 Posts: 1476	Login to reply to this post In reply to marymary86 << Like this post Date: 10/3/12 4:49 PM If you are using a Featherweight, you can use any vintage low shank tucker foot attachment. Rows of tucks like this used to be very popular, and many vintage sewing machines came with this attachment. If your Featherweight came with a set of attachments, you may already have one of these. April 1930s - Tucker foot page, with tutorials The Edge Sticher foot can also be used to do rows of tucks. Scroll down this page to see a picture of the Singer manual page that shows this. OR, see page 45 of this manual, PDF page 24 for the instructions. I'd look at Etsy or eBay if you want to purchase these attachments. I have purchased many vintage attachments for very reasonable prices on Etsy. CMC
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2200	Login to reply to this post In reply to CM_Sews << Like this post Date: 10/3/12 5:06 PM Thank you for the links and information! I enjoy sewing on the FW so much and having extra attachments for this type of sewing would be great! I probably should have said I'm making 1/2" tucks. I don't have time to find and order attachments but I do have them all for my Bernina. I'll pull it out if I need to! I just don't understand why they seem curved (it may have been the way I pressed them now that I think about it). It's so easy to finger press the folds and the tutorial had me mark stitching lines as well as fold lines. The lines look straight and my sewing was straight. I'm sure I'll figure it out ... I did figure it out. The bottom of the scrap was curved and the tucks just followed the curve - hard to explain without a picture. I went back to the ironing board and pressed them making the seams straight. They fell in line. I'm going to have to tuck an absolutely squared rectangle instead of using scraps. Ready to start marking and sewing the real deal now .... Here's a picture of the baby's (now big) brother in his own formal portrait. I'm using his top as the inspiration for her gown's bodice. -- Edited on 10/3/12 5:17 PM -- ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com
CM_Sews Intermediate CA USA Member since 9/18/04 Posts: 1476	Login to reply to this post In reply to marymary86 << Like this post Date: 10/3/12 5:21 PM According the Singer manual page for the making tucks with the edge stitcher foot: The secret of good tucking lies in a light tension, short stitch, and fine thread and needle. Disclaimer: not that I have a lot of direct experience with tucks myself, but that's what Singer was telling people decades ago. If you have other short shank attachments, you probably have something that you can use as a guide that would be similar to the slots in the edge stitcher foot. Hemming foot? Perhaps the slot in a rolled hem foot (bypassing the scroll on the foot completely)? Good Luck! Your project inspiration is just adorable! C-M
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2200	Login to reply to this post In reply to CM_Sews << Like this post Date: 10/3/12 5:35 PM You are so sweet to check all that. I am using fine thread and a size 70 needle. My stitch length could definitely be smaller and I didn't change the tension. DH is home now so maybe I can sweet talk him into taking some pictures. ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com
Courtney Ostaff   Intermediate WV USA Member since 11/23/10 Posts: 624	Login to reply to this post Like this post Subject: Making multiple tucks on batiste is harder than youd think Date: 10/3/12 6:36 PM Love, love, love that baby gown!
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2200	Login to reply to this post In reply to Courtney Ostaff << Like this post Date: 10/3/12 7:24 PM Thanks Courtney! His mom bought that outfit and she has good taste! I didn't know her as well then and had no idea she wanted formal portraits such as these made with the babies wearing traditional dress up clothes. I hope the bodice on Warner's dress will have the tucks and that central bit of faggotting. Her dress will be really long though with wider tucks near the hem and edged in tatting. I hope it works out. ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com
solosmocker Advanced NY USA Member since 1/23/06 Posts: 1262	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Subject: Making multiple tucks on batiste is harder than youd think Date: 10/3/12 8:53 PM Tucks must be made on the straight of grain or you will run into these problems. Start your first tuck by pulling a thread just enough to show the thread line across the fabric. Use that thread line on the crease of the first fold. Have all others follow exactly. If you think you have lost it, re pull a thread again. You can use your iron or even your finger to push that thread back in line so it won't look pulled once it has served it's purpose. Whenever doing a new technique make samples. Use different threads, needles, tensions until you get it just right. If you plan on doing more heirloom sewing I highly recommend Carol Ahle's book, "Fine Machine Sewing". It's all in there. ------ http://lasewist.blogspot.com/
PattiAnnJ   Advanced OH USA Member since 12/3/06 Posts: 4987	Login to reply to this post Like this post Subject: Making multiple tucks on batiste is harder than youd think Date: 10/4/12 10:29 AM Make a sample and adjust the pressure for the presser foot to see if this will eliminate the curving of the line.
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2200	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 10/4/12 12:17 PM Thanks again for all the tips ... the tucks are going great now. Can y'all stand one more question? I'm doing the faggotting which is attaching the tucked panels to a central bias strip. Then I'll cut the front bodice from this piece. I know the faggotting will start to come lose as soon as I cut the bodice. Should I carefully mark beginning and end points (finishing off the embroidery) or should I trace the pattern off and zig zag around? I've never worked with this type of embroidery before! I'm stitching with pearl cotton if that makes any difference. I hope my question makes sense! ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com

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