PatternReview.com online sewing community
Join our community of 579,273 sewists!
SIGNUP Membership is free and includes 1 free lesson
Login |
Join our community of 579,273 sewists!
Signup | Login
To participate in the PatternReview.com forums please Login or Join PatternReview
Member since 5/9/05
Posts: 70
Send Message
Posted on: 10/15/06 11:14 PM ET
Hi everyone, thanks for reading my question!

I picked up some lovely woven cotton fabric last year which has fine lines of elastic running through it giving it a wrinkly, shirred appearance. ("No ironing, great!" I thought!).

Now I have it, I wonder how to make sure that when I cut and sew it, the elastic won't pull back through making the fabric go saggy eventually.

I had a store-bought shirt/blouse made of similar fabric and it went saggy in parts because the seams did not enclose the ends of the elastic properly. They travelled within the fabric until they were no longer stretching and it wrecked the garment completely :(

Do I need to use a French Seam, bound seam, 'turned over and sewn-down seam', or something similar - or are there other, EASIER options available?? Please excuse my sewing 'terms' I am a beginner sewist with basic highschool- and mother-taught sewing knowledge.

Thanks heaps.
-- Edited on 10/15/06 11:16 PM --
  
Member since 5/9/05
Posts: 70
Send Message
Posted on: 10/16/06 1:49 AM ET
In reply to Ec
I am thinking a cool summer skirt would be best made of this so I can bind the long, straight seams easier than if it were a fitted shirt.

EC
  
Member since 3/2/04
Posts: 2073
Send Message
Posted on: 10/16/06 7:43 AM ET
I can understand your concern about the elastic. I've never used or seen fabric like this, but...

First, I'd try trimming a small piece of this fabric [where you know your pattern won't land later], and pull on the elastic to see if it's attached, or if it just comes loose.

If it does come loose, then experiment on a scrap, to see if serging stops the elastic from coming loose...or try some of the other treatments you mentioned.

------
Ardis

the lefthanded daughter of a lefthanded mother
  
* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.
Selected Reviews, Classes & Patterns
Fancy Frocks Fabrics
Fine Designer Fabrics
Elliott Berman Textiles
High-end Fashion Fabrics
Specials!
Nature's Fabrics
Natural & Organic Fabrics
Specials!