amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

sillygoose · 04-14-2005, 01:20 PM

Okay, I tried it and it didn't go so well. I did the "wrap the elastic thread around the bobbin" style. Everytime I put the bobbin in the thing, it unwound itself. So then it wasn't tight. When I sewed, it sort of shirred, just slightly.

Any advice?

kkdmommy · 04-14-2005, 01:58 PM

I've only done it a few times but the package of elastic I bought said to hand wind the bobbin tightly for lightweight fabric & loosely for heavyweight fabric (seems opposite to me but it did work). The only problem was with some midweight fabric I tried, I just couldn't get the proper tension on the elastic so it didn't really do anything...I gave up rather than hassle with it

TurtleMa · 04-14-2005, 02:01 PM

I'm no expert but I"ll tellyou what I did.

I wound the bobbin with my machine. Instead of running the elastic thread through the tension disk I held the the tread between my fingers. The spool was on a thread peg. I wound it pretty tight. It does unwind a bit when you put it in the bobbin case but not the whole bobbin. Also you don't really see how much it is gathering the fabric until you get a few rows done. One row looks like it isn't doin much.

sillygoose · 04-14-2005, 02:08 PM

Thanks Michelle and Michelle!

Actually the first Michelle, kkdmommy you were not so helpful. LOL I will not give up!
I did wind the bobbin with my machine, the same way you did it, Turtlema, but I thought I must have done it wrong when it unwound a bit. I'll keep trying! Thanks!

kkdmommy · 04-14-2005, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillygoose

Actually the first Michelle, kkdmommy you were not so helpful. LOL I will not give up!

Hey, I tried. I hate to see a question with no replies. I only gave up because I realized my tomboys weren't going to enjoy the frou frou girly stuff anyway

countrycuttins · 04-14-2005, 04:41 PM

I think you should try hand winding it loosely, not tight at all, and see if that works for you. Don't forget to try on scraps, don't want you to ruin anything with my suggestion, LOL! Let us know how it goes

jacNal'smom · 04-14-2005, 04:59 PM

it came out perfectly. Every time thereafter....it's always been a challenge. The last time I did it, I wound the bobbin as tight as I could get it and it finally worked. That was for eyelet. I'm going to try shirring some twill soon. I'll let you know if I find the answer.

heather4285 · 04-14-2005, 05:11 PM

i tried it several times. stupid me, i tried it with fabric i love and messed it all up

i was trying to do several rows so that i could have the whole front shirred, and it shrank up wayyyyyyyy to small. i am not giving up!! (just getting ugly fabric)

*Heather* · 04-14-2005, 05:45 PM

I haven't tried it doing it with the machine yet. BUT I actually bought elastic thread today to give it a go. I do something else though that kinda gives the same effect.

What I do is this: I make casings (or if there is a lining I just sew tunnels) leaving spaces in between. Then I put a 1/4 inch elastic (sometimes I use the thick elastic string). That is the only way I wanted to do it until I could brave the machine way...for the very fear of messing something up. Maybe you can give this method a go until you have mastered the art of shirring

It looks something like this: (because I am horrible with directions...LOL)

------------------------
casing with elastic
------------------------
empty space
-----------------------
casing with elastic
------------------------
empty space
-----------------------
casing with elastic
------------------------
empty space
-----------------------
casing with elastic
-----------------------

The ---- is the thread line

HTH you out at all!!

Another thing is I make it a tiny bit bigger because the thicker elastic kinda makes it a little tighter so maker it bigger kinda evens it all out