To sew with elastic thread, you must hand-wind the bobbin without stretching the elastic thread. Wind the elastic thread on the bobbin until the bobbin is full. … Leave a couple inches of tail of the elastic thread, and bring the elastic thread up through the sewing machine throat plate.
Can you sew through elastic?
How to sew elastic to fabric. You can stitch elastic straight onto your piece of fabric using a straight or zigzag stitch. When you’re making a waistband, join the elastic together first to the correct length.
What kind of thread do you use for stretchy fabric?
The most common threads used to sew stretch knit fabrics are textured polyester or textured nylon threads like A&E’s Wildcat® Plus or Best Stretch®. Textured threads are ideal for overedge and coverstitch seams because they offer excellent seam coverage and seam elasticity.
Why is my fabric not shirring?
Troubleshooting: Is your smocking not working? Make sure that your bobbin is not too full of the elastic thread. … Make sure your elastic thread isn’t too tight or too loose on the bobbin. Make sure you didn’t mess with the tension (or any other settings) of your machine while adjusting your stitch length.
What tension should I use for elastic?
Generally elastic works best when stretched 3-8%, with 8% only being used on the smaller parts of the garment as it’s a bit extreme, as remember the more you stretch the elastic the more stitches you are putting on that space of elastic.
Does Walmart sell elastic?
Tailor Springy Stretchy Knitting Sewing Elastic Band Strap Black 2.73 Yards – Walmart.com – Walmart.com.
Is there a thread that stretches?
We recommend this 40wt thread called Designer™. Not only is it strong, but it carries a small amount of stretch, making it ideal for stretchy fabrics and garment construction.
What thread is used for leggings?
You’ll need a cotton/lycra blend. You will need a high cotton blend like 90% cotton and 10% lycra. If you want to sew kids leggings, or baby leggings, same thing. It must be soft fabric.
Why won’t my sewing machine sew over elastic?
You may be using the right technique of stretching the elastic as you sew, but you may have the wrong kind of elastic. All elastics are definitely not equal. Or, you may be using too short a stitch or stretching the elastic too much or not have the right kind of elastic for the fabric you are using, etc.
How Much Does fabric shrink when shirring?
When selecting a pattern, look for at least 10″ of ease in the area you will be shirring. Depending on the fabric, shirring will reduce the width of the garment by approximately half of its original size. If the garment has ample ease, there will be enough fabric to gather attractively.
What tension do you use to sew cotton?
Cotton requires a moderate tension setting, usually between three and four. Always start adjusting your tension settings with your upper tension.
How do you use elastic thread?
How to do shirring on fabric with elastic thread
- Wind the bobbin. …
- Simple rows of evenly spaced shirring looks the most attractive. …
- Thread the machine with top thread matching the fabric. …
- Insert the bobbin with the elastic thread – Just like you would for regular thread.