Technique Tuesday: Sewing and Serging Pintucks

Today we are going to talk tucks...mostly pintucks.  I love pintucks, they are a simple sewing technique that can add an extra special detail to a project. Pintucks can be created with either a sewing machine or a serger, but I must admit, in this case I prefer my sewing machine.

First off, a pintuck is basically a straight stitch sewn on the fold of a fabric, creating a narrow lip. I've used pintucks and tucks on a number of different projects.  Here are a few examples: Sunburst Pintuck Top, Crayon Box Pleat Skirt (waistband),  Itty Bitty Remix, and my pintucked top.

Sewing a Pintuck

Light to medium weight fabrics are traditionally used with a pintuck technique. For practice, it is helpful if the fabric has a linear print on it.  For example, this cotton print has lines running vertically, horizontally, and on the bias.  If you want to practice making pintucks, it may help to use a similar fabric.  

Of course, you can use a solid, and use a removable marking pen/pencil as a guide, it just involves more measuring and marking.

Start by folding your fabric along the desired line or guide.  Pressing can make the process easier.

Place your material under the presser foot, and align the material with your 1/8" presser foot marking.  The larger the seam allowance, the bigger the tuck, the smaller the seam allowance, the smaller the tuck.  For a pintuck, I don't go any larger than 1/8", and often stick to about 1/10".

Sew a straight line along the length of the material. 

Sew as many tucks as are desired.

Press the tucks in the same direction.

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Here's a look at some tucks created with varied widths.

From left to right: 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 1"

Serging a Pintuck

A serged pintuck is nothing more than a narrow rolled hem sewn on the fold of the fabric.  The thread is much more visible than when a tuck is created with a sewing machine.

The technique is the same, but the serger requires specific settings.

My brother 1034d uses the multi-purpose guide foot for creating pintucks.  The foot features a plastic guide that can be adjusted left to right to accommodate different widths of tucks.  The guide is really helpful in maintaining a straight stitching line.

The pintuck is created using a three thread set up. The owner's manual provides these settings:

Right Needle: 4.0

Upper Looper: 4.0

Lower Looper 7.5

Differential: 0.7

Knife: Disabled

Removable Stitch Finger: Off

Stitch length 1.0-2.5 (I prefer 2.5)

Foot: Multi-purpose guide foot (aka: blind hem foot).

Here's a look at what the knobs and dials look like all set up.

 Adjust the guide foot so that the guide sits just to the right of the right needle. Place fabric under the presser foot, with the folded fabric flush with the guide.

Stitch down the length of the material.

 That's it.  The serger requires more set up, but once you've worked out any necessary adjustments to tension, it is really quite simple to do.  As I mentioned earlier, I still prefer the look of a standard sewing machine pintuck, but the serger is quite, easy, and works well.  Using a coordinating thread will help the stitching lines be less visible.

Now, aside from these basic techniques, there are a few helpful tools to making pintucks even easier.  Pintuck presser feet are available, and paired with a twin needle, pintucking becomes a cinch.

 Enjoy this informative video by Liz of JanomeLife

       

Technique Tuesday...Serging a Scarf Edge Rolled Hem {Brother 1034 D}

Technique Tuesday has fallen by the wayside as I've been fully engrossed in craft fairs and Top-toberfest.  But, as I've been sewing scarves in preparation for another craft fair this weekend, I thought I'd pop in and share a tutorial for serging a scarf edge rolled hem.

Adjusting serger settings can be a bit intimidating, and at times frustrating.  Getting threads properly balanced, can at times seem impossible.  But with all of the frustrations, for me, it is still easier and faster than finishing off raw edges with a rolled hem presser foot.  So, to ease your frustrations, and help you achieve better stitch balance, I'm going to share the settings that I use when finishing raw edges on light weight and sheer materials.

First off, I had deviated a bit from the recommended settings in the user manual.  I prefer my scarf hem to be more of a miniature balanced serged edge, rather than a rolled hem.  I'll share my settings (orange), along with the user manual settings, so that you can choose your preferred stitch. I have also noticed that I have to slightly adjust my settings depending on the fabric that I'm using, but these settings will give you a really good starting point.

This is a three thread hem, with the needle  in the right position.  Remove left needle.  

Right needle 4.0  4.0

Upper Looper 4.0 6.0

Lower Looper 7.5 6.0

Differential 0.7 "

Knife 6.0 "

Removable Stitch Finger: Removed

Stitch Length 2.0-3.0 "

Once your settings are adjusted, you may need to adjust the amount of pressure on your presser foot.  Lightweight materials feed better through the machine if the pressure is decreased.  If you are forced to force, or gently tug the material through the machine, the stitching will be irregular. I recommend trimming the material by 1/4", doing so will make sure that the needle pierces a tighter weave of the fabric. ( I snip and rip my sheer fabrics, and if often results in an open weave near the raw edge.)

Here is a look at my finished hem, with my settings.  It is narrow, relatively tight, and is nice and balanced.

 The scarf edge rolled hem, according to the manual, turns the raw edge of the fabric under and towards the back.  It works nicely, but I happen to prefer the look of the other hem better.

Because the stitching is so tight, I trim my chain at the corner of the scarf, and finish with fray check.

There you have it, and nice little scarf edge hem with your serger.


By the way, if you are in SE Idaho, and want to stop by, I'll be at the Rigby Craft Fair, Rigby Jr. High, 11/10/12.  9-5.  Stop by and say hello.


 Are there any techniques that you'd like me to share?

Tutorial: Serging a Narrow Chain

An overcast serger is great for finishing off raw edges, but the interlocking threads can be used a number of different ways. I just finished up a couple of skirts for my nieces, and needed some simple belt loops to keep the sashes in place. A tight and narrow serged chain made a perfect little belt loop that could be sewn right into the seam allowance (without pulling free).

Removable Stitch Finger removed.

Very little explanation is needed to create a tight chain, but I'll walk you through my serger's (brother 1034d) settings. 

 Differential: .7-0

Knife: 3-5

Stitch Length: R

Three thread, with needle in the right position.

Tension Settings

Right Needle: 4.0

Upper Looper: 5.0

Lower Looper:7.0

Once your needle and loopers are threaded, with tension adjusted, creating the chains is as simple as controlling the pedal.  As the loopers do their job, a tight chain is formed.  Guide the threads straight behind the presser foot, without pulling them through. Steady pressure on the foot pedal will create a uniform chain.  Make your chain as long as necessary, and trim as needed for individual loops.

Chains can then be inserted into seam allowances to create belt loops.  Sewing machine stitches can catch between the interlocked chain, and secure the loops.  I recommend backstitching to ensure that the machine stitches catch the chain.

Quite simple, and really handy.

Technique Tuesday: Gathering Fabric With a Sewing Machine or Serger

Gathers and ruffles are often used in feminine garments.  Waistlines, cuffs, necklines, yokes, and sleeve caps, often feature gathered material. Gathering material really is a simple technique, but to a beginning sew-er it can seem a bit daunting.  We're going to go over the basics of creating gathers or ruffles with both a basic sewing machine, with a ruffler foot, and an overcast serger.

 Read More...

Technique Tuesday: How to Sew and Serge a Blind Hem

I've been working on a little project to share with you, and it involves sewing a blind hem.  Now EVERY time I sew a blind hem, I pull out my machine manual, and try to interpret their horrible diagrams.  A blind hem is really quite simple, but for some reason prepping my materials is always a little bit of a mystery to me.  

Well, I did some research, and worked out a few kinks that I frequently run into, and I think that I finally understand how it works. 

Serged Sweater Knit Blanket: A Tutorial

As many of you know, I'm making an effort to sew through my fabric stash.  We live in a small home with limited storage space.  There is simply no sense in buying more fabric until I start using up what I have on hand.  I've had some lovely sweater knit sitting in my fabric dresser, two pieces actually.  One piece was some left over yardage from this ivory cowl tunic, and the other is some cute yellow and gray striped sweater knit.  I ordered the yellow and gray fabric online. It looked adorable online, but somehow I missed that there were sparkles involved. So I had to change my plans for a cardigan.  A simple sweater knit blanket seemed to be the perfect choice.

One of my favorite projects that I made for Miles has been my lightweight knit receiving blanket.  It has a nice stretch, and it breathes really well.  It's perfect for wrapping up a little babe.  The lettuce leaf serged edges make for a cute decorative finish as well.  I used the same technique with this sweater knit, and I love the results. So I thought I'd share the process with you.

Selfish Sewing: Shirred Scarf

You can see the bobbin side of the shirring in this shot.

In an effort to expand my wardrobe, and bust my fabric stash, I've been sewing a bit more for myself lately, and may I just say that it feels great. I've made a couple of scarves lately, and I love how quick and easy they are to make.  I also love that one size fits all. If you are trying to think of something to give a new mama, a scarf is a perfect option.

This particular scarf is a shirred scarf.  It was made by using two widths of material that were sewn together to form a long strip (I believe that I cut my material to be 9 inches wide).  I used a narrow rolled hem to finish off the edges, and I then shirred two rows using elastic thread. My shirred rows are roughly 3 inches from each edge.

You can find my tutorial for this scarf here.

One thing that I'd really like to do this year is use up the fabric that I've collected over the past couple of years.  I've picked up fabric on sale, but unfortunately it seems that I've collected it quicker than I've been able to use it up.  This particular fabric I've only had since June, but still that is 6 months. I'd like to use the fabric I have before I decide that I no longer like it.  

So, what are your favorite stash busting projects, and how long do you hold onto fabric before passing it on?  I'm thinking that eventually I'll have to have a fabric stash swap with some local sewists.

Fleece Backed Burp Clothes

I made up a set of four burp clothes for my Sister- in-Law's baby shower last weekend.  Just recently I saw some simple burp clothes that were backed in fleece.  I'd never seen that before, but I love the added cushion that the fleece gives to the burp cloth.  I, myself, have rather boney shoulders.  I think that every newborn baby deserves a nice cushy shoulder to rest their head on.

To make these I used this basic tutorial from Oopsey Daisy to create the template for the burp cloth.  I then cut out one layer of cotton, and one layer of fleece.  I  placed them wrong sides together, basted the raw edges, and serged around the whole thing.

Now if you are a patient person, and like to crochet around burp clothes and receiving blankets, that could definitely be applied to this project.

I ended up quilting the burp clothes just for a little added reinforcement and detail.

Because you're working with two different materials, I'd recommend pre-washing all of your fabric on this project.

Ruffled Baby Skirt from Old T-shirts

Despite the fact that my sewing machine is out of order, I managed to get a bit of sewing done.  Don't worry, I didn't do any hand sewing.  I decided to try out the gathering foot on my serger, and I must tell you that I'm quite impressed (not with my skills, but with the machine).

 I started out with two old t-shirts that I'd thrown in a dye bath a while back.  I wasn't particularly fond of the t-shirts so dying them was a great option.

I'm no master at the ruffling/gathering foot and stitch, but it was rather easy, and the skirt was definitely a quick sew.  I made the skirt to be size 3-6 months. There isn't any elastic in the waist.  The knit material provides a bit of stretch, so fitting the waist band to the size of the  baby's waist should work quite nicely.

I used the hem of the t-shirt for the hem of the skirt.  I love it when half of the work has already been done for me.

To create the waistband I folded the fabric over, and serged the raw edge of the waistband to the seam of the top gathered tier, and the bottom of the waistband. I lost nearly all of the gather that existed prior to serging down the waistband, but I'm not too disappointed. After all, I didn't put in a whole lot of time or money.

I also created this little infant headband to coordinate with the skirt.  I simple served two layers of fabric together on either side, and attached a small knit flower to the top. Easy Peasy.

I'm still trying to decide what to applique or freezer paper stencil to the front of the onesie.  Any suggestions?

Thanks so much for reading, and being patient as I wait for the return of my machine (and my energy).  Clark had surgery earlier this week, he's doing well, but it took it's toll on his mama.

Tips, Tricks, and Techniques: The Rolled Hem

As I mentioned yesterday, I have recently spent some time playing with my new Brother overlock machine.  Yesterday I serged a few of my first rolled hems.  A rolled hem is a beautiful thing.  It is such a neat and tidy way to take care of raw edges.  You can easily find the settings for rolled hems in your serger handbook.  It took me a little while to get used to removing needles, and  stitch fingers, but I'm sure that in no time it will be as easy to prepare rolled hem settings as it is to thread a needle on the sewing machine.

I thought that I'd devote todays post to rolled hems and narrow rolled hems.  A rolled hem can be created using a standard sewing machine, but the equipment is a little different, and the end result is a bit more polished.  Both types of sewing machines can create quite impressive results.

A rolled hem is created when the right side of the fabric is rolled back toward the wrong side of the fabric, and stitched in place.  With an overlock machine, the upper and lower looper threads secure the fabric by looping around the rolled edge. The tension on the lower looper thread is greater than that of the upper, causing the fabric to pull toward the wrong side. Often times you will see different variations of rolled hems on shirts, table linens, cloth napkins, bed linens, and sheer fabrics such as skirts and scarves.  There are a number of different applications, but an overlocked rolled hem is particularly useful when finishing off knit and woven fabrics.

Image Source: Modest Maven

One example of a rolled serged hem is on this Sensei Top by Jodell, of Modest Maven.

For tips on serging a rolled hem, read this article from Sew Inspired.

Image Source: Craft Stylish

Baby Brothers

In the past six weeks my family has welcomed two new baby brothers.  My sister had an adorable baby boy a week and a half before Christmas.  Just last week my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their third son to the world.

The grandson total is now 5, meaning that we can now officially have a basketball team of boys.  I am so excited about my new nephews.  There is something so special about holding a brand new baby.

We too recently welcomed a brother to our home.  I am thrilled to have my second little guy, this one comes in the form of an overlock server.  I am so EXCITED.

Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger

I'd been saving my pennies for a serger of my own.  I received some money  for my birthday, and set it aside.  Unfortunately December brought with it many unexpected expenses....plumbers, root canals, and pending surgeries.  Needless to say the money that I had set aside was used to pay off other bills.

I cried, when some very generous family members gave me my new serger.  It was totally unexpected, but extremely thoughtful. I really feel that I received much more than a new overlock machine.  Their gift really helped me understand how much I am loved, and cared for.  They were aware of the roller coaster ride that we had been on that month, and did something for me that I will not forget. Thank You.

I've used a serger before, but only for the basic overlock stitch.  I've got a lot to learn and explore.  I'm excited to see just what this machine can do.  I'm working on a skirt, and am going to try to figure out a narrow rolled hem, hopefully today.


Welcome baby brothers everywhere.  I'm glad your here.  I'm looking forward to the time that we are going to spend together.