Sunday, August 16, 2009

Help!! Shirring!!!


Okay, sorry for the bad picture but I'm in shirring hell!!! I've been trying to make my little girl a smocked sundress. I cannot get the elastic thread to work for me!! I have tried everything - started off making it like Heather Ross' book suggests which is to hand wind the elastic thread in the bobbin with no tension and set your machine to the longest stitch length. I kept getting a wavy back to the elastic thread. Since then I have tried adjusting the tension down and up...I have hand wound the thread with a bit of tension and even this morning tried winding the thread by my machine...and I still get the same result which is a wavy back to the elastic thread (as you can see in the photo). I am so FRUSTRATED...what was supposed to take less than an hour to make has taken many spools of elastic thread and one stressed out mother. I hate wasting my fabric...I bought Heather Ross Mendocino line just like the one when she was on Martha Stewart a few months ago. It's so soft but in the end the shirred top was NOT shirred (it only slightly shirred once you added the steam from the iron)...AGHHHHH...so if anyone has any suggestions, I would really appreciate it....I forgot to mention I watched some youtube videos, Portobella Pixie, and Pink Chalk Studios tutorial as well. Why do I continue to get a wavy back and no shirring effect???? My machine is an Emerald 183 -Husqvarna.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Jody,
    Did you get this figured out? I have done it before with Sandi Henderson's directions. I remember hand winding the elastic thread onto the bobbin. I'd be glad to try to try it out on my machine again (I also have a Husqvarna) and let you know how it workes...
    Jessica

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  2. Any suggestions would be awesome Jessica!! I just commented on your blog as well, but I'm thinking it has to be something with my bobbin/case?? Thanks!

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  3. I am having the same exact problem. Did you ever get it to work???? PLEASE e-mail me if you did! Thanks! reagan_martin @ sbcglobal.net (remove the spaces)

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