Factory sewing?

I stitch for Newborns in Need and have quite a challenge going for me. Blessedly, I have two bolts of very nice flannel. Wonder what's the Nicest and quickest way to turn them into sturdy receiving blankets? The selvedges must be removed because they're more tightly woven ( or something). Next, I'm thinking, would be to clip them into yard lengths -

36" x 45" for each blanket would be generous but not too big. After that, I guess I'll wash, dry, press and hem. Any thoughts on how to attack a mountain of flannel? There's a lot of wee ones who need swaddling. Polly
Reply to
Polly Esther
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Wash the fabric before cutting it as it may shrink in the drying.

I think it was Mao who said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Just begin.

I think I'd do one side at a time turning the hem under and then chain sew them like when quilting and then snip the few stitches joining one to the next after doing a run of them. Sounds like a good job to do when watching TV shows at night (or 6 nights) .

Reply to
FarmI

I would:

1) Separate the blankets by cutting across. I would not worry about the selvedges.

2) Serge a nice rolled hem around the edges, rounding the corners and removing the selvedges.

3) Wash.

Most receiving blankets are serged around the edges, even the better quality ones I have that were saved from the 1960s. Since receiving blanket sizes don't have to be exact, sewing before washing makes sense to me. If you want to determine the size more exactly, you can wash a test blanket to see how much it shrinks before cutting the rest.

--Betsy

Reply to
Betsy

Polly, I have made a ton of receiving blankets. Some I've hand sew, no machine handy. Some I've turned under 1/4 inch twice, so I had a nie clean hem edge and and done on my machine and some I've done with a serged rolled hem, and rounded corners. I would suggest you cut and wash the fabric for one before sewing. If there is minimal shrinkage I would just sew and then wash.If you find a lot of shrinkage I would cut the fabric in lengths long enough to make 3 or 4 and add in the amount you expect it to shrink,then wash the pieces, iron a sew the sew the entire length side seams first, then cut and do the top and bottom. If you wash first you may find that the entire entire amount you have to work with is difficult to work with. Juno

Reply to
Juno B

I would use the serger to finish the edges quickly. Barbara in FL

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

Turning curved corners on a single layer of flannel is something I've never been very good at. Methinks this would be the time to tinker with the stitch and differential and learn. I didn't know that a serged (only) edge would be sturdy but I'll take your word for it. Thank you for sharing. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

I would suggest that you use a scrap of any kind of cloth and trace around a coffee cup of any kind to get a curve, then serge up one side and around the curve to learn how. After a couple of tries you won't even need to trace off a curve, you will "just" know how to do it! Hey, if "I" can do it, anyone can! I usually take the easy way to get it done. I've seen a lot of "serged only" edges on baby recieving blankets in the stores. Barbara in cloudy FL

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

One other note If you are serging and cutting the edge at the same time remember to cut a small area out with a scissors where you start sort of like [ so that you can slide it under your presser foot and get a nice clean start. Juno

Reply to
Juno B

Reply to
Polly Esther

Polly, I found the book "Sewing with Sergers" very helpful. I also found that I understood it better and got more from it after using my serger for awhile. You can get it from Amazon. Not pushing Amazon just find they usually have the best prices.

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a lot of people also really like the Singer book on serging. Juno

Reply to
Juno B

I second that. Always remember to group purchases to get the free shipping with a $25 minimum, and watch for the free book if you buy 3 in their 4 for 3 offers. It doesn't apply to all books, so check carefully. I got an Amazon credit card, which is actually a Visa from Chase, and use it as a 30-day charge for everything, even groceries. Now I get an Amazon gift certificate almost every month. Free is my very favorite price!!

Reply to
Pogonip

Seconded. I have several books on serging I bought when I got my first one (used), and refer to them all the time.

Reply to
BEI Design

I serged almost all the receiving blankets I've made for my 7 DGC over the

20-years, too numerous to count. None of the parents ever complained about them.

Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

I never had a lesson on serging, but I've used two books to teach me. The first is one Juno recommended, Sewing with Sergers, which has a VHS/DVD tape to accompany it. I also keep the book, Complete Serging Handbook by Chris James next to my serger at all times. It is a larger, spiral back book, and much easier to handle.

Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

I took your word for it. Decided to use the serger (only). Tore the flannel into receiving blanket size. Diddled with the serger until it produced a very nice edge, even around curved corners. Produced 18 receiving blankets in just a little amount of time. Two more bolts to go. They look okay but mighty plain. I'm thinking I'll probably have to go around each blanket with the SM stitch that looks like ___^___. That will give them a little added special touch and make them a bit readier for the hard wear they can expect. Thank you just so very much for coming with me on my mountain of flannel adventure. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

I think a serged edge will be fine. I see a lot of receiving blankets in the stores that only have a serged edge. Don't make more work for yourself than you need to. ;) A 4 thread serged edge is plenty sturdy.

If you want to jazz it up a little, try different colored threads. You could do pink, blue, green and yellow. (or whatever works for you!) Remember that you will see more of the looper threads than the needle threads. Think about that when you pick which color will go where. You can also get variagated color thread. That looks really nifty. I've used that on polar fleece throws before and it's a lot of fun.

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

This might be a good application for wooly nylon.

Reply to
Pogonip

I used red wooly nylon in both loopers, and shortened the stitch length to finish the edge the fleece throw I made for DGS:

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I should have done a little more practicing with the differential feed, the cross grain rippled a bit, although the lengthwise grain was nice and flat.

By the time I made his friend's throw I had learned just that much more. It's edged in white wooly nylon in both loopers, and with the differential feed adjusted slightly for the cross and lengthwise grains:

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Reply to
BEI Design

That looks great!!

Reply to
Pogonip

Thanks!

The boy is not bad either. ;-> Yeah, I'm a dirty old woman...

Reply to
BEI Design

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