Hi all, I've decided to try making some fitted nappies (diapers) for our baby due next month. The pattern I'm using has fold-over elastic (FOE) to gather round the legs. I've never used it before, so I'm wondering if it's better to stretch and pin it first, then sew, or to stretch as you sew, without pinning. All advice gratefully received! Thanks, Liz
Oh how exciting! Congragulations!
The pattern I'm using has fold-over elastic (FOE) to gather
Never bother with pinning myself, just stretch the elastic as I sew, why make things harder? *LOL*
Just remember the more you stretch the elastic the tighter the fit will be. You may want to run up a sample swatch or two to get an idea on how much to pull the elastic. Obviously you wish the nappies to fit snugly around the legs, but you don't wish to cut off baby's circulation.
Again, congratulations, and please come back after you have delivered and let us know if it is a boy or girl.
Candide
I'd stretch as I sewed. A couple of little tricks that may help: if your pattern specifies the length of elastic to use, allow yourself a little extra, an inch or so, at the beginning, so that you have a kind of 'handle' to pull from behind the needle. And mark the halfway point on both the leg opening and the length of elastic--then you only have to stretch that much to fit as you sew, and the fullness will be evenly distributed.
Doreen in Alabama
Yup! That's how I do it too. Joy in Michigan
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