Sewing on tulle

I don't know anything sewing on tulle, but I wanted to say it's good to see you are sewing and posting on the groups again. I've often thought of you. Emily

Thank you so much. It's been a rough 22 months for me. After losing my son and then losing my DH, a best friend from highschool passed away in Oct., and at the end of May (last month) my best friend from college passed away. Trying to get back into the swing of sewing. Mainly quilting but DD's wedding is now taking front stage, so to speak, in spite of all the heartache. Marlys in Indiana

((((((Marlys))))))

Glad you have something so positive to look forward to.

I can really relate to your mixed emotions. My DH was killed just before Christmas in '01, and several months later my DD met the man she would marry. She and I went through some pretty wrenching emotional times planning the wedding, with so many regrets about her Dad not being there to walk her down the aisle and share her joy.

We actually decided to place a chair where he would have been seated (an outdoor wedding), and I laid a single scarlet rose across the empty seat when I was escorted to my seat. It meant a great deal to DD and me to acknowledge him that special day. My other son-in-law officiated, and we decided to have him go to meet DD half-way along the aisle and escort her the rest of the way (he is like a brother to her). He did not "give her away", nor did I.

I hope you have lots of love and support, you are going through such a stressful, heartbreaking time, but there is much joy, too. My DD is so happy in her marriage, and I adore my new second "son".

I wish you the best,

Beverly

It's good to see you posting again, Marlys. I've thought of you often.

The only time I've sewn on tulle was with a serger, so I'm afraid I can't help you much there. Congratulations on the upcoming wedding, though!!

-Irene

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West

What kind of edging? Sewing a narrow ribbon or folded tape on the edge is not much different than working with fabric.

You can also do a corded edge, which you do by zig-zagging over a narrow cord along the edge of the tulle, and then trimming anything that sticks out along the edges.

In both cases you want to practice a few times, to get the machine setting right so you don't have snags or pulls that mar the hem you're making.

Dawn

HI!! THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO POST ON THIS SITE. FINALLY SOMETHING ABOUT SEWING. IF YOU WANT TO SEW A SCALLOP EDING, YOU AND PUT A STRIP OF SOLVY OVER AND UNDER THE EDGE..STITCH YOUR SCALOP EDGING.. WHEN DONE CUT AWAY THE SOLVY AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO EDGE ON ALL SIDES. THEN TAKE A DAMP CLOTH AND BLOT THE SCALOP STITCHING.. LET AIR DRY. THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY FOR ME. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DO.. I WISH YOU THE BEST.

Back in the sixties when I got married, we left the edges of veils raw. Tulle doesn't fray, and the thin edge contributes to the floats-in-air delicacy that you are looking for when you choose tulle.

But fashions change. Buy extra and experiment until you get the look you are after.

Joy Beeson

That was true for my wedding in 1960 also. By the time older DD married in '83, she admired veils with a tiny rolled edge, I attempted to replicate this with a very narrow satin stitch zig-zag. It worked 'sorta'. I wish I'd had the serger with the ability to do a rolled hem then. She also wanted tiny seed pearls scattered randomly on the chapel length train. IIRC, she started sewing them on, ended up using glue, it was tedious work. She laid waxed paper under the tulle so it didn't glued itself down to anything.

Indeed! When younger DD married in 2004 she refused to have a veil or headpiece at all. ;-} She wore tiny iridescent dragonflies, made by her older sister, in her hair.

Beverly

I made my daughter's veil out of a sheer organza... not as sheer as tulle, but very pretty and it didn't have the tulle 'clinginess'. Edged it by gluing on 1/8" ribbon, trimmed, and done. Well, it wasn't THAT easy. I experimented with glues and 'clamps' and had more glue on my fingers than i want to admit.

Then made two tulle veils this year ... and discovered this had its own good and bad points. The "doesn't fray" was DEFINITELY a great thing. I just sewed on the 1/8" ribbon again, trimmed, and voila. Sewing was a 5 minute job even on the cathedral-length veil. MUCH easier. I was surprised that tulle was so easy to sew.

Janet

I have read through all of the responses and didn't notice anyone mention using tissue paper to sew on tulle and other open, lightweight fabrics. I usually recycle the tissue from gifts -- I will iron it and then cut it into 2" wide strips. I lay the strip along the underside of the seam to be sewn so that the paper is against the sole plate & feed dogs of the machine. This gives the feed dogs something substantial to grab onto and makes sewing netting, lace, organza, chiffon, etc. much easier! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at