OK, how do you do this without wrecking what you have sewn? I have started the princess dress for my daughter and need to finish it by 15 July for a wedding that we are guests at. The bodice has spaghetti straps and this is what I have had trouble turning inside out after sewing the seam of the straps. I ended making 5 of the things before I was happy enough with 2 of them. The patterns mention some implement called an over looker (or was it over hooker?). Does this help? I used a chopstick and tweezers - slow but steady.
This dress is the hardest thing I have ever attempted. It has lining (never used that before), as well as a net ruffle, long gathered skirt and a sheer overskirt. Just to add to the challenge we are moving home in the week before the wedding and have a 1 week holiday in the snow booked 12 months ago. The good news is that I get a sewing room in our new apartment!
3/4 the way down the page. It's called a Turn-it-All. Basically aseries of small tubes and sticks. You put the tube inside the fabric tubeyou've made and then push the stick through the fabric and plastic tubes.Turns it right side out. There are other tube turners, that have tubes andhooks. This one was less expensive, so I tried it first. Like it a lot.;) NAYY.
Also the other trick is to cut the fabric for the straps on the bias. Woven fabrics don't have a lot of stretch. But when you cut on the bias (at a 45* angle to the selvage, which puts the cut at a 45* angle to both the warp and weft threads of the fabric) they will stretch quite a bit. That's what makes turning the straps easier. The fabric stretches as you turn it, and allows the fabric to turn more easily. If you cut the straps on the grain or on the crossgrain, they won't have that stretch they need and will be a booger to turn. Just info for the next time. :)
The patterns mention some implement called an over looker (or was it
An overlocker is a serger. It's a different kind of sewing machine. It finishes the edges by cutting an edge as it sews (unless you disengage the blades) and wrapping threads around the cut edge as it sews. Wonderful handy machine. The way it helps in making straps like this is two fold: 1. it reduces the seam allowance bulk inside of the tube which makes turning easier; 2. it makes a stronger seam inside of the tube so it won't rip open when you turn it. It's not a Necessary piece of equipment for making things like this though, so don't stew about that. ;)
Wow talk about adding stress to your work load! Enjoy the vacation. And congrats on getting a sewing room in your new place. :) It will all come out fine. Just remember, the only way to eat a whole elephant is one bite at a time. Don't let EVERYTHING swamp you; just keep plugging away one step at a time. :)
Try sewing on the beginning end a length of tripled up thread, sew it into the tube, when your done pull the string and the tube turns inside or rather right side out. trim the thread. No cost and easy.
I just made some curtain tie-backs out of heavy light-filtering goods this morning, and thought of you!
I folded one long raw edge underneath, top-stitched in place. Folded the other over, with a slight overlap (so the white rubber backing doesn't show), top-stitched that.
You could also use colorful ribbon or elastic.
Be sure to write IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU ARE TOO $%^&*( CLOSE on the underside of the strap. (Teenage boy: "Wow, what beautiful...handiwork on your dress straps!!")
There are all sorts of commercial things out there for turning tubes. If you are going to make alot of spaghetti straps in the future, the investment is worth it. Since I don't make that many, I generally use a pencil. I put a pin in the eraser and attach one end of the tube to it, then pull it over the pencil while turning it. The pencil drops out easily. The chopstick technique sounds similar.
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