I'd tie the gather floss around key rings or something, so it can't get away. For the last one with the bias tape, it looks like the one in the video was ironed to make the edges meet in the middle, and the tail of your bias tape looks like you didn't. If that's so, that's probably why it was harder than it looked.
For those who love this game, there is an Australian TV series that had to have been the inspiration for this game called Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
The zigzag over floss gathering method is CLUTCH when you're working in theatre costuming. Sometimes you have two days to make thirty dresses and you need those puff sleeves immediately. We used boxes of dental floss, which does break a little easier than embroidery floss but is extremely cheap in bulk and can be held between your legs while running through the machine.
@@belleplummer2924 as fun as it may be, there are ruffler feet that are made specifically to make pleats for sewing machines. I've got like 5 of them because I have no self control and buy old sewing things from ebay.
Instead of painting, wrap it with foil ( like they do with cars) . No permanent damage to your machine and you can change design ( printed or use cricut) easily or even paint on the foil....
When looking up the etamology of the word "gather" I learned that the pronunciation "gether" is a recognized regional pronunciation. So, please continue to say the word with the pronunciation you learned. Don't let anyone shame you for your accent! I always love your videos and find listening to you relaxing while I crochet.
Re: gathering. Get yourself a spool of heavy duty or hand quilting thread. Large knot where you start gathering or wrap it around a pin to secure. Zig zag over the thread as you did the floss, keeping it inside the seam allowance. Let the thread feed off the spool as you go. Gather as you go. Attach your gathered piece to its counterpart and sew as usual, being careful not to catch your gathered thread. Once secured, you can pull your heavy duty thread out to reduce bulk and wind it back on the spool to use again.
Ooh, that's a great idea! You wouldn't even need to cut it; you could just let the spool dangle. And it'd be nice and thin stop you'd be unlikely to catch it. I'm definitely trying this hack next time I need to gather something! I'm also very intrigued by the fork pleats lol.
@emilyrln Exactly! I have a drawer in the sewing machine table; I just let it roll around and feed from there. Before I had the drawer, I had it sit in a coffee cup on the floor so it wouldn't run away!
The first syllable of "mitered" rhymes with light. 😁 ETA: I've seen people using fork pleats to pin in their pleats before sewing. I can't imagine being successful doing three pleats while I was sewing, but doing it during prep adds ease but doesn't have a steep learning curve.
Yes, and fun fact for anyone who didn't already know, it's also used in wood working such as the way wooden picture frames typically come together in the corners.
That was my exact thought about the pleats. It would be so much easier as a prep step, then you can just sew right through without constant start and stop.
@@melissaroth4467I'm absolutely late to this conversation, but @Bellamaesdesigns has a collection of forks since she likes the fork hack. She just went to second hand stores and collected a variety over time - from tiny cake forks to giant serving forks. I thought that was really smart.😅
@@melissaroth4467 I have a collection of forks of different sizes just for this! Salad, dessert, shrimp/oyster, serving and cocktail! All thrift store finds and work great! I still use my ruffler, pleating and gathering foots but I'd always rather use my forks cuz I can precision math how much fabric I need ; ) Cheers
The concept of turning things inside out has already been made into a sewing aid. It's produced by Prym ans it's a set of 3 differently sized tubes & sticks. Costs around 10€, I love it 😁
In Australia you can buy a loop turner! Very thin (but seemingly strong) metal pole with a finger grab hole on one end, and a hook on the other. You thread the tube on, hook the top through the fabric (which goes into seam allowance anyway) and pull it back through. Same concept as the straw and chopstick but all in one. Cost me maybe $10aus as well ☺️ such useful tools
@katierose6424 We have them in the US as well. They are like, $3 USD. I remember finding some in my mom's sewing room about 35 years ago and later using them to make spaghetti straps for my various school dance gowns.
I am freaking old and my grandmother initially taught me to sew. This video was so much fun. But you are teaching younguns how to walk. Lord a mighty. I can’t even use a machine anymore because my hands are so broke but I wish there was a way for you to talk to the real seamstresses that came before me. The things they knew!
1:24 girl i feel you lol there’s nothing quite as exciting as the prospect of being able to Better organize your crafting stuff nor so satisfying as when it’s done and you can look and easily see and know exactly what you have at a glance… i am a firm believer that the best organized stuff is easiest to stay organized and that an organized and clean looking space is great for your emotional well-being
you should definitely try a ruffler foot if you sew pleats often! it does the ruffling and sewing at the same time and you can also adjust if I should be folded with every stitch or every 6th/12th I absolutely love this thing!
Search for the "ban-roll hemming" I haven't gotten to try it yet, but enough people like it I'm interested. And the ban-roll is cheap and re-usable for hemming.
You should try the zigzag gathering, but using the blindstitch instead. The folds are so much deeper and neater, and it lets you gather more fabric into a shorter final length.
Turning inside out- my mum taught me to pop a safety pin on the end and then push the safety pin through. The straw noodle hack looks like a gamechanger
The zig-zagging over the thicker thread/floss for gathers hack is also really handy when working with a circular hem as you can draw the fabric in just enough to not get as many puckers.
I like the way you say "gethers" instead of "gathers". It sets you apart. In just one more way!! LOL! I really appreciate your humor and your sewing and design chops are top rate, in my book. But then I don't sew clothing, so what do I know. 🥸Can't wait to see the new house and what your new studio and sewing room will be like. Keep up the good humor and keep the videos comin'...
Oh, I'm so glad you finally discovered corded gathering! You can also buy braided cord of varying thicknesses by the cone - 50 or 100m at a time - which is much cheaper than using embroidery floss. Also, since it's braided, the strands won't get caught in the stitches. On the other hand, you have a huge stash of floss already, so there's definitely value to using what you have already!
I like the two you liked, but also the mitered corner. My husband is a carpenter so I instantly got that one - and plan on using it on the hem of the dress I'm making tomorrow. I plan four-inch slits at the bottom of each side. Before I sew the miters, though, I'll turn down once and stitch it. Then after the mitered corner is sewn, I'll go back and stitch the whole thing in place and have a double-turned hem. Huzzah!
I appreciate that you showed doing it twice to figure it out. Hacks are often presented as super easy and intuitive when they're not; even if they're worth it after you've figured it out, it can be hard to get over that hump
I haven’t read through allll of the other comments to know if someone has already suggested this alternative to embroidery floss gathering… waxed dental tape is my favorite string to zig zag over. I do remove it after the gathering is sewn into the seam to remove the bulk. I also do two rows of gathers (think train tracks). That keeps the gathers orderly. Sew between the two lines of gathers. No accidental pleating.
I can't believe it, I found a fellow Juner. I totally play that game, every night and yes finding all the hidden objects before the power bar runs out, so satisfying. And Yes, the graphics are beautiful.
It's funny that you mention seeing these and forgetting them while you're working - I was sewing pieces of bias tape together two days ago and thought "wait...haven't I seen someone do this by doing it at a right angle or something?" For me it really worked well because my bias tape was cut on the diagonal from a fat quarter, so all my ends were slanted at 45 degrees. The 90 degree hack you showed meant that I didn't waste any fabric sewing them together and all I had to do was iron the seams open on the back! In completely the opposite way, I've been using the chopstick/straw hack since you showed it, and got to show my brother the other day just before sewing the bias tape - he was also very impressed :D
You can use the bobbin thread pulled to the length you need/want and over the top of the fabric and zigzag over. Just putt to gather. No need to worry about a third thread.
Very nifty and I loved your explanation of why you treated them as such ... But the clear winner was the breaking/crash sound everytime you throw the item back again! 😊😊😊
15:54 I use monofilament fishing line for cross stitch gridding, because you can't stitch through it and get it stuck in the piece. but it's also great for gathering.
Oh, I'm excited for this! I'm just starting my summer-sewing marathon, so I will definitely watch this immediately! Thank you for your videos, they are helpful - just finished a nice skirt, thanks to your pleat/skirt categorization!
For turning a tube, i use the old reliable attach a safety pin and snuggle it through the tube. Good to use if you don’t use plastic straws. I could do it easier using the flat end of skewer (which, as a gardener, i always have handy) to push the safety pin through the tube. (skewers also make the best squirrel discouragers in outdoor pots. Disclaimer: use garden gloves once the pots are protected, so you don’t skewer your fingers!)
i adore the way you say "gathering." i've never heard anyone else say it like that and i immediately thought it was the cutest thing, and now it's just part of my image of you in my head. keep doing you, i love it
Hearing you say “to gather” gave me a hint as to why your family might pronounce it that way- because of the word “together”- and that’s a lovely association 🤗 thanks for the helpful video! 🥳
I think the really clever thing about that second to last hack is about how you can basically attach your binding all the way around, then fold it just so to sew the diagonal seam (minimising bulk) and have finished your binding.(Ignoring the minor step of folding it back and hand finishing it all the way around.) I currently leave long-ish tails on both sides, carefully figure out the overlap, sew the diagonal seam and then have to finish attaching the binding to the skirt hem (usually where I do this). I only saw that hack a few days ago myself and totally want to try it. The gathering with a zig-zag over yarn saved my sanity when I made a five tier skirt with a hem circumference of 25 yards. Two rows of gathering stitches makes for neater gathers, especially on finer fabrics, but zigzagging over yarn is much less likely to break while gathering. I knew my priority with that skirt. And I’d love a scrap organisation video! All fabric organisation is fun but scraps are underrepresented in that genre.
I use the thread on the corner for when I’m making stand-up collar (making a living by sewing school uniforms). It makes the work faster, until you mess it up. Like, failing to encase the thread ob that 1 stitch after pivoting, or cutting the thread while cutting excess fabric. 😅 One trick I love when sewing pointy corners is to stop a stitch before the point, pivot to the other side, make a stitch or two (depending on you stitch length), and then continue sewing the other side. You will not sew it like a pointy one, but when you turn it over, you will get a nice pointy corner.
The bias seam to join two strips of fabric (quite often the strips are cut on the bias as well) not only lessens your bulk within the seam, but also maintains the "curve-ability" of the bias strip if whatever you're binding isn't straight.
I'm also not left handed but when you're prepping fabric to be pleated the fork comes in handy; twist and pin, twist and pin. It can be a lot faster than one at a time at the machine and can earn the extra points for the fork :)
So I did a light check and didn't see this commented but the reason you join bias tape on a bias is so that you keep the bias; if you join differently you'd mess up the grainline and therefore the stretch. The fact that you avoid the seam bulk is just like, bonus.
The gathering method is how I learned rececntly for shirring. You just use elastic thread instead of the embroidery thread. Thanks for testing all these hacks!
I use crocheting cotton when gathering with zig zag over it. It is great because it doesn’t break when you pull on it like gathering with two lines of normal thread with a longer straight stitch. This is super if you have to gather a very long piece of fabric.
Instead of painting it, you could cover it with vinyl, like a car wrap, you could even do just the camera facing side. Less prep, no worry about paint chipping
The straw and chopstick hack, if you are a knitter you probably have knitting needles in various sizes to use instead of the chopstick if it's too big or small.
I keep a ball of crochet cotton (you can find tons of this in a thrift shops) to use in gathering. It’s tighter twisted than embroidery floss so there’s less that you can get caught under the presser foot. I’ve done huge petticoats with layered tiers where each is 2 x the previous using the really stiff “crin” crinoline netting. Then I put vinyl covered wire in each of the tiers to support the weight of the fabric. The dress I made was pretty heavy. It was for the good witch Glinda. in the wizard of Oz
I expect Fasturn tubes are still available for those who make lots of tubes. They are a bit speedy. The straws are an excellent option for anyone who only turns tubes occasionally. The zigzag is the only good option for large areas of gathering, for example making a dust ruffle. The best cord in my experience is the crochet yarn one uses for doilies.
Just dropping a comment that I tried the reverse-tube-with-straw-and-chopstick on a looong belt I was making for a robe and this worked great. When I ran out of length on the chopstick, I just left it inside the tube to keep the beginning behaving itself and then just used the tube itself to reverse for the rest of the length. It left me with the chopstick on the inside but it was easy enough to slide it out AND it was handy for poking the corners out while it was still inside! I think the only real length requirement is that the tube needs to fit on that initial straw so that you can get it started. Still--it only took a few minutes for about eight feet of tube, so that was great!
Wow- the strawhack 😍 Tip: perhaps instead of chop sticks one can use knitting needles? They are usually longer, and they also come in different ticknesses 😃
Nice! I don't have any other social media so it's nice to see these. The last one there's actually a foot for that. Not sure they still make it, as I got it with really old machines. Oh and the turning tubs with thread might have worked better to start with a stronger string.
The bias tape is sewn at an angle for 2 reasons. It reduces bulk spreading it over a larger area. And If pressure is applied to the join the angle join is less likely to pull apart.
There are tools specifically for the chopstick/straw hack, creatively named tube turners. They come in different sizes to accommodate bigger or smaller tubes. My grandma used to have huge set of Fasturn brand turners, I think they’re out of production now but she had at least a dozen sizes.
To help with corners I use either a bone folder or a fitting tool to poke the corners well I call them dotting tool it's a tool that has a metal ball on its tip.
Having watched your videos about making over your new sewing space, you should definitely paint your sewing machine! I would suggest purple because I personally desire an excessive percentage of the things I own to be purple, but there are many colors that would go really well with your new space and maybe help the lighting issue! That being said, I don't know if you're still having that problem. But a painted sewing machine would still be fun
Make an ottoman and use the scraps to stuff it. I saw someone on UA-cam do this. I enjoy your videos so much and your little fur baby reminds me of mine who is heaven now.
You should paint the machine medium - dark grey! The black would also probably bother your camera’s auto brightness feature, just in the opposite direction
Thank you for sharing all these ideas with us, some are new some not. Over the years I made meters of pleated ruffels with forks, small or wide, for Victorian costumes. It dosen't work well on your machine because it's too small, I have a wide opening between foot and side so I can use any fork I want. Later on because of the many pleates I had to make I bought a pleating foot for my machine 😊 Many greetings from Germany ❤
For gathering large amounts of fabric, I use a heavy thread like upholstery thread or button twist . Then you zigzag 2 rows of the heavy thread down with a small zigzag. Space each row about 1/4 inch from the other. Then you have more control over your gathers. Doing 2 rows is twice the work but makes really nice looking gathers. Another tip is divide both the garment edge and the ungathered edge of your ruffle into quarters (or smaller) match and pin where the marks are , then you have better balance all the way around. Love watching your videos. Thank you
You can keep consumer packaged good boxes, now and then (Pop-tarts, Idahoan mashed potato flakes, etc.) and open them up (to lay flat) for your cardboard needs. It's free. 😁
🔎👒 Download June's Journey for free here: woo.ga/phz90a
Mitered corner, said like Might-ter-ed. Or at least that's how dad says it, and he's usually right.
I'd tie the gather floss around key rings or something, so it can't get away.
For the last one with the bias tape, it looks like the one in the video was ironed to make the edges meet in the middle, and the tail of your bias tape looks like you didn't. If that's so, that's probably why it was harder than it looked.
@@marthabenner6528 - or, more accurately, My-turd, which is very dad-jokey. They, like small children, enjoy toilet humor 💩
For those who love this game, there is an Australian TV series that had to have been the inspiration for this game called Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
The zigzag over floss gathering method is CLUTCH when you're working in theatre costuming. Sometimes you have two days to make thirty dresses and you need those puff sleeves immediately. We used boxes of dental floss, which does break a little easier than embroidery floss but is extremely cheap in bulk and can be held between your legs while running through the machine.
I only work in little and tiny things (doll clothes), so your fabric stash looks like a treasure trove ... even the littlest pieces.
Right? I've started making clothes for my little girl's Barbies, and scraps are the best!!!
Yes! I love working in a smaller scale, for that reason. I can usually buy remnants at a deep discount, and get multiple projects out of them.
The fork pleats made me think that one could use a dessert or appetizer fork to make tiny even pleats for a doll dress 25:47
@@belleplummer2924 as fun as it may be, there are ruffler feet that are made specifically to make pleats for sewing machines. I've got like 5 of them because I have no self control and buy old sewing things from ebay.
I’ve been doing doll clothes too. It’s less intimidating for my current skills!
Unironically watching you paint your sewing machine would be awesome
I remember seeing a video where someone painted their mixer. I'm intrigued about painting appliances.
Yessssssss!!!
I think doing some sponged on color might be nice!
Instead of painting, wrap it with foil ( like they do with cars) . No permanent damage to your machine and you can change design ( printed or use cricut) easily or even paint on the foil....
I agree, but I feel like black would create the opposite problem with the white balance
When looking up the etamology of the word "gather" I learned that the pronunciation "gether" is a recognized regional pronunciation. So, please continue to say the word with the pronunciation you learned. Don't let anyone shame you for your accent! I always love your videos and find listening to you relaxing while I crochet.
It must be a southern thing. I didn’t realize I pronounce it the same way, but I do.
I reasoned it this way- you’re bringing everything together, so gethering makes perfect sense to me
Just a random tip for instagram reels, you can in fact pause them. you need to tap and hold on them and itll pause as long as you are holding it
Re: gathering. Get yourself a spool of heavy duty or hand quilting thread. Large knot where you start gathering or wrap it around a pin to secure. Zig zag over the thread as you did the floss, keeping it inside the seam allowance. Let the thread feed off the spool as you go. Gather as you go. Attach your gathered piece to its counterpart and sew as usual, being careful not to catch your gathered thread. Once secured, you can pull your heavy duty thread out to reduce bulk and wind it back on the spool to use again.
Ooh, that's a great idea! You wouldn't even need to cut it; you could just let the spool dangle. And it'd be nice and thin stop you'd be unlikely to catch it. I'm definitely trying this hack next time I need to gather something! I'm also very intrigued by the fork pleats lol.
@emilyrln Exactly! I have a drawer in the sewing machine table; I just let it roll around and feed from there. Before I had the drawer, I had it sit in a coffee cup on the floor so it wouldn't run away!
Waxed dental floss is even cheaper
@melissad7855 I have had shredding with waxed and unwanted floss; especially on those looong ruffles and heavy waists.
you saying "gethering" rather than gathering made me realise something interesting: that gathering and "together" come from the same roots!
The first syllable of "mitered" rhymes with light. 😁
ETA: I've seen people using fork pleats to pin in their pleats before sewing. I can't imagine being successful doing three pleats while I was sewing, but doing it during prep adds ease but doesn't have a steep learning curve.
Yes, and fun fact for anyone who didn't already know, it's also used in wood working such as the way wooden picture frames typically come together in the corners.
That was my exact thought about the pleats. It would be so much easier as a prep step, then you can just sew right through without constant start and stop.
@@willowspinner3383 My issue with it is that it only makes pleats the size of your fork. They are many many many different pleat widths.
@@melissaroth4467I'm absolutely late to this conversation, but @Bellamaesdesigns has a collection of forks since she likes the fork hack. She just went to second hand stores and collected a variety over time - from tiny cake forks to giant serving forks. I thought that was really smart.😅
@@melissaroth4467 I have a collection of forks of different sizes just for this! Salad, dessert, shrimp/oyster, serving and cocktail! All thrift store finds and work great! I still use my ruffler, pleating and gathering foots but I'd always rather use my forks cuz I can precision math how much fabric I need ; )
Cheers
“Fabric Manipulation” could also be called Fabric Origami! 🤩🤩🤩
Upper Midwestern unity. I also gether fabric and use a shopping beg. Your voice and it’s foibles are wonderful, and your people are here.
The thread corner trick would be really handy for times your corner is in a spot real difficult to get your scissors/corner tool into
The concept of turning things inside out has already been made into a sewing aid. It's produced by Prym ans it's a set of 3 differently sized tubes & sticks. Costs around 10€, I love it 😁
The Prym turning tubes have been available for years. I don’t know what they cost now but they’re worth every penny!
In Australia you can buy a loop turner! Very thin (but seemingly strong) metal pole with a finger grab hole on one end, and a hook on the other. You thread the tube on, hook the top through the fabric (which goes into seam allowance anyway) and pull it back through. Same concept as the straw and chopstick but all in one. Cost me maybe $10aus as well ☺️ such useful tools
@katierose6424 We have them in the US as well. They are like, $3 USD. I remember finding some in my mom's sewing room about 35 years ago and later using them to make spaghetti straps for my various school dance gowns.
You can also use brass tubes in several nesting sizes. I got mine at Ace Hardware.
I love your sense of humor … with 40 years of sewing professionally, I can attest that you NEED a sense of humor 😜
I don't know why, but the glass effect when you throw something makes me giggle every time. 😄
I had way too much fun editing!
You are not the only one!
I am freaking old and my grandmother initially taught me to sew. This video was so much fun. But you are teaching younguns how to walk. Lord a mighty. I can’t even use a machine anymore because my hands are so broke but I wish there was a way for you to talk to the real seamstresses that came before me. The things they knew!
When I made my daughter's wedding dress, I gathered 80 yards of tulle for her skirt... I used fishing line and a zig-zag stitch. Worked like a charm.
1:24 girl i feel you lol there’s nothing quite as exciting as the prospect of being able to
Better organize your crafting stuff nor so satisfying as when it’s done and you can look and easily see and know exactly what you have at a glance… i am a firm believer that the best organized stuff is easiest to stay organized and that an organized and clean looking space is great for your emotional well-being
PLEASE share how you end up organizing your scraps, I would love to see other ideas (beyond shove them into grocery bags, which is my current system).
You can stuff them in a poof, there are patterns going around UA-cam. You can still get them out to use.
@@kathyjohnson2043I've seen that too, but that doesn't mean there might be some solution that will work even better for me.
you should definitely try a ruffler foot if you sew pleats often! it does the ruffling and sewing at the same time and you can also adjust if I should be folded with every stitch or every 6th/12th
I absolutely love this thing!
I have that foot. It makes a loud noise and jerks when it ruffles. It's scary, but it works. lol
As a beginner sewist I will unabashedly sew a hem single fold, trim, and topstitch for the rest of my days.
Search for the "ban-roll hemming"
I haven't gotten to try it yet, but enough people like it I'm interested. And the ban-roll is cheap and re-usable for hemming.
You should try the zigzag gathering, but using the blindstitch instead. The folds are so much deeper and neater, and it lets you gather more fabric into a shorter final length.
Turning inside out- my mum taught me to pop a safety pin on the end and then push the safety pin through. The straw noodle hack looks like a gamechanger
As someone who spent *hours* inverting a strap for a bag (made with upholstery fabric) that required pliers, this is a satisfying vid.
The zig-zagging over the thicker thread/floss for gathers hack is also really handy when working with a circular hem as you can draw the fabric in just enough to not get as many puckers.
I like the way you say "gethers" instead of "gathers". It sets you apart. In just one more way!! LOL! I really appreciate your humor and your sewing and design chops are top rate, in my book. But then I don't sew clothing, so what do I know. 🥸Can't wait to see the new house and what your new studio and sewing room will be like. Keep up the good humor and keep the videos comin'...
And if you think about it - "gathering" surely has the same roots as "together"... so it's just pronouncing one word like its cousin :)
My dog heard you say "greenie" and is now staring at me. 😂
Fork pleating and zigzag gathering are things I use frequently and are my favourite hacks.
Oh, I'm so glad you finally discovered corded gathering! You can also buy braided cord of varying thicknesses by the cone - 50 or 100m at a time - which is much cheaper than using embroidery floss. Also, since it's braided, the strands won't get caught in the stitches. On the other hand, you have a huge stash of floss already, so there's definitely value to using what you have already!
I like the two you liked, but also the mitered corner. My husband is a carpenter so I instantly got that one - and plan on using it on the hem of the dress I'm making tomorrow. I plan four-inch slits at the bottom of each side. Before I sew the miters, though, I'll turn down once and stitch it. Then after the mitered corner is sewn, I'll go back and stitch the whole thing in place and have a double-turned hem. Huzzah!
You speak how you speak. And you're entirely understandable. Don't apologize. EVER.
I'm super impressed. You're a basket of scraps is extremely bountiful.
I appreciate that you showed doing it twice to figure it out. Hacks are often presented as super easy and intuitive when they're not; even if they're worth it after you've figured it out, it can be hard to get over that hump
I haven’t read through allll of the other comments to know if someone has already suggested this alternative to embroidery floss gathering… waxed dental tape is my favorite string to zig zag over. I do remove it after the gathering is sewn into the seam to remove the bulk. I also do two rows of gathers (think train tracks). That keeps the gathers orderly. Sew between the two lines of gathers. No accidental pleating.
The fork is a knack worth cultivating. Great video.
I'm sat here watching this and I'm smiling. Sooo happy to see I'm not the only one that watches a video and still get it wrong. 😂
Sound effects: 10/10
I can't believe it, I found a fellow Juner. I totally play that game, every night and yes finding all the hidden objects before the power bar runs out, so satisfying. And Yes, the graphics are beautiful.
It's funny that you mention seeing these and forgetting them while you're working - I was sewing pieces of bias tape together two days ago and thought "wait...haven't I seen someone do this by doing it at a right angle or something?" For me it really worked well because my bias tape was cut on the diagonal from a fat quarter, so all my ends were slanted at 45 degrees. The 90 degree hack you showed meant that I didn't waste any fabric sewing them together and all I had to do was iron the seams open on the back! In completely the opposite way, I've been using the chopstick/straw hack since you showed it, and got to show my brother the other day just before sewing the bias tape - he was also very impressed :D
You can use the bobbin thread pulled to the length you need/want and over the top of the fabric and zigzag over. Just putt to gather. No need to worry about a third thread.
Very nifty and I loved your explanation of why you treated them as such ... But the clear winner was the breaking/crash sound everytime you throw the item back again! 😊😊😊
Hahhahaha it was my favorite part of editing!
How FUN AND informational is THIS video!!! I laughed out loud at the fork incident. Oh how I can relate. 😂
15:54 I use monofilament fishing line for cross stitch gridding, because you can't stitch through it and get it stuck in the piece. but it's also great for gathering.
And I bet it pulls through so smoothly!
Oh my, thank you so much for the laughs and for lifting my sewing mojo 😅💕
Oh, I'm excited for this! I'm just starting my summer-sewing marathon, so I will definitely watch this immediately! Thank you for your videos, they are helpful - just finished a nice skirt, thanks to your pleat/skirt categorization!
I love that dress you are wearing would love that pattern!
She has a video for that dress😊
I do the gathering trick over dental floss instead of embroidery floss. Dirt cheap and slips through beautifully!
Love your wicker basket with lid. I'm a sucker for a basket.
Interestingly, I’ve learned a lot of these hacks from sewists on YT, but some of these are new to me!
For turning a tube, i use the old reliable attach a safety pin and snuggle it through the tube. Good to use if you don’t use plastic straws. I could do it easier using the flat end of skewer (which, as a gardener, i always have handy) to push the safety pin through the tube. (skewers also make the best squirrel discouragers in outdoor pots. Disclaimer: use garden gloves once the pots are protected, so you don’t skewer your fingers!)
i adore the way you say "gathering." i've never heard anyone else say it like that and i immediately thought it was the cutest thing, and now it's just part of my image of you in my head. keep doing you, i love it
I have used the fork to make pleats and I love it. Was kind of weird at first, but once I got the hang of it, it got easier to do.
23:48 absolutely freaking GENIUS LOL totally using this hack for making pouches
Hearing you say “to gather” gave me a hint as to why your family might pronounce it that way- because of the word “together”- and that’s a lovely association 🤗 thanks for the helpful video! 🥳
I like that 🙂
I think the really clever thing about that second to last hack is about how you can basically attach your binding all the way around, then fold it just so to sew the diagonal seam (minimising bulk) and have finished your binding.(Ignoring the minor step of folding it back and hand finishing it all the way around.) I currently leave long-ish tails on both sides, carefully figure out the overlap, sew the diagonal seam and then have to finish attaching the binding to the skirt hem (usually where I do this). I only saw that hack a few days ago myself and totally want to try it.
The gathering with a zig-zag over yarn saved my sanity when I made a five tier skirt with a hem circumference of 25 yards. Two rows of gathering stitches makes for neater gathers, especially on finer fabrics, but zigzagging over yarn is much less likely to break while gathering. I knew my priority with that skirt.
And I’d love a scrap organisation video! All fabric organisation is fun but scraps are underrepresented in that genre.
Sewing scrap is called Cabbage. And a scrap stash is a cabbage patch. 😋 it's my favorite sewing related term. And I love it.
OMG! The straw & chopstick was me! (at least one time it was me - I don't read all the comments on all your videos 🙂I got a 9.9!!!!
Oh what a lovely bag of cabbage. I have one thats not quite that full that I'm saving to make a quilt with.
Using cord/thread/yarn to gather also gives you a bit of something sturdy to sew under. It's my go to for my frontier skirts.
The bias tape tip comes in hugely handing for quilters. Bias binding around the quilt.
The way you say gathering is simply delightful!
I use the thread on the corner for when I’m making stand-up collar (making a living by sewing school uniforms). It makes the work faster, until you mess it up. Like, failing to encase the thread ob that 1 stitch after pivoting, or cutting the thread while cutting excess fabric. 😅 One trick I love when sewing pointy corners is to stop a stitch before the point, pivot to the other side, make a stitch or two (depending on you stitch length), and then continue sewing the other side. You will not sew it like a pointy one, but when you turn it over, you will get a nice pointy corner.
Yooo sponsors!!! Congrats!!
The bias seam to join two strips of fabric (quite often the strips are cut on the bias as well) not only lessens your bulk within the seam, but also maintains the "curve-ability" of the bias strip if whatever you're binding isn't straight.
I'm also not left handed but when you're prepping fabric to be pleated the fork comes in handy; twist and pin, twist and pin. It can be a lot faster than one at a time at the machine and can earn the extra points for the fork :)
So I did a light check and didn't see this commented but the reason you join bias tape on a bias is so that you keep the bias; if you join differently you'd mess up the grainline and therefore the stretch. The fact that you avoid the seam bulk is just like, bonus.
The gathering method is how I learned rececntly for shirring. You just use elastic thread instead of the embroidery thread. Thanks for testing all these hacks!
I use crocheting cotton when gathering with zig zag over it. It is great because it doesn’t break when you pull on it like gathering with two lines of normal thread with a longer straight stitch. This is super if you have to gather a very long piece of fabric.
Instead of painting it, you could cover it with vinyl, like a car wrap, you could even do just the camera facing side. Less prep, no worry about paint chipping
Yay!!! Organization! I long for the day.
The straw and chopstick hack, if you are a knitter you probably have knitting needles in various sizes to use instead of the chopstick if it's too big or small.
I keep a ball of crochet cotton (you can find tons of this in a thrift shops) to use in gathering. It’s tighter twisted than embroidery floss so there’s less that you can get caught under the presser foot. I’ve done huge petticoats with layered tiers where each is 2 x the previous using the really stiff “crin” crinoline netting. Then I put vinyl covered wire in each of the tiers to support the weight of the fabric. The dress I made was pretty heavy. It was for the good witch Glinda. in the wizard of Oz
I expect Fasturn tubes are still available for those who make lots of tubes. They are a bit speedy. The straws are an excellent option for anyone who only turns tubes occasionally. The zigzag is the only good option for large areas of gathering, for example making a dust ruffle. The best cord in my experience is the crochet yarn one uses for doilies.
Just dropping a comment that I tried the reverse-tube-with-straw-and-chopstick on a looong belt I was making for a robe and this worked great. When I ran out of length on the chopstick, I just left it inside the tube to keep the beginning behaving itself and then just used the tube itself to reverse for the rest of the length. It left me with the chopstick on the inside but it was easy enough to slide it out AND it was handy for poking the corners out while it was still inside! I think the only real length requirement is that the tube needs to fit on that initial straw so that you can get it started. Still--it only took a few minutes for about eight feet of tube, so that was great!
Wow- the strawhack 😍 Tip: perhaps instead of chop sticks one can use knitting needles? They are usually longer, and they also come in different ticknesses 😃
Nice! I don't have any other social media so it's nice to see these. The last one there's actually a foot for that. Not sure they still make it, as I got it with really old machines. Oh and the turning tubs with thread might have worked better to start with a stronger string.
I love the energy of this video. I often will think I remember what was done in a video, when infact i dont 😂
Dritz sells a "kit" for turning tubes. 3 sizes of straws, 3 sizes of sticks.
The bias tape is sewn at an angle for 2 reasons.
It reduces bulk spreading it over a larger area.
And
If pressure is applied to the join the angle join is less likely to pull apart.
There are tools specifically for the chopstick/straw hack, creatively named tube turners. They come in different sizes to accommodate bigger or smaller tubes. My grandma used to have huge set of Fasturn brand turners, I think they’re out of production now but she had at least a dozen sizes.
To help with corners I use either a bone folder or a fitting tool to poke the corners well I call them dotting tool it's a tool that has a metal ball on its tip.
Wow. You win the fabric scrap game!
I'm gonna use the zigzag floss trick for the flounce on the pinafore!
Chopsticks help with corner turning too. They’re great with any pokey things needed.
Crazy quilts are usually embellished with various embroidery stitches it seems like a perfect fit for you!
Chopstick & straw hack awesome
Having watched your videos about making over your new sewing space, you should definitely paint your sewing machine! I would suggest purple because I personally desire an excessive percentage of the things I own to be purple, but there are many colors that would go really well with your new space and maybe help the lighting issue! That being said, I don't know if you're still having that problem. But a painted sewing machine would still be fun
Make an ottoman and use the scraps to stuff it. I saw someone on UA-cam do this. I enjoy your videos so much and your little fur baby reminds me of mine who is heaven now.
'Do I have a straw'... literally after just taking a sip from cup with straw in it 😂
My refugee mom had a ton of sewing hacks. Never used a pattern could just make anything I wanted.
At 20:20 on the cuff work. Oooooo... you missed the perfect chance with that hand move to do that cheer leader skit from SNL old days 😂
That gathering hack blew my mind to. I hope I remember it next time I’m gathering something!
You should paint the machine medium - dark grey! The black would also probably bother your camera’s auto brightness feature, just in the opposite direction
Thank you! This was so fun. I tried the folded bag last night and it worked great. I am learning how to sew. It’s been fun.
I've been doing the straw hack for years. I actually purchased a kit that had 3 different size straws. So much easier.
Thank you for sharing all these ideas with us, some are new some not. Over the years I made meters of pleated ruffels with forks, small or wide, for Victorian costumes. It dosen't work well on your machine because it's too small, I have a wide opening between foot and side so I can use any fork I want. Later on because of the many pleates I had to make I bought a pleating foot for my machine 😊 Many greetings from Germany ❤
My costuming professor taught me string gathering and it's life changing.
To gather and use floss - you can use baby piping cording
For gathering large amounts of fabric, I use a heavy thread like upholstery thread or button twist . Then you zigzag 2 rows of the heavy thread down with a small zigzag. Space each row about 1/4 inch from the other. Then you have more control over your gathers. Doing 2 rows is twice the work but makes really nice looking gathers. Another tip is divide both the garment edge and the ungathered edge of your ruffle into quarters (or smaller) match and pin where the marks are , then you have better balance all the way around.
Love watching your videos. Thank you
You can keep consumer packaged good boxes, now and then (Pop-tarts, Idahoan mashed potato flakes, etc.) and open them up (to lay flat) for your cardboard needs.
It's free. 😁