• Elastic Sewing Thread- You wind this on your bobbin and sew with it. You can find it in the packaged elastic section of a fabric store (to date Walmart does carry this). The amount you buy depends on how much shirring you put into a garment.  A safe estimate is half a package per garment.

  

• Fabric-  Our pattern and instructions are intended for use with lightweight to medium weight woven fabrics.   In the summertime, I prefer using natural fabrics such as cotton, linen and silk because they breathe and are cooler on the body; however, a woven blend may be used. 

• "L" Shaped Ruler-  Or any guide with a 90 degree angle. (Yes, a book works).

  

   

• Matching Thread-  Your creation can only be as good as the materials you use. The thread is what holds it all together. Beware of the bargain bins at fabric stores with thread selling for 50 cents a spool.  If you don’t know for sure whether your thread is strong enough, try breaking it with your hands. If you can break it, it’s cheap or too weak. If it lints up a lot, it’s also a cheap quality and will clog up your machine. You’re much better off paying a little more to get good quality.
  

• Pattern Paper-  You can use regular white paper, construction paper,  wax paper, or professional pattern paper. Use anything that does not rip too easily and one that is easy to mark on and cut out. 
  Tip:  If you are making baby doll tops and dresses, you can make the paper pattern for the top and then write on the bottom of the paper pattern how many inches additional you'll need to make a short or long baby doll dress.  

• Ruler with Inches

   

• Straight Pins

  

   

• Water soluble marking pen, disappearing ink or fabric chalk-  Always check your fabric first to make sure it will come off.

   

   

• Writing Utensil-  I suggest using a pencil while making your paper patterns in case a mistake is made; Permanent marker or pen for labeling the patterns. 

• Yardstick

Specific Projects:

• Barrettes- Binding hem clips.

• Bubble Jumper (optional)-  Snap tape OR to make your own; single fold bias tape and sew on snaps,

   OR 

• Butterflies-  Lightweight interfacing;  Permanent fabric glue;  Thin cording to make antennae's. Tip:  Pay special attention to the care method if you plan on washing the butterfly.  Many cording material (ex: rayon) can only be dry cleaned and will bleed terribly when wet. 

• Curly Fabric Strips- 1/4" - 5/16" wooden dowels or pencils;  Optional permanent fabric glue.   

• Curly Ribbon- 1/4" - 5/16" wooden dowels or pencils;  1/16" - 1/2" Ribbon;  Fray check.

  

   

• Flowers- Fishing line
• Leaves- Fishing line; Lightweight interfacing
• Simple Spaghetti Straps-  Single fold bias tape

Bias:  The bias (US) or cross-grain (UK) direction of a piece of woven fabric, usually referred to simply as "the bias" or "the cross-grain", is at a 45 degree angle to its warp and weft threads. Every piece of woven fabric has two biases, perpendicular to each other.  Cutting patterns out of fabric in this direction helps to keep it from unraveling.

Fabric sizing:  This is a finish manufacturers put on fabrics to make fabrics stiffer. It also helps repel dirt.

Girth:  The distance around something; the circumference.

Selvage edge: The edge of a fabric that is woven so that it will not ravel or fray as shown below.

Shirring:   A series of close parallel stitches which are drawn up so as
   to make the material between them set full by gatherings.

To make following our directions easier to understand (in some instances), we’ve put in a North directional picture like:

This comes in handy whenever we take a side view of something.

For example:

Notice how it shows the north direction change as we change views (seen above and below).

Take elastic sewing thread and wind it up on bobbin.  To wind thread on bobbin with machine, use slow speed.   I use my hand to hold elastic thread loosely as a guide.  Place bobbin in sewing machine.  Alternate method: Hand wind onto bobbin to keep loose.  I don't find this necessary, but you may prefer doing this after testing your machine and fabric.

Snip off the elastic that sticks out as shown.

Adjust sewing machine to sew at 6- 8 stitches per inch (basting stitch). 

Place garment under foot with right side of fabric facing up.  Make sure elastic bobbin thread is sewn on wrong side of garment (underneath).

Always start sewing at a side seam. 

Backstitch using several stitches per inch when beginning to sew with elastic thread. 

When sewing multiple rows, pull fabric taut so it lays flat while sewing a new row. 

When finished sewing with this thread, you'll need to lock it by backstitching using several stitches per inch so it does not come undone.   Tug on the elastic to make sure it is tacked into the fabric securely,  If not, tie a knot. 

If you run out of elastic thread while sewing you'll need to secure it by pulling needle thread through to the wrong side of fabric and then tying it in a knot with the elastic thread.

Testing tension:  It's very important to have the right tension when sewing with elastic thread.  After sewing, test this by stretching fabric taut with both hands.  The fabric should not be bound by elastic thread.   If elastic thread does not stretch to meet the fabric then check the tension to determine if this is too tight.  Adjust tension accordingly. 

Tip #1:  Wind up several bobbins at a time as they run out rather quickly.

Tip #2:   Don't dry clothes in dryer if elastic sewing thread is used.  It will rot the thread over time.  Hang up to dry garments instead.