sewing leg elastic

[kel72]

I'm making pocket nappies, just practicing with fleece ( my pul is on the way, so trying to get it right before i use the real stuff)

having lots of trouble with leg elastic - i sew it but it doesn't seem to bounce back enough.

When i stitch it i attach one end, then stretch it to within a mm of its life as i sew - am I sewing it TOO tight? is that why it doesn't bounce back?

i'd like to try a casing as this i think would colve the problem, but can't figure out how to do it?

also, will sewing the elastic be different when i sew on the PUL instead of a couple of layers of fleece?

can anyone offer some advise cause its really frustrating me?

[Ange&Seth]

My advice is to tack both ends of the elastic, but not sew the actual elastic the full length.

Turn nappy in the right way and then from the edge of the nappy where you've tacked one end of elastic, sew about 1cm towards the centre of the nappy. Stop, leaving needle in your work, turn nappy so that you are now sewing parallel to the edge. Stretch fabric until it's straight (so the elastic stretches) and then sew til you get to the other tacked end. Stop, leaving needle in your work, turn nappy so you're now facing the outside of the leg and finish off. That's how I do leg casings. I also do this with the back elastic.

Oh goodness :o did that make ANY sense?

[kel72]

actually it does! i will try this method next time and see how I go! thanks :)

[mumma bear]

Are you using a wide zig zag stitch to sew down the elastic?

I always sew down my elastic, just stretch and sew and have never had any problems.

[Ange&Seth]

Just had a thought - what type of elastic are you using?

I was using white woven 2 or 3mm wide stuff and when I sewed it down it didn't work but then I started using Lastin which is the plasticky clear stuff and it's fantastic - but I still only tack it and do casings cos it's SOOOOO much easier than sewing the lot down and I think it looks pretty :laughing:

[kel72]

i've tried straight stitch and a zigzag, and then a3 step zig zag (the last being the better of the 3), maybe i'm epxecting too much from my elastic?

i'm only comparing to my bought pockets which just seem to have tighter elastic around the legs, unless i'm trying to cover too much of the leg area?

oh and i'm using 6mm swimwear elastic (just from spotlight) and have tried the woven 6mm too.

[Ange&Seth]

Is the swimwear elastic the clear plastic stuff?

[kel72]

no just white elastic that says suitable for swimwear

[Ange&Seth]

Right - I haven't used that stuff before I don't think.

You can get the Lastin from Spotlight, I think it's 50 or 60 cents a metre. After the disaster that was my first attempt using the white woven stuff, I stick to the Lastin now :o

[kel72]

is it just like the clear bra strap elastic? i think i saw some at spotlight, but it didn't think it would be very strong? i'm guessing its looks are deceiving?

[Ange&Seth]

Yep that would be the stuff. I bought some from Bubba Earth which is a bit wider and I like that more than the spotlight stuff.

I think it's surprisingly strong.

[kel72]

will have to give it a go then, shame i didn't realise earlier,could have got some delivered with my new parcel this week!

[Ange&Seth]

:laughing: I love Bubba Earth - did you see they have Hook and Loop tape that's already rationed? So you get more of one than the other cos you use more of one than the other on the nappies? It's a good width too, the spotlight stuff I found was either too thin or too thick. Oh and their microfleece is SOOO soft.