Thursday, December 18, 2008

NO BODY TOLD ME!

I should have asked, someone should have told me! But, alas! nobody said a word. Everybody let me discover that RICK-RACK shrinks when it is sewn. And Kelly, if you're readin this; I am also holdin you responsible too. After all it was you who sent me the fabric and the rick-rack to be made into a doll quilt. However, in defense of Kelly, she did send some ribbon too and left the choice up to me. But I was never warned about rick-rack.

First, I tried to sew it on with the machine. I couldn't even keep the stitches within the edges of the rick-rack. It became evident that maybe one must hand sew the rick-rack on. Okay, I can do this. I pinned the rick-rack around an inner border and left about one inch overlap at the end, then cut it. Found some yellow thread that matched the rick-rack and started hand stitchin it on. No problem. It takes a while, but still no problem. No problem until I get to the end and find out that while you hand stitch rick-rack it shrinks. It has ended up one 1/2 inch short.

I tried pullin my hair out, but well, it's already bout all out. What'll I do?

9 comments:

Holee said...

I've never had that problem. If you pin it in place, it shouldn't do that.

Hand sewing is different. You have to sew it up and down..hard to explain so here is a site:
http://www.wrights.com/wrights/class/sewing/rickrack/rickrack.htm

Tracy said...

Take the ric rac off and use the ribbon. :)

lrmart said...

I've never had it shrink... But then I usually don't cut I'm done sewing.
Try redoing it...

Canarella said...

Use the rick rack for hair.....

Donna said...

I sew then cut!You could take it off, use very little dabs of washable glue(make sure to iron after gluing) to hold it in place. Then stitch it down. I use glue for things I do not want to shift or move while sewing.

Kelly said...

Tom, I'm so sorry! I didn't even think of it. I haven't had much problem sewing ric rac on using my machine, but I have to remember to go very, very slowly, and stitch directly down the center. But wait, I gave you the baby ric rac, didn't I? That stuff's a bugger. Feel free to not use it.

I hate hand-sewing ric rac, though I've done it a few times. I always cut after sewing, but that's because I don't trust myself to get it right the first time.

I hope you're having fun anyways. I've narrowed down my plan for your quilt to two or three options. I'll pick after Christmas, since there's still some holiday crafting to be done.

Take heart - I'm sure I'll love whatever you come up with, with or without ric rac.

Tom H said...

Kelly, Not to worry! I am have way too much fun with the little quilt. If I would have had any sense at all I would have waited until I had sewn the entire piece of ric rak before I cut it. Count that as a lesson learned. I solved the problem with super glue. At least I hope I did. Thanks all...

Tom H said...

Okay! I have it all figured out.When you measure and cut a piece of wood, it stays the same length when you fasten it down. Ric Rak, on the other hand is not straight to begin with. I failed to sew it down straight. I pulled the stitches too tight. These two things shortened the piece. You live and you learn....Sometimes!

Anonymous said...

you could trim (aka whack off) the quilt up to where the rickrack left off... :-)