[mrsc1345]

I am making the blouse for the second time but I am having a heck of a time figuring out the casing for the elastic. I am folding half an inch over on the bottom, and then trimming that half inch to 1/4th, then I attach the bias strip to the shirt with a 1/2 seam, making it even with the line of the shoulder piece, but I just don’t have enough width to fold it inside and stitch it down to hold the elastic. last time I just serged the edges and stitched them straight down to create the casing, but I know I am doing something wrong to be screwing this up. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong here? I know it must be right in front of my face, but I am just messing it up majorly.

[lattemama]

Hmm, well, here’s how I did it …

You fold over ½” and trim to 1/4″, then sew the unfolded edge to the right side of the sleeve with a ½” seam. Then trim that seam allowance and fold over the entire casing piece so it’s all inside the sleeve. Sew the folded edge of the casing to the sleeve and fold in the raw ends (trim them if they are too long).

I know I was confused until I realised the whole casing piece were to be inside the sleeve.

Hope this didn’t confuse you further.

[sayiamyou]

Lotta did just what I did. After you trim the seam allowance from the sewn edge you fold the entire piece to the inside of the blouse. Your folded 1/4 edge should then sit nicely against your stitching to make the casing.

[mrsc1345]

Why is this not making sense to me? It seems like I was trying to do exactly what lattemama said, but I felt that it wasn’t a wide enough space to get that elastic through. I ended up just finishing the edges and stitching them down again, to impatient to wait for the answers last night. 🙂 I will definately try it again, I don’t know why this is messing with me so, I have made tons of casings before! Thanks for your help, I guess maybe I AM doing it right, I just need to sew it down and have faith that elastic will fit in there.

[Noodles]

I am making one today, so I’ll take some pictures and pop them on flickr for you with a link later tonight if you want.

[mrsc1345]

hecks yes, I would love a photo. I have 4 more shirts cut out and waiting to be sewn up! I realized I did miss the part where you understitch the seam allowance on the casing, but do you think that could really be why I am having such trouble? I would think that would just make it lie/look better, but what do I know? And strangely, on my first shirt, after ripping off the original casing twice, I managed to get one side to look just like how I think it should, but by the time I get to the other one I was all turned around again. I know this is simple! Maybe it is because my blousy fabric won’t really hold a iron crease and I am having trouble pinning it down? Excuses, excuses… Gotta say, love having this forum to come to, you guys are so great!

[mrsc1345]

Also, I was on the phone the first time while I was doing the casings, and I thought I folded it in half, then trimmed one side to 1/4th, that took me about half an hour of cursing to figure out I needed to cut a new piece. Lesson learned, do not talk on the phone while doing a new pattern, even if it is a seemingly straightforward raglan shirt!

[Noodles]

ok… here are the pictures. Hopefully they make sense. I agree that it sounds like you’re not folding the whole casing to the wrong side. You aren’t making bias binding type casing. That’s the only way I can describe it.

I hope they help… and stay in order so they make sense (I’m not the greatest photographer). If not, they are all numbered.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/noodleshandmade/5674632279/in/set-72157626425736169/

[sayiamyou]

Hope her pictures help you. I know what it’s like to be frustrated with something right in front of your face. Good luck! Glad you have 4 more ready to go and didn’t give up!

[Jerney]

I’m also confused about this step. I didn’t wind up with enough fabric to make the casing. I made up my own way to do it, which is most likely not as cute as the real way! The pictures posted before aren’t up any more. If anyone has more advice, I’d love to hear it!

Thanks!

[Nicole]

Hi Jerney,I am sewing these at present so I will take some photos and see if that helps.

[Nicole]

I hope this may help Jerney http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com/2011/10/ive-got-them-class-picnic-neck-band.html

[sayiamyou]

Great blog post Nicole. That’s exactly how I did/do it. Hopefully you’ve cleared it up for some ladies!