RESTORING OLD SLIPS!! Make them like new.
Have you ever noticed how the body of your slip outlives
the lace and elastic? Not quite sure how to salvage the slip, so you end
up throwing it away? We can help! Here are some suggestions.
Problem: Lace is disintegrating, coming off slip.
Suggestion #1:
Remove the old lace and brighten it up with new lace in the width you desire.
Suggestion #2:
As so many of the skirts are shorter today, cut the slip to the length for your
skirts and then give it a lettuce edge on your serger or a shell edge from your
regular sewing machine. Both of these are very attractive and easy to do.
How to do a
"lettuce" edging: Use the rolled hem feature on your serger,
place the slip edge under the presser foot and as you start sewing gently pull
the fabric towards you. You will notice that you are getting a curled
decorative edge. The more you pull the fabric, the curlier the edge
gets, resembling a lettuce leaf.
How to do a
"shell" edge: You will need a zigzag machine for this.
Almost all zigzag machines will have a stitch that looks the opposite of the
blind hem stitch. Set your machine to sew this stitch. Now, as you
fold under 1/4" on the slip bottom, sew just close enough to the edge that
when the needle moves outward it catches the bottom of the fabric, drawing it in
towards the other stitching, making little shells or scallops.
Problem: Elastic lost
its stretch or coming away from the slip top. There's nothing worse than
walking and all of a sudden you feel your slip falling down. Believe me, I
know! It happened to me ONCE!
Suggestion:
Replace the elastic! Not sure where to start? Follow the step-by-
step instructions given below, and presto! you'll have a "new"
half slip!
1. Remove
the old elastic, being careful not to tear the slip.
2. To
determine the length of new elastic you'll need, measure your waist and deduct
an inch from that measurement.
3. Choose a
"soft elastic" (plush backed, picot edge, fold-over, stretch lace
elastic) so that it will feel good against your skin. Cut the elastic to
the measurement in step 2.
4. Sew the
ends of the elastic together.
5. Divide
elastic into fourths. Place straight pins to mark your
"fourths".
6. Divide
the top of the half slip into fourths. The seams on the slip already mark
the "halves". Simply bring the seams together, keeping them
together. Now run your fingers along the edge - when you get to the end,
you have another part of the "fourth". Repeat this on the other
side to get the remaining "fourth". Again, mark the
"fourths" with straight pins.
7. Now all
you have to do is match your pins and pin the elastic to the slip.
As you sew, stretch the elastic between the pins.. I use a multiple zigzag
stitch on my regular sewing machine, with the width usually set at 4 or 5 and a
short length.
This FREE CLASS
was provided by Fay Brittingham, owner of http://FaysFabrics.com.
If you can't find the lace and elastics locally, please visit her website or
give her a call at (850) 455-2410. She carries trims, laces, tricot,
spandex, and a huge variety of lingerie supplies.
To learn the quick
and easy method of making your own half slips in a variety of styles, click on
the following link to purchase Fay's entire slip class.
SEW203 - Lingerie
Half Slip - $9.95
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