Frustration with Elastic

I have been trying for days now to sew my own cloth fitted diapers for my impending little one. It requires me to tack on the elastic then turn and top stitch however every time I do I manage to snag the elastic because I cant feel it through all the material. I have tried to zig zag stitch the elastic in place hoping that I will then be able to turn and top stitch without snagging the elastic but its just not working. I am sure a lot of this is due to my inexperience working with elastic so I'm hoping someone can give me some tips or tricks for what you do to ensure the elastic goes unscathed by me and my machine.

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6 replies since 20th July 2013 • Last reply 20th July 2013

Reply #1:

I'd try switching out your needle to a new one. It sounds like your needle is dull and that is why it's snagging through your elastic which is a thicker material, especially when you have a couple layers of fabric around it.

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Reply #2:

You misunderstood, I'm trying to avoid the elastic all together.

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Reply #3:

You probably should have said that in your original post then, but if that is your case I cannot help you as I just put my child in regular diaper so I know nothing about the making of cloth ones.

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Reply #4:

If there's any way you can put the elastic in after sewing the rest, then do that.
Otherwise, you may just need to adjust the position of the needle which could move it a couple mm away from where the elastic is. Maybe you could use pins to hold and mark the elastic so it won't get caught up when you're sewing.

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Reply #5:

Is it this technique you're trying http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/how-to-make-a-double-rolled-edge - I've never tried it myself but if it is you could try leaving a comment with a question on the tutorial or message the person who made it.

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Reply #6:

Try to sew a casing, like a tunnel and then put the elastic in after. You'll have to leave a small opening. Stick a safety pin through the end of the elastic, close the pin, then use that to push it through.

If you can't figure out a way to make it work, just try a different tutorial with a different technique.

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