need help with elastic

[laurabfig]

AHH! I can NOT get it right. What is the best way to sew on elastic? Do I need a longer stitch, zigzag, straight stitch...what am I doing wrong? It never seems to bunch up as much as I want it to, or it seems way too tight. I am scared to try FOE cause I can't even get the regular kind just right!

[MyLittleWonders]

Try here ... hth

[laurabfig]

thanks for the link. need to check my machine for an elastic stitch! and keep practicing using elastic through a casing, since that seems the easiest way to do it.

[pageta]

If you're using Lastin, it needs to be sewn with that three step zigzag. The trick is getting the stitch length correct. My machine is a Viking and for the 3 step ZZ it says to set the length on 1. When I sew with Lastin, I set it on 4. When I'm sewing a straight stitch, 2.5 is the normal length, and for gathering with a straight stitch, 5 is the recommended length (for the sake of reference). If you lengthen the stitch with the 3 step ZZ, it works great. If you use the recommended stitch length on your machine, it doesn't work very well. HTH!

[TOmomma]

Well, I'm a total fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda gal, and I sewed my Lastin with an ancient machine without a stretch stitch and it seemed to work fine. I've only made a few dipes, mind you...