Today I am going to share a little sewing tutorial with you all…it’s my first one, so please bear with me!
Remember my Blue Jean Babies post? Syd wore a little denim jumper that I absolutely adore on her. One of my favorite things about the outfit are the embellished straps, a last-minute addition on my part that sent the cute-ness level through the roof!
On this particular outfit, the pleated straps seem to add just enough interest at the top of the jumper to balance out the large kangaroo pocket on the skirt.
Plus, it adds interest to the back of the jumper, which otherwise would have been pretty dull.
Here is a closeup of the embellished straps. As you can see, I used the dominant fabric from the lining and pockets to make a pleated trim. Although you can buy pleated ribbon trim at craft stores, I wanted mine to match exactly, so I muddled through the process of making my own, and am loving the results! Wanna’ see how I did it?
Here is a sample I am currently finishing up for my new “Riff Ram Baby” collection coming out in the next few weeks. Not only do you get a tutorial, you get a sneak peek! Lucky you ;) Anyway, notice the sad, naked straps on the jumper. Pitiful!
And here is a back view. Boring, I know! Here is how to take your straps from drab to fab, Twodaloo style.
1. Measure your straps. Decide where you want your embellishment to begin, and mark that spot with a pin. I wanted mine to start just a little above where the strap went behind the bib of the jumper. Measure from that point back to where you want it to end, typically right above where the straps join the back of the jumper. Write this number down; this will be the length of your trim. Mine was a little under 8″. Then measure your strap at its narrowest point to determine how wide you want your pleated strip to be. I wanted mine to span the width of the innermost lines of topstitching (see illustration above), so I chose a width of 1″.
2. Cut your fabric strips. But hold your horses; first you have to do a little math. To determine the length of your two strips, take the number you wrote down from step #1, multiply it by 3, and then add another half inch or so to be on the safe side ;) Since I wanted my finished embellishments to be about 8 inches long, my strip was 8 x 3 + 1/2 = 24 1/2″. Then, take the width that you want and double it. So my two strips were 24 1/2″ long and 2″ wide.
3. Fold your strips in half lengthwise. Iron. Unfold. This will form a reference line.
4. Fold the right edge of the strip over to meet the middle reference line. Iron to set.
5. Repeat with the left side.
6. Fold one of the short ends over about 1/4″, and then repeat. Iron and stitch. This will prevent fraying.
7. Now, the fun part. Measure 1/2″ from the finished edge of your strip and fold over. Pin in place.
8. Next, measure an inch from your first fold and then fold backwards at that point. Again, see illustration above.
9. Now, fold forward again 1/2″ from your second fold, creating a second pleat. Pin in place. The second pleat fits snugly up under the first one. Clear as mud? Don’t worry, this does not have to be perfect! I just “eyeballed it” the first time, but decided to put some measurements to it for the sake of the tutorial. You just want to stay in the ballpark of my measurements so that you don’t end up making your trim too short.
10. Continue this process until you reach the end of your strip. Double check the length of your embellishment; once you are satisfied, fold over the end of the strip twice (just like you did before you began pleating) and tuck under; pin in place.
11. Pin your strap in place and attach. To sew down, use a straight stitch to sew a line 1/8″ to the right of your central reference line. Then, repeat 1/8″ to the left. You will end up with two lines of stitching 1/4″ apart. This is important so that you catch both unfinished edges of the trim under the pleating; otherwise it will fray in the wash.
Here is the finished strap! If you hit the pleats with steam from your iron, the pinholes will dissappear. I like the double rows of stitching, but if you prefer only one row, you will have to alter your method to prevent fraying. You could cut two strips, sew them right sides together, and turn them inside-out to make a fabric “tube” to create your pleats with, eliminating unfinished edges. I am not a fan of turning such small strips of fabric, which is why I prefer my folding method! Whichever method you choose, you will be strap-happy in no time at all!
Hope you enjoyed my first little sewing tutorial!
A great way to add some details & use fun prints. Thanks for linking to Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do:)
These are so darling!! Great job mama!
Love this jumper! Do you have a pattern for the jumper itself coming out too? The pleated straps are just adorable, thank you for the tutorial! And congrats on the feature at So Can DO, that is how I found you! I am a mom to twin three year old boys by the way. Love to see another crafty twin mommy!
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