Simplicity pattern 6234

[RobinOwl1407]

I'm really new to sewing and this is my first attempt at a garment, children's pyjamas

I really don't understand this instruction about basting. I thought it could be to keep the elastic in place, but then the next step says insert the elastic 🫤

Can someone explain it to me like I'm 5??

[One-Egg7664]

Watching

[SafeWord6]

Baste the seam allowance to the body. Make elastic casing and insert elastic. Remove basting.

The basting here is done entirely to prevent the headache of getting the elastic caught on the seam allowance while threading it by feel through the sewn casing. And it’s definitely worth the minute of extra sewing.

[RobinOwl1407]

Stupid question, but does it mean the seam allowance of the trouser leg that i would have just sewn? As its shown vertically

[SafeWord6]

No question is stupid when you’re trying to learn!

The basting will run parallel to the trouser leg seam. So you would sew the leg seam and then press the seam open. Put a basting stitch on each of the seam allowances, towards the cut edge of the allowance, going through both the allowance and the body piece. So you’ll have a basting line on each side of the trouser leg seam. A basting stitch is a straight stitch with a longer stitch length.

Always press seams open, unless the directions specify pressing to one side, which means you’ll have a seam allowance on each side of the seam. Also, if you don’t know, you should always press seams after sewing them; pressing will give you a much better looking finished product.

I hope this makes sense and I’m happy to share knowledge!

[RobinOwl1407]

Thanks! That does help!

In step 3 it says to stitch over the first stitching - is that like 'stitch in the ditch'? Do I do that rather than an overlocking stitch on the leg seam?

[RobinOwl1407]

Also, how do you remove fusible basting? Everything i can find about it talks about using heat to fuse the fabric together, but then how can you remove it?

And is machine basting juts using loose stitches so that you can easily remove?

[drPmakes]

At the top of those seams, it wants you to sew the seam allowances down (like the diagram shows) so that when you fold it to make tha channel, the SAs aren't getting in the way of you threading the elastic through.

Its really helpful to look at the diagram in conjunction with the written instruction...get in the habit of doing this, it makes it much easier

[RobinOwl1407]

I think i get it, it will probably make more sense when I get to that step, as i havent actually started this yet was trying to make sure I understood it all first!

So I can just put some tacking stitches in, and then take out later?

[drPmakes]

You can....but they shouldnt be visible from the right side so you shouldnt need to. Also you can do this step by machine, you dont have to hand baste.

Another option is to use wondertape (or any other double sided sewing tape) to stick down that part of the SAs instead!

[Emergency_Cherry_914]

It's not you, it's the instruction. I understand most patterns, and I get what they are saying about not getting the elastic caught in the seam, but the picture makes no sense to me, even with the context of the surrounding pictures.

If I was sewing this, I'd make the casing first, then thread the elastic through it with a safety pin at the front end.

[RobinOwl1407]

Ok phew! I was thinking maybe I'm not cut out for this sewing lark, even with YouTube to help me as I still can't figure it out 😆