May 25, 2010
embroidery, serger
beginner

Simple Serged Ballerina Tutu

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This ballerina outfit is sure to make any little girl feel like dancing! Perfect for dress up Halloween or recitals this tutu could get anyone to pull out their dance shoes. Create these in every color using your sewing machine and Baby Lock serger. Download printable instructions.

Materials:

  • Serger gathering foot (BLE8-RF)
  • Butterick Pattern Company pattern #6660
  • Pinwheel embroidery design
  • Four cones serger thread
  • All-purpose sewing thread
  • Two colors decorative serger thread
  • Knit yardages according to pattern envelope for size
  • Tulle yardages according to pattern envelope for size
  • 2 ½ yards of white satin for contrast petals
  • 1 yard ¾” elastic
  • Measuring tape
  • Cut-away Soft stabilizer (BLC201)
  • Machine embroidery adhesive spray
  • Assorted colors of embroidery thread
  • Pins
  • Scissors

Tools:

  • Baby Lock Evolution Serger
  • Baby Lock Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Steps:

  1. Cut out pattern pieces for the skirt and contrasting petals for view E. Cut out pattern pieces for leotard view C.

  2. For the skirt cut the tulle in strips as per the pattern.

  3. Stack the strips on top of each other.

  4. Thread the serger for a four-thread stitch. Attach the gathering foot increase the stitch length and set the differential feed to 2.

  5. Serge across one long side of the stack of tulle strips. Pull the needle threads from the serger chain (short threads) to increase the amount of gathers.

  6. Measure the wearer for a waist measurement.

  7. Cut a piece of elastic the waist measurement and add one inch.

  8. From the knit cut a strip 2 ¼” wide x the waist measurement plus one inch. Make sure to cut the band along the grain to have the most stretch.

  9. Change the serger foot back to the general purpose foot and the Baby Lock serger for four-thread overlocking with standard stitch settings.

  10. Serge the ends of the elastic together to form a loop.

  11. Serge the short ends of the knit strip together to form a loop.

  12. Place the elastic and knit fabric together and fold the knit fabric in half lengthwise to encase the elastic.

    1. This will become the tulle skirt waistband. Pin if necessary to hold it in place.

    2. Note: Remember to remove the pins before they reach the serger blade.

  13. Serge the raw edges of the knit waistband to the gathered edge of the tulle. Starting and overlapping the ends of the tulle skirt at the knit band seam.

  14. Cut out the contrast petals from the white satin using the Butterick pattern piece.

  15. Thread the serger for a wave stitch using two contrasting decorative threads for the upper and lower looper.

  16. Place two petals wrong side together and serge the sides of the petal together with a wave stitch. Do not serge across the straight top edge at this time.

  17. Repeat serging petals together until you have 7 petals for the top row and 8 petals for the lower row.

  18. Pin the petals together overlapping them as instructed in the pattern guide sheet.

  19. Using a four-thread stitch with a stitch length on four and differential on 2 serge across the top of the petals connecting the row.

  20. Repeat for the other row.

  21. Layer the rows together and attach to the ribbon as directed by the pattern using the sewing machine.

  22. For the leotard cut the pattern pieces for view C.

  23. Assemble as instructed by the pattern guide sheet using a four thread stitch for the construction seams and a cover stitch for the hems on the arm and leg openings.

  24. To embroidery the leotard hoop a cut-away soft stabilizer in the hoop.

  25. Lightly spray machine embroidery adhesive spray to stick the leotard fabric to the hoop.

  26. Save the pinwheel design and transfer it to your embroidery machine.

  27. Embroider the pinwheel design using your chose of colors.

  28. Once the embroidery is complete clip any remaining threads or excess stabilizer.

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