AZ Jane

I would definitely look into embroidering something that small. Practice on a small piece to see how it looks, of course.

TeresaA

Beautiful quilting, Peckish. Also, I just spent several minutes watching Saito sew on various pieces. What a master. So thanks for sharing her name, since I've never heard of her before.

SewingSenior

Thanks to Peckish, I tried Yoko Saito's method with a slight deviation and the 1/8" stem came out great. Since I kind of suck at needle turning I decided to try it this way. I made a 1/4" bias strip with my little 1/4" bias maker starching and pressing as I made it, then I cut off one of the folded over edges which left me with a 1/4" strip with one raw edge. From there I attached the strip just like Yoko did sewing 1/8" from that raw edge. Then I folded the pressed edge over my seam and stitched it down. It came out looking wonderful, not as good as Yoko Saito's but like TeresaA said Yoko is a master and I'm still a grasshopper, lol. Thanks to everyone that offered techniques, links and suggestions.

Suz

Go to your husband's toolbox and find his binding "ZIP" strips. You know, the ones! Find a 1/4" one and remove the bulky end. Cut bias fabric strips about 1-1/4" wide. It is cut this wide so that your sewing machine has something to grab onto in order to stitch. Reduce to a smaller stitch, move the needle to the left, put on your zipper foot, fold fabric over the zip strip and stitch as close as possible to the strip. Slide the strip along the fabric length as you stitch. Once stitched, trim. Wiggle the seam to the top of the zip strip, press using spray starch or mist of water one small section as a time while the strip is still inside the fabric stem. Do not press the stem after the strip has been removed as it will look too flat. At this point, you can thread some yarn inside to give the stem roundness and depth. -- Hope this is clear. Good luck.

Sorry, I answered w/1/4" stems and not 1/8", however the method would be the same. Also, by adding the yarn to a 1/4" would reduced the finished size to perhaps 1/8".

SewingSenior

Thanks Suz, I would have never thought of using the zip ties in lieu of the stem makers sold at the fabric stores. I will give this one a try.

Suz

When taking a Baltimore Album class from Karen Kay Buckley, she taught us this method.