stitch with 1/4" seam allowance
to make rouleau tie

Machine stitch using a 1/4" seam allowance. Stitching should be a scant 1/8" away from the folded edge.

If you have difficulty stitching a narrow 1/8" try stitching over tissue paper, which will help to stabilize the fabric.

stitch rouleau on tissue paper

gently remove tissue paper

turn rouleau using a tube turner

Use a tube turner to pull the tube right side out. I pin the ends of the rouleau to my ironing board and steam lightly to take out the curl. Rouleaux can be used to make ties as well as loops for a button closure.

bias bound seam

The rouleaux ties and neckline on my blouse were all cut as one piece of bias fabric. I sewed the rouleaux ties first, at each end, leaving enough of the center portion unfinished, to be attached to the blouse neckline opening. Once the rouleaux ties were completed, I attached the bias strip to the neckline and finished it as a narrow bias binding using the same technique as outlined above under Bias Bound Seam. Instead of finishing it as a 1/4" seam binding I cut it down to 1/8". Although it was "fiddly" to turn under, the very narrow binding gave a beautiful finish to the neckline and matched the width of the rouleaux ties.

narrow machine buttonholes

If your machine has a narrow buttonhole setting, use it to make buttonholes. Otherwise, try narrowing the stitch width of a preset buttonhole. To add support to the fabric as it is being stitched, place a piece of water soluble stabilizer underneath the fabric when stitching out the buttonhole. Afterwards, tear away the stabilizer. Apply a small amount of fray check to the buttonhole opening before using a buttonhole chisel to cut it open.