How to turn tubes, rouleau loops, spaghetti hoops, straps and stuff like that

So, you want to make a garment with rouleau loops but you can't get them thin and as fine as you'd like?

    

You can, and there are a number of ways to achieve this. 

Sewing machine 

Overlocker

Tube turning gadgets

Knitting needle method

Using a safety pin

Cut your lengths of material so you have strips of fabric ready to turn....

Let me show you the sewing machine and overlocker method.

I have used organza here on the sewing machine, so you can see through it and understand the method.  It might actually look confusing...I'm sorry if it does. 

Pull out a loooooong length of thread from the needle, maybe not as long s the strip, but if the strip is less than a foot, 30cm, then do so.  The thread is laying inside the folded strip of material. As always, right sides together, so you'll be sewing on the wrong side of the fabric.

Start at the end of the tune, allowing your seam allowance to be less than the width of the tube, so consider this with narrow/thinner rouleau loops.

The overlocker is better for heavier material, you have three or four threads to work with.

Back tack/ reverse stitch at each end of the tube on your sewing machine. Lock stitch isn't strong enough... 

 

Sew a few inches along, maybe six for a long strip, and pull on your long thread. 

The end attached to the start of the sewing line will tug on the top of your tube and want to pull it through the centre of the tube. The first bit is fiddly, take your time to tuck the end neatly into the tube.

Carefully pull the threads through the sewn section of the tube toward you and watch the sewn end of the tube pull through.  Sew a few inches more and then pause, needle in the fabric holding it together, and pull some more through.

If the tube isn't very long, you can do as I did and remove the sewn strap from the overlocker machine and then pull the tube through.

 

Turning Gadgets, like the one I have from Prym, are available to help you out in certain circumstances.

The problem with these is you're limited to the width because of what's available, the benefits are its much less to think about if you find this task tricky, and it's great for where ends are needed to be sewn down, for instance with this little mouse's limbs and tail. 

First, sew up the tube and across one end...

keep a narrow seam allowance, or trim after sewing.  Back tack the seams at both ends.

trim seam allowance

sew one end closed

Push the correct size Prym tube, that fits, into the sewn tube all the way to the end...

The using the poking stick that comes with that Prym tube, push the closed end of the sewn tube into the Prym tube 

...until the sewn tube comes through to the other end...

.

I also used the turning set below...

This is the knitting needle method.  I don't prefer to use this option, you could end up making holes or thinning out the end of your tube.  I just used Pryms tube turning gadget here.  

The Safety Pin method requires you to attach a safety pin to one end of the sewn tube or strap which has been sewn right sides together. You feed the safety pin through into the tube and snake it through, feeding the fabric over the pin and pulling the gathers across.  This is fine for wider stapes, very quick..