Help! How do I make a mop cap?

[johnbarrowmanlovesme]

DD has got Victorian day at school tomorrow,I can't believe I have left it so late to get her outfit organised, only started it yesterday
I have made the pinny, still not finished it but think I'm ok with that.
I'm struggling with the mop cap though. I have cut out a circle, sewn lace around the edge & then gathered the cap & have sewn the elastic on but the only thing is, because I have stitched the elastic, of course there is no give in it now, would probably fit Baby Annabell I suppose I should really have doubled the fabric then made a channel to feed the elastic through, I didn't think that far ahead I'm afraid. Anyone got any ideas to help me please, I really don't want to start from scratch with it as I'm sewing it all by hand as my machine is broken

Not sure I get what you've done but....

....if you cut a bit of elastic that would fit round her head and then stitch that to the circle of cloth (with small gathers so it has roughly equal gathers all round IYSWIM) surely that would fit.

That's what I did, but because the elastic was stitched down, it then wouldn't stretch, am I making sense?

I can't think of any other way of making it 'give' than what you said - making a channel for the elastic. Of course, if your machine worked you could do a zig zag over the elastic, leaving it free to stretch.
And - ahem (pedantic) - it' a mob cap.
This is what always happens to me with these projects - I have to re-do at every stage - it's so frustrating!
Could you impose on someone else and use their machine? Or get a repair man out quickly?

How about using shearing elastic (I think thats what its called) instead?

(using a simple running stitch)

Not sure I've quite understood the problem correctly but could you use the bit you have already made as the "skull-cap" part of the hat and then just sew a rectangular strip of the same material (but twice the length so gathered) to the edge of the skull-cap bit to a large frill using running stitch ... if that makes any sense at all .... maybe? Then sew elastic to back of entire hat so that it will stay on (like a sun-hat) ....

sorry - typing to fast - meant to say

SO a frill

not 'to a frill'

dig out a straw boater instead

A mob cap? I've always called them mop caps
Am now trying to think of an easy way to make a channel for the elastic.
Can't think of anyone with a machine apart from a friend who makes curtains for a living as is too far away, quite snowy here so don't want to travel there.
My machine is an old hand Singer one, have been debating whether to get it fixed or fork out for a new one. I don't use it all that often but do need one. Tesco have got an offer on at the mo of a Brother one for £60 which is probably what it would cost me to get my old one fixed, would you go modern & get an electric one or stick with my old faithful?

I haven't got any bias binding & can't get any today as live in a little village that doesn't sell such things

The little Victrian outfit turned out fine, eventually. I cut the turned up hem off the sheet I was making the hat & pinny out of, stitched it to the hat then threaded the elastic through it, success

Thank you for all you ideas
x

Ingenious - necessity is the mother of invention.