I am making an apron and have gotten to the ties for neck and waist and cannot figure out how to turn the ties right side out after sewing them. I have a Clover Easy Turner but somehow I am missing something and cannot make it work. I tried going to the Clover website but didn't find any useful info. Any ideas?

PM trupeach1 she makes lots of aprons.

You turn the handle on it one way to grab the fabric, and the other way to release it. If you get this part backwards, it doesn't work to well :wink: :D:D:D

If you sewed 2 strips right sides togehter, you should sew around 3 sides. The way I did it many moons ago was to pin a safety pin to the closed or stitched end and then start working the safety pin back through the tie until you have it right side out.

Never thought to do it that way! I will have to remember that.

I just sew the 3 sides together then turn the open end and little by little coax the tube right-side out. I have gotten pretty good at it over the years. Or, if it will be narrow, I turn and press the seam allowances in. And place the 2 pieces right sides together, pin, and top stitch - no turning required!

I don't believe in fancy tools I use what I have around the house to do things and I came up with this,

This is quick and easy and you can turn them to the right side in about a minute. I sew only 2 sides of the fabric right side together, then close to the botton on the opening I cut a little slit. I then take a crochet hook and push it down the length of the fabric inside the opening HOLDING the hook. the fabric gets all bunched up. I then put the crochet hook through the little slit and loop the fabric around it. I then pull the hook back down the way I push it up the fabric. as you pull it down the fabric is attached to the crochet hook and it goes right alone with the fabric. and now it is the right side. then I finish off both openings.

I don't turn my straps rso anymore. I have done the 'string' method and even have a tube turner. I cut the strap 4 times the finished width. Press in half, wrong sides together. Fold each side to center (press line) and press ends in. Stitch the three sides and you're done. If you don't have enough fabric to do the above, you can just press all raw edges in 1/4", and then press in half and sew. I have made a lot of aprons and I like the body of the ties when they are 4 layers.

for the closed end apron ties I use a Dritz Quick Turn. It comes with 3 different sizes. Very easy to use. For the open ended neck ties I use the Dritz Clip N Turn. It comes with two sizes in the package. I got them both at Joann's. Both were easy to use.

I do mine like the post above too...but this year I tried something a little different for the neck ties...I made one piece of "tie" like the method described above and cut it about 28" long. Run a piece of elastic (1/4 inch) 21 inches long...stitch the elastic at each end to secure and then enclose it in the seam of the apron...turns out a little gathered looking and is easy to take on and off. Hoping to attach a picture with this. I can't tell if it's on the 1st or 2nd picture...these happen to be kids aprons but the same principle.

I should clarify that I do them like Emmy a couple of posts up.