If . . . → Read More: Drafting Skirt Pattern Sew Along Lesson 4: Checking the Fit and Fixing Problems]]>

In today’s lesson, I show you how to check your pattern to make sure everything fits correctly using your muslin/practice skirt that you made in Lesson 3.  I also show you how to make some basic changes to the pattern. (Here are the links for  Lesson 2 and  Lesson 1 if you missed them)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them either in the comment section below or on the Grandma’s Sewing Cabinet Facebook page.

Click here if the player is not working for you

As I was perusing . . . → Read More: All Tensed Up? Check Your Threading]]>

I got back last night from a vacation with my mother and am ready to get back to sewing!  I was tempted to take my portable machine with me but, since I was riding the train, I decided against it.  It turns out I wouldn’t have had time to sew anyway…

As I was perusing through You Tube this evening, waiting for The Mister to finish work so that we could watch a movie, I came across this video tutorial by Singer Sewing on how to thread your sewing machine.

Here’s the deal:  I’d say about half of sewing frustrations my new-to-sewing students (and me, a time or two) have encountered with sewing were because of threading the machine incorrectly.  In fact, one time I even took my portable machine in to the repair shop because I couldn’t get the tension right!  Of course I was mortified when he pointed out that the thread wasn’t tucked inside the tension discs correctly.

The video doesn’t say so, but you have to make sure that your thread is giving your tension discs a “wedgie”–especially if you have an older machine (back in my day, we called them Melvins…I don’t know why).

They also show how to get the bobbin winding started by pulling the thread from the inside of the bobbin through a hole to the outside.  This may seem intuitive but many people make the mistake of sticking the “starter thread” through the hole from the outside going in because it is easier to do.  Once the bobbin is wound, you can just trim off the starter thread if it hasn’t broken off on its own.

I really like this video tutorial and how it shows what the stitching is supposed to look like when the tension is adjusted correctly.  Of course, you’ll need to use your own machine’s manual to determine the correct threading path but this tutorial gives a great overview of the process.

Click here if the video player does not work for you.

Answer: I’m pretty sure I fell off the face of the earth.  September simply disappeared from my calendar when something unexpected (in a good way) came up.  The good news is that I have finally  finished the skirt pattern drafting handout–it is almost 20 pages long and has step . . . → Read More: Questions and Answers]]>

Question #1:  What happened to you?

Answer: I’m pretty sure I fell off the face of the earth.  September simply disappeared from my calendar when something unexpected (in a good way) came up.  The good news is that I have finally  finished the skirt pattern drafting handout–it is almost 20 pages long and has step by step illustrations and photos.  I’m hoping to record the video within the next few days.  Hoping being the operative word.

Theresa sent these notes to me:

Note #1: I love the podcasts and am listening to them all.  Is there a place to ask questions?  I could not find it and the forum does not come up on my computer?

I have two questions.

one is about applying wax to thread so the thread does not twist when hand sewing and also about something I saw on tv and also banana republic.  It is oxford type blouses that have buttons down the back just to “tailor” them but do not actually button like in the front.  if you google button down backs on banana republic you can see what i am referring to.  I want to put buttons down the back of some of my white blouses maybe with a crocheted buttonhole.
 

Note #2: I want to make a little black dress in a very simple pattern? I am having trouble finding a pattern.

Let me go through the questions as I understand them:

Asking questions:  I’m not sure why the Sewing Circle forum isn’t showing up on Terri’s computer.  That said, Blog Frog Sewing Circle forum doesn’t look like traditional discussion forums.  I still haven’t figured out how to get rid of all of the extra confusing stuff (like blog post feeds by members, etc.).  If in doubt, the Facebook page is fairly active (although it has been quiet in September because I was AWOL).  You can ask your questions there!  Click here to go to Grandma’s Sewing Cabinet Facebook page.

Waxing thread:  A lot of people get frustrated with hand sewing because their thread tends to tangle.  There are three things you can do to ensure that this doesn’t happen:

• Make sure your thread isn’t too long.  Take your spool and hold it to your chest and then pull the thread out the length of your arm.  Cut and then thread it.  When it is threaded and pulled through the needle, the doubled thread should be about the same length as your forearm for easy hand sewing.

• Put your thread through your needle in the same direction as it comes off of the spool.  Did you know that thread has a nap/direction?  It does!  If you pull it through the eye in the same direction as it comes off of the spool, it won’t be fighting against the needle but working with it.

• Waxing or conditioning your thread helps resolve some the direction/nap issue I mention above.  Just like you use a little product to get your hair to behave, you can use a good quality wax to condition the thread.  But be careful!  You just want to pull the thread lightly through the wax once, not create a candle!  For years and years I used the thread wax you can find on the notions wall at the fabric store.  There are even little slots in the holder for guiding the thread through the wax.  However, when I took the tailoring class, our teacher recommended Thread Heaven Conditioner.  If you see it on the notions wall, get it.  Otherwise, the beeswax will work just fine (it’s what our forebears used before Thread Heaven was invented, after all!).  One little aside: I’ve seen recommendations for ironing your thread after you’ve waxed it so that the thread absorbs the wax and it doesn’t get all over your garment.  My thinking is that if you’re getting wax on your garment, you’re waxing your thread too much.  You should be able feel it but not see it.

Button Feature on Back of Shirts:  This look will be easy-peasy to replicate using French tacks (aka chain tack) and buttons on a roomy shirt.

Here is the official Banana Republic image:

Here is the same shirt on a real person–Kelly from Alterations Needed blog:

Image courtesy of Alterations Needed on Flickr.com

French or chain tacks are those little crocheted strings that are used at a hem to keep lining in place or as inexpensive belt loops (that always seem to break).   For this shirt, I would use something heavier than regular sewing thread to make the tacks.

• Determine how much of the shirt you want to pull together to make your pleat and mark the location of the thread and corresponding loop/tack.
• Thread your needle and pull the thread through so that it is double.  Knot the ends together.
• From the wrong side of the garment, pull your needle through to the right side at the location of your first loop.
• Make/crochet your tack using the following instructions (note: you crochet using your hands, not a hook) until the chain is as long as you need it to be to go around the head of the button.  Pull the needle through the last loop and then sew the end into the blouse.  That is it!

Basic Pattern for Basic Black Dress:   Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you for this because I don’t have enough information.  My suggestion is to go to the Grandma’s Sewing Cabinet Facebook page and ask for help there…maybe there or in the comments section below you can give us a little more information regarding style, your skill level, etc. so that we can help you find a pattern.

Making bias tape can result in a lot  of fabric that is wasted when it is cut flat on the bias (unless you want lots of little seam allowances).  Then someone devised a method where you create an offset tube.  I don’t know about you, but I was never quite satisfied with my . . . → Read More: No Waste Bias Tape Tutorial]]>

Dear Friends,

Making bias tape can result in a lot  of fabric that is wasted when it is cut flat on the bias (unless you want lots of little seam allowances).  Then someone devised a method where you create an offset tube.  I don’t know about you, but I was never quite satisfied with my results.

And then….and then!  My couture professor showed us a method of making bias tape that is just amazing.  She is the first to admit that there will be a section that isn’t on the true bias but for most uses of bias tape, it won’t be obvious and doesn’t cause any construction issues.  You end up with a ton  of tape, so start somewhat small.  I think I ended up with 12 yards of tape from a 18″ x 36″ piece of fabric (the size I used for this tutorial).

No Waste Bias Tape Steps

1. Cut a rectangle with a 2:1 ratio.  For this tutorial, I used an 18″ x 36″ rectangle.

2. Fold in half to make a square.

3. Sew around all raw edges with a 1/2” seam allowance. Turn corners
with needle down. Essentially, sew the entire thing shut.

4. Mark line from where stitching hits corner to the fold on the opposite
corner. Flip and mark the opposite corner to corner. Check to make
sure the opposite corners have been marked. If you were using an
imaginary x-ray machine, you should see an “X”.

5. Carefully cut through only a single layer on the line.

6. Turn over and cut the other layer. You should end up with a tube.

7. Press the seam allowances open.

8. Match edges carefully. With a rotary cutter starting at one of the folded
edges, cut through both layers part of the way. Do not go all the way
across to other fold! It should remind you of an octopus.  Don’t forget to add seam allowances when figuring out how wide you want each strip to be.

9. Carefully turn the piece and draw a line from one row to the row next to
it across the uncut the area (this is a similar concept as “the tube”
method of making bias tape)

10. Start cutting along the lines you just drew to make on amazingly long
strip of bias tape

11. Be geeky like me and admire how many yards you got out of such a small piece of fabric.

Happy bias tape making!

Dr. Julie-Ann

The first time I saw a picked zipper was 20+ years ago when I was a special education teacher in New Jersey.  One of the paraprofessionals (they were still called teacher’s assistants back then) was making a prom dress for her daughter and was hand sewing in the zipper!  I thought she was . . . → Read More: Today’s Homework: Pickstitch Zipper]]>

Dear Friends,

The first time I saw a picked zipper was 20+ years ago when I was a special education teacher in New Jersey.  One of the paraprofessionals (they were still called teacher’s assistants back then) was making a prom dress for her daughter and was hand sewing in the zipper!  I thought she was nuts and told her so but she had been taught to sew in Russia by old-school seamstresses and understood better than I did how elegant a picked zipper looks (especially in a gymnasium full of girls in poorly made prom dresses made out of acetate).

This week, my couture sewing technique homework is to sew a sample demonstrating that I know how to do a pickstitched zipper.  For the longest time, I let a hand sewn zipper intimate me.  But they are actually rather easy and can actually be a hybrid of machine and hand stitched sewing if the zipper is lapped.  The pickstitch is really just a variation of the backstitch–a stitch that some people consider stronger than even a machine sewn stitch.

Here is a tip from custom clothing for installing any zipper: Adjust the pattern so that the seam the zipper will go into is 1″ wide instead of 5/8″.  For home sewing, it is only 3/8″ bigger but it really makes a difference!

Here are the steps I used for my sample (I realize some of the stitching is hard to see because the thread and fabric match):

Baste a 1" seam where the zipper will be inserted (regular stitching length for the rest of the seam) and press the seam allowances open

Open the zipper. Place it face down on the extended seam allowance with the zipper teeth centered on the seam. Pin in place.

Machine baste from the bottom (needle to the left of the zipper foot) using the zipper coils as a guide.

Close zipper and turn it face up. Press the fabric away from the zipper (you should see about 1/8" seam allowance between the "center seam" basting (first seam you sewed) and the basted seam you just sewed. Edgestitch through folded seam allowance, using the edge of the fabric as your guide (needle on right side of zipper foot).

Edgestitching

Take out "center seam" basting (optional)

Lay the free folded edge over the zipper, making sure the stitching is covered. Create a stitching guide using 1/2" transparent tape. Pin the fabric to the zipper tape along the tape edge

Working right to left and using a variation of the backstitch, come up from underneath and pull the thread through. Stab the fabric and direct the needle to come out from behind about 3/8" from the entry point. Pull thread through and stab the needle through the fabric about 1/16" back from where the needle came out bringing it up again approximately 3/8" further along the stitching line. The stitches should be firm but not tight. We don't want any puckering caused by overzealous stitching.

When you've finished stitching, remove the tape and enjoy your handiwork. As you can see, the stitches are barely visible. You can use a heavier thread or beading to give it a decorative look if you'd like.

As you can see, sewing in a zipper by hand is rather easy.  In fact, it might actually be easier than inserting it by machine.  So what do you think?  Will you use this technique?  Click here to join the discussion.

I am taking an Illustrator for fashion designers class this semester.  My rationale was so that I could create better handouts and tutorials.  I decided to do my first Illustrator tutorial on creating spaghetti straps or loops.

If you are like me, I’ve always had trouble turning loops right side out (even with . . . → Read More: How to Make Spaghetti Straps or Button Loops]]>

Dear Friends,

I am taking an Illustrator for fashion designers class this semester.  My rationale was so that I could create better handouts and tutorials.  I decided to do my first Illustrator tutorial on creating spaghetti straps or loops.

If you are like me, I’ve always had trouble turning loops right side out (even with that so-called loop turner) and have resorted to making tacky looking straps that I’ve sewn from the outside.  A couple of weeks ago we had to make spaghetti straps and button loop samples in the couture class.  Our professor shared with us the secret: flare out at the beginning and end and it makes turning the tubes a whole lot easier.  Another key factor is using a bias strip of fabric so that it will grow as needed during the turning process (but don’t stretch it too much or it will get narrower!).

The tutorial is  in PDF format so that you can print out the pages and put them in your sewing notebook.

How about you?  Do you have any tricks that have helped you turn loops?  Click here to share your thoughts and ideas.

Confession: I knew I needed to pretreat fabrics I intended to wash at home but I never realized that . . . → Read More: Tailoring Homework: Preshrink the Fabrics]]>

Before Mrs. Poteet set us free to run down to the garment district to buy our fabric and supplies, she told us that we need to preshrink the wool, rayon lining, interfacing, edge tape, weft, etc.

Confession: I knew I needed to pretreat fabrics I intended to wash at home but I never realized that I needed to preshrink stuff I’d be sending to the cleaners.  I also didn’t realize I needed to preshrink all of the notions, too.  Oops.

And that is why I’m taking this class….

According to our book Tailoring…

Although some fabrics are labeled “needle-ready,” it is a good idea to preshrink them anyway.  In general, preshrinking loosely woven fabrics and those made of natural fibers is especially critical because they are more likely to shrink when you press them (emphasis added by me) than tightly woven fabrics and those made of synthetics or synthetic blends.

If you plan to use fusible interfacings, preshrinking the garment fabric is particularly important. Because fusing requires more steam pressing than normal, the garment fabric is likely to shrink during fusing.

The Dry Cleaning Method: The easiest and most expensive method is to take the fabric for steaming to the cleaners.  She told us that we had to specify that we didn’t want it pressed, just steamed.  And that we want it folded, not hung, after the steaming. It would cost us about $5 per fabric.

Steam Pressing Do It Yourself: She told us to lay the fabric out on a large surfaces, such as our bed, and to hold our very steamy iron over the surface of the fabric.  Then, working section by section, move the iron over the fabric without touching it.

London Method: Mrs. Poteet doesn’t like this method so she didn’t tell us about it. (See Carolyn’s link, below, for a summary of the London Method).

Prepping the Other Stuff: Fill a clean sink or tub with hot tap water.  Unfold the notion and submerge it in the water.  Let the water come to room temperature and then drain.  Put the notion in a colander and let the water drain from it a bit more (about 5 minutes).  Roll up in a bath towel to remove excess moisture and then hang over a towel bar to dry.  Do not pretreat fusibles in the washer and dryer unless you want the resin/glue to be stuck to the inside of the appliance and the interfacing be all balled up and unusable.  It melts, people.  That’s why it is called fusible.

I decided to do the dry cleaning method to preshrink the wool and rayon.  I’m a little nervous about it because the girl didn’t write down my instructions and she was the only one there when I dropped it off on Sunday.  Naturally, they are closed today for the holiday but I plan on calling first thing Tuesday morning just to make sure my instructions will be followed.  And, oh.  It cost me $13 per fabric because she marked them as tablecloths.  Because it is a large dry cleaners, I’m hoping that the guys in the back doing the pressing are old hands at preshrinking fabric for sewers.

I wish I had known about Pamela Erny’s tutorial on preshrinking wool before I took my fabric to the cleaners.  It looks like a piece of cake and I intend to use it from now on!  And, remember how I told you the other day that Carolyn got me hooked on wool crepe?  She has a tutorial on how to pretreat crepe that is well worth the read since she knows crepe inside, outside, and upside down!  Finally, Gertie has a blog posting on prewashing a variety of fabrics.

Soooo, here are some photos from when I pretreated the weft and the edge tape:

Fill a sink with hot tap water

Unfold weft, interfacing, tape, etc. and submerse it in the water. The water is HOT! I ended up using a wooden spoon to press the weft into the water. Just let it soak. No need to agitate it.

When the water cools to room temperature, drain it out of the sink. Put the notions into a collander to continue draining. DO NOT WRING TO GET THE EXCESS WATER OUT.

After letting the notions drain for about 5 minutes, roll them in a towel to get the excess water out. Then hang over a towelbar or shower rod to dry.

My weft and my edge tape is in the bathroom hanging dry as we “speak.”  I was surprised by how wet the weft still was even after letting it drain for five minutes.

I was wondering…because the water was so hot, I wonder if I can just put the stuff into the sink first and then fill it up with hot water.  I would think that would also eliminate the need to try and get rid of air bubbles.

So that was part of my homework for the tailored jacket.  I can’t do anything more on it until I get pattern pieces on Wednesday to finish tracing them off.  Oh, and I have to call the dry cleaners in the morning!

How about you?  What is your favorite method of preshrinking wool?

Donna Karan Vogue Pattern #V1202

The front is just as much of a mess as the back:

Seriously.  Who are the . . . → Read More: I Mean, Really?? Oh, Come On!]]>

Is it just me, or does this new Donna Karan pattern from Vogue (#V1202) look like she got her skirt and her top stuck in her pantyhose?

Donna Karan Vogue Pattern #V1202

The front is just as much of a mess as the back:

Seriously.  Who are the pattern companies designing for these days?  Obviously not for me!  And I can’t even begin to imagine what would happen if I tried to turn in a design like this for a class project.  I am dismayed that I keep seeing this pattern pop up in Vogue Pattern advertising.  You’d think they’d want to hide it!

I find it interesting that when they show a closeup of the skirt, it is with a different top:

With this top, the skirt turns into something interesting rather than the disaster it is with the top that is part of the pattern.

As the fabulous Tom & Lorenzo would say, this is definitely an “out.”