Sewing Elastic Types You tell me.... How about the sewing elastic that bunched up inside that skirt you made, so you never wear it. How about the underwear with the stretched out elastic waistband? And the bathing suit that lasted only a few months because the rubber is popping out of the elastic? So yeah, it does make a difference. What you don’t know about elastic can ruin a garment you’ve spent hours on…. When a pattern calls for elastic, it usually will state how much you need, and how wide. Sewing elastic comes in many different types, thicknesses and widths. How Sewing Elastic is made Elastic starts with a core of rubber. There are many ways that elastic is manufactured. Woven Elastics are very strong, and slightly thicker than the other elastics. Braided Elastics get narrower when stretched. Best not to sew braided elastic directly to the garment though, because it will lose its stretch. Non-Roll Elastic is especially appropriate for use in waistbands, because it stays flat when stretched. Knit Elastics
Winter Warmers Sarah and I had a Mother/Daughter sewing session this afternoon and made up some Heat Packs. Now we are finally getting some winter weather, these will be put to good use soon. It is a great project for beginner sewers as they are quick to whip up. We used left over fabric from our flannel pajamas as the flannel will make an extra cosy heat bag. We made up a few extra ones for gifts. They are basically just two rectangles of fabric sewn together. Cotton fabric, 2 pieces each measuring 28 cm x 15 cm (10 1/2 ” x 5 1/2 “) Co-ordinating ribbon or trim, 1 piece measuring 5 cm length (2 “) Wheat, 500 g Dried lavender, 2 tablespoons Matching thread Sewing machine Hand sewing needle Funnel Method: Fold the piece of ribbon in half and position it 5 cm from the corner on one of the long sides of quilting cotton, and baste in place. Use a funnel to fill the bag with 500 g wheat, and 2 tablespoons of dried lavender. Lavender Wheat Bag Use to warm up your bed or soothe aching muscles Related March 26, 2012
how to slip stitch Tailoring Thursdays™, Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Sewers Hand-stitching: The Slip Stitch So you are just about finished with your latest project and the directions read, "slip stitch opening closed." Once you mustered to pick your jaw up off of the floor, I bet you thought, I don't want to hand stitch! There is generally ONE thought regarding hand-stitching: Fear. Fear that it will be too hard, take too long, or that you just cannot do it. But, hand-stitching doesn't have to be something to fear! The slip-stitch is probably one of the more common techniques utilized in machine sewing patterns. Most often called for in bag and pillow patterns. Here are step by step photos and instructions for slip stitching. Here I have a block that needs to be finished. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Push the needle partway through the fabric and then wrap the thread behind the needle up and around the needle, 3 times. Pull the needle and thread through the winding until tight. This will give you a nice knot. 9.
How to Sew Hems by Machine - 12 Methods for Sewing HemsFreePatterns.com Reap extra dividends from your sewing machine investment by using it to stitch the hems in the things you sew. After reading this article, you’ll have the basic whys and how-tos for how to sew a dozen different sewing machine-stitched options. Yes, there is definitely a place for hand-sewn hems, but often the machine-stitched alternative looks better and is easier to execute. You’ve probably noticed machine-sewn hems are found on virtually all ready-to-wear fashions and decorator furnishings today, no matter how high the price tag. When you tap the power of the sewing machine for hemming, you’ll create a finish that’s not only polished, but quick to sew, strong and durable, too. This hem can be sewn on any straight-stitch machine model and suits a wide variety of fabrics. Finish the raw edge of the hem allowance with serging or zigzagging, or clean-finish it (turn under and press 1/4 inch, edgestitching if desired).Turn up the hem allowance width, press and pin in place.
Get Smart with Darts! The dress I am making at the moment, Butterick 2669, has one of each of the main dart types - so time for more tricks of the trade - about darts! Our flat pattern and fabric are only two dimensional, but with darts we introduce a third dimension so garments fit our body curves better. Dart Types: Basic dart - triangular in shape, eg the shoulder dart aboveContour dart - tapers at each end, eg the back waist dartsFrench dart - a combined bust and waist dart emerging from the side seam As you taper, don't be afraid to use the handwheel on your machine if you get a neater result - it's not cheating!You can shape your dart to your own body contours. Here are some dart markings on commercial patterns: Here are some dart markings on production patterns: They're a bit different aren't they? If you'd like to give this method a go, I'll show you how I adapted the dart markings for all three types of darts on my Butterick 2669 pattern: Basic darts: Clip only if necessary. Shaped basic darts:
10 Tips to Prevent Frustration When Sewing — Sew DIY 1. Research There are so many great sewing blogs out there and a lot of them share tips for specific patterns or dilemmas. Before I start any new project, I do research on what other people have to say about the pattern regarding fit and construction. It can save a lot of headaches to see what other people have done and what has or hasn’t worked for them. For example, it’s great to see if other people of a similar body type sized up or down or needed to change any other design elements. 2. A muslin (or toile) is just a test version of a pattern. By making a muslin, you’ll be able to do all the fiddly adjustments on a cheap fabric and not worry about ruining it. It’s a good idea to have fabric for making muslins on hand. 3. Before starting a new project, it’s ideal to have all of the notions and supplies ready to go. 4. Anytime you’re about to start a new project test stitches, needles, thread and seam finishes on a scrap of your fabric. 5. Is a technique just not working for you? 6. 7.
4 Serging Techniques In "Meet Your Serger", Threads #160 (April/May 2012), Pamela Leggett teaches the basics of an overlock machine. Here, she explains how to get even more out of your serger. Learn how to create simple gathers or lettuce edging with your differential control and how to precisely sew serger corners and curves. 1. Gathering lightweight to mid-weight fabrics is a breeze! 2. Lettuce edging is a sweet finish for knits and woven bias. TIP: If the stitch is not catching the fabric's edge, this is due to the fabric stretching away from the needle after the blade has made the cut. 3. For an outside corner, serge one or two stitches past the end of the corner, raise the presser foot and gently pull the thread tail off the stitch finger. The inside corner is stitched by straightening the corner. 4. An outside curve is hard to pivot around because the long presser foot holds the fabric. To stitch an inside curve straighten the curve out as you stitch.
Threading My Way: Pillowcase Tutorials Following on from my recent Pillowcases for Oncology Kids post, I thought I'd do a round up of free pillowcases tutorials I've found online. Pillowcases are super easy to sew - great for someone new to sewing - but it helps to have measurements and a quick how to. 1K+When I first started making pillowcases, I found a pillowcase tutorial, over at Flower Press. Now, a pillowcase is not hard to make, but the tutorial saved me working out the measurements myself. This particular tutorial gives measurements for Australian, UK and US standard pillowcases. Pillows vary in size from country to country. My suggestion would be to measure an existing pillow or pillowcase. I've grouped the tutorials according to countries. Case in point... Pillowcase tutorials on Australian sites... Most of the pillowcases listed above have plain seams exposed on the inside of the pillowcase. For those who would prefer a tidier inside, I've listed a few more tutorials. Do you have a favourite tutorial? ...
Shirring (elastic thread) I LOVE shirring with elastic thread! The first time I tried it I was completely hooked. It was fast. It was easy. I’ve been surprised to find out that it’s not that easy for everyone. So, peeps, I’ve done a little research to get to the bottom of the Shirring dilemma once and for all! If you are having problems with shirring there are a few things you can try before you get frustrated and through your whole project into the road. 1-What brand of sewing machine are you using? 2-Does your machine have a drop in bobbin? 3-Is your fabric Thick or Heavy? One method that you can try is- Put regular thread in the top and bobbin of your machine. I found another really great Shirring tutorial at Ruffles and Stuff. I hope that this post helps, and if you are still having problems feel free to comment.
Rag Quilts - How to make a Denim Rag Quilt | FeltMagnet Supplies Now that I had the material I had to cut all of it into blocks, I used a rolling cutter and 6" x 6" acrylic block to cut the fabric. You will also need a small pair of very sharp scissors later to snip the seam allowances. I used just my plain old sewing machine to put the blocks together, and a 100/16 size sewing needle for heavyweight fabrics. Cutting the Blocks The first thing I did was cut all the blocks. So this quilt was made 12 blocks x 14 blocks, which would be 60" wide x 70" long. But using these simple measurements you could add or take away depending on how big you want your quilt to be. Arrange the Blocks Once all the material is cut up into blocks, you will then want to lay out each row the way you want the material to show. Lay out one row of twelve of the backing fabric, with right sides of fabric facing down. Do this at 10 rows of 12 blocks, So looking at it you should have all blocks to be one backing fabric and one denim. Sew Blocks Together Sew Rows Together
Shirring: a Tutorial! *Since there were so many requests for this tutorial after the Ruffled Scarf post, I thought I would post one on the main page, so no one misses it! But you can also find it in the "Sew Basic" section* There are many shirring tutorials out there. And a lot of them have different ideas on tension, thread length, how tightly to wind the bobbin, etc. So, in preparation for this tutorial, I tried it every way I could possibly think of! Most of the time, I saw little difference in the end results. To shirr, all you need are three things: Fabric, thread to match your fabric, and elastic thread! 1: When first cutting your fabric, remember that your piece will be about half the size when finished, but with lots of stretch. 2: Then wind your bobbin by hand. Continue to thread it through the bobbin's thread guides, just as you would with regular thread, using regular thread on top! 3: At the beginning of your first row, do a couple of backstitches, to secure the stitches. A back view:
Easy Flannel Burp Cloths Tutorial | making good choices These flannel burp cloths make a wonderful baby gift. They’re easy to make, and while they are a practical item they are a lot of fun when sewn up in unique flannel prints – the possibilities are endless! The curved shape helps them stay on your shoulder during burping, and also allows them to wrap around baby’s neck to act as a bib. In addition to your usual sewing notions and thread, to make these burp cloths you will need: Flannel – You can get 2 complete burp cloths out of a half yard of flannel if you’re using the same fabric for front and back. Batting – I like to use Warm & Natural cotton batting. Pattern – You can download my pattern piece here. Cut out one piece of flannel for the front and one for the back. Sandwich the pieces like so – batting followed by flannel pieces right sides together on top. Clip the seam allowance to 1/8″, leaving the seam allowance as-is around the inside curve. Fold the .25″ seam allowance inside the burp cloth along the inside curve and pin. Related
Stitch Elastic in the Round Without Quarter Pinning I made a new suit to celebrate warmer weather! Actually, I decided to work on the stash of cut-out garments I didn't manage to finish last summer.... But it feels like a celebration anyway! The pattern for this suit (Ottobre 3-2011-30) gives a measurement for the entire length of elastic needed for neckhole, armholes, and leg openings, but doesn't separate those lengths. Now about that quarter pinning. Maybe all you real sewists out there have already figured this out. How to Sew Elastic in the Round Without Quarter Pinning (or Even Marking): (Before you start, put away your pincushion.) Step 1: Determine the length of elastic you need and stitch it into a circle. Step 2: Align the seam in the elastic with a convenient point on the garment, such as a seam. Step 3: Zigzag the two points together for a little ways. Here I'm zigzagging my elastic to the inside of the swimsuit leg opening. Step 5: With your other hand, pinch a point midway between your hand and the needle.
The Easiest Way to Repair a Split Zipper | Man Made DIY | Crafts for Men | Keywords: zipper, diy, fix, clothing It happens to the best of us. On a jacket, pair of jeans, backpack. Zippers are moving parts, and as the ManMade Fourth law of physics goes, anything with moving parts will eventually wear out or break. But, no worries. When a zipper splits, you don't need to toss your goods. This tip comes from Danni Trestor, author of our DIY Tailor series. Okay, the zipper. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Is your fix a little more complicated?