Sewing Vloggers

Friday, October 31, 2014

"I want to go home..........."

said Dorothy as she clicked the heels of her ruby red slippers together!

We had so much fun at the library today with our costumes and patrons. I am blessed to work with the most wonderful women.  Here are my friends, left to right, Mary "If you give a  mouse a cookie", Moi, as Dorothy from the" Wizard of Oz", Sue as the "Paperbag Princess" and Tammy, as a "Baseball hero".  That's a real Cincinatti Reds shirt she has on!


Back to real work tomorrow.

This getup was some serious down and dirty sewing. I thought to do Dorothy as I knew I had miles of blue gingham in the stash. Don't ask! The puffy sleeved cotton shirt was rescued from the donate pile and trimmed with blue ricrac. DD #2 donated Toto and his carrying basket and an overdue haircut contributed to some really short pig tails. All in all it was great fun that had me at the machine nightly the past three nights. Done,now! Hope you enjoyed fun in your corner of the world as well. Isn't that what it's all about? .......Bunny and back to regular sewing this weekend!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Dorothy is almost ready!

My ruby red slippers are ready for their one day of fame!



More to come! The garments are done, just have to manage the hair!...Bunny

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Vogue 1385, a Felted Wool Jacket begins


The muslin is cut and marked and ready for me to give it attention. I will be using Vogue 1385, a Sandra Betzina pattern. I found it critical to muslin this design. Some years back I had a bad experience with the fit of the SB patterns and have not used them since. This is despite my liking many of the designs. Betzina's patterns are based on her own sloper, not the one used by the Big Four. My understanding is that it is geared toward a more mature body, whatever that means. Either way, I wanted to know what I needed to do to make her designs work for me as I like quite a few of them. So I cut the pattern out exactly as drawn for what she calls a size C. Her sizing uses letter designations . The waists seem bigger in proportion to the hips and bust of the Big Four. My previous issue was with the upper chest and sleeves so we will see what happens. Do I petite the pattern? Do an FBA? We'll see and that is why this muslin is really important  and cut exactly to the pattern size. I want to know how her sizing works for me so that hopefully I can do the same alterations each time I use one of her designs.


I love this blouse/jacket. The neckline is very flattering and the versions I have seen on the web are awesome, particularly the one made by Shams  and this beauty  from Margy. I will use the darted version for a bit more shape But I do like the way Shams's hangs without the darts. My goal is to have a soft sweatery jacket to wear at work. The fabric is wool gabardine that I have felted which gave it a really nice hand. 


IRL, the fabric is not so heathery looking, more of a jewel tone. Felted wool can be cut and it won't ravel. This has major impact on facings, seams, etc. There will be no facings on this jacket. I have a specific idea for how I will handle all the darts. I think seams may be lapped. Haven't worked that out yet. Felted wool is usually a quick sew as it requires nearly no traditional finishing. But it does require some thought put into how you will dart and seam and face so this should be fun. I love a challenge. I am going to reference some of the ideas I used in the jacket that was published in Threads. 

My grey rayon knit top is completely done and I like it. I added a flounce on each side of the garment which I like. Pics to come probably over the weekend. This is a hectic week with work responsibilities so your patience is appreciated......Bunny  

Monday, October 27, 2014

NLS #4, Pattern Talk , updated 3/21/2019

Let's start with the actual pattern envelope. There is so much to be gleaned from this little package. The front of the pattern will give you the Pattern number, which can belong to more than one company or even be used more than once by the same pattern company! For whatever reason the numbers seem to be recycled which a google image search clearly shows as well. If the pattern is a designer pattern, like the one below, their name will be on the front. Different versions of the garment are shown, each having it's own letter designation. Some are drawn. Others are photos. The letter is important for following the cutting layouts and instructions inside the envelope.  But here is what I really want to impress on you. Before sinking money into a pattern purchase, look at the photos REALLY CLOSELY.   Notice below view B is no where near as full as the other views, but the other three views show lots of volume in the sides and back. Do you want the voluminous look or the more shape hugging look? 

This is when you have to flip over the pattern and look closely at the technical drawing, also known as line art or schematic. Are they all the same volume and maybe the collar or closure is what's different? The tech drawings will give you much more information than any model pic on the front. The front picture gives you clues. The tech drawing gives you reality.



We can see all these vests have the same volume in their technical drawings and it is the way the photo is styled that makes them look different! Or is it Photoshop, or maybe even clamps at the back of View B? The line drawing also shows the separate pieces that are necessary to make this garment. and their seamlines. It's hard to see  that in the photo. Beware photos with print fabrics!

Pull your pattern out of the drawer, if your store lets you, and really look closely at both the photos and line drawings to see what  you are getting. I don't hesitate to pull the directions out of the package to make sure I see what I am getting. 



This is the Donna Karan dress I recently made into a jumper for myself. I did not look at the pattern closely enough. The bodice on this dress has issues that are clearly visible but I was so taken with the design I did not see them. Love is blind and it applies to patterns and their buyers too.

The little black arrow is pointing to the diagonal wrinkles. This woman has no bust to make those wrinkles.  My garment didn't get the diagonal wrinkles until I wore it a few times. The bodice is cut on the bias. There is huge volume in the lined skirt and therefore heavy and pulling weight on those bias straps. This could have easily been solved with some fusible interfacing to counterbalance the bias and weight making those wrinkles. There are no instructions in the pattern to interface this area. Do you see how on the left side of the dress here hair is covering them up? Beware of hair being pulled around to the front and over the shoulders to hide fit issues. Children's patterns are particularly notorious for this. Read these pictures and lines!  ( I still love my jumper!) Look for gaping, wrinkles, questionable hair placement, arm folding,   how low sleeveless armholes are, etc.... Really analyze the photos. Last year I took a class in photoshop. I will never trust a photo again!

The models used are generally stick thin, beautiful women. They are "selling the sizzle". We need to see beyond the sizzle and ask, is this a really good design and will it work on my own body? If the model looks "hippy" in the photo and hips are your styling concern, you can bet the farm it will look even more hippy on a real woman with glorious hips.  (Feel free to call your own wide hips glorious as I do mine.) We all need to be more objective in our pattern purchases. If it's for kids, how are the sleeves hanging? Is the crotch dragging? Where is the shoulder line? Buyers beware. 

Some garments on pattern envelopes do not fit the model well at all and it shows.  Do you love the pattern enough and have the skills to make the pattern work with alterations? If so go for it.  If you are a bit squeamish about your skill set, look very closely at the fit on the perfect body of the model. If it has issues with her, it will definitely have issues with a real woman and move on.  Don't buy it unless you are up to a challenge and then, make a muslin first!



According to McCalls Pattern's blog, this post,   you are seeing the actual designer garment in the photo on the cover of any of their designer patterns. 



On the back of the pattern you will always find a description of the garment. It almost always starts with something like "loose-fitting" or "fitted" or some other words of how the garment fits the wearer. If  this is confusing, and it is mysterious for sure, in the back of the pattern catalogs and on the websites of the Big Four you can find "ease" charts which well tell you exactly what that description means in inches of ease in the garment. I highly recommend you check that out when pattern shopping.  These ease charts are specific to the pattern company so don't cross reference them. This ease business is critical to the fit of the garment. If I am making what is described as a "semi-fitted" jacket, that means there will be 4 3/8 to 5 3/4 inches of extra room in the bust area of the jacket. That does not include any additional ease added in by the designer for his/her design. So my 37 inch bust can have a jacket that is over 42 inches wide in the bust. Do you see where this is going? So if I bought a pattern by my bust size (don't do that, nuther story, nuther post), this thing would be huge!!! In my many years of sewing I have found that 95% of fit complaints about the Big Four result in a misunderstanding of Fit Ease, Design Ease and Pattern Description words. I highly suggest Nancy Zieman's books on fitting, any of them and there is information on her site as well on getting the proper size Big Four pattern. I've never run into the issues others have with "huge" patterns from the Big Four since learning how to buy the proper size from Zieman. 


There are suggestions for fabrics on the back of the pattern. A few years back I had reason to get involved with customer service at I think Simplicity.  They answered my question about my pattern and then we had a nice discussion. I learned from that conversation that the first fabric listed on the pattern is the one the designer used to make the original garment as well as the fabric that is used in the photo on the front of the envelope.  Suggested fabrics are really important to follow. Two things always stand out to me as the sign of an inexperienced sewist, lack of  ironing and the wrong fabric for the pattern design. Read the fabrics listed, ask the store clerk for help or look at the more detailed fabric descriptions on line. Don't stray from the suggested fabrics until you have at least worked the design out in the specified fabrics.  Getting fabric to work with the pattern is one of the toughest things to do in sewing and it can take years to acquire that skill. Let the pattern help you. Follow it's suggestions. 

Notions are listed on the back of the patterns of the Big Four, not necessarily on all the Indies. It's nice to come home with everything you need to start your project so this list is worth looking at. On this Sandra Betzina pattern I am currently working on the pattern actually tells me  what to get for notions, specifically.  


Not all patterns get this specific with the notions list but I like how Betzina's patterns do. 

Also on most patterns are finished garment measurements. I can't tell enough how important this is. If you are not the standard 5'6", B-cup body that the pattern has been sized for,  you can now look at the finished garment measurements, measure the pattern pieces as they are laid out flat and compare to your own. This is where that amount of ease and the word description of the fit gets meaning. You will learn what will need adjustment. 

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Let's discuss differences in patterns. There are the Big Four: Simplicity, Vogue, McCalls, Butterick.  (As of 2019, Simplicity is now owned by BMV, therefore, now the Big Five)  My understanding is the Big Four all use the same sloper based on measurements taken many years ago from many women across the country. The book "Overdressed" gets into exactly this. If you know the alterations you need to make to get a garment to fit you well, you can usually do them to any of the Big Four and get the same results. Nancy Zieman says there is no difference in their slopers and I have read that elsewhere as well. I know many sewists feel there is. My personal experience agrees that there is none. I can do the same alterations for my shape to all of them and get the same results. 

There are also Indie patterns, as in Independent, not associated with the Big Four. Indie patterns run the gamut from very professional designs by trained and educated pattern makers to the most basic design for a child that a SAHM mom has had success with and now markets through her blog.  Here are some of the differences I see:

* Big Four patterns can often, in the U.S., be purchased for as little as 99 cents on a regular basis. PDF and paper Indie patterns can run from some promotional freebies out there on the web  to 32.00., like one I saw the other day, a wide variation. 

* Big Four patterns are almost always on thin tissue paper which some use to fit directly on the body. Marfy and Sandra Betzina patterns, part of the Vogue family, are the exception, using better quality papers. Indie patterns, depending on the designer,  are often available only in PDF format which you download, tape together and either trace or cut out. Some Indies  put out paper patterns as well. PDFs are generally less expensive than paper patterns. 

*Big Four patterns subscribe to the same measurements for their slopers. If you learn to fit one, you can fit them all, and I can personally attest to that. Many will tell you that only Vogue fits, or they only have to adjust such and such on Simplicity but I really think it is more the nature of the design, not the sloper that they all share. (See my thoughts above on ease and fit wordds.)  Many are introducing patterns with different bodice pieces for different cup sizes, Hoorah! Indie patterns are often geared to a specific body shape, which I think is wonderful, as well. Some are designed for C cup bra wearers. Some are designed for the "Petite Plus"  or the "pear" and so on. There are many variations you can seek out for your specific fitting challenges with the Indies. Just be aware of these differences. If you are slim hipped and buying a pattern designed specifically for a "pear" you will have to make adjustments. 

*Big Four pattern companies have access to the big name designers. Cynthia Rowley is one of my favorites but there are so many. You can literally follow the runway shows and see the designs come out in patterns not too much later.  Indies are designed by themselves, so there is a wide range of ability and experience and name recognition. Many designs are redundant, just think tee shirts and pencil skirts! However the Indie world has great industry trained and educated designers providing us with designs that are innovative, flattering and well drafted as well.

* Big Four patterns have those technical drawings. Some Indies have them, some don't. I know many Indie aficionados who will not buy them any more unless there is a technical drawing, front and back!

* Big Four patterns aren't hand holders and may not give all the instruction a newbie sewist may need. But most of the Big Four have patterns specifically aimed at the beginning sewist now, so those are worth checking out. This is when a great sewing book comes into play. I've made a few Very Easy Very Vogues and liked them. Do you know why they have that name? It is because of the limited number of pattern pieces. They are not necessarily easy as they can have welt pockets, plackets, etc, but just a few pieces.  Some of the indie patterns are really good at the hand holding type instructions and assume the sewist needs every bit of instruction along the way. Not all are like this but I think those that are are really filling a niche and I applaud them. 

* I would advise any and all to check out the pattern they are interested in on Pattern Review, be it Indie or Big Four.  PR has over 450,000 sewing members and I would venture most have done a review at least once.  They have every pattern company imaginable on the site. Search out the opinions. If five people have made a pattern and each one had the shoulders hang too low, well, watch out for those shoulders! It's a fabulous resource!

* The Big Four all have websites and Facebook pages. Many of the Indies have sites and FB pages as well but quite a few of the children's designs are marketed through blogs as opposed to a separate business site so may be more difficult to find. 
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About sizing: Pattern sizing has absolutely nothing to do with ready to wear clothing sizes, ever! 

This is the most important thing you need to know about a pattern. Big Five patterns are made for a 5'6" tall woman who wears a B cup bra. You don't wear a B cup? Fully expect that any pattern won't fit well until you learn to do a Full  or Smaller Bust Adjustment for your cup size. It won't fit, I tell ya, until you do. 

Not 5'6"? Big Four patterns all have adjustment lines in the bodice and skirts and pants legs to lengthen or shorten and even lines to "petite" the pattern. It won't fit correctly until you make these adjustments. Some of you know I am petite and in my tutorials are lessons on petiting a pattern. I also run through this with each garment I make and post on the blog.

Sewing is Fitting. I read somewhere that there is only one woman in a thousand who has the same figure as Barbie. I would venture that the odds are even higher in reality. But I think the odds of anyone buying a pattern, cutting it out and sewing it as printed and having it fit perfectly are just as high as the Barbie odds. If you want to sew, fully, fully expect to make alterations to get your garment to fit. Sewing is Fitting. 

There is sooooo much more about Patterns that I want to share so I may do another chapter of this next week. I think we need to get into the actual tissue and that could be fun. I have a few tricks regarding that part. This post has been pretty much expository, but it sets the groundwork for what is to come with using patterns and sewing. Below the pic I have printed some lingo you may find when dealing with patterns.........Bunny

photo courtesy asewingjournal.com

Some lingo:

the Big Four---this is the term for the four major pattern companies in the US. They are McCall's, Butterick, Vogue and Simplicity. Today McCall's,  Butterick and Vogue are one company and Simplicity is its own separate company. (Now the Big Five with Simplicity under the umbrella.)

BMV---Butterick, McCalls and Vogue, again, the same company

McVoguerick---same as above.

KS----Kwik Sew patterns, reknown for their great knit and undie patterns

Simplicity---. The Simplicity Creative Group owns New Look patterns as well as other needlework related companies. They are currently owned by the Vogue/McCall family.

Burda---European pattern company. Their paper patterns are available in the US at the chains. Those have seam allowances included. They are also available in their magazine, without seam allowances.

Burda magazine---Published in several languages in Europe, including English,and available here. There are many patterns in each issue. The patterns are "nested" with all sizes and styles on a few sheets that must be traced in the proper size to make the pattern. Direction assume you know certain techniques and they are therefore not mentioned. Directions are chancey and patterns have no seam allowances included.

Marfy - Hand cut designer patterns from Italy that are fabulous and come with NO directions. They are under the Vogue umbrella and are famously drafted well.

Indies----These are pattern companies unaffiliated with the previously  mentioned companies. There are many and more new Indies every day, Indies as in "independent".

OOPs---These are Out Of Print patterns. You may be able to pick them up from Ebay or Etsy but often they are still available on the pattern company's website.

Technical drawings--- These are the line drawings on the back and inside of the patterns of the big four. They show the details/seams  without the distraction of fabric prints or body posing by the model. They are found on all of the Big Four patterns  but only some of the Indies. I find them critical to making my decision to buying and making the pattern. They are sometimes called "line art" or "schematics".

Views---These are the garments shown on the front of the pattern envelope.They have letter designations and each vary somewhat from the other. These letters need to be matched up to the  fabric amount needed on the back of the patterns for the style chosen In order to have the right amount of yardage




Saturday, October 25, 2014

Why I write

Mrs. Mole of Fit for a Queen  , who I admire totally, has nominated me for the blog hop meming it's way around the sewing community right now. I don't usually do memes but I think the questions that are asked are really interesting and get a bit of our personalities out there. Here are my answers to the meme questions:

1. Why do I write?

I really enjoy the craft of writing. It doesn't have to be sewing related and my occasional "story" posts show that side. I like going over my words and tweaking and  changing until I feel that what I want to express is clear. I am really into "clear". Hopefully my instructions and posts show that. 


I also write  to share "real" sewing. You'll see me share the mistakes, the misfits, the embarrassments and how I persistently  change them to wearable. I think it's important to show "real" sewing among bloggers. So many blogs are written with the final glory shots and no clue that the blogger had any difficulty in construction. I think it is important to the continuation of this craft to show how mistakes and slip ups can be overcome and that even someone who has sewn a long time has these issues. By sharing them I hope I inspire less experienced sewists to power through for the final results which are always worthy, no matter who makes them. So I write to share the struggle.


I also write to be part of a community of like minded people who share my passion. I live in a village of 352 people up near the Canadian border. I have searched and searched and while our area abounds with quilters, finding a garment sewist nearby has not given me any results yet. I keep trying, using social media, local quilt shops, etc, but I am so outnumbered up here. 


2. How is my blog different from others of the same genre?


There are a few ways my blog is distinguished from others:


* "Real"  sewing is what I show. You see me power through the challenges, tapping into my "toolbox" of skills to hopefully turn around  what could be  wadders.  I ruminate and ponder, sometimes for  a few days, before I see solutions but eventually they come.  And sometimes readers help me find the right solution as well and I so appreciate that. 


* I try to be really clear with the processes I show. Please tell me if I am not.  I try to  blog like blogs I like to read, where process is shown clearly and logically and I get to learn something. Hopefully I am accomplishing that here. 


* I am not afraid  of controversy.  While those posts are the rarity,   I do think certain topics  are critical to the growth and continuation of this art  and should be  discussed as a community. They are far from my reason for blogging, however. I am just passionate about quality sewing and its artistic merit  and it spills over now and then. 


* I invite constructive criticism and suggestions and tips that may be different than my own methods. I so appreciate when commenters  teach me something new. Thank you to all of you who have done this, and there are many.  I don't know it all and am always open to suggestion;


3. What am I working on right now? 


Today I will hem my rayon knit top, a grey textured opaque fabric. I hope to get pics up soon. Fighting for my attention and the prize of being the next project are a few things:


     * a total outfit consisting of black pants, a black pinafore (if you can imagine that) and a flow-y cream colored shirt to wear with it. This idea has been driving me nuts so it may win the race. I finally have my black fabric which is a rayon ponte.


     * A piece of purple/royal blue-ish  wool gabardine has felted beautifully.  I need some soft jackets for work and this will be the ticket. I haven't firmed up on a pattern yet. 


     * a blue and white gingham pinafore and white blouse for this Friday!!!! I've agreed to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween. We are all dressing as various book characters for the day. I see some ridiculous pictures coming up for what forces me to make it my next project. \


     * I continue to play with my beads  and jewelry, some smocked. This is serious newbie play and not worthy of showing yet and since I don't know what I am doing will wait for any posts on these projects. 


4. What is my writing process?


First, my camera is always next to me. At this point, my  brain is on auto pilot and I grab the camera every time I do an interesting technique or work out a challenge. Final pics are either by my hubby or the  tripod. He is getting better at it.

At the end of the day I load my pics, review them, crop if necessary, watermark them but other than fiddling with the brightness, not adjusted further. It would be fun to remove circles under my eyes and slim my hips but I don't have those skills!  See "real" sewing comments.

I review  the pics, write down the ones I will use on a list and then open blogger. The pics trigger what I want to say and I start writing. Sometimes I write ahead and just click the post to publish on the day I want to. Other times I work it through to completion and click publish. The pics are my triggers unless I am writing one of my "stories" or commenting on a subject, but even those usually have pics.  After written I go over and over previewing the post and looking for better ways to get my thoughts across. I look up my links and make those connections. Yesterday I was blown away by a new to me blog that the writer maybe didn't know how to use spell check or write clearly. It was very confusing and distracting to read and I don't want that to happen here. An occasional unconscious typo will appear but I try to weed out the errors and edit my posts before publishing.


This is how I write and why I write, a question I've never been asked so thank you Mrs. Mole. I teach blogging classes in our local "big city", certainly not my village, and the first thing I ask my students is "why do you want to blog?"  Then I give them reasons why people blog. I will spare you the entire opening of my class but today there seem to be two kinds of blogs which can be broken into a lot of subsets. The family tree starts with monetized and non-monetized blogs marrying and then proliferates into many interesting offspring from there. No matter the type of blog, it needs to be driven by passion and consistence as a blogger's readers come to depend on a certain regularity or they move on. Lose the passion, lose the reader. Thanks again, Jo, for passing the torch along. Now to move this chain letter along......Bunny







Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Butterick 5387


I had to go digging in the resource center for some of the miles of blue gingham hiding there this past weekend. Seems I am going to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween. I had the blouse and will add the needed blue ricrac trim. DD gave me a tiny basket with Toto to walk around with. Old black flats will become ruby red slippers and a gingham pinafore, to be constructed by next Friday,  will hopefully tie it all together. We are all dressing as book characters for the day on Halloween and Dorothy seemed pretty easy, except for the hair, but I will figure something out. Do yo see those bias straps on this pinafore? 

Anyhoo, digging back there sure got my sewjo mojo boiling. I found all sorts of things to inspire. If you saw the Pin Post you may have noticed the egg cups full of pins were sitting on a really  lovely fabric. This is the purple/blue wool gabardine that I felted. It took two washes and dry on the hottest settings but now I am really happy with the felting. I need jackets for work. Blazers and more structured jackets will not work as I and my comrades do a lot of reaching and stretching and carrying of books. I need something closer to a sweater than a structured jacket. A felted wool jacket will be great. I have a pattern picked out but it's a real stretch to get where I want that wool to go so I will start with a muslin. There are only three pieces and the construction really lends itself to the wool. I will reach into my bag of tricks to see what I need to make this felt look it's unique best. I will keep you in suspense on the pattern because I think you will say, "wha?"  I hope to make it work and fingers crossed. 


This  lovely lady is Mary Ray, accomplished sewist, teacher and member of the editorial staff at Threads magazine. From the first time I saw her top I knew I wanted one just like it. On the Threads site she actually goes into the method used for her sweet top. It's a method I've used a few times involving fusible tricot and random folding of tucks. I love the look and had total plans to make this. Then last week I walked into Joanns clearance sale and there was this rayon knit that looked pretty darn close. I bought. I started. I decided to make something rather close fitting from a favorite knit top pattern, Butterick 5387. The neckline is not easy but the three times I've made it I've somehow gotten it to work, despite the directions. Here's my last  version:

I like the shape and the way it fits. But now that I have it halfway finished and hanging on Ms. Dumdum I really like the look of that textured fabric just draping.

 So now I am playing with the idea of adding 1/4 circle godets into the side seams. Ideas are still gelling on this one but I won't do the more fitted top. This fabric is quite sheer. Being rayon it also has a really nice drape so I have to take advantage of that. At this point I have the neckline completed, the worst part, so the godets will be next, maybe french seams, We'll see. So what I thought would be a two hour turnaround has become another sewing event! I'll keep you posted.



I have to say,  this was one biatch to get sewing on. The fabric was more slippery than a two year old's spilled bottle of bubble soap. It was like sewing air. But I think it will be worth it. I am also going to make a nude cami for underneath. I have a couple but I want something a bit more comfortable and have a couple of ideas.

So that is one project. The blue felted wool jacket will be another and a third couple of fabrics that inspired me are these:

One is a cotton damask I dyed myself  and have never quite known what to do with it other than admire. The lower fabric is a great knit for a skirt. We'll see how this ends up!
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Thank you to all who have participated in the Monday sewing series. Your ideas, suggestions and experiences have been so helpful to all readers. Thanks, again. 

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I am reading the most awesome sewing book, one new to me. I can't wait to share it all with you. 

.............Bunny

Monday, October 20, 2014

NLS #3, Needles and Pins, where it all begins.

OK, be honest here, when is the last time you changed the needle in your sewing machine? Ah, Mon Dieu! You've never changed it? Excuse me while I run to get the smelling salts..........


I'm back! Such tiny little items like pins and needles that can be so cute, so sharp, so useful, important and sooooo painful if you get stuck with one.  Are there differences in pins? You bet! There are tons of "cute" pins which could be kind of sweet tucked in a hat. You can find loads on Etsy that are made by some very talented craftspeople. They make nice stocking stuffers for sewing friends. While they  are really cute, they are not too practical other than they are harder to lose. You won't find those suckers hiding in the carpet!  Seriously......there are all sorts of pins so let's see what we have here. 


I call these fork pins. So does Clover! Would you believe they are 10.99 for 35 pins at Joann's and 5.99 for the same amount at Wawak?   And why would you need  fork pins? Matching plaids, lining up seamlines for stitching across, getting that waistline seam to match across the zipper. They have great holding power and you will wonder how you lived without them. They are very handy.



Then there are silk pins. There are two kinds, cheap, lousy silk pins and good strong silk pins that will last you years. On the left you can see Dritz silk pins. They bend and nothing is more frustrating than reaching for a pin and getting a bent piece of crap. On the right is a box I picked up at Claire Shaeffer's "store". They are from Clotilde who, sadly, I don't think is in business any longer. But you can get Iris pins which are similar and have a great reputation. They are available from Nancy's Notions. When do you use silk pins,aka, super fine pins? They are great for delicate fabrics like silk organza, organdy or handkerchief linen when a larger pin might leave a hole. When using delicate fabrics its a good habit to pin in the seam allowance. Pins can and will mark delicate fabrics. These pins are not what you use when making jeans, wool coats, etc. They are just too fine and usually  a bit shorter than other pins. Then there are glass head silk pins, too.............


On the left are glass head silk pins. Why these? Glass heads can be ironed over without melting the little head. But these, by Dritz also are pretty weak and bend and frustrate. But their little blue heads make me smile so I keep them around. Glass heads come on nearly every type of pin, making them great to have on hand for those hot ironing moments. Annie's craft store carries a big selection  glass headed IBC pins, the brand Clothilde sold.

The pins on the right are my basic go to pin for most projects that aren't delicate. They have plastic heads but I don't make a habit of ironing over pins. That can sometimes leave indentations that won't come out after so I just don't do it. So why would I want thes big headed, longer than normal pins? Because they are easy to see and their length gives them great holding strength! They also show right up on the floor when they fall. They are quite strong and work well for heavier projects like coats and jeans and such. I use them a lot. Most importantly, they stack up nicely in my egg cups and make me smile when I look at them. But they are little work horses. On to that more interesting subject.............................needles!

If you are one of those who never changes your needle in the machine, for shame! Maybe you are lucky and never have pulled threads from a dull old needle with a blunt hole or a burr on the shaft. Maybe you can sew rayon knit with a number 12 universal needle that's 3 years old. Maybe you have a superneedle that is enchanted and will never break no matter what you sew. None of those thing apply to me or most sewists. Different fabrics need different needles.


There are all sorts of needles in many many different sizes. Most of my sewing is done with a Microtex needle, Size 11. I rarely rarely use a universal needle anymore for anything. The rest of my sewing uses HS stretch needles. They are great on knits and vinyls and faux leathers. Ever sew faux leather? I don't own a roller foot or teflon foot. Instead I have a bottle of "Sewer's Aid" a silicone lubricant for sewing. I put the tiniest film of the stuff on my finger and rub down the needle shaft, the bottom of the presser foot, and the needle plate, The faux leather flies through beautifully and makes a very nice stitch as well. A bottle will last for years. But make sure you use that HS needle for your fauxs. 

My needle box sideways for easier reading for you. 

There are so many different needles and using the right one will make your sewing so much less frustrating and your stitch quality that much better. A disclaimer here: I do not do any machine embroidery. that has it's own special needles, Organs and titaniums and other such that I know nothing about. You will have to find that info elsewhere. If you don't know that you may need a different needle for your latest project you might want to invest in either Sandra Betzina's "More Fabric Savvy" or Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Guide. You look up the fabric and they tell you exactly what needle, thread and stitch to use. Both are wonderful resources and that's where I learned to use the HS needle for the vinyls and fauxs. 

Once you start buying those various needles, you need to organize them. I keep mine in a 7 day pill dispenser. Make sure you bring one of your Schmetz needle cases with you when shopping for your  pill organizer. It doesn't fit in most but if you keep looking you will find one. I got mine I think at WM. Some mailing labels and a bit of time in Word got me the labels. This organizer is right next to my machine reminding me to use the proper needle and change it often. How often is that? Some say every 8 hours of sewing. I put in a new needle with each garment.  You can stock up on those 50% off sales at the chains. 

Listen to your needle, really! They will talk to you. Before you start any new garment do some stitch samples with the scraps. Make a sample with your chosen needle and stitch away. Listen carefully. If the needle makes a click or pop or sticks and moves the fabric up and down, or just sounds "heavier", you need a different size needle or a different kind. I don't think I have used a ball point needle in 20 years and I haven't missed it at all. Those will often make the tiny little pop sound. That means they are to fat for your fabric and you need something sharper, a universal or microtex.  Today I worked on a top of almost sheer rayon knit. I thought for sure my microtex 11 would be perfect. Wrong! the fabric and thread would get sucked down into the bobbin case, the machine would lock up and threads would break and jam around the bobbin mechanism. I changed to a straight stitch foot, no good. I stitched on Solvy, no help. But when I changed to a Size 11 HS stretch needle, Alleluia! Momma's happy. Your machine, fabric and thread will all affect how your needle choice works and often I have to try a couple of needles on my samples before I get the stitch I want. 



I like to do heirloom pin stitching. Some use a wing needle for this application. I prefer a size 18 sharp needle. I find the wing, which is very sharp on it's edges, can cut delicate fabrics and the round shaft of the universal or microtex needle will make a big hole and not damage the delicate heirloom fabric. I know some disagree with me and that's OK. 

Schmetz has a great site to give you much more technical information on needles than I know and I think it is good to take a read of it. Their Learning Center is loaded with info, a bit dry reading but expert knowledge from those who know needles best. 


Did you think I would forget the hand needle? Heck no!  This little box above measure about 3x5 inches, a tiny tote! I've turned it into a little file cabinet of sorts  for my hand needles. If you sew, quilt, embroider, do heirloom sewing, you need ALL SORTS of hand needles and keeping track of them can get messy. This system has worked well for me. 


Milliner's are my go to for sewing bullions. Bullions are such fun to sew! That big file in the front is all embroidery needles, different sizes for different threads. I use to do a lot of crewel and have tons of crewel needles. There is a hand sewing needle for every sort of stitching imaginable and using the right needle will make it all easier to stitch and give you better results. If you've ever hand quilted you know how a tiny quilting needle will give  you the  most even small stitches. Those itsy bitsy needles, whatever kind they are, or needles with tiny eyes like milliner's and darning needles, can be intimidating. Use them. It takes a bit of getting used to a "different" kind of needle but your improved results will make the effort worthwhile. 

Have trouble threading those multi ply or thicker threads or just have plain old aging eyes? Here's a way, one I learned when I did lots of embroidery, that can make threading your needle a bit easier. In the last post we discussed threading the needle as it comes off the spool. But what do you do if the thread is thick or several plies? Do you lick it and shove it through and all the little fibers go this way and that  and one odd sibling ply refuses to enter they eye? This method has served me well when using regular thread and needles as well. 


Give your thread a nice sharp cut. Lick if the plies are flying every which way. Then with your left hand squeeze the thread between your thumb and index finger, really tightly. You just want to see a tiny dot of thread. While still pinching tightly, shove the eye of the needle on top of thread and push down. Done!


Here you see the final obvious results with the thread pushed through the eye of the needle. Due to the lack of a third hand, which would be nice to have when sewing, I couldn't take the picture while shoving on the needle, but trust me, it works. 

Pins and needles are not the most thought provoking topic of sewing but they are one of the most important tools we use. Get to know them and what they can do for you. Your sewing will improve, your frustration level will lower, and your results with be worth it. .....Bunny






Monday, October 13, 2014

Let's Talk Thread, NLS #2



Welcome to Next Level Sewing #2. What is more basic to sewing than thread? Yet using it well can definitely add a bit of polish to your garment. These are simple skills that you won't find in a pattern and if lucky will stumble upon on the internet. I've tried to gather them together here for a more cohesive lesson for you.  If you have any questions or would like to share your experience please feel free to do so in the comments. There is a definite dirth of info on the web about thread.


Thread from the spool.   Whenever handstitching, always thread your needle the way it comes from the spool. Cutting a length of thread, letting it fall in a loopy situation on your work table, and then picking up any cut end is not a good habit. By feeding the leading cut end of the thread into your needle and knotting the end that is closest to the spool you eliminate aggravating knots and kinks. Thread is made with a twist. When you thread the needle with the end that is closest to the spool you are constantly fighting the natural twist and it is a battle between you and the thread's urge to get back in line with it's twist. Guess who's going to win?

Want to make your handsewing a bit couture? If your handstitching is for finishing, like a hemline or buttonhole, run your thread through a piece of beeswax. Beeswax is available from any of the chains. Then pass the thread under a warm iron to meld the wax into the thread. I would not use this technique for heirloom sewing of lightweight fabrics but it is wonderful for finishing hems on anything wool or more tailored like a jacket. When I iron the thread I do it over a few layers of scrap fabric. I don't want that wax to telegraph to the ironing board cover where it will later be released while ironing something else, not good. So do this over a towel or a few layers of cotton scraps.

Thanks to the late Anita Boucher who taught me this 25 years ago when she saw me thread my first needle for hand stitching a quilt! The end of twisting, knotting thread was glorious!


Knot those puppies!  In the past few months I have seen two very well known sewing teachers topstitch a pocket and just snip the threads off at the corners when done. No, people, No! Once this garment is washed, and in both cases seen it was washable  jeans and pants, I promise you those unknotted threads will pop out and fray. Then the pocket or whatever will come lose from it's stitching and in no time that garment you put all that effort into will look like Walmart's latest fast fashion after a run through the washing machine. Again, not good.





How to do this correctly? Simple. I always keep a pincushion next to the machine with a couple of crewel needles in it. Why crewel needles? They have big eyes and are quick and easy to thread. I don't want to futz with needle threading while at the machine so make it as easy as possible.  When finished stitching a seam, one that is on that outside and will show, leave about 8 inches of thread before cutting. One thread, the bobbin thread, will already be  on the back. The other is on the top and gets threaded with the crewel needle. Run that thread through to the back of the garment in a way that looks  like another normal stitch . Once on the back do a square knot  with the two threads. Square knot? Right over left, left over right. Clip the threads now.  A more couture finish?  Run the threads between the garment and come back up on the wrong side about an inch away. Clip them  to keep the ends hidden. You now have your threads tied off and your beautiful topstitching will hold up to cleaning and look good for a long time. To make my point here I sewed up a simple pocket, a la quick, and on the right  side I tied the topstitching threads to the back. On the left side I clipped them as I saw the two well known Craftsy Profs do, down to the quick. Then I put the pocket in the wash for one wash and one dry. Look how this came out after one washing. The stitches on the right that were tied to the back are solid and holding. The stitches on the left are a mess. This pocket is doomed to separate from the garment with a few more washes. This is what happened after one wash. You work too hard and put too much into your sewing to have it fall apart and look shabby like  this.

Don't Backstitch.   I know. This is against what you have been doing for maybe years. But backstitching, particularly at crossed seams, can add bulk and make for a not smooth seam intersection as well as uneven seams. Remember Couture Sewing Maven  Roberta Carr's number one rule of sewing, "Reduce bulk whenever possible". Not backstitching reduces bulk. But my seams will fall apart!!! NO! See the next paragraph.


Dial down your stitch.   OK, this takes a little getting used to but the results are worth it. I promise you, in no time you will be doing this without even thinking. When you get between a half inch and a 1/4 inch away  from the end of a seam STOP.  Same goes for starting seams. Dial down your stitch length to 1.5 or even 1 and continue stitching till you meet the edge. This will give you strong seams and will eliminate the bulk of backstitching. Cut your threads right at the edge. Once pressed, intersections will have a smoother appearance than those that are backstitched  and seams will lie flatter. Have you ever seen backstitching in a retail garment? While I really don't think they do anything to strengthen stitches in manufacturing other than hand the piece off to the next stitcher in the process, we continue to bulk up our seams with all this unnecessary thread. So dial down that stitch length for a more professional look to your seams.

In the pic above you can see the difference this makes.  This is a cotton chambray.Do you see how the backstitching has added bulk to the right seam and is not letting it lay flat? This has been pressed open just like the seam on the left. By dialing down,  the stitch length the entire length of the seam is exactly the same width and presses beautifully. By backstitching, three rows of thread are making the width of the seam unequal and pressing flat not doable without bubbling. Yes, you could press the life out of this and probably bring it back to look a little better but it will return with each washing. You don't want to do that every time you iron, do you?

How old is my thread?   If it's on a wooden spool, too old! Save those and put them in a lovely glass jar to admire and accessorize your sewing space. All decorating aside, THREAD GETS OLD. At least once a year, usually twice, I will go through every spool I have and give it a yank. If it breaks pretty easily, it gets chucked. You could save it for basting but there are better options and how many spools do you need  just for basting? Thread gets dry rot. I have heard of people actually keeping their thread in the freezer to prevent this. While I don't go to that extreme it is important to be aware that thread has a lifetime, like us, and does age. You inherited a huge collection of thread from 97 year old Aunt Ida who recently passed. Better give those babies a yank before using them to sew a garment on your new age machine. If they don't pass the test, into the pretty glass jar they go! This is particularly important with sewing children's clothing where you want strength and hopefully a garment made well enough to pass along to the next child. Cotton threads are more likely to dry rot than the  polyesters. Yank test on your threads once a year!

Thread fades, particularly cotton thread. All those lovely thread holders that hang on the wall next to your big window over the sewing machine? Not the best thing for your thread. It is best stored in a dark space, free from dust. You can get thread organizers that stack and fit into cabinets nicely. Mine are stored with each color in its own box and inside of a cabinet. Sewing in the basement? I did for years. Fluorescent  lighting will fade your threads, particularly the silk ones. BTDT. It does a wicked number on silk and silk thread.

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There is a surprising lack of information on threads on the web. There are many different kinds of threads, too.

The poly or poly blend threads most of us use to do our sewing are quite strong and have elasticity built in. They are great for knits because of that factor. But because of that elasticity, extra care has to be given to winding your bobbins. Wind your bobbins at a slightly slower speed. We are always in a rush to fill a bobbin, an aggravating interruption to our sewing. Slow down with the poly threads. At high speed the thread is stretched before being wound on the bobbin. Then when you go to sew you see the puckered pulled tight seams. That is because the thread is too taut on the bobbin. So wind the bobbin at a touch slower speed. Careful, too slow and your bobbin won't be tight enough and the next thing you know there is looping in the bobbin case.

Our newer computerized machines can be temperamental. They don't like thread lint so you need to clean your machine after each garment. Some machines definitely have a preference for their thread brand. At one time my machine would only be happy with Gutterman thread. Now it will use both Gutterman and Coats and Clark. Turns out C&C implemented some change that made my machine like it again. So experiment to see what works with your machine best. DON'T use cheap thread. It is made with very short staple fibers that will lint up your machine and can cause an expensive week or two at the machine spa. It's not worth it. Good newer  thread only!!!



Cotton threads have a matte finish and offer a rich look for button holes and topstitching. Their bit of fuzziness helps fill in the spaces on machine buttonholes and can make a lovely finish. I've heard more than one expert suggest cotton thread for sewing silk blouses. I've done this and really like the way it works and looks. Cotton thread is not for the construction of much used children's clothing.



Silk threads are lustrous and extremely strong. They are what you use when doing  basting that will then be pressed in as in a hem or other tailored applications Why? Because they do not leave indentations in the fabric when steamed. Heavy steaming is required in many steps of the tailoring process and regular sewing thread will leave indentations in the garment that are hard to remove. Regular silk sewing thread avoids this. You can get Gutterman silk threads for this at the chains. Silk buttonhole twist is what you want to use when going to the effort of hand buttonholes on couture garments like a Chanel style jacket.The next sentence is a bit controversial but I agree with it. Because it is so strong, the silk can actually cut threads in your garment fabric and is often recommended to NOT  be used for actual construction. I would use a high quality cotton like Mettler silk finish thread on silk fabric, not silk thread.

Threads come in different sizes. The higher the number the finer the thread. For  heirloom sewing size 80 and even a 100 threads are used. They disappear into the fabric when doing pinstitching and other heirloom treatments, so lovely.  This allows the "holes" to be seen and not clumped up with thread.  These are sometimes called "fine embroidery thread" but are not machine embroidery threads. That is a whole different animal that I know nothing about as I don't do machine embroidery.

Most regular threads are size 50, Machine embroidery threads tend to be size 30. Remember, the lower the number the thicker the thread. Remember though, other than for heirloom sewing, I haven't found the number to be particularly important to know. What you do need to know is that threads are marketed not by size but by use as in multi purpose, buttonhole twist, topstitching thread, quilting machine thread, etc, etc, etc. There is a thread for each type of sewing being done out there and it's not hard to find the correct thread without knowing a size. Just shop for thread by it's eventual use and fiber content. Heirloom sewing is the exception. Specific thread sizes are often recommended and are available from heirloom purveyors like Farmhouse Fabrics.

Basting threads are a wonderful thing to have on hand and not available in most stores. I thank Claire Shaeffer for introducing me to the wonders of skeined basting threads. They have a loose twist and a very soft finish. They won't leave indentations when pressing. They are also easy to remove and break easily so you don't have to bother picking up and putting down your scissors when all you want is a quick baste or are thread tracing. The soft thread is great for tailor tacks as they don't pop out like regular thread tacks can. This stuff is hard to find and is Japanese in origin. I bought mine through Claire's class. Susan Khalje sells it in her web store here.  Spoil yourself and get some great basting thread.

I hope this post about thread has helped you improve your skills and knowledge. Join in the convo and let us know your tricks, experiences or questions. Till next Monday...............Bunny





Wednesday, October 8, 2014

A Textile Mill


Saturday I had a wonderful date with the cutest young guy, my grandson Zackie. On DD's recommendation Zack and I went to the See Science Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. It is in the area known as "the Millyard" by the locals, one of whom I used to be. Neither of us had ever been there before. It was fabulous. The Center is a totally hands on experience and the children are highly encouraged to handle everything. It is great fun and every child there seemed to be having a ball. The Center was built by the genius, Dean Kamen, the man who invented heart stents, insulin pumps, omni theatres, segways, and much much more that touches our lives daily. I can remember when the Millyard was two miles of empty textile mills, known as the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. Kamen bought up most of the buildings and they now house museums, tech companies, a university, restaurants and more. It is a vital area of the city and quite unique. This was the largest cotton textile mill in the world in it's heyday. You can read a lot about it here. It's a very interesting history.

The picture above is from 1911 and I can tell you it doesn't show the entire length and breadth of the mill.  But what I wanted you to see most at the See Science Center was a replica of the Millyard in it's heydey, ALL OUT OF LEGOS. It is the largest Lego exhibit ever built taking 2 1/2 years to build. It is so exact and is totally alive with 3500 figures, trains, bridges and building going thru a day in the life of the mill. It is huge!

In this pic bales of cotton are being loaded on to the flatbed trains. The canal runs through the length of the complex and so does the Amoskeag River on the right.



Below is a cross section of one of the buildings showing the looms and workers. There were over four thousand looms going at once. Can you imagine the noise? The clock tower, like much of the complex, stands today.



The bridge on the right brought many of the workers over to the West Side, an area of Manchester known at one time for the large French Canadian population. Young Quebec women would leave the farm to come work in the mill. The mill supplied housing but there was a long waiting list.



Below you can see in the center some of the row houses on that waiting list. Today they are expensive condominums and really lovely with so much character. Each unit has a lovely porch and gardens. Today the area is filled with trees and beautifully shaded.

This building below, which still stands as most do, is still a landmark known as the Cigar Factory and the sign is just as legible today. 



Everything is based exactly as it existed at the turn of the century when the mill was in it's heydey.  Here you can see the lovely park the benevolent owners provided.  There are over 3500 people placed in the display and that alone took 3 days to set up. 



Here you can see a parade honoring the soldiers coming back from what I would think would be WW1. I love the people on the roof watching. These buildings are all there today and the display has been built detail by detail from actual photos.








And this is my favorite spot in the display, all the people flowing out of the building after their shift is over. There were 17,000 employees. This was very hard work. People breathed copious amounts of cotton fibers into their lungs. They often went deaf from  working over the clang of 4000 looms. Many were young girls who had left the security of their families and farms in Canada and couldn't speak English. Many were the ancestors of the Manchester population today. 

While the mill is spectacular with it's foundry, train station, parks, housing, etc, it is the people who made it great and the vision of the owners who were known for their benevolence to their employees. It was the glory day of textile manufacturing in the Northeast. As transportation changed, the mills moved to the South for cheaper labor. Today they have moved from the Southern United States to off shore countries. Today's foreign mill owners are far from benevolent and workers are used like yesterday's newspaper. 

The photos  I've shown are only a small indication of the vast display. If you ever get the chance to go to the See Science Center in Manchester, NH. do visit. It is well worth the trip and I promise, little ones will love it. Hope you've enjoyed this visit..........................Bunny 



Had to Refurbish This One!

    About  6 or 7 years ago , during the dawn of the Zipper Trend,  I bought one of my rare retail items. It was a blush pink and black bord...