Monday, May 22, 2017

Sewing During the Hurricane

Every time I tell my friends that I sewed during the hurricane they asked me if I was using my grandmother's treadle.  Sadly, she electrified that machine back in the 60's.  I wish she hadn't done that. What are you supposed to do when there's no power? Desperate times call for desperate measures!

During hurricane Sandy we were without power for 12 days.  I honestly didn't mind heating up water on our gas stove for a warm bath.  I didn't miss the television one bit.  But honestly, going 12 days without sewing is just beyond reasonable.  So, got out the extension cord and plugged it into my car.  I ran that cord into the house and set up my featherweight.  These machines probably use less power than a radio.

I'm pretty sure the Bernina 930 required a touch more electric but it still worked just fine!  I honestly don't know how much power they draw but it's not like an embroidery machine that runs for 45 minutes without stopping.  I don't think it would be a good idea to use computerized machines.


I ended up making a few basic potholders just to keep busy.

Friday, May 19, 2017

My Babylock Sashiko Debut !

I am one of those procrastinators who waits for a fabric to 'speak to me' before I have the guts to plunge into a new garment.  I can spend endless hours perusing (and fondling)  my fabric sample cards trying to match the fabric into the perfect pattern. People who sew have to have that tactile experience!   There are times when I question why I bought a particular fabric.  That's the best opportunity to use those fabrics for the muslin test samples.
This silk fabric is from Sawyer Brook Fabrics. The variegated yarns in this fabric may camoflage single rows of top stitching.  I selected a triple thread stitch which I liked.  Yes, I absolutely tested my sample first.  I have no intention of spending time removing unwanted stitches. I also felt  the collar needed to be a contrast fabric.  Then I tested out a few samples to evaluate how top-stitching would look on the collar.  Finally the light bulb went on and I tested the 'hand picked' stitch by using my Babylock Shasiko machine.  BINGO !  I used a Valdani   35 weight variegated cotton thread which provided the necessary texture.


This is a fully lined dress (Ambiance Rayon.)




I had to re-set the right sleeve three times until I got it right.  That is precisely why I never, ever remove my contrast thread tailor tacks until the job is done and fits to my satisfaction.  Sleeve caps really need to have the ease distributed evenly between those dots or you end up with puckers.  It's easy to see if the sleeves are tilted when there are horizontal stripes.


Having a dress mannequin is a handy way to stand back and evaluate the garment from a distance.  I put off purchasing one for many years!  They are extremely helpful when you want to audition a possible item.



The pattern calls for a 'hook and eye'
closure at the base of the collar where my blue straight pin is currently located.  I'm thinking of a loop and button closure. I will pin something on for a day or two to evaluate how well I like it.

I ended up sewing on a large hook and eye .











I photographed the dress with a belt.  I think it may need a fancier belt if I chose to wear one.



Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Perfect Piping or Piping Pitfalls

There's nothing quite like custom piping to accent a garment or home dec project !  Pre-packaged polyester/cotton piping simply can't compare to custom! I just love adding piping to a neckline; it keeps the lining or facing from rolling to the public side.





There are many filler cord options depending on how you would like the piping to perform.  I have experimented with cotton yarn, cotton cable cord, rayon mouse tail, rayon rat tail and polyester mouse tail.  I like using the cotton yarn as my filler cord for garments because it is more pliable than rayon mouse tail. This is especially important when piped seam lines intersect other seam allowances; the machine can sew over the intersection much more easily and there's a much flatter intersection. (see black denim vest above)  Also, the cotton yarn piping washes and dries beautifully.  Rayon mouse tail offers a very smooth surface, however, it tends to be somewhat rigid in many garment fabrics making it stiff at seam line intersections. (You can always remove 1/2 inch of the filler cord near the seam allowances to reduce the bulk.)  I certainly don't want my piped seams to look or feel like spokes on a lamp shade!  On bridal wear and corset- type garments this can provide additional support.  Cotton cable cord is a better choice for home dec projects where the cable ribs are less likely to echo through on heavier weight fabrics. This is exactly why I spend time testing a few samples to evaluate the pliability and size of each cord in the respective fabric.


Begin the process of making bias strips by folding the selvage (finished edge) of the fabric to a 90 degree angle.(see bias strip at end of post.)  The soft fold will be a true 45 degree angle.  Slice up this fold.  I like to cut my strips anywhere from 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches.







If my piping fabric is a slippery fabric like silk charmeuse I know I am going to be hand-basting my filler cord into the bias strip.  Cotton fabrics  usually have enough 'tooth' and may not
necessarily need to be hand basted. Often times the strategic placement of my fingers from both hands is enough to keep the layers from producing a forward ripple.  If your finished piping tends to 'curl' or 'coil up' before it is attached to your garment then you definitely have stretched and twisted the bias strips around your filler cord.  Twisted piping will cause your finished seams to appear rippled or cupped. Hand basting usually results in a smoother finished product.  Sorry, short cuts generally aren't time savers in the end.   Note: the raw edges of the piping are staggered .  This will save a step in trimming down the layers.



The zipper foot simply can't stitch close enough to the piping. The 'finished width' will be too broad.

The center /middle piping was sewn without any basting or pinning. The forward gravity of the feed dogs causes the top layer to move forward.  The end result is a twisted/coiled length of piping.

The right hand sample is hand basted. The bias fabric strip is relaxed, not stretched, and straight.

(Please click on picture to enlarge for the details.)


And yes, I HAND BASTE the piping onto the garment.  Anytime you are sewing layers of fabric together the top layers want to travel forward.  As I am folding the bias over the cord I allow the raw edges to be at least 1/8 inch apart.  This way I do not have to grade my seam allowances after the piping is installed. I do NOT advocate pinning the piping.  It's very, very difficult to get the piping stitched on straight when using pins.  Stopping every few inches to remove a pin interrupts the continuous momentum of the stitching line.


I particularly like the 3 groove pin tucking foot for installing piping.  I find the zipper foot sometimes produces an inconsistent line of stitching exposing uneven amounts of piping.


I prefer not to 'lap' the ends of bias strips simply because of the bulk. On garments a seamed intersection is smoother and more finished.

Save the 'lapped' bias strip method for the home dec projects.