Sewing Lessons & FAQ

[Rosie]

Thanks Cherry Red and Lady Day. I'm not intending on using a pattern but, I might. I've been doing lots of looking and drawing and can usually get things done without a pattern so I was thinking of dong this that way too. I get it, I hope it comes out okay.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Is it going to be an outdoor coat or one you want to wear indoors over a dress? Is it a long coat, or is it more of a jacket length? I bought a swing jacket some years back and it is not lined, yet still hangs beautifully. I wear it indoors over a dress.

 

[Elaina]

Also one important step when lining anything that hangs: let it sit 24 hours hanging up before hemming the garment.

Elaina

 

[TheLovelyLolly]

Hello Ladies!! I'm still exploring the Fedora Lounge, and I'm thrilled to discover this sewing thread!!

I have a question I'm hoping someone can help me with: I recently decided to try using an invisible zipper. The instructions said to use an "invisible zipper foot". What does that look like? How is it different from the regular zipper foot?

Hope someone can help me!!

 

[Rosie]

Thanks ladies. It is going to be an outdoor coat, about calf length. I was thinking of making a thin flannel lining to make it colder weather capable, I'm not sure yet.

The material is a very heavy silky satin.

 

[Elaina]

Hello Ladies!! I'm still exploring the Fedora Lounge, and I'm thrilled to discover this sewing thread!!

I have a question I'm hoping someone can help me with: I recently decided to try using an invisible zipper. The instructions said to use an "invisible zipper foot". What does that look like? How is it different from the regular zipper foot?

Hope someone can help me!!

Well...they're technically the same thing. I use a zipper foot period on all my Singers (and I use a 66 treadle), and asking a friend who has a Kenmore, hers looks the same.

According to Clotilde, this is what an invisible zipper foot looks like (it's not the style of the zipper to put in, rather it's the style of the foot.)

This is what I use:

and it's not really a zipper foot, but a cording foot that also turned into a zipper foot by the time the Featherweights came along (which means I can add cording to a garment like frogs, and it doubles as my zipper foot).

So technically, this is your answer. For ease, go with the plastic one (make sure your shanks are correct) and you can see what you're doing. Even the plastic one will fit a vintage machine. The cording/zipper foot is also a little harder to find. About the only plus to the cording foot is the fact it's metal and you can't wear it out. (And I got mine in a puzzle box or I'd have a plastic one too.)

Elaina

 

[TheLovelyLolly]

Thank you Elaina!!

I have a metal foot that came with the machine that looks very similar so will give that a go!!

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Tourbillion]

I'm in the planning stages of a swing coat I'm going to make. My mom says I HAVE to have a lining. I have NO idea how to do that. I've read a few how tos online but, I'm stupid. I'm sure some of you ladies have done this. Am I basically making a smaller version of the coat and then sewing it in? Looking at bought items, the lining seems tucked into the garment, do I fold over my seams and sew the lining in? How do I keep it from bunching up when doing this? I'm lost. Any tips are much appreciated.

A coat lining would have a small pleat for wearing ease in the middle of the back. So, it is a little wider than the coat at the top. It shouldn't be wider at the bottom though. It is only smaller than the outside of the coat in that the coat has a facing, which isn't lined, otherwise it is bigger because of the pleat (it might be 1/2" smaller overall if the outer fabric is heavy, but I'd be careful, you can always make the lining smaller, but once it is cut you can't make it bigger).

At the hem, you make a pleat at the bottom, and sew the lining at the hem of the coat. It forms a little tuck, which won't show on the outside of the coat, but helps you move around. There should be a little tuck at the end of the sleeve lining too.

You can turn the edges under and sew the whole thing by hand, but you can also sew everything but the hem by machine, and then hem the lining by hand (less likely to come loose).

 

[Nashoba]

Dress Forms

Ladies,
I'm looking at finally getting myself a dressform. I asked for one last year for my birthday and my mother told me I was better off without one. She said when she was in school (she went to FIT in New York back in the day) she used it for draping but that it was difficult to account for ease with a form and that I was better off without one. She said she barely used it at all after she graduated. It could just be her though, her style. She makes beautiful clothing though so I said okay. At this point if for nothing else I needs something so that I can hem my own clothing. I can't afford to takemy clothes to the tailor to hem and my husband is not a good person to ask to put pins into things that I'm wearing! Do you find that you have problems with ease when using a form? Do you run into problems with it or is it something you just can't live without? Does anyone have any reccomendations on whether I should look for a vintage one or a modern one and what kind??? I'm so clueless on this, and everytime I ask my mother she tells me I don't need one.
Thanks
Nashoba

 

[Rosie]

A coat lining would have a small pleat for wearing ease in the middle of the back. So, it is a little wider than the coat at the top. It shouldn't be wider at the bottom though. It is only smaller than the outside of the coat in that the coat has a facing, which isn't lined, otherwise it is bigger because of the pleat (it might be 1/2" smaller overall if the outer fabric is heavy, but I'd be careful, you can always make the lining smaller, but once it is cut you can't make it bigger).

At the hem, you make a pleat at the bottom, and sew the lining at the hem of the coat. It forms a little tuck, which won't show on the outside of the coat, but helps you move around. There should be a little tuck at the end of the sleeve lining too.

You can turn the edges under and sew the whole thing by hand, but you can also sew everything but the hem by machine, and then hem the lining by hand (less likely to come loose).

Thanks Tourbillion and thanks ladies. You girls rock!

 

[Elaina]

It actually depends on you, Nashoba.

I have one, that other then for school work, I haven't used hardly at all, I create a pattern and then alter that, since I can keep the altered piece and not do that everytime I want to make something similar. Many people that took fashion in college (wether home or business) seem to not favor using a dress form. Ease, depends on how you design. Even when draping, I usually don't add much ease, then when I reconstruct the garment out of my fashion fabric, I have to add the ease I want at that point, because the muslin doesn't generally offer much (and I'm using an example of something I don't do often myself. Most times I draw my design, then I go to my pattens and get the pieces out of the box, baste a muslin together, and fit from there). Or I draft new pieces if needed and do the rest.

If you just want one to hem, they have a bulb and chalk thing on a tripod that is a heck of a lot cheaper as well as being able to use it by yourself. So you have to ask yourself, why do you want one?

Some people love theirs, I have one that currently has on a shirt and skirt I designed/made, that while I wear them sometimes, they aren't day-to-day sort of wear, it's gothic club wear. Good to show off my skill for others, and is about to go into storage today.

Elaina

 

[Nashoba]

Thanks elaina! i had one of the bulb chalk ones and I really didn't like it much. I've gone this long without one bu I'm just starting to think that since I sew for a living I should have something. The clothing I make is mainly for myself and every once and a while my husband needs something done for his uniforms but I just feel like it might be easier...or my mom is right and I don't need one at all. I'm just trying to figure out if one would make my life easier!

 

[Lady Day]

I dont have a dress form, but I want one because I want to see how garments look from a distance. I also want to see how sculpted items will lay so I can cut out all the extra prep time.


LD

 

[Annalai]

Here is some information on how to make your own dressform.

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=109877.0

Annalai

 

[Nashoba]

Here is some information on how to make your own dressform.

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=109877.0

Annalai

Thank you so much!!!!!! I was looking at them online and the prices were a bit disapointing...I'd have to save for a couple of months to get one. That means cutting into my flea market / vintage / thrift / ebay budget and I hate doing that . Priorities I suppose...
Nash

 

[Snookie]

Rosie: You're very adventurous to make a coat without starting from a pattern! I've never been brave enough to try something like that.

For your lining, I agree with Tourbillion: don't go too small at first. Like she said, linings should be even bigger than the fashion fabric, so that the lining doesn't pull funny. For that same reason, you might consider hemming the lining separately from the coat, and just using swing tacks to attach the two. (if you were making a short jacket you could hem the lining to the jacket.) The tuck for the sleeve hem that Tourbillion mentioned is crucial, too.

Are to planning to have facing inside the front of the jacket? 3"-4" is standard, and the lining starts after that. (so the front piece of the lining is smaller than the front of the jacket. Lining front=jacket front - facing + seam allowance.)

 

[Rosie]

I've made dresses without patterns, I thought I could do this. I've been drawing and draping but I'm getting a bit scared now, I don't want to ruin my fabric as it was a bit pricey. But, I'm thinking, other than the lining, the coat would be made like a tent dress. Should I use a pattern? I've not found a decent vintage one in my size but then again, I haven't searched extensively either.


I'm using this: what do you ladies think?


http://www.damehelen.com/houpe/swing_coat.html

 

[RetroModelSari]

I´m working on a black wrap-blouse right now, but cause plain black seems too boring for this piece I want to apply pearls to it. A monogram of my name on my right chest and maybe a butterfly on my left shoulder. Has anyone ever done this? Is there any website with advice on it and sort of "stitching" patterns? I want to train it before finishing the blouse and ruining my first self-made piece of clothes....

 

[Lady Day]

I've made dresses without patterns, I thought I could do this. I've been drawing and draping but I'm getting a bit scared now, I don't want to ruin my fabric as it was a bit pricey. But, I'm thinking, other than the lining, the coat would be made like a tent dress. Should I use a pattern? I've not found a decent vintage one in my size but then again, I haven't searched extensively either.


I'm using this: what do you ladies think?


http://www.damehelen.com/houpe/swing_coat.html

The simple stuff is always the stuff that needs a pattern. Like the caplet I did earler in the thread. I would have been on crack to attempt that on my own and expect it to hang correctly. Id say the same for swing coats. ROSIE!! Girl, Ill lend you my swing coat pattern NP!

LD

 

[Barbara]

Sewing ladies, help with child's costume

I am going to make my daughter a cowgirl skirt and vest with the help of a friend. What kind of material would be nice for this. My skills are pretty basic, but my friend is an expert. What would you suggest? Many thanks. My daughter is 3.