Sewing Tip - V necks

      Happy Friday! It's the most marvelous happy day here, because.....We got to close on our house today! Whoop whoop! Best Christmas present ever! I'll have loads to tell you about that house a little later, but for right now I have got a quick sewing tip I wanted to share.
      I used to have this irrational fear of sewing a V-neck. For some reason I thought it was super tricky and should be avoided at all costs...only I really actually prefer V-necks to round ones! By looking at my store bought shirts, I realized most of them have a center seam., and that actually would make a V-neck no more tricky than a round one. You can make a v-neck super easily by cutting the front side of your shirt on a raw edge instead of the fold. cut the "V" and then hem it before you sew up the center of the shirt. It's pretty much fool proof, and you can't really see the seam much at all.

      I used this method to make this top, and I used a nice soft sweater fabric. If you want the sleeves to be kind of "cape-ish" like this shirt, don't cut the shoulders straight across. Cut them slanted down so that the arm hole is actually more to the middle of the side of the shirt rather than at the top.

       My V-neck isn't very pronounced because I spend a lot of time doing this....

....and there is nothing more annoying in my world than a shirt that can't stay on when you bending over a million times a day! (By the way, like my paint chip display on the door? I'm not impatient to paint walls or anything!)
      Hope your weekend is wondrous! I think I'll be spending most of mine hanging out at the hardware store! =)

 2 Chronicles 16:9   For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Simplified Gathered Sleeves Tutorial

    

       Well this post is rather late today...it's raining, it's Monday, enough said. So now then, let's chat about sleeves! Changing up the way a sleeve looks on a top or dress, can completely alter the over all appearance of the style. It's a simple way to make five of your favorite shirts, and nobody to ever guess it's the same top!

       A gathered sleeve is simply done by adding width to the shoulder portion of the sleeve. I have added width to the wrist portion of the this sleeve as well, so it is a very gathered sleeve. It can be as little or as much of a gather as you prefer. If you have a pattern to a top you like, you can alter it super easily by adding in space down the middle.

         This is how I do it, without using a pattern. Start with a cut out shirt.

     Take your cut out shirt, and line it up the shoulder with the fold on your folded fabric. The fold is always at the top of the shoulder, so that the seam will be in the underarm. For this sleeve I left a two inch gap between the fold and shoulder. If you wanted a less dramatic gather, you would only leave a half inch or an inch. Try to spread out the arm hole so that is a gradual curve.

     Trace the arm hole onto the fabric. Decide how long you want the sleeve to be, and measure down the fold that amount. This is where you will mark your lower arm hole.

      I wanted a gathered wrist, so I make my lower arm hole to be nine inches long. (For a total of 18 inches when it is unfolded)

     Now, I connect the dots between the two lines I have marked.

       When it is cut out, it looks like this. The curve of the arm hole should be very smooth.

     To sew it to the shirt, first sew the shoulder seams.

       Sew a gathering stitch across the top of the sleeve. Gather the sleeve so that is matches the arm hole.I kept my gathers all in the center, but you could do across the entire top of the sleeve if you wanted.

      Open your shirt out, wrong side facing up. Match the sleeve into the hole. I pop a pin right at the center just to make sure I keep it centered as I sew it.

      Sew the sleeve to the shirt.

     Lastly, sew from the wrist, all the way down the side to the hem of the shirt.

      And you are left with a lovely gathered sleeve! I used elastic as I hemmed the wrist to achieve the gathered wrist.

     It's hardly any harder than doing a regular sleeve, and is certainly worth the tiny bit of extra effort!

     
      I hope that all made sense! This shirt is part of my Fall collection which I am putting into my shop this week, and is also available locally at AJ's Boutique. Don't you just love Fall colors and prints??!! I do, and I'm dying for it to cool off around here so it will actually feel like Fall!

 Philippians 4:19   But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Linking to:
Home Stories A to Z
Suger Bee Crafts
Not Just A Housewife
Chef in Training
My Girlish Whims

Gathered Dolman Sleeve Top Tutorial

     I've mentioned before that I absolutely love draping on clothing. One easy way to achieve the effect of draping, without having to mess with tons of extra fabric, is to use gathers. I've done it here on the front panel of this shirt, just along the shoulder seams. 

      This is a very simple top to make, and here is how you can make your own. I used a yard of very lightweight sweater type fabric, that had some fun sparkle to it. (I told you I planned to contribute to the Fall sparkle trend in full force! Mmmm...love sparkles!) Fabric comes off the bolt, already folded in half. I cut a piece the length I wanted for the top (29 inches). Then I cut along the fold to create two separate panels of fabric to work with. 

       Now, you need to plug in your own measurements, following this guide. Measure the widest part of your torso, usually the bust, and use that for the width.  (If your fabric is not very stretchy do not subtract the half inch from "A".)

A = width/4 - .5"

B = A + 3.5"

C = A + 2"

      You need to cut out the front of your shirt like this. It may look kind of complicated with all the numbers, but it's really not. Just measure it all out, and then connect the dots!

         The back of the shirt is the same, with the exception of the widths. The top is more narrow than the top of the front.

      Ok, so if you are still tracking...it's time to sew it together! Gather the the front shoulder to match the width of the back shoulder.  I like to keep the gather right by the neck, and not so much on the sleeve.

     Sew the shoulder seams together. There will be a slight difference of shape under the arm. Just line up the fabric as you sew down the side seam. The extra width helps the fabric "drape".

      Lastly, you just need to hem the whole thing. 

     Super simple, huh! 

      This top is available at AJ's Boutique and my Etsy shop in all sizes. If you run into any questions making it, holler at me and I'll try to help! If you pop in next week, I'm going to show you how to make (or you can modify a pattern) a gathered set-in sleeve. 

       So just as a side note, do all three year olds loose their basic motor skills at this age??...mine has fallen down the stairs twice today and seems on a mission to destroy herself lately. If we can keep all teeth and appendages intact for the next year it will be a miracle!

2 Corinthians 9:7   Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

linking to:
My Girlish Whims
Someday Crafts
Sew Much Ado
Be Different Act Normal
Six Sister's Stuff
Chef in Training
Home Stories A to Z
Suger Bee Crafts
Not Just A Housewife

Sewing Tip - Fail Proof Exposed Zippers

      Exposed zippers are one of those things that I really didn't care for the first time I saw one. I've warmed up to them though, and now I quite like them. They add just a touch of modernness that I like. Here is a super simple way to put one on anything you've made, or bought for that matter. I'm applying one here, on a silk chiffon top I made for my Etsy shop.
     Start with a top laid out flat, like so.

     Find the center of the neckline. Center your zipper down the shirt and tape it on. Make sure the zipper pull is flush with the hemline.

        Start sewing the zipper to the shirt, as close to the teeth of the zipper as possible. Fold the extra zipper tape down at the top before you begin sewing.

      When you get to the base of the zipper, fold up the extra zipper tape under the zipper.

    Leave enough at the base for you to be able to sew around the mettle.

      When you get finished, remove the tape. Sew around the perimeter of the zipper, as close to the edge as you can get.

      Now, open the zipper.

      Use a fine pair of scissors and cut open the shirt.

     Trim the fabric as close to the seam line as you can get. Apply fray check to seal the edges.

      Enjoy your new top!

 

Proverbs 10:12   Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 

DIY Your Stripes

      I buy all my fabric locally, because I have this thing about wanting to see and feel it before purchasing it. There are some disadvantages to doing it that way. One, I'm really limited as to how much I can buy at a time. Bolts in the store typically come with 8-10 yards on them, and you can only get that much if you get to it before anyone else does. The second thing is, I'm limited to their choices of colors and prints. Does anyone else find that fabric stores don't seem to pay too much attention to what's actually in style? Drives me crazy! Needless to say, sometimes I don't feel very inspired by my fabric purchases. So, that's when the only solution is to get a little creative...like make your own fabric.

     I decided to try making my own striped fabric by piecing together two different colors. This top makes me happy because its so sunny and summery looking. You can easily do this by taking the length and width of whatever garment you are making and dividing it into even sections. Don't forget to factor in that you will be sewing the sections together, so you need to remember the extra seam allowances.

    Sew the sections into two large rectangles of fabric, and then cut the garment from the fabric you just created. Pat your seams with a steam iron to get rid of the puckers.

      You could do this to any pattern you like too, by tracing the pattern onto different paper and then cutting it into pieces.

     So much better than plain old boring solid fabric wouldn't you say? Have a grand week!

Ephesians 2:10   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Linking to:
Singing Three Little Birds
Home Stories A to Z
Crafty Confessions
Suger Bee Crafts
Not just a housewife
Home Decor and Organize Everything
My Girlish Whims
Sew Much Ado
Pincushion Creations
Someday Crafts

Asymmetrical Summer Top

      I realize this style probably will only appeal to a few, but I really like stuff that has a bit of uniqueness about it. (That's half the fun of sewing your own stuff right?!) I had some scrap left over from making these skirts, so I used it to try out an idea I've had in my head for a while. I cut out a half tank top, half circle top and it looked like this laying flat.

      You want to sew the dotted red line on the RIGHT side of the shirt first. Then you flip it wrong side out, and sew up the other side, just as you would any other shirt. It really is super simple. Here are few other similar versions I found around.

Shopbop $76.50

Forever 21 $15.80

Neimen Marcus $171.00

   
      Anyway, its a fun variation of a plain tank top. I liked it so much, I'll probably do more to put in my shop.

       What do you think, is unique your thing or do you like to stick to basic styles?

Isaiah 40:28   Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?there is no searching of his understanding.

linking to:
The Southern Institute
Brassy Apple
Under the Table and Dreaming
Singing Three Little Birds