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.

Sweater Knits and why you should love them!

     I've discovered something just grand! As I have mentioned before, I'm a big fan of shopping local for fabric...I like to see it and feel it, before I buy it. That is a handicap in it's own way, because fabric stores don't always pick fabrics to sell that I happen to like! (or that are very current colors and prints!) But, this year, fabric stores are carrying a much larger selection of sweater knits than I've ever seen out before in previous years. So why is this so earth shattering??? Well my dear, sweater knits mean that you can sew anything you can buy in a store, all year long! From scarves to cardigans to sweater dresses...the sky is the limit! Fabulous, no?! To illustrate, here I have a sweater knit skirt, and a sweater knit top that I made myself. Super easy, super fun!

      Excuse the bad picture and apparent broken ankle...I didn't have time to fuss with pictures, and my ankle is in fact, not broken. So here's the deal with sweater knits...they are just like any other knit. If you've ever made anything from any stretchy knit, the same rules apply to sweater knit. Use a serger or a zigzag stitch, a walking foot is really helpful, and pat with a steamy iron when you are done. For a skirt or a dress, I would highly recommend lining it. A lining will help stabilize the sweater knit from stretching out too much as you wear it, and it will also alleviate the need for a slip.
     You know what I am dying to make with sweater knit? Leggings! How cute would that print that's on my skirt be on leggings with a grey tunic dress?? I see a new project in my future! Have you made anything with sweater knits? Did you like it?
P.S. I used the same method as this skirt to make the above...if you want to make one too!

Hebrews 13:15   By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 

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

It's that time again...Winter scarf sewing

       When I was up north the other week, I had a rather shocking revelation. Seasons actually change up there! It was cool and lovely in the mornings and evenings...which led me to realize I had best get a move on with stocking the shop with Fall and winter items! I must say, the heat and the bugs around here certainly did not put me in the mood to sew scarves. Looking at them does make me happy to know sometime in the future it will cool off!

     I have a good more to do, but this is a good start. I've been stock piling knits for a while now, can you tell?? I showed you last year, in this post, how you can make your own ruffled scarf using elastic thread. This time around, I thought I'd throw out a few pointers on using elastic thread. I've had some questions on it over the last few months, so hopefully this will help a little.

1. Hand wind your bobbin with elastic thread. Don't pull it tight, but don't let it be loose either. You need a little stretch in the thread as you are winding for it to sew right.
2. Set your top stitch length just a tad longer than your usual straight stitch. You shouldn't need to do anything to the top tension.
3. If the elastic isn't sewing in tight enough, or it is too tight, adjust the bottom tension. You can do that by adjusting the little screw on the bobbin case. You'll need to make it tighter or looser based on how thick the fabric is you are working with. (see the little screw on the side? Just mess with it to get the thread to feed right. Don't forget to set it back for regular thread!)

       Also, just to throw out there, all knits are not created equal. For a nice ruffle, the thinner the knit is, the better. Rib knit or double knit will not behave very nicely with elastic thread, even baby rib knit does not do too fabulous (although, I do use it on occasion).

       Once you make one, you'll find yourself wanting to make one in every kind of knit you can find! Speaking from experience here...good thing I have my shop as an outlet for my addiction!

       Off to sit under my AC and dream of winter!

 1 Peter 5:7   Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

linking to:
My Girlish Whims
Sew Much Ado
Someday Crafts

under the table and dreaming
Brassy Apple
The Girl Creative
Boogieboard Cottage

My Favorite Sewing Tools - The obvious and the unconventional

      Well, as far as storms go, God was very good to us, and we got off rather easy. We lost power for a day and a night (a very hot and muggy day and night I might add!), and the yard is rather trashed, but other than that, no damages. Funny how the loss of electricity always shows real quick just how spoiled we are! It'll probably take a decade for things to dry out around here, it's one soggy world outside my window.
      Okey doke, now that you've gotten a weather report...lets move on to the real post! It's no secret that sewing is my thing, I enjoy it completely. One of the purposes of this blog, is to help folks understand that sewing isn't as complicated or hard as people like to think it is. One way to make sewing easier is to have the right tools to use to do it. In this post, I'm going to show you some of my favorite tools of the trade...some of which you may already have, and some you may not have thought would be helpful.

1. A sewing machine. Get the best one you can afford, and know how to use it, 'nuff said. I have a Bernina sewing machine (which I love), and a Kenmore serger (which I'm hoping to upgrade soon). By the way, don't assume a brand new model is better than an older used model...do your homework. Sometimes the older models, although they have less bells and whistles, are actually of better quality than the new. 
2. A cutting board with a measuring grid. I have a hard one that can be used with a rotary cutter, and this  card board one. The card board one is very inexpensive, less than $10 I believe at any local craft or fabric store. I use it every time I sew. The reason being, the grids lines save me from having to do more measuring and marking than is necessary. I can cut by following the lines on the board.

    3. A measuring tape. This is an absolute must. A sewn product will only be as good as the measurement you took to start with. Numbers are everything, and you need accurate ones. Again, this is not an expensive item to purchase, it is well worth the few dollars.

     4. A GOOD pair of scissors to cut fabric, and a small pair for snipping threads. Scissors are not thing to scrimp on, cheap ones will not do the job. I went for a long time hacking fabric up with the $10 pair of scissors. When I finally broke down, and bought a decent pair I saw the affects in my sewing immediately. I have several pairs of the small size that I keep wherever I work, I hate threads hanging out of things. Nothing screams handmade like hanging threads.

     5. French Curve Ruler. This isn't a "must" per say, but I highly recommend getting one. See this post if you want to see why I think they are so helpful to have.

     6. Marking utensils. I use tailors chalk (found at any fabric store), and a China marker (found in craft stores). The trick with a good marking tool, it to find one that doesn't require you to press down hard to get it leave a mark. Delicate fabrics, like chiffon, will slide everywhere if you've got to press hard to mark on it. The China marker does not wash off, so you if you use that, you need to make sure you cut the line off as you are cutting out the fabric.

      7. A note book. If you use patterns, using a note book will help you organize any changes you made to the pattern as you sewed it. If you don't use patterns, than the notebook becomes your "pattern book" to allow you recreate something you've already made.

      I use mine like this. I draw a sketch of what I want to make. Then I draw it out how I plan to cut it on the fabric. I figure out all the measurements of each piece needed for the garment on paper. I adjust the measurements for each size I plan to make of that garment. I make any notes about cutting or constructing on the paper to remember for next time. I try to make all the mistakes on paper first, before I've done it on fabric. I also give it a style number for organizational purposes, if I plan to sell it.  It doesn't matter how messy the paper is, or the bad spelling, as long as the garment works out correctly.

      8. A calculator. This goes hand in hand with the above. There is a lot numbers involved with sewing, and my little head doesn't work just perfectly. The calculator is my trusty sidekick to help keep me from stupid mistakes.

     9. Guides. This is a matter of preference for me. I like to save myself time whenever possible, so I cut neckline guides out of empty cereal boxes. I know for example, that when I want to make a boat neck top out of knit fabric, I need to use the guide that is 4 inches across and 3 inches down.

     10. Lastly, tweezers, a small screwdriver, and a stiff bristle brush (not pictured). Sewing machines are just like any other machine, they break, need adjusting, and need basic maintenance. Tweezers help me thread my serger and pull jammed threads out of small crevices. The screwdriver is needed to change out parts, or tighten loose ones. The brush is needed to  clean out all the fibers that collect in the machine parts, which if left, will cause the machine to malfunction.

       Obviously, a lot could be added to this list. I hope that pointing out a few of the less obvious sewing tools might be helpful to someone. Do you have a favorite thing to help you when you sew?

1 John 4:19   We love him, because he first loved us.

How to add shape using a french curve ruler

       Ever seen one of these deally-bobs before? My mom bought me mine...and it sat collecting dust for ages. I didn't see the point of curved ruler, and I didn't have a clue how to use it. As expert sewers go, I'm sure I still don't have a clue how to use it! Ha! So, I'm going to show you how I use it, whether it's how the books say to or not. This ruler has become indispensable to me, because I don't use patterns to sew. This ruler makes sure that everything I sew has the correct amount of curve...and ten months from now, I can make another of whatever and it will turn out exactly as the first one did. 

      Almost everything I make starts out as a rectangle as wide as the garment needs to be and as long. By adding curves, and curved cut outs (neck holes, arm holes) it becomes the garment.

       This dress is going to be my example. It was constructed the same way I explained in this tutorial.(only without the sheer insert obviously) A dress has got more curves to work around than just a top, because it goes past the hips. For a dress like the above, I want curves in the sides, and the center back. I cut the front part of the dress on the fold, and the back has a center seam.  We are essentially going to use the curved ruler to cut a dart into the dress, without sewing a dart into it. For a side curve, I would first measure down from the top along the side where the armpit should fall...normally about 8 to 9 inches from the top. Then about 9 inches below that, I would mark a little dot about a half inch from the side. 

      Then I would play connect the dots using the one inch mark to about the nine inch mark on the french curve.

      Now I would flip the curve and trace the other half of the curve. By doing that, I get a completely symmetrical curve, that angle is precisely a half inch in the center of the curve.

      Once you cut that off, it doesn't look like much. Trust me though, these little cuts make a world of difference on how well something will fit.

      Now, for the back panels, I would cut the same curve into the side again. I would also cut a longer one about 6 inches below the neck on the center seam. The reason for that one is, your back is not straight. If you look into a mirror, your back curves like an "S". To have the dress follow the curve, you must cut one into it.

       This fabric had enough of a stretch that these little cuts was all the shaping it needed. Any other curve, such as an arm hole, or a hi/low hem line can also be made using this ruler.

       By flipping it around, you can get any curve you want, and more importantly, get the measurements of any curve. Measurements are the key to being able to reproduce something multiple times. I know that all is a bit technical, but I hope it's helpful to someone. At the very least, try drawing some curves out on paper first to see what variations you can come up with...you'll be wanting to try it on fabric in no time!


Psalms 103:2   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 

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.