My Very First Pair of Sewing Scissors

This is a picture of my first pair of sewing scissors. And yes, I never used them on paper. I learned the lesson at a very young age. They still work well today after forty plus years.

Fiskars has New Colors!!

Dedicated shears are instrumental to sewing. Now everyone can have there own set unique in color. Although my own set was the original orange; it has been updated to coastal yellow. Christine, of course, has the light pink set. Leah is privy to the new blue and Abbey the coastal coral. David also has his own set; grey.

Rule Number One: Never use sewing scissors to cut anything but fabric or pattern pieces pinned to fabric.

Rule Number Two: Never use or borrow my scissors. You have your own. Take care of them and they will serve you well.

One of A Kind Jeans

Changing the button on your favorite jeans can extend the life of the jeans. Whether the button falls off on its own or you just want to change it, the steps are fairly simple. Remove the old button and find another one that it the same size so that it will work well in the button hole. Use iron-on jean patch to support where the button will be sewn. Cut the patch material so that it is just large enough to support the hole made by the previous button. After ironing the patch on both sides you can zigzag the edges so there won't be a tendancy for the patch to curl. The patches will not show as the waistband with the button hole covers the wasitband with the button. Sew on the new button.

The Prom Dress that Wasn't

One of my big goals was to make a prom dress this year. I was able to incorporate new skills in the design and making of the dress. To control raveling, I presewed the seam finish using a small zig zag around all the pattern pieces. The technique worked well and I would definitely use it again. I reviewed understitching to keep facings from showing. This pattern used a one piece facing combining the neck and armhole which meant that the understitching did not go all the way around the piece because of the narrowing or the shoulder straps.

A great style was chosen as well as some stunning red crepe backed satin. Several muslins were made and darts adjusted. All was going fairly well until the final fit. The look was just not flattering on my daughter. She and I were both disappointed.

Applique Baby Blanket

Materials needed:

Baby blanket

fabric with desired design

Heat n Bond Lite

teflon press cloth

iron

thread

Instructions:

Prewash all materials. Preheat iron to medium heat; no steam. Place adhesive on back of item to be bonded. Paper liner should face up. Hold iron for 2 seconds. Repeat until entire design is prepared. Allow to cool. Trim to desired size. Peel off paper liner. Place material, adhesive side down on top of project. Press and hold for 6 seconds. Sew along edges.

Lacey Onesie

Select lace that has a natural curve to it so that it will ease around the neck of the Onesie. Wash, dry, and press both the Onesie and the lace. Lift up the shoulder of the Onesie and pin the lace so that the beginning and end are hidden by the shoulder. Pin along the neckline against the binding. Hand sew the lace with small hidden stitches.

Iron: Friend or Foe?

The iron is one of the most important pieces of equipment for sewing; second only to the sewing machine. Sewing projects should start with a pressing of the fabric prior to the initial cutting and between every seam. Pressing insures crisp edges, sets the stitched thread, removes puckers and gives the finished garment the appropriate draping and a professional look. The key to pressing is in the heat or steam. Both of which can ruin the projects by scorching or leaving shiny marks. As with any aspect of good sewing, always test a scrap piece of the fabric that one is using.

Some fabric and cannot withstand high or direct heat. It is important to determine the correct heat setting and to use a pressing cloth when indicated. In addition to the a pressing cloth, pressing hams and sleeve rolls are helpful. Pressing hams allow for a smooth dart and sleeve rolls allow pressing of small hard to reach areas.

Going against the Grain

Have you ever worn a pair of jeans in which one leg wants to twist or a t-shirt where the side seam has the same tendency? No matter how many adjustments you make, the leg or side side seam continues to twist. Both are examples of clothing in which one of the pieces was not cut on the grain. In fine sewing, care is taken to cut pattern pieces precisely on the grain. The grain line is indicated on each pattern piece.

Also when pinning pieces to the fabric, the pins should be perpendicular to the pattern pieces. To pin parallel will create a subtle but noticeable distortion in the cut piece and ultimately the finished garment.

French Seams

There are several seam finishes. The key is to choose the best seam finish for the type of fabric and overall desired effect. The material used in the ruffled blouse is soft and somewhat sheer. French seams create a very clean look for semi sheer material. The standard seam allowance for commercial patterns is 5/8 inch. Steps for the French seam are listed below:

1. Place wrong sides of fabric together. Stitch a 1/4 inch seam.
2. Trim seam allowance down to about 1/8 inch. Press open.
3. Stitch a 3/8 inch seam. The two seams equal 5/8 inch total seam allowance.
4. Press to one side.

For more delicate fabric, one might stitch the 3/8 inch seam first followed by a 1/4 inch seam.

Sew Wild II

The zebra stripe material has two main colors. This provided the opportunity to consider blending threads by using a separate color on the top and bottom. I made samples to compare the color combinations. The first shows white on top and bottom. The second is white on top and black on the bottom. The third shows black on top and white on the bottom and the fourth shows black on the top and bottom. No changes were made in tension and stitch length.