Sewing Fear

How is your sewing journey going?  Are your sewing skills improving with each article you sew or are you stuck in a rut because you are fearful of trying new techniques or learning to sew something you haven’t tried yet?

You are not alone.  Many people are frozen with sewing fear because of an experience suffered in long past home economics classes or some other failed sewing project.  It is time to put those fears in the past and move on to fun times sewing successful projects.  You can do it!  You just need to educate and prepare yourself.

Decide what project you want to do first and then find the pattern you need.  Look over the instruction sheet in the pattern and then think about what you will need to learn to do in order to sew that item.  There are so many resources at your fingertips.    Use the information provided with the pattern first.  Sometimes the pattern maker includes great tips for techniques that are required for the article.  Look for any tips from the pattern maker and try to make a sample if you are not familiar with the technique.  This may save you from ripping out stitches when you sew the article. 

I recently discovered that Simplicity Patterns has a web page devoted to how-to-sew tutorials.  The site is Sewing Tutorials.                                        . 

Do you have a friend who sews?  Don’t be afraid to ask if they would show you how to do a certain technique.  Most people who sew are willing to share their expertise by showing how to do something, but may not have time to sew the article for you.

If you are a member of the Lansing Clippers, perhaps you could let the Chapter Advisory Board know you are interested in learning certain techniques.  You might suggest the Board offer some classes in the techniques or include demonstrations at one of the monthly meetings.

Another resource at your fingertips is the internet.  Offhand, I cannot think of a single sewing technique for which the internet does not provide demonstrations or instructions.  Now that is a really big list!  There are many different ways demonstrated for how to install a zipper.  Maybe you need to know how to sew a fly front zipper, a side opening zipper on a skirt, a zipper down the back of a blouse or dress, a zipper in a make-up bag, or a zipper in purse.  Search for information on how to install any zipper and I believe you will find it somewhere on the internet.

Perhaps you learn best in a classroom setting with a few others or even one-on-one instructions.  If you look, you can find resources for in-person classes.  Start with your local fabric stores or quilt shops.  If they don’t offer classes you need, the shop employees may know someone who gives those classes and could give you a referral.  Also check your local sewing or quilt guilds.    Don’t forget to search on the internet for on-line classes.  And don’t forget about all those sewing books you purchased and never found time to actually read! 

Check to see if there is a sewing expo in your area.  You can do a search on the internet to find one near you.  They usually offer a large variety of classes.

I hope you will get rid of your fears and start a new project.  You have lots of options; however, wishing you could sew better will not result in improvement.  You must be the one to take the action needed to make the improvement happen.  You must be the one to commit your time and energy to improving this life skill or hobby if that is what you consider it to be. 

I hope you will start that new project soon.  Do  your research and prepare yourself first.  Here’s to your success!

Judy

 

My Personal Sewing Plan/Journal for 2023

It is that time of year again.  Time to plan my sewing for the new year.  Making a sewing plan will cause me to focus on the projects I really want to sew.  This will be my first year for making a sewing plan/journal.  In the past, I felt I didn’t need one because I have a record of most of my sewing projects on this blog.  However, I like the idea of having a written plan that details the projects I intend to sew as well as shows the progress I make or fail to make.   I also like the fact that I can include an actual fabric swatch in the notebook containing my plan/journal.  I can’t do that on a blog!

You can see more of my thoughts on how to make a sewing plan/journal by reading an article I wrote for the Lansing Clippers blog at Sewing Plan

One of the items that I plan to make in 2023 is a spring jacket for my husband.  He has a round back so that causes his jacket to pull up in the back.  The only way he will get a jacket to fit is if I make him one.  He may not get the perfect fit even then, but at least he will get a better fit than one off the rack.  I know I need to start soon because Spring will be here in the blink of an eye.  Time moves quickly when you reach my age!

My 2023 plan will also include a spring jacket for me, several short-sleeve knit tops, and two capri pants.  This list will increase as the year moves forward, but these pieces will keep me busy for a while.

One thing I want to learn in 2023 is my embroidery software.   I know I can do that by taking  classes at Country Stitches.   I was fairly comfortable with the software for a while, but then I quit using it and the knowledge I had receded to some unreachable pocket in my brain. 

Another item I need to add to things to learn in 2023 is my Euphoria Cover Stitch machine.  I need to use it more in order to retain what I learn about it.  When I used it this morning, I had to retrain  myself on how to thread it and how to finish when cover-stitching in the round.

I could also strengthen my embroidery skills by actually doing some of the things discussed in the meetings of the Lansing Clippers Neighborhood Group, the Happy Hoopers.  We discuss embroidery techniques, designs, and applications, but I rarely try any of them.  I hope to put some of the information I get from the Happy Hoopers into use by adding embroidery designs to tee tops and the legs of capris pants that I make. 

My sewing plan/journal will be kept in a three-ring notebook.  That will give me the ability to add pages as needed.  I am going to start each page by entering the information into my computer.  That will make it easy to make changes or add information as I go.  I can simply print a new page and add to the notebook.  I expect there will be some handwritten notes as well as sample swatches and pictures of finished projects.  The first page of my journal will something like the following:

 

“Judy’s 2023 Sewing Plan

Projects

Spring jacket for husband

Spring jacket for me

Short-sleeve tee tops

Capri pants

 

Things to learn

Embroidery software – take some classes from Country Stitches

 

Focus Points

Embroidery designs on tops and pants

Use Euphoria machine to finish necklines and hems of knit tops”

 

The second page of my plan will be titled “Spring Jacket for My Husband”.   On that page I will list the steps needed to make the jacket, i.e., buy pattern, buy fabric for jacket and lining, compare pattern measurements with husband’s, trace pattern, make muslin, fit muslin, cut jacket and lining and sew.  This will be the page where I journal my experiences with sewing the jacket.  Some may be good and some may be bad; but hopefully, I will be able to complete a wearable jacket for Dave.  I will include a sample swatch, pattern number, and picture of finished project.  And of course, I will post a picture of the completed item on this blog.

I hope this rough outline of my 2023 Sewing Plan/Journal will give you some ideas for starting one of your own.   Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many projects at the beginning.  Start small; you can add projects as you go.

Have fun,

Judy

#sew  #sewingplan #sewingjournal

                                                         

Let's Fit a Tee Shirt Pattern

Did you give up making clothes for yourself because you could not get patterns to fit?  If so, you are not alone.  That has happened to many people.  However, there is no need to give up.  You can learn to fit patterns to your body.  Let’s start with something simple.  A tee shirt is a good first project to learn to fit a pattern.

First you need to find your size.  Forget about your “off the rack” size.   That will not work for a home sewing pattern.  Most sewing patterns are drafted to fit a woman who is 5’5” tall and wears a B-cup bra.  How many of you fit that description?  I don’t!  But don’t worry; you can fit the pattern to your body.  There is a learning curve, but you can do it.   

Although it is possible to measure and fit yourself, it is much easier if you get someone to help you.  Ask a friend who sews to help you.  Maybe you can help each other and the two of you would then be on your way to making clothes that fit much better than those you buy off the rack.

The first step is to take your measurements.  You will need upper bust, full bust, waist, full hip, and arm length measurement to make a tee shirt. 

The next step is to pick your pattern.  You have lots of choices.  You could pick one of the big four national brands (Simplicity, McCall, Butterick, or Vogue) or you might try one of the smaller, independent companies where you can download and print the pattern.  One of the independent companies is DIBY Club, LLC (Do It Better Yourself).  The website is https://doitbetteryourself.club/.  If you go to the website and click on “shop patterns” and then click on “free patterns”, you will find the Anything But Basic (ABB) tee.  That is a really good pattern with terrific instructions.  They explain how you can print the pattern on regular printer paper and then tape it together, or you can send it to another website to print on very large paper and mail it to you.  It also gives you the option of downloading it and taking it to a local print shop to be printed. 

Whatever pattern you choose, I suggest tracing it onto some type of paper to make another copy because your pattern could have a lot of changes after you make your alterations.  You don’t want to ruin your original pattern.  You can use doctor’s medical table paper or one of the pattern tracing fabrics such as Do-Sew.  If you use the pattern tracing fabric, you will be able to baste your pattern together to check the fit.  If you use the tissue paper that typically comes with a purchased pattern or the doctor’s medical table paper, you can pin the basic pieces together to check for fit.  If you use the tissue paper or doctor’s medical table paper, you will need to put small pieces of tape along the inside of the seam allowances so the paper doesn’t tear when you try on the pattern.

Once you have your pattern, you should compare your measurements with those on the pattern.  If you download the free ABB Tee from DIBY Club, they include a size chart.  Circle your measurements on the chart and then choose your size based on your upper bust measurement.  Don’t worry if your full bust is larger than the upper bust measurement.  You can do a full bust adjustment (FBA) later to fix that. 

Trim the pattern on the cutting lines and mark the seam allowances.  If you need to make adjustments in the length of the tee shirt, you can do that now or wait until later.  Pin or baste the front and back together at the shoulder seams and the side seams.    Try on the pattern and check to see if the back center line of the pattern is situated on your center back and if the side seams are aligned directly under your arms and down the side of your hips.  Check to see if the center front is aligned with the center of the front of your body.  If your bust is larger than the upper bust, the center front of the pattern will not reach your center front, but you will correct that with the FBA which will be done a little later.  However, measure the space from the pattern center front to center of your body.  That will be the amount you need to add when you do the FBA.  You should also mark the apex of your bust.  The apex is the fullest point of the bust.  You will need that mark when you do the full bust adjustment.

Now you need to make any adjustments needed for the back of the tee shirt.  These should be made before you do FBA or forward shoulder adjustments.  I can’t cover all adjustments in one posting, so I will cover a few and give you some resources for others.  Remember, sometimes there may be more than one way to correct a problem.  If you find that, choose the method that works best for you.  One good resource for fitting is the book Knits for Real People, Fitting and Sewing Fashion Knit Fabric by Susan Neall and Pati Palmer.  In that book, they cover how to adjust the pattern for a broad back, a round back, and a gap in the back armhole. 

I found an excellent tutorial on how to do a round back adjustment on Curvy Sewing Collective at https://curvysewingcollective.com/tutorial-how-to-do-a-high-round-back-adjustment/.   I was a little confused by the instructions for measuring the amount you need to add in step 1, but most people need about 5/8” so that might be a good starting point for you if you need this adjustment.  If you find that isn’t enough, you can always adjust the pattern some more before cutting your fabric.

If there is a gap in the back armhole, you can add a dart at the shoulder.  There is an excellent video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_ZMHeZTZRk that explains how to this.  The video is from Sew Essentials.  It is very easy to follow.

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto explains how to do a broad back adjustment on pages 134 – 135.   The broad back adjustment is also explained on page 35 of the Knits for Real People book.

After you make all your back adjustments, then check to see if you need a forward shoulder alteration.  This is a fairly common adjustment needed today.  It is caused by sitting at computers and/or bending over looking at cell phones for long periods of time.  You will know you need this alteration if the front neckline pulls at your throat and the shoulder seam sits further back than your shoulder line.   You can correct this by redrawing the shoulder seam.  Start at the neck edge of the front pattern piece and angle over and down the amount needed to create a new shoulder seam on the front piece.  On the back of the pattern start at the neckline and angle up and over to the armscye the same amount as you did on the front piece.  You can add a piece of paper if you need it when you add your seam allowance to the new lines.  Your front and back should now look something like this.  The red lines are your seam lines.  Make sure you add a new seam allowances before you cut out your shirt.

 

Now you are ready to do the full bust adjustment (FBA).  You will need to mark three lines on the front piece of your pattern.

Line 1 is drawn from approximately 1/3 of the way up the armhole to apex and then straight down to the bottom of the shirt.  This line should be parallel to the center front line of the garment.

Line 2 is drawn from the side seam about where a dart would be if the garment had a dart and up to the apex.

Line 3 is drawn anywhere below the apex from the center front and perpendicular to Line 1.

 

Now cut on line 1 from the lower edge of the shirt to, but not through, the seam at the armhole.  Then make a cut from the outside edge of the armhole to the seam, but not through the seam.  This creates a hinge so you will be able to spread the cut edges of line 1.

Cut on line 2 up to line 1, but not through line 1.  This will leave a small hinge so that you can spread the edges of line 2.

Using pins or pattern weights to hold your pattern in place, pull line 1 apart until the two parts from the apex to the bottom of the shirt are parallel and the space between the two equals the amount you wish to add to the bust.  In this case, one inch was added to the pattern piece, so the two sides of line 1 are now 1” apart.  As you spread line 1 apart, line 2 opens up as well.  You can add a dart in the space or you may be able to ease the extra added to the seam if the knit you are using has enough stretch.  However, I find that for full busted women, a dart is often the better option.  It can be sewn at the side or you may move it later to armhole if you desire.

You will also notice one-half of the pattern piece is now longer than the other.  To fix this, line cut across line 3 and move the piece down to match the other side.  Make sure you keep both sides of line 1 parallel and equal distance apart. Fill in the three open spaces on the pattern piece with paper and tape in place.

 

Although this article will not answer all your questions about fitting, I hope it will get you interested in the process.  You can find answers to most fitting questions in the two books mentioned in this article or you can research almost any sewing question on the internet and get some good information.  You might also want to pursue a membership in a sewing organization such as the American Sewing Guild.  There is a chapter of the American Sewing Guild in Lansing, Michigan.  It is called the Lansing Clippers.  Their website is http://lansingclippers.com/ and their blog is https://lansingclipperssew.blogspot.com/.

Have fun with whatever you sew, but I hope you will try making a garment for yourself or someone else soon.

Judy

#howtofitapattern #sewing #howtofitateeshirtpattern #learntofitapattern

 

Time to Try Something Different

This past week I veered off the path of creating garments and tried my hand at a simple quilting project.  I was almost forced to do so.  Every year our sewing guild, the Lansing Clippers, sets a challenge for the members.  This year, the challenge was to sew a home dec project.  It is fun to participate in the challenge because there are rewards!  The most obvious reward is that of accomplishment, but there is also a prize awarded each year.  Everyone who participates has their name put in a drawing and the winner’s prize is usually a gift certificate to a fabric shop. 

I could have sewn something that did not involve quilting like a pillow, cushion, curtains, or some other decorative item for the home.  However, I haven’t done any quilting in years and decided I would try a small quilting project.  I decided to make a table runner.   The pattern I used was “Make It Anytime Table Runner and Placemats” by Carolyn’s Creative Designs.  The pattern was labeled “Quick Project!” and indeed it was. 

 

Although I am not good at putting colors together, I decided I was going to choose them myself.   Not knowing how this would turn out, I did not want to invest a lot of money.   Therefore, I went straight to the section of the fabric shop where the clearance cottons were displayed.    I chose fabrics that cost $3.97 and $5.97 a yard.  If my heart was set on particular colors and I was making a quilt, I might have been willing to pay the regular price of $12.00 or more, but the more inexpensive selection worked fine for my table runner.

After I pieced together the top of the table runner, I used Insul-Brite instead of regular batting to place between the top of the runner and back.  By doing this, I can place warm dishes on the it and not damage my table.  When I sew pot holders, I use a layer of cotton batting and a layer of Insul-Brite.  I did not want my table runner to be thick and bulky, so I only used the one layer of Insul-Brite.

After I sewed the pieces together and turned the runner right side out, I gave it a good press and then quilted the pieces together.  I stitched in the ditch around the individual squares and did a stippling stitch from my sewing machine around the outside strip. 

I found I really enjoyed doing this project.  It was fun and easy!  The pattern was well written which means it was easy to understand and follow.   

I hope you have fun with your next project.

Judy