Sew News - December 2014January 2015

7/25/2019 Sew News - December 2014January 2015

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December 2014/January 2015

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4/844 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

ON THE

COVER:Like A FoxMake a chic and

elegant faux furcollar thats perfect

for holiday parties.

december 2014/january 2015{ issue 344 /sewnews.com }

Contents

40

56

43

52

f tur s

43 Leather AccentsAdd leather touches to garments

for a luxe look.

52 Posh Purse Stitch an edgy handbag with

grommets and faux leather.

56 Over The MoonMake cute and cozy PJs for

yourself or holiday gift giving.

60 Tidings of Comfort

Create an appliqu pillow with

rustic holiday charm.

62 Pants Perfection, Part 2: Pockets Add pockets to any pant pattern with

expert tips and techniques.

68 Heads UpKeep warm this winter with

wool head wraps.

72 Shade To OrderLearn how to make a valance with

the look of a Roman shade.


5/84 SEWNEWS .COM 5

+ DOWNLOAD

ree Patterns

from this issue at

sewnews.com/web_extras.

columns

columns22 Best of the Basics: Neckline Options

26 Fitting FAQs:Darts Defined

28 Home-Dec Help: Welting

32 Pattern Play: Unique Pleats Dress

38 Haute Topics: Embellishments

76Sew & Tell: Sewaholic Robson Coat

in every issue

6 Editors Letter

8 Our Experts

10 Online Extras

12 Reader Tips

14 From You

16 Cool Tools

18 Off the Shelf

21 Sew Your Support

80 Clippings

82 The Last Laugh

32

&ENTER

(PAGE 12)

HideSEEK

60

76

68

16


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Ceate Holiday MagicBring a rustic feeling to your holiday setting this year.

Some roughness around the edges can be enchanting. Enhancethe sincerity that the season brings by using raw, natural

fabrics in your craft. Beautiful, honest and pure.

Lay a little something under the tree and cherish the pleasure

of giving. Your joy of sewing can make wishes come true...

Nothing makes a holiday more special than

to own our top-of-the-line machine!

New, exclusive Sewing and Embrodiery Techniques

Interchangeable Dual Feed included

deLuxe Stitch System for

mastering metallic threads

Ultimate Interactive Screen

EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEM Technology

for perfect even feed

EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEMTechnology


Start/stop functionAutomatic thread cutter

Exclusive SEWING ADVISORfeature

Bobbin thread sensor

Color Touch Screen

EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEM Technology


Large Embroidery Area & Sewing Surface

Embroidery Design Editing and Save

Basic Design Positioning

2014 KS IN Luxembourg II. S.ar.l. All rig hts rese rved. VIKING, KEEPING THE WORLD SEWING (and design), DESIGNER DIAMO ND ROYALE, DESIGNER TOPAZ, OPAL, EXCLUSIVE SENS OR SYSTEM, DELUXE an dSEWING ADVISOR are trademarks of KSIN Luxembourg II, S.ar.l. HUSQVARNA and the crowned H-mark are trademarks of Husqvarna AB. All trademarks are us ed under license by VSM Group AB.The BEST BUY SEAL and other licensed materials are registered certification marks and trademarks of Consumers Digest Communications LLC, used under license. For award information, visit ConsumersDigest.com.


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Our Experts

8 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Find out about the talented experts featured in this issue,and visit their websites and blogs for more fun extras.1

21.Ashley Briggs(Posh Pursepage 52,Tidings of Comfortpage 60) is a former

Sew Newseditor and Alaskan weather girlwho now spends her time sewing and cro-cheting in a small town in Colorado. Whennot stitching, she can be found working outor walking her dog.

2.Rhonda Buss(Sew & Tellpage 76)is a woman of many talents. Shes a pilot,writer, artist, dog lover and sewist. She lives

in Chicago, where she drafts patterns andsews for her blog, Rhondas Creative Life.rhondabuss.blogspot.com

3.Rae Cumbie (Pants Perfection, Part 2:

Pocketspage 62) is the Creative Directorat Fit for Art Patterns, which offers mod-ern wardrobe basics that focus on fit andinclude artful design options. Both in herclasses and on her blog, Sew! Lets GetDressed, Rae coaches sewists of all skill

levels to stitch up a fun and comfortablewardrobe and design more creatively.fitforartpatterns.com

4.Jennifer Davey (Heads Uppage 68)has been sewing professionally for 18 yearsand currently works as a freelance designer.She lives in Clovis, CA, with her husbandand three children, and loves sharing her

joy for creating with others.bestillmycraftingheart.blogspot.com

5.Liesl Gibson(Haute Topicspage 38)

is the chief designer of Liesl + Co., makersof the Oliver + S, Lisette and Straight StitchSociety brands of sewing patterns andfabrics. lieslandco.com

6.Ana Jankovic(Pattern Play: UniquePleats Dresspage 32) is a computer pro-

grammer who expresses her creativity bysewing in her free time. Shes a self-taughtsewist and designer residing in Belgrade,Serbia. stepalica.blogspot.com

7.Don Morin (Like a Foxpage 40) isa clothing designer, patternmaker, educatorand 30-year veteran of the Canadian fash-ion scene. He currently focuses on training

new generations of design hopefuls forthe garment industry.bagntell.wordpress.com

8.Linda Reynolds(Leather Accentspage 43) learned to sew at a very youngage and has enjoyed it ever since. Sheloves sharing her passion for the craft asan instructor teaching garment sewing to

teens and adults.simplysewingstudio.com

9.Kim Saba(Over the Moonpage 56)

holds a degree in fashion design from the

Fashion Institute of Technology. She lovesto sew, play with her two dogs and collecteverything vintage. kimsaba.com

10.Peggy Sagers(Fitting FAQspage26) is the owner of Silhouette Patterns,specializing in B-, C- and D-cup sizing. Shetravels the U.S. and Canada teaching easyready-to-wear techniques to home sewists.silhouettepatterns.com

11.Susan Woodcock(Shade to Orderpage 72) is a popular speaker and teacher,a member of the Window Coverings

Association of America and has been fea-tured in a variety of books and magazines.

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Deck the halls withthese easy-sew holidayprojects featured atsewnews.com/freesewingprojects.

Learn all about Sew

Newscontributor Jennifer

Davey at sewnews.com/

blogs/sewing and enter

to win Christmas Home-

made: 35 beautiful easy-

to-make projectsby Tessa Evelegh, Lost Quilt

Masterpiecesnotecards by Barbara Brackman plus

a Singer machine needle organizer. To enter, watch

the Sew News blog for the Meet the Designer post

on Dec. 5, 2014. Read the blog post and answer the

question to be entered to win. One response will be

chosen at random to receive the prize. Good luck!

Like Sew Newsatfacebook.com/sewnews.

Post your sewing creations atflickr.com/groups/sewnews.

Follow us attwitter.com/sewnews.

Check out our pins atpinterest.com/sewnews.

Follow us on Instagram@SewNews.

1. Dress up your diningroom for Christmas din-ner with festive Santa hatchair covers.

2. Stitch a jolly wallhanging that dou-bles as Christmascard storage.

3. Add a bit of dazzleto a table with simpleplace settings.

Free Sewing Projects

What we Love

Give your favor-

ite sewist the

gift of Sew ItAll, Season 6.

Learn to make

garments, home

dcor items

and accesso-

ries with host

Ellen March and special guests.

from shopsewitall com

Enteronline to

WIN!

CHECK OUT THE SEW NEWSFLICKR GROUP! Post photos of yourprojects, find tips and techniques and

connect with others who love to sew!

On the Blog

at sewnews com/blogs/sewing

1

2


SUBSCRIPTIONS: To subscribe to Sew Newsmagazine or changethe address of your current subscription, visit Subscriber Servicesonline at: sewnews.com. You may also call or write:

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Sew NewsDecember 2014/January 2015 No. 1

Copyright 2015 by F+W, a content + ecommerce company. All rightsreserved. Nothing may be printed in whole or in part without permissionfrom the publisher. Single-copy rate U.S. $5.99; Canada $6.99. Subscriptionsare $23.98 for one year (6 issues). Canadian subscriptions add $6 per year(includes GST and postage). Elsewhere outside the U.S., add $12 per yearpostage. Payment in U.S. funds must accompany all orders outside the U.S.For subscriptions, address changes or adjustments, write to SEW NEWS,P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142. Eight weeks are required for achange of address. Please give both new and old addresses and, if possible,the mailing label of the old address. The information in this publication ispresented in good faith, but no warranty is given nor results guaranteed.Since SEW NEWS has no control over your choice of materials or pro-

cedures, neitherSEW NEWS

nor the various manufacturers assume anyresponsibility for the use of this data.

PRINTED IN THE USA

sewNEWSsewnews.com

email: [email protected]

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Ellen March Senior Editor Beth Bradley Associate Editor Nicole LaFoille Technical Editor Kim Saba Online Editor Jill Case Editorial Assistant Andrea White

ART Creative Director Sue Dothage Graphic Designer Erin Hershey Assistant Graphic Designer Courtney Kraig

Photography Jessica Grenier, Mellisa Karlin Mahoney Illustrator Melinda Bylow Hair & Makeup Artist Angela Lewis, Beth Walker

F+W, a content + ecommerce company

Chairman & CEO David Nussbaum CFO & COO James Ogle President Sara Domville President David Blansfield Chief Digital Officer Chad Phelps VP/E-Commerce Lucas Hilbert Senior VP/Operations Phil Graham VP/Communications Stacie Berger

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2014 KSIN Luxembourg II. S.ar.l. All rights reser ved. All statements valid at time of printing. PFAFF, PERFECTION STARTS HERE, IDT (image), SHAPE CREATOR, STITCH CREATOR, ACTIVESTITCH,CREATIVE SENSATION, QUILT AMBITION, PERFORMANCE and CREATIVE are trademarks of KSIN Luxembourg II, S.ar.

Holiday Perfection.

Designed by You.

The Original IDTSystem Large sewing space Large, high resolutiontouch screen

Bobbin thread sensor 201 stitches

creativeColor Touch Screen Maxi Stitches Exclusive Stitch CreatorFeature The Original IDTSystem Straight Stitch NeedlePlate Sensor

per formance5.0

Visit our website for 8 exquisitesewing projects to create by yourself.

Let the crisp, frosty feeling of the

season set the perfect tone for theholiday. And why settle for ordinary?

With the PFAFFline-up of renowned

sewing machines and inspiringaccessories the possibilities are endless.

Create exquisite items to accessorizeyourself and your home wherever you

want to put your own designers touch.Exclusive PFAFFfeatures allow true

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Create holiday magic with a true state ofthe art sewing and embroidery machine.

creativeColor Touch Screen PFAFFexclusive Ribbon Stitches Increased Embroidery Speed ActivStitchTechnology

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To find a dealer near you, call 1-800-997-3233 orvisit www.pfaffusa.com


14/84

From You


Visit our Facebook fan page to

take polls and post comments

for a chance to receive

a special sewing prize.

BESTIN SEW

Join the Conversation!

Marie won a copy of Sew

Decorative: Quick and Easy

Home Accents fromSew News

from Martingale & Company

Publishing, a set of patterns from

McCalls Home Decorating and a

Sew Newsmagnetic needle case

for her great comment. For your

shot at winning a prize, like

the Sew News Facebook page.

THE RESULTS ARE INWe asked you on Facebook:

Whats your favorite type of project to sew?

I sew costumes for plays and clothes for myself.

Nothing is off limits, however. I just love to sew!Deborah B.

Love making clothes, shift dresses for work andposh frocks for going out! Carrieanne B.

Making Christmas decorations always puts me ina good mood. Helen R.

I love sewing things for my grandkids. My grand-daughters give me ideas. Shirley W.

Im just starting to create high fashion garments.I made my 25th anniversary dress last year andwas very proud of it. Next Ill make a red lace/

lined A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline, a

then two Chanel-inspired jackets. So excited!Karen W.

My 11-year-old grandniece is a budding seam-stress and clothing designer. My favorite projecworking with her to make her designs come truPhyllis G.

I find joy and satisfaction in everything I create.Its relaxing and exhilarating to know I createdsomething wonderful that can be appreciated fyears to come! Judi C.

Let me quilt and Im a happy camper. Mary P.

I read thatSew Newswas encouraging its readersto participate in the charity ConKerr Cancer bymaking pillowcases. I recently made and shipped20 pillowcases and plan to make more. Theyreso easy and it makes me feel good to sew forcharity! Jill G.

Love the new issue ofSew it All.I just need moretime to sew! Georgia R.

Thank you so much for sharing your sewing ski[in the Clara Dress Sew Along]. I really like theelastic application in this dress. I will certainlyuse it in future projects. Cennetta

Any time I sew Im happy. It helps me relaxand enjoy some time out! Sherry S.

Creating with fabric and thread is my therapyand passion. Angie G.

Quilts14%

11% Home Dcor

13% Children/Baby

facebook.com/sewnews

READER REMARKSCheck out the latest comments on our Facebook fan page:

YOU SAID SEW

I like sewing home

dcor. At least mychairs and windows

don't change sizes

while I'm working

on the project.

Marie H.

Garments16%

11% Other

facebook.com/sewnews

twitter.com/sewnews

instagram.com/sewnews

flickr.com/groups/sewnews

9% Bags

8% Gifts

7%

6%

5%

Anything andEverything

Accessories

High Fashion

Findmore

great

projects

tostitchat

sewnews.com!


15/84

Want to create incredible, runway-ready fashions? Then look no further than

the Simplicityby Brother line-up. With a total of eight machines to choose

from, including two award-winners, theres something for everyone. These

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Cool Tools

Stock your sewing room with the latestnotions, tools, fabric, books and more.

The little critters

featured in Penguin &

Fish Hand Embroidery

Patterns and Kitsare

too adorable to resist.

Adorn a tea towel

with the Crafty Cat

design, or decorate

a nursery with your

handiwork from the

Hedgehog Wall Art Kit.

penguinandfish.com

Bring your creativity to life with the Baby Lock Destinysewing and

embroidery machine. Easily navigate the machines innovative features

and watch your favorite video tutorials on the large color touch screen.

Use the IQ Designer function to quickly digitize images you draw on

screen, scan in or import. The machine also includes precise positioning

tools, lots of room for large-scale projects, brilliant stadium lighting,

641 built-in designs and much more. babylock.com

Stitch beautiful holiday dcor and crafts with

National Nonwovens Xotic Felt.The felt is

made from a unique and sustainable rayon/

bamboo blend, so it has a super-soft hand and

the ability to retain gorgeous, vivid colors.

nationalnonwovens.com


17/84 SEWNEWS.COM 17

Show your sewing and quilting pride

with cool screen-printed tees from

Patchwork Threads,that feature

modern, graphic renderings of

classic quilt blocks, as well as some

sassy sayings. Plus, support a great

cause by sporting the Designer Star

V-Neck T-shirt. Patchwork Threads

donates 20% of the proceeds from

that design to the Quilts of Valor

Foundation, whose mission is to

create quilts for service members

and veterans touched by war.

patchworkthreads.com

Create the sewing studio of your dreams with the elegant eight-piece Inspira

Studio by ClosetMaid Organizational System.The modular furniture collection

includes a patent-pending thread cabinet, fabric cabinet, mat and hoop cabinet,

three-drawer supply cabinet, compartment cabinet, mobile notions cart, mobile

project storage cart and activity table. myinspirastudio.com

Popular sewing blogger and designer

Melissa Mora of mellysews.com brings

her fresh and fun aesthetic to Blank

Slate Patterns,which includes garment

patterns for women, girls and boys, as

well as stylish and practical accessories.

blankslatepatterns.com

Store supplies in

the charming and

functional On the

Button Sewing Box,

which includes five

compartments that

are sized just right for

scissors, snips, needles,

a tape measure and

any other small tools

you want to keep close

at hand. The box also

makes a great holiday

gift for a sewing buddy.

modcloth.com



Off the Shelf

Famous Frocks: The Little Black Dress

by Dolin Bliss OShea

ASKANYFASHIONEXPERTTOLISTessential items

for a womans wardrobe, and chances are

he or she will automatically name the little

black dress. The LBD has earned icon status by

remaining a timeless staple despite constantly

changing fashion and cultural whims. Author and

pattern designer Dolin Bliss OShea pays homage to

this deceptively simple garment in Famous Frocks:

The Little Black Dressby taking a fun and fascinat-

ing journey through fashion history. Part 1 focuses

on dressmaking basics, but Part 2 is where the funreally begins. OShea showcases fashion idols and

the beautiful black dresses they made famous,

including instructions and patterns for you to sew

your own LBD. Appropriately, Part 2 begins with the

originator of the LBD, Coco Chanel and her versatile

jersey day dress. Next we travel up through the

decades, learning about styles worn by other style

innovators and legends, including Joan Crawford,

Audrey Hepburn and Anjelica Huston, and then

all the way up-to-date with Kate Moss party-ready

lace mini-dress. The historical context, beautiful vin-

tage photography and clear instructions make thebook all the more inspiring. OShea also provides

great advice on making sizing and fit adjustments,

as well as many style variation ideas to help you

customize an LBD that will become your personal

wardrobe must-have. chroniclebooks.com

Stock your sewing library and

increase your know-how with

these latest and greatest books.

Enter to win a copy of The Magic

Pattern Bookby Amy Barickman

by entering theSew Newsblog

giveaway on Dec. 5!



The Magic Pattern Book

by Amy Barickman

Indygo Junction founder and designer

Amy Barickman shows you the magic

of multiplying six basic patterns into an

impressive array of 216 original garments.

The Magic Pattern Bookincludes a CD

with patterns for six wardrobe funda-

mentals, including a tank top, skirt, dress,

cardigan coat and accessory. Barickman

details how to follow different markings

on each pattern to yield dozens of varia-

tions. For example, learn how to makeone skirt into an A-line, maxi, pleated skirt,

pencil skirt, flared bias skirt and ruffled

mini, and then further personalize each

garment by following Barickmans helpful

fabric suggestions.workman.com

Little One-Yard Wonders

by Rebecca Yaker& Patricia Hoskins

The popular One-Yard Wonderseries

continues with 101 new projects

designed just for the little ones in your

life. The projects are divided by category,

including home dcor, garments, acces-

sories, tactile toys for babies and toddlers,

imaginative toys for kids of any age,

games and hobbies for older children

and much more. With so many creative

ideas, photos and full-size patterns, thisbook of little projects packs a big punch.

storey.com

Game Day: 50 Fun Spirit Fleece

Projects to Sewby Cindy Cummins

Fleece is a favorite fabric because its easy

to sew and widely available in so many

fun colors, prints and textures. Some

of the most popular fleece prints are

licensed for professional and university

sports teams, because the soft, comfy

fabric stitches up so quickly into cozy

stadium blankets, scarves, gloves and

pajama pants. Cindy Cummins shares

more than 50 fleece projects for thewhole family to show their team spirit, as

well as many great tips and techniques for

cutting and sewing fleece. stmartins.com

New & Notable


20/8420 sewNEWS J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4 / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

New Fabrics to Inspire Your Creativity

Advertorial

This sumptuous and Textured Soft

Cuddle plush minky has a silky

soft embossed and textured

surface. The fabric is perfect for

apparel accents, blankets, throws,

pillows, crafts and more. Textures

feature: Crushed, Bengal, Dynasty,

Lattice, Marble Rose, Onyx, Stone,

Ziggy and Tie-Dye Rabbit. Colors

include rich jewel tones of Garnet

and Plum, beautiful neutrals, such

as Oyster, Pewter, Sand, Caramel

and many more!shannonfabrics.com

A fresh, vintage breeze breathes life into

Gossamer. Combining frosted florals

with charming gridwork, these prints

highlight a quaint approach to color that

includes dreamy blush, sheer blues and

honeyed bronze.

Designer Sharon Holland assembles

a fabric collection in the same way she

pulls fabrics from her stash to stitch a

quilt. Sharon's greatest design strength

is effortlessly mixing the vintage with

the modern. She admits the process is

similar to choosing old, and new fabrics

from her scrap basket and assembling

them into a quilt. This resulting twist

creates a look in her designs that is

timeless and easy.

artgalleryfabrics.com


21/84



NECKLINEOPTIONS

Best of the Basics

Add your personal style to any garment with

a change to the neckline. Whether scoop,

square or V-neck, a new neckline can turn

an old shirt into a new favorite.

These neckline

change-ups and tips

were combined from

three Sew News

columns from

Apr. '87, July '94

and Feb. '03.

The Inside ScoopBYBARBARAWEILAND

Makeover a T-shirt by adding a scoop

neckline with ribbing; this redo can be

finished in an afternoon.

Put on the T-shirt;mark or pin the

center front above the desired new

neckline finished edge; carefully take offthe shirt.

Carefully remove the neckline ribbing

with a seam ripper, if applicable, and set

it aside.

Working on a flat surface,place the T-

shirt right side up, smoothing any wrinkles.

Using a curved ruler,connect the back-

neckline original cut edge with the mark at

the center front in a smooth curve. Do this

on one half only (1).

Cut on the new curved line,and then

flip the cutout over onto the remaining

front half; cut the second half (2). Save

the cutout as a pattern for other T-shirts.If the neckline has only slightly been

lowered,use the original ribbing. Or,

finish the neckline with new ribbing

TIP:To use this same technique

on a woven shirt, encase the neck-

line in matching or contrasting

bias tape or rickrack.

1

2

BEST

BA SICS

OFTHE


23/84



Best of the Basics

V-Neck ValueBYMARLASTEFANELLI

Add a V-neckline to a crew-neck shirt to

create a whole new look. This style works

well on sweatshirts as well as T-shirts.

Remove the original collarby removing

the stitching with a seam ripper.

Fold the shirt in halfto find the cen-ter front; mark with a removable fabric

marker. Measure down from the neck

edge along the center front to the desired

length; mark. The V-neckline depth differs

between men and womens shirts; the

neckline is about 5 from the neck edge

for women and 6 for men. Lay the shirt

flat and align a ruler with the mark and the

neck edge. Draw a connecting line with

the marker; repeat for the other side (8).

Trim along the marked lines.

Using a short stitch,staystitch fromthe edge beginning 2 above the point

of the V. Repeat to staystitch the remain-

ing side, allowing the stitches to intersect

under the point. Clip to, not through, the

stitching at the point (9).

Measure the neck opening,standing the

measuring tape on edge.

Cut the ribbingthe same length as the

neck opening. For the width, cut the rib-

bing twice the desired finished width plus

for seam allowances. For a 1 finishedwidth, cut the ribbing 2 wide.

Fold the ribbing in halflength-

wise with wrong sides together and

lightly finger-press the fold. Fold

the ribbing in half widthwise again

and mark the center point.

Measure the back neck edgebetween

the shoulder seams. Multiply the mea-

surement by 2/3(or .66 in decimal form)

to determine the amount of ribbing for

the back neck. If the measurement is 10,

the ribbing will be about 65/8. Measure

and pin-mark of this amount on either

side of the ribbing center point.

With right sides together,match the pin

marks to the shoulder seams; pin in place.

Using seam allowances,begin

stitching at the left shoulder seam

and sew across the back neck edge,

stretching the ribbing to fit. Continue

stitching down the right-front neck

edge, stretching the ribbing slightly as

you sew; end at the V point. Leave

1 of ribbing extending beyond the

point and trim the excess ribbing.

Stitch down the neck openingleft

front side, stretching the ribbing slightlyas you sew. End stitching when you

reach a distance from the V point that is

wider than the ribbing width (10).

Lay the shirt flatand turn the ribbing

to the finished position. Tuck the ends

inside, overlapping the right front over

the left. Pin the ribbing layers together

at the overlap (11).On the shirt wrong

side, finish sewing the neck opening to

the ribbing at the point of the V, catching

both ribbings in the stitching (12).Trim

the ends even with the seam allowance.

Press the seam allowancestoward the

shirt. Topstitch across the back neck and

front edges, if desired. Z

RESOURCES

Sewing 911by Barbara Deckert; published byTaunton press, 2001.

Vogue Sewing;The Butterick Publishing Co., 2000.

Singer Sewing Reference Library: Sewing Activewear;published by Cy DeCosse, 1986.

8

10

9

11

12


25/84

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Sweepstakes ends December 31, 2014, so enter today!See website for complete details.



Fitting FAQs

[Q]

[A] The answer to this question might surprise you, so please read carefully tounderstand. Any time a garment contains a dart, its a clue that the garment

contains all three aspects of fit. Those three aspects are length, circumfer-

ence and depth. When the pattern length, circumference and depth matches

the body length, circumference and depth, that creates a great fit. Length

is the vertical changing of the garment and circumference is the horizontal

changing of the garment, but depth applies to both length and circumfer-

ence. Darts deal with depth, and thats why theyre often confusing.

Your frequently asked fitting questions

answered by Peggy Sagers

Im confused about darts.

Please provide some rules

for fitting and sewing darts.

Does a larger bust dart

create more circumference?

[Q]

vvoe/Shutterstock.com



To make an alteration for a short

waist, the same amount is removed

from the pattern all the way around.

However, to fit a sway back, more

length needs to be removed from the

center back than from the sides. This

alteration is a darta horizontal dartbut

nonetheless a dart. Darting and depth

are synonymous. Horizontal darts affect

length and vertical darts affect circumfer-

ence. Darting can affect both the garmentlength and circumference, which also

might contribute to the confusion.

A bust dart takes away the garment

length at the side of the body, but leaves

the length the same at the garment

center, which is why this dart ends inter-

nally. So, the way to achieve an uneven

length in a garment to accommodate

curves and create shaping is depth. By

the definition of length, the length needs

to be the same all the way around a

garment. So the bust dart isnt a lengthissue but a depth issue. But in the case

of this depth issue, the garment circum-

ference isnt changed because the bust

dart is a horizontal dart. Horizontal darts

affect length, not circumference (1).

As another example, a waist dart on a

pair of pants is a vertical dart. Its there for

the purpose of removing circumference

to better fit the waist without chang-

ing the hip circumference. In the case

of the waist dart, it doesnt change the

garment length at all, just the circumfer-

ence. Again, thats because vertical darts

affect circumference, not length (2).

These two examples show that not

all darts are alike. While we refer to

both horizontal and vertical wedges of

fabrics as darts, they clearly serve two

different purposes. Once we under-

stand the differences, darts are easy to

understand and we arent lead astray by

incorrect information. Make note of the

following important rules about darts:

The bust dart and the waist dart are

called fitting darts. These two fitting

darts must enter the bust circle in

length and not extend beyond the bust

point. The bust circle is a 3 radius

around the bust point.

The pattern bust point aligns with the

nipple of the body.

Darts in a skirt or pant are 3 to 5 long

in the front and 7 to 9 in the back.

Princess seams are a combination of

the bust dart and the waist dart in a

single seam line. The princess seam

must intersect the bust circle but

shouldnt intersect the bust point.

Change darts into seamlines or gathers

or divide and combine them, but never

eliminate darts because the garment

needs the shaping the darts create.

If a garment doesnt have any visible

darts, the bust dart has been moved

to the waist and released. Releasing

a dart means to simply not stitch the

dart; instead, the shaping from the dart

remains dormant in the garment.

Either stitch or move a bust dart, but

dont released it in its original location,

(the side seam), as the front and back

side seams wont align.

Darts, in short, give a better match

of clothing to the body than simply a

rectangular piece of fabric. Darts slim

the body and make us look taller by

taking away excess fabric that adds

bulk, making massive improvements

to how clothes fit our bodies. Z

Need expertfitting advice?

Send your sewing questions [email protected].

* Published questions maybe edited for clar ity

and brevity.

1

2

Bust dartaffects length.

Waist darts affectcircumference.


28/84


29/84


30/84

Home-Dec Help


Looped Welting PillowUse this fun technique to create decorative welting loopsof any size at pillow corners.

Supplies

yard of home-dcor fabric

(cover; see Sources)

1 yard of home-dcor fabric

(bias strips; see Sources)

16x20 pillow form (See Sources.)

3 yards of -diameter cotton filler cord

(See Sources.)

Matching all-purpose thread

Hand sewing needle

Tube-turning tool (optional)

Cut & PrepFrom the pillow cover fabric,cut two 17x21 rectangles;mark the center of each side at the edges.

From the bias-strip fabric,cut enough 3-wide bias strips to

equal 3 yards when pieced. Piece the strips along the short

edges using a seam allowance; press open the seams.

Beginning 10 from one short end,snip into the biasstrip along each long edge to mark each pillow-side length and

12 for each corner loop. Leave 15 at the opposite end for

the overlap along one pillow long edge (2).

ConstructFold the strip in half lengthwise with right sides together.

Stitch the loop section edges using a seam allowance. Clip

to, but not through, the stitching line at each stitching end (3).

Trim the seam allowancesto and press open. Turn thepartially sewn tube right side out, using a tube turner if desired.

Tightly wrap 2 of one filler cord end with tape and insert the

cord through the stitched sections until the bias strip and cord-

ing ends are even.

2

3

15

10 12

Loop

Loop

Side

Side

Loop

Loop

Side

Side16 2012

Beginning

Clip Clip

Overlap Allowance

End

Tape

12

Previously StitchedLoop Section

4


31/84



Pattern Play

UNIQUE

PLEATSDRESS

Add a dramatic focal

point to a simple

shift dress by creat-

ing an intricatelypleated panel.

{ by Ana Jankovic }

Look for a

basic dress

pattern, such as

McCalls 2401.



Supplies

Long-sleeve shift dress

pattern with bust & waist darts

(such as McCalls 2401)

Dress fabric, lining & fusible

interfacing (amount according to

pattern envelope plus approximately

212 yards for pleat panel)

Invisible zipper & notions(according to pattern)

All-purpose thread

Pattern or tracing paper

Rulers: clear & curved

Removable fabric marker

Clear tape

Hand sewing needle (optional)

PrepareCut out the pattern pieces.

Before beginning the altera-

tions,pin-fit or make a muslin fitting

sample of the selected pattern.

Make any necessary fit adjustments

to the pattern, and then trace a copy

on paper, transferring all markings.

AlterDraw a gently curved boat neckline

on the front and back patterns, making

sure the front and back shoulder seams

are the same length. Trace the front

pattern onto new paper, and then flip it

along the center-front line; trace to create

a full front pattern. Draw a vertical line

from the neckline through each waist-

dart center to the lower edge (1).Save

the original front and back patterns for

drafting the lining and facing patterns.

Measure the front waist-dart width.

Redraw the front waist darts, transferring

the entire width to the dart outer edges

(2).Use the curved ruler to true and

smooth the new dart edge into a gentlecurve. Cut the front pattern along the

vertical lines to create center and side

panels. Discard the left side panel. Cut

away the dart width from the right side

panel to create a curved seamline. Tape

the side-panel bust dart closed (3).

To draft the sleeve-cuff pattern,draw

a line 3 above and parallel to the sleeve

1 2 3

Redraw.

Close dart.

Side Center


34/84



panels are the lining patterns and the

upper panels are the facing patterns (7).

Pleat Panel

Measure the center-front panel width,

and then subtract 2; record. Using the

recorded measurement as the height and

4 as the base width, draw an isosceles

triangle for the pleating template (8).

From the main fabric,cut a long

pleating strip 4 wider than the center-

front panel and approximately 96 long.The panel length will shrink a great deal

with pleating.

Using a removable fabric marker,draw

a line along the pleat-panel center, and

then draw a line 2 from each long edge.

Beginning near the pleat-panel up-

per edge,center the pleat template

between the outer lines. Trace the

triangle perimeter along the pleat-panel

length, creating a continous zigzag line.

After marking the entire length, place

the template 12 below the first triangle

marking. Using a different pen color,

repeat tracing the template to create a

second continous zigzag line. The first

line denotes the pleat foldline, while the

second line denotes the stitching line(9).

To stitch the first pleat ,fold the fabric

along the upper foldline with wrong sides

together. Stitch along the first stitching line

to secure the fold (10).Press the pleat

downward to create a crisp, even fold.

Fold the panelalong the next

foldline with wrong sides together.

Stitch the next stitching line, cross-

ing the first pleat stitching line (11).

Fold the pleat downward; press.

Continue folding,stitching and press-

ing each foldline and stitching line

down the entire panel length, creating

the diagonal pleat pattern(12).Always

press after stitching each pleat to main-

tain an even interval and crisp angles.

Cut

From the pleat panel,cut the center-

front dress pattern with the pleats

running downward.

7 8 9

10 11 12

Back Facing Front Facing

BackLining

FrontLining

Foldline

StitchingLine

1/2

Stitch first line.



Pattern Play

From the main fabric,cut one side-

front pair, one back pair, one sleeve pair,

one cuff pair, one front-neck facing on

the fold and one back-neck facing pair.From the lining,cut one front on the

fold, one back pair and one sleeve pair.

From the interfacing,cut one cuff pair,

one front-neck facing on the fold and one

back-neck facing pair. Fuse the interfacing

pieces to the coordinating fabric pieces

following the manufacturers instructions.

Construct

With right sides together,stitch

one side-front to each center-panellong edge; press open the seams.

Stitch the back waist darts,and then

press them toward the side seams.

Align the dress frontand back pieces

with right sides together. Stitch the

shoulder and side seams; press open.

With right sides together,stitch each

sleeve pleat according to the pleat mark-

ings. Stitch each sleeve seam; press open.

With right sides together,fold each

cuff in half lengthwise, and then stitch thelong open edge; press open. With wrong

sides together, fold each cuff along the

upper and lower foldline; press well.

With right sides together,stitch one

cuff to each sleeve lower edge; press

open the seams.

Insert an invisible zipperinto the

dress center-back seam following

the manufacturers instructions.

Insert the sleevesinto the dress arm-

scyes following the pattern guidesheet.

Finish the dress lower edgewith

a hand or machine blind hem.

With right sides together,stitch the

front-neck facing lower edge to the front-

lining upper edge. Repeat to stitch the

back facings to the back lining pieces.

Finish constructing the lining,and

then insert it into the dress follow-

ing the pattern guidesheet.

SOURCE

The McCall Pattern Co. carries McCalls 2401:mccallpattern.mccall.com.



Call 1-800-533-7347or visitwww.arrowcabinets.comto find a dealer near you

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Haute Topics

Dont save fancy embellishments just for holiday parties. Many designers aremoving away from minimalism and embracing trims and adornment in theirdesigns. Take a look at the fall runways and youll find all sorts of embellishmentsfor everyday wear. Find out about trendy embellishments and how to incorporatethem into your sewing projects.

{ by Liesl Gibson }EMBELLISHMENTS

Julie Angel Saad/Shuttersto



Oversized, exaggerated soutache braid-

style trim emerged on the runways from

designers, such as Stella McCartney

and Miguel Palacio (1).McCartneys

soutache incorporated unlikely notions,

such as mountaineering rope and zip-

per teeth. Take inspiration from the bold

embellishments and look for large-scale

braids and yarns and add them in a

swirl pattern to a clutch coat. Or if the

oversized trims are too much for your

taste or lifestyle, choose a simple jacketpattern with clean lines and apply tra-

ditional soutache braid to highlight the

design details. Even just a little bit of

braid applied to a garment adds a won-

derful textural effect to a winter outfit.

Some designers, including Devota

& Lomba, felted multi-colored fibers

in a geometric pattern onto dresses

and sweaters (2).Add a few felted

shapes or organic swirls to the hem of

your winter coat. Or apply loose wool

fibers or yarn to create texture and

color that transforms plain wool fabric

into a unique designer-inspired piece.

Lace inserts and appliqus bring

heirloom sewing to high fashion. Some

inserts had a round, organic shape, while

others were more geometric. The lace

sections were delicate but also very mod-

ern in appearance (3).Use vintage lacethat might be languishing in your stash

to replicate the look in your next project.

Many designers showed enormous

hardware-inspired bling that encrusted

skirt and dress fronts (4).This trend

might inspire you to break out the

BeDazzler again and embellish a basic

dress, but apply the bling in moderation

to avoid too much of a good thing and

end up with a look straight from the '80s.

Heavy beading was a major trend,

especially on sweater, dress and jacket

necklines and seamlines (5).Add beads

to a heavyweight sweater or jacket in

a creative way, such as asymmetrically

along one side. Or hand stitch small

seed beads onto a lightweight blouse.

Alternatively, try adding lighter bead-

ing as a trim, taking inspiration from

Lanvin, who finished many pieces

with a beaded fringe. Embellish only

the armscye and princess seams of ajacket for a subtle, yet stunning look.

The runways also showed a variety

of quilted jackets and detailing that

creates wonderful subtle texture. The

always outlandish and exciting Thom

Browne showed beautifully quilted

wool jackets that might inspire you to

add channel stitching to a garment. Z

1

4 5

2 3

catwalker/Shutterstock.comcatwalker/Shutterstock.com

Gordana Sermek/Shutterstock.com Anton Oparin/Shutterstock.com

Anton Oparin/Shutterstock.com


40/84


41/84



manipulate the stray hairs to the fur

right side.

Place the wide stay tapealong the

fur right-side perimeter. Push all

the perimeter fur beneath the tape;

whipstitch the tape edge to the fur,

catching the narrow stay-tape edge with

the stitching (5).Use small, even hand

stitches along the fur outermost edge.

Finger-press the stay tape toward the

wrong side (6).

Abut the interlining dart edgesand

stitch together, using a 3.5mm-widezigzag stitch (7).

Place the interliningon the fur wrong

side; baste through the vertical and

horizontal center through the fur

backing only.

Wrap the wide stay tapearound

the interlining perimeter; hand-baste

through all layers using a running

stitch (8).

Place one ribbon endalong one collar

upper-edge corner with the ribbon

right side facing the interlining; hand

stitch the ribbon in place using a

backstitch(9).Repeat to stitch theremaining ribbon to the opposite

collar corner. Fold the ribbons toward

the right side beyond the collar edges.

Cut each ribbon end at an angle; apply

seam sealant to the ribbon cut ends,

if desired.

FinishFold the lining perimeter1toward

the wrong side; press on low heat using

a press cloth.

Place the lining right side upover the

interlining, aligning the stay-tape and

lining edges and extending the ribbon

ties beyond the fur edge; pin. Slipstitch

the lining in place (10).

Using a comb,fluff the fur pile along

the seams. Z

5

8

9

6

7

10

Abut dartedges.


43/84



Leather In VogueLeather is no longer limited to

handbags and outerwear, as both

genuine leather and faux leather

have become popular in all types of

everyday clothing. Creative leather

elements add style and luxury to any

garment. Incorporate a small leatherdetail for a pop of color and contrast,

or use more for a bold, contemporary

statement. Look beyond the obvious

to find that leather has a place in almost

every type of garment. Bring an old

thrift shop buy back into fashion by

repairing or replacing garment sections

with leather. Update a plain skirt or

dress by adding a leather peplum.

For a subtle effect, add a leather

border along a skirt or sleeve hemline.

Anywhere a contrast of color ortexture will enhance, update or trans-

form a garment, leather is a fun and

stylish option.

To add leather to a garment, begin

by selecting a pattern that has details

or contrasting fabric areas that easily

translate into leather. Or choose a

pattern that includes a color-block

design and plan to use leather as one

of the sections. For patterns that dont

immediately suggest contrasting or

color-blocked areas, select garmentsections to cut from leather, such as

a sleeve, collar, pocket or side panel.

For a more personalized and creative

approach, begin with a simple pattern

in a basic silhouette, and then add

style lines, seamlines or panels to cut

from leather.

Leather ConsiderationsSewing with leather might seem

intimidating, but the techniques arent

difficult, just different than sewing with

standard fabric. Knowing the tools and

techniques you need and having a clear

strategy before beginning any leather

project makes the sewing process easyand fun. There are some important

differences that make sewing leather

different from sewing fabric:

Genuine leather is a natural organic

material that requires special handling

and specific tools.

Leather is bulky so intersecting

seamlines or multiple layers are

often problematic.

Leather has some stretch, but no ease.

Every pin or needle hole in leather

is permanent.

Leather tends to stick to metal parts

of a sewing machine.

Genuine LeatherThe key to sewing real leather,

especially the first time, is to use a

lightweight hide rather than attempting

to sew thick heavyweight leather.

For clothing, a thinner hide is better

because the sewing process is moresimilar to sewing regular fabrics.

Lightweight hides also wont strain

most home sewing machines.

When buying leather, the amount is

generally measured in square feet. Real

leather is typically sold as hides, which

are irregular in shape. Therefore, square

footage measurements are generally

estimated so factor in some waste to

account for imperfections, such as holes

or grain irregularities. To convert fabric

yardage to leather square footage, most

sellers use this standard formula: One

linear yard of 54-wide fabric is equal

to 18 square feet of leather. The leather

thickness, which suggests the degree to

which it will drape, is generally measuredin ounces or millimeters. One ounce is

equivalent to 164of thickness or .4mm

(more than twice as thin as a dime).

For leather embellishments on regular

clothing, hides less than 2 to 2.5 ounces

in thickness (132or .7mm to 1mm)

look best.

Faux LeatherMuch of the leather used in commer-

cially manufactured clothing these

days isnt genuine, but looks and feelssurprisingly real. Faux leather is widely

available in most fabric retailers and

comes in many colors, thicknesses

and textures. Its a popular alternative

for good reason. Its considerably less

expensive than genuine leather and

some faux leathers feel and drape more

like regular fabric, making them consid-

erably easier to cut and sew. As a

manufactured product, faux leather

is sold in linear lengths, so yardage

requirements and pattern layouts arealso easier to determine. Some faux

leathers are even machine washable,

making them easy to care for. Once

again, when making clothing, light-

weight faux leather is best, as it drapes

well and requires fewer unconventional

techniques. Many faux leathers are

backed with fabric, so theyre also

more comfortable to wear.

Download

agreatguideto

sewinggenuine

andfauxleather

atsewnews.com

/

web_extras.



Supplies

Sheath dress pattern(such as McCalls 2401)

8-square-foot lambskin leather pelt

with .7mm to.9mm thickness

Mediumweight fabric (weight com-

patible with leather weight and drape;

amount according to pattern envelope)

Lining fabric (amount according

to pattern envelope)

Invisible zipper & notionsaccording to pattern envelope)

Leather needle

All-purpose thread


Binder, paper clips or fabric clips

Butcher or pattern paper

PTFE, roller or walking foot

PrepareCut out the pattern pieces.

Before beginning the alterations,

pin-fit or make a muslin fitting sample

of the selected pattern.

Make any necessary fit adjustments

to the pattern, and then trace a copyon paper, transferring all markings.

Reserve the fit-adjusted dress patterns

to use as the lining patterns.

AlterOn the dress-front pattern,draw a

curved diagonal princess seamline from

the side seam at the hip to the neckline

center, intersecting the waist-dart upper

point. Slash the bust-dart upper leg up

to the apex, and then cut along the newprincess seamline. Rotate the bust dart

closed, transferring the dart shaping

to the princess seam. To eliminate

the waist dart, trim away 1from the

princess seamline between the dart

upper point and side seam (1).

Draw a curved diagonal lineon the

back pattern from the neckline to

the side seam just above the waistline.

Dont eliminate the back waist dart (2).

Color-Block Dress

Add lambskin leather color-blocked side panels to take a sheath dress from

simple to stylish.

1

2

New princess seamline

Closebust dart.

Eliminatewaistdart.

1

New princessseamline



Trim 12 from the center-frontand

center-back neckline edges to create

the leather neckline trim patterns (3).

Add 58 seam allowances to the newcut edges.

Cut

Lay out the leather hideright side up

in a single layer. On the leather, use

chalk to trace one front-side panel pair,

one back-side panel pair, one front-

neck trim and one back-neck trim,

avoiding imperfections, such as holes or

grain inconsistencies. Transfer markings

and notches on the leather wrong side.

Cut out the pieces using shears or a

rotary cutting system.

From the fabric,cut one altered front

dress on the fold and one altered

back-dress pair.

From the lining,cut the original dress

front and back pieces following the

pattern guidesheet.

Construct

With right sides together,align the

front neckline-trim lower edge with

the front-dress upper edge; secure

with clips (4).Select a 3mm straight

stitch and install a roller, walking or

PTFE foot. With the leather side facing

up, stitch the trim to the dress upper

edge. Dont backstitch; instead, tie

off the thread tails. Repeat to stitch

the back-neckline trim to the back-

dress upper edge.

Press open and flattenthe seams by

placing craft paper under each leather

seam allowance to prevent an indenta-

tion on the right side (5).

Align the side-front panelwith the

front dress along the princess seamline

with right sides together; secure withclips (6).Stitch and press open the seam

following the previous instructions (7).

Stitch the back waist darts,and then

press them toward the center back.

With right sides together,stitch

and press open the shoulder seams

following the previous leather hand-

ling instructions.

Stitch the liningbust and waist darts.

Align the lining front and back with

right sides together, and then stitch

the shoulder seams; press open.

Align the dressand lining with right

sides together. Stitch the neckline edge

following the leather handling instruc-tions. Trim and clip the seam allowance,

and then understitch the lining close

the seamline.

Align the dressand lining armscye

seams, secure using binder clips, and

then stitch. Trim and clip the seam

allowances. Turn the lining to the

dress wrong side by pulling the backs

5

63

4 7

1/2

Cut Cut

1/2

Front Back



through the shoulder seams. Press

around the armscyes to set the curves.

Align the dress pieceswith right sidestogether and lining pieces with right

sides together. Stitch the side seams

separately (8).

Finish constructing the dressaccording

to the pattern guidesheet.

8

Statement SleevesGive a casual knit top an edgy touch by using faux leather for the sleeves and

optional pocket. Faux leather is soft and more compatible with jersey knit, so

the shirt is comfortable to wear. The faux leather is also washable, so caring

for the top is just as simple as washing an everyday T-shirt. The featured top

above is the authors own design; find a basic T-shirt pattern that suits your style,

such as McCall's 6964.

Supplies

Basic long-sleeve knit T-shirt pattern

(such as McCall's 6964)

12 yard of faux leather (or approxi-

mately 6-square-feet of real leather

with 0.7mm to 0.9mm thickness)

Jersey knit fabric (amount according

to the pattern envelope)

All-purpose thread


Walking foot

Invisible tape

Tailors chalk

Binder, fabric or paper clips

Serger (optional)


48/84



Prepare & CutOn the skirt-front pattern,mark thepocket-flap placement. Draw a slightly

angled 4line extending down toward

the side seam from the dart apex (12).

Trim 238from the skirt-front and

-back lower edges to account for the

leather border.

Cut out the skirtand lining pattern

pieces from the fabric following

the pattern guidesheet. Transfer

the flap marking.

Measure the skirttotal lower-edge

circumference, and then add 114to

account for seam allowances; record.

For the lower-border pattern, draw a

rectangle that measures 7x the

recorded measurement.

For the pocket-flap pattern,draw

a 234x412rectangle. From the

faux leather, cut one border strip

and two flaps.

ConstructStitch the skirt-front darts.

Fold one flapin half lengthwise with

right sides together. Bring one long

edge 14beyond the other edge to

reduce the bulk when sewn; finger-

press. Stitch the short ends using a 14

seam allowance. Turn the flap right side

out; press flat using a press cloth.

Repeat to construct the remaining flap.

12

Bold Border SkirtA faux-leather border and welt pocket flaps are chic finishing touches to dress

up a basic yoke-waist A-line skirt. Genuine leather works equally well for thetrim details.

Supplies

Basic skirt pattern

(such as New Look 0137)

14yard of faux leather

(or 6-square-feet of genuine leather

with .7mm to .9mm thickness)

Skirt fabric, lining, invisible zipper &

notions (according to pattern envelope)

Tailors chalk

Binder, fabric or paper clips

Pattern or butcher paper

4

Flapplacement

Front

New Look 0137(modified)



13 14

On the skirt right side,position

one flap long raw edge along the

placement line. Pin within the seam

allowance or tape in place (13).Stitch

the flap long edge using a 14seam

allowance. Fold the flap upward, and

then tape in place. Edgestitch the short

ends to the skirt (14).

Finish constructing the skirtfollowing

the pattern guidesheet, but dont

finish the hem.

With right sides together,fold the

border in half lengthwise; clip the short

ends (15).Stitch each short end using a58seam allowance to create a vent at

the skirt center-back. Trim the seam

allowance and then turn the border to

the right side; press using a press cloth.

With right sides together,place

the border along the skirt lower

edge, matching the raw edges and

aligning the border short edges with

the skirt center-back seam; clip inplace. Stitch the border to the skirt.

Serge- or zigzag-finish the seam

allowances, and then press them toward

the skirt using the previous leather

pressing instructions. Z

SOURCES

The McCall Pattern Co. provided 2401 and carries 6964:mccallpattern.mccall.com.

Simplicity provided New Look 0137: simplicity.com.

15


51/84

www.joann.com

Inspiration is everywhere.Jo-Ann helps you

bring it home.



{ by Ashley Briggs }

Stitch a stylish designer-inspired

leather purse with metal grommets that

are both decorative and functional.poshPURSE



Supplies

34yard each of genuine or faux

leather & mediumweight cotton fabric

Seven 134-diameter metal grommets

114-long turn-lock closure

13-long metal zipper

Size 100/16 leather needle

Polyester or rayon thread

Removable marking pen

Walking foot

Press cloth

Binder or fabric clips (optional)

CutDownload the Posh Purse pattern

from sewnews.com/web_extras. Print,

and then cut out.

From the leather,cut one purse front

and back, two closure strips, two

closure rectangles, one base, two accent

pieces, four accent strips, four straps,

four strap tabs and two zipper strips.

From the cotton fabric,cut one purse

front and back lining, one base liningand four lining pockets.

ConstructUse 12seam allowances and sew with right

sides together unless otherwise noted.

Position one closure rectanglewrong

side up on a flat work surface. Desig-

nate one short edge as the lower edge.

Draw a horizontal line 58from and

parallel to the lower edge and 12from

each long edge.

Center one grommet backalong the

lines (1).Trace the grommet inner

circle, and then cut out the circle.

Repeat to cut the remaining

closure rectangle.

Install a walking footand a leather

needle onto the machine. Select a

3mm to 3.5mm stitch length. Thread

the needle and bobbin with polyester

or rayon thread. Stitch a faux leather

fabric scrap to test the stitch and

tension settings.

Align the closure rectangleswith

right sides together, matching the

cut-out circles. Stitch the long edges

and lower edge. Turn the closure flap

right side out through the unstitched

short edge. Install a grommet throughthe closure-flap hole following the

manufacturers instructions.

Center the female turn-lock closure

backover one closure-strip wide short

end, abutting the closure edges with the

strip raw edges (2).Trace the inner

oval, and then cut out the oval. Repeat

to cut the remaining closure strip.

TIP:A hot iron damages leather

and melts faux leather. Finger-

press seams or use a dry iron on

the lowest temperature setting,

always using a press cloth.

1

2



Align the closure stripswith right sides

together, matching the cut-out ovals.

Stitch the long edges and wide short

end. Turn the closure strip right side

out through the unstitched short edge.

Install the female turn-lock closure

through the closure strip hole following

the manufacturers instructions.

With right sides facing up,center the

closure strip over the closure flap,

aligning the raw edges; baste.

Position one accent piecewrong

side up on a flat work surface. Draw a

horizontal line 58from and parallel

to the lower edge and 12from each

short edge.

Position one grommet back

along each side and lower line (3).Trace each inner circle, and then cut

out each circle. Install one grommet

through each hole. Repeat to install

grommets on the remaining accent

piece, referring to the manufacturers

instructions for specifics.

Stitch two accent rectangles

along each long each, and then turn

right side out. Repeat to stitch the

remaining accent-rectangle pair. Thread

one accent strip though the grommets

on the left accent-piece right side.

Repeat to insert the remaining accent

strip through the grommets on the right

accent piece.

With right sides facing up,position theleft accent piece over the purse-front

lower-left corner, aligning the edges.

Stitch the accent-piece upper and inner

edge, making sure the grommet-strip

short end is caught within the stitching

(4).Repeat to stitch the right accent

piece over the purse-front lower-right

corner. Trim the accent strips even

with the purse-front edge.

Center the male turn-lock closure3

from the purse-front upper edge; install.

Position the purse backright side up

on a flat work surface. Center the

GLAM

GROMMETS

Easily insert grommets bylearning a few simple tips.

Large diameter grommetsare installed by hand usingfold-over tabs on the grom-met wrong side. If needed,use a small hammer andgently hammer the tabs flat.

Always install grommetswith the fold-over tabsfacing the project wrongside. If the wrong side is

visible during wear, selecta grommet type with no

distinguishable wrong side. Carefully trace the grom-

met inner circle for cutting.If the hole is too large,the grommet wont stayin place. If the hole is toosmall, the fabric showsthrough the center.

3 4

TIP:Only pin within the seam

allowances, as pins create perma-

nent holes in the faux leather. Or

use binder or fabric clips to hold the

layers together during stitching.


55/84



Create a cute and cozy thermal

pajama set to stay warm in the

winter. Stitch a set of your own

in your favorite fun thermal print,

and then make a pair for everyone

on your gift list.

over the

moon{ by Kim Saba }


57/84



Position the waistbandover the waist-

line with right sides together, aligning

the quarter-marks; pin (4).Select astretch stitch or narrow zigzag stitch.

Stitch, stretching the waistband between

the quarter-marks to match the waist-

line. Press the seam allowance toward

the leggings.

Topstitch the leggings 18from the

waistline seamline.

ShirtPosition the pocket wrong side up on a

pressing surface. Adhere the fusible webalong the pocket perimeter, following

the manufacturers instructions. Remove

the fusible paper backing.

Fold the sides14toward the wrong

side; press. Fold the lower edges 14to-

ward the pocket wrong side; press. Fold

the pocket upper edge 12toward the

wrong side; press.

Position the shirt front right side up on

a flat work surface. Position the pocket

right side up over the shirt front at the

pocket placement marks; pin. Topstitch

the pocket sides and lower edge.

With right sides together,align one

sleeve lower edge with the shirt-front

upper edge; stitch (5). With right

sides together, align the opposite

sleeve lower edge with the shirt-back

upper edge; stitch. Press the seams

towards the shirt. Repeat to stitch

the remaining sleeve to the opposite

shirt-front and -back upper edges.

With right sides together, stitch the

sleeve seam and shirt side seam. Pressthe seam toward the shirt. Repeat to

stitch the opposite sleeve seam and shirt

side seam.

Fold one sleeve cuffin half lengthwise

with right sides together; pin. Stitch the

long raw edge using a 14seam allow-

ance. Press open the seam.

Fold the cuff inside itself widthwise

with wrong sides together, aligning the

seam and short edges. Designate the raw

TIP:Use a decorative stitch along

the raglan seamlines on the right

side to mimic a coverstitch.

4 5 Stitch.



edges as the upper edge. Quarter-mark

the cuff upper edge. Repeat to con-

struct the remaining cuff.

Quarter-mark one sleevelower-edge

opening. Position the cuff over the

sleeve lower edge with right sides

together, aligning the quarter-marks;

pin. Stitch, stretching the cuff between

the quarter-marks to match the sleeve

lower edge.

Repeat to stitchthe remaining cuff

to the opposite sleeve lower edge.

Fold the neckband in half widthwise

with right sides together, and then

stitch short ends; press open.

Fold the neckband in halflengthwise

with wrong sides together; press.

Designate the raw edges as the upper

edge. Quarter-mark the neckband

upper edge.

Quarter-mark the necklineopen-

ing. Position the neckband over

the neckline edge with right sides

together and aligning the quarter-

marks; pin. Stitch, stretching the

neckband between the quarter-

marks to match the neckline edge.

Press the seamtoward the shirt.

Topstitch the shirt 18from the

neckline seamline. If desired, use a

twin needle for a professional look.

Refer to the sewing machine man-

ual for twin needle instructions.

Double-fold the shirt lower edge12toward the wrong side; press, and then

topstitch the first fold.

SOURCES

Natures Fabrics provided the Moons and Stars thermalfabric: (814) 734-7137, naturesfabrics.com.

Rockywoods Fabrics provided the heather grey 1x1 cottonspandex ribbing: (970) 663-6163, rockywoods.com.

SewBaby provided the mediumweight cotton, cotton/spandex and poly/cotton ribbing: (800) 249-1907,sewbaby.com.

RIB IT!

Learn the ins and outs of incorporating ribbing into projects.

Ribbing is a rib-knit fabric that has distinctive lengthwise rib-

knit stitches on both the right and wrong side. Rib-knit sizes are

based on the number of knit stitch wales and purl stitch wales.For example, a 1x1 rib knit has one knit stitch wale and one purl

stitch wale on both fabric sides.

To identify rib-knit fabric, pull the fabric crosswise and look for

the raised knit stitch wales and the recessed purl stitch wales (A).

Rib knits lay flat and dont curl like jersey knit. Rib knits have

more stretch crosswise than lengthwise. The amount of crosswise

stretch is the reason theyre used for knit garment cuffs and neck-

bands because they stretch to fit over your head, legs and arms.

Ribbing usually comes in

a tube or flat fold and issold by the inch. For gar-

ment cuffs and neckbands,

select a mediumweight 1x1

ribbing. Always cut ribbing

with the desired length per-

pendicular to the lengthwise

ribs and the width parallel

to the ribs.

A


60/8460

sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

{ by Ashley Briggs }

Add a festive leather

appliqu to a soft velvet

pillow for charming

holiday home dcor.

Supplies

Supplies listed are enough to make

one 16 square pillow.

12yard of crushed velvet

18yard of genuine or faux light-

weight (2-3 ounces) leather

8x15 rectangle of mediumweight

fusible interfacing

16 square pillow form

Craft knife

All-purpose thread Hand sewing needle

Temporary spray adhesive

Walking or PTFE Foot

CutDownload the Tidings of Comfort

templatefrom sewnews.com/

web_extras. In the printing

preferences, remove all margins and sizethe text to fit 812x11paper; print the

template. Cut out the text, leaving at

least 14around the text perimeter.

Spray temporary adhesiveonto the

template wrong side and position over

the leather with right sides facing up

(1).Carefully cut out the template

along the text perimeter using a

craft knife; remove the template (2).

TIDINGS

1

comforto


61/84 SEWNEWS.COM 6

From the crushed velvet,cut two

17squares.

Construct

Use 12seam allowances.

Center the interfacing rectangleover

one velvet square wrong side; fuse

following the manufacturers instruc-

tions. To avoid crushing the velvet pile,

place the velvet right side over a terry

cloth towel.

Center the leather textover the

interfaced velvet square with right sides

facing up. If needed, use temporary

spray adhesive to secure the leather to

the velvet square (3).

Install a walking or PTFE footonto

the machine and select a 3mm to 4mm

stitch length.

Begin stitching at the F letter end and

continue stitching the lower scroll

section, ending with the needle down

and adjusting the presser foot when

needed around the curves (4).Leave a

long thread tail at the stitching begin-

ning and end; dont backstitch.

Thread each thread tailthrough a

hand sewing needle (5).Bring each

thread tail to the velvet square wrong

side; knot the needle and bobbin thread

to secure.

Align the velvet squareswith right

sides together. Stitch the perimeter,

leaving a centered 9opening along

the lower edge for turning. Clip the

corners and turn the pillowcase rightside out through the opening.

Insert the pillow forminto the

pillowcase. Thread a hand sewing

needle with all-purpose thread

and whipstitch or slipstitch the

opening closed. Z

4

5

2

3


62/8462

sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

{ by Rae Cumbie }

In Part 1 of this series,we learned how to

choose and construct a

waist finish and closure.

Now experiment with

pockets for a great func-

tional detail that allows

you to customize your

pants. Alter a basic pant

pattern to include slash,curved or patch pockets.

PANTSPERFECTION

PART TWO:

POCKETS

All pants areFit For Art PatternsEureka! Pantsthat Fit (modified)



Picking PocketsBefore adding pockets to a pants

pattern, first resolve all fitting issues and

determine the desired waist finish and

closure. The true test of a comfortable

and functional fit is in the wearing.

Complete a pair, wear them a few

times, assess them honestly and make

any needed adjustments to the pants and

the pattern. Once youre thoroughlysatisfied with the fit, move on to adding

any of three basic pocket types: slash,

curved or patch pockets (1).

The sleekest-fitting pantshave

no pockets to interrupt the style lines

or fit. While it seems unrealistic for

most women to wear pants without

pockets, consider the purpose of

your pockets. What will you carry

in your pockets? Do you want pockets

in the front or back? The safety of the

objects you carry is as important as

the convenience.

Pocket TypesSlash pockets angleacross the front of

the pant with a straight line from the

hip area to the waist. They need a

waistband for support. The placement

and angle of the slash is your choice,

but the shallower the slash, the more

vertical the style line. Craft the slash

carefully so your hand can easily slideinto the pocket but objects cant slide

out when you sit. Slash pockets always

spread a little during movement,

especially in tight-fitting pants, so you

may want to add ease to pants with

slash pockets. If you have an apple-

shaped body or are very short-waisted,

slash pockets present a fitting challenge.

Curved pockets also originatein the

side seam but make an L-shaped curve

into the waistband at the high hip.

They add a horizontal design line to

the hip area and their high position

means that objects rarely fall out

unnoticed. Theyre not as likely tospread open during movement as slash

pockets, so this pocket is a better

choice for a woman with a full middle

or short waist.

A patch pocketis traditionally posi-

tioned in the back of the pant. On

jeans, they extend deep into the

derriere, making these large and

precariously placed pockets more of a

fashion statement than useful. Ideally, a

carefully designed patch pocket should

be only a bit larger than the object youwant to carry. The higher up it sits on

the pants, the safer its contents. Placed

high on the back hip or near the front

waist, patch pockets are excellent for

carrying small essentials. If minimally

topstitched, these pockets will almost

vanish into most pairs of pants. By

contrast, larger decorated patch pockets

can provide a design focus.

Slashed & Curved PocketsBoth a slash pocketand a curved

pocket require an alteration the front

of the basic pant pattern and add two

additional pattern pieces: a side pocket

and pocket lining.

Create the side-pocketpattern first.

Place a piece of pattern paper over the

upper side section of your pattern.

Trace the pants side and waist 7to 8

along the hip and 5to 6along the

waist (2).

Draw the pocket bag shapeby

connecting these two lines with a line

that curves from the side, down into

the pant and then up to the waist (3).

Use your hand to judge if the pocket

FindPantsPerfection,Part1:Waistbands&ClosuresintheOct/Nov14SewNews,availableatshopsewitall.com.

1 2

3

Sew News - December 2014January 2015

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