The facts about interfacing !
Read moreVideo Feature: Pants Fitting Secret!
Martha West and Gail Kelley discuss an important tip and how to apply it when fitting pants.
At The Sewing Hive, one of our classes is put together to create a pants pattern that fits you perfectly, called Pants Fitting and Sewing. You will learn wha...
A New Sewer’s Journey!
Winter White Wool
Meet our most determined, joyful client, Linda I! She truly is one of the funniest, happiest people I have met.
Linda is finishing her FIFTH coat/jacket to be started and completed in the last 18 months. To flesh out the picture, I met Linda about two years ago when she was taking a pants class at a fabric store and I was the instructor. She came with the pants already cut out and I really thought maybe a raccoon had nibbled the fabric away. (Sorry raccoons, and yes, Linda has already read this before I published.) After a few hours I asked if she was left handed, so that explained the tortured fabric and her tortured left hand using a right handed scissors.
Linda became one of our very first customers. Not one to be happy just to stick her toe into the water, Linda plunged right in to learn everything she could about sewing outstanding garments. Recently retired, she had a beautiful white wool fabric, purchased many years ago while she was working, and she wanted to make a jacket. After seeing the beautiful fabric, we talked about maybe working on some linen first.
The very next project was the Kelly Anorak trench with lining. Never one to shy away from a tough fabric if that was the correct fabric, Linda sourced a water resistant material from Seattle Fabrics, and the lining from Liberty of London. Zippers, snaps, grommets….she gamely tackled it all. She has a beautiful light weight trench she wears proudly.
Test Jacket
Pink linen: she loves pink….check out the glasses
Kelly Anorak with Lining
Water resistant fabric from Seattle Fabrics, lining from Liberty of London
Next she felt confident to tackle the Winter White wool jacket, shown at the top of the page. She used the same basic jacket pattern from Vogue. The jacket is beautiful, including gold metal buttons with her monogram. A little expense that goes a long way to making something special and distinctive.
Next project was a white wool winter coat, belted, with fake fur buttons that add flair and Linda’s distinctive style.
White Wool belted coat……the photo does not do it justice.
Linda is a shirt and jeans kind of laid back girl, so project five was a shirt. We believe that a woven shirt is a great skill builder: topstitching, buttonholes, fitted shoulders, plackets, collars, cuffs. The results are pretty great, with rounded pearlized buttons. Her next shirt material is waiting at home, a reversible pink (of course) and baby blue jacquard.
Along with three other ladies, Linda is finishing her French couture jacket. Up next, pants!
Here is what working with Linda has taught us…..it is a great idea to take a basic sewing course if you are a beginner, but never be afraid to dive right in and learn by just SEWING.
Pop Quiz !!!!!
What do you see?
something went wrong….or I did incorrectly.
Did you guess that I did not pre-shrink the interfacing in the yoke? You are correct!! I didn’t pre-shrink and you can see the results, puckering every time I wash my favorite jumper. It’s robin egg blue linen with pink batiste lining and a fun facing, all from SewTo Speak several years ago. But I was in a hurry, and did not pre-shrink the interfacing, although I did prewash all the other fabrics. Tough lesson, but every time I wear the jumper, I am reminded of this simple step.
Many years ago I picked up one of John’s suit from a dry cleaner and the lapels were puckered. I was upset, especially since at 6’5’, nice suits are difficult to find for him. The dry cleaner patiently explained that they were not at fault, that the manufacturer had not pre-shrink the interfacing. Not sure I really believed that, but they had always done a good job for us, until I saw what happened to my jumper.
I now pre shrink every fabric before it goes in my stash cupboard, with a note on it how it was done, same with interfacing. To pre-shrink, simply fill a bowl with cool/warm water, lay the interfacing in the water for a few minutes, and hang to dry. Do not put in the dryer, do not wring, just hang. It takes so little time, I do even when the tear sheets say it is pre-shrunk. No chances here. It will dry quickly and you have one prep step done.
Prepped and ready when you are!
Which Class???? Bust Adjusting Vs Pattern Fitting vs Master Pattern Workshop. ??
Hmmmmmmm.
Last week I heard from a customer that they were having trouble deciding which of three classes she should register for. Knowing that if one person is having problems, so are others, I decided time to tackle the questions.
Bust Adjustments Vs Pattern Fitting Vs Master Pattern Workshop????
Bust Adjustment: Since most patterns are scaled on a B cup, and unless you are a B Cup, or have a pattern that specifically states it has cup size variations, you may need to adjust the pattern to your cup size. Add to that the cup size in RTW is different than in patterns and maybe that’s why your garments are not fitting well. Also, how the dart is placed on your body will affect the fit: too high, too low….. If the rest of the pattern sizing just involves altering between sizes that you are confident doing, then this is a good class for you. We’ll show you how to do this adjustment, so that you can do it confidently with any pattern you select in the future.
Pattern Fitting: This is a good session if you have one pattern that you would like tissue fitted before making a test garment. We discuss designer ease from the finished garment measurements on the pattern, and alter the pattern as needed. This may include a bust adjustment, but we are doing more than explaining. We’ll work on all aspects of fitting: lengthen or shortening, sleeve and cuff length, altering between sizes and adjusting to personal preferences. If you bring fabrics you are considering we can advise on how each one will work with the pattern. We can cover a lot in 2 hours. When you leave you will be ready to sew a wearable test: Paula’s term for a muslin that you wear to really live with a garment and tease out the details of what you like and dislike before cutting into your beloved stash fabric.
Master Pattern Workshop: This is a good workshop for those that are interested in being able to take details from RTW and incorporate them into a basic pattern. This is a fast paced workshop. We alter, cut out and machine baste a muslin from a fitting pattern. Then we drape in the details for a custom fitting bodice front and back, and skirt with only wearable ease.( meaning you can move in it.) Once all are happy, then the muslin is marked, disassembled, and then drawn on to heavy paper. We encourage you to bring in a pattern you are interested in making and we can show you how to lay your block on the pattern to compare your fit to the pattern fit. If you need help in the future adding details from RTW onto your basic pattern, then you can just come to us on an hourly basis. We do have a class for those that have taken any block, toile, master pattern class in which you create a classic shift dress with facing from your block. Kind of gets your hands dirty…..
Any other questions….ask, ask, ask……..then sew, sew, sew…..studio@sewinghive.com
Best,
Gail
What Do I Wear to the Office?
Bow ties for work days
40 years ago, I wore a uniform: blue suit, white shirt, heels, and little bow ties (see photo). Every day.
Last week I attended a video meeting in a great looking shirt, a skort, and flip-flops…..much more comfortable! No one was the wiser, until I got up to get a glass of water (the meeting was 4 hours long) and realized on the way back to my desk that everyone could see my skort and flip-flops. Good for a laugh.
But that got me thinking: Is there a new business attire model? Please not a T-Shirt! What is casual business attire now? Gym clothes.
For me, the answer is a Great Shirt! Doesn’t matter the color, although taking the time to look at your virtual office background could be a key to the color.
How do you get a great shirt? You learn to sew one, then two, or three. (It took me awhile to mentioning a class, but I did it.) After making quite a few different shirt patterns, my favorite classic is Vogue #8772. It’s available in sizes 6-22, instructions are well done and the fit is really nice. Many variations are included. You just can not go wrong with this pattern. It does have bust and waist darts, so getting fitted correctly is a must, and that is included in the class.
Making a shirt is also a way to elevate your skill set: creating a collar with a stand with outstanding points, cuffs, 6 darts, front plackets with buttonholes, a set in sleeve. Topstitching! (You most likely have a machine foot that will make topstitching easy and professional looking).
If you need a face to face meeting, pop on a ponte knit skirt ( 3” contour waistband, straight skirt) and a nice pair of shoes….when it gets colder, pants and boots.
When clients say they want to sew better garments and they have the basics: I say, learn to make a shirt, https://www.sewinghive.com/all-classes/buttoned-up-shirt-skill-builder , then learn to fit and sew a great fitting pair of pants (class by Martha West)https://www.sewinghive.com/all-classes/pants-fitting-and-sewing-techniques and you really will have the workplace basics covered. Oh, and if you would like to make the skirt, email me and we will set you up for that also…….best,
Gail
