sew news - december 2014january 2015
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December 2014/January 2015
4 FREEFULL-SIZE PATTERNS INSIDE
12 GREAT GIFTSTO GIVE & GET(P. 16)
sewnews.com
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babylock.com/yourdestinyawaits
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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.
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+ 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
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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
for perfect even feed
Start/stop functionAutomatic thread cutter
Exclusive SEWING ADVISORfeature
Bobbin thread sensor
Color Touch Screen
EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEM Technology
for perfect even feed
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
10 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
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-
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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
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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
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With the PFAFFline-up of renowned
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Create exquisite items to accessorizeyourself and your home wherever you
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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
The Original IDTSystem
To find a dealer near you, call 1-800-997-3233 orvisit www.pfaffusa.com
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From You
14 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
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!
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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
eight versatile and affordable machines offer it all from the easy-to-use
and embroidery combination machine for more advanced designers, or
the embroidery-only model for adding elegant embellishments. Explore the
Simplicityby Brother line-up, and bring out the sewing star in you!
Inspire Your Fashion Sense
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SB170Affordable SewingMSRP $99
SB7500Combination Sewing & EmbroideryMSRP $54995SB7900E
Professional Embroidery-OnlyMSRP $999
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16/8416 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
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
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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
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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!
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Shecouldha
rdlycontainher
excitementasshewaitedtohear
ifshewontheKoalaSmallStorageCenter
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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
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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.
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Home-Dec Help
30 sewNEWS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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Call 1-800-533-7347or visitwww.arrowcabinets.comto find a dealer near you
SewNOTyour kitchen
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
Rulers: clear & curved
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
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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
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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
Rulers: clear & curved
Walking foot
Invisible tape
Tailors chalk
Binder, fabric or paper clips
Serger (optional)
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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)
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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
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www.joann.com
Inspiration is everywhere.Jo-Ann helps you
bring it home.
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{ by Ashley Briggs }
Stitch a stylish designer-inspired
leather purse with metal grommets that
are both decorative and functional.poshPURSE
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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
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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.
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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 }
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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.
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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
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{ 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
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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
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{ 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)
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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