Friday 6 January 2017

My Top 10 You Tube Channels For Sewing Beginners

You may have picked up from previous posts, just how much social media in general and You Tube in particular,  has aided my progress; so I think it only right that I dedicate this post to those who have assisted me.

This is my list, however  if you have your own, do share and comment below!

1). Professor Pincushion Remember that school teacher who always had patience and took the time to explain things in great detail, or that relative, who just by their presence, made you feel everything would be OK? Alright maybe I''m laying it on a bit thick, but Professor Pincushion, in my opinion deserves the top spot as they have some of the most polite, calm, professional and patient presenters I am yet to find. No rushing ahead at 4x camera speed here; most tutorials are carefully planned and a great example can be seen HERE where they take you through the basics of  inserting an elastic waistband.


2) MeeshaTV This channel inclusion is tinged with sadness. I came across this lovely, enthusiastic young woman who seemed to have no fear in using her scissors in a freestyle way to create amazing designs. I love the way she abandons traditions and finds interesting ways to save time (one of my goals) whilst working without patterns. The sadness came after I realised that she had met an untimely death so my inclusion of  her channel is also a tribute as she continues to inspire and educate in spite of this. See this video HERE where she creates a dress using her inimitable style. 

3) The Little Tailoress This woman is a bundle of creativity and has a great style to boot. Her tutorial on creating bias binding was all I needed to get going and I have found her portfolio, featured on her blog , really inspirational.


4) Sew In Love Having watched her reversible shift dress tutorial I was so much more confident about the science behind sewing (or rather the mathematical principles) and her style and delivery are very clear and straight forward as depicted HERE.


5) Pinkchocolatebreak Occupies the 5th spot and is another, what I would term, freestyle sewer, in that she just uses her eyes to judge and then cuts. This tutorial HERE really made me think about not over thinking (ironic I know) and I set a goal to start using my own judgement when looking at patterns.

6) WithWendy As you know, this journey of mine started with a desire to clone a dress so this video made me know it was very possible!

7) Anita from Made To Sew is another presenter worthy of the plain English accolade and I found her tutorial on how to attach a V neck facing really easy to follow.

8) MyStylediaryy did a great video on key measurements in order to make a bodice block and whilst my intention was not to make the bodice, the process of how to  accurately measure myself was perfect and an ideal resource for every beginner.

9) FashionSewingBlogTV had some great  tutorials covering many areas you  typically encounter whilst working through patterns as well as some innovative ideas. I found their tutorial on how to make an off the shoulder top using a recycled shirt, particularly useful.

10) Last but most certainly not least, I found these 17 DIY and sewing Hacks/Tips from Nadira037 really useful - from quick ways to sharpen scissors to an innovative use of  hairspray, these tips not only saved me time but also money as she demonstrates how to utilize many household items you may already have.



Monday 2 January 2017

Back To Burda.. Making A Short Flared Skirt With Pattern 6698

Have you ever revealed something and the minute the words leave your lips you're regretting it? Well this was how I felt when I mentioned to a relative that I had started sewing.

I should have been suspicious at her immediate enthusiasm and subsequent inquiries for me to show all I had made so far - to cut a long winded dance around short - I received my first sewing commission or favour request depending on your point of view.

The request was to make a short, flared skirt (below) and having grown so much since my first encounter with this brand I was only a little perturbed to discover that the style she liked was a Burda pattern.


Here's what I envisaged/hoped;
Sewing skirt seams together to create a full effect, creating a casing for elastic, threading through, sewing up the hems and job done. Now if you've read my previous post on " My Top 5 Sewing Mistakes", you'll know I'm no longer that naive, so I did triple the complexity and time estimates just in case- and just as well I did!

The first stumbling block came in understanding what Burda meant by "cutting from a double layer of fabric".

There was no diagram so I spent time trying to work out what this would look like and why you needed to do it. 10 minutes later and it was clear (if only they included videos with patterns).

For any one else stuck at this point, you can see below that you need to have a fold on both the left and right sides, with the selvedge ends joining in the centre.



There were quite a few markings to transfer (more than I'd hoped) and each needed to be hand basted, but once done, sewing the seams together was straight forward. I cannot help but wonder why thereafter I had to pin the elastic evenly around the skirt whilst stretching it out and often jettisoning pins all over the room.

I understand the desire for even distribution of elastic, but having finished the skirt (I know I'm jumping ahead a little) I can't help but wonder would the finished article be that different if I had created a casing and simply threaded through elastic?

I think this is my creative spirit coming through as I genuinely want to see if things can be done quicker or just differently- all positive signs that I'm enjoying this journey....anyway back to the skirt..

I was pleased that this skirt introduced me to bias binding, something I had heard about but was yet to create or use.

I got to use my latest addition, to an ever expanding range of kit (worthy of a separate blog post for sure) none other than the #patternmaster which helped me to find the bias line on the fabric (45 degrees) and cut a strip which was to be used as the upper skirt edge a Burda describes it.
As the bias strip needed to be 4cm wide, it could not fit into my bias tape makers (more kit) so I had to iron flaps down on both sides, taking care to keep them even.

Applying the bias strip was surprisingly straight forward and thereafter the elastic was pinned in line with the markings, sewn, then hemmed. I also used my new pinking shears to trim all the seam allowances, negating the need for zig zag stitch and saving time, hurray!

The recipient was very pleased, so much so that I fear more demands, sorry I meant requests, are on the horizon and you can see the finished article below;








If I were doing this project again I would....

1) Use small safety pins to mark points instead of basting by hand
2) Create a casing and thread through the elastic to compare finished looks.



If you've enjoyed this, or any of my posts, you are always welcome to comment, share or subscribe. Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Saturday 31 December 2016

Keep Track Of Your Fabric- Free Template To Download

 Ok guys I need some advice... Is this an excessive amount of fabric to acquire in just under 2 months?




I have a veritable fabric mountain already and realised that it was very difficult to remember not only the fabric type and care instructions, but more importantly, which project I had actually bought it for!

This prompted me to create these handy little labels that I stick onto each fabric bag to remember which projects go with which fabric, where I bought it, how much it cost, and how to wash it along with other vital information as you can see in the example below.




I've included a FREE DOWNLOAD HERE in case anyone else faces the same predicament which can either be printed on 21 per sheet labels or plain paper and just cut out.

So far sewing is proving quite expensive, so my new years resolution is not to buy any more clothes until my fabric mountain has been climbed (or demolished) as I'm obviously not a reluctant shopper!


Do let me know if you find the labels useful and if you too find the allure of  fabric too hard to resist once you've entered the shop.

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

 




Thursday 29 December 2016

Creating A Little Black Bias Dress With New Look 6244

So not forgetting that my ultimate goal is to recreate my dress, which I had originally sought to have made in Hong Kong, I turned to New Look for my next pattern which I liked a) because of the range of styles on the front and b) because it was rated as easy to complete!



Trust me to then select black satin fabric, which I later discovered was a real challenge to mark.

In addition, cutting satin was quite difficult as it's very slippery and after wasting more fabric than I care to dwell on, I finally discovered that the key to cutting was to just let the scissors loose on the edge of the marked line, snip, apply a bit of pressure with the blade and the tear runs away by itself in a straight line!

I elected to create version "B" from the pattern which was a short, slip dress which could also be worn under a main dress, and I started by laying the fabric out so that it could be cut on the bias and weighted down with good old fashioned garden stones.



Having discovered that silver eye-liner was the best marking option, I drew lines around the outside of the pattern paper and after that sewing up the sides and around the top and bottom hems was pretty straight forward.

This project allowed me to learn how to create thin straps that needed to be turned inside out, and I did this by using chop sticks! See how via this You Tube video I discovered HERE


I  have always liked the way bias dresses fit me so I was pleased with the finished result,  although I had to make adjustments to the bust area (too big) and the straps were a little tight so also needed moving.



My key learning's were ;

1) To always check the finished garment size, as well as your pattern size, so you can assess how much ease has been built into a design. I had completely misread the bust size, hence the need for readjustment at the end.

2) To write notes on the back of the pattern envelope is a good idea that will assist if you want to recreate a pattern or work on other versions i.e I noted down my correct size, the ideal strap length and my preferred length for the finished dress.

3) To line up pattern notches accurately as in this project my hemming was a little off as I had not done this as well as I should.


If you've enjoyed this, or any of my posts, you are always welcome to comment, share or subscribe

Thanks for reading and have a great day!



Wednesday 28 December 2016

My First Pencil Skirt - Burda 6705

Having looked in my wardrobe and discovered a disproportionately low number of skirts (although this is relative, as I have a lot of clothes) I decided a skirt project would be my first.

The Burda skirt with jacket pattern was provided free with a sewing magazine and in my mind I envisaged a simple process of sewing a few seams and making a slit in the back.



It only took for me to open the pattern and read... then re read... and re read again to realise that this was not going to be straight forward. The only saving grace is I'm glad I did not opt to also do the matching jacket!

 I first had to educate myself re the following terms;
-Baste (temporary tack stitching)

-Darts (folded wedge of fabric, stitched to give a garment shape)

-Underlap (the lower of two overlapped pieces of fabric)

-Interfacing (used on the wrong side of fabric to make it more rigid)

-Edge stitch (similar to a top stitch, but 2-3mm from edge of fabric)
 along with how to apply facing, lining and an invisible zipper - thank you Google and You Tube!

I also found this great blog which deals with sewing terms HERE.

Having realised the scale of the task, I decided to take it in stages and aimed to complete the skirt in a week.

I had some lovely wool fabric from John Lewis that was perfect but as it was so nice I really wanted to avoid ruining it. Unfortunately in spite of best endeavors, there were errors and let's just say I'm a champion un-picker after this project; but the end result (see below) I believe justified the time and I am pleased that I persevered.







The Top 3 Things I Learned From This Project Are...

1) There are many ways to accomplish the same goal in sewing; so even if a pattern directs you (or confuses you, as in my case) just seek out an alternative approach which I found on social media and this helped me no end.

2) Darts are really easy once you've marked them and I did this by inserting pins through both the pattern and the fabric and then marking by just lifting up the pattern whilst the pins remained in place.

3) You are a lot bigger than you think! I am normally a size 8 but for this pattern I was a 12,  so this project made me aware of my measurements and the importance of checking with each pattern, as I imagine brands will vary, just as shops do.



I hope you've enjoyed this post and thanks for reading!







 

If Only I'd Known..My Top 5 Sewing Mistakes!


 

   1) Not Enough Markers!
As a beginner, the key to easier sewing for me, is being able to see markings and follow lines. 



 Having spent over an hour trying to find a suitable marker for black satin fabric, I regret not investing earlier in a wider range of marking options which would have saved me valuable time. 

In the end I turned to my make up drawer and found that a silver eyeliner pencil was the perfect marker for satin I've subsequently discovered that silver or white crayola crayons are also ideal as chalk and more conventional markers had limited impact on this slippery fabric, seen above.


2) No Mid-Stitch Checking

After lining everything up to sew a zip into my first skirt, it was only when I reached the end that I realised I did not fold over the seam and the zip was at the edge as opposed to being hidden within the seam allowance. Had I sewn a few stitches and then reviewed the right side of the fabric, I would have spotted this and saved myself unpicking and re stitching time.



3) Selecting A Challenging Pattern 

Some pattern brands are easier to follow than others and as luck would have it, my first pattern came from a manufacturer that is not known for providing detailed, logical explanations (for the time being they shall remain nameless), however I only discovered this after I had started. If I were starting again I would choose an easy beginner pattern from a company that is renown for explaining patterns clearly. I also came across a really good blog HERE which helped me understand information on the back of patterns (again, sadly after I had already started).



4) Overoptimistic With Time
 I'm not there yet, but I long for the day when I can say I will create a dress in an hour and actually finish within that allotted time. 
My mistake in the beginning was thinking that projects, which on the face of it appeared simple, could be completed quickly. The time it takes to decipher, pin, mark and cut patterns,reload bobbins, deal with machine jams and thread snaps, review progress vs pattern advice etc all adds up; also I had never heard of darts, interfacing, batting, french curve, bias tape to name a few so each had to be researched, understood and applied first. 
My approach now is to take the time estimated and triple it!



5) Cutting Too Soon
On my first pencil skirt project I was required to cut 2 pieces for the back of the skirt and the pattern cutting guide showed me how to lay out the fabric. What I failed to realise was that the 2 pieces should have been placed with their right sides facing each other but as this was not indicated on the pattern guide I overlooked it and ended up with the left side of the skirt showing the right side of the fabric and the right side of the skirt, the opposite. 

This was in spite of me knowing the adage "measure twice, cut once" but I should have thought ahead how the two pieces needed to fit together and not just followed the cutting guide. 

For me sewing is akin to completing a jigsaw, with only access to part of the picture on the box so going forward I now mark the right sides of all fabric (unless it's obvious) and think of the steps ahead so I can envisage how parts will look together before I cut.

Perhaps some of these stories resonate with you or you may be able to avoid similar pitfalls having read the above;  but in spite of all my sets backs (or learning opportunities as I prefer to view them), I found the challenges quite motivating as they spurred me on to improve, an assessment I hope  you'll agree with as you view my future posts!

Thanks For Reading 







Monday 26 December 2016

The Sewing Course

With one project under my belt, the universe must have felt I was ready to move on, as a few days later I received an email regarding weekend activities and one option was an "introduction to sewing" course.

I enthusiastically signed up and after 4 hours I was au fait with putting in invisible zips, had used an over-locker and created French and flat felt seams -all in all a really productive afternoon.

Returning home with the creative buzz still alive I decided to create the simplest of bags which basically involves folding a tea towel. sewing the side seams and adding straps.



I subsequently went to the library and, having found that they had a good range of beginner sewing books, was also able to create this soft toy below;


so within a short space of time, I felt as though sewing was not as difficult as I'd first imagined.
Little did I know I would be eating these words soon enough!