Hold Everything – Let’s Do Straps

Apr18

Making straps does not have to be a struggle and you don’t always have to follow the directions given within your pattern.  That’s what I find so inviting with sewing is that you can “think” outside the box.

I personally do not  like to sew straps with right sides together because after you have sewn your strap, you do have to turn it to the right side.  There are some wonderful tools out there to help you when turning a strap but here’s a method to make a strap without having to bother with the turning process.

First, determine the finished width of your strap –  1/4″   or   1/2″   or   1″  –   or a width that will work best for your project.  Say you have decided to make a 1/2″ wide finished strap, so now you have to figure out the actual cut width of your strap.  For example, if you want a  1/2″  wide finished strap, you need to add  a  1/2″  width of  fabric to each side of your strap plus add another 1/2″ to the actual width to compensate for your folding,  making your cut  width  2″   wide.

    Finished strap width 1/2″   +   1/2″ for fold   +   1″  for sides    =    2″ wide cut strap

This calculation is  the same for whatever strap width you want.   For a finished 1/4″ wide strap,  you would add 1/4″ to each side of your fabric plus  1/4″  for fold,  making a cut width of   1″ wide;  for a  1″  wide completed strap, you need to add  1″  of  fabric to both sides of your strap plus 1″ for fold,  making for a cut width of  4″  wide.

You just double your finished strap width and add that calculation to your finished width and be sure to add another finished width to that total to compensate for the fold and this will determine the width of your strap pattern to cut from your fabric.

Finished width    +   finished width for fold   +   doubled finished width for sides    =    Cut width

Your strap length can be the length used from your specific pattern piece or whatever length you decide would work best for your particular project.

Once you have decided upon your width and length for your strap, go ahead and cut out the strap from your fabric.  Next step is to have your iron ready – set your iron temperature to the setting that will work best for your fabric.  Now press your strap piece with wrong sides together forming a crease right down the middle of your strap.

Pressed wrong sides together to form crease down the center

Let cool and fold over each side edge to meet at that center crease and press in place.  Again, let cool to the touch and fold your strap in half along that creased line and press once more.

Pressed one side up to meet center creasePressed second edge to meet at center crease

 

Both edges pressed to meet center crease

 

Folded pressed edges in half, ready to be top stitched

Now head back to your sewing machine and top stitch close to your strap edge.  You can stitch just along the open edge to close it or you can sew a top stitch line down each side of your strap.  Personal preference for top stitching.

Top stitched edge closed (used contrasting thread for example)Example of top stitching along both edges

Example of top stitching along both edges of strap

Your strap is completed and can now be sewn into place within your project.  Give this method a whirl next time you need to make a strap for anything!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Using those Multi-Sized Children’s Patterns Again!!

Apr17

I guess I am always looking for ways to get the most “bang for my bucks”!!  Here’s another way in which I utilize the most out of a multi-sized child’s pattern.

If you have a rather simplistic pattern (one without a lot of curves or very small details) this procedure works nicely.  Great for shorts, pants, pjs, etc.

What I do is cut out the largest size on the pattern and make some small cuts along the curved edges of the pattern.  For example, if I am cutting out a short pattern, I would make a few cuts/clips  into the pattern piece itself right along the crotch line area.

Next I have my iron hot (cotton setting) and ready.  Then all I do is fold over the edges to the size I want to cut out and iron in place.  As my child grows and I need the next size on the pattern piece, I repress it out completely and then fold over the edges again to the new size and press in place.

This also works great if the pattern is two designs, say for  long pants and shorts.  Again,  just press up the extra pattern piece for the pants and iron in place and cut out for the shorts.  Then press out again for the full size if you decide to make the long pants.  Curved edges are the most tricky, that is why I suggest making a few clips/cuts along that edge so you can fold over that part of the pattern smoothly.

The tissue paper that patterns are made from is pretty durable and will handle multiple ironing and resizing as long as you are somewhat careful especially around those places where you have made clips to accommodate for the curves.

You will get a lot of mileage out of your multi-sized patterns and really be able to use all the different sizes that come with that one pattern!!

Multi-sized pattern piece (1-2-3) – I’ve cut out size 3, long pants

 

Showing how I clipped along curved area

Another picture showing how I clipped curved area

Ironed pattern piece, now ready to cut size 2 shorts

  • TIP:  When cutting out patterns, use scissors that are meant for paper, not your good, sharp fabric scissors.  The paper will eventually dull your scissor blades and make it difficult when cutting fabric.

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Working with a Multi-Sized Child’s Sewing Pattern

Apr12

Today’s sewing patterns are very pricey and purchasing a pattern for a child with 3 sizes within one pattern (i.e., 4-5-6)  is a great idea.  However, if you need the smallest size and cut out along the recommended cutting lines then you have discarded the two larger sizes.  And what happens when you want to use that pattern again but now your child is the next size??

Something I like to do is to cut out the largest pattern size and then trace the two smaller sizes onto light weight UNFUSIBLE pellon/interfacing.   Just layout your pattern pieces on a firm surface and place the pellon on top.  You can see through the pellon to trace the other sizes and then cut them out to use when needed.  Most pattern pieces will have 3 separate size pieces for things like facings, so you won’t have to trace them.

Light weight pellon is not very expensive and is readily available at your local fabric store.  It will fold up nicely to go back into your pattern package and you can use your iron to press out any creases too.  I always keeps a couple of yards of unfusible pellon in my very large sewing stash (that’s another blog in itself)!!

Tracing your additional patterns onto pellon is great especially if you have several children you are sewing for or have a favorite pattern that you use over and over again.  The pellon holds up very well with extended use.

Give this a try, takes a little bit of extra time to trace out your pattern pieces but in the long run your budget with love it!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Let’s Take a Nap??

Apr9

Not really, let’s just briefly discuss sewing using a fabric that has a “nap”.  A fabric with nap is a type that usually has a “pile” which means that it has gone through a process to bring the fiber ends to the surface.  Good examples of a fabric with nap are:  Velvets, Corduroy, Terry Cloth, Brushed Denims, Suede, Flannel and Fur.

You can actually run your hand along the fabric and see a difference in shading and design with a napped fabric.  When reading a pattern, it will state the yardage  *with nap  and  **w/o nap.  Most of the time, depending upon the design of the pattern, you will always need more fabric to complete your project if you are using a fabric with a nap.

The reason for this is because YOU MUST LAYOUT your pattern pieces with them all RUNNING in the SAME DIRECTION.  If you don’t cut out all your pattern pieces in the same direction, your garment will not have a cohesive look to it and you will see unusual color/ shading differences.

Personally, when I am laying out pattern pieces using napped fabric, I like to have the direction of the nap heading South or brushing down from the top to the bottom.  You will see that if you rub your hand along the fabric from one cut end to the other cut end, one direction feels smooth to the touch and when you go the opposite direction it will have a slight rough feeling.

Another factor to keep in mind, is that fabric with “nap” is probably better suited using a more simple or less intricate design.  Especially a fabric like Velvet, which is heavier or thicker in weight and will have a somewhat crushed look to it if there is a lot of top-stitching or lots of small design accents.

  • TIP:  If using a bulky fabric with nap that has facings, it might be helpful to use a lighter weight fabric for the facings to help eliminate some of the bulk.  Select a fabric that blends good with the main fabric and has the same type of washing or drying cleaning abilities too.

Remember to always do your pattern adjustments, if any,  prior to cutting out your fabric.  So next time you are planning to do a new “snoozing”, I mean sewing project, check out fabric with “nap” and see if it will work for your design.

  • TIP:  Double check your fabric for any “one-way” designs because again you will want to pin your pattern pieces so they are all going in the same direction so your fabric design will all be running the same way too.

 

Brushing fabric from left to right, rough to the touch on left side/smooth on right

 HAPPY CREATING!!

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Sewing Machine Needle Info

Apr4

When beginning a sewing project, you probably always get your supplies, fabric and pattern in order but don’t forget about the most important item needed for a beautiful finished project and that is your machine’s NEEDLE.

You should only stitch with one machine needle for at most 15 hours and then change it out for a new one.  Doing this keeps your needle sharp, the eye smooth for the thread and makes for less thread breakage and good, secure stitches for your particular project.   Be sure to refer to your sewing  machine manual for recommendations on proper needle sizes for your machine.

A brief scoop on the design of a sewing machine needle is that the higher number determines the diameter of the needle itself using the metric system and the lower number is the US system.  Machine needles range from being thin and flexible to a more heavy-duty thicker and stronger needle.   Also, the eye of the needles are smaller to larger depending upon the needle size to perform the right stitching task for that needle and fabric.

A 65/9 universal needle is a thin needle good for very light weight fabrics making small sewing holes too.   Just like a 100/16 is perfect for denim weight fabrics,  strong enough to handle stitching through your jeans.  You can even purchase a mixed needle package, i.e., size 70/10,   80/12,   and   90/14.   This is a good one to keep on hand because it gives you a wide variety of needles for light weight, medium weight and some heavy weight fabrics.

There are specialty needles too that should be purchased if you are going to sew with a specific type of fabric.  For example, if you decide to use a knit or stretch fabric, you really want to use a needle that has a medium ball point end to it so while you are sewing the needle doesn’t pick the fabric and your stitches are flexible with the stretch of a knit.   A stretch needle  75/11 would work nicely for delicate knit fabrics.

There are quilting and embroidery needles too which will give you a little larger eye to help compensate for all the friction the thread deals with when stitching these type of projects.   A sharp microtex  90/14  is ideal for top stitching and edge stitches.

Sometimes you will start out using one particular size needle and then maybe have to change to another size or specialty needle for the finishing sewing touches.  Just remember one size doesn’t fit all projects.

Now you say, do I really want to take the time to try and place that needle back into its package and not knowing how many hours I have sewn with that particular needle???  Here’s a quick and simple solution that I do with my different needles once I have sewn with them but not ready to discard them.  I purchased one of those cute little red tomato pin holders and I write on the various sections with a black marker the needle size,  i.e.,  9,  10,  11,  12,  14,  quilt,  emb.   As I need to change out needles, I just push the used needle into the proper section or I pull it out when I need that needle size again.   I know I’ve sewn with it already so then I kind of guesstimate my usage time.  You will get a feel for what needles you sew with more often than others.  Also, don’t ever sew over pins that will definitely put a damper on your needle!!

Needle Storage Cushion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next time you have thread breaking problems and you are about to pull your hair out, think when was the last time I changed my needle or am I using the proper needle with my fabric.  Sometimes that very simple procedure of changing your sewing machine needle will fix those frustrating moments.

Medicine bottle pin and needle catcher

  • TIP:  I don’t like to just throw my used pins and needles into my trash can (sometimes I go dumpsy diving for fabric scraps) so I have a used medicine container that I have made a large hole in the top of the child proof  lid and I can just deposit my discarded pins and needles into the bottle.  When full, I can safely toss it away!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

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