Ellie Inspired

Hey!  Lots of stuff happening here right now.  New patterns, big Christmas hoop-lah planning, testing patterns, and planning for market in January.  Of course then our family stuff like Halloween costumes, school parties, etc. 

So, when one of my wonderful testers sent me a picture of one of my patterns that she modified and agreed to write up a tutorial on how she did it, I was thrilled!!!  This week's Learning with Laura is actually Learning with Kathy!    Thanks a bunch Kathy!

The Twirl Girl pattern does not have an option for smocking or an embroidered insert but it's such a great holiday dress with that bias-cut circle skirt.  To dress it up for the holidays, you could use silk dupioni, a combination of velvet bodice and taffeta skirt, or you could add a gorgeous embroidered panel like Kathy did!  These instructions would also work for a smocked insert.  Here's how she did it:

1.  Take the size you need and measure up about 5 & 1/2" from the bottom.

2.  Draw a line across and cut apart.

3.  Add 1/2" seam allowance to the top of inset and the bottom of yoke pieces.  For inset you may use a solid or tucked piece of fabric, add piping to top and bottom if desired.

4.  The back sashes are made using( 2) 5"x36" strips. Narrow hem on the long sides and stitch across bottom with a 1/2" seam. Trim and fold back, press. Should be a triangle shape on the ends. The other end should be pleated and basted into the seam allowance at the side backs. Bottom edge of ties should be just above the waist seam allowance.  (The picture below shows the pleated sash attached just above the bottom of the bodice piece.)

5.  Sew yoke to the inset and press. Sew shoulder seams and press toward the back.

6.  Sew lining pieces at shoulders and press toward the front. Sew lining and bodice together around the neck, trim and understitch neckline seam, press.

7.  Sew sides together of fronts and backs bodice and lining, press. Finish according to directions.  

Kathy

Great work Kathy!  You are so creative with that tucked piece of fabric to embroider on too.  I'm sure I never would have thought of doing that.

If you would like to be featured on Tuesday's Learning with Laura, please submit your tutorial of one of my patterns for consideration.  I would love to see your creativity.  Thanks!

It's Tuesday!  And, as promised...here is your free long sleeve pattern that will work with ANY of my patterns.  Well...except for the Dancer skirt!  Ha!

You can download the pattern piece here.

A couple of notes about the long sleeve pattern piece.

1. This pattern piece includes all sizes (1-12).  As a result, you will need to print 6 pages and tape them together like below. 
   
   
   
   
   Here is the easiest way to do this: 
   
   • if you have a paper cutter, put those 6 pieces of paper in a neat stack and cut off all the margins at one time on the solid line. 
     
   • If you do not have a paper cutter, you can either use scissors or just fold the paper under on the line. 
     
   • Line up the black rectangles and pattern lines and tape together. 
     
   • Find the size you need and cut it out on the specific line.
   
   
2. Create the sleeve by following the steps below:
   
   
   • Stitch two rows of gathering threads along the top edge.
   • Fold the sleeve right sides together and stitch, with a finished seam edge and 1/4" seam, the seam under the arm to the wrist.
   • Turn right side out and insert into dress or top, matching underarm seams and adjusting the gathers to fit.
   • Stitch, using a 1/4" seam and finished seam edges.
   
   
3. To finish the bottom of the sleeve, there are many options.  I have drawn in a small 1 1/2" pleat that can be used to take in any fullness but it does not have to be used.
   
   
   • Narrow Hem:  In this picture, I turned up 1/4" and then again 1/4", enclosing the raw edges and
     
     then stitched close to the folded edge on the inside.  I did NOT do a pleat in this example.    
     

• Pleat:  In this picture, I did take the sleeve in with that small pleat but I did it on the bottom of the sleeve next to the seam so that it wasn't as noticable.  I also added cuffs to this picture by stitching it to the wrong side of the sleeve and flipping it out to the right side.
• 
• Elastic:  The edge of the sleeve can be turned under 1/4" and then 1/2" and stitched close to the folded edge.  Leave an opening to insert your elastic later.

There you are!  Have fun with your fall sewing!

This day totally got away from me!  By the time I finish writing this post, it will actually be Wednesday.  Whoops!!

Hidden zippers are a thing that I don't do very often so I always have to sit and scratch my head for a few minutes about how to put it in.  I've never really seen a great tutorial or pattern written with instructions on how to insert them either so I hope this will be helpful to you.  Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures.  It was 11pm as I was working on this and trying to take pictures.

1.  Get a zipper in a matching color.  This 7" one will be too long but we will cut off the excess later.

2.  Make the pattern for the fly and the fly facings.  The bottom of the curve should end about 1/2" below where the stitching ends for the opening.  The width of the fly is 1 3/4".

3.  Make FOUR of them.  Two of them can be in a lighter weight fabric or in the same material.

4.  Stitch two of the fly facings, right sides together, around the curved section only.  Clip the curves and turn right side out.  Repeat with the other set of fly facings.

4.  Stitch the right fly to the right front, making sure the raw edges are even.  Stop stitching about 1/4" below the end of the opening.

5.  Open the fly back out (right side facing up).  Place the zipper face down with the edge of the tape right on the seam.  Baste in place on the left side.

6.  On the right side, stitch very closely to the zipper teeth using a zipper foot.  Stitch another line of stitching on the right edge of the tape to hold it in place.

7.  Turn the fly to the inside and (stitching from the INSIDE of the pants), top-stitch around the curve of the fly.

8.  The picture above shows what the right side should look like now.

9.  Pick out the basting stitches on the left side of the zipper tape and open the zipper.

10.  Open the zipper up and place the edge of the tape right on the raw edge of the left side of the fly.  (See picture above.  Zipper should still be face down.)

10.   Place the remaining fly and fly facing on top of the zipper, raw edges even.  Stitch to just below the bottom stop of the zipper.  You can serge this seam or use an overlock stitch.

11.  Fold the left side of the fly back in place.  Follow the original stitching lines of the fly from the right side and stitch again, going through all the layers at the bottom of the zipper.  And this is what it should look like finished!

12.  You can top-stitch the edge of the right side in place next to the zipper.  And this is what the inside should look like!

The extra length of the zipper will be cut off next week as we finish these capri pants and all the top-stitching.

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words when I posted my struggles with sewing for myself.  Sewing for an adult is completely different than sewing for a child.  We have curves that can be a challenge to fit and I am not a real thin girl.  I'm trying but after 30, I think those pounds hold on with two tight fists!  So, clothing can make a huge difference in what you look like.  If you have something that fits you well, you can look lots thinner.

So, that is what I thought we would talk about in this week's LWL.  

I have a pair of capri's that I recently got that I dearly love.  You know that feeling when you find a pair of jeans that really fit you well?  They are worth more than diamonds to you!  So, anyway, I got these jean capri's from a friend who couldn't wear them anymore because I think they were too big for her.  While I let that depressing statement sink in, let me tell you that I just love them!  Everytime that I wear them, I get tons of compliments.  So, I decided I would make a pattern of them and make more of them!

Now, this week is kind of a "duh, everyone knows this" kind of week but in case you've never drafted a pattern for yourself, this is the easiest way.

If you have a pair of pants, capri's or shorts that fit you perfectly, hang onto them tightly and make some clones of them.

1.  Lay out your pants on a flat surface.  I started with the back but it really doesn't matter.  I used tissue paper to draw my pattern because it bends easier than paper but also some interfacing wouldn't rip as much or even sheer material that has no stretch.  It just needs to be able to bend in the same way your pants do!

2.  Start with a side seam.  Fold your leg so that the seam is flat in the middle.  Pin your tracing material to the pants and start tracing the seam.  Don't worry about seam allowances right now.  Just trace exactly on the seam.

3.  Once that is all pinned, you can straighten out your pant leg so that the seam is on the side again.  Make sure there are no wrinkles in your pant leg and trace across the top.  I don't include the waistband so go right up to that.  You can also trace the pockets and any yoke lines now too.  Remember, placement of back pockets can be a very important reason why you love these pants so much so trace them exactly.  Place several pins in the middle of the pants leg.

4.  Now, fold your pants again so the inside seam is flat in the middle.  The pins in the leg should keep the tracing paper or material from shifting.  Trace that inside seam up to the crotch.  This is where it gets tricky.  You need to flatten out your pants in a very strange way so that you can trace that curve.  See my picture below.  The pants are all jumbled up and that's what yours will look like to as you fold back the other leg out of the way and try to get the curve to lay flat without wrinkles.

5.  Once you get the point of the crotch and get the curve started, you can flatten the pants back out and continue tracing the curve up to the waistband.

So, now you have the back leg!

1.  The front leg is traced in much the same way.  Start with the outside seam flattened out and in the middle.  Pin it well and trace up to the waistband.  Now on my jeans, both the outside and inside seams are in the front so I didn't need to fold it out. for this particular pair.

2.  Flatten the leg back out so that the seam is on the outside.  Place several pins in the middle of the leg and trace the top just below the waistband.

3.  If you can't see the front seam, fold the leg back out so the inside seam is flat in the middle.

4.  Trace up to the crotch.  Fold your pants in a strange way so that you can trace that curve again.  Make a mark where the zipper ends.

So, now you have the front leg!

See how the curves and widths are completely different?  Many people make the mistake of keeping their jeans flat on the table and tracing the sides and inside seams.  This does not account for the curves of the crotch area.

SEW YOUR PANTS (Part One!):

The only thing that I had in my stash that was a heavy enough weight was this bottom-weight linen-type of material.  But, I think with some top-stitching, it's going to look cute with a top made out of this pretty lawn from Fine Stitchery.

1.  Cut out two back pieces and two front pieces.  Remember to allow for the seam allowances!!  You can stitch the pockets on now if you would like since it is easier working with flat surfaces.  I didn't take the time to do this this time but I wish I would have.  I will be adding mine next week when I talk about all the finish-up details.

2.  Sew one front leg to a back leg, right sides together, beginning at the croch point and down to the bottom of the leg.

3.  Stitch the other straight side from the top all the way down to the bottom.

4.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other leg.

5.  Turn one leg right side out and put it inside the other leg.  You are going to stitch the curve of the crotch part of the pants, stopping where the end of the zipper will be.

6.  After you turn both sides right side out, this is what it should like look.  You will have an opening to insert the zipper and the waistband is not on yet.

(Next week, I will talk about hidden zippers and how to insert one.  Then we can finish up these pants with top-stitching, the waistband, pockets, belt loops, etc.)

Continuous-bound plackets are a hard thing to explain.  If done correctly, they are an invisible button closure or reinforcement of a slit in a skirt or top.  If done incorrectly, they are a terrible mess of puckers and detract from your beautiful garment.  They are used to help a garment fit over someone's head or wrists.

Here is an example of a good continuous bound placket that I did on an heirloom dress for Ellie last Easter. 

The placket extends into the skirt portion probably about 2 1/2" or so but you can't see where it stops or detect that it is even there except for the shadow of extra fabric with the light shining through.

Now, because I am not proud :), here is an example of a bad continous placket that I did on my very first bishop that I ever made:

Sorry for the blurry pictures.  There are all kinds of errors on this first attempt at smocking a bishop, but see all those wrinkles and bumps?!!  You can definitely tell where my placket ends.

With each new pattern, I have tried to explain the process of adding a CBP (continuous bound placket) a little more clearly.  This is where I'm at now.  I think that it is pretty clear but who knows, I may end up explaining something more in depth in the future!

Placket Construction:

Before beginning, you will cut a slit in your skirt, dress, or top as directed by your pattern.  Some plackets actually use an opening in a seam but the most common way, I have found, is to cut a small slit, beginning at the top and straight down the middle of your fabric about 3" or so.

1.  Cut a placket 3/4" wide (for a finished width of 1/4") and a little more than twice the length of the opening in the skirt or top.  (I always cut mine a little longer to allow for going around the "V" opening at the bottom.  You can always trim off the extra.)  You can press this in half and then press in each side before beginning to have your three perfect creases 1/4" apart that you will use in the steps below. 

I always cut mine on the straight of grain because it is a strong, non-stretchy piece of fabric.  I have recently read heirloom patterns that direct you to cut the placket on the bias.  I don't think either one is right or wrong, provided that you are inserting a straight placket and not one on a curved seam.  I am anxious to try it with a bias-cut placket to see if it is easier when hand-stitching it at the end.  Let me know your opinion if this is the way you do it!

2.  Place the right side of the placket piece to the right side of the dress opening, matching raw edges and beginning at one neck edge.  Pin around the “V” opening up to the other neck edge.

2.From the wrong side (placket on the bottom), stitch, using a ¼” seam, catching only a few threads of the dress at the bottom of the “V”.  Pivot the fabric and continue sewing on the other side of the “V”.

3. Press from the wrong side with the tip of iron right at the seam.  Press the seam towards the placket. 

4.  Press the raw edge of the placket 1/4” to the wrong side.

5.  Pin this folded edge to the wrong side of the garment, just over the stitching line, encasing the raw edges. Press fold well. 

6.  Whip by hand to inside. 

7.  The finished placket should measure 1/4” wide. Turn under the right side and baste in place at the top.  Leave left side extended.  Press.

The buttons will be sewn on the left, extended, side.  The buttonholes or hand-worked button loops will be stitched on the right side that has been folded under and basted at the top.

Piping!

Piping is... a narrow tube of fabric, sometimes enclosing a cord, used for trimming seams and edges.

In most of my patterns, there is an option of piping. Piping is a great detail that can add a lot of "punch" to your garments, adding contrast and interest, and making certain features of the garment stand out.  You don't need to be intimidated by piping!  For new sewists, I know that it can be particularly frightening.  I know...because I used to skip right past that step all the time.  But look at what a difference piping can make:

A great low back mini-dress from ASOS.

Beautiful CHANEL black silk dress with white piping

Look at what a difference piping makes on this cute little dress from Colette Patterns.

And this beautiful white leather jacket from Pamela McCoy.

Look at the piping detail on these little doll dress from Vogue.

So, my goal, as always in Learning with Laura is to take a sewing basic and make it easy to understand for anyone new to sewing.  When I do this weekly feature, I end up learning quite a bit myself through my research!  So, thanks!  I hope it is helpful to others too.

Technically, there are two types of piping, (although the first one I just call bias strips - see my post on making your own bias bindings and bias accents.)

1.  Piping with no cording (a bias cut piece of fabric folded in half with wrong sides together and inserted into a seam to add a little splash of color.

2.  Piping with cording.  This can be purchased or made by YOU!  I always prefer making my own piping because I can get an exact match of the fabric.  However, if you do use purchased piping, use the mini-piping for children's clothes!  I didn't know that when I first started making kids clothes a long time ago.  In our Walmart and Joann's, you can only purchase the maxi-piping.  I didn't even know there was such a thing as mini-piping but any heirloom store carries it.  This makes such a difference in a garment for a child.

So let's get started in making your own piping...

1.  First, you will need a 1/8" cotton cord (available at any heirloom store) and the fabric you are going to use.  Depending on how much piping you want to make, you will need about ½ yard to 1 yard of the fabric and as many yards of the cording as you need piping for.

2. Cut 3/4" strips of bias out of the fabric.  Cut as many strips that width that you need for the desired yardage of piping.

3.  Just as in bias binding, join the bias strips together to make one long strip.

4.  Place the cord in the center of your bias strip.  Fold the strip over, encasing the cord.

photos courtesy of Moda Bakeshop

5.  Using an edging foot, piping foot, or a zipper foot, stitch as close the fold and the cord as you can.  You can use a chopstick to push the cord right into the fold.

6.  Trim the seam allowance to 1/4".  Some use this cool little tool to do that.  I don't yet have that so I just measure and cut.

7.    Ta da!  You're done!

Now let's sew it in your garment...

1.   Place the raw edges of the piping next to the raw edges of the garment's seam.  The row of stitching on the piping should be 1/4" away from the edge, or whatever the seam allowance is.  Stitch the piping onto the garment, slightly to the left of the original piping stitching (so that the stitches won't show on the right side.

2.    Place the second layer of fabric over the top.  Pin in place and FLIP OVER!  You want to sew from the underside so that you can follow the first row of stitching.  When you open up the piece later,  your piping will be perfectly in place.

A couple of tips...

• When going around curves such as collars or armholes, it is easier to curve the piping if you first steam it into the curve shape or clip the seam allowance.  Make little cuts almost to the row of stitching from the raw edge every 1/2" - 1" apart.

photo courtesy of Sew Mama Sew

• When the ends of piping have to meet and will not be hidden in a seam line, use this technique for joining the ends of the piping together:

1. Determine where the piping will meet and overlap 1/2".  Trim ends. 
   

   
   

2. Unpick the stitching of the piping and open up the bias strip. 
   
3. Join the ends, right sides together, using a 1/4" seam. 
   

   
   

4. Trim the piping cord so that it meets the other end and does not overlap. 
   
5. Lay both ends of the cord back in the middle of the bias strip, fold the bias strip back over, encasing the cord, and WA LA!  Your piping is joined!

Sewing School

Today, I'm starting a new feature called Learning with Laura. Every Tuesday, I will explain a new technique or a tutorial of a sewing skill.

If you notice, I have added a new tab at the top that says Learning with Laura.  I haven't finished everything yet but I have a good start to the basics there.  Each week's lesson will be added to that ever-growing list.

I hope that you will begin to use it as a reference, especially when sewing with my patterns.  Techniques that I use in my patterns will be explained in more detail there along with my standard sizing charts.

This week, we are going to start with the very basics.  I want my patterns to be easily understood by beginning sewers.  (In case you may not know...at the beginning of all of my patterns is a glossary to define terms someone new to sewing may not understand).  In future weeks, we are going to explore heirloom sewing techniques and sewing with knits.

Making your own Bias Tape

In Dancer, Daisy Bell, and Sweet Daisy Girl, you are asked to make your own bias tape.  I explain the way that I ask you to make it in the pattern but thought I would expound more on that technique here.

Bias tape is a strip of fabric that has normally been cut at a 45 degree angle to the grain of the fabric (thus the name, "bias").  This gives the binding some stretchiness to allow it to go easily around curves and corners without any ugly puckers.  Traditionally it is used on quilts and blankets but many garments also use bias bindings to nicely finish off raw edges.

You can make your own bindings (which is the way that I will explain first) or you can purchase pre-made bias bindings in single-fold or double-fold widths (see the end of this post).

I don't feel that my way is particularly unique but it is something that I do get a lot of positive comments on when people try my pattern.  Attaching bias trim to a raw edge used to make me so nervous.  I never could seem to get it to look nice on both sides.  It is easy as can be to get a nice finished edge on the hem of a skirt, or a neckline or armhole, when doing it this way:

(First, I'll explain binding that's been cut on the straight grain (used to bind straight edges) and then I'll explain cutting the binding strips at 45 degrees for curved edges.)

1.Cut the strips of fabric 2 ½” long x the width of the fabric (generally 42 - 45 inches).  Place two of the binding strips at a 90 degree angle, right sides together.

2.(A) Fold back the top corner to form a triangle and press. (B) Open back out and stitch on the line formed by pressing.  (C) Trim to within ¼” of stitching line.  Continue with the rest of the strips to make one long binding.

3.Press in half, wrong sides together.

4.Pin raw edges of folded binding to WRONG side of dress edge.  Start stitching about 2” from beginning

of strip.  Stitch around the dress edge with a ¼” seam allowance.

5.Stop stitching about 4” from end of strip.  Overlap binding strip ends about ½” and trim the extra.

6.Open the binding, pin right sides together and stitch with a ¼” seam allowance. Lay back in place and finish stitching to dress.

7.Press seam allowance toward the binding.  Turn binding to right side of dress, enclosing the raw edge.  Pin so that the finished edge of the binding overlaps the first stitching line just ¼”.  Press.

8.Stitch in place, close to finished edge.

**NOTE:  When you are binding a CIRCULAR edge (such as a neckline or armholes), the bias tape must be cut on the bias of the fabric in order to stretch around the curves.

To cut these strips:

Cut the 2 1/2" strips on the bias grain of fabric (fold fabric at a right angle to selveges) (fig.A).  Press strips in half, lengthwise, as before (fig B).

You can attach them in the same way as stated above. 

**VARIATION:  On necklines and armholes, I prefer to finish my bias bindings by hand.  I think it looks much neater than finishing them by machine.  INSTEAD OF FIRST ATTACHING THEM TO THE WRONG SIDE OF THE FABRIC, I attach them in the traditional way to the right side of the fabric first.

I then fold over that nice folded edge to the back side and slip-stitch in place by hand.

NOW, WHAT IF YOU ARE USING PURCHASED BIAS BINDING INSTEAD OF MAKING YOUR OWN??

Purchased bias binding comes in single-fold and double-fold varieties.  Single-fold bias tape is folded over once along both long cut edges.  Typically, this is used as embellishments or casings for elastic.  Double-fold bias tape is folded over once along both long cut edges AND down the center.  This allows you to encase the raw edges of fabric inside the tape.  It is helpful to press the tape into the shape of the curve you are applying it to, before attaching it.

Here is a helpful tip to get the bindings to look nice on both sides (when using double-fold bias tape):

• Unfold bias tape and apply the binding with the narrow side of the bias tape facing up.  (The crease of the tape should be placed directly above the seam line).  Stitch on the seam line.
  
• Trim seam allowances so that they are even.
• Fold bias tape to back and pin in place.  (You can also use fabric glue to hold in place.  Or, you can use fusible thread on the first row of stitching.  When you turn the bias over and press it, the fusible thread will cause the binding to stick exactly in place.)
  
• Stitch from top side right in the seam (stitch in-the-ditch) and the stitches should just catch the larger side in the back.
  

I hope this has been helpful for you when working with bias tape!