Sunday, March 25, 2012
Ever Have Your Skirt Lining Rip All the Way up the Center Back?
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Making a Really Tight Dress Fit Better
Monday, March 19, 2012
How to Create a "Tall Man" Tie
Friday, March 16, 2012
Another Non Sewing Tool in My Sewing Room
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Are You Using the Right Size Needle?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
"Flapper" Dress Needs a Little Tweaking
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Buttonhole Tip for a Manual Buttonholer
One of my other machines is a nearly 30 year old Bernina. It's been tried and true for thousands of alterations and it's still going strong. It has a 5 step buttonhole maker that was state of the art for a mechanical machine back in the day. Today, a lot of machines are electronic and buttonholers are automatic.
I don't create a lot of garments anymore. Alterations keep me pretty busy. I don't miss the buttonhole functionality much. When I do have to make buttonholes, I have found a way to make them uniform. It involves a non traditional sewing notion called electrical tape!
Monday, March 12, 2012
A Conversation on Taking up Shoulders with Bias Binding
I had a nice conversation with reader Ann this week. Here is our correspondence. She actually clarified the instructions I had given her. Sometimes what I type and the ideas I want to covey are not always the same. It's nice to see a success story!
thanks for this website! Very generous of you! My question is this: how does one handle bias trim when taking up shoulder strap on a tank top- you end up with excess trim at shoulder when take in the shoulder and it looks ugly if you cut the trim and sew one end on top of the other. Hope this makes sense! Thank you!
Hi Ann
Thanks for your kind words! That's such a great question. I haven't done that alteration in quite a while. What I can suggest, is to rip the stitching where the bias binding is attached to the shirt. Go further than you need to, so it is unattached 1 1/2" or so past the new shoulder seam. That way you have a little extra room to manipulate. Next, put right sides together (you have to "flip" the ends inside out) and stitch your bias tape seam right sides together. Trim seam allowance, flip back, press seam open, then position next to the shoulder area. Stitch it to the t shirt in the same way it was originally. This sound a little confusing, as I reread! I hope it makes sense to you. See if it works to reduce that bulk. Please keep in touch and let me know how that works.
Hi Maripat,
Thanks for your reply! I think you were saying that I should spread open the bias trim as wide as it will go (i. e. open up the fold) and then seam it to take up the excess. Then once the bias trim seam is trimmed etc. fold it over the garment edge (which has also been taken in) and apply it to the garment edge like before. No need to respond to this unless I'm way off base as now that I've written it down I think I get it! I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! Regards, Ann
And finally she writes...
Maripat, Thanks so much- that technique worked very well-and it looked so much better than my previous unprofessional looking attempts. I'll continue to peruse your site! Thanks again! Ann
Go tackle something new this week. Practice on an old garment if you want to. You will surprise yourself at how well you can accomplish a new goal. Leave a comment if you've been brave this week!
thanks for this website! Very generous of you! My question is this: how does one handle bias trim when taking up shoulder strap on a tank top- you end up with excess trim at shoulder when take in the shoulder and it looks ugly if you cut the trim and sew one end on top of the other. Hope this makes sense! Thank you!
Hi Ann
Thanks for your kind words! That's such a great question. I haven't done that alteration in quite a while. What I can suggest, is to rip the stitching where the bias binding is attached to the shirt. Go further than you need to, so it is unattached 1 1/2" or so past the new shoulder seam. That way you have a little extra room to manipulate. Next, put right sides together (you have to "flip" the ends inside out) and stitch your bias tape seam right sides together. Trim seam allowance, flip back, press seam open, then position next to the shoulder area. Stitch it to the t shirt in the same way it was originally. This sound a little confusing, as I reread! I hope it makes sense to you. See if it works to reduce that bulk. Please keep in touch and let me know how that works.
Hi Maripat,
Thanks for your reply! I think you were saying that I should spread open the bias trim as wide as it will go (i. e. open up the fold) and then seam it to take up the excess. Then once the bias trim seam is trimmed etc. fold it over the garment edge (which has also been taken in) and apply it to the garment edge like before. No need to respond to this unless I'm way off base as now that I've written it down I think I get it! I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! Regards, Ann
And finally she writes...
Maripat, Thanks so much- that technique worked very well-and it looked so much better than my previous unprofessional looking attempts. I'll continue to peruse your site! Thanks again! Ann
Go tackle something new this week. Practice on an old garment if you want to. You will surprise yourself at how well you can accomplish a new goal. Leave a comment if you've been brave this week!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
How to Hem Stitch by Hand
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Double Work for Replacing This Jean Zipper
Friday, March 9, 2012
What Goes on at a Fitting with the Stitchin Magician?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
How Do I Get Inside this Coat Lining??
Great site! Here's my dilemma- I have a men's suit coat; the two pockets are torn from the outside corners, approx one inch down. Hands in pockets, anyone? Should I separate the lining from the jacket, stabilize the tear with fusible interfacing then stitch with a narrow machine zigzag, or hand sew from the outside and hope for the best?
I advised her against hand sewing. This is obviously a point of stress on the garment, so hand stitches won't hold. I would also use a three step zigzag, if you have one. I use it for all my mending.
Below I show photos of how to get into the lining so the client will never know.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Have You Ever Said "Pass" on a Job?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Take in Sides of a Knit Shirt
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