How else can you use them?

Well mine is getting quite the work-out as I sew my hubby’s new winter jacket.

A quilting ruler for sewing clothes?

Let’s see, I’ve used it to measure and cut extra pockets that I don’t have patterns for… and my favorite use has got to be making sure that things are lined up straight.  And that they match on both sides!

Because I’ve altered the basic jacket pattern quite a bit, I don’t have any markers for sewing things like cargo pockets or elbow patches on.  Since my attitude is “sew it once, and do it right”, I prefer to make sure pockets are on straight the first time.

Using a gridded ruler allows me to measure exactly where the pockets are sitting, and reproduce that measurement on the other side.  For instance, I actually placed one of the elbow patches while my husband was wearing the jacket.  I carefully pinned it in place, and by measuring how far from the cuff and other seams, could place the other patch in the exact spot.

So break out your gridded ruler for more than just quilting – it’s a handy tool to have!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Gridded Rulers Aren’t Just For Quilting

I’ve shared a couple of different tips and tricks for altering patterns before you sew, but there’s one I haven’t mentioned yet…

It’s important to try garments on as you sew them!

Patterns are rarely shaped to fit you.  They usually need some tweaking to get them just right.  And let’s face it – if you’re going to go to all that effort of sewing something, why not make sure it’s done correctly?

For instance – I’m a “pear” shape.  That means my shoulders are slimmer than my hips.  Most sewing patterns are designed for someone who is evenly balanced, hips and shoulders.  If I use a sewing pattern, without altering it – my tops are either too loose in the shoulders or too snug across the hips.

The solution?

After you’ve sewn in any darts or shaped seams into your garment – baste it together and try it on.  That will allow you to see if there’s a spot that needs to be taken in or altered somehow.

Hey – I’d much prefer to make a change in the early stages rather than having to undo a bunch of my sewing at the end!

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Tip Of The Day: Fitting Clothing As You Sew

Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something exciting about the first couple of stages of any sewing project.  That little pile of fabric has so much potential…

Of course – as fabric sometimes has a mind of it’s own – it can also turn into something a lot more frustrating too!

But for now, let’s keep on the positive side of things.  Okay, so it’s not quite ready to sew yet.  It needs to be interfaced, marked and pinned.

And let’s not forget reading the instructions too…

The pattern companies include those instructions for a reason – they can be very useful.  How exactly do all those funny markings on the tissue paper fit together?  The instructions should at least point you in the right direction.

And have I mentioned how exciting it is to actually have a cutting table set up again?

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesday

For me, sewing can be a real labor of love.  I can go to the big discount chain and buy a shirt for a friend for very little money.  Odds are good that it was made in a third-world nation by someone who makes pennies a day.  But it’s inexpensive to buy, and saves me a lot of time…

Or I could take the time and sew something that’s going to mean something – if only to me.

When I take the time to sew a garment or gift for someone, I can pretty much guarantee that it’s going to be higher quality and last longer than most clothing that you can buy in a store.  I hope that whoever is getting my gift appreciates the care and attention that I put into it.

That’s why I take the time to create “labors of love”.

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Sewing As A Labor of Love

Are the search engines just not giving you the help you need?

I think I may have a solution…

Sewing Tutorials is a blog that just features sewing how-tos and tutorials – that’s it!

The site is divided into different area for tutes for things like embellishments, lingerie, tops & tees – even zippers and special sewing machine feet have their own areas.

Have you wondered how to use your flat fell foot?  Or how about using magnetic snaps in a purse?  Got questions about how to make a tailored collar?

They’ve probably got the answer!

images: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Lots and Lots of Sewing Tutorials

Especially if I’m only going to wear it for a few months!

I started looking for maternity clothing patterns and was surprised at how few of the “big” pattern manufacturers have.  I did find more options for patterns online, but it can be awfully expensive to buy sewing patterns from another country.

So what’s a girl to do?

Why get creative of course!

Today’s trends of soft, unstructured blouses, maxi dresses and empire waists mean that commercial patterns can be easily adapted to work through most of a pregnancy.

Check out Simplicity pattern #2642  – the waist is high enough that you can easily fit a “bump” under there.  Especially if you add a little extra ease at the front.

How about a soft, summery blouse?  Simplicity #3624 has options for several sleeve lengths, and due to the front gather, can be altered to allow a little extra ease at the front.

How about those maternity jeans?  A very clever Craftster mother-to-be came up with a great idea for transforming a pair of standard jeans into maternity jeans!

images: Simplicity Patterns

Post from: Blisstree

Sew Your Own Maternity Clothing

How come?

There are quite a few reasons – so in no particular order….

1. I can custom-fit my own clothing… without having to pay a tailor to do it.  When you’re tall, and have a long waist – that’s a very good thing.
2. It’s generally less expensive to make your own clothing.  Now if you’re using $45 a yard silk or $60 wool suiting, it’s going to cost you – but generally, I can make an outfit for less than it costs to buy one.
3. I can create a much higher quality product.  I hate it when store-bought clothing falls apart.  How often does my handmade clothing fall apart?  Rarely.
4. You can pretty much guarantee that you’re making something unique.  Unless you’re using a kit, the odds of someone else having the same project as you are pretty slim.
5. Have you checked out the prices on custom drapery these days?  Ouch!  I can custom-fit any window in my house for a fraction of the cost.
6. If you can sew, you can repair – being able to fix torn knees or blown seams can save you $$$ and keep your clothing around longer.
7. Doing my own sewing is one of my favorite ways to be creative.
8. Sewing can be a life-long hobby.  I began hand sewing dolls when I was a young child, started sewing my own clothes as a teenager and now create art with my sewing machine as an adult.
9. Fabric stores are waaaay too much fun to hang out in.
10. It’s addictive

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

10 Reasons Why I Enjoy Sewing

J. Crew carried a gorgeous jacket,the “Astrid Cascading Flowers”, made from boucle, and accented with dozens of fabric flowers:

Unfortunately, at $425, it was also out of the range of your average crafter.

So what’s a creative person, in serious jacket love, to do?

Figure out how to make it yourself of course!  Orange Beautiful has an elegant cream version.  Maggie from Mighty Girl has a great step-by-step tutorial for her version.

Too many projects… not enough time

image: Polyvore

Post from: Blisstree

Make Your Own Cascading Flowers Jacket

I don’t think that the extra seam on the front facing is going to be missed… and the button holes look pretty good too (okay, so I should have ironed it again)!

Noreen left an excellent comment, reminding me of another favorite short-cut. When you’re cutting out shirts, place the back on the center fold of the fabric, instead of cutting out two halves of the pattern. You’ll save an extra seam down the back – and I think it looks just fine:

images: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

the reveal – the new short-cuts shirt

I’ve sewn the button holes, opened them up (I like to use a stitch ripper to open button holes).  I’ve laid the shirt over my ironing board and folded the front of the shirt to mark the button placements:

Instead of just marking them with a fabric marker or chalk, I like to insert pins through the button holes, and into the other side of the shirt front (just the front, not the back).  You can now hang the shirt up and check the button placement when it’s hanging naturally, as opposed to flat on a table.

Sew the buttons on as you would normally – just remove pins as you go

I find that this allows me to be more accurate and allows more fine tuning – after all, if I’m making a shirt – I want it to turn out well!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

tip of the day – marking button placement on shirts