Been sewing lately?

Photo by innaThewall wearing her version of the Easy Kimono Dress

I started the Pattern Runway Group on flickr long before I even had any patterns to sell and had totally forgotten about it! I just checked it the other day and got such a surprise to see some gorgeous sewing has been going on there! Thank you to all who have all ready contributed, and if you would like to share, COME and join in and show and tell what you've been making, we so love to see and admire, xxx

{How to:} Sew an Exposed Zipper (with a seam)

Lately we have been experimenting with our existing patterns, ironing out any quirks and bumps and generally making things better. One thing that came to our attention is the method for sewing the exposed zipper in our “Relaxed Shift Dress” pattern, as it stands, it’s a little on the fiddly side and one thing that sewing should never be is fiddly! Sewing needs to just flow from one step to another without too much fuss and bother. So here is a much easier tutorial for setting in the exposed zipper without the fuss and fiddle.

See below images for written instructions.

How To:

1. Stabilise: Fuse a 2.5cm / 1” wide strip of suitable weight fusing to each side of the zipper opening (apply to the wrong side of the fabric). Fusing should be slightly shorter that the length of the zipper (including top and bottom tapes). 
2. Marking: If your pattern doesn’t already have the end of the zipper marked or notched, notch or mark the end of the zip. 
3. Staystitching: The opening of the zipper should be wide enough to expose just the zipper teeth plus a little extra for room around the teeth to prevent any fabric from getting caught. Staystitch each side of the zipper opening 6mm plus the seam allowance (1cm for our patterns) from the raw edge, pivoting 90º at the end of zipper mark/notch. Repeat for both sides. 
4. Sew the Seam: With rights sides together, sew the seam (1cm seam allowance for our patterns) from the base of the zipper mark/notch, to the end. 
5. Clipping: Clip into the seam allowances on a diagonal to the zipper base, just to, but not through the staystitching. You may find it easier to cut each seam allowance separately.
6. Pressing: Press seams open and neaten each edge. Fold and press over the allowance of the zip opening on the staystitching line. 
7. Stitch the lower edge: Working from the right side of the garment, fold back the top of the work to the start of the centre back seam to expose the ‘triangles’ of the clipped seam allowance, align the metal base of the zipper with the centre seam, (zipper should be facing downwards and right sides together) and position it just past the stay stitching. Pin. 
8. With a zipper foot attached to your machine. Stitch across zipper tape and triangles, back tacking at either end.
9. Stitch the zipper sides: Flip zipper up right way round, tucking the zipper tape and triangles to the inside, Align the pressed and folded edge along the zipper tape and pin.
10. Pinning: Turn back one side of the dress back to expose the seam allowance and zipper tape, re-pin seam allowance to zipper tape only and remove pins from the front. Repeat for other side. 
11. Sew Sides: Starting from the base of the zip, stitch along the staystitching line. Repeat for other side of zipper. Press with a pressing cloth.

For all our customers who have previously purchased the Relaxed Shift Dress Pattern and would like to be emailed the updated instructions, please contact us and include the order/etsy invoice number and we will be sure to email you the updated instructions.

{Inspire} - How do you wear yours?

One thing that I love about our Pussy Bow Blouse Pattern is that it is versatile! By having the bow as a separate piece from the blouse, this gives you options and there's nothing quite like a garment that gives you options!
I made up this sweet black and white spotted georgette this week and have been having fun playing with the different ways that you can tie the bow, and the different looks that it gives you. From prim, proper and quirky to laid back and casual, so how do you wear yours?

{Inspire} Exploded Flowers

These beautiful graphic images are just too pretty not to share. The lovely magazine; Anthology, shared them just the other day and I wanted to share them to! I love how graphic these flowers have become. A study in repetition, pattern, texture, shape and scale. These photographs are also available to purchase as prints, which would look gorgeous to add colour to a sewing space!

Jacket Terminology:

Since completing my tailored jacket, I have become slightly obsessed with jackets in all shapes and sizes and can't stop analysing every jacket I see;  fit, type of collar, width of lapels, height of notches and depth of break points are all coming under scrutiny. Just incase I am speaking a language that you don't understand heres a little help to know your notches from your lapels.

While we are talking about jacket collars, here are a few of the main collar variations for next time you are admiring a jacket, you too can talk about its peaked lapels, high notches, or lovely Roll collar.

Goal 1 - Completed Tailored Jacket

Hello there! How are you all? Well at long last, Goal Number 1 is completed! Hurrah, so excited to have it sewn up. There were times when I wanted to throw this all in the bin and be done with it, but I have to say, you do feel a rather satisfying sense of accomplishment in completing a fully lined jacket and seeing a project through the ups and downs of the challenge, through to completion.

I am pleased with the results, it fits well, perhaps just a bit too well and I could have really just graded the pattern down a 1/2 size or maybe, really just through the bust section, as this was the most problematic in terms of fit. This Jacket wasn't without its challenges, starting with the fit issues with the pattern,  no seam and hem allowances included and no separate lining pattern either, which have all added a considerable amount of time to the project.

Pattern Preparation:
–Graded pattern down 1 size ( 5cm)
–Shortened the width of the Lapels,
–Drafted under and Upper collar.
–Drafted separate lining pattern, with back pleat, ease added at the armhole and extra length.
–Drafted Welt pocket and pocket bag pattern pieces.

Fabrics:
–Shell: I choose a high quality light weight wool suiting with 10% spandex, it has a lovely drape and handle and was a beautiful to sew and press. And if you are local in brisbane or the Gold Coast, Qld, The Fabric Store in Brisbane, has great selection of wool suitings (amongst other beautiful fabrics).
–Lining: Acetate
–Fusing: Whisper Weft ( available from Spotlight (Australia) or wholesale prices at E& M Greenfield) 

There are few things I did in constructing this jacket that I have photographed and shown below. In reading through 'Couture Sewing Techniques', by Claire Shaeffer, She recommends  catch stitching pre shrunk cotton tape along the role line and along the lapel and front edge of the jacket, (edge of the tape to lie flat against the seam line).

I loyally followed all of Shaeffer's tailoring advice but perhaps my fabric choice was a bit too light,  or perhaps the inclusion of spandex in my fabric proved problematic or perhaps I was just a bit heavy handed with the steam,  but I found that the my lovely lapels just didn't sit that well and were a little puckered and just looked well, hand sewn.  Even the role line wasn't sitting as nicely as I imagined. So I unpicked all my beautiful handwork, discarding the cotton tape, re pressed my labels and jacket front pieces and when all sewn back together again they sat a lot nicer. No puckering to be seen. I'm sure that this technique would produce a beautiful result on perhaps a more looser and heavier weight weave, but perhaps this fabric just didn't need the extra support.

I opted to block fuse all of the front and back jacket pieces with a high quality weft fusible. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term Block Fusing, this is a method of fusing an entire piece of fabric before cutting out any pattern pieces rather than cutting out the pattern piece in the shell, repeating in the fusing and then fuse the two together. The advantages of block fusing is that you are only cutting the pattern piece once, saving you time, and in case of shrinkage, the fabric will shrink under the heat before any cutting out is to be done, giving you very accurate results.

The sleeves I left unfused, applying fusing to the hem area,  and over the fold line to give stability to a high wear area. To create that beautiful roll of the sleeve head seen on high end tailored jackets, I used a felting piece cut from the sleeve pattern, that I hand tacked on the sleeve just 3mm above the seam line ( of the sleeve)  and the seam allowances then get turned into the sleeve which pushes the felt header to pad out the sleeve head.
The Sleeve head is then supported by the shoulder pad.  Shaeffers technique was to use a wool batting/felting cut into a long rectangle about 12cm long, by 6cm, fold in half and stitch it to the sleeve same as above. I did try this method also to see which would give the best results and once again perhaps this does depend on your fabric weight as I found it did give a nice roll on the sleeve head, but as there was an excess of fabric in the sleeve, there were visible bumps and bunching and didn't give a smooth support to the sleeve.

I cut a separate under collar on the bias grain with a centre seam that I steamed into shape over a pressing ham, I really do recommend doing this as it creates the perfect shape for your collar.  For the upper collar pattern I added on an extra 2.5mm to the edges to help the collar edge to roll over the under collar and prevent the under collar from showing. for heavier weight fabrics you may want to increase that. I also added extra 2.5mm to the Front Facing edges also (just to the break point) , to assist in no seams showing from the front.

So here are my tips should you be inspired to sew your own Tailored Jacket:
–Pattern Selection:  choose one with all seam and hem allowances added and choose one with a separate lining pattern. Plus is also helps to have all the pattern pieces required! (A little grumble–Why can't burda include pattern pieces such as Welt pockets and proper pocket patterns! argh... )
–Measuring: Measure the Pattern prior, or if possible obtain the finished pattern measurements so that you know how the garment will fit you. Take into consideration; choice of fabric weight, plus linings and interlinings will bulk out the garment so you will need more ease than say dresses or blouses.
–Toile: Do sew up a toile, and mark pocket placements, buttons etc on your toile and check fit and placement before sewing in your beautiful Fabric.
–UnderCollar; If your pattern doesn't include separate under collar, draft your own with a centre seam, cut on the bias and reduce along the edges by 2.5mm (depending on fabric weight).

So, it seams that my goal setting needs a slight adjustment in the timing department. But I have loved having some extra goals to work towards, so onwards towards Goal No. 2 and lets try for completion in Early May shall we?

Goal 1 - Sew a Tailored Jacket Update

Just a quick post today to update you on the Tailored Jacket progress. After a long and hard search for the perfect tailored jacket pattern, I realised it didn't exist, and to create the look I was after I will just have to draft my own! But with the aim of saving time and meeting these goals I have set for myself I chose this BurdaStyle Sports Coat. 

I liked the low neckline/ breakpoint, the dipped front feature, and the tidy double welt/bound pockets. It also looked fitted with a nice silhouette.  

Well, saving time I'm really not sure if this will, as it took me two evenings to print, assemble, trace and add seam and hem allowances, and I still have a separate lining pattern to draft too! But with all that prep done, cutting and sewing the toile took no time at all and I was so excited to test the fit. 

This pattern has good points and bad points. I am really happy with the length of the garment. As I am tall, this was my biggest concern and it really is the least of the problems. The sleeves could do with a little more length and maybe just a touch wider at the opening, but very easy adjustments there. 

The armholes are great, not too low, nice shape with out restricting movement. The low breakpoint at just below waist level is perfect and is what I was after, creating that lovely long opening, lengthening the figure and drawing the eye to the face. But…. 

There is just so much ease in this style! I cut the smallest size, size 36 which is to fit body measurements: bust - 84cm, waist - 66cm, hip - 90cm. (which is what my mannequin is sized to) and it is just far too big!

I measured the toile at the bust, and waist and there is 16cm of ease included, which makes the bust a finished measurement of 100cm!!! 

Its not too noticeable from the front and you could get away with it. But from the back, there is just so much extra room through the back and under the arms and it is so noticeable when you move your arms. You get this pooching, and creasing across the back which just looks awful.  Now I know that the pattern did say it was for sweatshirt fabric, but both the tech drawing and photos of the garments and other peoples edition showed a much more tailored fit. So I was surprised that this was so roomy.

The other thing that I might change (see my sketched in lines) is the shape of the lapel and the height of the collar notch. The lapels are a bit too wide and just a touch too low. I'm thinking I also might change the lapel to a peaked lapel, similar to the Paul and Joe jacket.

So it looks like it's an exercise in grading for moi. So much for taking a short cut! But I do have to say I am enjoying the project, I like the edited style and can't wait to get into it, and wear it out.