Work in progress and some tips for wool

I mentioned a few posts ago that I'm working on a 40s dress in wool, and I thought I'd show you all how it's coming along. A little WIP (work in progress), with a tip for pressing wool at the end.

Dress almooost ready

I've made some changes compared to my last version of this dress. This is my third make (see first here and second here), and I'm still tweaking the pattern! I'm hoping third time's the charm... For a better fit, I shortened the neckline, to prevent gaping, and added a fitted underlining to the top front bodice pieces, to control the spread of the extra fullness from the gathers. Stylewise, I reduced some fullness in the sleeves,  and also turned the gathers into pleats (on sleeves and both front and back bodice).

First sleeve-placket!

I've also for the first time ever made a shirt sleeve placket!

I love working with wool, it really is the most amazing material! Eh... yeah, I might have said that before... The yoke and the midriff is top-stitched here, easy for the yoke's straight lines, but the midriff piece has a curved top, which can be tricky in other materials. Here's why wool is awsome...

The piece is cut out, interfaced with fusible lightweight, and the edges are overlocked with a right needle 3-thread seam (zick-zacking works great if you don't have an overlock). Using a measuring guide, I pinned down the seam allowance.

Then basting. Here the seam allowance is 1,5 cm, and the basting line is approx 3 mm from the edge.

Remove pins after basting, and behold the surpluce fabric!

Insert a piece of paper (mine was standard writing block weight, so I folded it double) between fabric and seam allowance.

Place a press cloth over the whole thing, and with the iron on the highest - steam it while pressing down. Do not move the iron around! The presscloth will protect fabric and interfacing from the heat, the steam will shrink the surpluce seam allowance, and the paper will protect the right side from pressmarks. For a presscloth I use a very lightweight 100% cotton. If one wants to go fancy there's always silk organza. As long as the presscloth is see-through and natural fibers, it's good.

Remove iron and presscloth, place a clapper on the fabric if you have one. Continue all the way around =)

And here the difference is quite clear.

Instead of this multi-step pressing procedure, one can of course just trim and snip the seam allowance, letting the snipped pieces overlap each other, but I think this way is less bulky, makes a nicer edge and is more durable as the fabric remains intact. It's also really easy to topstitch on this clean and distinct edge!

This pressing technique - paper, presscloth, hot iron, steam and a clapper - is how I press every seam along the way I sew. With a little less steam and pressure of course, as I don't want them to shrink =) It makes the seams flat, and protects the right side from pressmarks.

Different fabrics of course demands different pressing techniques, this is just the one I've come to prefer on light to meduim weight wool. Heavy wool deamands a bit more, I find. What do you say, is this something you already do? May try? Or do you have another method that you'd like to share? Chime in!

Love, Erika

Tutorial for a classic chignon

I love to play around with my hair, and has been attempting to create a classic chignon. I made an attempt in October, based on a tutorial from Brittany at Va-Voom vintage. I wasn't 100% happy with it though, and has been working on altering it to work with hair of different lengths and thicknesses. Now, just in time for Valentine's day, here's a version of the classic chignon! (Disclaimer: By no means the definitive or perfect version, just a version =) ).

If the text ends here, click on the blog title to continue reading... If the text continues, you're on the right page =)

Pattern storage - problems and solutions

Pattern box

Like many sewists I've hoarded a small collection of patterns. They're stored in a box, and I love taking them out and admire the pretty covers. Commercial patterns, both vintage and new, are easy to deal with once the project is done, but how about the other patterns?

Guilt box

Since I either trace and alter patterns, or (most often) just draft them myself, I end up with a lot of patterns that has no obvious storage place. Usually it goes like this:

- Draw an image of what I'm aiming for

- Trace (printed pattern/basic sloper/similar pattern)

- Draft alterations

- Make a toille and fit

- Mark up the changes and clean up the pattern, draw a second generation of some pattern pieces if needed.

- Sew

- Not throw away toille, "not-final-generation-pattern-pieces", and left over scraps of toille fabric and pattern paper. Why? Because obviously all of this might come in handy in the future!

And it never does. The final pattern I often use for future makes, or as base for a new pattern, but the rest is a waste of space and I'm slowly learning to throw it away. Not an easy lesson at all...

However, I've worked out a new system, and it seems to be working! All needed is a binder and some plastic folders. When the project is done, I take the inspirational image I drew before getting started, maybe make a list of the pattern pieces on the back, put it in a plastic folder with all the pattern pieces and maybe a fabric sample, and voila!

Some of the folders in the binder.

Next time I want to make a pattern I'll just browse the binder! I have a feeling this binder will grow into more binders in the future, perhaps one each for dresses, skirts/trousers, blouses, outerwear and jersey. I'm really forward to creating more patterns!

Pile of inspirational drawings... If I manage to make all of these ideas I will certainly need more binders... Yay!

I have a strong feeling this will make my life considerably easier when it comes to finding my patterns. Also, browsing through a binder full of colored images of garments I've made is just as fun - or maybe even more fun! - as browsing my commercial patterns. There's a sense of accomplishment, and "oh yes, I've made that!" =)

Of course, there's room for improvement. The pattern paper I prefer when drafting is easy to mark, erase and tape, but bulky to store. The plan is to transfer the TNT patterns to my finer tracing paper that is a lot thinner, doesn't crease or break so easily and is great to store. So ideally, when the garment is done I'd trace the pattern to the finer paper. Yeah, right. I'm working on at least tracing it to the final version next time I use it, I think it's a more realistic aspiration.

One step at the time... Right now, I'm hoping to soon place this drawing in the binder:

How do you store your sewing patterns? Do you draft, trace or are you perhaps lucky enough to get away with only using commercial patterns out of the envelope?

Love, Erika

Jersey stabilizer - shopping tip for Swedish residents

Head's up: my inner geek slipped out and went exploring the wonderful world of sewing gadgets... (nerdy sewing post ahed =) ) A little ode to my new favorite toy tool!

Now that I've dared to venture into the land of jerseysewing, I've come upon the problem of stabilizing the overlocked seams. Some seams can gladly stretch (hello waistline) while others needs to retain their shape and length (like shoulders). Previously I've used a stabilizer from "Stoff och stil". It works, but it's 20 mm wide, so it needs to be cut in half to go through the overlock "tape-feeder". The tape then rests inside the seam and a bit outside.

However, when examining some purchased jersey tops I noticed a small, non-elastic non-fusible tape, totally enclosed in the shoulder seams. After searching high and low, both the internet and local shops (and shops in Stockholm) I finally found it in one place: Jofotex tyger.

(Pic source and direct link to the tape)

I don't know if they ship international, bur for Swedes it's a great resource. Unfortunatly, while the tape is cheap (2 SEK/m) the shipping is 60 sek minumin, and you need to purchase for at least 200 sek. That's a lot of tape... I bought 42 metres (what they had in store at the time) and a jersey fabric that was on sale. The fabric wasn't a necessary purchase, and the colour turned out to be wrong for me. I don't care though, I love this tape!

From now on it's steady shoulder seams for me, with no problems whatsoever. Just insert the tape by lifting the presser foot and then place the tape into the tape-guide, lower the presser foot, take a few stitches to get the tape secured to the seam, and I'm good to go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzYs_8LNBSM

A short video on how to easiest insert the tape into the tape guide (about 35 sec into the video). I'm adding it because while maybe you all knew this trick, I did it the hard way; trying to push the tape into the guide with the machine feeding the tape forward. Not so smooth. Not even close. Turned out the way they intended the machine to be used really is the easiest. Who could have known! ; )

Look how nicely the tape lays inside the overlocked seam, stabilizing without adding bulk.

The project? It's actually done, and I'll show it to you very, very soon =)

Love/ Erika

Tailoring a cut-on shawl collar

Thank you so much everyone for the amazing response to the coat! Sewing it this past year has been a huge project, but a very fun one. There are few projects that have taken so much time and so much head-scratching but that I've still loved the entire time (in fact I think this would have to be the only one...) =) I've learned so much, and I wanted to share the solution I worked out for the one thing I couldn't find the answer to in either the Tailoring book or Gertie's posts: tailoring a cut on shawl collar. The book, and Gertie, talks of sewn-on shawl collars, but cut-on presents a few problems with the order of sewing. So here's what I worked out! Heads up: long and very, very geeky post ahed =) All the pictures are in full size if you click on them, for clearer details.

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