American Sewing Guild (ASG)

Visit our blog Visit the ASG Facebook page Visit ASG on Pinterest Visit ASG's YouTube channel Visit ASG on Instagram
  • Home
  • Join ASG
    • Join Online
    • Chapter Locations
    • Member Benefits
    • Member Brochure
    • Join by Mail
  • Education & Classes
  • Resources
    • Contests & Awards
    • Giving Back
    • Hall of Fame
    • Links
    • Travel and Tours
    • Measurement Chart
  • Shop
    • ASG Store
    • Chapter Products
    • Video Resources
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Us
    • Donate to ASG
    • ASG Sensitivity Statement
    • FAQ’s
    • Start a Chapter
  • Contact
  • Member Login
    • Login First!
    • Members Only
    • Leadership Only
    • Website FAQ’s
    • Logout
  •  

May 30, 2025

Sewing Swimwear? Quality counts

There is nothing more timeless (or useful) than a high-quality, well-made swimsuit. I recently had a customer who is an avid swimmer contact me after 10 years to make her another set of swimsuits. Although I usually purge dormant patterns from customers, I still had hers and her shape had not changed much during in the 10 years. The original suits had for the most part withstood the onslaught of chlorine and salt and were just starting to show some loss of recoil in the elasticized edges. This is understandable as the elastic fibers are usually the first to go. But all things aside, 10 years says a lot about the garment. Let’s look at what it takes to make a high-quality swimsuit and then in a future article, delve into staple garments of high quality.

Two tank-style swimsuits created by Kim Larcom with Astrosports Activewear.

It’s All in the Layers

It is important to look at the layers of things to consider in making a timeless swimsuit—or event a garment for that matter. By layers, we refer to the considerations you must ponder for that garment to still be viable in terms length of time of wear and its fashion trend longevity.

Style

Tank-style swimsuit worn on the beach

The first layer we see is the style of the garment. Visually, a garment will always be in style if it suits the wearer, meaning that it accentuates the figure type. With fashion trends constantly changing, there will be short-lived styles, but a well fitted, high quality swimsuit in a style that flatters the wearer is always in style. Also, remember trends cycle. As a longtime seamstress once told me; 7 years to come in, 7 years in style, and 7 years to go out. By that time, they are back in style. If you are lucky to be around long enough, you will see this trend on repeat.

Fit

If a swimsuit fits the wearer well and is the correct style for the anthropometry (size and stature) of the wearer, the visual results will be positive. There are design details that one can use to flatter the figure as well.

  • Using gathers to add volume, or using color blocks mixed with colors to create optical illusions are great factors to keep in mind. These details applied to a well fitted tank-style swimsuit will never go out of style.
  • Within the suit base, you can eye out details of neckline shape, both front and back, shoulder strap width and placement on the shoulder, and the cut and shape of the leg style both front and back.
  • A slightly higher cut leg can have the visual of creating a longer leg, but without a well fitted seat it can cause the seat or bottom of the back of the suit slide out of place. One thing a wearer does not want to deal with is constantly fixing the back of the bottom of the suit or the straps. So, length, width, and placement all count towards a well-fitting garment. Not only will this flatter the body type but will feel comfortable and be functional as well. Less is not always best when it comes to coverage.
  • You can add a variety of support mechanisms including a shelf bra, underwires, or sewing cups right into the lining. They are not as hard as they might appear to accomplish. There are a lot of similarities with sewing lingerie and bras to sewing swimwear. Both are very close fitting with little or no ease and have small seam allowances.

Choosing Fabric and Lining

When choosing your fashion fabric, choose exquisite fabrics! The most resilient and brilliant colored spandex fabrics have an 80% nylon / 20% spandex blend. That is not to say that some polyester blends do not work, but they usually will not have the same resiliency and it will affect longevity. When looking at prints, try to look for fabrics that use the wet print method of dying the fabric as opposed to heat sublimation. When fabrics are heat sublimated, the colors fade as the garment is stretched. Try it out when you get a spandex fabric next time. Grab 5 inches and stretch it. Look at the print colors. Do they fade with stretching? If so, that will happen as the garment is worn.

Weight of fabric is also a consideration. Anything less than 5 grams per square meter is too thin and will not last or have the structure needed for a suit to last. Anything higher than 7 grams might be too heavy when wet so look carefully before choosing. Study your fabric, look at the direction of the print and how that will translate when laying down your pattern. At best, aim to achieve the greatest amount of stretch going around the body; while making sure it works with the print design. You do not want to have sideways designs on the print going in the vertical of the suit.

Lining

You can line the front and/or the back of the swimsuit. The lining plays an important role in a well-made garment as it allows the garment to slide onto the wearer and also protects the fashion fabric from perspiration. It also protects the textile of the fashion fabric from the wear and tear of friction. Lining fabric does have a right and wrong side so study it closely to determine top from bottom. Use a lining that has the same or very close to the stretch coefficient of the fashion fabric. I often use bold colors in the lining as well, because the garment should look as beautiful on the inside as the outside—a ‘tell’ of a high-quality garment! If you happen to be using light colored fashion fabrics such as yellows or whites, then it is best to use a color of lining that closely resembles your skin tone. It may appear that this will show through, but rest assured, it won’t.

Lined bikini

Cut the lining as you did the fashion fabric, so that the greatest amount of stretch goes around the body. Use a 4 way stretch fabric so the tension lines can be created in when the garment is worn. This, of course, presupposes that you have put thought into creating these tension lines in your planning of the design details of the suit itself. I have found after many years of doing swimwear that the pattern on the lining is 1/16th smaller than the original garment pattern. You can trim the seam allowances of the lining after you cut it out or make an additional lining pattern with these specifications. This is often done on collars in blazers to account for turn of the cloth and a better overall fit of the garment.

Strap Placement

Strap placement and size is a consideration for a functional suit. Straps that are place too far away from the neckline will constantly fall off unless you add a back horizontal support strap. The properties of spandex do help immensely with this, but you must know how to use it to its full advantage. Spandex will support with creating tension lines vertically and horizontally, but the strap must have horizontal tension created by strap width, and vertical tension created by the strap placement with respect the shoulder point and neckline. Find just the right spot so the strap stays put, combined with the best width, allowing the spandex do its work, then add elastic for added security and structure. A comfortable armhole that gives you the coverage you need will help you decide the best strap placement.

Construction of the Garment

It is best practice—but not required—to use an overlock machine to do the bulk of the construction. You can use a lockstitch, coverstitch, or zigzag stitch to do the finish work. I use a combination of these, depending on the suit. You can line both the front and the back, or just the front as previously mentioned.

Sewing the crotch: I never line only the crotch area for all the reasons discussed above about what the function of the lining plays in the overall integrity of the garment. If using both a front and back lining, stack your garments in the following order in preparation to sew the crotch:

  • Wrong side up of front fashion fabric—to right side up of back of fashion fabric—to wrong side up of back of lining—to right side up of front lining.

In essence, you have stacked the fashion fabric front and back, right sides together, and the front and back lining right sides together underneath. When you have completed sewing the crotch seam, the right side of the front lining should lie against the wrong side of the front fashion fabric, and same for back. The beauty of this is that the crotch seam is encased so the overlocked seam does not lie against the body. Ideally, you can do this for the side seams and shoulder seams too as well. My sewing order is crotch seam sewn, shoulder seams, then side seams. I do this in a chain fashion to save time, then clip the connected trail treads.

Applying the Elastic

Apply elastic to the wrong side of the swimsuit, on the lining side, with an overlock machine or zigzag stitch on your conventional machine. The stitch lengths and widths depend on size of elastic. Use a larger zigzag stitch on larger width elastics; however, a 2.5 width and 2-3 length is a good starting point. Although some use a three-step zigzag, I have found after years of experience that less-is-best when it comes to thread in the elastic as it will allow the elastic to keep its recoil and resiliency. Although I do use the three-step zigzag on lingerie

Type of Elastic

The best type of elastic for swimsuits is cotton braided elastic. It comes in a variety of lengths and has a beige or crème color to it. Knit elastic does not have the resiliency in the high-tension areas, and nylon braided is too thick. You can use latex elastic but if you so, use the no stretch techniques and make sure your patterns are commensurate with that.

Length of Elastic

Learning what NOT to do: Ready to wear now uses a smooth look to elastic. This means the elastic length is almost the same length as the opening. In order to do this, your pattern has negative ease, meaning smaller than the body size so that the garment stretches when on the body. This allows the garment to look smooth on the rack for retail, but is a lesson in what not to do on your custom garment.

Years ago, the elastic was stretched to fit the garment hole and I still use this technique today in certain areas of the suit to get the best secure fit, especially if the suit is used for exercise or competition. In a deep curve area, you stretch the elastic and it can be up to .9 % stretch factor. Measure the area to be elasticized and multiply by 0.9 — this will give you the elastic length. You can match one to one on straight lines, then stretch over curves. A perfect example of this is the armhole area. The strap has straight lines so keep the elastic one-to-one there but pull it to fit the length when going around the underarm. Don’t stretch the fabric, only the elastic. It is not hard and a technique you will acquire by practice and tenacity.

An alternative is to get machine feet or tension mechanisms to do the work for you. Personally, I find that you need various stretch techniques within one garment… and who has time to keep changing feet or attachments! If you use the stretching elastic technique, you will see the results in the garment when it’s off the body; however, remember that a swimsuit is worn on the body which is where it needs to fit well, be functional, and look good so don’t worry about the gathering effect that stretching elastic causes. Paying careful attention to this in the leg opening means a successful swimsuit. Stretch the elastic to fit over the backside of the swimsuit with less stretch in the front of the leg line. This helps the back “cup” over the derriere.

Practice with your elastic:

  • Anchor a 5” piece of elastic to a table via tape or pin it to a garment, with a tape measure underneath.
  • 5″ x .05 (5 percent stretch) =.25, so 5″+ .25 = 5.25.” Practice stretching the elastic from 5” to just under 5.25.“ Then practice stretching 5” to 9.5,” which is a 90% stretch, etc.
  • You can calculate for any stretch coefficient you want. Oftentimes, lingerie will use a 3% strech, which is a very little bit but a good technique to practice when using very little stretch.

Neckline Elastic

Neckline elastic application for both front and back will use a combination of stretching elastic to little (3%) or no stretching, depending on the style lines.

I will often time write my cutter’s “must” measurements for each swimsuit on the patterns:

  • Neckline opening, cut elastic _______
  • Armhole opening, cut elastic _______
  • Leg line opening, cut elastic ________

The Order of Things

The order for applying elastic to your swimsuit can be varied. I usually do neckline, armholes, and leg openings. Sometimes there is a back opening as in a keyhole back.  When overlocking the elastic to the opening, it is placed on the wrong side of the garment, with the elastic side up, and the right side of the garment against the feed dogs.

You can also bind elastic edges to have a contrast look to your suit. When doing that, cut off the width of elastic for the area; for example, if using ¼” elastic, trim off ¼” from that opening. Then remeasure the area, cut a strip of binding the length of the opening (or you can use the stretch coefficient plus ½’ seam allowance). Sew the binding strip in the round technique and then pin to the opening right sides together. Cut the elastic at 90% stretch length, plus ½” overlap, and pin to the opening. You will have to stretch the elastic in the appropriate areas as you are sewing both the elastic and binding to the opening and trim off the excess after topstitching (see below.)

Topstitching to the Finish

Next on the list is topstitching. Turn the elastic to the wrong side when topstitching with either a zigzag or coverstitch machine. The right side of the fabric should face up and the elastic side should face the feed dogs. You could also stitch with the right side against the feed dogs and the wrong side up if using a zigzag stitch.  If using a zigzag, zig on the elastic, then zag just at the edge or just off the edge, using the edge of the pressor foot as your guide depending on the width of elastic used. If using a coverstitch machine, keep the needles close to the outside edge of elastic so it will hold it down. Whichever way you decide to orient the fabric with respect to the feed dogs, use your left (or non-dominant) hand to hold the fabric in a perpendicular line to the line of the stitching. This will help keep tension on the spandex fabric so it is held snug to the elastic and you will not get any rippling. You may need to pull on the elastic as you go around the curves just like you did when inserting the elastic. Topstitch all the elasticized edges in any order you want. I typically do the neckline, then armholes and, finally, the legs.

If you need to do tacking of thin straps, then use a bar tack or a small-width, short-length zigzag stitch.

If you have decided to bind the elastic edges, you would need to trim off the area to be elasticized an amount equal to the width of the elastic on the garment itself. Remember you will not be turning under the elastic but rather turning the binding over the elastic and topstitching it from there. You can use a variety of methods to topstitch; zigzag, coverstitch, etc. Use your hands to pull the binding snugly over the elastic and around the wrong side of the garment by holding the edge of the binding with your non-dominant hand, and manage the topstitched area with our dominant hand. For example, I am right-handed, so I use my left hand to hold taught and slightly pull it perpendicular to the line of stitching while my right hand guides the garment. Sometimes your left hand (or non-dominant hand) will be underneath a part of the garment which is ok – you will get used to doing it with practice. Be especially careful around curves to keep the binding tight around the garment and the area being bound for a nice, smooth, topstitched finish.

Ironing It All Out

I iron my spandex when all is complete using a piece of silk or polyester organza over the garment which allows me to see the garment area to be pressed. Use steam over the elastic and allow it to recoil to its original (or mostly original) length. Finally, I always tell my customers, that to preserve the longevity of their garment, they should wash it in cold water, with clear, gentle detergent. Rinse it well, and hang the garment dry out of direct sunlight to preserve the elastic fibers.

Like any other type of garment, it will take practice to get acclimated to working with stretch garments but just think of all the suits you can make while trying. Not wearing swimsuits anymore? I am sure there are plenty of willing subjects who would be delighted to reap the benefits of your swimwear sewing musings! Long-lived and long-loved swimsuits is the end result.


 ~Kim Larcom, ASG Member (Boston Chapter), known as The Bridgewater Seamstress, is the Entrepreneur for Astrosportswear Activewear. She graduated from the Master Seamstress certificate program at the University of Rhode Island and owns her own custom activewear business.

Tagged With: diy, swimsuit, swimwear

May 23, 2025

Creative Fabric Sourcing

As some fabric stores close their doors, you might find yourself wondering, “Where can I find fabric and notions now?” The good news is, even if you live in an area without a local fabric store, there are still plenty of creative and convenient options to explore.

First, may we humbly suggest that you start with your stash? Most of us have enough “stock on hand” to last a while. In addition, many ASG groups have fabric exchanges or frequent free-cycle events where you can score fabulous finds. If you’re an ASG member, you’ll know the inside scoop. Non-members can

Independent Stores

The obvious answer is to search for other independent stores. There are many that still exist (and will welcome you with open arms) and you’ll be doing yourself — and them — a wonderful service to start shopping there. You may find though that at least some of those focus on quilting only. If you’re a garment sewer, but have a great quilting store or local sewing machine dealer in your area, ask if they might be willing to carry some other items, like notions, interfacing, etc.

Online

Online shopping is a great alternative, and there are myriad options available. For those who like to “touch and feel” before buying, search for companies that offer a swatching service. And check the company’s return policy before purchasing.

Some online fabric resources curate collections of go-together coordinates and notions, others offer personalized shopping for a small fee. Some also offer a swatched fabric club subscription.

However…

If you’re an adventurous sewer, there are a few other options to consider:

Re-use Centers

Specializing in the reuse of art materials of all sorts, there are several shops around the country that offer large selections of donated fabrics and notions. Check this site to see if there’s a re-use center near you. Not one near you? Consider starting one with sewing friends!

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores often have fabric, patterns and notions, as well as yarns and needlework supplies. In addition, check the linens section for tablecloths, runners, bedspreads and placemats that can be creatively fashioned into sewn projects.

But look beyond the conventional and peruse the clothing racks for fun garments to “harvest” their fabrics. Need some inspiration? Many of our recent Sew Sustainable webinars (open to ASG members) offer ideas for reusing various fabrics. Look for large and extra-large sizes and full skirts to maximize fabric. Be sure to inspect the garment to ensure that all the fabric is usable and there are no stains, snags, odd seams, etc. Save any fun buttons on garments for reuse as well, and zippers too if you’re willing to pick out the stitching.

Sweaters are an ideal source of knit fabric, though admittedly limited in quantity. But, you can keep the knit cuffs, collars and neckbands, in addition to utilizing the knit itself. If there’s wool in the sweatering, consider felting it to change the look and make a denser fabric. Again, check over the item before purchasing and look for stains, moth holes, etc.

Don’t bypass the tie racks if you’re looking for some fun silk piecing fabrics. Disassemble the ties, double check for any stains, and press. Adding a fusible interfacing to the wrong side will help to stabilize the bias-cut strips and make them easier to use in a new project.

Swing by the accessory department to peruse the handbags. Think about harvesting and reusing handles, closures, zippers and flaps in new ways.

Head over to the jeans department. In addition to reusing the denim fabric, there are also seams, pockets, closures and waistbands waiting for creative detailing.

Home Décor Stores

Check out the bath department of your favorite home décor store for fun beach towels, especially in the off season. If you need terrycloth for a project, this can be an economical way to get it.

Look in the drapery and curtain department—an excellent source of fabric in large expanses and few or no seams.

Blankets provide large expanses of seamless fabric—perfect for winter coats or jackets

Home Improvement Stores

“Say what now?”

Home improvement stores sell large canvas tarps ideal for dyeing, painting and otherwise embellishing, and they are way cheaper than purchasing canvas by the yard. They’re heavyweight and perfect for totes and some home décor projects like floorcloths, bins, etc. Some come with grommets already installed along finished edges, so the hem can be repurposed into your project.

Colored plastic tarps come in huge sizes and they’re ideal for tote bags and outdoor carry-alls where water resistance is needed.

Many home improvement stores also sell draperies and curtains providing large expanses of seamless fabric for sewing.

Check out the rope section for lots of cording size and color options sold by the yard or by the foot. They’re located near the clips, buckles, slides, grommets and latches that can also be incorporated into sewn projects.

So, as sad as many of us may be about store closures, we can just be more creative in the search for sewing necessities. Will we stop sewing because of it? Heavens no! As creative types, we know all about the “thrill of the hunt!”

Share Your Sources!

Tell us what sources you use for fabric and we will compile the information and present it in an upcoming artlce.

First Name(Required)
Your email will only be used if we have a question for you. Your email address will not be publicly shared.
What do you use for your fabric sources?
Tell us your favorite fabric source(s), whether it’s a retail or online fabric store, thrift store, fabric sharing event, your own stash, a swap, or any other place you source fabric. *PLEASE ENTER ONE SOURCE PER BOX. Use the “PLUS” sign on the right to add additional lines for additional sources.
Source
 


~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

May 16, 2025

Giving Your Sewing Machine Some Love

As much as we love sewing, some tasks aren’t quite as much fun as others, but they’re no less important. One of those tasks is cleaning your sewing machine. If you allow dust, lint and thread to build up in the machine, you’re asking for trouble, so make a point to clean it on a regular basis.

How often do I need to clean my machine?

Experts advise cleaning every 10-12 hours of use, or more often if you’re using fuzzy fabrics like fleece, wool, quilt batting, etc.

What You’ll Need

In addition to the machine manual, you’ll need a few helpful tools. Look for the machine’s lint brush (or a small paintbrush), a soft cloth, pipe cleaners, Q-Tip, tweezers, a screwdriver (if needed) and perhaps treat yourself to a mini vacuum attachment. Or, if you prefer, look for disposable sewing machine cleaning brushes.

First and foremost, consult your instruction book for the care specifics of your model. Then, unplug the machine before you begin. Remove the needle and presser foot to allow easy access to the innards of the machine where the accumulations can easily go unnoticed.

Up Top

Once you’ve removed the needle and presser foot, take off the machine’s throat or needle plate. This can be done by pushing a button, lifting a lever or unscrewing it, depending on the machine brand. Doing this exposes the machine feed dogs (those little teeth that move the fabric), thread cutter (if you have one) and other movable parts. And, very likely, some packed-in lint as well.

Gently brush the lint out from under the sewing machine's throat plat

Lint comes from the fabric we sew, the thread we use and from the dust in the environment, including those loyal pets who watch us create at the machine.

Use the brush, tweezers and/or a pipe cleaner to pull out the gobs of lint throughout the entire area. Lift the feed dogs to remove lint packed underneath them. Avoid the temptation to simply blow lint out with your breath or with canned air, as both not only introduce unwanted moisture into the machine, but they can imbed the dust bunnies further into the machine’s mechanism. The use of canned air can also void some machine warranties. Gently lift it out one whisp at a time.

Don’t forget to clean the area above the presser foot, as lint often accumulates there as well and sometimes up into the light area if it’s accessible.

Fold the soft cloth and clean between the tension disks to dislodge any bits that might be hidden as a result of thread breakage while sewing.

Down Below

Remove the bobbin case (if you have one) and open the bobbin area per your instruction manual. Pay close attention to the process, as you’ll be putting it back together in reverse order. Remove lint or any errant thread bits in that entire area, including inside and outside the bobbin case.

If your machine requires oil, now is the time to do it, once lint is removed and the moving parts are visible. Carefully follow the instruction manual for where and how to lubricate and use ONLY sewing machine oil for the task.

Clearning and oiling the bobin case

Finishing up

When you’re done with the cleaning tasks, reassemble the parts and plug the machine back into the power source. If you oiled it, run it for a while without thread or bobbin to work the oil into the parts. This is a great time to put in a new needle as well.

Use a barely damp cloth to wipe down the outside of the machine to remove any visible stains. You probably didn’t mean to touch the machine after eating chocolate.

Call in the Pro

Regular machine cleaning is essential to successful sewing, but so is a yearly or bi-yearly check-up from your dealer. They can get to the internal workings that you can’t reach, and their work goes beyond cleaning. So, don’t skip it…it’s like your personal health check-up.


~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

Tagged With: bobbin case, cleaning, machine cleaning, sewing machine

May 9, 2025

What Would You Do? (sewing edition)

You may be familiar with ABC’s hidden camera feature “What Would You Do?” where the host sets up scenarios and tests the reactions of unsuspecting onlookers to see just how they respond.

We’re posing some similar scenarios that could happen in your sewing room and asking you to think about how you might respond. We all come from different sewing training backgrounds, so your response can depend on how you learned to sew and who taught you—with all due respect to moms and home economics teachers!

#1 Mismatched Stripes

You’ve just serged the side seam in your new T-shirt and noticed that some of the stripes don’t match as the fabric seems to have shifted as you sewed the seam. The stripes are narrow, but the question is “What would you do?”. Perhaps it doesn’t bother you and you say “life will go on”, or you decide not to take claim to having actually made the garment, as the ready-to-wear industry often doesn’t care about such details. Or, maybe you carefully take out the serging, adjust the seamline, repin and try your serged seaming again.

#2 Misaligned Quilt Blocks

Perhaps it’s your first attempt at piecing a quilt and you’ve dutifully pressed the seams in opposite directions so they nest and align, but somehow they don’t—they’re just a teensy bit off of a perfect match, despite your careful pinning and using a walking foot. What would you do? Does your decision depend on who the final recipient of the quilt is, or does that matter to you? Is it in your psyche that alignment should be perfect or do you say “aw well, I tried”?

#3 Oops…

While careful cutting can help prevent this sort of thing, sometimes we aren’t paying full attention, or thinking the project all the way through to realize the turn-back situation, or maybe you ran out of fabric for the proposed layout. If your garment is made from a directional print, and it has a collar and/or attached lapel facings, you need to think about the print direction on the finished garment as you’re wearing it, before you cut. If you cut a collar or front facing “upside down”, what will you do? The answer depends in part on if you have additional fabric to recut, or maybe even if you have long hair to cover up the snafu, or the prayer you offer up that no one will notice. The answer could also depend on how far along you are in the construction process when you notice the issue.

We’ve all faced similar issues in our sewing rooms, and had conversations with ourselves about the best resolution to a less-than-desirable dilemma, and wrestled with the question, “Is close enough good enough?”.

As American Sewing Guild members, we may even have larger conversations with multiple opinions offered.

If it’s been drilled into you from the time you learned to sew that everything has to be perfectly done, then you’ll likely strive for that in all the previous scenarios. If that wasn’t the case, then you may opt for other solutions, including doing nothing at all. Neither option is right or wrong—it simply depends on your comfort level.

I have a quote on my bulletin board that says, “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection can be demoralizing.” You may or may not subscribe to that mantra, but the one thing we all agree about is that we sew for fun, and if it ceases to be fun, then perhaps we need to rethink it.


~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

May 2, 2025

Upcycled Cardigan

With shifts in the garment and fabric industries which ultimately decreases the range of fabrics available as yardage, resale and thrift stores emerge as a great source of materials for special sewing projects.

It was a contest to make best use of Pantone’s 2024 color of the year – Peach Fuzz – that had me searching through the resale racks for an item that included that color plus some kind of surface interest- shine, drape, texture, or jacquard perhaps. A V-neck pullover sweater combined the perfect color with a purl-stitch surface. A plan immediately took shape – open the center front, add a banded finish, and find some interesting embellishment.

Finsihed cardigan

To create the cardigan shape, I reinforced the center front of the sweater (wrong side) with 1/2″ fusible tape on the wrong side, stay-stitched approximately 1/8″ on either side of the center front and split the fabric to create an open edge. 

Pamela’s Patterns #108 (New Versatile Twin Set) provided the pattern piece for the front band and facing, modified to fit the existing neckline shape, barely overlap the center front edge, and extend beyond to create a bit of overlap.

To avoid the bulk of enclosed seams, I cut the bands from a color-matched ponte knit (ST Ponte available at NancyNixRice.com) and trimmed away the seam allowances, knowing that the fabric wouldn’t ravel.

The lapped edges of the band pieces were temporarily secured to the sweater with ¼” Double Sided Fusible Stay Tape from Emma Seabrook. (I’m fairly certain I couldn’t sew at all without that product.) The free edges of the outer band and the facing were also fused together, and all the edges were secured in place with a hand-sewn blanket stitch using 3 strands of color-matched embroidery floss. 

The matching ponte shell is sewn exactly per the instructions, then finished with the same (slightly imperfect) blanket stitch around the scoop neckline.

So far, so good. But the combo still needed a bit of oomph. Searching my neighborhood Joanne Fabrics for some appropriate embellishment, I hit paydirt: a bolt of ultra-sheer tulle embroidered with pastel floral motifs that included Peach Fuzz!!

Three-eighths yard of that fabric yielded the perfect vines and buds to cut out and hand applique onto the upper bodice of the sweater. By stitching down only the green stems, I could keep the buds and leaves un-secured, for a fully 3-D effect. A sprinkling of blossoms carried the decorative effect onto one cuff and one back shoulder for a truly designer finish.

What treasures-in-the-making are lurking in your local resale outlets?  Maybe some inspiration in the 2025 Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse.


~Nancy Nix-Rice is an image and wardrobe consultant who specializes in helping sewists make optimal wardrobe choices. You can subscribe to her newsletter at https://bit.ly/3SRtPoq

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 83
  • Next Page »

Become a Member

Join the only national organization dedicated to Advancing Sewing as an Art and Life Skill.

Join Now button

Blog Article Categories

  • ASG Conference
  • Chapter Stories
  • Embroidery
  • Fitting
  • Learn to Sew
  • National Sewing Month
  • Products, Books, & Patterns
  • Projects
  • Quilting
  • Sewing
  • Sewing Techniques
  • Sewing Tips
  • Sewing Tours
  • Videos
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

American Sewing Guild
National Headquarters
9660 Hillcroft, Suite 230
Houston TX 77096
713-729-3000 | 713-721-9230 Fax
www.ASG.org

ASG wordcloud - education, conference, discounts, videos, special offers, tours and more

Copyright © 1998–2025 · American Sewing Guild · All Rights Reserved