ASG Sewing Blog – Page 18

August 25, 2023

Patch as Patch Can: Hole-y Jeans

We all have our favorite garments to wear and sometimes we just wear them too long and they show the signs of their preferred status. Jeans are one of those garments in most wardrobes. But don’t give up and toss them—instead get creative to patch them so you can keep them longer.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wearing holey jeans, if you like the look. Some people pay big bucks for such detailing. But, if it’s not your preferred look and wear has just taken its toll on your favorite duds, get creative. (1)

Denim is made from two different color threads—often dark blue and white, or blue and another color. You may be able to see the two colors in a worn or holey area. (2)

Take advantage of the two-color threads for a fun patched look. (3)

For a quick and easy fix, simply sew a pre-made patch over the worn or torn area using a simple straight stitch. (4)

For a little more artsy look, create your own patches from old jean “parts”, utilizing existing seams and topstitching. (5)

If you have a large spot to cover, make a collage of jean parts, including the belt loops, for some added fun. (6)

Layer patches made from different denims, and hand stitch around the edges. (7)

Use narrow contrast strips to hide tears and make an art statement at the same time. (8)

Combine underlay patches with decorative hand stitching for a fun look. (9)

Use coordinating denim and make some patches using the decorative stitches built into your sewing machine, then zigzag the edges in place over the affected area. (10)

If you need to reinforce your jean tear or hole due to its size, add a layer of either fusible or sew-in interfacing under the affected area before you begin the mending process. It will help keep things together and give you something to anchor into. Trim any excess once it’s anchored. (11)

If the threads are still intact in the worn area, use them as a design feature. Add a layer underneath and stitch back and forth over the threaded area to anchor. (12)

Trim the threads around the patched area… (13)

Or, leave them ragged, depending on the look you like. (14 & 15)

Extend the stitching around the patched area, so the repair looks purposeful. (16)

Or, if you prefer a neater edge, turn under the outer edges and stitch to the lower layer. (17)

However you choose to fix your jeans, just be sure to give them a little love and they’ll last you for a while longer. (18)

~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 .

August 18, 2023

Fiber Fun Scarves

Thread lace made on water soluble stabilizer. Photo courtesy of Sulky.

If you love fabric, there’s also a good chance that you love fibers of all kinds—yarns, novelty threads, ribbons, trims, cords, etc. Assuming that’s the case and perhaps you have some of those things in your stash, making your own scarves is a fun way to showcase a medley of those fun fibers.

Here’s what you need:

Two pieces of water-soluble stabilizer in the length and width you want your finished scarf. Fringe can overhang the length of the stabilizer. Self-adhesive types make the process easier.
Assorted yarns, threads, ribbons, trims serger chains and/or fabric bits to fill the stabilizer size. The patterning can be random or planned, dense or sparse, depending on the desired finished look.
Thread for stitching. Lots of options—embroidery thread, all-purpose thread, metallic thread, novelty thread, etc.; solid color or variegated.
Temporary spray adhesive if your stabilizer isn’t adhesive backed.

About the Stabilizer

Water-soluble stabilizer comes in several styles and weights—some are clear and film-like (think kitchen plastic wrap), others are more paper-like. For this project, the clear or slightly opaque stabilizers provide better visibility than the denser ones. Unless you plan dense stitching, the lighter weight ones work fine.

Some stabilizers are self-adhesive, meaning you can peel away a paper backing to expose the sticky side.
To make any water-soluble stabilizer sticky, use an allover temporary spray adhesive.
Water-soluble stabilizer came up to about 20” wide, depending on the brand and the packaging. For this project, that width is more than generous. Some water-soluble stabilizers are actually marketed as toppers for embroidery, but they will work fine for this project.

Yarns and threads on water-soluble stabilizer. Photos courtesy of Sulky.

Design Notes

Fabric strip add-ins will fray less if they’re cut on the bias. But, if you like a frayed look, cut them on the straight grain. You can even fringe them before securing.

It’s not required to have ribbons, trims and yarn—you can simply create a scarf using stitching all over the stabilizer. If you opt for this technique, use a single layer of heavier stabilizer.
You can use multiple types and colors of threads to stitch together your scarf.
Want a bit more texture in your scarf? Incorporate wool yarn—it can shrink when you’re rinsing out the stabilizer and make a most interesting surface texture.

Making the Project

Lay out one length of stabilizer on a large table. Remember, the stabilizer should be the length you want the finished scarf, excluding any fringe. If your stabilizer is self-adhesive, place that side up.
If your stabilizer isn’t self-adhesive, spray the exposed surface with temporary spray adhesive. It’s a good idea to cover your work surface with paper before layout, to protect from overspray.
Cut the yarns, threads, etc. to the finished scarf length and position them on the stabilizer in a pleasing pattern. To keep the scarf shape, use a sturdy ribbon or trim along the outer edges. The design can be free-form and the strands can overlap, twist, etc. or they can be placed parallel to each other, or in a grid pattern depending on the desired look. You can throw in some fabric bits, stranded sequins or beads too. {pic of yarns laid out}
If you want the scarf ends to be fringed, extend the length of the strands beyond the stabilizer length the desired distance on both ends.
Spray the remaining length of stabilizer with temporary spray adhesive (if it’s not self-adhesive) and place that piece face down on your arranged fibers. Finger-press the layers together to encase all the yarns.
Stitch the layers together. For the best stability of the finished scarf, stitch every ¼” or so. Stitching lines can go horizontally, vertically, diagonally and combinations of those, created either free-motion or using the presser foot. Just be sure to catch all the yarns in at least one direction. If you added beads or sequins, stitch near or over them carefully to avoid breaking a needle.
Sew continuous lines of stitching, without breaking the thread at the scarf ends. This technique is much faster and there are fewer thread ends to deal with. You can secure all the embellishments and keep going until you finish covering the entire surface with thread.
Once you’re satisfied with the look of the scarf, thoroughly rinse away the stabilizers following the manufacturer’s instructions. More than one rinsing may be needed.
Lay the scarf out flat on a towel to dry. Trim and knot the fringe if needed.

August 11, 2023

Basting Methods for Plaids

When selecting a basting method for plaids, consider the complexity of the plaid, the texture of the fabric, and the garment design, as well as your sewing skills. Here are a few basting methods that can help you achieve precise plaid matching:

First Step

For best results, baste with the right sides up. It’s also helpful to stay stitch the edges of your fabric pieces. This helps maintain the shape of your pieces while you work on matching the plaids.

Glue Sticks and Tapes

Glue sticks and water-soluble double-stick tape are easy basting techniques that could work well on some fabrics where, for example, needle punctures would not be appropriate. Position the glue or tape just inside the seam line on the right side of the unpressed section. Align the plaid bars and press the layers together. Let the glue dry before stitching.

Another easy basting method is to use drafting tape. Match the color bars and tape the sections together. Then, right sides together, stitch from the wrong side on the seam line. (Figure 1).

Tip: Before using drafting tape, test to be sure the tape won’t mar the fabric or pull off the nap.

Hand Basting

For difficult seams, hand-baste. With right sides up, align and pin the sections together. Then use a short slip stitch or fell stitch to baste. Use a contrasting thread color that’s easily visible against the plaid pattern.

The fell stitch tends to hold the fabric a little more securely; however, on the wrong side, the stitches are slanted and if you aren’t using a water-soluble thread in the bobbin, they are more difficult to remove.
If using the slip stitch, consider adding a safety by turning the garment over and putting in a second row of basting from the wrong side so that there are no spaces in between the stitches.

Machine Basting

Machine basting works well on fabric that won’t be damaged by extra needle holes. With right sides up, align the color bars and pin the sections together. Set the machine for a blind hemming stitch (Width: 2″, Length: 2.5″) and a loose tension, then stitch next to the fold line. Only the zig-zag stitch will catch the fold line (Figure 2). Consider using water-soluble basting thread in the bobbin, but remember that this thread could dissolve in hot, moist hands or when wound on to a bobbin at high speed. In this method, it could help to use a contrasting thread color that’s easily visible against the plaid pattern.

Pin Basting

Pin the plaid pattern pieces together along the plaid lines, making sure the lines match up perfectly. Place the pins parallel to the plaid lines and about an inch apart, then place the pins in both vertically and horizontally to keep the pattern pieces aligned.

Clipping and Notching

When you have intersecting seams, clipping into the seam allowances or notching them can help align the plaid lines more accurately. Make small diagonal snips (clips) or triangular notches along the seam allowances, being careful not to cut into the stitching line.

~Partial contribution from an ASG article by Claire Shaeffer

August 4, 2023

Facing Facts

Facings are a great way to finish edges—whether it’s down the front of a garment, around the neckline, or on armholes. By definition, a facing is simply a narrow fabric piece cut to the shape of the opening to encase the garment raw edges. However, you don’t normally leave the edge of a facing without any finishing as the fabric can fray and wear.

For any finishing method except the last one listed below, attach interfacing as required to the facing piece(s) and sew any joining facing seams first—like shoulder or underarm.
Press the seam allowances open. If the fabric is bulky, trim the seam allowances to ¼”.
Once the facing is complete, then finish the edges.

So how do you finish facing edges? Let us count the ways…

Serging

If you have a serger, it’s ideal for finishing facing edges. Easy and quick—just serge around the outer edge of the facing. The serger threads encase the raw edges of the fabric and leave a flat smooth perimeter.

Hemming

You can hem the outer edges of facings if you don’t have a serger. Simply press under the perimeter edge ¼” and stitch close to the fold. This creates a finished edge, but on some fabrics, it can add unnecessary bulk. Depending on the grain on the facing edge, turning under and stitching a hem can also cause distortion and rippling. On some fabrics, that extra layer of turned-under fabric can also create a ridge on the garment outside when pressing.

Stitch and Pink

Adding a line of stitching around the facing perimeter, followed by the trimming with pinking shears creates a neat looking, flat-finish edge suitable for many fabrics. It’s ideal for knits and closely woven fabrics.

Binding

The outer facing edge can be bound, either with bias tape or with a bias strip of a lightweight fabric. If using bias tape, place the larger side under the facing and use a narrow zigzag to secure the edges.

On bulky fabrics, a narrow single-layer binding is made using fabric that’s lighter in weight than the garment fabric itself to avoid additional bulk—something like silk organza or lining fabric is ideal.

To finish a facing with a narrow fabric binding, cut enough 1”-wide bias strips to go around the facing outer edges plus 1” for each. Piece the bias strips together if needed and press seams open. Align one strip long raw edge with the facing edge and sew around the facing perimeter using a scant ¼” seam allowance. Flip the binding to the underside, press and stitch in the ditch of the seam to hold the underside in place. Trim any excess binding width close to the stitching.

Sometimes facing edges (and seams) in unlined garments are bound in a contrast color for added interest.

Interfacing

Many faced opening patterns call for interfacing to help the armhole, neckline or front opening keep its shape during wearing and construction. The interfacing also serves to help stabilize areas for further design details like buttons/buttonholes, toggles, etc.

Rather than adding interfacing as a separate construction step, you can use it to finish the facing edge. The interfacing can be fusible or sew-in depending on your fabric and the desired amount of stabilization needed.

To finish facings this way, cut the facing pieces out of both fabric and interfacing. Sew the seams (shoulder, underarm, etc.) as needed, separately in both the fabric and interfacing. Trim the seam allowances to ¼” in the interfacing layer. Finger-press the seams open if using fusible interfacing; otherwise press open with an iron. Place the matching fabric and interfacing layers right sides together and sew around the perimeter using a scant ¼” seam.

Turn the interfacing to the facing underside and press along the outer edge using the tip of the iron. If you’re using fusible interfacing, this process will fuse the edges together. Turn the facing interfacing side out and press. Again, for fusible interfacing, this will secure the interfacing to the fabric layer. For non-fusible interfacing, match the inner facing edges and baste around the opening.

Once the facing edges are finished, apply the facing according to the pattern instructions.

Raw edges? Is there ever a time when facing edges can be left raw? The answer is yes—if they’re hidden by an attached lining, there’s no need to finish the edges. Some sewers leave facing edges unfinished if the fabric is knit, as the edges won’t ravel. But, serging a knit facing edge, or even just pinking it, gives a nicer looking finish.

July 28, 2023

Working with Petersham Ribbon

Petersham ribbon, also known as Petersham grosgrain, Petersham facing, or simply Petersham, is a versatile and pliable type of ribbon known for its ability to shape around curves and maintain a smooth appearance.

Petersham is often used in millinery to create hat bands or hat trimmings, especially for wide-brimmed hats because it provides structure and allows the ribbon to curve along the shape of the hat seamlessly. It’s also used in garment construction, particularly in waistbands, belt loops, and as a stabilizing ribbon in corsets and bodices. Its flexibility and ability to take shape make it an excellent choice for these purposes. Petersham ribbon is equally popular in various crafting projects, including embellishing accessories, gift wrapping, and creating decorative elements in home decor.

Known for its unique characteristics and versatility, Petersham ribbon is thick, stiff, and flexible and is typically made from cotton, viscose, a cotton/rayon or acetate blend, or even from acetate or 100% rayon. Some variations may even use silk. It has a slightly ribbed texture and a flexible, pliable nature, which makes it popular for creating decorative accents and embellishments. The ribbed texture is achieved through a weaving technique that creates horizontal ribs across the ribbon’s surface.

Where did the name come from? It depends on who you ask! One version is that Petersham was named after the 18th century English lord Viscount Petersham who invented an overcoat and breeches made of a special heavy woollen cloth with a round nap surface. The second version is that the original Petersham was manufactured by a company called Panda in the town of Petersham.

Petersham is often compared to grosgrain ribbon due to their similar appearance, but they have distinct differences:

Petersham has a scalloped edge. Grosgrain has a straight edge.
Petersham is usually softer and more pliable, making it easier to work with when shaping it around curves.
Petersham has a crisp feel and can become stiffer when exposed to moisture or heat.

One of the additional features of Petersham is its ability to shape and mold around curves and corners without puckering or gathering. It is woven so that once steamed, it will take on and support the curve of the piece it’s being applied to. This property makes it ideal for hatbands, belts, and other applications where the ribbon needs to maintain a smooth and even appearance when wrapped around irregular shapes. When used for hatbands, Petersham ribbon helps create a structured, tailored look.

Another notable characteristic of Petersham ribbon is its soft, draping quality. It has a more fluid and supple feel compared to standard grosgrain ribbon, which tends to be stiffer. This flexibility allows for a greater range of uses, including garment trims, bows, sashes, and waistbands. It can also be used for crafts like gift wrapping, hair accessories, and DIY projects.

Petersham ribbon comes in a variety of widths, colors, and patterns, offering endless possibilities for creative expression. It can be found in solid colors, as well as prints, stripes, and other designs. The edges of Petersham ribbon are usually cut with a hot knife or treated to prevent fraying.

Tips for working with Petersham

Cutting: Petersham ribbon has a scalloped edge and an identical front and back, so you don’t have to worry about which side is facing up when cutting. Use sharp fabric scissors to cut the ribbon to your desired length. Remember to cut on the diagonal to avoid fraying.
Shaping: The key feature of Petersham ribbon is its flexibility and ability to take shape. To shape the ribbon around curves or bends, use steam from an iron or a steamer. Hold the ribbon over the steam for a few seconds, and while it’s still warm and pliable, gently shape it to the desired curve. You can use pins to hold the shape in place until it cools and retains the shape.
Attaching: Petersham ribbon is typically sewn onto fabric or hats. When sewing, it’s best to use a needle and thread that matches the color of the ribbon. Since Petersham ribbon is slightly thicker than regular ribbon, you might need a larger needle, or a needle designed for heavy fabrics. Sew along the edge of the ribbon, using small and discreet stitches.
Hat Bands: To use Petersham ribbon as a hat band, measure the circumference of the hat’s crown and cut the ribbon accordingly, leaving some extra length for overlap. Shape the ribbon to match the curve of the hat’s crown using steam. Sew the ends together to form a loop, and then sew the loop onto the inside of the hat’s crown.
Waistbands and Garment Trims: Petersham ribbon can be used as a waistband in skirts or trousers. Measure your waist and cut the ribbon to the desired length. Shape the ribbon to fit your waist using steam, and then sew it in place. You can also use Petersham ribbon as decorative trims on garments, especially around the neckline or sleeve edges.
Crafts and Embellishments: For craft projects, you can use Petersham ribbon to embellish accessories like headbands, bags, or shoes. It can also be used in home decor projects to add a decorative touch to pillows, lampshades, and more.

Remember that practice makes perfect, so don’t be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get the shaping and sewing just right. Once you become comfortable with working with Petersham ribbon, you’ll find it to be a versatile and elegant addition to your creations.