ASG Sewing Blog – Page 52

January 15, 2021

Sewing Basics: General Sewing Terms, Part 2

The projects we want to sew can range from quilts to embroidery, handbags to pillows, and everything in between. This article focuses on sewing terms that are most often associated with garment sewing, but may be used or called for in other projects as well.

Note: This is Part 2 of our General Sewing Terms series. See Part 1.

Clipping

Clipping (the twin sibling to notching) is the practice of cutting fabric in the seam allowance of outside corners and curves and inside corners and curves. As with most practices, there are different schools of thought. Let’s take these one at a time.

Outside corners, like the corner on a collar or the edge of a waistband, need special attention if you want to achieve a nice sharp corner once they have been turned. There are generally two camps on this:

Clip off the corner point seam allowance close to the stitching line. Perhaps the seam allowance at either side of the point as well. This will reduce the bulk and allow the point to turn more sharply.
Leave the seam allowance as is and fold it inward along the seam allowance. Turn to the right side leaving the fabric in place. Those who prefer this method will say that close clipping weakens the fabric at the turn point too much while the folding method maintains the strength of the garment piece at the corner.

Inside corners, like those found on a square neckline, need to be clipped close into the corner, up to (not through) the stitching line. This can be a bit nerve-wracking, but if you don’t get very close to the stitching line, the corner with not turn smoothly. So, take a deep breath, and clip right to that line before you turn to get a sharp, smooth corner.

Outside curves, such as the curve of a scalloped edge, need fabric in the seam allowance removed to allow the fabric to curve and lay flat once it is turned. An outer curve will turn much more smoothly if the seam allowance is clipped with notches. This provides a gap of fabric that can collapse without bunching on the inside.

Inside Curves, like a curved jewel neckline, will turn best if you clip into the fabric close to the stitching line. As with outside corners, there are multiple camps on how to do this:

Clip through both layers of the seam allowance about every 1/2” the entire length of the curve. Tighter curves will turn more smoothly if the distance is closer to 1/ 4” apart so make the clips as close together as needed to achieve a smooth result.
Clip through one seam allowance at a time. The distance between clips is the same as option 1. However, the location of the clips on each side of the seam allowance alternates, never making the clips on one side of the seam allowance in the same location as the opposing side. Those who prefer this method will say that it results in a smoother transition and less show through on the right side of the garment.

Heather Handmade created this short video to that hat this clipping process might look like:

Darts

Darts are triangular stitched pinches of fabric that help turn the 2-D nature of fabric into 3-D. You find them at the chest line to create space for your bust, at the waist to create the shape of your hips, and in the bottom of purses and bags to create space for the things you will store inside. Any place in your project that needs to be shaped instead of flat, you just might need to add a dart.

Darts can be straight or curved. They may be open ended and terminate into the seam allowance or they may be inside the body of the project with a point at both ends, referred to as a fish-eye dart.

Here are a few tips that may be helpful as you increase your understanding of how to sew them:

It is important to secure the ends of a dart. That can be done in various ways such as:
- Leave a long thread tail and tie a double knot before trimming the thread.
- Reduce the stitch length to 1.0 at the beginning and end of the dart.
Make a small clip into the seam allowance at the termination of each leg of the dart. When making the dart fold, simply align the two clips.
If the dart has straight legs, mark the points of the dart then using your ruler connect the dots to mark the dart location.
Align the dart lines and secure them with pins or basting to be sure they stay in alignment when sewing the permanent stitching. On way to do this is with a ladder stitch. Watch this “How To” video to see what we mean.

And finally, be intentional about pressing your darts once they are sewn. Avoid pressing beyond the point of the dart. If you press a fold into your fabric beyond the point, that fold might not disappear, leaving a permanent line that you don’t want.

Ease

In its simplest form, ease is the additional room in a garment in excess of the actual body measurement. There is much more to ease than this simple definition though — there is wearing ease, design ease and negative ease. Each of these impacts the finished measurement of a garment in different ways.

Wearing ease provides ease of movement. It is the difference between the actual body measurement and the finished garment measurement.
Design ease provides the style. It is also referred to as style ease or fashion ease. It is additional ease added beyond what is needed for movement to create specific styles ranging from close fitting to very loose-fitting garments. It also comes into play when the design of the garment includes things like pleats, gathers, or tucks.
Negative ease is associated with fabrics that stretch (such as knits or woven fabrics with lycra added) or are cut on the bias, producing a certain degree of stretch. In this case, the finished garment measures the same as the actual body measurements, or more often, even smaller. The degree of stretch produced in each fabric plays a big role in how much negative ease a garment will need for good fit. Negative ease is used in garments like activewear and swimwear.

To read more about ease, check out this article we published on the topic.

Facing

A facing is a piece of fabric used to finish the raw edges of a garment at open areas, such as the neck and armholes. A facing may be a separate pattern piece to be added to the garment or an extension of the pattern piece itself.

Here are a few tips for applying them:

Cut your facing on the same grainline as the edge to be faced.
Grade the seam allowances to reduce bulk and show through on the right side of the garment.
Don’t forget to finish the outer edges of the facing. The finish can be as simple as a turned-under edge, a zigzag, or a serged edge. If you are working with a fabric like knit that does not ravel, or with a garment that will be lined, you can skip this step.
To hold the seam allowance in place on the inside of the garment, stitch the facing to the seam allowance at about 1/8 in. from the seam line. This is called understitching.
Tacking the facing down at the seams will prevent them from flipping to the outside. Just hand stitch or stitch in the ditch of outer seams to accomplish this.
Be sure to apply the appropriate interfacing to the facing fabric to give it the stability and structure needed for a smooth look.

Interfacing

Interfacing is used to add extra body or strength to the fabric it is applied to. It is used in garment pieces like button bands, collars, waistbands, cuffs, and most facings. If you are sewing with knit, you might use interfacing to keep the fabric from stretching out of shape in a particular area of the garment.

A few decisions you will make when choosing the right interfacing for your project include:

Fusible vs. Non-Fusible
1. Fusible interfacings use glue and are applied to the wrong side of the fabric with steam and an iron whereas a non-fusible interfacing is sewn into place. If your fabric doesn’t like heat or is woven so loosely that the glue might show through, you will want to want to use a non-fusible interfacing
Light, Medium, or Heavyweight
1. Your goal is usually to stabilize, not change, the fabric, so go with a weight that is equal to, or a bit lighter than, your fabric.
Non-woven, Woven or Knit
1. Non-woven interfacing doesn’t have a grain and works for most projects. It tends to be less expensive and can be cut in any direction. However, it can create a slightly “stiffer” outcome than woven interfacing as it does not have grain like the fabric does.
2. Woven interfacing has a grain, much like fabric. It must be cut on grain the same way you cut your fabric. It tends to result in a drape and hand more like the fabric.
3. Knit interfacing has a bit of stretch and is usually the best choice for knit fabrics.

In every case, it is important that you test your interfacing choice on a test swatch to be sure you achieve the look and feel you want.

Stay Stitching

Stay stitching is a single line of stitching through one layer of fabric slightly inside the seam allowance. Unlike basting, these stitches will not be removed so be careful not to stray beyond the seam allowance. Its purpose is to stabilize the fabric and prevent it from becoming stretched or distorted. It is usually called for on the edge of a piece of fabric that has a bias cut, which occurs on curves, such as necklines and arm holes, and on diagonals, such as v-necks.

Stay stitching should be done directionally to keep the shape of the fabric the same as it was when you cut it out. For example, when stay stitching a neckline, you should stitch from each shoulder to the center of the neckline. If you were to sew the entire neckline in one direction, you may distort the half sewn from the center neck to the shoulder.

See this 2 ½ minute video by Professor Pincushion showing this technique:

Note that not all pattern instructions will tell you to stay stitch so use your judgment. When in doubt, stay stitch.

Now that you understand some of the basic garment sewing terms, but these terms are so foundational and can impact your results so much. We hope these explanations have helped you strengthen that foundation.

~Sheryl Belson, ASG

January 8, 2021

Creating Fuzzies and Tassels

Many sewing projects require straight, precise lines at a pre-defined width using thread that blends into smooth fabric. But when it comes to decoration, there are no rules, and fabric becomes an artist’s canvas for sewing crooked, intentional wrinkles, and wild and vibrant threads.

In her book, Creating Texture with Textiles, Linda McGehee covers topics like crinkling, beading, couching, the cameo shuffle, pintucking, lattice piecing, and more. In this article, Linda shares her technique for making fuzzies and tassels. (reprinted with permission).

Fuzzies and tassels are simple to create and the color choices are as varied as the threads available. Threads that ravel nicely, such as heavier metallic and rayon threads for the upper and lower looper in the serger work beautifully for either technique. A combination of threads in a variety of colors produces the best design, depending on the project.

Fuzzies

Follow along for steps to make a fuzzy:

To make a fuzzy, twist 10 to 20 threads together to form a cord (Step 1). Begin with several long pieces of thread, fold them in half, then in half again.

Vest Challenge: Use these techniques (or others!) to enter the Ghee’s Vest Challenge. Learn more on the Ghee’s website or download the flyer. ASG Members, don’t forget to use your ASG discount! Get it in the Special Offers section.

To prevent pulling the finished fuzzy apart, use an open-toe foot with a serpentine stitch, a short length, and width as wide as the twisted cord to stitch the distance that is intended for the satin stitch (Step 2).
With the presser foot down, set the machine for a perfect satin stitch the width of the cord.
While in reverse, stitch over the serpentine stitch to the beginning of the stitching (Step 3).
Set the width just a little wider and stitch forward over the previous stitches to achieve a smooth finish. Because of the bulk of the threads, you may need to help the machine during the final stitching.

Tassels

Tassels are somewhat easier because one step is omitted.

Begin with twisted threads as with the fuzzies above (Step 1).
Zigzag over these threads about 1/4″ (Step 2).
Sink the needle into the fabric, lift the presser foot, pull the upper twisted threads around to position them on top of the others, and satin stitch over the previous stitching (Step 4).
Widen the stitch to accommodate the double layer of threads.
Trim to the desired length.
Let the threads hang naturally or use your hands to mingle and separate them.

Tassels have never been easier!

Tips

Any heaver serger thread or yard that ravels easily is great for fuzzies and tassels. Try metallic, rayon and ribbon floss.
Twist the threads tightly while stitching the serpentine stitch to make the smallest center
The twisted thread will be doubled in the tassel-making process. Plan accordingly and do not make the first step too large.

~Linda McGehee, Ghee’s (reprinted with permission)

January 1, 2021

Hemming Knits

Hemming knit garments can sometimes be a challenge, especially on lightweight fabrics that tend to ripple or stretch out, and who needs ripples around a hipline?

Twin Power

One of the best ways to create a professional looking hem in a knit garment is to use twin needles on a conventional machine. Available in differing needle spacings, the double needle creates two rows of perfectly parallel stitching to hold your hem in place. And, the best part—with a single bobbin spanning the needles, the zigzag on the underside gives your knit some flexibility.

Look for twin needles in spacing from 1.6mm to 8mm, and in various needle sizes and types, depending on the weight of your knit. So, choose a needle set compatible with your fabric. Check your machine owner’s manual for instructions for using a twin needle, as some are limited to less than the maximum needle spacing available. You can stitch a great hem with a 2.5mm-3mm width on most fabrics.

Step by Step

Begin by gently pressing the hem to the wrong side of the garment, being careful not to stretch either the outer portion of the garment or the hem allowance. On most knits, there’s no need to finish the hem edge unless you want to, as the fabric doesn’t ravel. If you do want to finish it, a serger stitch is ideal.

Once you’ve got that hemline fold, there are two options to consider:

The first option is to fuse the hem in place with a lightweight fusible web before stitching. This adds body to a lightweight or particularly stretchy knit to help it hold its shape. If you choose this option, cut the web the entire width of the hem to avoid a fused line narrower than the hem. This method helps keep the double-needle stitching from doing what’s called “tunneling”—making that raised area between the needles and creating a little ridge. It’s fine to have that ridge if that’s the look you want as it mimics a pintuck, but if a flat hem is your goal, the raised ridge can be somewhat discouraging.
The second option is to fuse lightweight knit interfacing to the hem area you’ve pressed up. This also adds body and helps prevent the tunneling. If you choose this option, interface the entire hem depth. Adding interfacing also helps keep the hem from rolling out during wear.

Pin the stabilized hem allowance in place around the lower edge of your garment, then thread the twin needles with matching or contrasting thread—for a sportier look, you can even use two colors of thread.

Beginning at one side seam, straight stitch around the garment lower edge leaving at least ¼” of hem above the stitching line {photo}. Remember, you need to stitch with the garment right side up, as a zigzag stitch is formed on the underside of the double-needle stitching. At the beginning and end of the stitching line, leave thread ends long enough to pull them to the underside and tie off.

If you have extra hem depth beyond your stitching line, carefully trim it close to the stitching to neaten.

~Linda Griepentrog
Linda 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 two dogs, Yohnuh and Abby. Contact her at .

December 24, 2020

Happy Holidays 2020

Happy holidays from the American Sewing Guild!

December 18, 2020

Sewing Basics: General Sewing Terms, Part 1

Whether it’s traveling in a foreign country or knowing the terminology for a project you are working on, being able to speak the language is important. Today’s article reviews some basic sewing language that will be helpful to new sewists while still being a great refresher and idea generator for those who are more experienced. Think of these sewing terms as a “language acquisition and refresher” resource!

Note: This is Part 1 of our General Sewing Terms series. See Part 2.

Seam Allowance

Seam allowance is the distance between the stitching line and the cut edge of the fabric.

In garment sewing, the most common seam allowance included in patterns is 5/8” but it is important to confirm this for each pattern you use. Some pattern companies use a 3/8” seam allowance as their standard while some, like Burda Style and Marfy, include no seam allowance on their patterns so you must add it when you cut the pattern pieces out. If you are quilting, you are most likely going to use a standard of 1/4” seam allowance.

When deciding the size of seam allowance you want to use, there are a few things to consider:

Begin by checking your pattern details. If you sew a 5/8” seam allowance on a pattern designed with a 3/8” seam allowance, you will have downsized each seam by 1/2”. In a simple skirt with 2 side seams and a center back seam, you will have reduced the circumference by 1-1/2.” Might be a bit too small to squeeze into now!
The amount of stress that will be placed on a seam is an important factor. A 1/4” seam on a quilt that will not be stressed may be fine, but a 1/4” seam on an center back seam in pants you will apply stress to as you bend and sit might not be enough to prevent pulling through the fabric and splitting that seam open. Watch for clothing malfunctions!
The type of fabric being used is also important. Sturdier fabric like denim can handle a smaller seam allowance at stress points that a finer fabric.
The shape of the seam line will dictate the best size of your seam allowance. Curved seams, like princess seams and collar stands will turn much more smoothly with a smaller seam allowance than a larger one.

Back Stitch

Backstitching is something you do at the beginning and end of each seam to secure it and prevent unstitching.

The desired outcome — seams not pulling apart at either end — can be accomplished in a few ways.

Backstitching is exactly what it sounds like. At the beginning of a seam, start a few stitch lengths inside the cut edge of the fabric and stitch backward to the edge, then stitch forward the length of the seam.
Leave long thread tails at the beginning and end of each seam then tie them off with a double knot before trimming.
If your machine has a “fix stitch”, start each seam with this as it will make a few stitches in place before continuing the seam. At the end of each seam, use a “stop stitch” if you machine has this option. It does the same thing as the fix stitch but without continuing the seam. This is a less secure choice than a back stitch or tying threads off.

Seam Finish

The primary purpose of finishing seams is to protect the cut edge of the fabric from raveling during wear and laundering.

There are many options to choose from but, remember knit fabrics do not ravel, so this task is specific to when you are sewing with wovens.

The secondary purpose is to provide a nice, clean look on the inside of the garment. Some sewists will say they want the inside of the garment to look as beautiful as the outside. Here are a few options you can consider:

Pinking – One of the simplest things you can do is trim your seams with pinking shears. As with any sewing tool, you can get budget friendly Fiskar pinking shears for as low as about $15 or higher quality Gingher shears for around $50. The end result may not provide the most finished look, but it will reduce the ravel effect during laundering.
Serger – Using a serger for seam finishes is quick and provides a more ready-to-wear look on the inside of the garment. After stitching the seam in place, your serger can both trim the seam and overcast the cut edge all at once.
French Seam – This method requires two steps, sewing two seams. The first seam is sewn with WRONG sides together, usually with a 1/4” seam. Trim that small seam closely, them flip to the RIGHT sides together, enclosing the initial seam, and stich again at a scant 3/8”, resulting in a total of a 5/ 8” seam allowance. Obviously, you need to adjust these two widths to result in the final seam allowance width desired. The result is a nice clean finish as well as the double strength of the two seams. It is often used with sheer fabrics like chiffon since the inner seam is frequently a bit visible through the sheer fabric.
Hong Kong Finish – This method is particularly popular in garments like unlined jackets. It is accomplished by taking bias strips of fabric and first stitching them to the right side of the seam allowance cut edge. Next press the bias strip away from the seam, extending over the cut edge, then wrap it to the wrong side of the seam allowance. Stich in the ditch to fix the wrapped bias strip in place then trim close to the stitching line, removing the excess fabric on the wrong side. This take a bit more time, but with a fun print can create some fun interest on the inside of the garment.

Grading Seams

Grading seams is something you do to reduce bulk.

It refers to the practice of trimming seam allowance layers to different widths. Typically, the “public side” of the seam, meaning the side that is closest to the outer layer of the garment, maintains the greatest width with each layer toward the interior of the garment being trimmed slightly shorter. The innermost seam allowance may be trimmed as narrow as 1/8”. The result of grading is a smoother transition, avoiding a bulky ridge of sandwiched seam allowances showing through to the right side.

Basting

Basting is sewing long, easily removable stitches by machine or by hand.

It is also sometimes called tacking. Basting stitches temporarily join fabric for several reasons, such as:

Test the fit on placement of things like pockets or darts before sewing more permanent stitches.
Hold slippery fabrics together while you sew the permanent stitches.
Replace pins and make it easier to machine sew.
Holding a zipper or hems on bulky jeans in place for stitching.
Holding two or more layers of fabric together so they can be worked as one layer, such as when basting together the layers of a quilt.

Here are a few basting tips:

Use a contrasting color of thread to make it easy to see when you are ready to remove your basting stitches.
When hand basting, use a simple running stitch.
When machine basting, use at least 4.0 stitch length. If your machine has a longer stitch, use it for easier removal.
Stitch with a slightly smaller seam allowance to avoid trouble removing the basting after the permanent seam has been sewn. For example, if you are using a 5/8” seam allowance for the permanent stitch, use 1/2” to 9/16” seam allowance for your basting.

Gathering

Gathering uses long stitches to hold the fabric in place for the permanent stitching with the additional purpose of scrunching a longer length of fabric together into ruffles so it can be attached to a shorter piece of fabric.

There are several ways to accomplish this:

Using the same long machine stitch used for basting, stitch two parallel rows on either side of the seam line. Holding the bobbin thread from both rows, pull the fabric together into evenly distributed gathers, matching the length of the fabric it will be sewn to.
Sew a long and wide zig zag stitch over a heavy thread, being careful not to stitch through the heavy thread. Pull the heavy thread to accomplish the gathering. The heavy thread can be things like dental floss, topstitching thread, thin yarn, etc. Choose something that is strong enough to pull the fabric together without breaking.
With both gathering options, leave a long thread tail at each end. Secure one end by wrapping the thread tails around a straight pin in figure eight style to prevent pulling your gathering threads out when gathering.
This last option will secure the gathering thread automatically. Leave long thread tails at the beginning and end, just like in the previous methods. Using the same long stitch length, stitch about 1/ 4” from the edge of the fabric to be gathered. Stop, with needle down, at the end of the gathering location. At this point, you are basically going to make a U-turn on your fabric. With the needle down, lift the presser foot and pivot 90 degrees then take a couple of stitches. The number of stitches you take will depend on whether you prefer to gather on either side of where your permanent stitching line will be or only inside the seam allowance. Now drop the needle again, raise the presser foot and pivot another 90 degrees. You have now made the full U-turn and can stitch back down the length of the fabric again to your starting point. When you pull your thread to gather the fabric it will not pull out the threads!

Now you have added, or maybe refreshed, some basic sewing terms. We hope this has been a helpful experience in your sewing “language acquisition” journey as well as given you a few helpful tips on how to accomplish them in your real sewing life. And so, for now, ciao and arrivederci and the happiest of sewing to you all!

~Sheryl Belson