In this 30 minute interview, American Sewing Guild member, Debbie Baker, talks with Sheryl Belson about her journey into learning about her heritage with the Choctaw Nation and learning to make Choctaw apparel, including the meaning behind the designs.
~Sheryl Belson
Fringe, whether you choose to love it or leave it, has undoubtedly stood the test of time. Dating back to 3000 B.C. in Mesopotamia, fringe became popular as a fashion embellishment in the 1920’s, then resurfaced again in the 50’s, and came full circle in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Popular again today, it can be casual and trendy or utterly timeless, like in the garments shown here. Enjoy some ideas from Nancy Nix-Rice on these beautiful fringe accents.
On a multi-color tweed jacket, fringed along the off-grain center edge, I added a top-stitched band of Ultrasuede to both stabilize the edge and emphasize the diagonal line. Carefully snipping – at about 1” intervals – from edge to seamline parallel to the crossgrain threads allowed the fringe to shape off-grain. (Image 1)
On the Itch to Stitch Hvar cardigan, I eliminated the double layer front in favor of a soft cascade effect. I zigzagged 1/8” black satin ribbon along the seamline to define the inner edge of the fringe, slipping the ribbon through an opening in the loose weave to bring it to the opposite side of the fabric at the bottom of the cascade. (Image 2)
On a second iteration of the Hvar, I used a serpentine stitch to stabilize that endpoint of the fringe. The stitches melded invisibly into the deep tweed texture. (Image 3)
I expected that to be the end of my fringe-fest. Then Butterick came out with this gem – Pattern 6738 – that included directions for creating a fuller, more color-balanced effect by fringing on the true bias. That is especially helpful since many fabrics fringe to a very different looks along the crosswise vs lengthwise grain. (Image 4)
I didn’t actually make that pattern because I already had a black/gray/pink jacket in a bag in the closet – half-finished because of that very issue. The jewel neckline needed that bias technique in its curved areas and the front and hem edges needed an inset layer for a fuller look. Problem solved, and here is the result! (Image 5)
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 (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:
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:
Heather Handmade created this short video to that hat this clipping process might look like:
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:
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.
To read more about ease, check out this article we published on the topic.
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:
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:
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 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
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.
Follow along for steps to make a fuzzy:
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.
Tassels are somewhat easier because one step is omitted.
Tassels have never been easier!
~Linda McGehee, Ghee’s (reprinted with permission)
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?
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.
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:
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 .
