A primary element of many costumes — whether for Halloween, cosplay, or a medieval fair — is a tabard. A tabard consists of front and back panels connected over the shoulders and open at the sides, similar to a tunic. It can be long or short and is usually secured at the waist by a ribbon belt that keeps the tabard in place while allowing free movement of the arms. Originally worn by men during the late Middle Ages and early modern period in Europe, tabards today are considered a great alternative to full suit costumes, as they can be made more quickly with very little consideration to fitting. Simple undergarments are used to complete the basic costume, with the addition of any desired headgear or other accessories.

The surface of the tabard can be embellished in a variety of ways.

• Shapes, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth of a jack-o’-lantern, can be cut out and appliqued to the front or back of the tabard.
• Strips of jagged points can be cut from colorful felt and sewn in rows to the surface of the tabard to represent scales or feathers.
• Insect legs and stingers or animal tails can be sewn and attached to the sides or back of the tabard.
• Found objects, such as large buttons, metal springs, or egg cartons, can be painted and hand-sewn to the surface of the tabard, to mimic the mechanical riggings of a robot.

It is always a good idea to sketch the costume before drawing the pattern. Determine what elements to include along with the tabard to complete the costume. If there is a tail, for example, plan to make the back panel of the tabard long enough to allow for its attachment. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination, and they can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

Materials

• Fabric for Tabard
• Fabric for Lining
• 1/4″ foam
• Ribbon for the shoulder straps and belt loops

How to Draw a Pattern for a Basic Tabard

• Start by sketching your desired tabard design.
• Measure the width across the shoulders and distance from shoulders to desired length of tabard front and back.
• Draw the pattern in your desired shape on paper, adding a gentle curve about 1″ deep at neck. Don’t forget to add a 1/2″ seam allowance around entire pattern before cutting it out.
• Hold the pattern up to body and mark the desired positions for shoulder straps. Then mark placement for two belt loops at waist level, spaced 3″ to 5″ apart in center of front and back tabard patterns.

Cutting Directions

• Cut one tabard front and one tabard back from fabric.
• Cut one tabard front and one tabard back from lining.
• Cut one tabard front and one tabard back from 1/4″ foam.
• Cut two 6″ pieces of ribbon for the shoulder straps.
• Cut four 4″ pieces of ribbon for the belt loops.
• Cut a piece of ribbon for the belt, with the length equal to the waist measurement plus 20″ for tying.

How to Sew a Basic Tabard

1. Apply any surface embellishments that should be done before construction, such as appliques.
2. Fold each ribbon for the belt loops in half; stitch 1/2″ from cut ends.
3. Press seam allowances open; press each loop flat, with seam centered.
4. Pin belt loops, seam side down, to right side of tabard front and back lining pieces at marks. Stitch loops to lining along upper and lower folds of loops.
5. Pin shoulder straps to right side of tabard front at marks, aligning raw edges; baste. If legs are desired, make legs and baste to right side of tabard front along outer edge.
6. Place tabard front over lining, right sides together; layer, lining side down, over the foam. Pin, then stitch 1/2″ from raw edges around the entire tabard, leaving an opening between shoulder strap marks for turning. Stitch lining to the foam between marks, stitching scant 1/2″ from edges.
7. Trim foam close to stitching; aim remaining seam allowances to 1/4″.
8. Tum the tabard right side out; press.
9. Fold in 1/2″ seam allowance of opening; hand-stitch closed. Topstitch 1/2″ from the outer edge of tabard. Stitch design lines as desired, avoiding belt loops.
10. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for tabard back.
11. Insert ends of shoulder straps at least 3/4″ into opening of tabard back at marks; pin. Check fit. Follow step 6, leaving straps pinned in place until they are caught in topstitching.
12. Attach any surface embellishments desired.
13. Finally, insert belt through belt loops.

~Adapted from an article from the Singer Reference Library, with permission

In 1970, a Japanese company called Toray created Ultrasuede®, a non-woven polyester/polyurethane fabric designed to mimic actual suede. And did it ever! It looked and felt like the real deal and it was available by the yard in a host of fashion colors and with no imperfections.

Since the debut of Ultrasuede, other manufacturers have created a variety of synthetic suede fabrics, some woven, some knitted, and others non-woven, mimicking the coveted faux.

Know your suede

Ultrasuede and other imitation suede fabrics come in multiple weights, depending on the use, but for fashion and accessory applications, there are many to choose from. It’s a good idea to store suedes on a roll instead of folding, as some creases are hard to remove.

Ultrasuede is not very flexible, so it’s best suited for simple pattern designs. It doesn’t ease well, so look for raglan or cut-on sleeve designs. Try to avoid darts, as subtle shaping isn’t one of its virtues. Other suedes may be more drapable, so choose construction details accordingly.

Needle holes tend to show in faux suedes, so be sure to make a muslin and do fitting adjustments before cutting to avoid ripping out. Likewise, pin holes may be permanent as well, so use weights for cutting to avoid lasting marks.

On non-woven suedes, use a low-temperature fusible interfacing and steam. A press cloth is essential to avoid damaging the surface. Most suedes can be pressed with an iron on a synthetic temperature setting.

Cutting

All suedes have nap, meaning that the shading changes depending on the fabric’s direction. Nap going up creates a darker look, while down-facing nap creates a lighter coloration. Choose one and stick with it for the entire project. Mark chalk arrows on the fabric wrong side to show the direction.

On heavier non-wovens, it’s best to cut your pieces on a single layer of fabric, rather than folded. Make a whole pattern piece from paper for easier cutting. For the cleanest cutting line, use a rotary cutter and mat, rather than scissors.

Sewing

Contrary to what you might think, don’t use a leather needle, as the specialty wedge point will leave permanent holes in your seam. Instead, use a size 80/12 Universal needle. If your test stitching shows skipped stitches, switch to a stretch needle.

• Lengthen the stitch length for sewing—to about 3mm for seaming, and 4-5mm for decorative topstitching. Sew with regular-weight thread.
• A walking foot is very helpful to keep layers even. Coupled with clips to hold multiple layers in place, there’s no risk of damage from permanent pin holes.
• If your presser foot tends to stick to the suede, change to a non-stick foot instead to glide over the surface. Don’t have one? Put a piece of tape on the underside of a presser foot and make a needle hole in it.
• A technique called taut sewing is helpful on most suedes. This means holding the fabric in front of and in back of the presser foot, but not stretching it, as you sew. This is especially helpful on lighter weight suedes that may tend to poke down into the needle hole or pucker.

Seaming options

There are multiple ways to seam these nappy fabrics, depending on the character and construction.

Abutted seam: Use this seam in areas with no stress. Trim adjacent seam allowances and abut the edges, then stitch with a multiple zigzag or other decorative stitch that catches both edges.

Lapped seam: Trim the seam allowance from the overlap edge (cleanly or decoratively); overlap the trimmed seam to the seam allowance of the adjacent piece and stitch—once or twice. Water-soluble basting tape is ideal for keeping the edge in place during stitching.

Topstitched open seam: Sew a traditional seam and lightly press the seam allowances open. You can fuse it in place with a narrow line of web or fusible thread. Topstitch both sides of the seam.

Topstitched one direction seam: Sew a traditional seam and press the seam allowances in one direction. Topstitch.

On the Edge

If your non-woven suede project includes some single-layer edges, it’s easy to trim them using decorative scissors or a specialty rotary cutter blade. These suedes don’t ravel, so no worries. Think about a pinked, scalloped or wavy edge, or just leave the cleanly cut edge.

~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 .

Buttonhole Knife

I was gifted a buttonhole knife set, but I don’t know how to use it. Can you help?

A buttonhole knife is like a small chisel, and it often comes with a small cutting board and sometimes a rubber mallet, though the chisel can be used without the two additional pieces. It is important to protect the surface when using a buttonhole knife as it is sharp and can easily damage a tabletop or regular cutting mat.

To use a buttonhole knife: If the buttonhole is larger than the chisel blade, place the buttonhole flat on the protected surface and position the blade between the buttonhole stitching lines, then push firmly to cut. If you have a rubber mallet, use it to hit the chisel handle. This effort will cut your buttonhole between the stitching lines. Cut from the end toward the center. Depending on the size of the buttonhole, you may need to reposition the chisel blade and repeat the process to cut the entire length. Be careful not to cut through the bartacked ends of the buttonhole.

If your chisel blade is bigger than the buttonhole size, position the buttonhole over the edge of the protective cutting block and cut from one end to the center, then reposition the buttonhole and cut the opposite side, again from end to the center. This two-step process ensures that the oversized blade doesn’t cut through the buttonhole end stitching.

Some buttonhole knife sets come with an eyelet cutter as well. This tool can be used to cut round eyelets or to cut the eyelet end of a tailored keyhole buttonhole.

Bodkin

A friend told me that I should buy a bodkin for my sewing room, but I don’t even know what that is. Can you enlighten me?

Bodkins, a tool used to help thread things through casings—like elastic, ribbon or drawstrings, come in various sizes and shapes. You may have used a safety pin for this same purpose, but a bodkin is larger and easier to use. Some bodkins look like very large needles with an extended eye, others are more of a tweezer-like tool with a gripping tip to hold the insertion tightly while pulling it through the casing. The latter usually has a device to tighten the tips for a secure hold during the operation.

Bodkins can also be flat plastic strips with slots that the elastic or ribbon is threaded through for insertion. These often come in a set with multiple sizes depending on the casing size.

Fusible Interfacing

When I use fusible interfacing should I trim off the seam allowances of the pieces or leave them on? I’ve seen information both ways.

There are multiple schools of thought on this topic. If your fabric and/or interfacing is mid-weight or heavier, it’s best to trim the interfacing seam allowances off before fusing as it cuts down on the bulk in the seam. If you’re using lightweight interfacing and/or fabric, it’s not as important to remove the seam allowances before fusing as the additional bulk is minimal.

When you use a sew-in interfacing of any weight, leave the seam allowances on so that they get caught in the seam and stay in place. After sewing the seam, trim the interfacing layer very close to the stitching to reduce bulk.

Printing on Fabric

I want to make a commemorative pillow using a friend’s wedding invitation. How do I print it on the fabric?

You’ll need to buy inkjet-ready fabric sheets at your local sewing or craft store. The fabric is chemically treated to retain the ink after printing and it’s backed with an adhesive stabilizer paper to allow it to feed through the printer. Be sure to read the instructions as directions differ depending on the fabric brand. The most commonly available sheets are 8 ½” x 11”, so you may want to add borders of another fabric to increase the size of the pillow. There are also online services that can print fabric for you in multiple sizes and on varying fabric types.

~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 .

Nothing can add more pizzazz to a table setting than some fun fabric napkins. Whether you choose a whimsical quilting cotton, a solid linen, an ethnic print, or an elegant home décor fabric, napkins add a colorful accent.

There are several ways to finish the edges of your napkins, and we’ve talked about some previously in this article. Today’s napkin edge focus is on an easy mitered hem finish for single- and double-layer napkins.

Fabric napkins can be many finished sizes, from a 12” cocktail version to a full 24” dinner cover-up. Most napkins are square, though there’s the occasional round version thrown into the mix for a holiday tree fold.

It goes without saying that you want to choose a washable fabric for a napkin that you plan on really using for meals…cottons are great, polyester is fine for a sheen, or perhaps real linen for texture.

Depending on your fabric width and napkin size, figure how many you can get across and the total number needed before you figure yardage. From 54”-wide fabric, you can cut three 18” squares across the fabric width; from 42”-wide fabric, you can cut only two across the width. Keep in mind that using this hemming method, you’ll lose 2” of napkin size from the cut square size.

Hemmed napkins with mitered corners

Once you’ve cut the napkin squares, press under ¼” on each napkin edge. Then press under a ¾”-wide hem on all edges (1).

Fold adjacent napkin edges right sides together keeping the narrowly pressed edge folded. This forms a sharp point (2).

Using the 45° marking on a ruler, draw a line diagonally across the corner. Stitch on the line (3).

Trim the excess point fabric ¼” from the stitching line, trim the corner diagonally, and finger-press the seam allowance open (4).

Turn the hem to the napkin wrong side and press the squared corner (5). Use a point presser if needed to sharpen the corner. Repeat for each corner of the napkin.

Topstitch the folded hem edge in place around the napkin (6, 7). This can be done with matching or contrasting thread, using a straight or decorative stitch. If you prefer an additional row of stitching, edgestitch the napkin.

Repeat for each napkin you’re making. If you prefer not to have stitching showing, fuse the upper hem edge in place with a narrow strip of fusible web.

On the double

If you want your napkin to be double sided, cut a coordinating fabric square 2 ¼” smaller than the original square size.

Follow the directions above, but before you topstitch the hem in place, place the coordinating fabric square inside the hem on the wrong side of the napkin and smooth in place (8).

Once the second layer is smoothed in place and hems are repositioned, topstitch the hem edge through all the layers.

Making a double-sided napkin is a great way to hide the underside of a printed fabric that may not be as pretty as the right side, plus it adds a bit of body and contrast to the napkin.

This same mitering technique can be used on other right angles as well, like collars, slits, pockets, table runners, quilt tops, etc.

~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 .