Sewing – Page 49

February 14, 2020

Linda MacPhee named Keynote Speaker for 2020 Conference

ASG is excited to announce that international designer Linda MacPhee will be the keynote speaker at the 2020 conference in San Antonio. As our way of introducing her to you, we have selected her as our independent designer of the month for February. Linda hails from Alberta, Canada and will be once again making her way back to conference.

Sears Catalog for Inspiration

As number 5 of six kids and raised on a family farm in northern Alberta, money wasn’t abundant. In fact, her early memories include going through the Sears catalog with her siblings and picking out their favorite outfits, only to have a local seamstress try to duplicate them from old garments. Even then she realized the finished product never really did live up to the picture she had chosen and hoped for. That’s why she decided at an early age to try her own hand at sewing. She sewed her first garment when she was about 12 when she wanted a new dress for her cousin’s wedding. “My dress was quite successful I remember; but because I knew nothing of fitting, I had to position myself against a wall so I could use my one hand to hold/grab a handful at the back of the dress to make it look like it fit! I guess that dressmaker likely influenced my desire to create my own look. Looking at family pictures now she really was a master as my brothers were in good looking suits that she had recycled from whatever. My mother didn’t sew or have any interest in sewing, although I’m sure she must have mended and repaired things as necessary. Our dressmaker, Mrs. Schmitt, was from Germany and was truly a master at the sewing machine. (We had a treadle of course!)”

Concerning her formal training, Linda commented, “I joined the local 4-H sewing club when I was old enough and that was my only training until I graduated from high school. I enrolled in Home Economics at the University of Alberta as by that time I was sewing all my clothes and was interested in learning more.”

It Started With a Parka

While working as a district Home Economist for the Department of Agriculture (extension agent) in Northern Alberta and at one of her meetings with 4-H groups, Linda met a leader who had on a beautiful Parka. She was a nurse and had recently immigrated from the Phillipines. While chatting, Linda learned that the woman had made it herself. That set her mind in motion and she set about to make one herself. It was no easy task for the woman had tanned her own coyote skin for the fur trim and had sourced her own fabric (wool duffle) from the local Hudson Bay store. Linda explained, “Well, I didn’t tan my own skin but decided if she (a nurse) could do it so could I—a Home Economist! So I did!! My favorite childhood story that I had read to me many times was “The Little Red Hen,” and the theme has fulfilled itself many times in my life!”

She continued, “One of my responsibilities as the extension agent was to teach adult sewing classes to rural women. I met lots of people and with my parka on, came many requests to make them for people. I had learned also how to make moccasins/mukluks from some of the Native American ladies I had worked with. So in my spare time I started making parkas and matching mukluks for a never ending line up of customers. I charged them $100 which seemed pretty good at the time! I realized quite quickly that the demand would never end, so I decided to teach people how to do it themselves. That was the start of my business!”

The Inuit ladies of the N.W.T. had been making parkas for years so those parkas were the inspiration for the basic design. Wanting her parkas to be different, she added applique and trim, and each one became its own work of art. She came up with many different patterns for parkas and applique designs to help people come up with their own look.

Creating the World’s Easiest Patterns

In commenting on her patterns Linda added, “I have always wanted patterns to be simple, “not rocket science.” I had basic pattern drafting from my university training, but my object was to have as few pattern pieces as possible and as simple construction as I could too. My object was to have everyone be able to make one of whatever I designed. My line of “world’s easiest” patterns were best sellers and business boomed. World’s Easiest meant the pattern was usually one, two or three pattern pieces total! I then taught an army of instructors to help in my quest to get everyone sewing. We then franchised our shops across Canada and life was good (but very busy). By this time I was married and my husband who was an R.C.M.P. officer turned down a transfer and joined the business full time which is the only way I could have carried on. Yes…. we are still happily married 52 years later!”

On the future of sewing…

“I’m seeing a renewed interest in recycling coming from the younger people, and that I find so exciting. They have inspired me to recycle/recreate, and I have made many patterns to help with this aspect of sewing. Once this group discovers the potential of the sewing machine, they will be hooked! This direction has brought me full circle to my humble first attempt!”

In her quest to teach the world to sew, she decided the best way to do it was by having her own T.V. show. It was quite a task to get going but she and her husband managed and directed “Sew Much Fun” and ran with it for 6 seasons (72 shows) which showed on Canadian channels as well as PBS in the U.S. They then developed that into “Linda Macphee’s Workshop” which ran for another 6 seasons. “That was likely the highlight of my career,” she added. “I was awarded the “Woman of Vision” by CTV Television and YWCA “Entrepeneur of the Year” and also an “Award of Merit” from the Canadian government for Business. My alma mater, University of Alberta, awarded me their highest Distinguished Alumni Honor award.”

When asked about her favorite aspect of her job, she replied, “It is creating/designing the original garment and then seeing it through to a pattern to enable me and others to teach the world.”

However, she also reflected, “I have been saddened by the lack of Home Ec training in schools where I think the spark should begin! I never did take Home Ec. in school as my school was too small to have it. I, of course, did take it in University and did earn my teaching degree but opted to teach adults instead of youth.”

“If we can keep the world sewing, I think the future is bright. How you ask? I think the patterns have to be kept quick and easy. More sewing T.V. shows like mine would certainly help to show how easy it can be. For example…..in all the garment patterns I designed (well over 200) there was never a buttonhole in any of them. That was something that a novice might not do well, and my motto always was ‘make it look like you didn’t make it!’”

Being from Canada, Linda was never part of ASG as a member. She said, “I was a sort of member of the Holt Michigan group who I worked with/for many years. I very much enjoyed my work with many ASG chapters across the country. I was always promoting the formation of Canadian groups, but we just don’t have the population to make it work.”

Today Linda describes herself as “sort of retired” and only does “private gigs.” She has stopped doing major sewing shows, but loves doing her own version of fashion shows using local women as models for her garments. She spends her winter months in Mesa, Arizona and finds fun in doing smaller gigs for the multitude of retirement parks within driving distance. You can check out Linda’s patterns at her website at www.macpheeworkshop.com.

~Rosemary Fajgier

February 7, 2020

Machine Needles: What’s the Point?

The needle you use in your sewing machine can make the difference between perfection and a disaster. Use the wrong needle, a damaged needle or a worn needle and you could end up with broken threads, holes, uneven stitches, puckers and possibly even permanently damaged fabric. To keep your seams straight and your collars curvy, there are several points to successful stitching.

Check first

Check for any special requirements for your specific machine. For the most part, standard sewing machine needles can be used in any sewing machine. However, differences may be found in some machines like sergers, embroidery machines and some brands which could require a special needle.

Size matters

Needle size is the numeric representation of the diameter of the blade. Note that when you see needle sizes, they are labeled with two numbers, separated by a slash (65/9, 80/12, etc.). This refers to EURO metric sizing (in millimeters) and the comparable US sizing. The following chart from Colonial Needle describes the fabric weights and the size of needle that are appropriate for each project.

Information reprinted with permission from the Colonial Needle Company
ASG Members receive a 20% discount. See the Special Offers page in Members Only.

Download the Colonial Needle machine needle resource guide.

Let’s Get to the Point

There are 3 basic General Purpose needle types. Universal needles are usually used in knits and wovens. Ball points are great for knits. Finally, Sharps/Microtex are used in finely woven fabrics.
Specialty needles are available for use in denim, leather, embroidery, metallic (for use with metallic threads), quilting, twin, triple, stretch and more. Check out this Guideline for an extensive list of needle types, sizes and their uses.

Needle Tips

For best results, needles should be replaced every 6-8 hours of sewing time.
If you hit a pin, even if the needle seems okay, it’s safer to replace it.
Needle breakage could mean that the needle size is too small for the type or thickness of fabric you are using. In this case, try changing to a larger needle size.
When you are sewing, allow the feed dogs to draw your fabric along. Use a light touch with your hands to guide the fabric rather than pushing or pulling, which could cause your needle to bend and break.

Stock up

It can be frustrating to not be able to start — or finish — a project because you don’t have the correct needle or don’t have a replacement, so make sure to keep a good supply of your favorite needles on hand. ASG members can take advantage of a 20% discount on needles, notions, thimbles, thread, jewelry and more at Colonial Needle by visiting the Special Offers section of ASG.org

~Janice Blasko, webgoddess for ASG

January 31, 2020

A Cut Above: Laser Cut Designs

If you’re a quilter, perhaps cutting out all those tiny precise pieces for your appliqué work might not be one of your favorite tasks—you’d rather get going to complete the design. I sure feel that way, and alas, someone heard my plea.

Recent advances in the quilting realm have brought us the advent of laser-cut designs. Whether it’s an intricate appliqué motif with zillions of pieces, or a more traditionally pieced work, precision cutting is key to fit and the overall look.

And, as an added bonus, the fabrics have been pre-selected for you, so there’s no scrambling to find just the right piece for your design. Appliqué pieces are pre-fused as well.

Did you know? Laser cutting has been used for years in the ready-to-wear industry where garments are cut in production quantities. It provides superior accuracy for factory sewing.

How does it work?

For appliqué designs, fabrics are backed with the fusible web prior to cutting, so when you get the pieces in your kit, they’re ready to have the backing paper peeled off and the designs fused in place. But, how do you know where to put them? There’s a printed guide for the pieces, so pretty foolproof.

When you get the kit, simply open the pattern placement guide and either trace it onto your base fabric if it’s a dark color, or if it’s a light color, position the fabric over the guide and you’ll be able to see the lines through it. A light box or sunny window is helpful when tracing onto dark colors.

Place your marked base fabric onto a pressing surface, peel off the backing paper on each piece and position it in place on the background. It’s akin to completing a jigsaw puzzle. If you have trouble peeling off the backing paper, use a pin to get it started at one edge.

Pressing Matters

When all the pieces are positioned, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse them in place. If you don’t have a large enough pressing surface for the entire design, fuse one section at a time. Be careful—if you’ve marked with a heat-sensitive pen, don’t remove markings in an area you haven’t fused yet. Using a small craft iron can be handy, as it’s easier to secure tiny corners and work in small areas at a time.

Some companies recommend using a pressing cloth when securing pieces to protect the iron from errant fusible. Press both sides of the design to fully secure the pieces.

Finishing Touches

Once all the pieces are fused in place, your design work is completed. There’s no need to stitch around each piece (unless you really want to). Just move on to adding borders, quilting and binding. Easy peasy!

Building Bridges: Sometimes small and delicate pieces are connected to either larger fabric pieces or to a fabric frame to keep them from getting damaged, so they appear not fully cut. If that’s the case and you get pieces with bridges, simply carefully cut the connection points away from the larger base fabric to create the piece size/shape needed for your design.

Pieced Designs

Some laser cut kits are not for appliqué, but for traditional piecing instead. The accuracy of laser cutting ensures that the pieces will fit together with precision.

With these types of kits, there will be a guide included showing a piece number and shape, and both will be referenced in the assembly directions. There may even be a notch into the seam allowance to indicate the upper edge of the piece in the construction process.

Laser-cut pieced designs may also include some fusible-backed pieces for features appliquéd on the surface, like animal eyes, feet, etc.

~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 .

January 24, 2020

Tailoring Tricks, Part 2

Fusibles

Fusible interfacings are de rigueur for today’s tailoring aficionados. They are easy to apply and a great option for building structure and shape into a tailored garment without laborious hand stitching.

Types of Fusibles

Wovens have lengthwise and crosswise threads that make them stable in both directions. If they’re cut on the bias, they offer some stretch and draping, like on a jacket roll line or lapel. Hair canvas, a type of woven interfacing, is often used in tailored garments to build shape.
Knits offer built-in stretch for shaping and draping, and can also be used to back an entire garment section to add body to fabrics like loosely woven bouclés or lightweight wool flannels.
Non-wovens are crisp and paper-like, and generally aren’t used in tailoring projects since they offer no draping or molding attributes. They’re better saved for craft projects.

Note that each type of interfacing is available in several weights, from light to heavy, and should be chosen to match the weight of the garment fabric.

More than one type of interfacing is often used in a single tailored garment. For example, a lightweight knit might be used to back a jacket front and back, while fusible hair canvas is applied over it in the upper shoulder and lapel areas. A heavier weight bias-cut woven may be used in a collar stand area, over hair canvas applied directly to the entire collar. The choices depend on the end result you’re looking for—soft and drapable to firm and supported. Always test before you fuse!

Preshrinking

Preshrink all interfacings, as later shrinkage can ruin your garment. Simply fold the interfacing and submerge it in warm water for 30 minutes, then hang or lie flat to dry. Do not press fusible interfacing.

Cutting

Your pattern guide should tell you where to use interfacing and may have separate pattern pieces for cutting it. Common places to add stability are the garment back to support the shoulder, armscye and neck areas; on facings (behind buttonholes) and lapels, in sleeve hems, sleeve caps, and on collars, cuffs and pockets. Depending on the interfacing weight, you may want to trim it out of the seam allowances and/or darts to help reduce bulk.

Fusing

One side of fusible interfacing has adhesive dots on it, and the opposite side does not. It’s important that you place the interfacing with the adhesive side against the fabric wrong side. Once fused, the interfacing and fabric behave as one entity as far as drape, handling and sewability are concerned.

Different types/brands of interfacings require different fusing techniques, so be sure to read the label. Some require steam, others dry heat, while still others specify a damp press cloth. Note the fusing time and iron temperature for proper adherence.

To begin fusing, choose a flat pressing surface and smooth the interfacing onto the companion fabric piece wrong side. Be sure to press, not iron the pieces in place: Pressing is a lifting motion, while ironing is sliding the iron along the surface. To fuse properly, hold the iron in one place for the specified amount of time, then lift it and move to the next area, overlapping the first section slightly. Repeat to cover the entire garment area for complete fusing.

Always allow the fused garment sections to cool before moving them from the pressing surface. If you move them while warm, it can affect adhesion and cause distortion.

For smaller garment pieces, like collars and cuffs, it’s easier to fuse an entire fabric section and then cut out the pieces than it is to try and match up small cut pieces of interfacing with pre-cut garment sections.

Once all the interfacing pieces are fused to their matching garment sections, transfer the pattern markings to the interfacing layer and move forward with construction.

~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 .

January 3, 2020

Tailoring Tricks, Part 1

So, you want to tailor a coat or jacket, but you’re not sure what that involves, but willing to take the leap.

There are basically two types of tailoring: traditional work with tedious hand stitching or fusible tailoring where you let technology do the “stitching” for you. While the former is worthy of the effort, most first-time tailoring adventures are successfully done with fusible techniques.

Choose Wisely!

Wool or a wool blend is the best choice for a tailored garment, as it’s easily shaped with steam and good pressing techniques. Preshrink your wool selection prior to sewing—easily done by asking your dry cleaner to steam press it for you, though some wools are washable, so check the label first.
Select quality interfacings. A woven hair canvas type is ideal for jacket or coat lapels and collars, and to stabilize some hem edges. Different weights are available to match up with the fabric weight, and it’s available in fusible for a quick application. It’s also available in sew-in if you prefer to hand stitch. Preshrink the interfacing by soaking in warm water for 30 minutes and lying flat to dry.
Lining helps tailored garments hold their shape during repeated wearings, and it covers up the inside construction detailing. A satin-finish lining makes it easy to get the garment on and off over sweaters or other garments.
Look for great fasteners for your tailored garment—beautiful buttons, fun snaps or hooks are ideal choices. Make your selection before starting the garment as it affects the closure construction, like the size of buttonholes or reinforcement needed for novelty closures.
In addition to conventional thread for construction of your project, you may want to select a heavier weight for topstitching, either in a matching color or contrast, depending on the desired look.

Pattern Picks

All major and many independent companies offer patterns for tailored garments. Coat and jacket patterns are made to fit over other garments, so purchase your usual size. Because wool or other tailoring fabrics can be costly, it’s best to test-fit the garment pattern before cutting your fashion fabric. Tissue-fit or make a muslin and note any fitting changes needed on the final pattern.
Follow the pattern guidesheet for cutting, but if the layout allows, cut 1” seam allowances on side and under the arm seams, just to allow for adjustment if needed to accommodate thicker fabric. Be sure to use the “with nap” layout to avoid obvious shading on the finished garment. If the fabric is very thick, cut out single-layer pieces, remembering to flip the pattern for a right and left side.
Transfer all markings to the cut pieces using chalk, removable marker or thread tailor tacks. If you can’t tell the right from the wrong side, mark them for consistency.
If your wool is lightweight, staystitch any bias and curved edges to avoid them stretching during handling. This line of regular-length stitching is done just barely inside the seam line so it doesn’t show in the finished garment.

Marking fabric

Pressing Matters

You’ll be doing a lot of pressing as you construct a tailored garment, as that’s part of the shaping process. Use steam to help shape the wool—either the steam setting on your iron, or a dry iron with a damp press cloth. Do not press wool with a dry iron alone. Test-press some scraps to see which works best for your fabric, as some wools can develop an unsightly shine if pressed directly with the iron.
Because of the bulk, it’s best to press seams open, unless the garment style dictates pressing to one side and topstitching to make a sporty mock flat-felled seam.

~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 .