garment sewing

March 31, 2023

Designer Bias Trim (preview)

I occasionally head out to shop on what I call “snoop day.” Armed with a small tablet and pencil to be able to copy down ideas. I shop in the better departments of boutique and major stores (i.e. Ellen Tracy, Escada, Dana Buchman, Chanel, and Armani) and I’m usually looking for pocket, collar, trim and seaming details. I might be seeking out an entire outfit, or just details like embroidery and trims.

Editor’s Note: Planning your own snoop days? While a pencil and tablet will be helpful, plan to snap pictures on your phone. You can also download tape measure apps on your phone if you need to take any measurements.

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April 30, 2021

Exposed Zippers

Most frequently we as sewers take pains to try and dutifully hide our zippers under flaps, flies, or laps but fashion has recently said it’s OK to see the zipper. In fact, it’s become a prominent stand-out, in-your-face detail both front and back. But how do you put a zipper on the outside and make it look cool? Read on for details.

Exposed zippers can be tone on tone to match the garment, or a bold contrast for emphasis. Look for zippers with wider than normal tape widths for added punch, and don’t forget that some zipper companies offer decorative zipper tapes like polka dots, stripes, camouflage, animal prints and other patterns. And for evening, there’s always a gold and silver tape. Zipper teeth can also be holographic and contrasting metal for notoriety.

If you want a longer than normal zipper, consider purchasing zipper by the yard, trim to length and add your own fun pull. If you’re putting an exposed zipper all the way up the back of a dress from the hem to neckline, remember you’ll be sitting on it at some point, so best to avoid those with large sport-like teeth.

Back/Front Installation

Before you insert an exposed zipper, it’s a good idea to reinforce the opening area with narrow strips of fusible interfacing applied to the seam allowance on the right side (yes, the right side) of the zipper opening area. This helps prevent any stretching (especially on knits) or rippling.

If there is a center seam, sew it up to the zipper opening lower edge and press it open. Leave the area open where the zipper will be applied. If there’s no seam, sew a line of stitching ½” from each side of the center marking where the zipper will be applied. At the lower opening, clip diagonally into the seam allowances, but not beyond.
Press the opening seam allowances to the garment outside and the lower triangular point as well.
Place narrow water-soluble basting tape on the underside of the zipper tape edges and finger-press the zipper into place over the opening. If any seam allowances poke out from under the zipper tape, trim so that all edges are hidden under the finished tape edges. On the underside, the folded back edges should clear the actual zipper teeth. Turn under the lower ends of the zipper tape and pin in place over the triangle.
Using a zipper foot, sew along the outer edges of the zipper tape on both sides, and across the bottom. Stitch again closer to the teeth if needed, catching the folded edges on the underside. Either or both stitching lines can be done with a straight or zigzag stitch, and with matching or contrasting thread. {photo: exposed zipper with zigzag stitching (crop off extra pulls); credit line: Photo courtesy of Bernina}. If you’re using a gold or silver zipper tape, choose either matching metallic thread, or invisible thread for no-show stitching.
Once the zipper is applied, finish off the upper neckline edge according to the pattern instructions, applying a binding or facing.

Separated Exposure

Occasionally you may choose to use a separating zipper as a closure, but with the entire zipper tape on the garment outside.

In this instance it’s best to follow the pattern instructions, but the upper garment edge is totally finished prior to the zipper application, so the tape is lapped over the finished edge before stitching. The opposite half of the zipper is applied to the other half of the garment in alignment for closing. On both sides of the zipper, turn under any unfinished tape ends before stitching.

Creative Idea

What doubles the fun of an exposed zipper? Use decorative stitches to sew along the zipper tape edges.

All photos used with permission.

~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 22, 2021

Idea Board: Off-Grain Fringe Techniques

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)

~Nancy Nix-Rice

July 10, 2020

Using Striped Fabric to Bind an Edge

It’s Stripe Hype!

Whether you’re binding a jacket front, collar or a quilt, using a striped fabric for the binding is a great way to accent the edge.

Stripes come in varying forms—from simple two-color versions to multi-color patterning, wide to narrow—but one thing’s for sure: they’re fun!

From the top: crosswise; lengthwise; bias

Stripes can be used three different ways for binding an edge: lengthwise, crosswise or on the bias. The choice depends on the desired finished look.

Using a stripe lengthwise on a binding showcases only about ¼” of the patterning, so for wide stripes, this use really isn’t a good option as you’ll likely see only one color. However, for tiny stripes, you can showcase three or four lines. Using a stripe lengthwise requires more yardage than cutting crosswise and/or more frequent seaming. You can use the entire fabric width and less yardage, but that strategy requires more seaming and matching end to end. The fun part—you can decide which stripes to showcase, but remember you’ll need to allow for seam allowances, so place the featured stripes accordingly.

Cutting binding crosswise is another option that showcases stripe repeats at right angles to the project edge. It allows for more visibility of stripe patterning and fewer seams are required with less yardage.

Many stripe aficionados prefer to cut striped binding on the bias (a true 45° angle) for some diagonal interest. The amount of yardage required depends on how frequently you want to piece the strips, matching the stripes. Cutting striped binding on the bias allows it go smoothly around curves, which is not the case with the horizontal or crosswise cutting, as those grains are suitable only for straight edges (like most quilts) rather than curves.

Piecing

In almost all instances, unless you have a short edge to cover, binding needs to be pieced to make enough length for the project. It can be pieced in two ways: with diagonal or horizontal seams.

Diagonal Seaming: While diagonal seaming makes for flatter binding because seam allowances are offset and not on top of themselves with multiple layers, it can be more difficult to align stripes with this bias seaming.

Crosswise Seaming: For crosswise stripe fabric strips, it’s easier to get a more invisible seam if you use horizontal piecing, sewing strips end to end. This technique also allows for a regular repeat of the stripe. To create a horizontal seam, place strips right sides together matching the same stripe on both layers. Stitch down the center of the stripe, trim the seam allowances to ¼” and press open. If you stitched accurately, the seam should be almost invisible and show a continuous stripe pattern along the binding.

Finishing

Once you’ve pressed your binding in half and sewn it the edge, first press it toward the edge you’re covering. Then fold it to the underside and hand-stitch the folded edge of the binding to the back side of the garment, quilt, etc.

For a quicker finish, fold the binding to the underside, pin or clip securely so that the underlayer is slightly wider than the top binding, and stitch in the ditch of the seamline where you initially attached the binding. Because the binding underside is slightly wider than the top, your stitching should easily catch the folded edge to secure it. Using transparent thread (either smoke or clear) works well for this, especially if your project is multi-color.

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