presents

11 22 33 4411 Patch Pockets

by Pauline Richards

22 Pleats & Gathersby Amy Stalp

33 Hand Sewingby Marla Stefanelli

44 25 Sewing Shortcutsby Peggy Sagers of Silhouette Patterns

Simple Sewing Techniques

FREESEWING GUIDES44

Simple Sewing Techniques

FREESEWING GUIDES44

11 Patch Pockets ...................................................PAGE 1

22 Pleats & Gathers .......................................PAGE 5

33 Hand Sewing ...........................................PAGE 8

44 25 Sewing Shortcuts..................................PAGE 13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Learning new sewing techniques improves your projects andmakes sewing more enjoyable. In this free sewing guide, findout how to master simple but essential sewing skills by follow-ing easy step-by-step instructions. Create perfectly placed patchpockets for garments and accessories in “Patch Pockets.” In“Pleats and Gathers,” discover how to add dimension to yourprojects with crisp and even pleats and gathers. In “HandSewing,” learn simple ways to add a handmade touch. Finally,“25 Sewing Shortcuts” offers must-have tips to add to yoursewing repertoire. These simple sewing techniques will saveyou time and help you add professional polish to your projects.

Happy sewing!

Beth BradleyAssociate Editor, Sew News

thebasics

BEFORE YOU BEGIN, repeat thefollowing: accuracy, accuracy, accuracy.Great-looking pockets begin withaccurate cutting, progress with accu-rate pressing and end with accuratesewing.

create a templateCut out the pocket pattern, cuttingdirectly on the cutting lines.

Cut an 81⁄2”x 11” rectangle fromfreezer paper. Before copying, makesure the freezer paper isn’t curled—itcould jam your printer. Place thefreezer paper shiny side down on aTeflon press cloth, and lightly press

with a dry iron. Using a scanner orcopier, copy the pocket onto thepaper (dull) side of the freezer paper.

Fuse the copy to a second sheet offreezer paper, positioning the shinyside of the copy against the paper sideof the second sheet. Use a Teflonpress cloth to prevent the freezerpaper from sticking to your iron orironing board.

Cut away all seam allowances fromthe freezer-paper pattern; trim alongthe hemline. Fold the freezer paper

in half, and true the curves so thecorners are exact mirror images.Use this customized, reusable pockettemplate to help accurately presspocket seam allowances. Store it inthe pattern envelope.

If you don’t have a scanner or copier,create a template by fusing togethertwo sheets of freezer paper, or useheavy paper, such as card stock.Traceonly the hemline and stitching linesfrom the pocket pattern onto thepaper.

patch pocketsBY PAULINE RICHARDS

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Follow these simple tips to create perfect patch pockets.

Soon, you’ll be putting patch pockets on every project ... pronto!

tip: Use a freezer-paper template to form square-corner pockets, too.

make the pocketsCut out the pockets using the originalpattern. Finish each pocket upperedge by folding under ¼” and stitch-ing close to the fold.

Around the curved edges, baste ¼”from the edge to ease in the fullness.Begin sewing 1” before the curveand continue around to the oppositeside, ending 1” after the curve (1).

On smaller pockets, stitch two rowsof basting stitches to help the roundedcorners ease more evenly. Baste thefirst row ¼” from the cut edge andthe second ⅜” to ½” from the edge.

Position the pocket template’s shinyside against the pocket wrong side;press.The freezer paper shouldtemporarily adhere to the pocketfabric. Refer to the pattern to guideplacement.

Right sides together, fold the upperpocket edge along the foldline; pin inplace.With the paper template facingup, sew next to the freezer paper tostitch the pocket facing.Trim thecorners to remove bulk (2). Keepingthe pocket template in position, turnand fold the pocket facing into place.

Pull the basting stitches to ease therounded lower edges (3). Press thepocket thoroughly. Remove thetemplate.

Working from the right side,edgestitch the facing. Don’t back-stitch; instead, leave a thread tail oneach end.Thread each tail through aneedle, and weave it through thepocket facing to secure (4).

To prevent the pocket from shiftingduring stitching, position ⅛”-widefusible web strips ⅛” from the foldededge, or use a wash-away glue stick

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4 Edgestitch top facing; weave thread tailsthrough facing to secure.

1 Finish upper pocket edge; baste loweredge.

2 Stitch along paper template; trim cornersto reduce bulk.

3 Pull basting stitches to ease roundededges.

Secured Thread Tails

or double-sided, wash-away bastingtape to stabilize the pocket (5).Reduce bulk by trimming the seamallowance to, but not through, theease stitching.

Position the pocket on the garment,and gently press.

Stitch the pocket in place. Reinforceupper corners with straight or trian-gular stitching. Use small stitches, andsew close to the folded edge (6). Pullthe thread ends to the wrong sideand tie off.

Topstitch again, ¼” from the firstrow, to give the pocket more defini-tion (7).

invisibly stitchedpocketsOnce you’ve learned to form a well-shaped pocket, you’re ready to mastera clever technique that works well ontextured fabrics and results in a pocketwith invisible stitching.

Prepare your pocket. Thread themachine with matching thread; setthe machine for a blind-hem stitch.

Begin sewing at the upper-right pocketedge, positioning the needle so thestraight stitching falls beside the pocketand the zigzag stitch “bites” into thepocket edge (8). Continue stitchingaround the sides and lower edge.

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Experiment and try applying thetechniques described here to createpatch pockets in unique shapes.

6 Stitch pocket in place; reinforce corners.

7 Topstitch 1⁄4” from first row.

8 Attach pocket with blind-hem stitch.

5 Position fusible web strips.

Fusible Web Tape

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increase yourlearning curveAnother way to form perfect pocketcorners is to use a Pocket Curve Template.

7 The template has four different corner curves(1 cm, 1.5 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm) and a clip section to holdthe pocket in place.

7 To use the template, match your pocket pattern to one ofthe template’s curves (A).

7 Baste around the pocket curves. Pull up the bastingstitches, slide the template into place and secure withthe clip (B). Press.

sourcesPocket Curve Template provided by Nancy’s Notions, Dept. SN, Box 683,Beaver Dam, WI 53916-0683, (800) 833-0690, www.nancysnotions.com. Z

A B

PLEATS AND GATHERS AREVERY VERSATILE.You’ll findthem in garments, such as skirts andpants, as well as home-dec projects,such as drapes and tablecloths. In justa few easy steps, these techniques cantransform an otherwise flat piece offabric into one with shape, move-ment and grace. Depending on thedesired effect, you can create a crisplook with pleats or a softer fullnesswith gathers.

PleatsPleats are pressed or topstitched foldsin the fabric that control fullness. Ongarments, you’ll find pleats on thefronts of pants, all the way around askirt waistband, and on a shirt cuff.In home-dec projects, pleats are usedfor drapes, bed skirts, tablecloths andmore.

There are two basic types of pleats:fabric folds created by doubling thefabric over on itself and folds with anunderlay or separate fabric piecestitched to the pleat extensions on thegarment underside.There are fourwell-known pleat variations that areused singly, in groups or around anentire garment.

Knife, or Side, Pleats—have all thefolds turned to one side (1).

Box Pleats—have two folds that faceaway from each other and underfoldsthat meet at the center (2).

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pleats &gathersAdd some dimension toyour projects with these

easy techniques.

2 Box Pleat1 Knife Pleats

Pleats

basicstheBY AMY STALP

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3 Inverted Pleat

8 Meet foldlines to placement lines; baste.

Foldline

PlacementLine

7 Insert paper strips; press.

tip: When marking pleats, use one color to markfoldlines and a second color to mark placement lines.

Inverted Pleats—have two foldsturned toward each other thatmeet (3).

Accordion Pleats—have folds resem-bling the bellows of an accordion (4).

Make pleats from the fabric right orwrong side, depending on how theproject was designed and the methodthat works better for you.Whenmaking pleats from the right side,transfer the pattern markings to theright side.When making pleats on thewrong side, transfer markings to thewrong side.

Pleats can be pressed or unpressed,depending on the desired effect. Forsoft pleats, press lightly, if at all. Forsharp, crisp pleats, use steam and apress cloth to set the creases.

In general, all pleats are created thesame, no matter what the type.Yourproject may use a different type ofpleat than the ones shown here, butonce you learn the basic techniques,you can easily make any type of pleat.

From the Right SideMark the foldline and placement linefor each pleat on the fabric right side.

Fold the fabric along the foldline, andbring the edge to the placement line;pin (5).

Baste each pleat in place through allthicknesses, stitching close to the fold-line (6). Baste pleats in place alongthe upper edge.

With the fabric right side up, presseach pleat, using a press cloth.

Turn over the fabric and press thepleats again, using a press cloth.

If pressing creates ridges on thefabric, insert a strip of brown paperunder each fold; press again (7).

From theWrong SideMark the foldline and placement linefor each pleat on the fabric wrongside.

For knife and box pleats, fold thefabric right sides together along thefoldline, and meet it to the placementline; baste. Press or turn the pleats inthe direction indicated for your typeof pleat (8).

For inverted pleats, bring together andmatch each set of foldlines; baste.Spread open the underfold of eachpleat and align the placement line tothe matched foldlines (9). Pin, thenbaste in place through all thicknesses.

Baste the pleats in place along theupper edge.

4 Accordian Pleats

5 Meet foldlines to placement lines; pin.Foldline

PlacementLine

6 Baste pleats close to foldline.

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9 Baste and spread open pleats.

Baste. Spread open.

P Wrap threads around pins in a figure 8. Q Zigzag over string just inside seamline.

5⁄8"

Seamline.

resourcesThe New Complete Guide to Sewing:Step-by-Step Techniques for MakingClothes and Home Accessories;Reader’s Digest, 2003.

Sewing for Dummies by Jan SaundersMaresh; Wiley Publishing Inc., 2004.

Vogue Sewing; The Butterick PublishingCompany, 1985. Z

With the fabric wrong side up, press allthe pleats in the direction in whichthey’ll be worn. For knife pleats, turnall the back folds in one direction; forbox pleats, the pairs of back foldsshould be facing each other; and forinverted pleats, the back folds arespread open.

Turn the fabric right side up. Double-check that all pleats are facing thecorrect direction; press.

To remove ridges created by pressing,turn the fabric wrong side up. Insertstrips of brown paper under the foldsand press again (see figure 7).

GatheringGathering is often seen on garmentsat the waistline, cuffs, yoke or asruffles. It’s also used in home-decprojects, such as bed skirts and

window treatments.Gathering allows you tofit a long piece of fabric(such as a skirt) onto ashorter piece of fabric (suchas a waistband).The result issoft, evenly spaced folds thatadd shape to the project.

Use a different gatheringmethod depending on theamount of fabric to begathered.

To gather a small area:

Working from the right side, machinestitch two rows of basting, ¾” and½” from the edge, using approxi-mately six stitches per inch. Leavelong thread tails at each end.

Gather the edge to the desired lengthby pulling the bobbin threads withone hand while evenly distributingthe fullness with the other hand.

Secure the basting threads at each endby wrapping the thread ends in afigure eight around a pin placedperpendicular to the seamline (10).

To secure the gathers, stitch ⅝” fromthe edge, in between the gatheringstitching rows, keeping the gatherssmooth and even. Stitch again ¼”inside this line of stitching. Removethe basting thread.

To gather yards of fabric, as ingathering an edge for a dust ruffle,use this method, which eliminatesthe possibility of the basting threadbreaking:

From the fabric wrong side, place alength of lightweight string or narrowcord just inside the seamline of theedge to be gathered.

Stitching within the seam allowanceand being careful not to catch thestring in the stitching, zigzag over thestring (11).

Pull the string to gather the edge andsecure the string using the figure-eight method.

Stitch the gathers in place on eitherside of the zigzag stitching. Removethe string to eliminate bulk (thezigzag stitching won’t show anddoesn’t need to be removed).

Gathers

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basicstheMARLA STEFANELLI

simplehandsewingHand-sewing techniquesadd a nice touch whenfinishing projects.

BEFORE THE SEWING MACHINEwas invented all sewing wasdone by hand. Many hand-sewntechniques have been replacedby machine methods, thusspeeding up the sewing process.But there are still a few instanceswhen hand sewing is easier andyields more professional results.

Use hand sewing to baste;seam; hem; attach buttons,snaps, and hooks and eyes;stitch openings closed; securelayers together; and tie off longthread tails left from machinestitching and topstitching.

Anatomyof a KnotKnots are used to secure the threadat the beginning and end of stitching.Backstitching can be substituted fora knot and is very secure. Beginningknots are made after threading theneedle.

To make one simple knot, moistenthe index finger, then wrap thethread end around the finger so thethreads overlap, roll the threads offthe finger with the thumb, and pullthe thread tight (A). You don’t need alarge knot, just one big enough tostop the thread from passingthrough the fabric.

To create another simple knot,wrap the thread end around theneedle several times, and hold thewrapped thread in place with onehand as you pull the needle andremaining thread through thewrapped thread with the other hand(B). This produces a nice clean knotthat you “pop” through the fabric so itlies between the layers. This hiding-the-knot technique is often usedwhen quilting. To sew, insert theneedle between the fabric layersabout 1” from the desired startingpoint and come up at the startingpoint. Slightly tug on the thread topop the knot below the surface (C).Take one backstitch and beginsewing.

To create an end knot, form athread loop close to the fabricsurface, bring the needle throughthe loop, and hold the thread closeto the surface as you pull and tightenthe knot (D). If desired, pop the knotbetween the layers by reinserting theneedle in the same place the threadexited the fabric, come out about 1”

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A Simple Knot

Wrapthread.

Roll down finger,toward palm.

Pull threadtaut.

Take a small backstitch;leave a loop.

Thread needle throughfirst loop and backthrough second loop.Pull thread taut.

B Wrap thread end around needle.

C Pull knot between the layers.

D Creat end knot close to fabric surface. F Ending Knot

E Insert needle in same hole as threadto pull knot between layers.

Pull needle and threadthrough wrapped thread.

1”

away, and tug the thread to popthe knot below the surface (E).

Another end-knot method is totake a tiny backstitch, leaving asmall loop. Pass the needlethrough the loop, pulling thethread so another small loopremains. Pass the needlethrough the second loop andpull the thread tight (F).

To backstitch at the beginningof a seam, pull the threadthrough the fabric, leaving ashort thread tail exposed. Taketwo small backstitches close tothe thread tail; start sewing. Atthe end of the seam, take two orthree backstitches and clip thethread.

Unwanted knots happen whenthe thread becomes tangledwhile stitching. If this happens,don’t tug on the needle. This willonly tighten the knot, making itmore difficult to remove. Manytimes the knot consists of a smallloop and can be removed bygently pulling the thread on oneside of the knot. If the knotdoesn’t come out, try gentlypulling the other thread. If it stillwon’t come out, try inserting theneedle into the dense part of theknot to loosen the tangle.

If you can’t undo a knot, cutthe thread to remove the knot.Pull out enough stitches untilthe thread is long enough tothread onto a needle to tie aknot or take a few backstitches.Rethread the needle andcontinue stitching, overlappingthe previous three or four stitches.

The FundamentalsHand-sewn seams and finishes aresecure and unlikely to come outduring regular wear.

Use sharp, between or embroideryneedles for hand sewing. Sharp needlesare longer than between needles, andboth have small round eyes.The eyeof an embroidery needle is longer,which makes it easier to thread. Ball-point needles are available for sewingknit fabrics. Generally, use a needlethat slips through the fabric easily andaccommodates the thread withoutforcing it through the eye.

As you sew, strive for uniform stitcheswith a neat appearance. Hide theknots except when basting.

Cut threads rather than biting orbreaking them for a clean end, whichis easier to pass through the needle eye.

For most stitching, use a thread about18” long. Longer threads are morelikely to tangle and slow you down.The entire thread length is drawnthrough the fabric with each stitch,and by the time you reach the end,longer threads will be weakened andfrayed.When basting with long stitches,it’s acceptable to use longer threads.

Determine which thread end to knot.Cut a length of thread from the spooland with one hand lightly run yourthumb and index finger down thethread. Using the same fingers, runthem down the thread in the oppositedirection. One direction will besmoother than the other.Tie the knotat the end of the smoothest direction.This is also the end that comes offthe spool before the thread is cut.When you knot this end, there’s lessfriction when the thread is pulledthrough the fabric, making it lesslikely to tangle or fray.

Pull the thread through the fabric inthe same direction as the stitching toreduce thread friction and wear (1).

When stitching one fabric layer toanother, such as for appliqué and

finishing binding, use thread thatmatches the upper layer so thestitching will be less conspicuous.

Thimbles aid sewing, especially whenworking with thick or hard-surfacedfabrics.Wear a thimble on the middlefinger of your sewing hand. It mayseem awkward at first, but willbecome second nature with use.There are several types of thimbles,from leather thimbles that protect thefinger, to bands that leave the finger-tip exposed. Choose a thimble that’ssnug on your fingertip and hassufficient indentations to catch andhold the needle.

Use a single thread strand for mostsewing. Cut the thread, thread theneedle, and knot one end.

Use a double strand when moresecurity is required for stressed orheavy-wear areas—cut the threadtwice as long, thread the needle, andknot both ends together.

When sewing a long seam the threadcan become twisted, causing excesstangles.To release the twists, let go ofthe needle and let it hang free, lettingthe thread unwind.

When attaching buttons, use a quadru-pled thread to speed up the process.Cut the thread four times as long,double the length, and thread twoends at once through the needle.Knot all the ends together.

For a neat finish, rather than machinebackstitching, leave long thread tails,thread them on a needle, pull thethread to the wrong side, and tieoff by taking a couple backstitchesto secure.

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1 Pull thread in same direction as stitching.

Pulling thread in opposite direction causesthreads to fray.

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Basting: Use long stitches totemporarily hold layers together.Hand basting is much easierto remove than machinebasting.

Appliqué or blindstitch: Securelayers together with this almostinvisible stitch.

Tacking: Use to secure facings to seamallowances so the facings don’t flip outto the garment right side. Also use tosecure shoulder pads in place.

Ladder stitch: Use to join two foldededges, as when closing an opening on apillow. This stitch is almost invisiblewhen complete.

Whipstitch: Use to close openingswhen it doesn’t matter if the stitchingis visible. Also use to attach lace toan edge.

Backstitch: A very secure stitch thatlooks like machine stitching on theright side. Two or three backstitches ontop of each other can act as a knot.

Slipstitch: Use to hem, closeopenings and to attach linings.

Running Stitch: Similar to basting,but the stitches are shorter and closertogether. Use to seam two fabricstogether, and for easing and gatheringa seamline.

Basic StitchesJust a few stitches are presented here. As yoursewing knowledge grows, you’ll learn more stitchvariations and discover which ones yield thebest results.

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Hooks and eyes: Attach asshown with a doubled orquadrupled thread. A threadchain can replace the eyeportion.

Thread chain: Use to attachlining to a garment at thehem. A thread chain canreplace the eye portion of ahook-and-eye assembly.

Snaps: Sew on one-half ofthe snap. Align the other halfby inserting a pin throughboth center holes. Use adoubled thread for smallsnaps and a quadrupledthread for large snaps.

Sewing On the GoHand sewing is very portable—save the hand-sewing portion of garment construction for whenyou’re sitting in front of the TV or when you’re onthe go.

A pencil bag works well as a carryall and leftovermint tins can corral small items, such as needles,pins and thimbles. If you need to carry a variety ofthreads or trims, put them in a small, reclosableplastic bag.

Include the following items for no-fuss travel sewing:

7 Three to four needles in various sizes

7 Pins

7 Thimble

7 Hem gauge

7 Small tape measure

7 Pen, pencil, eraser

7 Small scissors

7 Spool of thread

7 Lotion Z

Buttons: Use a doubled or quadrupled thread andcreate a thread shank as shown.

Hide the knotbeneath the buttonand strive for aneat appearance onthe wrong side.

Stitch over a toothpick.

Pull button up and wrapthread on underside toform shank; tie off.

Edges abut. Edges overlap.

Peggy Sagers of Silhouette Patterns shares a

dozen of her favorite construction tips and tech-

niques. And to help celebrate Sew News’ 25th

anniversary, she is offering our readers one FREE

Silhouette pattern of their choice, see page 50.

1. Make a list of your clothes. Include whatyou like about them, and also measure the bustcircumference of your favorite blouses and jackets.Measure and note the armhole size, sleeve circumfer-ence, shoulder width, hem width and circumference,and anything else you can think of. If you knowwhat you like, you can duplicate it.

2. Lengthen your stitch. Most electronicmachines default to a 2.5 mm stitch length, which isshorter than necessary for garment sewing.A seamshould pull apart by having the thread break, beforethe fabric tears. To test, start with a 3 mm stitch(nine stitches per inch) and sew the fabric. Try tear-ing the seam apart to see what works best; lengthenthe stitch if necessary. Mistakes will be much easier torip out when using a longer stitch.

3. Learn about fusible interfacings.Interfacing has changed tremendously in the past20 years. Fusible interfacings are common in ready-to-wear garments, but they are used more as underliningsthan interfacings. Three reasons to underline withinterfacing include: to stabilize loosely woven fabric,to add body to a lightweight fabric and to retardwrinkling. Interfacing is also used to prevent show-through when sewing with sheer fabric. So if youfuse, fuse the whole garment, not just specific areas.

5. Cut more than one. Changing seasons inspireus to sew. Instead of cutting out one new pair ofpants, or one new blouse, cut out two at the sametime. If the thread color permits, sew both garmentsat the same time.You’ll get two new blouses in aboutthe same time it took to sew one.

6. No shifting allowed. Practice taut sewingwith one hand holding the fabric in front of theneedle and the other hand holding the fabric behindthe needle, so the fabric layers stay even. It shouldn’tmatter which direction you sew because the fabricshouldn’t shift at all.A differential-feed feature orwalking foot makes it easier to keep fabric layerseven. Disengage the differential feed when you needthe feed dogs to pull more on the lower layer to easein extra fullness, such as when setting in sleeves.

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4. Discover commercialedgestitching. This technique isused on many ready-to-wear garments.The edgestitching looks the same as top-stitching, but it also holds the garmenttogether—if the stitching is removed, thegarment will come apart.You can tell ifthe garment was constructed this way bysliding your thumbnail under the fabricedge. Use this timesaving techniquewhen constructing collars, cuffs andwaistbands. Press under the seam allow-ances of one piece, then lap them overthe raw edges of the adjoining piece, andedgestitch close to the fold to secure.

Turn under allowances on one piece,overlap allowances of other piece andedgestitch.

Sleeve

Cuff

25SEWINGSHORTCUTS

Time is precious, so save yours by tryingshortcuts used in the sewing industry....

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LL EE BB RR AA TT II NN

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7.Cut and sew with 3⁄8” seams. Sewingwith ⅝” seams makes sewing more difficult,especially when stitching sleeves into armholes,collars to necklines, or anytime concave andconvex seams come together.Also when you use⅝” seams, you’re cutting the garment twice—oncewhen you cut out the pattern and again as youtrim each seam. (Be sure to adjust the pattern forfit before cutting from fabric.)

8.Use more steam. Consider purchasing aniron with a steam generator. On conventional irons,the soleplate creates the heat to produce the steam,so, at lower temperatures, steam production isinadequate to do a thorough pressing job.

9.Sew darts from the point. Try this even ifit’s contrary to what you’ve been taught. The darttip is what everyone sees, so it must be sewncorrectly. If you’re a perfect dart sewer, don’tchange, but if you need some help, try this easytechnique: Take one stitch off the fabric at the darttip; this will knot the thread. Sew the dart, endingat the wide end, which will be anchored in theseam. The thread tails don’t need to be tied, but tiethem if you must—it just takes more time.

10. Add sleeves first. When making blouses,sew or serge the sleeves in before stitching theside seams. To stitch the sleeve, use a ⅜” seamallowance, and place the blouse on top with thesleeve underneath. (Guidesheets tell you theopposite. This is probably because it’s easier toillustrate how the layers go together in the instruc-tions.) The feed dogs will ease in the extra sleevefabric (turn off the differential-feed feature ifapplicable). This method may seem odd at first,but you’ll adjust.

Be sure to cut the garment with ⅜” seam allow-ances. If you cut ⅝” seam allowances and sew with⅜” seams, your garment will grow ½” at each seam.

11. Think outside the box. Attend conferencesand expos in your area to obtain new informationand techniques to try when sewing. Think. Sewingis a logical procedure. If a technique doesn’t makesense to you, don’t use it. If your method worksevery time, don’t change it. Trust yourself!

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12. Perfect sleeves. Make a sleeve headfrom tie interfacing when setting sleeves into ajacket with shoulder pads. The tie interfacingeases the sleeve and then becomes the sleevehead. Nothing else is needed except the shoulderpad. Use ⅜”seams—⅝”seams won’t work withthis method.

Cut a 1”x15” bias strip from the interfacing.On the sleeve cap wrong side, baste the tieinterfacing in place on the stitching line betweenthe notches.When basting, pull the interfacingtaut—but not the sleeve fabric. Stitch again fromnotch to notch.When done, the bias interfacingwill relax and ease the sleeve.When setting thesleeve into the jacket, remember to put thesleeve down against the feed dogs, and let themachine ease in the cap fullness.

Read on to discover moretrade secrets from thesewing industry ...

Pull interfacing taut as baste to sleeve cap between notches.

Sleeve Cap

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15. Smoother waistband edge. Whenconstructing waistbands, use the previous hem-interfacing technique. Cut interfacing equal to thewaistband circumference by half the waistbanddepth plus ½”.Apply the interfacing to the wrongside of the waistband front so the extra ½” overlapsthe foldline.When folded, the interfacing supportsthe edge and gives it a smoother, rounded finish.

16. Cutting difficult fabrics. When workingwith silk, rayon, knits, tricots, or any fabric thatmoves easily, layer it with paper. Lay out examining-room or tracing paper on a f lat surface. Spread thefabric over the paper, making sure the grain issquare. Pin the pattern in place, pinning throughall layers. The lower paper layer supports the fabricand adds stability to minimize shifting.

17. Stack cutting. Use this method to cut severalgarments at once.With good, sharp scissors or arotary cutter you can easily cut up to four garmentsat a time. Fold the fabrics in half lengthwise, andstack them with the widest fabric on the bottomand with the folds exactly aligned. (To cut moregarments, lay out the fabrics in single layers—not folded.)

Fuse interfacing to hemallowance, overlappingthe hemline.

Hemline

18. Easing fabric. Ease seams by “crowding”the fabric. Place the fabric under the presser foot,and insert the needle just inside the seam allowance.Place the index finger of your left hand right behindthe presser foot. Sew slowly, crowding the fabricbehind the presser foot by holding the fabric withyour finger and not allowing it to advance. Sew afew inches; release the fabric and start again until thesection is totally sewn. If the fabric is eased toomuch, snip a few threads along the stitching line.

Crowd fabricbehind presserfoot to easefabric.

13. Timesavingelastic waist-band. Add elastic toan attached, fold-overwaistband as the casingis sewn. Finish the cas-ing raw edge, and thenfold the casing underalong the foldline; pressthe fold.Wrap ¾”-wideelastic comfortablyaround your waist.Add½” to the determinedelastic length and cut. Overlap the elastic ends ½”and stitch together, forming a ring. Place the elasticon the garment wrong side, and fold the casing overthe elastic with a scant ⅜”of fabric extending pastthe elastic. Using a zipper foot with the needle inthe right position, stitch close to the elastic throughboth fabric layers—don’t sew through the elastic.Stitch until the fabric becomes too gathered tocontinue, lift the presser foot, pull the elastic towardyou, smooth the fabric, and continue sewing aroundthe waistband.Adjust the fabric evenly around thewaistband, and tack the casing to the elastic at theside seams to minimize shifting.

14. A better hem. Garments made from lightweightfabrics benefit from an interfaced hem, which addsweight and reduces wrinkling. Cut fusible interfacing¼” wider than the hem allowance and a little longerthan the hem circumference. Trim one long edgewith pinking shears, and trim the interfacing shortends on the diagonal, so the join will be less obvi-ous.Align the long, straight edge of the interfacingwith the hem raw edge and press. Finish the hemraw edge as you desire. Turn up and pin the hem inplace. Hand sew to secure; press.

C Fold over waistband, and stitchclose to elastic.

21. Fast-and-easy, shirt-front placket.From pattern tracing cloth, cut a strip 3⅝” wideby the length of the front pattern. Tape one longedge of the strip along the center-front line of thefront pattern; cut the garment fronts using theadjusted pattern.

Working on the right front at the neck and lowerraw edge, make three small clips 1¼” apart startingfrom the front edge. Fold the front edge to thewrong side aligning the folds with the first set ofclip marks; press. Continue folding under the fab-ric, aligning the second and third set of clips; press.Topstitch ¼” from the outer folded edge. Fold outthe placket, and topstitch ¼” from the new outeredge to finish.

Trim ½” from the left-front edge.At the neckand lower edge, make two small clips 1¼” apart,starting from the front edge. Turn under the frontedge two times, aligning the folds with the clipmarks; press each fold. Topstitch ¼” from the edge.The buttons will keep the resulting facing in place.

sewNews 16

Make clip-marks at neckand lower edge.

Topstitch lastfolded edge.

Fold out placket andtopstitch edge.

1⁄4”

11⁄4”

11⁄4”

1⁄4”

RightFront

20. Pinless sewing for long, straightseams. Align the fabric edges, and put the start-ing edge just past the needle and lower the presserfoot. Backstitch to the starting point.Align the seamends between the thumb and fingers of your righthand, keeping the fabric f lat and taut. Grasp thelayers together with the left hand at the seam’s mid-point. Transfer the fabric to your right hand withoutletting go of the end. From the seam midpoint tothe presser foot, pinch the layers together at 6” to8” intervals, again transferring the fabric to yourright hand, so you have several pleats in your righthand. Use your left hand to guide the seam throughthe machine.When you reach the first pleat, releasethe fabric and continue to sew.When you reach themidpoint, match the ends again and re-pleat theremaining fabric to continue sewing.

Hold pleated fabric in right hand, and guidewith left hand as you sew.

19. Stitch a mock, flat-fell armseye seam.Set the sleeve onto the garment before sewing theside seam. Serge-finish the seam so the resulting seamallowance is ⅜” to ½” wide. Press the seam awayfrom the sleeve. Clip the seam allowances along thearmseye lower curve, so they lie f lat against the body.With the garment right side up, topstitch a needlewidth from the seamline catching the seam allow-ances. Topstitch again ¼” from the first stitching.

22. Stitching angled edges to straightedges. Use this method when adding godetinserts to a skirt. Staystitch the corner with short,straight stitches. Clip to the corner staystitching.With right sides facing and with the corner ontop, match the pattern marks, and stitch to thecorner. Stop with the needle down. Pivot theupper layer so the remaining cut edges of bothlayers align. Finish sewing the seam.

24. Gather fabric with ease. Zigzag overcord or nylon fishing line without catching thecord in the stitching. Pull the cord to gatherthe fullness.

17 sewNews

Stitch,stoppingat corner.

Pivot upper layer to alignremaining edge, continuestitching from corner.

23. Drapery French seam. As the nameimplies, this seam was originally used to finish draperyseams. It’s softer than a French seam and is a good seamfinish for sheer fabrics.With wrong sides together, stitch a¼” seam. Refold the seam so right sides are together andone fabric layer wraps around the seam allowance. Thefirst stitching line shouldbe ¼” from the foldededge. Stitch again in thewell of the previousseam.

25. Reversing seams. Reverse the sleeveseam when adding a turn-back cuff to prevent theseam raw edges from showing. Stitch the seam up to apoint that will be under the cuff; backstitch. Clip theseam allowance at a right angle to the raw edge, up tothe end of the seamline. Reverse the unstitched section,so the wrong sides are facing, and sew the remainderof the seam. Press the reversed seam allowance andtrim to ¼”. Hem the garment and turn the cuff tothe right side. Z

Stitch with wrong sidesfacing, turn so right sidesface each other, andstitch in well of previousseam.

resourcesTips 13 to 16 are from Sewing Secrets From the FashionIndustry, edited by Susan Huxley; Rodale Press, 1996. This bookis currently out of print. Visit www.rodalestore.com.

Tips 17 to 19 are from Islander Sewing Systems by Janet Pray;Janet & Company Inc., 2004. To order call (248) 889-5091 or visitwww.islandersewing.com. How-to DVDs and patterns are alsoavailable.

Tips 20 and 21 are from Sewing Express by Nancy Zieman;Oxmoor House Inc., 1994. To order call Nancy’s Notions, (800)833-0690 or visit www.nancysnotions.com.

Tips 22 to 25 are from The Complete Book of Sewing Short Cutsby Claire B. Shaeffer; Sterling Publishing Co., 1981. Available atfabric stores and bookstores nationwide; call (800) 367-9692 orvisit www.sterlingbooks.com for the nearest retailer.

Partially stitch seam.

Clip

Turn so wrong sides arefacing, finish sewing seam.

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