Fabric Ratios

An interesting question came up last week in a pleater class. How do I know how much fabric I need to be able to smock something? My first instinct was to respond at least 3 times fullness. But with a moment's though I knew that isn’t true for every fabric.

Whether you are smocking or just gathering fabric for regular sewing you might be interested in these findings. 

You see the thinner (or finer) the fabric the finer the pleats so the more you need. Conversely, the thicker the fabric the fatter the pleats and the fewer you need to cover a space. 

If you have a selection of fabric in your stash to test you could make a chart for reference. This might prove very handy if you like to mix up your fabrics and take creative license with the patterns you make up!

I chose a commercial pattern for a little child’s yoke in size small for the comparison. It was a straight yoked garment which measured 7” from side seam to side seam. The pattern of course is 'on the fold'. If you were comparing for a garment like a bishop which involves flaring the pleats the results would be different again. But we are comparing only straight gathering.

 

So here I have taken four popular fabrics for smocking: a soft batiste, a silky broadcloth, a deceiving flannel and a 21 wale corduroy. I pleated a depth of 6 gathering threads and the full width of the fabric (45” for all but the broadcloth which was wider). I marked of every 7" and put a pin in that valley so you can easily see the ratios I photographed.

The batiste:


45" less a seam allowance at each end - 6x fullness

Here is a full 45" width of batiste pleated up and it fills the 7" but is very condensed - perhaps too full to be able to smock and have the stitching look it's best.    





 

5 x fullness - not bad for picture smocking.

4x fullness  - still lots of fullness in the skirt and perfect for smocking

3x fullness - getting a bit thin good for geometric smocking

 

2.5x fullness - you can't go any less and still be able to smock

 

 The broadcloth:

6x fullness - really packed!



5x fullness - still quite packed but great for picture smocking and a lovely full skirt!

4X fullness - looks perfect for any smocking

3x fullness - very good for geometric smocking and still a fairly full skirt

2.5x fullness - getting a bit thin, geometric smocking only

 

The flannel:

This felt not much thicker than the broadcloth but the results of the pleating showed it was indeed a thicker fabric. Just goes to show you that things are not always as they seem.

5.5x fullness - wow look how wide that is!! Only 4x can be used.

3x fullness - pleats are still very packed

2.5x fullness - still good -compare with the batiste!

2x fullness - still very good for most smocking, but skirt getting skimpy

 

The 21 wale corduroy:

I love using pinwale corduroy for children's wear. Today knits are very popular and can create very beautiful garments but I didn't have anything readily at hand to test so was left with the pinwale corduroy. It has its own challenges and makes for an interesting base for your stitching.

4x fullness - pleats are really packed and the skirt would be really full

3x fullness - perfect for smocking & skirt would be nice and full as well

2x fullness - still good for smocking and still adequate fullness for a skirt

 

Of note is the  fact that this testing was done with a 16 row Pullen pleater. Not all pleaters take up the same amount of fabric in a pleat. Differences inn rations will thus appear between pleaters. For example, the Sally Stanley pleater takes quite shallow pleats compared to a Read so the Stanley pleater will give you more pleats over 45" of fabric. Worth knowing!

Hope this has proven interesting, thought provoking and/or helpful.

If you ever wondered why a pattern didn't afford you enough fabric to smock or the reverse this testing might provide you with some answers.

Any other questions???

So till next time, keep stitching.....

 

 

 

 

Zippers - the newset fashion trend....

The Exposed Zipper                                                                                                                                  

This newer type of zipper application features a fully exposed with the zipper sitting on top or outside of the garment. It is showing up on all types of garments from suit jackets, to pants to eveningwear. If you watch any of the awards shows this season you are bound to see at least one!

Measure the length of your zipper, cut and apply an interfacing to either side of the seam allowance for support. This time the interfacing could be cut ⅞” wide.

Note the length of the zipper – from the top to the zipper stopper. Machine stitch the garment seam below this measure. Backstitch the start of this seam. Press the seam open making the seam allowances a little wider (¾”) at the top to accommodate the zipper pull. Ease the width of the seam allowance from the stitched seam to the new width at the top edge.

 

Tack the ends of the zipper tape together with a stitch or two. Measure the length of tape there is below the bottom stopper (e.g. ½”). On the back of the zipper, draw a line at ½ this measure (e.g. ¼”). On the right side of the garment, mark a line below the end of the zipper opening at this distance (¼”). Make it wide enough to be seen either side of the zipper tape when the zipper is laid on the seam.

 

 

Lay the zipper face down on the right side of the fabric and upside down – zipper stopper towards the top of the garment. Match up the horizontal lines on the garment and on the zipper. Stitch across the marks, through the zipper tape and the garment. This will anchor the zipper. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of this little row of stitching.

 

 

 

Now flip the zipper up so it is sitting right side up on the right side of the garment. Do this so you have about ¼” of zipper tape below the zipper stopper. Pin in place.

 

 

If not finishing the top of the garment with a collar, waistband or facing, turn the remaining zipper tape to the wrong side of the garment. Pin in place. Now hand baste everything so you no longer have to worry about any pins!

 

Switch to your zipper foot. Position the needle as close as possible to the notch of the zipper foot and the foot will ride along the side of the zipper teeth. This will give you even straight stitching. Begin with the zipper open. Back stitch at the top of the zipper; carry on down one side, pausing about half way down the zipper to close it.

 

End at the bottom of the zipper and repeat the process for the second side. You will need to reposition the zipper foot or the needle for this second side.

 

 

 

From the wrong side, this sample is not perfect but you get the idea. I didn't pin before stitching so you can see that it does pay off to take that extra step.

 

To complete the application you will stitch around the zipper at the very outside edge, across the bottom and up the other side. This will make the zipper placement secure.

To jazz things up you could do a row of decorative stitching on either side of the zipper on the tape.

Finish the top edge of the garment according to your pattern.

 

So give this new fashion application a try, you will be surprised how fast and easy it is and you will be right in style!!

 

Till next time, keep stitching......

 

 

 

 

 

 







Six more weeks of winter!!

February Second, 2014! How the time flies!!

This is Ground Hog Day here in Canada and the United States. Wiarton Willie is our local celebrity and today when he pokes his nose outside folklore has it that he will predict how much more winter we are likely to get.

 

 

Many Canadians celebrate Groundhog Day by attending festivals, engaging in activities and reading or listening to news about groundhog appearances on February 2. Some Christian churches celebrate Candlemas on this day. Other people mark Groundhog Day as the date to take down their Christmas decorations.

 

According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

People across Canada will be watching to hear from such forecasters as Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam, Brandon Bob in Manitoba and Balzac Billy in Alberta. And of course in the US it is Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil.

This year winter seems to be dragging on far too long for me. It snowed all day yesterday, starting with beautiful, huge flakes. Then as the temperature rose they got smaller and grittier. But looking out this morning, everything is white, pristine and covered in a beautiful deep blanket. Looks like we will be shovelling once again!

FYI, “Buckleberry”, my princely little bear pattern, is back from the printers and ready to go. He is now uploaded onto the web site and on the order form ready for shipping. Teddy bears are apparently a traditional Valentines gift. If you hurry you might be able to get him in time! He is one charming fellow.

 

 

I am working on making Buckleberry my first e-pattern! There is lots of testing to do yet and background work to set up the web site for ordering so more about Buckleberry and others later.

So until next time,
Keep stitching.....

Back to zippers

Slot Zippers

This style of zipper application is fairly new I think and came along with the advent of decorative zippers. You know, the ones with the rhinestone or decorative teeth.

You need to measure the width of the zipper from one side of the tape to the other and also the width of the area you wish to expose. You will need enough tape on each side of the zipper to allow attaching it to the garment securely.
Then you need to measure the length of the zipper teeth. To this you must add 1/4" plus the seam allowance at the top of the zipper. Note these measurements.

Stitch the garment seam closed and press the seam allowances open.

On the back of the garment, mark the length you recorded. This line must be at right angles to the seam. Now trim the seam allowance to ¼” or less for this length. Draw in your vertical stitching lines at 5/16" on either side of the seam. You should have a box drawn on the wrong side of your fabric. Check that you can still catch the zipper tape on either side if you cut this box.

Cut a 'lining' or 'facing' to back the zipper placket about twice the width of the zipper and approximately 2" longer than the length measure you recorded.  Apply an iron-on interfacing to the wrong side of this piece and finish the raw edges. Lightly press this 'facing' in half lengthwise to mark the centre.

 

With right sides together, place the 'facing' in position over the seam line of the garment. Centre it on the garment seam with the help of the press mark. Pin in place.
 

 

Place the ‘lining’ on the seam line of the garment, right sides together, centred on the seam line. (Use the fold line to centre the lining.). Pin in place from the wrong side.

Box stitched, seam allowance trimmed

From the wrong side, machine stitch on the vertical guide line, down one side, across the bottom and up the other side. Press lightly.

Cut out the centre of the ‘placket’ leaving a narrow seam allowance. Cut into the corners to get a good sharp turn. Press, then turn the ‘facing’ to the wrong side of the garment. You have just created the “Slot” for your zipper.


Box trimmed out and corners clipped

Facing turned to wrong side and pressed

 Now you will position the zipper behind the slot and hand baste it in place. Pin first. The zipper stopper should be about ¼” above the bottom of the slot end. Pin the zipper tapes together so they touch but don’t overlap.

One side first...

                       

Then the other.

 

With your zipper foot (or if there is room to work use your 'edge joining' foot) machine stitch along the very edge of the ‘placket’ to secure the zipper in place. You can start with the zipper open and as you approach the zipper pull, leave the needle in the fabric, lift the machine foot and close the zipper. Stitch to the end of the ‘placket’, leave the needle in the fabric, lift the foot, pivot, drop the foot and start up the second side. Stop at least half way up with the needle in the fabric, open the zipper and finish stitching the length of the placket. Remove basting stitches.

 

For extra security you can stitch the zipper to the placket ’facing’ by lifting the garment and stitching through only the zipper tape and the ‘facing’ if there is room. If you wish and the style of garment allows it you could alternatively top stitch either side of the zipper with a second row of stitching about ¼” away (if this second row of stitching will catch the zipper tape on the wrong side). You could do this with a decorative stitch if you so wish.

Hope this has been inspiring and that you give a slot zipper a try!
Till next time, keep stitching.....
 

 

Last minute ideas

Time is running so short and I went looking for the kids' Santa sacks yesterday to get them ready for Santa's visit on Christmas eve. These are filled with many memories of Christmases past.

When our son was born I made a traditional Christmas stocking but most of Santa's gifts wouldn't fit! So for the next Christmas I set about making a Santa Sack better suited to Santa's visit.
My sewing at the time had a disc that stitched out holly leaves. I stitched Santa Sack free hand onto a piece of the fabric and appliqued it with the holly stitch.
When our daughter came along, another Santa Sack had to be made.

A few years later I was writing for a craft magazine and created another version in Black Watch miniature fabric, French Val lace insertion appliqued for the letters, red buttons for holly berries and appliqued white padded holly leaves.

Lastly we became babysitters for our daughter's two cats one year while she was moving across the province. So the cats got Santa Sacks for Christmas too - for their Santa treats. I re purposed two velveteen bags and embroidered their names in red and green Pearle cotton using the Magic chain stitch.

Hope these are of some inspiration - they are so easy....
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!!
Till next time, keep stitching!

Christmas gift idea

Look at what I made for a fairly quick gift for my grown children.

All three of them love to cook. Our daughter is the baker and her husband the 'from scratch' king in the kitchen. My son is still practising but catching on fast and eager to always try new things.

I needed something for each of them as they will be sharing a kitchen for a while. So I went hunting for plain aprons and found then in 100% cotton in the very style I was hoping to find - at the Hudson's Bay Company store. There were even three perfect colours - what luck.

I knew what I wanted to write on two and brainstormed for a week to come up with the third saying with which I was happy.

Then I wrote each out on the computer. I played with fonts and sizes until I was happy. The final results were in "Celebrity" in a very large size. But of course you can choose any font that appeals and lends itself to embroidery - what ever type of embroidery you love to do.

I chose to work the script in the common chain stitch in #5 pearl cotton.  But if you have time, you could do shadow embroidery or split stitch or any number of stitches or techniques.

If you are not a hand embroidery person you can work the font free hand on your machine or if you have an embroidery machine just program your script as you want it and do a test of course before you tackle your aprons.

I used a light table and water soluble pen for the beige and red aprons. The black fabric was a challenge and I ended up using a white chalk pencil and writing the lettering out by hand. There are loads of other ways you could do a dark fabric.

I spent three relaxing evenings stitching love into each apron. Now I just hope they use them!

So next I am considering doing up some tea towels if I can fine nice plain woven linen or cotton for their kitchens - maybe next year as time is getting short already! Here are some ideas for you if you like this idea....

Coffee or Tea

Cream or Sugar

Oil or Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

and so on....

Have fun with this and do keep on stitching!
Judith

Where in the world.....

Where have I been? Well it's a long story but I hope I am back again. I know I am hard at work.

My mother-in-law had a heart attack back in July and I was gone the month of September to assist with closing down her apartment and getting her set up in a nursing/assisted living home. Since then it has been a bit of a catch up while tending to "business" and working on a new pattern.

Meet Buckleberry, my tribute to Little Baby Prince George, the new little son of Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton. This, my newest pattern, Buckleberry, will be available soon. But to whet your sewing appetites. Here is a quick view of the pattern cover.

This little bear, sitting about 8" tall or standing about 12", can be made in most any fabric for a child or just yourself. You can embellish him in most any needle art or leave him plain and let the fabric do the talking. I hope you will find this little fellow a charm to make and a charm to give!
 
I received a note from Kathy F with a photo of Summer Breeze which she finished after a class with me at SAGA. Great work Kathy!!
 

 
 
Kathy made Summer Breeze 'her own'.  She chose "Liberty cloth for the gown and changed the top insertion to one with butterflies! As soft as the fabric is, I decided to add the embroidery in Madeira silk thread with feather stitch and French Knots and fly stitch stems and leaves in the insertion at the bottom of the front panel." She says she is "delighted with my finished gown and can't wait to take it to Show and Share". What a treat to see someone take a pattern and 'run with it' so to speak.

And look at the photo Sr. Sarah J. sent. Her interpretation of  Little Snowdrift. Not sure if you can see it but she's added bead accents. Beautiful!

So hopefully I'm back to blogging and will continue to work on some additional zipper installations. There is so much to catch up on and Christmas is just around the corner!

TTFN, Judith