Quick Tip - Temporary Storage for Patterns/Cut Pattern Pieces

This is one of those things that I just do without giving much thought. Then yesterday I had an "aha" moment that maybe it's worth sharing!

This tip works like a charm to help you keep pattern pieces and cut pieces of fabric together in one place during construction. It's especially useful if you're putting a project on hold for a short while, and you want to keep all the pieces together in one place. Rather than folding your pattern pieces up and storing them (and cut fabric) in an envelope, I use a skirt hanger (the kind with clips) to hold the cut pattern pieces and fabric. It's kind of like the pattern hanging technique used in workrooms, but you don't need any specialized tools. I simply clip the fabric and/or pattern pieces to the hanger and hang them on a door or clothes rod. This keeps the pattern pieces together (I put the small ones in ziplock bags), and it keeps them from getting lost or wrinkled. It's really helpful when you are working with large items like gowns, or if you cut out multiple patterns at one time before sewing. You can find these hangers at 2nd hand stores. You can also ask salespeople at clothing stores if they have any extras. They are usually happy to give you some.

This method is not recommended for velvet or crushable fabrics, and it's not really suitable for bias-cut fabric pieces, but other than that, it works like a charm.

Quick Tip - Masking Tape to Mark Notches

I've tried all manner of marking notches and dots and other pattern markings. When working with knits and many wovens, I'll either use tailor tacks or little snips in the seam allowances to mark things. But those aren't always useful when working with sweater knits, certain coating fabrics or fleece. I've tried using WhiteOut in the seam allowances. But the WhiteOut gets gunked up easily with fibres, and it dries out quickly once the fibres get in the bottle. Plus, you can't use it on the body of the fabric. So instead, I found a great solution. Cut small notches out of masking tape and use those to mark the fabric. You can use the masking tape in the seamlines, and you can also use it in the body of the garment. It's precise, it stays, and it comes off easily. You can also use painter's tape, which is even easier to remove. I have also tried PostIt notes, but I found that they come off too easily. So I stick with (ha ha - get it?) masking tape.

Seamline Notches

 

One other thing - when marking the point of a dart I cut a little arrow shaped piece of tape and have the tip of the arrow point at the end of the dart, as you can see here:

Dart Legs and Point

I sew the dart with the point of the dart coming right up to the point of the arrow, so I know exactly where to stop.

Sewn Dart

Remove the tape (it tears easily away from your thread if you sew through it) and you're done.

Happy sewing!

Quick Tip - Fold Over Elastic for Binding Raw Edges

Here's one that is very useful for summer sewing. When making certain garments, like camisoles, I use fold-over elastic to bind the raw edges. This gives a bulk-free finish that looks very RTW. To do this, remove the seam allowance from the edge to be bound. Then, fold the elastic over the trimmed edge and stitch using a narrow zigzag stitch (I use 1mm width on my Pfaff). Don't pull the elastic as you sew. You want a 1:1 ratio of length of elastic to garment edge length. If you are making a camisole, or other spaghetti-strapped piece, you can then extend the fold-over elastic to create the straps. Here's a (not so great, sorry) picture of a camisole I made using this technique.

Happy sewing, and Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans!

Tip: Cleaning Sewing Rulers

I can't claim credit for this one. Phyllis taught it to me, and it's so brilliant I have to share it. If you're like me and use your rulers for marking, drafting, and tracing, you'll find after a while you'll have all sorts of residual gunk on the edges. I always used window cleaner, but they never came completely clean. Well, instead of that, just use plain old rubbing alcohol. I soak a scrap of muslin with it (you can use cotton balls, but muslin won't leave any lint). Rub it over the edge and it will remove pencil, pen, Sharpie ink, and anything else, leaving you with a clean ruler. Having ruined light colored fabric because I got ruler gunk on it, I've taken this one to heart. Thank you Phyllis!

Quick Tip - Right Side of Knits

While I'm finishing the bustier - if all goes as planned (hah!) I'll get it done later this week or weekend - here's a little tip for folks who may be new to working with knits. It's also a reminder to those of us like me who have those "doh" moments when we start sewing before the first cup of coffee kicks in (yes, voice of experience speaking here).

Knit fabrics have a right side (or "face") and a wrong side. Even those that look like they don't, like solid rayon jerseys before I put my glasses on in the morning. To find the right side of your fabric, simply give a good tug at the top along the crosswise grain. The fabric will roll towards the right side. It's an easy and quick way to make sure your knits look the way you want them.

Happy sewing!

Tip - Strengthening Spaghetti Straps

Here's an oldie but goodie. It's particularly useful now that we are into the prom/cotillion/bridal sewing season.

When making a spaghetti-strapped dress out of heavy (or even mid-weight) material, I reinforce the straps by drawing drapery cord through the finished strap tubes. The cording is 1/16" wide, so it adds strength without adding bulk. It also prevents the strap from stretching, which can be a problem if it's cut on the bias or cut from a loosely woven or elasticized material. And it eases my mind about whether there will be any 'embarrassing moments' while wearing!

Happy sewing!

Positing a Hypothesis about Stretch

Regarding my Last Post about Stretch Fabrics... Okay, so, why does it work? Think about the process of manufacturing fabrics. Yarns are woven together in various ways - warp/weft, twill, etc. Into these weaves are introduced Lycra yarns. During the process of weaving, the fabric is under a fair-to-large amount of pressure (think of being stretched along a rack, with needles pulling you horizontally and pulleys yanking you in the length). The fabric is stretched before, and as, it is rolled along the bolt. It can relax somewhat once it's on the bolt and in storage, but it is still under pressure from the weight of itself as it sits on the bolt. So by unrolling it and letting it sit for 24 hours, the Lycra fibers are allowed to pull back to their original length, like a rubber band that has been stretched and recovers. Yes, it will still stretch with body heat. That's one of stretch fabric's selling points. But it won't stretch as much. So it is definitely worth doing when you are prepping your fabric. Letting it sit and then folding it up won't cause any additional stretching.

I know, someone is going to say, "well, isn't that what prewashing is for?" Nope. Let it sit first, then "prewash". It's what RTW manufacturers do. No, actually, they don't prewash. They get "prewashed" fabrics from their suppliers and let them sit for 24 hours before they cut.

Does that make sense?

Where Has the Time Gone? Update and a Tip for Stretch Fabrics

Man, it's been busy, and the Holy Week Marathon is just starting! Yesterday I sang the second reading at the Palm Sunday service, then I had to boot out of there to catch a train. I'm a baaaaad Catholic. But it was for a good cause. Sewing Hope's event was last night. I'll post pictures and do a post about it later, but I wanted to show one picture.
Me and my Brother by Another Mother. It was a great time, and it raised a lot for Sewing Hope. Like I say, stay tuned and I'll post all about it.

Now for a great tip, courtesy of Emmett. How many people have noticed that when you sew a garment from stretch fabric, that after wearing it for a few hours, it "grows"? C'mon, raise your hands. Mine's up in the air. Yep, it's that pesky "Damn this Lycra" love/hate thing.

It's a well-known problem and there's an easy cure. Let your fabric breathe on the cutting table for at least 8 hours and preferably 24 before laying out your pattern and cutting. Do that and, ta daa! Your jeans' "growth" will be stunted. I mentioned this to my old cut/sew guy, and he agreed. "We get asked to let stretch fabrics lay on the table overnight before we start cutting. It keeps them from stretching out too much with body heat."

Talk about an Aha moment! So try it next time you work with a stretch fabric. Lay it out (preferably in a single layer) for 24 hours before cutting. You'll find it makes a world of difference in the wearing. I'm looking forward to not having to cinch a belt around my stretch denims halfway through the day.

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - McCall 5590 Skirt

Pattern Description: From the McCalls website - "Pencil skirt has high waist, darts, back slit and zipper; skirt A is above knee and has pockets; skirt B is mid-knee length and has buttoned tabs; skirt C is 7" below mid-knee and has carriers for a purchased belt." I made View A

Sizing: 4-20

Fabric Used: Dark wash denim that has been in my stash for a couple of years.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11, invisible zipper, fusible tricot interfacing, Rigilene boning.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes

How were the instructions? Here's the funny story. I was working on this yesterday at the office, but I had to leave before I got very far on it. I packed up all my stuff except the instructions. Actually, I packed up the instructions - in Spanish, which I don't read. So this morning, this was the view out my sewing room window at home:

8 inches of new snow at 8:30 this morning, and it didn't stop snowing until late this afternoon. Needless to say, I was not about to take the Mustang out in that. So long story short, I didn't use the instructions.

Construction Notes: I sewed all seams on the straight stitch machine, and finished all the seams on the serger. I know most of you already know this, but for some of the newbies in the crowd, here's how I do my seam finishing. I serge the seam allowances on each side of the seam, then I press the SAs open. As I am pressing, I clip the seams at the curves so they lay flat. The serging won't unravel so you can clip where necessary. In the photo below you can see the seam on the left is the side seam before pressing open and clipping. The seam on the right is post press/clip


I really liked BeeBee's suggestion to put boning in the waistband, so I did. I stitched Rigilene into the side seams. I debated about putting it at the darts but decided against it. I simply centered a short piece of rigilene over the wrong side of the seam and stitched. Cut your boning so it doesn't extend inside the waistline seam, or else it will be a disaster.

Oh - I suppose I should make it clear that I sewed the Rigilene to the side seams of the facings.


Any changes? No design changes, just the construction changes I noted above.

Likes/Dislikes: I really like the lines of this skirt. It's high-waisted, but not really high waisted. I did run into one problem, having nothing to do with the pattern itself (for those, see my last post) - I had prewashed my denim, but it is such a dark wash that it still bled on my fingers. I washed my hands hourly to get the dye off, and I left a big blue ring in the sink every time I did. This will definitely be a "wash with similar colors" skirt. I have to remind DH not to throw it in with light colors (men, ya know?).

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes to both. This is a very cute skirt. I'm looking forward to wearing it with a turtleneck now and with a tee shirt in the spring!

Conclusion: A great, basic skirt that is perfect for casual as well as dressier fabrics. It's very easy for beginners. A winner! Here's a picture of the finished skirt:



I want to make a comment about the Stupid Pattern Conventions post. Some folks wondered why I found this to be a problem. I'll tell you. Look at it from a beginner's perspective. I teach sewing classes and I teach a lot of beginners. Think of how it must seem that a pattern company can't be bothered to put markings where they are logical. It's hard enough to keep interest in sewing up, without having mistakes and, well, stupid pattern conventions on top of it all. The conversation in class goes like this:

"Do I put the marks at the dots?"
"Well, put them there, but also put them here and there so you know where to sew the lines of the dart."
"Why don't the pattern companies put them there in the first place?"
"..."

Yes, it's a minor nit. Yes, if you have been sewing for a while you know how to work around it. But if you aren't experienced, it's not logical, and it is yet another little frustration that you should not have to deal with. The pattern companies could fix it with minimal effort. If you ask me, it's laziness on their part. And I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. I won't name any names, but I know many nationally renowned sewing teachers who feel the same.

Okay, I'm off the soapbox now.
Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - Burda 3477 Dress

Pattern Description: From the Burda website, "Close-fitting dress in two lengths, with generous neckline. The section seams narrow slightly towards the hem which has small hem slits, either at the end of the section seams or in the back centre seam." I made View B, the longer of the two versions.

Sizing: 36 to 46. I made a Size 40

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes, though the photo I took doesn't show the details (black dresses, don't you know)

How were the instructions? I didn't use them. This is a pretty straightforward princess seam dress. If you have made one in the past, this will go together very quickly.

Fabric Used: Italian Modal Doubleknit from Gorgeous Fabrics. I also used a new interfacing, Pro Sheer Interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply. I can't say enough good things about this interfacing. It's my new fave-rave. If you don't have some, get it! NAYY, but this is great stuff.

Construction Notes: I didn't line the dress.  Because of this, I finished all seam allowances with my serger:


I used facings (from the pattern for the neckline, self-drafted for the armholes) to finish the edges. Because the original pattern has the neckline facings attached to, and therefore held in place by, the lining, I needed to tack the neckline facings to the dress.
You could get around this by topstitching the neckline about 5/8" from the edge, but I didn't like that look. Besides, this keeps them in place more neatly.

I used an invisible zipper on my dress. Here are a couple of construction tips for you when inserting invisible zippers. First, fuse a length of lightweight interfacing (see above) cut the length of the zipper opening by 5/8" to both seam allowances for your zipper. I place the interfacing so that it extends into the garment about 1/8" beyond the seamline. Since it's lightweight, that won't affect your garment, but it will stabilize the zipper and give you a smooth finish.

Next, I use a contrast thread and baste right at the seam on each side of the center back:
This takes all the guesswork out of placement of the zipper, so I get a perfect application. Just lay the teeth of the zipper right along the basting. I then hand baste the zipper in place using a long running stitch. Stitch the zipper in place with an invisible zipper foot, remove all basting (and don't whine to me about the amount of basting - it's worth it) and ta daa! A perfect invisible zip. No muss, no fuss, no ripping and resewing.

For the best tutorial on invisible zips, check out Els' Post at The Sewing Divas.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a classic LBD, which I desperately needed. I only had a cotton piqué one, which was coming up on 10 years old and showing every bit of it. This pattern is extremely well drafted. It's a princess line, so it's easy to fit. It's classic, it is comfortable, and it's an all-around great dress!

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes!

Conclusion: Get it. Make it. Wear it. Love it!

Here's a picture on Shelley. Note that she is a RTW 6 Wolf dress form. I'm not. It fits me much better. It also sits lower on the neckline (but not too low) than what you see here. I'll try to get DH to take a picture of me in it this weekend. I'll also try to get it taken in better light and play with the contrast so you can see more detail.

Happy sewing!

Sewing Tip - Make the Lining First

Here's an oldie-but-goodie (I first published it in 2002) that I was reminded of today when working on my coat. When working with a pattern that calls for a lining, I construct the lining first, especially if the lining is made from the same pattern pieces as the garment itself. This is useful for a number of reasons. First, when I am making up a pattern, once I get through the fashion fabric, the lining becomes *really boring*, and I am tempted to cut corners. By making the lining first, I avoid the feeling of "lining fatigue". Second, and most importantly, by making the lining before setting shears or rotary cutter to fabric, I can check my fit, and use the lining as a faux muslin. This is not meant to replace a muslin, but it allows you to tweak fit and do some fine tuning before working on the outer garment fabric. You can then transfer any adjustments with a minimum of hassle.

I did this with the lining of my coat, and it really does make it less of a chore to make the lining.
Happy sewing!

Sewing with Cashmere

I'm working on Vogue 8548, and while progress is slower than I want (life gets in the way, sigh), I can share some tips with you. I'm making the coat out of some cashmere that has been in my stash for several years. It's from the same mill as Our Cashmere Coating in Black.

When working with cashmere (this is 100% cashmere, without any wool in it), you need to treat it very carefully. It sews up like a dream, but it is really easy to press it to death. Cashmere will have a tendency to leave impressions at the seamline, and it shines very easily. But with a bit of care, a light touch, and a lot of steam, it yields beautiful results.

Use a Press Cloth
When pressing cashmere, make sure you use a press cloth. I prefer silk organza. I use a dry iron, and I mist the press cloth lightly with water before applying the iron.

When pressing, use very little pressure on your fabric. Treat cashmere like a napped fabric. Don't press down hard or you'll leave iron and/or seam impressions.

Point Press Seam Allowances
Point pressing simply means that you use only the point of your iron to press an area. This is also sometimes called "couture pressing". The reason to do this is to keep from leaving indentations.

I don't know if it's very clear from this picture, but the iron is angled slightly so only the point of the iron actually touches the fabric/press cloth. Use lots of steam to set your pressing.

Clip Like it was Coupons
The main design feature of this coat is a gracefully curved neckline that stands away from the body. To make sure that your neckline stands the way you want, clip copiously along the curve before pressing the seam open.


Understitch the Lining
The lining in the sleeves and skirt of this coat comes right to the edge. There is no facing. The view that I am making is topstitched, but to make sure that the lining stays in place, I recommend that you understitch the lining close to the hem before topstitching in place. This will ensure you don't have any "peep out" of your lining at the hems or edges of your coat. Here you can see the topstitching on the outside of the sleeves and the understitching as well as the topstitching on the inside.



There's lots more to be done to finish the coat, and I'll post as I go. In the meantime, I'm tired, so I'm off to sleep. Good night and happy sewing!

The Best Leather Cleaner Out There

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth lately - sorry to disappoint those who hoped I had ;) I've just been massively busy. That's a good thing, but it does make it difficult to keep the blog updated on a regular basis. Lots of interesting stuff is happening. Stay tuned for that...

No, as I say, I've just been busier than a one-armed paper hanger. The HP skirt muslin is done, and I'll review it tomorrow. Check your emails for the latest and greatest newsletter and sale at Gorgeous Fabrics. And check out this little tip. I've not only been busy, but I made a stealth trip to New York. While there, I went to Leather, Suede, Skins, my favorite leather vendor. I used to buy from them when I was making handbags, and I still love them for leather for personal bags. The next iteration of the HP Homage Tote is sitting waiting for the leather for the back. And of course, I had to buy a couple of other amazing skins while I was there, right?


Anyway, on to the subject at hand. While at Leather, Suede, Skins, I picked out two lambskin hides. One of them was pretty dusty, but Alla, the owner, said, "Here, let me show you a trick." She pulled out a can of Lemon Pledge and a rag, sprayed the leather and wiped it. Wow! What a difference! The leather looked fantastic. And according to Alla, it's just as good for lubricating the leather as any of the more expensive leather treatment products out there. It's also great if you have a leather bag that has gotten dusty sitting in your closet. So don't bother with the $12 Coach leather cleaner. A spray can of Pledge will work as well for a lot less money.

Happy Sewing!

Tip: Safe Disposal of Rotary Cutter Blades

I lurve my rotary cutters. I use them for almost every project. But I do worry about disposal of the used blades. They are still wicked sharp (as we say in Boston), after all. I used to wrap them in lots of masking tape (think of being wrapped up like a rotary mummy). Then one day I had an "aha" moment. Rather than disposing of each blade as it is used, I save my old plastic cases in which the blades are packed. With a Sharpie marker, I write "Used" in large, friendly letters on the front, and I keep used blades in that. Once it's filled up, I tape it shut and put it in the recycling bin.

Hope this helps, and Happy Sewing!

Easy Ways to Ruin a Great Project

A friend of mine and I were talking over the weekend. She's also a sewer. She lives in another state and we don't get to chat very often. We were talking about our sewing projects and some we had seen online recently. At one point she said in an exasperated tone, "It drives me crazy when I see people make good garments with great fabrics, but ruin the whole thing by using cheap interfacing!"

I had to agree with her. And I got thinking. There are some really easy ways to ruin a great project. And you know what? I've committed pretty much each one. So here, for your reading pleasure, is my list. Learn from my mistakes

Ann's Foolproof Ways to Totally Screw Up an Otherwise Great Sewing Project

• Buttons: Buy the cheapest ones you can find whenever you find them on sale, and stash them in a button box. Say to yourself, "Oh, these will look okay, and no one notices buttons anyway." Pull them out 4 years later when you're too lazy to go to the store, slap them on. Use ones that are too small. Who needs modesty anyway! Or use ones that are too large. It's a "statement".
  
• Pocket Size and Placement: You know your bum is small, firm and tight, right? So who cares about the size of your rear pockets. You don't have to look at them. Slap some on there that are the size of your head. And put them at the outer sides. They won't make your 37 inch hips look about 10 inches wider!
  
• Interfacing: Pick up the pre-wrapped crap. After all, no one's going to see it. It's on the inside, right? (Ed. note: my favorite interfacing comes from Sew Exciting Fashion Sewing Supply. NAYY, just a very happy customer)
  
• Trims: Where to find the best, largest selection of trims in most chain fabric stores? Why, the home dec department, of course! Indulge in your passion for rayon passementerie. Even better, trim an outfit with it! True story. I once sat next to a lady who was wearing the most gorgeous jacket. It was trimmed with the exact same trim as the couch on which we were seated. And I remember a Chanel style jacket that I made back in the 80s. It was made from a gorgeous green raw silk. I trimmed it with a (to me) über fabulous rayon trim. I was da bomb. Then one day I caught sight of myself in the mirror and I realized it was just so wrong! The jacket went to Goodwill the next week. You'll amazed at how cheap trims (and I don't mean the website) can destroy the look of a garment
  
• Pressing: Press a garment while you're sewing? Why? Just wait until it's done, then iron the whole thing! I think I've said enough on this subject.
  
• Checking your lengths: Don't worry about matching the lengths of CF button bands or collar stands. No one ever looks at those, right? This is a cardinal sin in my book. Having had several blouses whose button placket extends below the buttonhole placket, I can honestly say that, had I taken the (max) five minutes during construction to check the lengths, the results would have been much better.
• Fabric recommendations? Pfeh, I don't need them! So what if this pattern recommends a velvet or soft faille? I think it will look smashing in a duchesse satin.
• Read the directions: Hah! I'm an "advanced" sewer. I don't need no stinkin' directions! Oh. This pattern calls for 1/4 inch SAs. Oops.

I'm sure that with a little more thought I can come up with lots of other great examples of ways to spectacularly screw up a project. Trust me, I've done every single one.

Happy sewing!

Sewing Tip - Use Scotchguard to Tame Glittery Fabrics

First off, let me say that I have no association with 3M. I found out about this when I worked at a friend's retail boutique. She sold high end dresses, some of which were made with fabrics that had glitter on them. You know the kind - the glitter isn't woven in but printed on the fabric. It has a tendency to shed. The alterations specialist there, a lovely lady named Teresa, showed me this. It really worked!

If you sew with a fabric that has glitter on it, you might find yourself with glitter glitter everywhere in your sewing room, on your clothes and on your skin. To tame this beast, spray your fabric with Scotchgard. It won't completely stop the shedding, but it will reduce it significantly. Always spray in a well-ventilated area (I do it on my back deck), and test on a swatch of fabric first. You can re-spray later if your glittery fabric starts molting again. I used it when I made this Yoga Bag:

It worked beautifully.

Happy sewing!

Sewing Tip: Get More Mileage from your Fabric

Part of what I love about my new company is the interaction I have with customers. Yesterday I got chatting with Lillie. She ordered the last of one of my fabrics, and when we rolled it off the bolt, it turned out we came out 1/2 yard short. Ouch! I hate when that happens. So I called her to let her know, and we got talking about what she was going to use it for. I checked the pattern and she had enough even with the shortage, so she was fine. But I then started talking with her about layouts, because we all hate to come up short on fabric when we're cutting out a great garment, right?

Well here's a little secret that not too many people talk about. You can get away with less yardage than the pattern companies recommend. Sometimes a lot less. How? Simple. Use a single layer layout. By that, I mean, open your fabric out with the right side facing up, and cut each pattern piece twice, flipping the pattern piece over so you get the right/left sides.

Now, don't go looking at me like I just sprouted horns. There are lots of good reasons to do this. First, you might not have as much fabric as the pattern envelope recommends. One example stands out in my mind. I wrote an article for Threads magazine called, "Pressing Matters". I needed to make two versions of the same blouse for emphasis. One would be left unpressed during construction (the "Sad Blouse") while I would press the other blouse at all stages of construction (the "Happy Blouse"). I called Kashi to get a brocade, which can look either fabulous or hideous depending on your technique. He had a perfect one, BUT, he only had 3 yards. The pattern envelope called for 2 1/8 yards of fabric for one blouse. So I was coming up short by 1 1/4 yards. Well, damn the torpedos, right? I laid the pattern pieces out using a single layer layout, and I was just able to eke two blouses out of 3 yards of fabric! I did have to get a little creative and leave off the cuffs, but other than that, it was the same top, and it turned out great for my needs!

Another reason to do a single layer layout is to match patterns across seamlines. It gives you much more control, while saving you fabric. Couture garments are all cut one piece at a time.

So don't be afraid to do a single layer and buy slightly less fabric. It takes some practice, but once you've done it a few times, you'll find you can estimate yardage pretty accurately.

Happy Sewing!

Sewing Tip: Easy Gathers

I'm compiling the tips I've put on other sites here for ease of searching. This is one that I use all the time, especially in home dec applications. My students just love it:

When gathering fabric, rather than using the "double row of long stitches" approach that most patterns and books recommend, I sew over dental floss ( preferably unwaxed) with a very wide zigzag stitch, making sure to center the floss between the stitches. I set the width of the zigzag to 5.5-6 mm and the stitch length to 2.5-3 mm. Once the dental floss is in place, it's a snap to gather very quickly, and it is very easy to control the fullness of the gathers. I use this technique all the time for home-dec, but it is equally useful for fashion sewing, especially if you are attatching ruffles. I also find that it saves wear and tear on the fabric, because you don't have to manipulate the gathers with as much force.

Makes me kick myself for buying that Pfaff ruffler!

Sewing Tip: Applique Foot for Precision Sewing

I do quite a lot of work that requires precision sewing. My straight sewing foot has been useful, but I still have difficulty seeing the exact position of the needle on the fabric. Then one day I had an AHA! moment: use an open-toe applique foot. With this foot, which is available for many machines, you can see the exact placement of your needle on your fabric. I have one for Pfaff machine; I used to have one for my Viking, and they are available for Kenmores, Berninas and Brothers, and probably others as well. You can see exactly where your needle is going to be on the fabric. It makes sewing tricky areas much easier.

HTH!

Sewing Tip: Masking Tape for Marking Fabrics

I've published tips at some other sites, but I thought it might be nice to have them here, too. Search by category "Tips" to find them. This one is very handy for working with fuzzy fabrics:

I've always been a big fan of using WhiteOut to mark notches and pattern markings onto Polar Fleece. But the WhiteOut gets gunked up easily with fibres, and it dries out quickly once the fibres get in the bottle. So when cutting a sweater knit earlier today, I had an Aha! moment. Cut small notches out of masking tape and use those to mark the knit. I keep the notches small enough that they don't cross the seamline. It's precise, it stays, and it comes off easily. You can also use painter's tape, which is even easier to remove.

Hope this helps. Happy sewing!