August 2011

Fashion Sewing Club
August2011
Debbie Petersen

Quick and Easy Summer Dress
Pattern: McCalls 6074
This fun dress is made to pattern. It was an easy fit and easy sew project that Becky recommended!

Denim Stripe and Dot Jacket
Pattern: Burda 7640 or any other jean jacket pattern you like.
Fabric and Notions: Poplin, linen or denim amount to pattern. Check your stash for contrast at collar, band and cuffs. 7 snaps or buttons.

Pattern Changes:
1. Remove gathers at sleeve top.
2. Add length to sleeve.
3. Eliminate gathers on sleeve at cuff by tapering side seams. The width of the sleeves at the cuff should be the same as the cuff width.
4. Make a one piece pocket welt: cut off the sa on one short end of cuff pattern piece. Cut two welts, placing one short end on the fold.
5. Change collar to one-piece method.

Construction:
1. Jacket is made to pattern with a few exceptions:
2. Place contrast fabric on the inside band pieces and the inside of cuffs.
3. Stitch short end of pocket welt rst. Press sa open. Stitch one long edge of welt rst, placing stitched seam in center. Trim and press sa.
4. Complete jacket following pattern instructions.

Barb’s Snappy Tee
Pattern: Kwik Sew 2740 or your favorite tee- shirt pattern.
Fabric and Notions: Knit fabrics amount to pattern. A variety of sew on snaps in any color or size.
Pattern Changes:
1. Construct tee shirt as pattern instructs. I added a shirt tail hem and scoop neck – see templates.
2. Test your tee fabric with a scrap of fusible knit interfacing. Depending on your choice of knit fabric, it might be helpful to interface the area where you plan to sew on the snaps.
3. Put on a movie or some tunes and sew the snaps on randomly on one side of the top front of tee.

Shirt Tail Dress
Pattern: McCalls 6124, Sleeve view C, Dress view E
Fabric and Notions: Cotton and cotton blends, linen, lightweight denim or the like.
Buttons, ½ yd contrast fabric for band bias, under collar and neck band.
Pattern Changes:
1. The dress is short so you may want to add length.
2. Cut a shirt tail hem – wait to do this until you are satisfied with the length.
3. If using a shirt tail hem, straighten out side seams from hip to hem.
4. Cut bias strips 1 and ½ inches wide for bands and shirt tail hem.
Construction:
1. Follow pattern instructions steps 1 – 6.
2. For shirt tail hem; press bias strips ws. Pin cut edge of bias to rs of hem. Stitch or serge. Press strips to ws. Topstitch in place.
3. Continue with pattern directions for sleeve.
4. For bands; press bias strips ws. Pin cut edge of bias to rst of one long edge of each band. Baste ¼” from folded edge of bias strip. Press to ws of band so that 1/4:” of bias strips contrast is exposed on rs.
5. Pin rs of band (edge without bias trim) to ws of dress front. Stitch.
6. Turn lower edge of front band self facing to outside along fold line. Stitch across lower edge. Trim.
7. Turn self facing to rs. pin. Topstitch band to dress front.
8. Other changes you might consider: use the Nancy Zieman method for a wrapped collar. Also use contrast fabric for under collar and inside neck band.
9. Complete dress following pattern instructions.

Girl’s Two Skirts in One! –this is a fun and easy skirt that we are making in kids camp!
Fabric and Notions: Lightweight denim for top layer and fun cotton for bottom layer, one inch elastic for waist.
Directions:
1. Measure around the widest part of the hips and add 5 inches. This will be the width of fabric.
2. Measure the desired length of your skirt, adding 1” to denim and 4” to print.
3. Pin short end of skirts, rst. Stitch. Press sa open.
4. Pin one long edge of each skirt rst. The previous seam should be centered.
5. Stitch seam leaving a 1 inch opening at the top of cotton fabric for elastic insertion.
6. Hem the remaining edge of denim using a ½” double fold and the cotton a 1 and ½” double fold.
7. Turn denim to cotton skirt wst. Press upper edge of skirt pieces.
8. Mark one inch from pressed edge all away around skirt. Pin the two fabrics together. Stitch at one inch mark to form casing.
9. Measure waist and cut the elastic 1 inch shorter than measurement. Thread elastic through opening. Overlap elastic ends and sew securely.
10. Optional: embellish skirt with fabric crayons, embroidery, beads or ribbon.

Fashion Sewing Club
August 2011
Kristin

Curved Hem Tee

Pattern: Vogue 8582 (Marcy’s Hippie Tee)
Fabric: Transparent stripe tissue knit
Pattern Changes:
1. Trace front pattern piece so that both hip lines are “straight” and not the hippie side. Draw a curve from side seam just under bust to a point 1/3 of the way across bottom hem.
2. Add a curve in the hem where the new seam will meet.
3. Add seam allowance to the inside of the curve and cut out. Using another piece of tracing paper, cut out the smaller piece making sure you add seam allowance.
4. When cutting out the hip insert, cut with stripes on the diagonal so they’ll point toward center.
5. Hems are done as facings and will be cut later.
Construction:
1. Stitch hip insert to front and follow pattern directions with the following exceptions:
a. Neckband-Cut 2 ½” diagonal strip (assuming you are using a stripe). Fold in half and apply to neckline as directed using 1/4” seam allowance.
b. Sleeve hems-Cut 2 ½” diagonal strip, fold in half and apply to sleeve hem using a 5/8” seam allowance.
c. Bottom hem-Cut a 1 ½” bias strip BUT allow for the curve at the inset. Don’t cut it as a curve yet. Stitch the strip to bottom edge, right sides together, following shirttail curve when you get to it. This makes it easier-trust me. Turn facing to wrong side and topstitich at 1”. Trim excess.

Strip Tees

Pattern: KwikSew 3120
Fabric: Cotton knit with lycra
Pattern Changes: None
Construction:
1. Cut out one tee as directed, cut out another on the cross grain. (This assumes that the greatest amount of curl is on the cross grain.)
2. Lay the straight of grain pieces out on a table right sides up. Position the cross grain pieces on top-right sides up also.
3. Chalk a line down center of each piece. Stitching lines are 1 ½” apart. You may want to look at where the last strip at side seams will fall and adjust accordingly.
4. Stitch lines on pieces using a 3.0 or 3.5 stitch length.
5. Trim up the left sides and down the right at about 3/8”-see what you like.
6. Spritz with water and the strips will curl-throw in dryer. This makes it easy to sew the seams.
7. Construct tee as directed-neckband can be applied on the wrong side and turned to outside, topstitch allowing raw edge to roll up.
8. Hemming-cut off with rotary cutter-may need to back tack edges to keep from raveling.

Gathering Techniques Tee-Almost

Pattern: KwikSew 3593 View B
Fabric: Knit
No Pattern or Construction Changes

Gathering Technique:
Supplies:
1. Use a foot with grooves underneath such as a cording foot or satin stitch foot that will help the heavy thread stay in place.
2. Choose a stitch such as a couching stitch with this pattern:
3. Use a heavy duty thread-if it’s too thick it’s easier to get caught in needle.
Technique:
1. Cut heavy thread double the length of area to be gathered plus 10”.
2. Fold thread in half and place on top of fabric and under machine foot.
3. Hold the fold of thread around your finger behind the foot and position thread so needle will not hit it. It may be helpful to use a header piece and butt up to garment so that gathering stitches begin immediately and you don’t have any issues with the stitch starting out.
4. Stitch length of area to be gathered keeping thread out of the way of needle.
5. Pull up gathers as necessary.

McCall’s 6400-Assymetrical Tee

Made to pattern but made my normal adjustment for wider hips. Great, fast, funky tee.

Calendar

Kids’ Camp, Aug. 15 & 16, Make It Sew, 10-12 Beginners, 1-4 Beyond Beginners
Aug. 17 & 18, Hancock/Bernina/Southtown
Learn to Sew, Aug. 15 & 22, Hancock/Bernina/Southtown, 6:30-8:30 pm
Easy Alterations and Mending, Aug. 23, H/B/S, 2 pm OR 6:30 pm
Basic Sergery, Aug. 25, Hancock/Bernina/Southtown, 10-12 pm
Serger Skills-Cover and Chainstitch, Aug. 25, H/B/S, 1-3 OR 6:30-8:30 pm

September Club Dates:
Monday, Sept. 12, Make It Sew, Chanhassen, 1:30 and 6:30
Tuesday, Sept. 13, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul, 10:30 and 6:30
Thursday, Sept. 15, Hancock/Bernina/Southtown, 10:30 and 6:30

FASHION SEWING CLUB
August 2011
Laurel Ely

Garment Type: Knit Dress
Pattern Company & Number: Vogue 8731
Fabric: Rayon Jersey
Notions:
• Thread
• Interfacing

Pattern Changes and Cutting Directions:
• Lengthen skirt to just above the knees or at your personal best length
• Cut sleeves to cap length – Mine is 1.5” at underarm seam plus hem allowance. Round the sleeve hem slightly.

Construction Directions:
• Construct as per pattern.

Hint: This pattern calls for fabric that has some lycra. Mine does not have any, and so the dress is a tad smaller than I was expecting. Moral: It pays to follow the directions or at least read them before proceeding.

Garment Type: Shirtwaist Dress
Pattern Company & Number: Burda 7967
Fabric: Cotton Linen
Notions:
• Interfacing
• Buttons — Pattern calls for 15 small buttons; I used 7 ½” buttons

Pattern Changes and Cutting Directions: To pattern
Construction Directions: As per pattern

Comments: This pattern fits my figure-type very well, and the construction is very easy.

Garment Type: Dress with princess bodice
Pattern Company & Number: Butterick 5638
Fabric: Cotton/poly sharkskin
Notions:
• Thread
• Interfacing, optional

Pattern Changes and Cutting Directions:
• As with all of my princess-style dresses, I add 3/8” to all the vertical seam allowances, making them 1”. This is for fitting.
• On center back seam from the hem line to 7” above add another ½”. This will be for the kick pleat.
• Add a circular cap sleeve, if desired.
• Cut bias bindings for the inside of the sleeves or facings for the inside of the sleeve (preferred). I didn’t and wish I had.

Construction Directions:
• Sew shoulder seams at 5/8”
• Sew center back seam and sew in the zipper. I hand pick the zipper.
• Baste the kick pleat at 1.5”. Press open.
• Baste all the vertical seams and try on. Be sure the bust curve is in the proper place. There are lots of seams to adjust the fit, so each seam may need only a little addition/decrease.
• After fitting and sewing the seams, press the seams open. Topstitch the princess seams at ¼”.
• Follow the pattern from this point on.

Garment Type: Sun dress
Pattern Company & Number: None
Fabric: Linen with cotton
Notions:
• Thread

Cutting Directions:
• Pull dress around the upper chest so that it fits snuggly.
• Cut the upper fabric to that measurement and you can probably just tear the fabric below that for the skirt.
• Cut a contrast ruffle about 4.5” wide and 2.5 times the width.
• Gather the ruffle and attach to the bottom of the dress.
• Sew the side seam.
• Add straps if desired.

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