LET'S SEW Archives - Page 2 of 7

Let’s Sew Along – Skirt – Tutorial 2 – Cutting Out

July 9, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Let’s Sew Along – Skirt – Tutorial 2 – Cutting Out

Good morning! Today we will be using the pattern to cut the pieces of the skirt from our fabric. You will notice on page 1, a Cutting Diagram, where it is recommended that you fold your fabric in half, selvedge to selvedge. I am going to demonstrate a different method and explain why I am changing it.

Here I have followed the instructions and my selvedges are together. You will notice the excess fabric where I am pointing.

You will have 2 pieces left over, the same size. When you have been sewing for a while, you learn how to use your fabric wisely. I should say here that I only have 1 metre of my fabric.

In this photo, I am only folding the selvedge across far enough to fit my pattern – so on one piece I will have no scraps and the other ‘left over’ piece will now be as large as it can be and it will be in one piece.

You will notice that my fabric is Non- Directional too. This means that I can turn my pattern pieces as long as I keep them on the grain. (the grain runs parallel to the selvedges and across as a perpendicular from one selvedge to the other)

So I will cut my 2 skirt pieces from this width.

You may follow the directions given but try to follow what I am doing as an alternative!

I am now going to turn my waistband so that it will fit along the ‘scrap’ piece.

Mmm I will need to join a piece so that I have enough so I’ll do that first. These are the two halves that I need to join.

I can see the same flower here

and here

So by careful placement of my pattern, allowing a seam allowance, I will join through that flower:

There you go – not perfect but I think it will pass inspection!

I will cut the back waistband from this piece.

The pattern also asks for a 4” width to add to the top of the skirt. I didn’t have 4” widths left and I couldn’t see any real reason for the band, so I decided to make a facing instead. I did this by using the top of the waist band pattern. (If I had read it properly in the first place, I would have just added that 1″ to the top of the pattern before I cut the waistband pieces)

I cut the same shape along the top of the pattern (which is on the fold) and down the side to the width of the scrap and then continued that width around the bottom of the facing.

That is all the pieces cut out – time to make a skirt!!!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Wotza? Wednesday – What’s a Directional Fabric?

July 3, 2013 by Nanny 8 Comments

Today’s Wotza comes from Karlie who asks:

“Nanny, I am a newbie to sewing and was wondering if you could tell me:

What’s a directional fabric?”

Thanks Karlie – that is a great question and an important one for you to clear up before you get started.

The terms Directional and Non-directional usually refer to the design or print on the fabric (or the picture) – is it all going in the same direction? If the answer is Yes, then it is a Directional fabric and this determines how we need to place our patterns.

Let’s take a look at some fabrics from my stash!

In this fabric, the trees are all standing up the same way – it is a Directional Fabric.

Robert Kaufman: City Centre

If we turned it upside down

Robert Kaufman: City Centre

Well it just looks wrong – and upside down!!

In this one, the butterflies are flying in all directions and if you look carefully, you will see the same butterfly, flying in different directions .

Michael Miller: Beau Papillon

We could turn this fabric upside down and it doesn’t look a whole lot different! We can look from either side and it’s still the same. It is Non-Directional. We can place a pattern in any direction (as long as it is on the grain)

Michael Miller: Beau Papillon

Stripes are another example:

In this stripe, you will notice that even when I turn it upside down, that the sequence of the stripes remains the same. I could place my patterns facing either way as long as it was on grain and it would be OK,

Babushka

Babushka

whereas this stripe does not. This one is Directional and would need the patterns all facing the same way.

Why is this important?

You need to consider the Direction when you are choosing your fabric for a project and placing your patterns. For example, you need to cut all the pattern pieces with the trees standing upright and
with the stripes going around a skirt, you want the stripes to match at the side seams.

Another place that you will meet this is when you are making a bag whether it be a simple library bag or a more detailed bag for yourself. If the fabric is Directional, you will need to make a seam along the bottom so that you can have the fabric going up on both sides! If, on the other hand, you choose a non- directional fabric for this you can use a long strip that goes down one side and up the other without looking “wrong”.

When you buy a pattern, you will usually find a mention in the Fabric Requirements section that tells you that you may need extra fabric if it is Directional.

I hope that has answered your question Karlie, and that it helps you from making a very simple ‘mistake’ when you are using Directional prints. Thanks for asking!

Remember, if you want to ask Nanny a Wotza question, you can send an email to me at Nannynotes2u@gmail.com

Until next time
Nanny xx

You may be aware of the changes about to occur in the blogging world but if not, you don’t need to worry because thanks to a wonderful tutorial provided by Alyce at Blossom Hearts Quilts, Nanny is all over it’!!!

You are now able to follow Nannynotes2u on Bloglovin!

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WOTZA? Wednesday – What’s a Button Spacer?

June 26, 2013 by Nanny 12 Comments

The Wotza question that I have chosen for this week came from Sharon. Thanks Sharon!

Sharon asks: “Nanny what’s a button spacer?”

To answer this question, I am going to talk about sewing buttons on.

Some buttons have a shank – that’s the little stem at the back with the hole in it. We sew through the holes and the shank holds the button away from the garment so that when you do the button up, there is room for the buttonhole side to sit nicely under the button.

Other buttons are flat – that is, they do not have a shank but have the holes in the button.

To answer Sharon’s question: a Button Spacer is used when sewing a flat button. to create a ‘shank’.

I will demonstrate by sewing a flat button onto a garment.

1. Take a length of thread (about an arms length) and fold it in half so that you have the two ends together

2. Thread the needle with both ends of the thread, push it through the fabric where you want the button and pull through to the loop at the other end.

3. Bring the needle back up beside the loop

4. Put the needle through the loop

5. Pull the thread to tighten

This will give you a neat back with no knots to come undone!

This is where we meet the Button Spacer!!

When I was taught to sew a button on, every home had a supply of matches because the households used wood fires for cooking and heating. So my first button spacer was a match! I’ve noticed that todays’ matches are smaller too! In the years since, I have used a wooden skewer, a large darning needle or whatever else I could grab quickly!

So take whatever you have selected as a spacer and follow along. I will use part of a wooden skewer because it is larger for photos.

When I was taught, you did it this way. Place your spacer beside the thread and stitch over the spacer a couple of times

Then add your button and continue with the button sitting on top of the spacer.

6. Nanny does it this way: I could never see the sense of trying to hold a flat button on a rounded spacer……… so sit the spacer on top of the button!!

7. Sew over the spacer as you sew the button on

8. When you are satisfied that you have sewn enough, bring the needle to the button side but come up under the button not through the hole.

9. Remove the spacer

10. You will be able to see the loose threads formed by the spacer under the button now

11. Holding the button away from the garment, wind the thread around the loose thread formed by spacer about 12 times

– you will see that we have now made a ‘shank’!

12. Take a small stitch under the button

13. Pass the needle through the loop to fasten – I do this twice

14. Take needle through to the back

15. Snip thread and admire your button sewn on using a spacer!

Thank you Sharon – that was another great WOTZA!!

Don’t forget, if you have a WOTZA question you can email it to me at nannynotes2u@gmail.com

Until next time
Nanny xx

‘Lily’ and ‘William’

June 9, 2013 by Nanny 4 Comments

Earlier this year, I designed my ‘Lily Doll’ in support of The Sewing Library Dolly Drive for 2013.
I am so excited that ‘Lily’ has been featured on Threading My Way this week. Threading My Way is a very popular Australian blog, hosted by Pam, that has an amazing collection of crafting ideas and projects so, if you haven’t checked it out, make a cuppa and head on over!
As a result of being featured on Threading My Way, I was contacted by Kristy from Hopeful Threads
Kristy hosted a very special project earlier this year called ‘Fluff For Foster Care’ and has decided to make this an ongoing commitment through The Fluff Project. Kristy thought that ‘Lily’ would be a lovely addition to the patterns that are offered and I am thrilled to make the pattern available.

I was concerned, however, about sending ‘Lily’ off across the world on her own, so today I would like to introduce ‘William’ – a little playmate for ‘Lily’!

‘William’ is made following the same instructions as for making ‘Lily’ with the following changes:

Pattern – you can get here

Fabric – cut two pieces 6.5″ x 4.5″ for the shirt

cut two pieces 6.25″ x 4.5″ for the pants

I hope that you enjoy making ‘Lily’ and ‘William’ and in so doing, bring joy and comfort to little children all over the world. Just that thought makes my heart sing!!

Until next time!

Nanny xx

Let’s Sew – Simple Seam Finishes

March 15, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

When we start constructing items, we have options re the seam finish we use. I will outline a few:

Do you need an overlocker? No, you can enjoy creating without an overlocker but it is definitely something to add to your wish list.

1. Check your pattern to see what the seam allowance is.
2. Adjust your machine to suit: Measure from the needle out to the required distance Do a trial row of stitching and decide how best you can sew to that measurement. You can do this by shifting the needle, putting tape or rubber band around the machine on mark, using your foot edge, measuring with guide etc
3. Sew seam
4. Press as you have stitched – this sets the seam. Press means just that – press down on the iron but do not move it backwards and forwards as in ironing.
5. Select your finish:

1. Use Pinking Shears

2. Turn the edge under and stitch

3. Select your zigzag stitch, adjust the stitch width and attach the zigzag foot

4. Select the overcast stitch if you have one and connect your overedge foot

NB Check your manual for settings – you dont want the needle hitting the wires on the foot! The bottom half of the photo shows this stitch used to finish a seam that you don’t want to open flat.

5. Use your overlocker/serger

I will demonstrate others as we come to them in our sewing!

Until next time

Nanny xx

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