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| Print made by Farouche |
It was so great to see so many new faces in our BASICS class ready to learn to sew. I know there was SO much to cram into one class, so I apologize if you walked away feeling overloaded. My goal was to whet your thirst but have you leave eager to get started and armed with a good foundation for sewing.
Since me talking to you may have sounded like, "Take your fabric and blah blah blah grain blah blah blah bias blah blah stitch the seam." I decided that a BREAKDOWN of some KEY TERMS may be helpful for those of you who attended the BASICS class last night. {Just a quick reminder that we have a fairly comprehensive "Sewing Terms" page that you can click on right under the blog header. Great reference and reading material:-) }
SELVAGE: The edge of the fabric. This is where the company and fabric details are written.
WITH NAP - Refers to a fabric that has a texture or design that must run in one direction on the finished garment. Fabrics with a nap can look different depending on which way you hold them, though sometimes the difference might be a very subtle variation in color. Examples of “with nap” fabrics include velvet and corduroy, satin, knit fabrics and toile designs.
WITHOUT NAP - Refers to fabrics that do not have a particular one-way texture or design. If you are unsure whether your fabric has a nap, use the “with nap” layout.
GRAIN: Refers to the orientation of the yarns in woven fabric. Fabric Grain effects they way fabric will hang and drape. Also it is helpful for cutting out pattern pieces to know what is what.
- LENGTHWISE: refers to the threads in fabric which run the length of the fabric, parallel to the selvedge of the fabric.
- CROSSWISE: are the threads that run perpendicular to the selvedge of the fabric or the cut edge of the fabric as it comes off the bolt.
- BIAS: The thread line that is at a forty five degree angle to the lengthwise and crosswise grain of the fabric as it is on the bolt. The bias has stretch in woven fabric and will hang differently than a garment that has been cut on the straight or crosswise grain.
BASTE: a loose and easy stitch that is used to join two or more pieces of fabric together, usually for convenience until a permanent seam is sewn. Also used when making a ruffle. Usually you remove the basting stitch.
RIGHT SIDE OF FABRIC: is the face side, the side that shows on a garment.
WRONG SIDE OF FABRIC: is the inside.
If the two sides are identical, just choose one, your garment won't come out wrong if you choose inaccurately. Additionally, if you prefer the aesthetics of one side to another, use that one for your right side. There is no rule that says you have to use the manufacturer's right side. The important thing is that you are consistent in using the chosen sides as right and wrong!
RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER: the sides of the fabric that you want visible in your finished product are the "right sides", .so when you sew something that you will be turning inside out you want to put the "right sides" facing each other so they will be on the outside when you flip the garment.
INTERFACING: a material that helps stabilize certain areas of a garment - neckline, placket, front (like a blouse or jacket) or under buttonholes. Interfacing helps the garment keep it's shape and comes in different weights as well as iron-on or sew in.
SOME GOOD BEGINNER'S PROJECTS
For those of you brand new to our group, try some of the projects that we have already done. You can browse through our past posts for classes, supplies, at home projects, and even video tutorials by using the "Labels" section in the left hand column of the blog. Most of these posts do not give you specific instructions on how to complete the entire project (since that's what we did in class), but it may give you an idea of where to begin.
Here is a list of our sewing projects:
ENVELOPE PILLOW
PILLOWCASE
REVERSIBLE SHOULDER BAG
APRON
PAJAMA PANTS
SCARVES
CHRISTMAS STOCKING
EMBELLISHED TEES
SOME GREAT SEWING TUTORIAL SITES FOR BEGINNERS
There is so much out there on blogs for sewing!!! So fun, but sometimes overwhelming. Here are a few of my favorite sewing sites with some great easy tutorials. A bunch more are listed in the left hand column of the blog.
MAKE IT AND LOVE IT (the tutorials for the embellished tees are on here. she has one for the envelope pillow. she calls it a pillow slip cover. i want to try the basket liner! )
RUFFLES AND STUFF (one of my favorites, so addicting:-) try the 20 minute skirt, its one of our "At Home Projects" or the lady-like little girl skirt)
LITTLE BLUE BOO (all sorts of techniques, including appliques. the lettered beanbag tutorial looks darling. she used it to help her little girl with spelling
CRAFTINESS IS NOT OPTIONAL (i want to try the ironing board cover. wow, does mine need it)
LUVINTHEMOMMYHOOD (she has a great "newbie" sewing series)
CRAFT GOSSIP (posts tutorials from tons of sites. added daily. crazy amount of stuff)
Please feel free to ask me any questions and we'd love suggestions on what you'd like to learn. If you see a tutorial out there that you'd like to do in class, please let me know!!!
HAPPY SEWING!!!
