Saturday, March 3, 2012

Tricks of the Trade #1


Tip #1    The Skirt Slit 

Each week in our blog we'll be bringing you a tip for making your sewing look more professional, for better-fitting garments, pattern alterations, and sewing with specialty fabrics.  Is there something you've struggled with?  Send me an email and I'll try to post a tutorial to solve your problem. 
Today's tip is for the perfect, non-bulky skirt slit (also works with a kick-pleat)

What’s the proper way to finish a slit or kick-pleat?  Do you turn up the hem first?  The facing first?  What looks best?  Do the edges get bulky?  Have you ever had a skirt slit rip up the seam of your skirt?  Then read on…

The Retro dress (described in yesterday's post) features a couture finish for a slit or kick-pleat in a skirt. 
 Miter the corners; it creates less bulk for the edges.  When mitering corners, the iron is your best friend.  For a perfect miter, follow these instructions – they work even when the facing width and hem width are different.

Step 1: Press facing toward inside.  Press hem up at proper width. (It doesn’t have to equal the width of the facing, but it looks pretty when they’re the same.) Mark both the hem and the facing where they meet. (See figure 1)
 Figure 1

Step 2: Open out both facing and hem.  With right sides together, fold the hem and facing, bringing the marks together.  Stitch from this mark to the pressed corner. (See figure 2)


figure 2

Step 3: Trim the seam,  trimming at a 45 degree angle toward the corner.  Press seam open and turn to outside.  Press. Repeat with the other side of the slit, making sure that slit lengths are the same. (See figure 3 and 4)



figure 3 and 4

Step 4: To keep a slit from ripping further up the seam, first reinforce the slit when you stitch, using a piece of seam tape, seams great,  or organza. (See figure 5)

figure 5

Step 5:  Sew the eye portion of a hook and eye to the inside of the garment facing at the top of the slit.  It will never tear! (See figure 6) Note: I usually use the bar portion of a dress hook/eye closure, but a skirt eye-bar closure works as well and is shown in the picture.
figure 6


Happy Sewing!
Rebecca

Friday, March 2, 2012

Our First Blog Post


March 2, 2012

I am thrilled to be posting our very first entry on our shop’s blog!  We’re excited to be bringing you shop news, sewing tips, pics and videos, and all kinds of sewing  news.  

I was helping a customer measure a pattern this past week, and she mentioned that there was always someone in the shop who knew how to fix any problem she was having  – she’s probably right.  If you add together our years of sewing experience, it adds up to over 200!  (I promise we’re really not that old.)  It got me to thinking; we’re like the Geek Squad of Sewing  (no offense, Best Buy; we’re not geeks – just very knowledgeable).  We all have our specialties, whether it’s evening and bridal wear, tailoring, embroidery, or home sewing.  I thought the blog would be a great way to share some of our experience, keep you informed, and bring you weekly tricks of the trade.

This week, we’re sharing a dress that we’re doing in one of our sewing classes in March – the Retro Dress. This is a two-day class, Friday March 30 and April 6. Please click on class schedule from our website  www.houseoffabricsnc.com for more information. This dress features inverted pleats, a fitted bodice, and a self-covered belt and buckle.  (Yes! There really is an easy way to do a belt and buckle.)  There’s even a separate pleated cummerbund or overskirt to turn it from day dress to dinner dress.  We’ve made it using Amy Butler’s Lark print in Aqua, and we have it ordered in black and white as well. This is a great dress to make from a wide variety of fabrics.

It’s a charming way to kick-off spring!
Keep sewing!
Rebecca