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Bren's Sewing Blog Archives
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Attaching a Flute to your GarmentReally, all fluted pattern pieces are handled in the same way. The only diffence between adding your own (on the fly) and using a pattern piece is that the pattern piece was specifically designed for that garment and there are notches to aid in alignment as well as the length is already correct so the flute will fit the space you are attaching it to. On the other hand, it seems like I am always winging it, and isn't that where the fun of sewing really comes in? BTW, the picture at the right is the Classic Skirt, with the Fluted Hem option. Click the image for details on the pattern. When you are adding a flute trim (on the fly), cut enough flute sections to finish out slightly longer that you really need for the seam you are attaching to. Then seam the flute sections together, finish the seams and press. If you are using a single layer flute, you will most likely need to plan some type of hem for the exposed edge. Traditionally you would do a very narrow rolled hem, using a hemmer foot for your sewing machine. Some fabric will cooperate and some will not. Period. TEST FIRST!! Use a scrap of the same fabric you are using and try to put the rolled hem in. If things go well, then you can happily move on. If things do not go well, you better start looking for alternative. You could add a narrow lace or other trim, you could decide to line the flute or you could decide to do a serger rolled hem for a more decorative effect. There is a separate blog on this in January 2010 To line a flute, cut and prepare the lining fabric exactly the same as the outer fabric (they may be the same fabric). Then stitch the front to the lining at the outer edge, trim the seam fairly close (serge if possible so it will not fray inside), understitch if possible and desired, press, yadda, yadda. Then baste the raw edges together. Use this machine basting as the stay-stitching to save time. Make sure you use a fairly small stitch (regular length, not basting length) and stitch slightly toward the edge from where your final seam will be. My seam allowances are 1/2", so I usually stay-stitch about 3/8". Clip to (not through) the staystitching to allow the edge to fan out and open up, thus allowing you to pin it in position on whatever seam you are adding the flute to. Assuming that you have the opportunity bring the flute into the garment from a seam and run the flute out a seam, just pin the prepared flute to one side of the seam, with the extra sticking out to be caught in the next seam, trimmed off, hemmed, whatever. If you are adding the flute at a hemline, I leave about 1"-2" extra, stitch the rest in the edge of the garment section, stopping about 1"-2" before I get to the point of beginning (thus leaving an open area that is close, but still leaves me some working room. Figure out where the 2 ends need to be seamed - stitch the seam - finish the seam. Then finish stitching the remaining area of the flute to the garment edge. This describes my 'Winging It' technique!
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August 24, 2010
Testing Out a Flute PatternHow wide a flute pattern is - How thick/thin the fabric - How soft the fabric - How straight/curved the seam you are adding the flute to - all sorts of things can effect how a flute will look on a garment. In the industry, every pattern is tested in the fabric before going into production. Yes . . . . this is another opportunity for me to get a plug in for making a test garment, or at least a test section of a garment. Here are 2 really quick tests of the 2:3 ratio 3" finished Flute that we discussed earlier. The fabric is cotton batik, but it will still give me a general idea of how any lightweight shirt/blouse weight fabric would behave with this particular width/curve of a flute pattern. The batik is a tiny bit crisp, but overall I'm happy with the amount of flute, so will use it on a garment. |
 Extended, like a ruffles on a skirt/cuff hem |
 Folded over, like on a rounded neckline or in a shoulder seam, falling over the shoulder |
August 18, 2010
I am going to be talking about flutes for a few blogs, so stay tuned as this series develops.
August 18, 2010
Making a Flute Pattern PieceI love femine touches to a garment, and ruffles are ok sometimes, but I'm really more of a flouce kind-of girl. Somehow a flute, flouce, whatever you want to call it, manages to combine tailoring and femininity all at the same time. Adding a flute to a garment is really quite simple. First, you make a pattern. In this case I wanted a 3" finished flute. I can easily trim off some with the serger if I want a narrower trim, or I can cut the outside line a little bigger if I want a wider finished flute. How much 'flute' you put in the pattern is entirely up to you, please use this as an example. First, I cut a bunch of pieces of paper 3" long by 1" wide. Then I taped one of them to a piece of paper, right out in the middle somewhere. Lay another piece of paper in position, so that one end just touches the first piece, then using a ruler, spin the piece of paper out so there is 1" open space at the other end. Tape in place. Continue this until you run out of paper, strips, or both! Then, place a piece of tracing paper over your artwork. Draw a smooth line along the inner curve. Then draw another smooth line along the outer curver. I use a curved architectural ruler but you can just eyeball it, it will be ok. Draw a line at each end where the edge of the piece of paper at each end is located. These lines are your seam lines. Now, using a ruler, carefully draw a line 1/2" (or whatever you wish your seam allowances to be) OUT from the seamlines. You now have a completed pattern for a 3" finished Flute. I wanted to be able to produce a pattern you could print out, so I planned my pattern piece to fit on an 8.5"x11" paper - otherwise, I would have just added more strips until I ran into the first strip and had to stop. However, because of this, you will need to print out 3 of this pattern. To piece the pattern pieces together, trim off the end of one of the pattern along the seamline. Place this pattern piece on top of one of the other pieces, line up the pieces so the curves are maintained and tape together. To add the 3rd piece, you will need to actually trim a bit along both curved edges, along the seamline and then slide the piece 'back' along the previous piece, maintaining the curves until the ends do not overlap. Tape in place. Click here for a pdf file of this 3" Flute Pattern. It will print on 8.5"x11" paper, but make sure and set your margins to .2 (or 0) in Adobe before you print the pattern. BTW - this is a 2:3 ratio flute - meaning that 2" on the inner seam is 3" on the outer seam. You can do an actual pattern piece (sleeve, bodice, skirt, collar, etc) the same way, just remember to draw in your seamlines first and work with the seamlines as you cut and flare out the pattern piece. |
 Laying out the Flute Pattern |
 Completed Tracing of Flute Pattern |
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 Pieced Pattern for Flute Ready to cut from Fabric |
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Another Classic White ShirtIs it possible to have too many white shirts? There I am, standing in my closet trying to put together another outfit for the Outfit of the Week Program, or working on a new pattern cover and I always seems to need a great shirt/blouse -- and it always seems to be something that is NOT in my closet!
I wanted to rephoto the cover of the Venetian Vest and needed a white shirt with some neck interest, but one that would still allow the collar of the vest to show in the photo. Everything I had was either a jewel neck or had a collar.
Great! The perfect excuse for another white shirt! This was really a fairly straight-forward project. The shirt is the Basic Long Sleeve Shirt, but without the collar. It does use the collar stand, just not the pointy part of the collar.
A nifty machine foot to own is a shirring foot. It is different from a gatherer in that the shirring foot actually gathers the fabric just as if you had put in pull threads and then pulled them, but it is MUCH quicker and the darned pull thread never breaks! If you have tried a shirring foot before and couldn't get it to quite cooperate, trying tightening the tension (a knob on the outside of your machine) - maybe a lot, depends on the fabric and your machine.
To make the ruffle, I decided how much I wanted to show (1", although 3/4" is really nice, too), then added a seam allowance (1/2") -- then doubled that because I like folded ruffles, that way I don't have to do an edge on the ruffle. I would say that you should use a fabric that comes out of the dryer fairly presentable, because while ruffles can be ironed, they are particularly time-consuming to iron, and I have decided that I have a LOT of things I would rather do than iron ruffles. On the other hand, ruffles are quick and easy to make and they add a lot of pizazz to a garment -- and they cost pennies.
In stead of making the Collar Stand and then putting it on the shirt, I changed the assembly order. I put one of the Collar Stands on the Body of the Shirt and I attached the other Collar Stand to the Front Facings. That way I could just sandwich the ruffle in between the body and the facings. Make sure you trim the seam allowances fairly close along the center front so that later - when you are stitching the buttonholes - there is no bulk to hinder the buttonholer working properly.
OK, on to the cool part! I had this vision of the ruffle running up into the Sleeve Vent. This did work out well, but I would strongly suggest a practice run before you do this on a real garment. I needed to slightly modify the cuff pattern to allow for the width of the ruffle and also to have a curved corner instead of the usual square corner. I removed 3/4" (ruffle was 1") and used my coffee cup to draw a nice curve at the lower corner. Voila, another pattern piece for future reference!
To start with, I cut the slit in the usual manner. I put one of the Cuffs on the Shirt before pinning the ruffle in place. When I cut the Binding Strip, I cut it a 1/4" wider (because I didn't know what I was going to run into when I actually got involved!) I pinned the prepared ruffle to both sides of the slit and then around the cuff. I trimmed the prepared ruffle a couple of inches longer than I needed at both ends, then smoothed out the ruffles about the last 1" before the point of the slit. I curved the ruffle around so it went out the side of the slit. Pin well! I basted the ruffle on so I could remove all the pins. Then I put the Sleeve Binding on technically the same manner as normal, but I had to bump the binding over 1/4" at the cuff junction, then out to the usual 1/4" at the very point (with the slit opening at 0) (the normal way). When you actually have this in your hand, you will realize that at the cuff point, you have to adjust a little bit for the ruffle, but you can easily make up the 1/4" by releasing one of the tucks in the sleeve - no problem! Anyway, the ruffles in the slit were the only brainteaser and I love the finished effect.
Click the image for a MUCH larger image so you can see the ruffles at the cuff and going up the sleeve vent.
Once you are on the next page, put your mouse over the image and click again.
August 9, 2010
I love piping. It's such a fabulous way to add 'spark' to any project - it's very inexpensive and the technique is easy to master on a fundamental level. On the other hand, if you've every tried to make piping from a thick or slippery fabric you may have encountered a few challenges.
Making Piping from Slippery Fabric
When working with slippery fabric (washed dupioni silk is pictured) the piping filler will want to pull - thus creating a gathered effect. It is important that the filler and casing remain smooth - not puckered. Place a pin through the fabric and the filler a little behind your presser foot - then stitch for 6-8” - then gently pull the fabric/filler smooth - move the pin closer - and repeat the process.
Remove the Filler for a Smoother Finish
When you are inserting piping in a seam that will be stitched over in a future step, you want to reduce the bulk created by the piping filler. Insert a pin about 3” back from the edge of the trimmed piping to hold the piping filler in position. Using your fingers or a pair of tweezers, grasp the piping filler and pull out about 1/2” (or the amount of seam allowance you will be stitching). Cut off the piping filler. Gently pull on the piping fabric and allow the filler to slip up inside the casing. Remove the pin and proceed with assembly. The beautiful dupioni silk piping is used in the single-fabric version of the Shanghai Shawl - while a cotton piping is used in the pieced version of the same pattern.
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