facing/interfacing

You could consider doing French seams:

that would probably be pretty bulky in that fabric. Another possibility is making flat-felled seams: you have a serger, use could use wooly nylon in both the upper and lower loopers, setting to a short stitch length to enclose the raw edges in a nice soft finish. Beverly

seams:

> But that would probably be pretty bulky in that fabric.> Another possibility is making flat-felledseams:> If you have a serger, use could use wooly nylon in both the> upper and lower loopers, setting to a short stitch length to> enclose the raw edges in a nice soft finish.>

Thanks for your reply. Can I also use bias tape to finish the neckline and arm holes? I find bias tape an easier way to ensure even stitching.

I don't have a serger. I can't justify the cost of getting a serger (or rotary cutter for that matter) because I'm not much of a sewer yet.

Thanks.

If you have sufficient fabric to cut bias strips, sure. I would not apply commercial poly-cotton bias tape, though.

Give yourself time. And, no one starts out with all the tools, you collect them as you can afford (or *need*) them. ;-)

Beverly

seams:

>>> But that would probably be pretty bulky in that fabric.>> Another possibility is making flat-felled >> seams:>>> If you have a serger, use could use wooly nylon in both the>> upper and lower loopers, setting to a short stitch length to>> enclose the raw edges in a nice soft finish.>>

mmm ... what do they call the store here .. TSWLTH ? Joanns. I bought my rotery cutter set w/ a 50% off coupon. Was $40, bought for $20. Just an idea to cut the costs down a bit. I found it to be a huge time saver.

I won't even go into how much my husband paid for my Gingher set for my birthday. While I love the scissors ... I could have killed him for overspending.

seams:

> >> But that would probably be pretty bulky in that fabric.> >> Another possibility is making flat-felled> >> seams:> >> If you have a serger, use could use wooly nylon in both the> >> upper and lower loopers, setting to a short stitch length to> >> enclose the raw edges in a nice soft finish.>

What model cutter did you buy? Thanks for the tip.

seams:

>>> >> But that would probably be pretty bulky in that fabric.>> >> Another possibility is making flat-felled>> >> seams:>>> >> If you have a serger, use could use wooly nylon in both the>> >> upper and lower loopers, setting to a short stitch length to>> >> enclose the raw edges in a nice soft finish.>>

I bought this one:

'm sure that I paid $20, but it could have been $25.

of these are easy.With the Hong Kong finish you can use just about any lightweight knit or cotton as the binding.With the second, still don't know what finishing technique is called, a lightweight cotton, like a batiste, works especially for a childs dress that will be grown out of quickly. In the instructions she states to only use it on vertical seams. I don't know why it couldn't work on most others. It would seem that if it was used on all seams that you could let this out at least once. The thought just occured that letting it out would only apply to simple styles. I've never had to think of it this way so I'm not sure of all the stumbling blocks which would prevent doing this. I'm sure someone else on the newsgroup will be able to fill in the details. There are people here with a ton more experience than I have.

Hope this helps, AK in PA

I learned the hard way that you don't want to use self-bias on a heavy fabric. I bought two yards of black china silk just to make bias tape from -- and found lots of other uses for it. I often wear a three-cornered scarf like a Boy Scout's neckerchief or a triangular bandage, so I cut one of those off first.

Having been sewing for fifty years, I cut my cotton tapes from scraps; you'll probably have to buy a yard of thin fabric. I have unbleached-muslin bias tape in my stash, but you can't count on finding a fine-enough grade of muslin. Lawn, broadcloth, and "handkerchief" linen make good tape. (Many stores call their thinnest linen "handkerchief linen" even though it isn't thin enough to make handkerchiefs.)

Wash the fabric, straighten the ends, mark bias lines all over it maybe six inches apart, then mark and cut only what you need for the current job -- the next job may call for tape that's wider or narrower. But you have to mark it ahead of time, because once you've cut the fabric, it becomes hard to find the true bias.

A time-saving trick: cut a strip twice as wide as is wanted, fold it in half, iron, cut along the crease.

Joy Beeson

Stash injection! ;-)

Beverly

> for her, and of course, I have to order *something* > additional to take advantage of the low-first-time-shipping, > so I ordered enough of:>

> to make a light jacket for me.>

OK, that's seriously yummy. Thank you for supporting the economy. ;-)

Only too happy to do my part. ;-) DD is not sure what she wants with the purple dragonfly brocade, she wants to actually feel the fabric before she decides. I ordered enough that she can have a robe, or a dress, or a jacket....

I can hardly wait to get my hands on that embroidered fleece.

Beverly

You'll have to report on it. If it's nice, those are really good prices. I sort of like that fleece myself....

I'll let you know as soon as it arrives. At that price, even if it's not super high quality, not much ventured....

Beverly

Sorry I read this too late. The fabrics are beautiful. Prettier than the picture if it's possible. But, they fray like crazy. The pieces and threads are everywhere. Drove me crazy. I had to re-sew arm holes because the fabric kept coming out of the seam. Is there any miracle product that stops fraying? I still have to sew two more items with this fabric.

Thanks.

Clean finish the edges with either a 3 step zigzag or serged edge before sewing.

I have always cut out my woven fabrics using pinking shears. Here is a picture of a pattern piece still on the fabric after cutting:

will see on this link, one of the bodice piece for my DD's wedding gown: piece had been *cut out* using pinking shears, and handled quite a lot as I basted the lace to it.Even after sewing, slashing curves, and pressing, the pinked edges of the satin have not frayed at all: the "pinks" add about 1/8" to the edges of each piece, I sew +/-3/4" seams, I've been doing it this way for *many* years.

The other alternatives would be to zig-zag each piece, using a 3-step zig-zag, or serge each piece, *before* doing any sewing.

I'm looking forward to the brocade!

Beverly

> Beverly

I've had my pinking shears (Wiss) for 50 years, I'm sure, and find them really hard to use anymore. Why is it that Arthur goes for the hands first? Especially the thumbs? But we sure relied on them in the days before zigzag stitches and sergers.

My first pair of good pinking shears are the 11" Wiss (Professional Model AA Newark, N.J. U.S.A.) my mother gave me when I graduated from high school. Still have them, they are beautiful things, but I cannot use them any longer for the same reason, my thumbs cannot take it. Plus, I will never let anyone *touch* them for sharpening.

However, I got a pair of 8" pinking shears, "Marks 409B Brazil" several years ago, and they are still my workhorse shears for cutting out fabric. I like that they have the full 1/8" notch, keeps all the ravelly wovens in line. A..ten...HUT! ;-)

Beverly

Ooohhhh, good tip. Come to think of it, I have two Singer pinkers. One that goes on the sewing machine, the other that clamps to a table. Though I don't know that I'm up for either one of them at the moment.

On a slightly other topic, I'm in a discussion with someone about dresses we both have made from that fine Indian cotton fabric. Very light weight, but washes like a handkerchief, and feels so good in the hot weather. The store where she found her ready-made dress is gone, and mine came from VCS for a hefty price. Does anyone sell that lovely cotton by the yard in the U.S.?