New here~~~~

Not really. With that much excess, you could probably create cuffs if that's a look you like. Or just mark them where you want them to fall, add a hem allowance, cut off the extra, clean finish the cut edge, and re-hem. I hope you aren't considering fabric glue or Stitch Witchery...

HTH,

Beverly

Darn, you're no fun.... (laughter)

me

Before you cut anything, pin them up and try them on. Then measure from the fold to cut.

There is something new: removable markers to draw the cutting line with.

Joy Beeson

I now feel more confident with my project. No Stitch-Witchery or glue: I've never used those products when sewing & sure won't now. (-: Sincere thanks, Misty

Good for you! ;-)

Good luck,

Beverly

Actually, there is a new product out for washable fabrics that might be of use to you in hemming, or in other situations where you need temporary basting. It's called "Wonder Tape" from Collins, and the package looks like this:

It's 1/4" wide, water-soluble, double-stick tape for basting. Tear off a strip and place it on something you need to baste. Peel off the paper and stick the zipper or other side of the hem or whatever down. Now you can sew something tricky without pinning it, and the first time you wash, the tape dissolves. Full price for a 10 yard roll is about $3.50; I see it in most fabric stores, including the chains.

Kay

Nice catch, as usual, Kay. I recently bought a roll of Wonder Tape, just haven't used it yet. But I *know* it will be fabulous when I do need it...

Beverly

I use it most often for thick, stretchy stuff that needs to be sewn to something non-stretchy... say, zippers in PolarTec. Has saved a lot of blue atmosphere at times. The strangest use I'd ever put it to was for a friend's little girl's Barbie dress... she wanted a *really full* skirt, so I cartridge-pleated a chiffon overlay for the existing dress, stuck it on with Wondertape to keep it from moving, and then sewed the skirt on by hand.

Did I ever mention I hate Barbie clothes?

Kay

"blue atmosphere" I'll have to remember that!

I much prefer sewing for 18" dolls. And *real* babies.

Beverly

Barbie clothes... Many people hate to work on them...

I think that the real problem is the scale of them, and those 1/4 (or even 1/8) inch seam allowances.. I do make them (from leftover bits of fashion fabrics) when I have extra time, and sell them thru a local shop, and I always donate a few to the local church bazzar.. I usually only make vintage patterns, as current things can be easily store bought.

I don't mind making them other than they can be very fiddly to work on, and always, always use a narrow foot.

me

When I made Barbie clothes way back in ought sixty, I traced the patterns onto a sheet of typing paper with an iron-on transfer pencil. Made it a lot easier to cut them out, and all the marks were already on, including stitching lines.

This is good only for opaque fabrics, of course, -- iron-on pencil doesn't wash out except when you'd rather it didn't.

Joy Beeson