Clothing Engineer

Sportswear jackets and blazers made out stretch wovens have been out
for a few years now, especially in the designer lines like Ralph
Lauren. I love the idea. The only thing I never understood is how the
lining for these garments worked - did they have a special stretch
fabric they used for the lining? Did they just make the lining out of
the normal fabrics, but a little larger than usual? Did they even have
a lining?

According to the August 2007 issue of Threads, the secret to lining jackets made out of a stretch woven fabric is to cut the lining pieces on the bias.  They recommend using Ambiance Bemberg,
which is what I always use for linings now. It anti-static and 100%
rayon, so it breathes as well. I usually order my Ambiance Bemberg
lining from Fabric.com
- they are reliable and seem to keep a good selection of colors in stock.

I’m glad I found this tip. An upcoming project is a blazer
that will be made out of a 100% cotton twill with a little bit of
spandex in it. (Found it on the clearance rack at Joann’s at one of
their 50% off sales - I think it was only $1/yard!) I was going to try
some of the stretch linings from Sawyer Brook,
but was hesitating because of the very limited colors, and the fact
that most are made out of polyester. Why spend the money on buying a
beautiful 100% wool fabric for a suit jacket if you are just going to
ruin the breathability by lining it with cheap polyester?

According to Threads,
using one of these stretch lining fabrics may not work anyway because
of the difference in the amount of stretch between the fashion fabric
and lining fabric.

Burda Style

Burda
launched a website that has free patterns, as well sewing tips and user
submitted finished project photos. There aren’t very many patterns
yet…and many of them are a bit avant garde. If you are looking for
fun pieces to experiment with, you’ll probably love this site. They
aren’t the usual lame styles that are so common among free patterns.

You
can print them out with no problem on your inkjet or laser printer.
But, you’ll need to spend a bit of time arranging the printouts to form
the pattern sheet. If you don’t want to bother with this, there’s also
a version available that you can take to the print shop. But hey,
they’re free and have that accurate German drafting and European style
that Burda is so famous for. The instructions also look more in-depth
and have illustrations, unlike the Burda World of Fashion patterns.

I am particularly interested in Talea 9301, a long coat pattern.
I absolutely love long coats like that. They’re warmer, and look more
sophisticated than jackets that end at the hip. I’m not so sure about
it only being a 12 hour project though…

Last week when it came to hemming my knit tank top, I realized that
I only had one spool of thread in the color I was using. I like the
professional look of a double needle, so I didn’t want to resort to
using a zig-zag stitch.

It suddenly occurred to me to wind a
second bobbin and use that instead of another spool of thread for the
second needle. It worked like a charm, and I can’t believe I didn’t
think of this before.

When I first started sewing, I fortunately had access to a wide
range of notions at home (thanks to my mother) but wanted to purchase
my own.  The problem is knowing where to start! 

While
at the sewing store it can be overwhelming seeing the amount of tools
available, and clever marketing makes it hard to judge how useful they
really are.  I’ve included an estimate of cost as well as places
where they can be purchased.  I didn’t include machine needles,
fabric, thread, etc because those can change depending on what you are
making. 

These are the sewing tools I use for almost every project: 

1.  Sewing machine with a zig-zag stitch. Don’t
scrimp and get a straight-stitch only machine.  While a straight
stitch is perfectly fine for most beginner level patterns using woven
fabrics, knits require zig-zag stitch in order to remain stretchy at
the seams.  As an added advantage, the zig-zag stitch can be used
to finish the seams on fray-prone fabrics such as linen and
denim.  Sewing machines are not considered notions, but
nonetheless it is the important tool to have when making your own
clothing. 

Cost: Less than $100 to over $2000. 

Where to buy: I
strongly suggest going to a local sewing machine dealer, especially if
you are purchasing a more expensive machine.  Dealers can usually
service any model they sell in-house, and most provide free training to
help you get started using the machine.  Also, if you are short on
cash, there will usually be a few used models available. 

2.  Magnetic pincushion and pins.  Using
a magnetic pincushion is a matter of safety as well as
convenience.  While they are not as attractive as the traditional
tomato pincushion, they make up for it by holding more pins more
securely.  Usually magnetic pincushions come with some pins
included.  For pins, I recommend getting a combination of silk
pins and quilting pins as well as the traditional tailoring pins. 
Silk pins are thinner and sharper than tailoring pins, and are useful
when working with silks and other delicate fabrics.  Quilting pins
are longer and feature a ball head, which makes them very easy to
grab. 

Cost: Less than $10. 

Where to buy: Your local sewing/quilting store or Joann Fabrics. 

3.  Pattern weights. Pattern
weights are extremely useful for anchoring pattern pieces when doing
layout and cutting.  Some people use them in place of pins,
especially for hard-to-sew fabrics such silk charmeuse. They are also
great to have when doing pattern layout with the window open on a
breezy day!  You have the choice of purchasing commercial pattern
weights, or making your own.  The main advantage to using
commercial pattern weights is that they usually have little feet to
keep them from sliding.  Some even come in kits However, they can
be expensive.  To make your own pattern weights, go to your local
hardware store and search for large, heavy metal washers.  Get
about 4 or 5 per each pattern weight you want.  When you get home,
use masking tape to bind washers together. 

Cost: A few dollars, if you make your own. 

Where to buy: Local hardware store (to make your own); local sewing/quiliting shops, JoAnn Fabrics

4.  Creative Grids® Non-slip ruler. This
is my favorite layout ruler.  It is made out of clear plastic,
with the measurement lines and grids printed in both white and black
for maximum visibility on all fabric colors. I use the 6.5″x24.5″ size,
which is long enough to accurately measure from the selvage to
grainline on most layout pattern pieces, while at the same time being
small enough to easily handle.  What sets this ruler apart is the
non-slip dots.  When you put this ruler down on your fabric, it
will not slide, thus allow you to adjust pattern pieces until they are
perfectly aligned to the grainline.  This is a quality ruler that
will last you many years. 

Cost: $20 to $25 (6.5″x24.5″ size)

Where to buy: Local independent quilting and sewing stores.  Go to http://www.creativegridsusa.com/wheretobuy.asp to locate a store in your area. 

5. Tailor’s chalk.
What’s great about tailor’s chalk is that if you make a marking
mistake, you can just brush it off with your finger or a damp
cloth.  There’s less worries using tailor’s chalk than a fabric
marker, since it never bleeds into the fabric.  Tailor’s chalk
usually comes in white and blue so it can be seen on all fabric
colors. 

Cost: About $4

Where to buy: Just about any sewing or quilting store. 

6. Dressmaker’s carbon.
You’ll need this when you want to transfer buttonholes, darts, and
other markings from the pattern pieces.  Dressmaker’s carbon
usually comes in a little pack of multiple colors.  If you have
one, use a tracing wheel to transfer the markings.  Otherwise, a
coin will work in a pinch. The markings will come out in the first
washing.  Sometimes it is also listed under “tracing paper”. 
Dressmaker’s carbon is reusable, which means a pack of it will last a
long time.  I’ve been using the same pack for over a year
now. 

Cost: About $4/pack. 

Where to buy: Clotilde, Local JoAnn Fabrics store. 

7. Sewing scissors.
These scissors look like most “normal” scissors. Mine are made
completely out of metal, and are small enough to handle thread cutting,
seam clipping, and most normal sewing tasks.  Keep them inside a
pouch to make sure they don’t get damaged between projects. 
Usually the blades range from 4″ to 5″.  Get whatever size you
feel most comfortable with.  There should be no problems keeping
your scissors sharp when used strictly for sewing purposes.  Just
make sure they are never used to cut metal. 

Cost: $4 for a basic pair to $32 for a pair of Ginghers. 

Where to buy: Any sewing store. 

8.  Spring-loaded dressmaker’s shears. Dressmaker’s
shears have a special bend that helps keep the blade parallel to the
table when cutting. These scissors will save your hands when it comes
to cutting.  The spring inside the handles helps with blade
motion.  Get the longest blade length possible. 

Cost: $15 to $30.  This is where those 50% off any one item coupons at JoAnn’s come in handy. 

Where to buy: JoAnn Fabrics, Nancy’s Notions. 

9.  Sewing needles.
Most garment sewing projects, especially those out of woven fabrics,
require some amount of hand-sewing.  Buttons, hems, and shoulder
pads are some of the areas in garment construction that require
hand-sewing.  In some instances, hand-sewing accomplishes tasks
that would be impossible to accomplish on the machine. 
Hand-basted stitches are usually easier to remove than machine-basted
stitches. 

Cost: Very inexpensive.  A pack of 20 is usually less than $2.  One needle will last through several projects. 

Where to buy: JoAnn Fabrics or your local sewing/quilting shop. 

10. Pressing ham.
Pressing is one of the most important parts of sewing.  This tool
allows you to shape your seams and darts so they form into a gentle
curve, instead of a flattened surface. 

Cost: Less than $15

Where to buy: JoAnn Fabrics, Clotilde, Nancy’s Notions.