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ewing basics Basic equipment 1. Scissors and shears • Good shears – only to be used for dressmaking, preferably with side bent handles (keeps the blades flat against the cutting surface). • Small embroidery scissors to cut into seam allowances, clip and snip. • Pinking shears – ideal for quickly neatening cotton fabrics. 2. Good quality thread Buy named brands (Cheaper threads can break and split easily). Allow two reels per garment. Match colour as close to fabric as possible. If exact shade is not available, buy slightly darker colour as when unrolled from the reel it will appear lighter. 3. Haberdashery • Pins - preferably glass or plastic head so that they are easy to remove as you sew. Keep replacing them as pins blunt as easily as needles! • Marking pen/pencil – preferably a disappearing one or chalk pencil that will brush off. • Tape measure – avoid using the old one that has been kicking around for ages, it might have stretched! • Sewing machine needles - invest in a selection so they can be changed regularly (blunt needles are the cause of MANY stitch problems. See Trouble Shooting below). Have some universal needles in different sizes for woven fabrics, some ball point or stretch needles for knit and stretchy fabric, jeans needles for denim or other heavyweight fabric and a twin needle for decorative top stitching. Fabric choice To start with, choose a stable woven fabric such as cotton, gabardine or flannel. Fleece is also OK, although works better if you take a wider than usual seam allowance as the layers can ‘creep’ when you stitch (so they don’t end up the same length!). The good thing is you don’t have to neaten the seam allowances on fleece as it doesn’t fray. Avoid slippery fabrics and stretchy fabrics until you have experience with some of the easier fabrics. Pattern choice
• Measuring guidelines Wear underwear and take measurements, preferably with the help of partner or good friend.
ewing basics
ReplyDeleteBasic equipment
1. Scissors and shears
• Good shears – only to be used for dressmaking, preferably with side bent handles (keeps the blades flat against the cutting surface).
• Small embroidery scissors to cut into seam allowances, clip and snip.
• Pinking shears – ideal for quickly neatening cotton fabrics.
2. Good quality thread
Buy named brands (Cheaper threads can break and split easily).
Allow two reels per garment. Match colour as close to fabric as possible. If exact shade is not available, buy slightly darker colour as when unrolled from the reel it will appear lighter.
3. Haberdashery
• Pins - preferably glass or plastic head so that they are easy to remove as you sew. Keep replacing them as pins blunt as easily as needles!
• Marking pen/pencil – preferably a disappearing one or chalk pencil that will brush off.
• Tape measure – avoid using the old one that has been kicking around for ages, it might have stretched!
• Sewing machine needles - invest in a selection so they can be changed regularly (blunt needles are the cause of MANY stitch problems. See Trouble Shooting below). Have some universal
needles in different sizes for woven fabrics, some ball point or stretch needles for knit and stretchy fabric, jeans needles for denim
or other heavyweight fabric and a twin needle for decorative top stitching.
Fabric choice
To start with, choose a stable woven fabric such as cotton, gabardine
or flannel. Fleece is also OK, although works better if you take a wider than usual seam allowance as the layers can ‘creep’ when you stitch (so they don’t end up the same length!). The good thing is you don’t have to neaten the seam allowances on fleece as it doesn’t fray. Avoid slippery fabrics and stretchy fabrics until you have experience with
some of the easier fabrics.
Pattern choice
• Measuring guidelines
Wear underwear and take measurements, preferably with the help of partner or good friend.