Patterns

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Create your own iron on lace



Have a gorgeous iron-on lace ready at hand is always welcome in my studio, it is an easy to apply option for a beautiful finish to compliment almost any garment.

Unfortunately iron-laces are not always easily found in stores, so here is a quick tutorial on how to make your own.

You will need:
A heavy woven fabric, preferably synthetic or an embroidered fabric. (You can pick one with a pre-existing design or a plain fabric and create your own design).
Fabric chalk
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Small fabric cutting scissors
A candle and something to light it with


·         On the fabric of your choice, trace out the design with your fabric chalk on the wrong side of the fabric. A thick woven fabric is ideal as when using thin fabrics, the glue from the glue gun can give it a “blotchy” affect. Thicker fabrics are more resilient to hot glue and during the ironing on process.


·         With your hot glue gun, on the wrong side of the fabric, between the lines of your traced design, add a thin layer of hot glue.




·         Once the glue has cooled, carefully cut out your design.


·         Light your candle and lightly singe the edges of your ribbon (being careful not to burn it) to give it a finished off look (another reason why using a synthetic fabric is preferred for this process, as the edges will melt nicely)


·         Your iron on ribbon is now ready for you to add to any garment or accessory of your choosing. The hot glue melts quite easily and quickly during the ironing process, so a use a “cool” to “warm” setting on your iron. Always practice a section of fabric first to make sure you have the temperature right before applying to the completed garment.




Happy Sewing!

Monday, September 7, 2015

Add a waistband to your Rockabilly Style dress


Our Easy as Pie dress is incredibly cute on its own, but you are always welcome to give it a little extra something to have your friends and family complementing you on your sewing brilliance and stylish fashion sense.


Before and After

So to add a waistband to your Easy As Pie RockabillyStyle dress follow these few easy steps.

What you will need:
1.    The front and back bodice pattern pieces from your Easy as Pie Rockabilly dress sewing pattern (available in my online store, click on the button to the right of the page to buy yours now).
2.    25cm / 10” width of fabric of your choosing.
3.    25cm / 10” width of iron on interfacing
4.    25cm / 10” width of pattern tissue
5.    One to four buttons. The quantity of buttons you end up using will depend on how broad your waistband is and how big the buttons you choose are.
6.    Your completed Easy as Pie dress, in the size of your choosing.





Step 1: Place your pattern tracing paper over your back bodice pattern piece and trace the outline of the bottom of the pattern. 1.5cm / 5/8” above the bottom seam measure the desired width of your waistband. (I have gone for a 5cm / 2” width. Measure a further 1.5cm / 5/8” above this line for your seam allowance.

At the centre back seam add an additional 1.5cm 0r 5/8” to allow for an overlap for the button(s) and buttonhole(s)
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Step 2: Do the same as above for your front bodice piece (except for the additional 1.5cm or 5/8”), only remember to exclude the dart from your waist band. Do this my measuring your waistband up the dart, then moving your pattern piece to continue after the dart again.




Make circles on the section where the dart would have been. You will be transferring these markings to your fabric to help you line up your waistband on your dress.


Step 3: Out of your waistband fabric cut four pieces of fabric for the back waistband pattern pieces. For the front waistband pattern piece, cut out two pieces of fabric on the fold.


Step 4:  Add iron on interfacing to the wrong side of two pieces of the back waistband section, and one piece of the front waistband section.


Step 5: Sew together the side seams of your waistband pieces and press open.


Step 6: Attach the waistband pieces together. Sew along the top and bottom seams and only one centre pack seam. Clip corners.


With the second centre back seam, measure 1.5cm / 5/8”, roll seam inwards and press into place. Loose tack to keep in place as you turn the waistband right way around.


Step 7: Turn waistband right way around and press. Stitch along the edge to finish off and to close the opening in the centre back seam.

Step 8: Make your buttonhole(s) and attach your button(s).


Step 9: With needle and thread catch your waistband onto your completed dress at the side seams and front darts.


Style tip: instead of stitching your waistband to your dress you can add press studs to the dress and waistband, making it detachable. This will allow for you to make an assortment of coloured waistbands that you can mix and match with your dress!

Step 10: Your dress is now ready to wear!

Happy Sewing!




Back of dress, before and after