Love Your Gathers - Use The Best Method

Gathers made with zig-zag over thread method - they are
big and uneven, super hard to control

The other night I was working on the diaper bag I've been sewing and it was time for me to add the side pockets. The side pockets have elastic across the top and the bottom has a gather. This adds a lot of volume to the pocket so the mother can carry baby bottles or tons of stuff.

When I make gathers, I normally use the traditional method of sewing two lines using a long stitch, then pulling the bobbin thread to gather the fabric along the sewn lines. You can find this method explained in my Molly Handbag Pattern, just click the link and sign-up for my mailing list to get a free copy of the pattern with instructions. But getting back on track, I love this method because it makes a beautiful gather and the edge of the fabric doesn't twist around the thread because there are two sewn lines that hold it flat.

Last week I ran across two new methods for gathering fabric. One was especially intriguing to me so I decided to use it on the diaper bag side pockets. For this method, you put your fabric under the zig-zag foot and set your sewing machine to a zig-zag stitch. You insert your needle into the fabric one time and lift the needle while holding the top thread. Watch carefully and you will see the top thread pull the bobbin thread to the top. Catch that bobbin thread, I used my seam ripper, and pull it to the top through the fabric.

Gathers made with traditional method - makes nice tight even
gathers that are easy to control

Now pull out enough thread, both bobbin and upper thread to go to the end of what you're gathering. Hold the threads so they lay across the fabric where you want to gather, you can twist them a little if you like. Now sew, using a zig-zag stitch over the threads. The zig-zag stitch should sew over the threads, do not let it hit the threads. Using the center of your foot as a guide, hold the thread in the exact middle.

When you get to the end, stop sewing and cut your zig-zag threads but not the threads that are in the middle of your stitching. Remove from the sewing machine and pull the center thread to gather the fabric.

When I first saw this method I really thought it would be a cool way to do all my gathering going forward, but boy was I wrong. I followed the method exactly and it turned out perfectly, exactly like it should. However, the quality of the gather couldn't hold a candle to the traditional two line method. The gathers were uneven and there was no way to adjust them where they would stay. The edge of the fabric curled over the pull threads.

The finished pockets turned out okay as it was a short gather at the bottom of the bag, so I used it. It would have been a nightmare to pull out all that zig-zag! I can't imagine making a ruffle for the Molly Handbag with this method, I'd pull my hair out and it would look so unprofessional. Check the two pics in this post - doesn't the traditional two line method make a much nicer gather? I think so too.

So, needless to say, I do NOT recommend this method for gathering and I will never use it again. I'm just really glad I wasn't gathering a larger section.

Oh, the third method of found was to use clear elastic. I guess it's made of some kind of plastic or rubber. I didn't even know that kind of elastic existed, I'll look for it the next time I go to the fabric store and give it a try. I'll let you know how that turns out too.

Until later ~

Reba

How to Cut Fabric With A Directional Design For A Professional Look

There are so many cute fabrics on the market today and many have fabulous large designs. I purchased some fabric last night to make a diaper bag. This bag will be a practice bag for me and if it turns out, I'll sell it on Etsy. I'm going to make a diaper bag for my daughter but she wants to pick out the fabric and she wants to be sure if it's a boy, we don't use any pink (we don't know if it's a girl or a boy yet). If this bag is really cute, she may make me wait until we find out...I'm using pink.

Anyway, back to cutting out a large print so the seams match and the print doesn't appear broken. Unfortunately I didn't realize that this would be a good post until after I cut out the fabric, but I purchased extra so I went back this morning and took some pics to reenact what I did.

First, I laid out the fabric unfolded. To do this correctly, I had to iron the fold out and make sure the selvages were flat. So first, iron your fabric. If you're making something that will be washed in the washing machine, it's important to pre-wash, especially cotton.

Since my specialty is purses and bags, I'm going to talk about making a bag, not something that will be worn.

Once you get all your pattern pieces in order, find the pieces that will be the front and the back. Start with the front piece and lay it on the fabric encompassing the part of the design that you want on the front. When doing this, try to get as close to the end of the fabric (where it was cut by the fabric store) and the selvage as possible. Otherwise you will waste more fabric than necessary.

For the pattern I'm working with, there is a pocket on the front with a flap. So I had to match where the flap meets the top of the bag and where the flap laps over the pocket, as well as where the back meets the top. I decided to not worry about the side pieces because both sides have a gathered pocket and matching would be almost impossible and probably frustrate me to no end. I also didn't worry about matching the bottom because even if I matched where it meets in the front, the direction on the print would change on the back and wouldn't match anyway.

So, I first laid out the flap on the fabric so I got the butterfly and a bird. That was my first piece and I matched everything to it. When cutting this first piece it is super important to make sure it is lined up with the grain of the fabric. If it's not perfectly lined up, you will never get a clean match on your other pieces.

To make sure your piece is lined up perfectly, measure from the grain line on the pattern to the edge of the selvage. Take that measurement several times along the grain line and make sure it's the same at the top of the line as the bottom.

I used my large clear ruler and made sure the grain line on the pattern was straight on one of the lines of the ruler and checked to be sure the edge of the fabric was straight as well. I adjusted everything until it was all lined-up. Then I pinned the fabric and cut it out.

Now find the repeat in the design and place your cut piece with the pattern still pinned and lay it on top of the fabric matching the print perfectly. 

First cut piece laid on top of fabric matching the design perfectly.
Adjust until perfectly matched to the fabric underneath.

Once it's lined up, take the pattern piece that will be sewed to it and place it on top of the already cut-out piece matching up the seam line. Most patterns will also have dots, match those dots. This will line up the pieces perfectly. Pin this next pattern piece in a couple of places and then you can remove the first piece. You are now ready to cut-out the next piece. See pics below.

For my diaper bag, I started with the pocket flap and matched the top piece (above). Then I used the pocket flap again to match where the flap hits the front of the pocket. It was a little more difficult to match this piece as the top of the flap and the top of the pocket are not on the same seam. So I had to use the front piece in conjunction with the flap to get the placement correct.

I'm altering the pattern somewhat to add the pocket. There was not a pocket pattern piece, instead a fold out pad was supposed to fold up under the flap. I didn't like it so I'm putting a pocket instead. At this point, if I had a pocket pattern piece, I would lay it on top of the front piece, then remove the other two pattern pieces without letting the pocket pattern piece move. Then I would pin and cut.

Since I didn't have a pattern piece, I cut using the front pattern piece and cut it short at the top where I thought the top of the pocket should stop. Here is a pic with the pocket front with the flap laying on top. When all is sewed together, the design on the pocket will flow to the front of the pocket.

Cool huh?

You'll then repeat for the back-side where it matches the top. I cut the back-side piece first and then cut the top to match. And since it was the back I considered fabric waste instead of the design.

Now, remember, in order to get the seams matched perfectly, you WILL need more fabric, how much is hard to say, at least one extra design repeat but I'd buy more, maybe two or three. If the design repeat is 12 inches, then buy at minimum, 1/3 yd extra, but to be safe at least 2/3 yd extra. If you sit down with the pattern before you purchase the fabric, you can figure it out more precisely but I still have a hard time with this and I'm good at math and geometry. You have to take into account how many seams need to be matched and what part of the fabric you want to show on the front.

Lastly, there may be other ways to do this but I have never been able to use any of them and get it right. I'd love to hear your technique if you can save fabric or time.

If you want to see larger versions of these pictures, just double click on the picture and it will open full-size on another page. Then click your back button to return to the post.

I'll post pics of the diaper bag when I'm done. I'm considering adding video to this site so I'd love for you to let me know if you'd like me to do a tutorial for this pattern on video. It will be a big job figuring out how to do video but I'm up for it. Please, let me know if something like this would benefit you - also, I'd love to know if you'd pay for access to videos like this and how much you'd be willing to pay - I'm still trying to figure out how to make a living sewing!

Until later ~

Reba

Choose the Perfect Sewing Machine Needle for Your Project

Knowing which sewing machine needle to use can be confusing. Before I learned what the numbers mean and what choices I have, you would find me standing in the aisle at the fabric store, staring at all the packages of needles hanging on their pegs rubbing my chin. I admit I didn't have a clue.

I started sewing when I was really young, and honestly, I don't think there were as many choices, or maybe it's just that my grandmother kept the drawer in her sewing machine desk stocked and I never had to think about it. When I started sewing again years later, I had to test all the different needles before I had the knowledge to make a good choice.

I'm going to give you a basic overview of single needles and in a later post I'll cover double needles. And I'll also tell you which needles I choose when making my purses and handbags.

I normally use the Schmetz brand needles. They have every size and variety you will ever need. I also like the little boxes they are packaged in as they store nicely in my sewing chest and are easy to handle. I think Singer makes needles too, but I imagine you can use Schmetz needles in a Singer machine, correct me if I'm wrong. There are other brands as well, but I never see them at Joann's or Hancock, so convenience wins my vote.

Needles are sized in both American and European sizes. You will see the American Size/European Size or vice-verse on the package, i.e., 70/10 (Schmetz shows the sizes in this order) or you might see 10/70, it just depends on the manufacturer. Below is a chart showing the sizes that are available.

Sewing Machine Needle Sizes
American		European
Finest	8	60	Finest
	9	65
	10	70
	11	75
	12	80
	14	90
	16	100
	18	110
Strongest/ Largest	19	120	Strongest/ Largest

As you can see, the smaller the number, the finer the needle. If you were sewing a very thin cotton fabric, you would choose the 60/8 size as it's the smallest, thinnest needle. If you were to choose a large thick needle you would make large holes in your fine fabric. Likewise, if you have a heavy home dec fabric, you would choose a larger, thicker needle, maybe an 110/18 or 120/19.

You will notice that needles have other labels like "Sharp", "Ballpoint", or "Universal". And you will also see specialty needles labeled "Leather", "Jeans/Denim", "Stretch", and "Handicap". Each of these types of needles are used for different fabric types or, in the case of the Handicap needle, special situations. I'll explain below.

Regular Needles - these needles are normally available in all sizes

Sharp - Sharp needles should be used for woven fabrics. They sew a very straight line and work great for top-stitching. When I sew handbags with quilt weight cotton, I use a Sharp needle and depending on how heavy the fabric is and how many layers I'll have, I choose anywhere from size 75/11 to 100/16. If I have a very heavy home dec fabric, I'll choose the 110/18 or 120/19 Sharp or maybe a Jeans/Denim needle.

Ballpoint - Ballpoint needles should be used for knit fabrics. The ballpoint goes between the loops of the knit without snagging it. They do not sew as straight a stitch but work well with knits because the stitch stretches better with the knit. I haven't used a knit for any of my purses.

Universal - The Universal needle is a mix of a Sharp and a Ballpoint. It's not quite as sharp and not quite a ballpoint, so it will work with both fabrics. I only use Universal when I don't have another choice. I keep a package of 80/12 Universals in my sewing kit just for an emergency.

Specialty Needles - these needles are not usually available in all sizes

Leather - The Leather needle's point is wedged so it can penetrate dense fabrics like leather.

Jean/Denim - Jean/Denim needles are very strong and can be used for thick fabrics or many layers. Imagine what would happen if you were sewing eight layers of denim with a mid-weight needle, it would break wouldn't it? The Jean/Denim needle is extra sharp and extra strong.

Stretch - Stretch needles are used on knits when a ballpoint needle leaves skipped stitches. Tightly knitted fabrics like Lycra frequently require a Stretch needle.

Handicap - A Handicap needle has a little slit on the side of the eye where the thread can be slipped in instead having to thread it. I've never used one of these needles but might need it if my machine didn't have a needle threader.

Lastly, I can't end this post without telling how important it is to use a sharp needle. Use a new needle after every two projects or if you hit a pin. Also, using the wrong size can cause your stitches to be uneven and can make your thread break. Take the time to choose and insert the correct needle so your new purse will look professionally made.

Oh - one more thing! If you throw out your needles in the trash you risk getting stuck when empty the trash. To save yourself from that, take an old prescription bottle and poke a hole in the top. Whenever you trash a needle, stick it in the bottle. When you trash the bottle full of needles, put masking or duck tape over the hole and throw it in the trash can. Everyone will be save and it's a really convenient place to put your old needles and bent/broken pins.

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Thanks and until later ~

Reba

3 Best Interfacings I Use When Making Handbags

If you go to the Pellon website and click on the products link, you'll understand why it's so hard to figure out what interfacing to use when making your handbags. Counting how many different interfacings are made by just this one manufacturer, you'll count 61. Really? Are that many needed?

Well, maybe that many are needed when you look at all the things you can make where interfacing will make the project better. But, for the most part, when making handbags and purses, I only use three and I stock up on those three when I find them on sale.

I use Pellon brand fusible interfacings because fusible is easy to use and the Pellon brand is found at most fabric stores. So below you will find a little info about my fav three interfacings along with their item numbers. If you want to buy these items, you will find the item number on the end of the bolt to insure you buy the proper interfacing.

1. SF101 Shape-Flex® All Purpose Woven Fusible Interfacing - I use this interfacing on the linings of my handbags, it gives the fabric a little more strength, body, and stability. Since this interfacing is woven just like the cotton fabric used for the lining, it allows the fabric to move naturally, it's just stronger. It comes in white and black but I rarely use black, if you're using a cotton that is at least quilting weight, you usually can't see through it.
   
2. TP971F Fusible Thermolam® Plus Extra Loft Fusible Fleece Interfacing (if you want less loft, use 987F Fusible Fleece) - I use this interfacing on the exterior and straps of my handbags. It helps them to stand up and have shape while making the fabric cushy soft.
3. Peltex® Ultra Firm Heavy Weight Stabalizer - There are three options for Peltex, sew in with no fusible (Peltex 70), fusible on one side (Peltex 71F), and double side fusible (Peltex 72F), and depending on what you're making, you may buy any of them. I use Peltex for clutch purses, some wallets, and hard lining dividers.

If there's another brand or item you use for interfacing, let us know in the comments below. I hope this helps you choose which interfacing to buy next time you go to the fabric store to buy for your next handbag.

Soon I'll write about how to fuse the interfacings to your fabric. I wrote about it once before but I think it was embedded in a sew-along and I think it needs its own post.

I may or may not post this weekend, I'm going shopping on Saturday with my daughter who just told us she's having a baby! She's about 12 weeks along and wants to window shop at Babys R Us. Should be fun.

Until next time ~

Reba