Sew Fast Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew (15 page)

Finally, in order to even off the inside of your hem, use a ruler and measure around from the bottom of the hemline up 2½ inches (or whatever width you decided on for your hem). Mark with marking chalk as you go around the skirt. Then cut off the excess fabric.

HEMMING BY HAND

It’s always good to know how to sew a hand hem. A hand-sewn hem is called a
blind hem stitch
. As the name implies, you shouldn’t be able to see the stitches on the right side of your skirt. Thread your needle using only a single thread. The thread should be a little longer than the length of your arm, otherwise you might get it tangled. Make a tiny knot at one end of your thread. With your needle pick up a little more that three threads in your skirt. Then holding you needles on a diagonal, pick up a few threads of your hem at the very top. Pull your needle and thread through. Continue doing this until you go all around your skirt hem to reach the point where you started. End your hem by sewing a
backstitch
, two tiny stitches one on top of the other. Cut your thread.

BLIND HEM STITCH

A
catch stitch
is another basic hand stitch. Sew using the same basic principles above, except crisscross the thread.

CATCH STITCH

FINISHING WITH HEM TAPE

Hem tape is a real dressmaker finish that covers up the raw edge on your hem. If you are in a hurry you can always use iron-on hem tape and just press it on to cover the raw edge of your hem. But if you have the time, here’s the real deal:

Stitch the seam tape along its edge covering ¼ inch of the raw edge of the hem. Allow the binding to lay smoothly. Do not pull or ease while you stitch.

SEW ON HEM TAPE
COVERING
¼”
OF RAW
HEM

Finishing the Slit in Your Skirt

This technique saves time, holds back the facing for the slit in your skirt, and creates a crisp finish without even sewing. If you fuse in the tape properly it will withstand any washing or dry cleaning done to your skirt.

Cut two stripes of fuse tape the same length as your slit opening. Fuse tape is often called Stitch Witchery
^®
. Pull the back of your skirt which has the unfinished slit onto the ironing board. Make sure your skirt is on the wrong side. Then press back the facings toward the inside of the skirt. Take one strip of fuse tape and insert it in between the facing and the skirt. Make sure to lay the fuse tape carefully down and right up into the pressed crease line of the facing. Now press the facing again, taking your time to give the fuse tape a chance to glue. Do the same to the other side of the slit.

Based on classes taught by Elissa K. Meyrich at her sewing school

237 West 35th Street, Suite 603
New York, NY 10001
Telephone 212-268-4321 Fax 212-268-4329

Glossary

Adjustment line
A double line printed on a pattern to indicate where to take in/out and lengthen/shorten.

All-purpose foot
The foot on your sewing machine used most frequently for general use on most sewing projects.

Alter
To change the fit of a garment or pattern.

Baby hem
A small hem approximately ¼ inch wide, often used as a hem finish on skirts, tablecloths, and napkins. It can be made by attaching a baby hem foot to the sewing machine.

Backstitch
Often called a backtack. A backstitch is used to lock off the beginning and end of a hand sewing. A backstitch can be used in a row of stitches by hand to mend a seam or to imitate machine sewing.

Basting
A temporary stitch that can be either hand or machine sewn to hold fabrics in place temporarily. A machine basting is used to sew up a garment for a fitting.

Bias
A diagonal line across the fabric. “True bias” is the diagonal edge formed when fabric is folded so that the lengthwise and crosswise grains match. It is the softest and most drapey cut of the fabric.

Bias tape
Made from the bias cut of the fabric. It will sew around corners easily and is used to finish off a seam. You can buy packets ready-cut in different colors and widths.

Blind hem stitch
Used for sewing a hem onto a garment. This stitch is usually done by hand but can be done by machine as well if the sewing machine has a blind hem stitch setting.

Bobbin
A small spool that thread is wound onto. It is made out of plastic or metal. The bobbin goes into a bobbin case that is either part of the machine or separate and then put into the machine. Bobbins come in different “classes.” A class 15 bobbin is used for many machines. Always check to see that you are using the right size for your machine.

Bobbin case
This holds the bobbin in the sewing machine; it is located in a compartment underneath the needle plate.

Calendering
A finishing technique that polishes fabric to a smooth, shiny, lustrous finish. Cotton fabrics sometimes have this finish.

Casing
A folded-over edge of a garment or an added-on strip that creates a tunneled section through which you can pull elastic, a drawstring, a ribbon, or a curtain rod.

Catch stitch
A hand stitch made by a cross-stitch formation. It is especially used for hems on the bottom of bridal wear and costumes. Its purpose is to prevent your heel from being caught in the hem.

Center back
The place on a pattern (usually indicated with an arrow) or garment indicating the exact vertical center back.

Center front
The place on a pattern (usually indicated with an arrow) or garment indicating the exact vertical center front.

Clip
A small cut no greater than the seam allowance into the fabric using the tips of your scissors.

Cord stop
An ingenious little device that locks a drawstring in place.

Cross grain
Also called the weft, these are the threads that run horizontally across the fabric from selvage to selvage. The term can be also be used for knits.

Cutting line
The lines on a pattern to denote sizes. When choosing your cutting line, remember larger is better and pattern sizes do not reflect your clothing size.

Darts
Used to take in excess fabric and create shape. On a pattern they look like triangles approximately 2 to 3 inches long. Typically, darts are found at the waist of a skirt or pants or on a blouse at the bustline.

Drape
How a fabric hangs. Some fabrics are softer than others; therefore, they will hang in a more drapey way.

Ease
The slightly extra allowance or fullness given to a pattern to allow for movement and sitting.

Fabric
A cloth used as a covering. It is produced by knitting, weaving, braiding, or felting fibers.

Face
A textile term for the right side of the fabric. Sometimes it is difficult to determine which side is the face, so it’s helpful to mark it with tailor’s chalk.

Facing piece
A duplicate layer of fabric that is folded back to the inside so as to keep from having a raw edge showing.

Fasteners
Snaps or metal hooks and eyes. They come in either black or silver and are available in many sizes. Fasteners are used to perform hidden closures on items such as skirts, bags, pillows, dresses, and blouses.

Feed dogs
These are the pointed metal teeth that rise above the needle plate of your sewing machine; they are located directly under the presser foot. The feed dogs move the fabric through the machine forward, or backward if you press reverse. Sometimes they can move the fabric layer close to the teeth faster than the top layer. This will cause the bottom seam you’re sewing to be slightly shorter than the top.

Fiber
A small single strand before it is spun into yarn. For example, a fiber can be made from cotton, rayon, silk, and polyester.

Fold line
The exact center of a pattern. When using the fold line of a fabric, make sure the fold is parallel to the selvage.

Fold line symbol
This appears as a bracket symbol on a pattern, and indicates where a pattern should be placed on the fold of the fabric.

Fray check
A colorless liquid that when applied in small amounts will keep fabric from fraying more. It’s also better than nail polish to control panty hose runs.

Fuse tape (aka Stitch Witchery
^®
and Jiffy Fuse
^®
)
A tape with glue on both sides that is activated by an iron. Particularly useful for securing fabric layers in place with a crisp finish when stitch marks are undesirable. Available by the yard or in prepackaged strips of varying widths.