{michellepatterns.com}

Another Grocery Bag

Here's another Grocery Bag I stitched up sometime last week.  I think I made this last week...maybe it was the week before?  The last two weeks have been a blur with the Skirt Sew Along, finishing up this pattern, and teaching a class over the weekend.

I wonder how many of these bags I've made over the years?  Maybe 50?  That's kind of a wild guess, but it might not be far off!

The fabric for this bag is a Kokka cotton/linen print from about 6 years ago.  The larger print is lovely, but since I make mostly small things, sometimes the big prints linger in my stash.  Of course, they are fabulous for Grocery Bags, and I probably should have used this fabric earlier. 

But it's done now!  It's available in my etsy shop.  This year I'd like to sell a few more finished items in my etsy shop. 

Skirt Sew Along - Side Seams

Since we're so very close to being done, we are going to finish up the skirt today! 

The post today covers the final steps for sewing the skirt, and then I'll be back on the 23rd to talk about how to line this skirt. 

For those of you in the Sew Along, there will also be a final pdf document with a compilation of the instructions from the blog posts.  I'll let you know how to get your copy when I email you on the 23rd. 

Here we go...

Side Seams

a) Match the front and back up at the E/F & A/B seams. 

I mentioned this yesterday when we matched up seams, but if you move the seam of the piece that will be on top when you are sewing up about one stitch length above the seam you are matching it to underneath. 

When the presser foot gets to a thicker area like these seams, it tends to push the top piece and then your perfectly matched up seams end up being slightly off.  By placing the top seam slightly ahead, the presser foot will push it up onto the seam underneath, and they'll end up even.

b) Sew the side seams.

c) Try the skirt on to see how it looks and feels.  Because the zipper passes through a seam, the zipper might feel like it's sticking.  It just needs you to provide some resistance by holding onto the fabric at the top of the skirt.  The zipper will loosen up with use, but will probably never glide through the E/F seams without stopping briefly at the seam.

If you are going to bring in the sides, turn the skirt WS out and put it on.  Pin or mark the seams where you want to make adjustments, and then make your changes.  You might want to make notes on your pattern pieces, so you can make the changes there the next time you make the skirt. 

d) Finish the side seams.

e) Press the side seams to the back side of the skirt, and then topstitch each seam on the E/F side.  While you are sewing, periodically check you aren't accidentally catching other parts of the fabric in the topstitching. 

Waist Facing

Before we finish the top of the skirt, let me tell you a little more about the waist facing. 

This type of facing is comfortable, simple to sew, and it is a cute detail on the inside of the skirt.

However, it isn't the most stable way to finish the waist, and it does mean there is a second row of stitches about 1.75" below the top of the skirt. 

As far as stability, the top of the skirt is going to wrinkle some, and it will stretch out more than if the entire yoke was faced with additional A & E pieces (I'll talk about that type of facing in the lining post on 1/23/15). 

To add stability, the fabric can be interfaced.  I don't use interfacing here because the fabric alone feels fine to me, and adding interfacing isn't as simple as just applying some to the fabric and calling it good. 

There are a few layers of fabric where the facing folds next to the zipper, so adding more bulk to this area isn't ideal.  Which would mean measuring and cutting a piece of interfacing so it would fit within the folded ends of the facing. That's just more work than I want to do here, but it's also not that difficult if it's something you want to do. 

For the extra stitching line, keep in mind that if you don't tuck in your shirt, it's not obvious. 

How visible the second stitching line is also depends on the type of fabric used for the skirt, and how closely the thread color matches the fabric.  The stitching lines shows more on fabrics with pile (corduroy) and lighter colored fabrics.  It tends to be more hidden on fabrics with smooth surfaces (denim) and darker colors.

One thing you can do to make the stitching less noticeable, is to make the facing piece shorter.  What we are using here will be 1.5" (3.8cm) high when finished. So just cut this piece with less height and the second stitching line will automatically move up closer to the top of the skirt.

a) Press 0.5" at the bottom edge of the facing piece to the WS.  I draw a line with a fabric marker 1" from the bottom edge and then press the edge to meet the line.  The 0.5" can also be measured with a seam gauge or ruler. 

b) Beginning and ending the stitching 0.75" from the CB edges, sew the facing to the RST of the skirt waist.  I don't pin the facing piece in place--it's easy enough to handle just matching up the edges as I sew. 

c) Leaving about 1" or so to fold under, trim off the extra fabric at the ends of the facing piece. 

d) Fold the ends back at the CB crease and press. 

e) Fold the top ends of the zipper tape toward the CB edge and baste in place. 

The ends can be sewn down by machine, but it's probably faster just to tack them down with a few hand stitches.  They are kind of small and fiddly to get under the presser foot, but it can be done (I did it and wished I'd just hand stitched them...).

f) Turn the facing piece to the WS.  Massage the seam out by rolling it between your fingers.  Then press around the top and pin the facing in place. 

g) Sewing along the top edge of the skirt first, sew all the way around the facing piece. 

The fabric can be thick at the top corners, so it's easiest to begin sewing an inch or two in from the CB.  Using a slightly longer stitch (2.6+) will help give you some momentum to get through the thick spots.  If you get stuck, you can move past the thick area and try backing into it with a back stitch. 

Hem

A 1.25" hem is included in the pattern pieces, but the hem can be made shorter by turning it up less than the amounts shown below. 

I wouldn't fold it up much more than the 1.25" though. Since the sides of the skirt are slanted, the fabric measures slightly longer at the bottom than where the hem is stitched in place.  At 1.25" this difference is pretty small, but it will increase the more you turn the fabric upward and it will be hard to avoid puckers.

If you want the total skirt length shorter than the 1.25" hem will provide, at this point the only option is to trim the bottom (next time make the skirt pieces shorter up front). If you trim the bottom, make sure to add new backstitching to the bottom of the CB and side seams so the stitching won't come undone. 

a) Press the bottom edge 1/4" to the WS.  This is so scant that I find it helps to sew a line of stitching at 1/4", and then use the stitched line as pressing guideline. 

b) Press the bottom edge up another 1" to the WS.  It helps keep everything in line if you press 1" at each seam first, and then press the sections between the seams.   

c) Stitch the edge of the hem down. Hold the bottom edge firmly as you go around to gently stretch it out and prevent puckering (bottom edge is shorter than the top folded edge of the hem).

I sew the hem by machine because I don't mind the stitching around the bottom, and also because I don't want to hand stitch it.  If you don't want the stitching line around the bottom, the hem can be slip stitched in place to make it a "blind hem".  It takes a while and it isn't totally invisible, but it is far less visible than a machine stitched hem. 

If you are using a hook & eye, hand stitch them on now.  The hook faces the inside of the skirt. 

Ok, that's it!  The wearable muslin skirt is done.  Now wear it and see how it feels and fits and see if there are changes you'd like to make for your next skirt.

I'll be back on the 23rd... 

 

Skirt Sew Along - Sew the Back

Today is the big day!  It's time to put in the invisible zipper...

Before we start, let me tell you that if you have a pattern and the invisible zipper is installed AFTER sewing the side seams (i.e. joining the front & back), if it's possible, and it usually is, don't wait that long to put in the zipper.  Put it in once you've finished the back, but before attaching the front and back together.  There will just be a lot less fabric to have to work around. 

Here we go!

1. Sew E to F

a) Place E RST with F.  Match up the CB edges of the pieces, and then pin them together working from the CB out to the sides.  For these pieces, it's important to start at the CB and work outward.  Everything will look nicer and the zipper will be easier to work with if the CB is as straight as possible. 

b) Sew E & F together.  Again, begin at the CB and stitch out to the sides. 

c) Finish the E/F seams. 

You might notice in the pictures going forward that I forgot to finish this seam!  I got ahead of myself while taking the pictures, so I went back and used Fray Check along the fabric edges.  Not ideal, but it works.

2. Topstitch E

a) From the RS, press E away from F, so the E/F seam is pressed to the E side. 

b) Topstitch the seam on the E side. 

c) Finish the CB edges of both E/F pieces.  If you are using rayon seam binding, you can either apply it now, or wait until after the zipper is installed.

Most people who use the seam binding like to put it on after the seams are sewn together. I think the idea is that the seam stabilizes the edges, which makes it easier to sew on the narrow binding strips. I was going to use binding to try it out, but opted for the faster interface/zigzag because I started to run out of time to take pictures and didn't have the patience for working with the binding. 

3. Sew CB Seam

a) Place the back pieces RST and match up the E/F seams.  For the best results, move the E/F seam of the piece that will be on top when you are sewing up about one stitch length above the E/F seam you are matching it to underneath. 

When the presser foot gets to a thicker area like this seam, it tends to push the top piece and then the seams end up being slightly off.  By placing the top seam slightly ahead, the presser foot will push it up onto the seam underneath, and they'll end up even. 

b) Mark the CB seam 11.5" (29cm) down from the top.  This section of the seam just needs to be a couple inches longer than the zipper tape, so sometimes I just lay the zipper along the seam (like in the photo), and use it as the guide.

c) Lengthen your stitch to the longest basting stitch you have, and sew (don't backstitch here) down from the top to the 11.5" (29cm) mark.  At the mark, backstitch a few stitches, and then return to your regular stitch length. 

d) Sew the rest of the CB seam.

4. Install the Zipper

A couple points before we sew the zipper:

Clip any loose threads as you go so they don't get caught in the zipper. 

The Dritz tape mentioned in this post, or hand basting, can be used instead of pins for these steps.  Pin the zipper in place going only through the allowance. 

The zipper can be installed using either an invisible zipper foot or a regular zipper foot. The invisible zipper foot has grooves that hold the teeth out of the way so you to stitch right next to the teeth without sewing over them.  If you are using a regular zipper foot, push the teeth over slightly and sew in the fold next to the zipper teeth.  The idea is to sew very close to the teeth, but not sew over them.

Sew as far down the zipper as you can, which will not be the entire length.  Either zipper foot will only allow you to go so far before running into the zip pull.  That's fine, we'll close the small gap in the seam at the end.

a) Press the CB seam open flat. If the tops of the E pieces are uneven, go ahead and trim them so they match. 

b) Remove the basting stitches down to the 11.5" (29cm) mark. If you're not a fan of the seam ripper, you can cut every 4th or 5th stitch instead.  Then gently pull the seam open and remove the stray threads.  Make a loop of tape and use the sticky side to pick up the threads.

c) Place the zipper face down with the top stops of the zipper 1" (2.5cm) below the top edge if you are using a hook & eye, or 0.75" (2cm) below the top if you aren't planning to use a hook & eye.

d) Line up the teeth of the zipper with the pressed crease.

e) Pin the zipper at the bottom right corner to hold it in place. 

f) Unzip the zipper and finish pinning the right side of the zipper.

g) Stitch the right side of the zipper.  As you sew down the zipper, the invisible zipper foot will push the teeth down flat (they are curled upward) as they pass through the groove in the foot.

h) Close the zipper and pin the bottom left corner.   Make sure the bottom left end is directly across from the bottom right end and the seam below is flat and smooth. 

i) Unzip the zipper, match the zipper teeth to the crease, and pin the rest of the left side. 

j) Stitch the left side of the zipper. 

k) With the regular zipper foot attached, stitch the small gap in the CB seam closed. 

Fold the two halves of the back together, and sew up from the existing CB seam stitching to meet the stitches holding the zipper in place.  Pull the zipper end out of the way, and try to meet the zipper stitching as closely as possible (within 1/8") so there isn't a bump in the seam at the bottom of the zipper.  If it isn't possible to get the last few stitches to meet closely, these last 3-4 stitches can be stitched by hand. 

l) Stitch the bottom ends of the zipper to the allowance on each side. 

Alright, the zipper is installed and about 3/4s of the work is done!

Skirt Sew Along Schedule

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - shopping list
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes
1/15/15 - sew skirt front
1/16/15 - sew back, install invisible zipper
1/17/15 - sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/18/15 - finish waist, hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt

Skirt Sew Along - Sew Skirt Front

Ok, it's time to sew!  Today we'll sew the skirt front. 

Things You Need to Know

Seam Allowance (SA) - 0.5"

RS/RST - Right Side(s)/Right Sides Together

Topstitch - Use a longer stitch length (2.8 - 3.0) and stitch at 1/4", or your preferred allowance.  I like to double topstitch the pocket openings because it makes them nice and firm, and if I'm using contrast thread sometimes I double stitch the yoke seams too so they match the pocket openings. 

The seam allowance is 0.5", which to me seems HUGE since I'm used to sewing accessories that don't need such a big allowance.  I'm not great at sewing such large allowances accurately.  If you aren't either, don't worry...when we are sewing something this big there's some room to be not-so-perfect with the seams. 

On the other hand, the more accurate you are, the nicer your skirt is going to turn out. 

So if you need some additional help, or your plate marks aren't that easy to see, place a Post It note along the 0.5" mark to make it really obvious. The 0.5" mark on my throat plate stops just above my presser foot and then restarts at the bottom of the plate.  When I'm going around these pockets I can't see it at all, so I use the Post It trick to keep me track. 

1. Sew D to B

a) Match D pieces RST with B and sew them together.  A pin at the bottom of each D piece will help stabilize the pieces while you sew.

b) Clip the curves.

2.Topstitch Pocket Openings

a) Press D pieces to the back of B.  Unless you want some of the D print to peek over the pocket edges, which can be a sweet detail that looks like piping, make sure the edges of D are rolled to the back of B and pressed out of sight.

b) Topstitch around the pocket openings. Again, a pin or two at the pocket bottoms will help hold them stable while sewing. 

3. Sew C to D

a) Place C RST with D and sew them together--sewing only through the C & D pieces (i.e. don't sew them to B).  Sew as far as you can up the sides of the pockets, but this part of each pocket will also be caught in the the side seams of the skirt later (1/17/15), so don't worry about totally closing off the pockets at the sides. 

b) Finish the seams.  Again, the sides will be caught and finished when we sew the side seams of the skirt, so you don't need to go all the way up the sides. 

c) Press the pockets flat and pin them at the bottom to hold them to B.

d) Baste the pockets to the sides and top of B to hold them in place.

4. Sew A to B

a) Pin A to B.  Match the center of A to the center of B, and pin out to each side.  If you end up with some extra A at the ends, that's ok.  Since the fabric isn't interfaced, it can stretch.  You can trim the sides up to match after the next step. 

b) Sew A to B. 

c) Finish the seam.

5. Topstitch A

a) From the RS, press A away from B so the A/B seam is pressed to the A side. 

b) Topstitch the seam on the A side. 

c) If the ends of A are slightly longer than the top of B, trim the sides so the pieces match.

Alright, I'll be back tomorrow and we'll sew the skirt back and put in the invisible zipper! 

Skirt Sew Along Schedule

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - shopping list
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes
1/15/15 - sew skirt front
1/16/15 - sew back, install invisible zipper
1/17/15 - sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/18/15 - finish waist, hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt

Something New to Sew!

Today something new(ish) is available to sew and it's super cute, and also very useful! 

This new pattern is basically a scaled down version of the Idea Pouch, but with some changes.  Here's why...

This Saturday I'm teaching a class here in Portland, and we're going to make a mending kit.  The class project started out as a scaled down version of the Idea Pouch, but once I started sewing samples, there were a couple things I wanted to do differently. 

Then it was more than a couple changes, and things weren't quite so straight forward anymore.  To keep it simple for the class (and you), I wrote a new pattern.     

So if you have the Idea Pouch pattern you can make something similar to this by printing it 75% of the original size.  But here's why you might want to add this new pattern to your collection:

More interfacing - Hair canvas has been added to this pouch and the pouch turns out fantastic!  Woven interfacing can also be used instead of the hair canvas. 
More trimming - Extra trimming makes this many layer pouch easier than ever to sew.  This is a lot of layers of fabric and interfacing, but thanks to the trimming it's easy to sew without stressing you or your sewing machine. 
No taping - These pieces are all full or half pieces and none of them need taping.  Some of the Idea Pouch pattern pieces are taped and even if you scale it down, you still need to tape.  
Taller pleated pouch - When you scale things to a new size simply by printing, everything changes by the same amount.  The pleated front pouch on the new pattern comes up higher than it does with a scaled down version of the Idea Pouch.
Closure flap - A tab flap has been added to the front.  
Slightly Wider Front Pleats - These are just slightly wider so the front pouch opens more.

Skirt Sew Along - Seam Finishes

Hi Sew Along ladies: I need to spread the remaining posts a little bit more.  The information originally scheduled for this post was seam finishing, sewing the skirt front, and sewing the skirt back.  Which is too much to cover in one post and it looks like people need more time for fitting alterations. On Thursday we'll start sewing. Sorry for the change!  Once we get sewing it will go really fast and your skirt will be done. :0] 

1/15/15 - Sew skirt front

1/16/15 - Sew back & install zipper

1/17/15 - Sew front to back, make fit adjustments

1/18/15 - Finish waist & hem

1/23/15 - Making a lined skirt

_ _ _

Below is specific seam finishing information for the skirt we are making.  There are lots of other ways to finish seams, but many are pretty time consuming, so I'll focus on the easiest and most basic options. 

If you want some guidance, I think the following combination will give you a nicely finished skirt, and also give you a chance to try out two different ways of finishing your seams: 

• zigzag (or overcast) all seams except the CB

• bind the CB seam edges with rayon seam binding

When to Finish Seams

Most pattern instructions don't tell you when it's time to finish your seams.  Seam finishing might be referred to in some general language at the beginning, but the specifics of how/where/when will be left up to you to figure out.

Until you have some solid clothing sewing experience, knowing when it's time to finish a seam may not be obvious. So while we're sewing I'll let you know when it's time to finish a seam. 

Why Finish Seams

Finished seams look better, but more importantly, the finish helps keep the fabric from fraying, which doesn't look great and can eventually lead to the holes.  Wear and tear + repeated washing can be pretty rough on the fabric, so finishing the seams will help your garment last longer. 

Ways to Finish Seams

There are lots of options for how to finish seams.  I'll go over the easiest ones for this particular skirt, and focus on the simple zig zag stitch since it's something everyone will be able to do with a basic sewing machine. 

Serger

If you have a serger, that's fantastic!  A serger makes it fast and easy to finish seams.  If you end up getting really into making your own clothing, at some point you'll probably want to get a serger. 

Since it's a special machine, I'm going to assume most people don't have one, and won't go into details. 

But I do want to mention a special foot called a "cutter foot", which does something similar to a serged edge.

I haven't used a cutter foot, but if I didn't have a serger, I would definitely give it a try. It looks like they are in the $10 - $40 range, while a serger is several hundred dollars (or more). 

This cutter foot on amazon has lots of reviews and they're a mix of good and bad, but average out to a solid 3.5 stars.  

Anyway, the cutter foot might be something you want to consider for the future if you really want an overcast and trimmed edge, but aren't quite ready to get a serger. 

Pinking

Cutting out your pieces with pinking shears is one of the most basic way of finishing seams, and can be a fine option for a first skirt/wearable muslin. 

However, cutting fabric with pinking shears can be hard on your hands.  Anyone with wrist/hand issues should avoid pinking, and for everyone else, a good pair of pinking shears will make make it easier. 

Gingher's pinking shears are a nice investment because they can be sharpened.  I have a pair and use them pretty regularly for notching curves. They are VERY stiff when you first get them, but they loosen up. 

Zigzag Stitch

A simple zigzag stitch is fine for finishing seams where you have two layers of fabric.  If there aren't two layers of fabric, it can be challenging or impossible. 

For this skirt, the only single layer seam we need to finish is both sides of the CB. After this section I'll an option for using fusible interfacing to either finish, or help finish, the CB seam. 

Here you can see the zigzag looks just pretty good with two layers of fabric, but with the single layer, it starts off ok, and quickly goes wrong:

If you are going to use a zigzag stitch for finishing your seams make a test swatch with two layers of your fabric.  Stitch at least 2" or 3" and see how the fabric responds.

Ideally you would sew with the zigzag right up to the edge, or over the edge of the fabric.  But sometimes that doesn't work perfectly, even with a couple layers of fabric. 

Try changing the stitch width and see if that helps. 

Otherwise, sew the zigzag slightly away from the edge of the fabric.  This usually helps a lot.  The extra fabric at the edge can be trimmed away afterward, or just leave it and the edge will get slightly fuzzy over time.  Avoiding the frustration of bunched up seams, or jamming your machine, is worth a few minutes of trimming or some slightly fuzzy seams. 

Overcast Stitch

Overcast stitches are similar to a zigzag, but more complicated stitches, so they're more stable.  There are a few different overcast stitches.  Check your machine manual to see there are any available on your machine and give them a try.  

The overcast stitch on my machine does a better job than the zigzag, but the extra part of the stitch makes it slow going.  I'm not sure I'd want to wait it out and would most likely go back to the faster zigzag stitch.  

Interfacing

Interfacing is an option for the single layer of fabric at the CB seam.

The idea is to apply a 0.25" wide strip of fusible interfacing along the edges where the fabric is only one layer.

Rather than trying to cut a 20"+ super thin strip of continuous interfacing, you can patch together some shorter strips.   Once the seam is pressed open, the interfacing isn't visible:

Then if you want to stitch the interfacing down (you don't have to), the fabric should now be stable enough for a zigzag stitch, or you can use a simple straight stitch to secure it in place. 

I know someone who uses this method all the time and she says it doesn't come off if it isn't sewn down.  Personally, I'd probably stitch it down because it would bug me if I didn't sew it down.

Rayon Seam Binding

Rayon seam binding is a great looking seam finish!  It's not hard, but it takes some time. 

As mentioned above, I think it's a good option for the CB seam.  This is the seam you'll notice the most when putting the skirt on and taking it off, and the bound edges look very polished. 

You can bind all of your seams with it (though I'd skip the curved pocket edges), but if you don't want to make the time commitment, using it only on the CB seam will give you a chance to try it out and see if you like working with this type of seam finish.

To use it, you'd cut pieces a few inches longer than your seams and then press the binding in half.  Then wrap it around the edge of the fabric and stitch it down.  Pretty easy!

Ok, sorry for the slight schedule change!  I'll be back on Thursday and we'll get down to sewing. 

Michelle

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - fabric shopping
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes
1/15/15 - Sew skirt front
1/16/15 - Sew back & install zipper
1/17/15 - Sew front to back, make fit adjustments
1/18/15 - Finish waist & hem
1/23/15 - Making a lined skirt