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Sewing Techniques Sew Along Let's help beginner sewers build their skills!
minggiddylooloo   Intermediate VA USA Member since 5/17/05 Posts: 1797	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 2/8/12 9:24 AM In this sew along we will work on sewing practice samples of various sewing techniques. We'll begin with the various seams and then move onto more complicated clothing construction steps. When I took fashion sewing courses we made samples to help understand the steps of sewing before actually sewing up garments. I am a perfectionist by nature and this form of practice really helped speed up my sewing because I actually had an idea of what I was doing! Since there is more than one way to do a technique, I hope the more experienced sewers will share their methods as we move along. The goal of this entire sew along is to help participants develop and expand their basic sewing skills. We'll also have a nice portfolio when we're done! We'll use sewing books, online tutorials, the PR boards and each other for reference and I will do my best to post pictures as we move along (I might have to post files and larger pictures to my blog but I will link it back to this thread). This sew along won't help you with fit but it hopefully *will* make you more comfortable being at the machine. I organize my samples in plastic sleeves held inside a large binder. For an 8.5" x 11" sleeve I like to cut my fabric 4" x 5" (or smaller). You will want to use a tightly woven fabric for now, scrap quilting cotton or cotton muslin is perfect. We can start with 10 of these pieces, you can (and will) cut more later. We will also need a little bit of bias binding to practice Hong Kong seams and bias bound seams. You can buy bias binding or make your own. There are lots of tutorials online for making your own bias binding. Feel free to pick and choose the seams you'll sew, some may be very basic but we all have to start somewhere. This will also be a great opportunity to learn your machine. Some seam finishes will need special tools, if there is a work around I'll do my best to cover those. Here's a list of the first few seams we'll work on: 1. Straight seam with backstitching 2. Zig zag /serged 3. Turned and stitched 4. French 5. Mock French Please suggest other techniques that I might have forgotten along the way. I hope this sew along will help introduce techniques to those just starting with the hobby. There were some recent threads from frustrated beginners and I wanted to help them with what I learned so far about sewing. I am not a pro and there are so many others on PR with more sewing experience. I hope this will be a helpful sew along; it's better to make the mistakes now with scrap than on that garment, right? Don't forget, practice makes perfect! ------ I'm finally a blogger! sewming.blogspot.com
Sewnsewmom Advanced Beginner Member since 7/31/08 Posts: 780	Login to reply to this post In reply to minggiddylooloo Like this post Date: 2/8/12 10:47 AM I was super excited when you mentioned this sew along in the other thread. Thank you so much for doing this! I am so excited. Is there a start date?
Liz92B   Advanced AB CANADA Member since 12/21/09 Posts: 157	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 2/8/12 11:10 AM Flat Felled is another favourite ... ------ Liz / Calgary
mrsohly   Beginner VA USA Member since 12/2/11 Posts: 79	Login to reply to this post In reply to minggiddylooloo Like this post Date: 2/8/12 12:16 PM I am 100% in. The shop where I bought my machines suggested that I cut all my scraps into 5 x 5" squares and keep them around for practice, so I have lots of scraps ready to go! I would also like to learn the blindstitch for hems. (Is that the same as turned and stitched?) Thanks again for putting this together! ------ Kathy O. No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else. ~Charles Dickens
jynclr   Advanced Beginner TX USA Member since 12/20/11 Posts: 839	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 2/8/12 12:25 PM Yes, is there a start date? And, like, say, an end date when we all post our lessons? I only have time to sew on the weekends so I won't be able to get to these lessons until the weekend after they're posted. ------ Evelyn: Pfaff Creative Performance Helen V: Babylock Companion BL1550
CraftAddict Intermediate OH USA Member since 9/1/10 Posts: 276	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 2/8/12 1:32 PM I would love to know how to set up & use a twin needle (if that's what it's called). I have a gadget that came with my machine but I've never used it. I tried once and ended up with a tangled mess.
jadamo00 Advanced NY USA Member since 3/13/06 Posts: 1254	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 2/8/12 2:10 PM Ming, you are a GAS! j.
minggiddylooloo   Intermediate VA USA Member since 5/17/05 Posts: 1797	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 2/9/12 7:31 AM Fellow PR member a7yrstitch pointed me to this blog from Australian sewer "poppykettle" where she has two tutorials on seam techniques, the flat fell seam, and a french seam. We can start the sew along right now, I'll try to get some of my samples ready today. I don't know about the end date, there are so many things we can do to continue this on forever. We'll start with the basics and everyone can go at their own pace. If you find other websites with great tutorials, share them here. ------ I'm finally a blogger! sewming.blogspot.com
CraftAddict Intermediate OH USA Member since 9/1/10 Posts: 276	Login to reply to this post In reply to minggiddylooloo Like this post Date: 2/9/12 9:34 AM Ok I'm going to ask a very stupid question here but just want to make sure I'm clear. I just recently made my first pair of jeans and the instructions had me to sew the inside seams and then the outside seams. If I am doing a flat fell seam that would be on the outside seams correct? So I would need to sew the outside seams before the inside seams. Is that correct? -- Edited on 2/9/12 9:34 AM --
Liz92B   Advanced AB CANADA Member since 12/21/09 Posts: 157	Login to reply to this post In reply to CraftAddict Like this post Date: 2/9/12 12:01 PM Quote: CraftAddict Ok I'm going to ask a very stupid question here but just want to make sure I'm clear. I just recently made my first pair of jeans and the instructions had me to sew the inside seams and then the outside seams. If I am doing a flat fell seam that would be on the outside seams correct? So I would need to sew the outside seams before the inside seams. Is that correct? -- Edited on 2/9/12 9:34 AM -- nope, the flat felled seam is for strength and used on the inside seam ... a single seam that goes from the lower edge of one leg up to the crotch and down the other side. The outisde legs are usually a simple seam with some sort of edge finish. ------ Liz / Calgary

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