1. "I'm still new to sewing and would like to know what is the skill level of your patterns? Which patterns would you recommend for beginners/intermediates/advanced sewers?"
Christine: "My patterns were first developed for productions sewing. At one time 15 sewers were running production on my clothes. Each garment had to come through looking like the same person made it and I could not have a basket full of mistakes at the end of the day. So simplicity was the key. One of the most interesting aspects of my career has been learning technical simplicity (as I call it!). Patternmaking in its truest sense is a very complicated business that can get in the way of my creativity. Sewing with Cotton/LYCRA fabric lets me be creative and makes my patternmaking simple. Shape and design are the key elements in my pattern collection, not difficult sewing techniques. Even the most detailed jacket in the collection is not difficult for a novice sewers. The design of the garment is in sync with its production ease. I like to say my clothes go together the fastest way from point A to point B. For example, the A Line Dress only has 2 shoulder seams and 2 side seams. Then the neckline, armholes and hem are topstitched. The Taper Pant has an inseam, crotch seam, hem and elastic. What's great about the patterns is that for their simplicity of construction they have a certain polished "look". Even the Fitted Jacket pattern which has a notched collar and set in sleeve has been honed down to its simplest production form and is easy to sew for an intermediate sewer."
2."Do I NEED to have a serger to sew your patterns? If not, do you provide instructions for both sergers & sewing machines?
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Christine:"Sergers make the job easier. The directions work for single needle sewing as well. My Cotton/LYCRA knit fabric is a 100% stretch fabric, which means a 4' square will stretch to 8" in all directions. It does not ravel or run so you don't need to finish the edges if sewing with a straight machine. Sometimes if you do run a zig zag stitch or try to turn over the raw edge the seam will pucker and show distortion on the outside. A serger takes care of that problem and gives you a nice flat finish. Just trim to 1/2" and press open or to one side. The other issue with a straight machine is the extensibility of your seam. The stretch and recovery of the fabric depends on the stretch and recovery of the amount of thread in your seam. A straight seam will break when the fabric is stretched. A zig zag or stretch stitch is OK but can take forever to sew. Certain seams need more stretch than others. The more stress on the seam the more stretch it needs. I recommend a double needle for topstitching. This gives your seam plenty of stretch and recovery in areas such as necklines and skirt hems.
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3."What are some of your favorite patterns/pattern companies? Where do you get your inspiration?
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Christine:"I have so little time to experiment with all the wonderful independent pattern companies out in the world today. I do like the look of the Sewing Workshop patterns and I love LaFreds patterns. During my custom sewing days I loved sewing the Vogue Designer patterns. The Yves St Laurent, Ungaro and Geoffrey Beene patterns were a dream to sew. They were complicated and time consuming but such special garments when they were finished. The other thing I loved about them is the fabric I got to work with. For those patterns only the best fabric would do!
I like to make people look good and feel good about themselves. I am a very "behind the scenes" person. I enjoy making sure everything is perfect then pushing the person out into the world knowing they look great and more importantly feeling it. I have always been inspired by my customers. I am usually in jeans and a ponytail (looking tired)! while my customer walks out the door looking fabulous! I smile to myself and it makes me happy.
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4."I really like the look of the a-line dress but wonder if it is appropriate for my size (5'3"). I would probably make the equivalent of a RTW 14-16.
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Christine:"Over the years I have seen my designs on hundred and hundreds of bodies. When I had my retail store I offered alterations for free, this helped me keep my patterns alteration friendly and it made me mindful of proportion. The alterations for petite figures should be no more than shortening from the hemline on almost all the patterns and certainly on the A Line Dress.
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5."How much lycra is good in a fabric?
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Christine:"
A "good" amount of LYCRA in a fabric depends on what your needs are. To feel more comfortable in a tailored wool jacket 2-3% is all you need. To pull a pair of leggings over your hips and have the fabric recover at your waistline 8-10% is good. Fabric that is loosely woven that you want to make pants that won't bag at the knee 10-12% is needed. Bathing suits and lingerie need 15-25% or more LYCRA to give you the hold you need. You must first think of the character of the "host" fabric then how much stretch you need. To help eliminate wrinkles just a tiny percentage of LYCRA can do the trick. 100% LYCRA would be a rubber ball!
An important factor in LYCRA content is how it is woven into the fabric. Simply stated, stretch the fabric in all directions to determine where the stretch is and use it where you need it. Most woven fabrics have their stretch across the grain, but I am seeing some with 2 way stretch. It is so fantastic to work with stretch wovens. I have more information about this in my Handbook."
6."Do I need to take any special care (wash, iron etc) of my garments made from Cotton/Lycra fabric?
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Christine:"Depending on the garment the care varies. I put my separates such as leggings, tank tops, skirts and pants in the washer and dryer inside out with warm water. I do a double rinse and use half the recommended amount of liquid detergent on the label. If the soap is not rinsed out completely a white film appears at the seams especially on the darker colors. For my suits I usually Dry Clean them. When I do wash them I wash by hand, inside out, warm water, lay flat and press. They come out like new!
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7."Are there any sewing methods I need to follow in order to sew with cotton/lycra or is it just like sewing with knits.
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Christine:"That is a BIG question...Generally speaking, sewing with Cotton/LYCRA is similar to sewing with most knits except for the stretch and recovery of the seams. It is important to determine your sewing stitch and your topstitch before beginning your garment. Size is also a factor. Depending on the garment you can usually "size" down to achieve the same fit in a fabric without LYCRA. As far as methods go in my patterns I sew the entire garment garment together BEFORE the iron ever touches it. Because of the "hot iron shrinkage" you can't sew a seam then press it as usual or you will shrink the next seam to be sewn. I have built in the "shrinkage factor" in my patterns so they will fit according to the measurements AFTER they are pressed.
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8."What type of sewing techniques would you recommend for sewing on cotton/lycra.
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Christine:"I have all kinds of time saving and production techniques to use with Cotton/LYCRA. Because this fabric is so pliable, flexible and stable - turning corners, sewing collars and using "hot iron shrinkage" to actually tailor this knit makes it a mecca for new and simple techniques. It is hard to go explain them in detail here. The reason I wrote my Handbook and continue to write my newsletter "CLOTHESLINE" is to share these techniques and methods. There is so much to say about working with LYCRA blend fabrics and share my experience. On the website I have reprinted the article I wrote for THREADS magazine, it explains some of the techniques with photos.
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9."All your patterns recommend cotton/lycra. Can I use any other knit also? If I do that, should I preshrink the fabric or not?
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Christine:"As the pattern line develops along with the fabric I offer in both CLOTHESLINE and the base fabrics, I am changing the "Cotton/LYCRA Only" description of the patterns. The percentage of LYCRA in a fabric actually has more to do with the compatibility of fabric and pattern. Only two of the patterns to date have to be made with a 100% stetch fabric or you cannot pull them over your hips. Both the Pencil Skirt and Slit Skirt and the Cuff Pant need that stretch. That is not to say that a Slinky fabric (acetete/LYCRA) or a Rayon/LYCRA can't be used, it doesn't have to be Cotton/LYCRA.
The problem with knits that don't have LYCRA is that they can't hold their shape. Patterns such as the Swing Jacket, A Line Dress, 3 Tees and Straight Shirt are fine for non stretch knits because there is no stress on the fabric that will distort the shape of the garment. If you pre-shrink the fabric the pattern will just run a bit larger, more in the length that the width of the garment.
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10.". What is the best waistband to use on a stretch woven pant or skirt? I don't want to lose the stretchieness using a non-stretch interfacing. I love the look of a faced waistband and owned a pair of pants that had a faced waistband with elastic as the "interfacing" Since I no longer have the pants, can't remember how it was done. Any suggestions? "
Christine:"I always use my tricot interfacing for waistbands. Depending on how much support I need I double or triple the layers. This combined with the elastic will be perfect. Keep the band narrow. I would just interface the band then inset the elastic and tack it at the ends. Tack it in a few spots so it doesn't twist."
11."I know that your patterns are designed and sized to be used with your cotton/lycra without preshrinking. A lot of us want to make a muslin before we cut into your lovely fabric. Should we use a smaller size pattern if we are using prewashed fabric? In other words, how much "shrinkage ease" is built into your patterns? And should we use a different size if we are making up one of your designs in something ver stretchy like Slinky? "
Christine:"The shrinkage "ease" allowance in the patterns that correspond with the measurements for the fit I feel is correct in non pre-washed Cotton/LYCRA is 5-8%. Wow, that's a mouthful! But what does it mean! You can expect shrinkage of 1-1 1/2" in length and 1/2-1" in width with the hot iron shrinkage. I know that all sounds iffy and not much help, there are a million variables. Lets see if I can be more specific.... To get a true look at the fit of the pattern do a muslin and choose the pattern size closest to your measurements and make it with a non stretch fabric. You want to use the stretch in the "real" fabric for its ease of movement, comfort and construction techniques but you still want it to fit in a non stretch fabric. If the pattern has negative ease you must use a fabric similar in stretch to the "real" fabric you will be using. This will give you the truest fit of the pattern. Use either real muslin or something close. While you have the muslin on think about the 'real" fabric you will be using and ask yourself questions.
How much stretch and recovery does the fabric have? Does it snap back into shape when I stretch it? How much drape does it have? Will the drape effect the fit? How much does this fabric shrink when I press it? Would the muslin still "fit well" it was a bit larger or smaller? Will the weight of the "real" fabric effect the fit? Try to visualize the muslin in the "real" fabric and make your best judgment as to how to proceed. Experience is the best teacher. Don't use a size smaller or larger to make your muslin. Make it exactly as close to your measurements as possible, then make your decisions. Remember when using my patterns with my 100% stretch fabrics that they are not project sewing and don't over fit them. I have already worked out (and stressed out)! over the fit based on the measurements and fabric shrinkage and I don't want you to. The fitting should be easy and simple just like the construction.
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12."I have a big difference between hip and waist size, and I'm short. What pants pattern would you recommend. I love the look of the cuff pants, would that work ? The second pattern I'm considering is the taper pant. I have to have enough ease in the back leg so it doesn't cup under my tush. It is much more flattering if it falls straight down.
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Christine:"The Wide Leg Pant pattern would be your best bet. Don't let the name scare you. The bottom width for a size 14 is 15 3/4", the same as the Cuff Pant. You can add a cuff if you like. This pattern has enough ease throughout the hips and seat to give you enough room without cupping, and the rise is generous but not too deep. As with both the Taper Pant and the Wide Leg I am careful not to add too much ease at the waist. You don't need the extra gathers because the stretch in the fabric takes care of the need to fit over your hips. I think the Taper Pant is cut too narrow for you (especially the hips and crotch) and the Cuff Pant will be overpowering. Use your hip measurement to choose size. "
13."Do you have different fabrics available to subscribers to clothesline than I saw in the red book swatches?, especially something with a design on it? "
Christine:"The Red Brochure features my 28 piece Base Fabric Collection of Cotton/LYCRA, Rayon/LYCRA, Slinky and Ottoman. It also has the front and back pattern information as well as a list of the notions I carry. CLOTHESLINE is my newsletter/sewing journal that features 3 seasonal swatch collections: Spring, Transitional and Fall/Holiday. I usually offer between 25 and 35 fabrics in each collection. The fabrics vary from slinky to stretch velvet to woven silk to wool and everything in-between. The majority are LYCRA blend fabrics both knits and wovens, solids and prints. The newsletter part of CLOTHESLINE is about 40 pages of articles, reviews, tips and ideas written by myself, customers and other sewing professionals. For the Collections I go through each fabric and give my ideas of what to make with them. The fabrics are limited quantities and usually once they are sold out they are gone. The fabrics in the Red Brochure are always available.
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14."As a petite, should I buy for high bust or bust measuremnent. I'm afraid if I make the pattern according to my hip measurement, the shoulders will be huge. I'm a definate pear shape. I'm thinking of the boyfiend jacket. "
Christine:"The Boyfriend Jacket is cut straight from the bustline to the hem. Choose the pattern according to your bust measurement and increase the cutting line for your hips. The patterns are multi-sized so it is easy to change sizes while laying the pattern out. Keep in mind the Boyfriend Jacket is an oversized jacket and has lots of ease and does run big. If your bust measurement is between sizes use the smaller size. If you need to shorten the jacket just cut it off at the hem. Keep the length at your fingertips even if you are short!
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15."Where should a petite person shorten the A-line dress? Can you just cut it off the bottom? Does the pattern indicate where the waist should be? This is so helpful as a petite to know where to fold out the excess.
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Christine:"Shorten the A Line Dress from the bottom. Determine your finished length plus the hem and cut from the bottom. I'm not sure if there is a waistline mark on the A Line Dress. I will check and if not I will make a note to add one for the next printing...good idea! "
16."My three pairs of taper pants made from your cotton/lycra are starting to show evidence of slight pilling. I wash and dry them inside out. I literally lived in these pants all winter and washed them weekly for about four months. Any ideas on increasing the longevity? "
Christine:"I very seldom hear about my fabric pilling. It sounds like they have served you well to this point, but they still shouldn't pill. My Cotton/LYCRA fabrics are run under a "broiler" type machine very quickly that burns off all the little fibers that cause pilling. It is the same method that gives gabardine that hard, no fuzzy finish. What can cause pilling is the rubbing of the fabric against itself or other fabrics. In the future wash them as a small load (just the 3 pairs) but with "large load" water they won't be agitating as much against each other. The same for the dryer. Did you prewash the fabric? If you are ever going to prewash the Cotton/LYCRA fabric (eventhough I don't recommend it)! fold it in half with the right side on the inside and baste the edges closed. "