Window shopping (in very expensive windows)
Thursday, August 14th, 2014
Away for the weekend celebrating Mr Sassy’s rather big birthday. He might have been expecting to spend a weekend road testing drum kits, somehow we wound up touring the fabric shops of London and Brighton.
What a very different experience to our local sewing shop. And yet, in some ways, not so different after all. Berwick St in Soho is certainly a life experience. At one end are the sex shops – straight ones, gay ones, not-quite-sure ones. None of them are especially seedy or threatening – more like ‘carry-on pretending’ than anything to worry about. At the other end is Oxford St. Chain stores, gift stores, the planet’s biggest jumble sale (Primark) and more people per square feet moving at so many different speeds it needs a PHD in chaos theory simply to stay upright.
And, in between are around a dozen top class fabric shops. The best shopping street in dressmaking Britain? Maybe. But you’ll need to know what you want. It could be all too easy to spend a lot of money in a very short space of time.
If you need some lace at £150 per metre, you’ll have a choice of ten in just one store. Fancy browsing through 1781 bolts of cloth (my little drummer boy counted them) in one anonymous-looking store? OK, make that two different shops (the second one actually had more), you’ll find them next door-but one.
My favourite was the Cloth House. They have two stores – one at either end of Berwick St. Both are laid out in such a way as to make fabric shopping fun. Both have a good selection of cotton, accessories, binding and buttons and both have staff keen to make you feel welcome. I could have spent hours in there
As an experience, Berwick St is something very special, but it feels like a different world. Many of the shops just sell cloth – massively expensive cloth and nothing else. My guess is that their customers are buying for a bespoke outfit. Taken to a tailor or carried to a couture-ist craftsman to be transformed into something wonderful.
24 hours later and a complete about-face. Fabric Land in Brighton is like Primark for value-hunting seamstri(what is the collective noun for seamstresses?) The prices are great, quality seems OK but it always somehow falls short of being an enjoyable experience. There are a few too many grumpy notices about what you can’t do and an absence of special-ness. Fab’ Land does however have Gingham check for £2.50 a metre. Yesterday in Soho I almost paid ten times that amount.
And here’s the challenge. I can’t easily spot the difference. It can’t be the same quality and I’m sure that, side-by-side, the two fabrics will each show their individual values, but no one in either shop seems to know how to do it and instead, they leave us, the customer to try and fathom it out. If anyone out there can explain how to tell the difference, I’d love to know.
Crikey, you could have someone’s eye out with that!
Tuesday, August 12th, 2014
Hunting for retro patterns in a flea market last weekend I came across these ancient women’s magazines from 1959. That’s, er, 55 years old from a world before the Beatles, before the mini skirt and when good Queen Lizzie was a long way off celebrating even ten years in the hot seat.
The contents are charming and only slightly patronising. Like modern magazines they are full of fashion tips, lifestyle advice and useful hints on ‘how to please your man’ although these latter ones are more to do with polishing a skirting board properly than anything involving being within three feet of said square-jawed smoking hunk.
Not that you’d want to get that close wearing one of the dozens of deadly pointed brassieres advertised throughout the mags. Mr Sassy’s wisdom on the matter was ‘how do you fit those into there?’ He’s so romantic.
There’s not as much sewing stuff as I’d hoped – obviously the late 50s was for knitting, not stitching, but there’s a good chunk of homeliness in each edition. The biggest difference to modern magazines is an almost complete lack of celebrity…unless it’s royalty (obviously, someone was missing a trick by not advertising…’Playtex, the mammary manager of our amazing monarch’.
Strangely, the biggest similarities are the brands we buy. Washing powders, chocolates and all manner of everyday goods that I could nip out and buy today. And the more I read, the more I like these innocent reminders of the world our parents grew up in. Wouldn’t you love to see how they managed the swinging sixties? I’m heading back to the junk shops.
Choosing scissors
Sunday, August 10th, 2014
The best in sewing starts with the right cut. Forget the dog, forget chocolate too, scissors are a girl’s best friend. Like the car mechanic who guards their ‘special tools’, like the painter who has a favourite brush, the accuracy and precision of your snips and snicks might just make the difference between perfection and making do. Did that sound a bit serious? Ok, sorry, this is supposed to be fun after all. But the fact remains that a few extra pounds spent on some proper sewing scissors will make all of this even more fun. It’s easy to think that all scissors are alike. Not true. Some have noticeably heavier top blades giving more power for cutting thick or multi-layered materials, others have tapered blades that follow the direction of your hand more closely, and those different shaped and sized finger holes aren’t there by accident. A bigger hole gives more cutting power, while a smaller one allows more accuracy.The terminology is simple. Scissors are a tool where the blades are shorter and both handle-holes are the same size. Shears have two sizes of hole and the blades are usually longer. Most sewers use the word scissors to describe both which can be a little confusing. Rotary cutters? We’ll come to them in a moment.
I would recommend at least two pairs. One with long blades for cutting fabric and another, smaller pair to trim and cut thread. What follows is a quick and simple guide to the common types of cutting tools available. Hope you find it useful.
Dressmaking shears
They look unusual because the shape allows these scissors to sit flat to the fabric, which means you can keep the fabric flatter as you cut it. Some types, known as soft-touch scissors operate by a spring rather than a hinge, meaning they need less pressure to make the cut. Perfect if you’re making a longer number.
Pinking shears
The exaggerated serrated edge makes pinking shears look a little weird, but for working with fabric, these are your new best friend. The zig-zag pattern they create prevents your fabric fraying. Pick a pair from a good manufacturer and look after them.
Rotary cutter
Rotary cutters are like pizza cutters for fabric. Sort of. They are perfect for cutting long pieces of fabric accurately. They do take a bit of practice on awkward shapes. If you fancy giving one a go you’ll need a cutting mat too unless you want to cut into your table/carpet etc. and probably a ruler to keep you on the straight and narrow. One downside is that the blades can’t be sharpened so will need replacing when they get blunt. Don’t worry though – it’ll be a long time before that happens. You can also get pinking rotary cutters which serrate the edge just like the shears of the same name.
Paper scissors
Don’t forget that you’ll also need a sharp and accurate, well-balanced pair of paper scissors too because if the pattern isn’t cut right, you’re on a loser from the off. Don’t use your fabric ones as you’ll blunt them quickly on paper – in fact it’s worth labelling them ‘for fabric only’ to keep you from being tempted into short cuts.
Embroidery scissors
These are small scissors that many sewers (me included) use for cutting threads – saves your fabric scissors for fabric only. I have a gold plated stork pair which I think are pretty cute – see pic.
How much to pay?
A good set of pinking shears will cost between £20 and £40, which seems expensive, but if you look after them, they’ll last for years. And you get what you pay for. High performance steel blades, contoured handles and proper build quality making cutting even wools and denims a pleasure with a good set of shears.
Dressmaking scissors are vary greatly in cost – typically, most sewers pay around £15-£25 but some well-known brands will be more expensive than this (some, like Ernest Wright, much more expensive). Soft touch scissors cost about the same as decent dressmaking scissors.
Buy the best you can afford and ones that feel ‘right’ in your hands.
Size matters
The bigger the blade, the more leverage you have and the easier it will be to cut through thick fabric or multiple layers. Most sewers compromise with shears of around nine inches.
Looking after them
Three things wreck scissors; dust (lint from the fabric), drying-out and being used to cut anything other than fabric. Keep yours away from the rest of the family, keep them in a holder, give them a wipe down on a regular basis and apply a drop of light machine oil to the blades’ screw every now and then, followed by a few imaginary snips to get it flowing and keep the mechanism lubricated. Don’t forget to wipe off the excess oil and make your first cut afterwards on some spare fabric that you can afford to get stained.
Shopping mania
Wednesday, August 6th, 2014
I’ve just had a long weekend of joy. Shopping in sewing shops – there’s nothing like it. London and Brighton were my stomping grounds and I was there to spend money. I didn’t have any particular pattern, fabric or notions in my head – I just wanted to buy what I fancied. And it turned out that I fancied a lot!
First up is a vintage style dress pattern – Simplicity 1356 which consists of three pieces only. No zips, no buttons, no fastenings either – a really quick make. It’s a wraparound affair and I’ll be fascinated to see how it comes together. I chose a lovely pink textured medium weight cotton for this which seemed to fit the pattern beautifully.
Next was another vintage style pattern, this time for a 1940’s style blouse – Simplicity 1692. I’m making the pink version in this lovely purple cotton mix which drapes beautifully. And I love the bird print – I’ve been after something like this for ages.
And what about this! Something really different (for me anyway). A pattern for a vintage style bra top (yes vintage does seem to be a bit of a theme here!) – it’s Simplicity 1426. Not sure what I’ll make this out of or where I’ll wear it but I just couldn’t leave it behind. I’ll definitely let you see this little beauty when it’s made up.
Then I just went a little bonkers and choose three more fabrics for no other reason than I liked them. They’re all cottons. The yellow and grey polka dot is probably destined to be a blouse, the green and yellow a dress (this has a beautiful velvety feel to it) and the white is going to form a yoke on a dress with the rest of the material being something very different – this isn’t planned out yet.
Next I found myself in Liberty in London. If you’ve never been, then you really should. A lot of their stuff is a bit pricey for me, but every now and then some Liberty print makes a lovely treat. I bought this wonderful retro print, which is slightly thicker than the Liberty I normally buy, with six red and six yellow buttons in two different sizes. £24.95 a metre is twice what I usually seem to spend, but I only bought one metre and whatever I make in this lovely fabric will be special enough to justify the price. As yet, I have no plans for it but I’m not in a rush – it’s not like I haven’t got other things to get going with!
S’oh dear
Sunday, August 3rd, 2014
The five daft mistakes everyone makes at least once. Sometimes twice!
Not washing the fabric
Brand new fabric can shrink when washed. Everyone who makes clothes, from Prada designers to Paula at number 17 washes their fabric before doing anything else with it. Forget this and you’ll be missing out on at least two month’s chocolate before your lovingly made garment will fit you. Check the washing instructions on anything unusual or special before you pile it into the washer.
Not buying enough fabric
Remember the 2014 Sewing Bee on telly? The semi-final and one of the contestants, Linda, forgot to bring enough fabric to make her dress. I think everyone’s heart broke for her that day. But if she can do it…on the telly, then don’t be surprised when you do it too. Measure twice, buy once and don’t forget to allow for the way the pattern will be placed on the fabric too – you might need more than you think.
Not reading the pattern info before you start cutting
Have you checked if the pattern includes a seam allowance? Know how many of each piece you need? Are there any special instructions on cutting out etc? Reading the pattern instructions before you get going may seem laborious (we all love to dive straight in) but could really save you time and frustration later.
Not checking your fabric
Trees go upwards, camper vans go across. If your fabric has images or a pattern that need to go a certain way, make sure you remember to cut accordingly. Sounds simple, but it’s one of the most common mistakes and can ruin the look of the garment. But don’t panic if you do end up doing this – just brazen it out. You never know, people may think your trees were actually meant to be upside down!
Not checking the grain line
As above. Your fabric has a grain line (straight grain) and your pattern needs to be pinned to the fabric and cut appropriately. Otherwise it’ll hang like a drunken bat and the garment will be wonkier than a wonky thing with extra wonk. Look for the grain line marked on your pattern pieces and keep this parallel with the grain line of the fabric, unless it says to do otherwise.
My fave pattern (for now)
Friday, August 1st, 2014
Everyone has one – a pattern they use time and time again. Maybe it’s the ease of making, or the styling or the fit. Whatever it is that draws us back to it, I can guarantee every sewer has one hiding away somewhere.
For me it’s a skirt – Simplicity 2226, a pattern I first made not long after I started sewing.
I like it because it fits well in a loose kind of way, suits all sorts of fabrics and is easy (it’s a Learn to Sew pattern), which means I can make one in a flash now I’ve had a bit of practice. The pictures on the front of the pattern don’t do this skirt any justice – it’s actually a bit more flared than shown and the yoke a bit deeper too. It sits just below the waistline, which I like. There are two length options and I prefer the shorter of the two, although I still make that version a bit longer than it suggests otherwise it’s way too short for my liking. I also don’t bother with the carriers on the waistband (the little loops a belt would go through) and I don’t make the waist tie either. I also like to make the pockets and yoke in a different fabric to the rest of the skirt – just makes a plain (ish) skirt more interesting.
I have six of these made up now and I’m sure there are more on the cards in the very near future. My favourite so far is one I made out of cotton with colourful bicycles running through it for the main skirt with spotty canvas material for the yoke and pockets. I’ve worn this to death and am sad that it’s starting to look a little jaded. I can’t find any more of the fantastic bike material though so can’t replicate – please give me a shout if you see any, as I’d love to make another – it’s one of those garments that I get comments on whenever I wear it. This pattern is definitely worth a look – there’s pockets to do but these are easy and the instructions are clear. And a zip – that’s about as difficult as it gets.
Whats on my sewing table…..
Tuesday, July 29th, 2014
This is a first for me. Trousers! I’ve done skirts, tops, dresses, pinnies, pyjama bottoms, a hooded cape, vests, t-shirts, sweatshirts – but no trousers. Why? Who knows? Maybe I’m a little fearful about doing the fly – scary stuff? But then I saw this pattern by Named and called Alpi for a pair of chinos and I thought ‘now is the time’ – I luurve chinos.
So here we are then. It’s all cut out and the side and back pockets are in situ. I’m making the chinos from cotton drill with a lovely blue Liberty print for the side pocket bags, with a touch of it on the back pockets too. I’d bought this to make a tie then didn’t use it so thought a bit of colour on the plain cotton would look fab – and it does. Don’t be afraid to add a dash of colour or a bit of texture to otherwise plain fabrics. A bit here and there really lifts the garment and it looks snazzy too.
So far it’s going OK but if you decide to have a go at these remember this one thing. The pattern doesn’t have a seam allowance included – they say to draw an allowance of 1cm round all of the pieces. Which personally I found a bit of a pain. I’m just so glad I read the instructions first otherwise the whole thing would have been a write off. Also, the pattern pieces are overlaid on the paper, so you have no option but to trace parts of it to be able to cut out the whole thing. Now this isn’t such an issue really, but it is slightly annoying when you buy a paper pattern and still have to trace. But hey ho, these are going to look marvellous. Check back later for a peek at the finished result.
Get Inspired
Monday, July 28th, 2014
Don’t you just love it when you see people getting inspired to sew? It’s happened to me this month with two of my nearest and dearest. First, my long time friend Judi. Normally a resident of Turkey (lucky girl) Judi bought a sewing machine a year ago, just after I’d been for a visit and she’d clapped eyes on some of my home made lovelies. But alas the sewing machine has lain dormant due to time constraints and the difficulty in finding nice fabrics in her local shops. However a recent spell visiting family in the UK has resulted in Judi really catching the bug – probably a result of me banging on about sewing all day long. Cue one visit to a fabric stall and a spell on my sewing machine and Judi had whipped up a lovely little dress for her daughter’s goddaughter Claudia. Pretty impressive and doesn’t she look pretty? Judi now has a full case of fabric to lug back to Turkey – but first she has a wedding outfit to finish. Talk about a fast learner!
And then there was my son Lars. Heavily into his fashion, he announced, out of the blue that he fancied having a go at making his own clothes. Talk about jumping in at the deep end, there wasn’t any of that buying pattern malarky going on here. Oh no. It was straight in with making a trouser block and designing his own trousers (thanks to my dressmaking instuctor Kate for her help with this). Here he is wearing a toile made from an old bed sheet. Pretty good fit eh? The real deal are much narrower in the leg and made of lovely wool fabric – Vivienne Westwood style. Watch out here for the finished article – they are still under the machine at the moment. Well done Lars – not bad for someone who didn’t even know how to thread a needle before all this! Lets sew folks.
My first makes
Sunday, July 27th, 2014
When it came to making my first little outfit, I played it safe. I knew I wanted something I had half a chance of finishing but something that I’d wear too – I didn’t want to start with a make-up bag or other such things that people were suggesting as good beginner options. I had to have clothes! My newly purchased but old Bernina was at the ready – it was time to fire it up.
So armed with little clue of what I was looking for I headed off to John Lewis in Peterborough. I took the decision to choose a pattern (or two actually) that were specifically aimed at newbies – which narrowed it down a little. One (New Look 6004) said ‘sew new, learning the basics’ on the front (a good start I thought) the other ( New Look 6483) said ‘1 hour easy’ (a tiny under-estimation!) You could be braver than me and just jump in with something more complicated – Jenni Taylor from the second series of The Sewing Bee started with her wedding dress (yikes.) It’s all about confidence and doing what you feel is right for you.
Armed my patterns I headed to the fabric shelves – oh my, this was going to be fun. I felt, prodded stroked, drooled and other such things until the perfect fabric landed in my hands. I was making a vest top (cue big pink circles) and an elasticated waist skirt (small black flowers on a white background – classy.) Both cotton – which is a great first choice as it behaves just as you’d expect it to and is lovely to wear. I decided to embellish the skirt with a bit of ric-rac and sequins so they went in my basket too.
And that was it – I had the bug big time. Shopping for stuff that’s going to be turned into something lovely to wear is addictive (err – hence the stash I now have in my cupboards). It was an experience I was going to repeat many times – I still can’t resist buying fabric at every opportunity.
I have to admit that cutting out and reading a pattern for the first time was a little tricky for me – I sort of panicked a little bit – I’ve just looked at the patterns again and they seem so easy now. But when you first start off, just take your time and read everything carefully. And YouTube and Google are your friend, remember.
Sadly I’ve since thrown away the vest top – I just fell out of love with the fabric, but here is the skirt complete with ric-rac and sewn on (yes I did say sewn on) sequins. Not bad for a start.
Sewing is my life
Monday, July 21st, 2014
I guess you could say I came late to sewing. Still not sure if it some kind of mid-life crisis. Not even sure if women have mid-life crisisessss (what is the plural of crisis? Am I rambling already? This is only the second post). Men have it easy. Grow a ponytail, buy a motorbike and run off with their secretary. I’ve already got a motorbike, had more hairstyles than I can remember and the closest thing I have to a secretary is my Heinz 57 terrier.
Anyhow, focus Julie. It started with a colleague where I used to work about four years ago- we made a best selling horse magazine together. The secret equine crafting society. Before I knew it there was bunting and then place mats and then we were heading to Nottingham to buy a secondhand 1960s Bernina sewing machine.
The Bernina went a year ago, replaced by something with less character but a lot more ability. And we’ve moved – we now live in a small (make that tiny) market town, which is good in some ways (no chain stores, lots of character, definition of a crime wave is when two people start to cross while the green man is flashing), but not so good in others (40 minute bus ride to buy a bra, or a football, or any clothes suitable for the living). Which means that making my own clothes has become more of a necessity than a hobby.
So far my approach has been to find a pattern that I like (there’s one particular skirt that I really like – watch out for that in a future post) and make it in several different fabrics. So far it’s worked a treat – who needs the high street anyway?
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