Joan Wiener Bordow - The Illustrated Hassle-Free Make Your Own Clothes Book

Here are some supplies for the well-stocked sewing kit. The first group are the things you need to begin, the second group those youll acquire as you go along. When you start a project, buy the things that you need: thread, zipper, snaps or buttons. Youre bound to have leftovers and will soon gather a lovely collection of odds and ends for future use.

Things to Start With:

Brown Paper or Paper Bags for making patterns
Needlesassorted sizes
Seam Ripper
Scissors
Straight Pinslarge box, medium size
Tailors Chalk
Tape Measure

Things Youll Acquire:

Beeswax
Buttons
Elastic
Embroidery Needlesassorted sizes
Embroidery Threads
Hooks & Eyes
Leather Needlesassorted sizes
Safety Pinsassorted sizes
Seam Binding
Snapsassorted sizes
Threadlarge spool black
large spool white
assorted colors
Zippers

If you have a sewing machinegreat!but not having one shouldnt keep you from sewing. In many places, electricity isnt available and its better not to depend on machines.

Hand sewing is sturdier than machine sewing. Its also a lot more relaxing. What machines can do is shorten sewing time considerably. If you do have access to a machine, dont be afraid to use it. Theyre extremely simple to operate and can be used for all seam sewing. Hems, however, should always be done by hand.

If you dont know how to use a machine, have someone show you how. This is always better than relying on a diagram.

When using a machine, be careful not to sew in a straight line directly over pins. This can damage the machine. Rather place pins facing the machines needle, pulling them out before the needle reaches themor, place pins perpendicular to the needle and sew over them that way.

Casing: This refers to folding over and sewing down the fabric in such a way as to form a tube through which you can string elastic or a ribbon tiefor waistbands on elastic top pants, string gathered necklines or elastic gathered cuffs at wrist or ankle.

Clip Curves: Material sewn on a curve tends to bunch up when worn. Therefore, its necessary to clip curves at armholes, necklines, crotches, etc. This allows the material to lie flat. Always start your clipping at the ragged edge, cutting up to, but not over, the seam.

Darts: We dont use darts on tops because we dont use bras they give your clothes a funny shape. If you want to make darts, you can figure out easily enough how to add them to the tops. On some pants and skirts, though, darts are useful to make waistbands fit better. You dont have to have them, but heres how in case you want to:

1. On the front, youll want a small dart about 2 or 3 long, going from the waistband out at an angle toward the point of the hip, if youre slim, or straight down toward your belly if thats nice and round.

2. Same in back: make a dart 3 to 4 long going from the waist straight down to the part that sticks out the most. This makes things go in where you go in and go out where you go out.

Hold the front piece up to you and mark in tailors chalk where you want the dart to be. Measure carefully to make sure both darts are an equal distance from the center. Do the same with the back pieces.

3. Fold along the line, right side to right side and sew on a diagonal line, starting at top edge about from fold, down to the bottom of your measured dart. Press flat.

Elastic: Whenever you use elastic for a waistband or cuff, you can prevent it from curling and twisting if you tack it into place at the sides, front and back of your garment. After the elastic is inserted in the casing, make sure it isnt curled, adjust the gathers evenly, then tack by sewing through the elastic and the front and back of the casing, using a small stitch the way you would sew on a buttonit wont show in the folds of the fabric.

Facings: Dont be scared by the word facing. It is merely an easy way to get a smooth turned edge at garment openings like necks and armholes. The facing is a 2 or 3 piece of fabric that follows the shape of the opening. Instructions will be given with each pattern where a facing is necessary.

1. Sew the facing into place.

2. Press it out flat, away from the garment. Sew another seam from the first seam, taking in the seam selvage and the facing. Trim selvage. This will help it stay flat and keep it from turning to the outside.

If your fabric is stretchy and pliable, facings arent absolutely necessarythe ragged edges can be turned under neatly and sewn down. Also, whenever a facing is indicated, you can sometimes use ribbon or lace if you dont have enough extra fabric.

Hem Binding: Ribbon or lace can be used whenever you want to give a smooth, unragged look to hems. Its especially good on heavy fabric where its hard to turn the ragged edges under.

1. Sew the ribbon to the right side of your fabric so that the ribbon extends just a little beyond the ragged edge.

2. Then turn up your hem to the right length, pin and hem stitch.

Ironing (Pressing): Its good to keep an iron hot and handy while sewing so you can press seams open and flat as you go. Youll frequently find yourself sewing over seams and pressing makes the whole process much simpler.

Reinforcing Seams: Wherever there will be strain on a seam at the crotch or underarm areas, for exampleit is helpful to reinforce this by sewing a piece of ribbon or seam binding over the seam.

1. Sew the seam as usual.

2. Pin a piece of ribbon or seam binding over the seam where you want it to be reinforced. Sew over the seam again. Remove the pins and...

3. Clip the curve if necessary, without clipping the ribbon.

Right Side of Material: This refers to that side of the material which will show when you wear it. It also refers to the opposite of wrong side, not the opposite of left side.