Episode 803 features three main techniques, little lace accents, fluffy full ruffles, and quick to cut little doll clothes. Each one is designed to show a bit of the late teens fashion era. These items would have been seen as street clothing or “unmentionables” such as petticoats and bloomers.
As always, it’s interesting to think about how clothing and accessories would have been created many decades ago. Certainly the time and labor involved would have been long and tedious compared to modern methods. In this show you are sure to see modern methods made possible by machine capabilities in the 21st century. Watch how everything from yesterday gets done today . . . faster and easier!
As always, it’s interesting to think about how clothing and accessories would have been created many decades ago. Certainly the time and labor involved would have been long and tedious compared to modern methods. In this show you are sure to see modern methods made possible by machine capabilities in the 21st century. Watch how everything from yesterday gets done today . . . faster and easier!
Coleen Swettman appears first and shows lace embroidery on a layer of wash away stabilizer and polyester organza fabric. She takes the resulting little leaf designs and glues them to a headband. With an embroidery machine this project is short and simple.
I have a standard recipe for making these sheer lace appliqués, which includes the following:
- Sheer polyester organza - This is found in many colors in the special occasion section (think bridal and prom supplies) of most fabric stores.
- Fibrous mesh stabilizer – Sometimes called Lace Base, Vilene, or Aqua Melt. It looks a little like a sheet of non-woven interfacing but completely dissolves in warm water. This stabilizer is popular for freestanding lace designs and for sewing or embroidering on sheer fabrics such as organza that need more stability during embroidery but need to disappear after the stitching is finished. CLICK HERE for more information about this type of stabilizer. This also comes in an adhesive backed version suitable for lots of tricky embroidery and sewing situations.
- Lacy like machine embroidery designs - For this technique you need designs that include a satin stitched edging. Machine embroidery enthusiasts don’t have to search long to find a multitude of lace designs that could be used for this technique. Some of my favorites are found on ibroidery.com, a Brother exclusive site for reasonably priced design downloads. Visit this site to see an example of these designs.
- Super sharp curve tipped scissors are a must for trimming the excess fabric and stabilizer. There are many brands that are good and Havel's Sewing makes a nice pair at a great price.
In the next segment Tina Givens shows how to ruffle both with and without an attachment.
It’s obvious Tina is a master at ruffling without the aid of a special attachment. Ruffles are a major accent on many of the pattern she produces.
It’s obvious Tina is a master at ruffling without the aid of a special attachment. Ruffles are a major accent on many of the pattern she produces.
However, if you are looking for a machine accessory that makes ruffling fool proof, fast, and utterly perfect, look no further than adding a ruffle attachment to your sewing room tool kit. This awkward looking foot takes just a bit of know how to use but it's not at all intimidating once you give it a try. Every ruffler I have seen, both ancient and newfangled looks pretty much the same. Check with your favorite sewing supply store and you'll find one to fit machines both old and new, whether you have a mechanical or computerized machine. Want to explore just a bit more? CLICK HERE for my Free Ruffler Attachment tip sheet.
The final piece in this show is presented by Lynn Lunoe. She’ll show you step by step how to use the Brother ScanNCut to make short work of cutting little bitty patterns for doll clothing. Yes, you are seeing more and more projects made with the aid of this electronic cutter but that’s because it is such a versatile accessory. Wondering if you would really get your money's worth from this machine? There are truly a thousand a one uses, probably more! Think about the possibilities every time you cut small and intricate pieces and wish you had a machine to do it for you. Only you can decide but remember that this cutter can scan. That means you can create original patterns from lots of sources like hand drawn or commercially available appliqué patterns, in addition to copying small items like doll patterns. With this cutter you can cut multiples really quickly. Adorable doll clothes are a fun way to use up fabric remnants and try out embellishment techniques. Plus, I’ve never heard a doll complain about her outfit! Every doll I have ever seen has a perpetual smile on her face!
CLICK HERE to watch
It's Sew Easy Episode 803. Enjoy!
It's Sew Easy Episode 803. Enjoy!
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