An elastic waistband is casual and in most cases, simple to sew. In fact, inserting elastic into a waistband and the end result of a stretchy, comfortably adjustable garment at the waist is quite rewarding and fun to do, especially if you are a sewing beginner. Of course, there are different levels of difficulty depending on the style of elastic and where it is applied on the garment, but for the most part, this is a great finish to learn if you dream of being able to make your own clothing. If you are just learning how to sew, don’t be intimidated by working with elastic. It is actually quite easy to handle once you get the hang of it. Elastic can provide a nice shortcut for a variety of fit issues. We’ll dive deeper into working with elastic later, but since you’re still at the beginning of the road with learning how to sew, let’s start with the most common (and simple way) elastic is used: in a waistband. An elasticized waistband is simple and affordable to sew if you follow all its construction steps properly. It is often found on casual skirts, sweatpants and shorts, and sometimes used around the waist of casual dresses and tunics. For the purpose of learning some basic steps associated with applying elastic, we'll show you how to add a simple elastic waistband to a skirt in the tutorial below. Drafting a Simple Pattern For A Skirt Elastic Waistband Step 1: Choose the width of the waistband. It is up to you how wide you want the final waistband. Commonly, elastic waistbands range anywhere from ¾” to 2” depending on the style. For the purpose of this tutorial, we’re using a 1” waistband. To sew a 1” waistband use 1” wide elastic. You can buy elastic in a variety of different widths at your local fabric store. To draft an elastic waistband pattern, measure along the edge of the garment's waist (or the edge that the waistband will be sewn to) and note this measurement.
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If you are in the process of learning how to sew, no doubt you already know the two main rules of dressmaking: Iron every seam as you go AND don’t leave any fraying raw edges of fabric unfinished. The ironing part is pretty self-explanatory right? But what about fabric raw edges? Although this is a choice left to the designer's discretion, it is important to note that not all fabric edges on a garment are suitable to be left unfinished regardless of design. Leaving fabric edges unfinished on a clothing item is something that needs to be decided cautiously contingent on the vulnerability and fraying of the fabric weave at hand. Most woven fabrics are susceptible to fraying thus they must receive some form of edge reinforcement. Fabrics that don't fray due to their weave (such as knits) should still be clean finished either with a serging stitch or zig zag application on your home sewing machine in order to achieve a longer lasting, durable finish. There are, of course, instances where you can forgo fabric edge finishing all together. Examples of these include leather and some suede fabrics that can sustain structure and durability without the need for additional reinforcement. Despite being able to use your discretion regarding edge finishing, necklines should never be left unfinished regardless the fabric. Why? Mainly because if a neckline is not reinforced by some kind of finish, it will stretch and eventually lose its shape and structure. In addition, tears and rips will occur from wear, especially from taking the garment on and off over time, creating major functional and durability issues. Now that you know to never leave the edge of a neckline unfinished, here are 4 common sewing techniques you can use to clean-finish them properly depending on fabric and design. You can access a step-by-step tutorial of each by clicking on the titles bellow. 1. Sewing a Curved Neck FacingIf you haven’t done so already, check out our tutorial on how to draft your own neck facing pattern. Once you have drafted the facing sewing pattern based on your garment, you can learn how to cut and sew it by following the steps in: How To Cut and Sew a Neckline Facing. A curved neck facing is perhaps the first technique you will learn as a sewing beginner. Although it sounds a bit difficult to sew, if you follow all the steps correctly from the beginning, you'll find that sewing a facing has a very intuitive quality to it. Perhaps what matters most when deciding what neckline finish technique to apply is the style of the clothing item itself, the fabric it is constructed of and whether your design must not include any topstitching, collars or bands. To break it down a bit further, neck facings are commonly used on tailored garments that require a smoother, more structured finish. For that reason, you'll find them on business-wear like women's tailored dresses, tops and some blazers.
Sleeves can sometimes make or break a clothing item. Not only are they essential for comfort and functionality, their style has a huge impact on a garment aesthetically. There are a variety of different sleeve types out there ranging from simple to very unique in shape and design. No matter how complicated the design however, all sleeves are derived from just a few classic silhouettes. These basic silhouettes act as a building block both in the sewing as well as design process. From a construction standpoint, sleeves have always been a bit challenging to sew, especially for sewing beginners. Below, we'll introduce you to 25 sleeve styles you should know and the challenges you may face in their construction process. SleevelessAlthough sleeveless is not necessarily a type of sleeve, understanding what sleeveless means is a good place to start if you are trying to get a better grip on sleeve construction. Just as the name suggests, a sleeveless garment has no sleeves. A sleeveless garment has armholes that are clean-finished using a variety of different sewing techniques.
Sleeveless clothing items can have different size armholes and be shaped in a range of styles. Some sleeveless garments feature very wide, deep curves at the armhole's bottom while others extended towards the neckline to form a thinner shoulder strap. Regardless of style, if a clothing item lacks sleeves or any form of arm coverage, it is safe to say that it can be classified as sleeveless. Sewing Difficulty: Thankfully, with a sleeveless clothing item, you don't have to worry about sewing in a sleeve which can prove to be quite challenging (especially for sewing beginners). Clean finishing armhole edges however does require some special attention along the more curved underarm areas. If you are a beginner, you should feel comfortable sewing a sleeveless garment and clean-finishing armhole edges first before tackling the unique task of sleeves. Clean finishing armhole edges will get you accustomed to working with the more challenging curved edges of a garment which will ultimately get you one step closer to sewing that perfect sleeve. The most common methods for clean finishing armhole edges are by using binding (for more casual, lightweight apparel), armhole facing, or applying trims and other decorative techniques. As you you dive deeper into pattern-making, you'll soon learn that you can use a single patterning method to make any facing. Once you get the hang of all necessary steps for drafting facing sewing patterns, you'll be one step closer to understanding and mastering essential pattern-making techniques. When it comes to facings, all you need is your garment's patterns and a few basic tools. Your clothing item's patterns will always be used as a starting point for the facings' draft.
The basic tools necessary to draft a simple facing are: pattern paper, an 18" inch clear plastic marked ruler, a pencil (preferably mechanical), an eraser, and a basic french curve. You should aim to be familiar with all the tools necessary for a sewing beginner but also try to avoid over-complicated tools that are not always necessary for basic sewing/pattern making. |
The Blog:A journey into our design process, sewing tutorials, fashion tips, and all the inspiring people and things we love. Doina AlexeiDesigner by trade and dressmaker at heart. I spend most of my days obsessing over new fabrics and daydreaming new ideas. Sadie
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