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4/30/2012

They are here!


Our NEWEST Styles of Custom-Milled, Professional Grade INTERFACING
have Just Arrived at www.FashionSewingSupply.com 
...at special Introductory DISCOUNT Prices!

(I promise to get back to sewing as soon as I can! Orders are pouring in for these fabulous new Interfacing styles, and we want to get them shipped to you as quickly as possible :)



ProWoven Superior Sew-in LIGHT Interfacing
A lightly crisp sew-in Interfacing made from
100% totally stable COTTON, that does NOT shrink!


ProWoven Superior Sew-in MEDIUM Interfacing
A medium crisp sew-in Interfacing that stays crisp.
...perfect for shirt collars/cuffs, and waistbands.
100% totally stable COTTON that does NOT shrink!


ProWoven LIGHT-Crisp Fusible Interfacing
Because you asked for it...we made
a Lighter version of our popular Shirt-Crisp Fusible.
100% totally stable COTTON that does NOT Shrink!

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4/18/2012

TUTORIAL-- Professional Wrapped-Edge Facing

I always strive to have my garments look as good on the inside as they do on the "public" side.  One of the techniques I use to do this, I showed to you in a tutorial long ago before getting a new camera...so when I sewed the trial garment of Vogue 8800 (shown below), I took the opportunity to stitch and show you this Wrapped-Edge Facing technique again...this time in more detail and with better photography.


When sewing a basic convertible collar shirt like the one above, we usually finish the loose edge of the facings (the long curved edges not sewn to the shirt fronts) by serging, zig-zagging, or by turning the raw-edge 1/4-inch to the wrong side and stitching.  That's perfectly fine, but there is another way to finish those long front facings so that they look like this and give the inside of your garment some pizazz!


Here is how it's done--

The two facing pieces needed for the shirt fronts are cut from the fabric following the pattern exactly.

In order to wrap the edges of the facings, it is necessary to use a soft and very flexible interfacing like ProSheer Elegance from www.FashionSewingSupply.com .
 As shown below...Place and pin the facing pattern piece on the straight grain of folded interfacing, and then draw a line 1/2" away from the long curved edge. Cut the interfacing following the pattern piece along the straight long side, neck curve and top...but use the new drawn line when the long curved edge is cut.  Yes, the two pieces of interfacing are now wider than the two facing pieces that were cut from the fabric.




The interfacing is then placed on top of the facing RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER,  so that the long curved edges match. The fusible side of the interfacing is facing "up".  Then the 2 layers (1 interfacing + 1 fabric facing ) are stitched together along the LONG CURVED EDGE with a scant 1/4-inch seam.


Next as shown below--  On your pressing surface...the interfacing is folded "open" from the facing it is stitched to, and VERY CAREFULLY....it is Pressed ONLY along the the seam allowances with the tip of the iron. BOTH seam allowances and ONLY the seam allowances are pressed towards the interfacing. This is done to just quickly and temporarily "tack down" the interfacing to the SEAM ALLOWANCES.   Do NOT let your iron drift PAST the seam allowance!  Pressing the FABRIC is fine...But at this point..DO NOT PRESS THE INTERFACING PAST THE SEAM ALLOWANCES.


Next, the facing unit is turned over, and the interfacing is wrapped around (over) the pressed-together seam allowances to the wrong side of the facing piece. At this point the interfacing is ready to be fully fused to the wrong side of the facing piece...so finish fusing the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric facing pieces (NOTE--the interfacing will NOT meet the straight and other edges of the facing...because those are the edges that will be sewn to the shirt-fronts..and extra bulk is not needed or wanted in those seams).









This is what the finished "Wrapped-edge Facing"
Piece looks like (after fully fusing the interfacing) from the RIGHT side.   ------------------->





















<----And this is what it looks like from the WRONG side.

























And when the Wrapped-Edge Facing is sewn into place to the Center Front seam allowance of the Shirt Front pieces....the loose edge of the facing inside of the shirt looks fantastic!      




INTERFACING USED-- Pro-Sheer Elegance Fusible Interfacing from www.FashionSewingSupply.com

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4/17/2012

Vogue 8800 Mens Pattern...The Finished Shirt


Ladies and gentlemen, Vogue 8800 is a winner! 

This is the pattern--  Vogue 8800.  It is very straightforward...a simple style that is easy to sew.

It is a slightly contoured (fitted) casual shirt, without being too tight. And the only alteration I had to make was to lengthen the sleeves. The short sleeves are quite short, which is a good look on a younger man. However in my opinion, too short for a middle aged man. I made this shirt for Roger in a size 40...he is a trim man in his mid-fifties.      I lengthened the sleeve pattern by a full inch, and he still thinks they are a bit too short. So I advise to check the sleeve length before cutting.

This shirt gets my stamp of approval 
because the important drafting details are WONDERFUL ! 

LOOK...  The collar is curved!  The yoke where it joins the back is curved!   The back where it joins the yoke is curved!  The 3 things I look for in a good shirt draft are all here in Vogue 8800.

OK, so what if the instructions are basic. This is marked as an "easy" pattern, so I didn't expect the construction methods to be sophisticated. If we choose to do so...we can sew the yoke in a way that all the seams are enclosed, add a pocket from another shirt,  and put slits in the side seams ourselves.
  
Vogue has given us the most important thing...a very good draft!


SEWING NOTES--  Pro-Sheer Elegance Fusible Interfacing  and Textured Coconut Shell Buttons from www.FashionSewingSupply.com .  Fabric is lightweight cotton batik.

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4/06/2012

On the Cutting Table...Vogue 8800


Next up, an evaluation of this fairly recently released Vogue pattern for a semi-fitted mens shirt.
I get countless email messages asking me for recommendations for  a "Good Man's Shirt".  So when a new pattern comes out, I do my best to give it a try. 

Since most of the shirts I make are custom hand-drafted garments for clients... my husband Roger is usually the lucky recipient of these test shirts.  And since I really dislike to sew a  muslin from actual "muslin", I am using one of the many batiks I have in stash, bought "on-sale-with-a-coupon-too."

Yes, I am going to make the short-sleeve version in this marbleized batik. I think this fabric is one of those "in small doses" prints, don't you?  A long sleeved shirt would just be "much too much" in this fabric.   But I think a short sleeve version in this fabric will look kind of cool for a slim guy in his mid-fifties...we'll see.

While sewing this shirt, I'll be evaluating many things such as the shape of the yoke as it relates to the back, the shape of the collar, the amount of ease in the sleeve cap and its height...among other things.


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4/02/2012

WrapOver Yoke Shirt...take 2

 
This variation of my Wrap-Over Angled Yoke Shirt was cut and sewn in a more casual way than the first. It is less fitted and its slightly rumpled look is intentional.  This shirt features angled cuffs, and a band collar that folds and buttons down on the left side.

SEWING NOTES--  Interfaced with Pro-Woven Shirt Crisp in the new Slate Gray color, from www.FashionSewingSupply.com .  Fabric is an incredibly soft pinpoint cotton shirting that is almost denim-like in appearance but far more luxurious. Click Here to see the fabric details at GorgeousFabrics.com  FYI...the only reason I am giving my source for this amazing cotton fabric is because I have already purchased several yards in both colors :)  I have no affiliation with Gorgeous Fabrics..I just buy a lot of fabric there ;)

So...which of the Wrap-Over Angle Yoke shirts do you like more...this very casual one, or the more fitted version in checked fabric with piping I posted last week (see below)?


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