Questions+Answers

In this section you will find lots of information regarding -

• sewing bold patterned and printed fabrics
• adjusting the length of your sewing pattern
• working with stretch and knitted fabrics
• using bias binding (self-made and store purchased substitution)
• pressing your fabric as you sew
• fabric shrinkage
• common sewing machine problems with tension
• garment and wearing ease
• under-stitching
  

 

Fabric print: My fabric has a bold print. How should I cut the fabric? 

• The first thing to assess is the print facing an obvious direction. For example, if the fabric print features flowers and they were all facing the same direction, this is referred to as a ‘one-way’ print. You may need to purchase additional fabric and make sure your pattern pieces are all facing the same direction when you cut your fabric. You don’t want the print going in one direction on the front and opposite direction on the back. We have all made this mistake!
• Textile prints can be placement prints; careful positioning may be required. Like a t-shirt with a print on the front, you may need to centre the textile design to sit in a particular garment area. Stripe fabrics are the other type of textile design that may need thought and careful placement, mainly if they are bold and apparent stripes and need matching through side seams. If you want a textile design not to match, make it noticeably mismatched.

 

Fabric Nap: My fabric has a sheen and nap (pile) similar to velvet. Must I cut this in the same direction?

• You may need to purchase additional fabric to compensate for this. Napped fabrics such as velvet often catch the light differently, depending on the direction the fabric is facing, so similar to a one-way print, all your pattern pieces should be facing the same direction.
• With napped fabrics, one other thing to consider is, do you want the smoothness of the fabric running down the length of your body or upwards? Holding your fabric up and draping it over your shoulder to see the different effects and how it catches the light. Sometimes the fabric can appear darker and richer in colour, so this might be the solution for you.

 

Lengthening and shortening patterns: What if I am lengthening or shortening my pattern?

• It is suggested that you adjust your pattern first and then purchase your fabric. This way, you know you will have the correct amount. You can always take your paper printout with you to a fabric store when purchasing fabric and lay your pattern out for the right amount. Ideally, it is good to have 10cm extra; this way, you have some fabric that you can practice on and test the tension of your sewing stitch.

 

Four-way stretch fabrics: What if I am using a stretch fabric, such as Lycra, spandex or elastane and sports fabrics that have stretch in both directions. What considerations do I need to make?

• Do a stretch test measuring out 10cm of fabric along with your tape measure. Stretch the fabric and see where it stretches. Note this measurement down. Then do the same with the other direction on your fabric. These measurements will determine which direction has the most stretch.
• Cut your fabric with the most stretch going around your body for comfort for tops, tights and bike shorts. For one piece swimsuits cut with stretch in length. This may require you to cut your fabric ‘cross grain’ rather than ‘down grain’. This is OK to do if all your pattern pieces are placed in the same direction.

 

Bias Binding: Some of the sartorial project patterns have self-made bias binding. Can I substitute this for store-bought?

• Yes, you can. Make sure it is of a similar finished width to the pattern piece provided. You will need to trim excess seam allowance from the edge that it is going on, as usually, store-bought bias has a smaller seam allowance value – around 6-7mm. You can also make your own bias binding in contrast or fabric remnants to use any leftovers you have from previous sewing projects. Make sure it is cut on ‘true bias’, which is a 45-degree angle. Bias bind needs the stretch to form around curved shapes.

 

Pressing: A lot of the sewing instructions require pressing seams and finishes throughout the sewing project. Why should I do this, and can I leave pressing to the end?

• Pressing is essential and is an excellent practice to do as you are sewing. Pressing will give your garment a much neater and professional finish. It is also good to pre-press your fabric before you cut your pattern, as this can help with any shrinkage in the fabric and provide you with a flat surface. Rather than iron your garment, use plenty of steam and a pressing cloth (which can be an old tea towel) and press and steam seams, darts, pockets, and details as you go. The tea towel will help prevent the fabric from going shiny with the hot surface of the iron. Once the area of your garment is ‘pressed’ let it cool for a few seconds before moving from the ironing board. Allowing the fabric to cool helps to set the details you have just pressed.

 

Fabric shrinkage: I think the fabric I have will shrink a lot. Should I cut a different size garment?

• The short answer here is no! To test fabric shrinkage, cut a square from a corner of your fabric approximately 12cm x 12 cm (with selvedge on one side so you can trace back your warp and weft grain lines). In the centre, using an indelible pen (permanent marker), mark out a square 10cm x 10cm. Following the washing instructions for the fabric you have purchased, hand wash under hot, warm or cold water and place somewhere to air-dry. Press. Re-measure the drawn square to see if the fabric has shrunk. If it has shrunk even by a few millimeters, I suggest hand washing the length of cloth to ‘pre-shrink before cutting your pattern. While a few millimeters may not seem like a lot on a 10cm x 10cm square, over an entire garment, this can add up! You also might find that the fabric shrinks in one direction more than the other. This is quite common with natural fibre fabrics.

 

Time to make a garment: In the Sewing Instruction book, there is a time indicated that it would take to sew. How correct is this?

• This is just a guide. Some sewers like to whip through a project and will be wearing their garment that day. For others, the process can be relaxed and reflective. Everyone is different. This time-frame is also indicative of your sewing experience, so please use this as a guide.

 

Finishing fabric edges: I don’t have an overlocker/serger, so I am unsure how to achieve a professional finish on the seams.

• Sometimes, using an overlocker/serger is not the answer. Seams can be finished and still look professional using several different methods. Most basic sewing machines will have a zig-zag feature, but alternatively, you can use pinking shears, bind seams, French seams, straight stitch along the cut edge of the fabric to help prevent fraying, or your machine may even have an edge finishing stitch. I would highly recommend testing some of these finishes first to determine the best one that works with your fabric.
• If zig-zag stitching a single layer of fabric puckers the material, try cutting some narrow strips of light paper (1.5-2cm wide) and placing this on the underside of your fabric. Stitch through the fabric and paper, and this can help stabilise the stitch and tension. The paper will be perforated once stitched, and any excess paper can be easily torn away. 

 

Replacing sewing machine needles: When I sew my fabric it pulls threads, and the tension is incorrect. What can I do to prevent this?

• Step 1, check that the bobbin is in the machine and the thread is flowing from the bobbin case correctly. Unevenly wound or over-wound bobbins can cause issues, so good to check this first. Also, check that the top thread is also correctly threaded through the machine guides.
• Step 2, make sure you are using a needle that is suitable for your fabric.
• Fine and delicate fabrics (silk georgette and organza) should be sewn using a needle that is 9/70-11/80. 
• Stable and mid-weight fabrics11/80-14/90 (linen, poplin, and some silks). 
• Heavy fabrics such as denim 16/100. 
• Knitted fabrics require a ballpoint or jersey needle. Regular point machine needles damage stretch and knitted fabrics causing holes and snags or skipped stitches.
• If the needle is damaged (bent or blunt from prolonged use), this can also affect the quality of the sewing stitch. You do not need to replace your machine needle each time you sew if you are sewing similar fabrics, but it is good to make sure it is undamaged. Singer recommends machine needles should be replaced after 8-10 hours of sewing. By replacing the machine needle, the sewing quality can be much better (and less frustrating!).
• Step 3, this sounds obvious… but make sure the needle is inserted in the correct direction. Some machines require the eye of the needle face sideways to thread left to right; others might need to be threaded front to back. Is the needle also in the clamp correctly and firmly?

 

Finished garment measurements and ease: The finished garment measurements are different to my body measurements?

• Woven garment patterns have ‘wearing ease’ added to the design. Wearing ease is the space between the garment and your body to provide comfort. Depending on the shape and style of the garment, you may find the pattern has a lot of ‘ease’. Loose and boxy silhouettes have ample amounts of ease, creating volume and flow, while more contoured styles closer to the body have less wearing ease. Stretch and knitted fabric garments often have ‘minus’ ease because they stretch out to fit the body.
• If you have a selected a style and feel that there is too much ease, make a toile or prototype and determine what is appropriate and suitable for you.
• Sometimes it is also good to think about the ease not just for garment comfort but for also fabric suitability. For instance, if you are using a loose fabric with a slightly open weave, making a style with limited or restrictive ease could allow the material to ‘slip’ or pull along a seam. Slippage happens when fabric suitability and the garment style do not match. Some examples are in the crotch of pants or back armhole seams of tops and shirts. Once tension is placed on these seams, they can easily split.

 

Under-stitching: A lot of the sartorial project sewing instructions feature under-stitching. What is this for, and what does it do? 

• Once you know how to under-stitch successfully, this will be a game-changer for your sewing! Yes, it is an extra row of stitching that requires some sewing machine skill but adding under-stitching to specific seams such as faced necklines, armholes, pockets, collars, and jacket lapels, will elevate your sewing a new level. Under-stitching helps create a roll on the seam towards the inside of your garment. No fiddly pressing is required trying to achieve an immaculate edge finish. 

 

How long will it take for the digital files to arrive?

• Digital pattern downloads are instant. Just keep a copy in a safe place for quick and future reference, and you can start your project straight away!