Tue, Apr 8 2008  Dear BeSewStylish Friends: We're moving! We have created a new home for BeSewStylish content at CraftStylish.com, a new resource for crafters to connect, discover and share about the crafts they love. Along with the same great sewing info that you get here, CraftStylish.com will also feature daily updates on a wide variety of crafts such as quilting, knitting, crochet, embroidery, jewelry making, and paper crafts. It's the 24/7 online party where crafters get together. This is the final post on BeSewStylish.com. For all new sewing posts, visit CraftStylish.com. On May 1st this site will close and redirect to CraftStylish.com, We'll see you there! Amber Eden Editor Fri, Apr 4 2008 I love the ease of sewing with knits. And one of my favorite finishes for knit garments, especially necklines and armholes, is a self- or contrast-fabric binding. It produces a clean, elegant look, and it is really easy to do!
Ready, set, go!
First, measure the edges you want to bind. In this example, I'm binding the neck edge of a wrap-top. Use a flexible measuring tape for greater accuracy. I don't worry too much about getting the exact length of the edge. I usually make extra long strips of binding and trim off the excess when I'm done.
Cut your binding strips.
I cut strips of knit fabric on the crosswise grain, which has the most stretch. To figure out how wide my strip should be, I first decide how wide my binding will be on the outside of the garment. I multiply that number by 3 and add a scant 1/4 inch. For example, if I want my visible bound edge to be 1/2 inch wide, I use the following equation to figure out how wide my strip needs to be:
3 X 1/2 = 1 1/2 inches. 1 1/2 inches + 1/4 inch = 1 3/4 inch total width.
This will give me enough width to bind the edge with a little extra on the inside. If you prefer, you can make your binding even wider, and trim the excess when you are finished.
Prep your garment.
Once your binding is cut, you need to do a little prep work on your garment fabric. First, trim off the seam allowance from the edge that you will be binding. Placing right sides together, sew the binding to your garment, keeping the raw edges even. Press the seam toward the binding, as shown.
Next, fold your binding over your garment edge to the wrong side and pin, as shown:
Working from the right side of the garment, sew very close to the binding:
This will catch the folded binding on the inside of your garment, enclosing the edge and making a clean finish, as shown:
That's all it takes for a beautiful finish. One of the fun things about this is that you can use any contrast knit you would like to create a great garment with a designer touch!
Photos by: Ann Steeves
Posted by: Ann Steeves
Mon, Mar 31 2008 
I mend tears in frequently used tissue-paper patterns by ironing patches of waxed paper onto the underside of the pattern. First, I tack the patch in place with the top of the iron. Then I cover the patch with a piece of paper and firmly iron on the patch. Waxed paper does not distort the pattern like cellophane or masking tape, and it can be removed and adjusted easily. And get this … it’s practically free.
Submitted by: Merrilie Brown, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Illustration by: Carol Ruzicka
Posted by: Laurel Tuohy
Fri, Mar 28 2008  I spend much of my sewing time going back and forth to my ironing board. My philosophy is that pressing is sewing. Because of this, I keep my iron running for extended periods of time, and I am pretty hard on my iron. In the space of 18 months, I literally burned through 5 home irons. At an average cost of $70 per iron (and one boiler style iron that was a lot more than that), the costs added up quickly. Then a friend suggested I look at gravity feed irons.
A gravity feed iron is a staple in most design studios, couture houses and tailor shops. Unlike a standard home iron, it has a large water reservoir (in my case, 4 liters) that is suspended from a hook above the ironing board. This allows you to press for a long time between refills. A hose feeds the water to the iron, and to activate the steam, you must press a button on the iron’s handle. There is no continuous steam capability. Most gravity feed irons use tap water, and come with resin filtration beads. You need to change the beads periodically, just as with any water filter. Some people advocate using distilled water in their reservoir. I have used plain (very hard) tap water in my iron for 4 years with no ill effects.
Gravity feed irons are industrial strength. They generate a lot of steam, a lot of heat, and a lot of weight. My iron weighs almost 4 lbs. Gravity feed irons are great for fusing interfacing; you don’t have to apply much pressure with an iron that weighs 4 lbs! They generate steam in any position, not just on a flat surface. This allows you to steam garments on surfaces other than your ironing board. When I made some religious vestments several years ago, I used my iron to steam them on the hanger, since they were too voluminous to put on the ironing board. I also frequently press items on my dress form with my gravity feed. They don’t have an auto shut-off, which is great if you need to be pressing for long periods or going back and forth to your iron as I do. You do need to remember to turn them off when you’re done.
Gravity feed irons generally range in price from $200 to $500. There are several reputable manufacturers, including Consew, Naomoto and Silver Star. They are available from industrial sewing supply stores and several online sources as well. Gravity feed irons aren’t for everyone. If you don’t do a lot of sewing, a gravity feed iron may be overkill. But if you want an industrial strength pressing tool, check out gravity feeds. I wouldn’t be without mine!
Photo: Ann Steeves
Submitted by: Ann Steeves
Posted by: Laurel Tuohy
Thu, Mar 27 2008
I go to the paint store for the paint swatches. When I begin a new project, I search through my acquired tints and tones that complete my color scheme. I then paste the selection of chips on a square of mat board and use this color tool when shopping for fabric, trim, and thread. It also helps my design and planning process. After the project is finished I have a record of the color scheme I used.
Submitted by: B. Bledsoe Fuchs, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Illustration by: Scott Phillips
Posted by: Laurel Tuohy Wed, Mar 26 2008
Madame Alix Grès was one of the greatest Parisian couturieres, with "fingers of gold." It's said that she worked alone, dispensing with cumbersome measurements and crafting by hand, relying on her eye and touch to create her masterpieces. A woman so secretive that even her death in 1993 was kept hidden by her only child, she had a long career that spanned the early 1930s to 1988. This exhibit will leave you awestruck, especially the unbelievable pleating on the matte silk jersey gowns. With more than 70 gowns and a book published in conjunction with it: Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion/Yale University Press, you gotta see it to believe it!
For more information, visit The Museum at FIT's Web site.
February 2 to April 19, 2008
The Museum at FIT, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City
Posted by: Amber Eden Mon, Mar 24 2008
Thrift shops are a good potential source of inexpensive, hard-to-find fabrics and trims. You can sometimes find buttons (especially mother-of-pearls), necktie interfacings, bra underwires, fur trims, and other interesting notions on relatively cheap garments. After I’ve taken the buttons or other trims off, I sew on replacements and donate the clothes back to the shop. No applause necessary.
Submitted by: S. Klement, Tucson, AZ
Posted by: Elizabeth O'Brien Sat, Mar 22 2008
For the second year in a row, hundreds of craft companies set up shop at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, for the Craft & Hobby Association's Winter Show. From yarn to thread, paper to beads, feathers to paints, and more, the show was a crafting wonderland! Thousands of craft retailers, designers, and editors descended on the convention center to check out what's new on the craft scene.
Here are some of our interesting finds:
 The Crafty Chica Cathy Cano-Murillo is getting her own line of craft products, including fun glittery paints, funky stencils and appliqués, DIY tote bags, and lots more! (Thanks for letting us come and paint in your booth Cathy!)
 Claire Aristides Claire Aristides is a fashion jewelry designer from the UK who has launched her own jewelry making kits inspired by designer trends. These stylish kits will soon be available in the US. Until then, you can find the kits on her Web site. Claire is also the author of the book Bejeweled.
RIT Dye We were surprised and excited to see that RIT has developed a new use for their age old product - dying paper! You can find more information on and project ideas on their Web site.
 Lion Brand Vanna White hosted a fun Lion Brand fashion show showcasing the latest color trends. It's all about vibrant colors this spring! Go to www.lionbrand.com to see the yarn and the fashion show (click on Newsletters). Amber Eden and Deana Tierney also got to meet the gorgeous Vanna!
Museables Artsy Fiber Kits These cool kits let you play with yarn in a totally new way. You lay out yarn and other fibers on soluble film, place another piece of the film on top, then, with a few strategically placed stitches and a soak, you've got a cool new "fabric" that you can use to make purses, wraps, scarves, and more. Check them out at museables.com.
 For the first time, the Taunton Press also had a booth at the show promoting our new brand CraftStylish! Coming this spring we will be launching a brand new Web site, special issues, and DVDs that we think you will really enjoy! We've searched the country for expert crafters who will provide instruction and inspiration in a variety of craft categories—from knitting to jewelry making, embroidery to paper crafts, we've got you covered! Stay tuned—we'll keep you posted as we get closer to the official launch!
Posted by: Jessica Aframe Wed, Mar 19 2008 A recent sewing retreat with Louise Cutting and Linda Lee has made me a convert. In January, a group of 30 women flew and drove in from all over the country to converge at a Best Western in Orlando, Florida, for three days of sewing and parties. We kicked off the retreat with a dinner at Louise's lovely home, which boasts a massive screened-in outdoor patio (I swear it's as long as a bowling lane!) that backs up to Florida wetlands. As many of us were returning guests, everyone showed off their accomplishments from the past year before shopping the great fabrics and notions Linda and Louise provided and housed in a huge garage. The event already had all the earmarks of a sewer's heaven, and the next few days didn't disappoint. We started sewing at 9 a.m., working on machines set up in a comfortably-sized meeting room. Technique tutorials were interspersed throughout the day. Lunch was served to us, so we barely had to stop stitching to get sustenance. We broke for dinner, and then headed right back to work. One night I worked until 3 a.m.—and I wasn't alone! Several us of worked away and joked and sang along to the karaoke next door until the wee hours. It was the best. Nothing but sewing all day and all night long! The event culminated with another party at Louise's, where everyone modeled their accomplishments. With all the time spent sewing, some had two or three garments to show off. I was happy with my one black, 4-ply silk, kimono-style evening jacket. That fabric was some kind of challenge, but it's amazing what you can learn about sewing when you spend three days with some very experienced seamstresses!
Read about the retreat in this story by the Orlando Sentinel. For more information on the retreats, visit Cutting Line Designs and The Sewing Workshop Web sites.
Posted by: Amber Eden
Wed, Mar 19 2008
When I make spaghetti straps, I prefer to cut them on the bias. This allows me to make them finer, but it has the drawback that bias tends to stretch. Here’s an easy way to reinforce your spaghetti straps so they're strong, but don’t stretch out with wear.
Make your spaghetti straps as usual. When you have finished them and turned them right-side out, simply cut a length of nylon drapery cording the same length as your spaghetti strap. For illustration purposes here, I’ve left the cording longer than the strap. Using a loop turner, thread it through your finished strap.
Put a small stitch at each end to hold it in place until you attach it to your garment. Now your spaghetti strap will be able to handle the weight of the garment without stretching!
Nylon drapery cording is available at most home-dec sewing departments and home improvement stores.
Photos by: Ann Steeves
Posted by: Ann Steeves | |
