My latest sewing project is a holiday party skirt. What makes it holiday? Definitely the fabulous fabric. What makes it a party skirt? Every skirt is worthy of a good party in my eyes. The following are some of the design elements and techniques used to construct this holiday party skirt. Design ElementsCentered ZipperInserted in the center back seam to avoid bulk, a zipper is the easiest skirt closure out there. Hook & EyesHook & eyes are a fantastic closure choice on top of a zipper to ensure the opening lies flat. I used two sets as my waistband is 2 inches in height. These are fully hand sewn. Fully Enclosed WaistbandTop of waistband was cut on fold of fabric, then all seam allowances pressed in and slip stitched shut to avoid any exposed raw edges. If you are not adding any lining to the skirt, this is the best technique to keep all your mess (threads, fraying fabric, etc.) hidden. Hand GatheringPrior to attaching waistband onto skirt, a running stitch in the longest stitch length possible was sewn in the seam allowance area. By hand, I pulled the ends of the threads until an even gather that matched the length of the waistband was achieved. My tip is to take your time so you don't snap the threads! Bound Seam FinishMy fabric frayed just looking at it, so the best way to hide ultra fray rate fabric is to apply a bound finish to the seams. In this case, I also bound the zipper tape to the seam allowance for a clean finish. PS-I will be releasing a blog post on how to create your own binding and how to sew a bound seam finish soon! Slip-Stitch (Blind Hem)One of my favorite ways to finish a hem is a blind hem in a slip-stitch finish. Click HERE for my video tutorial. Final DesignI've sewn this entire skirt on my Juki industrial sewing machine and a hand sewing needle. Want to learn how to create your own holiday party skirt? BOOK time in the studio now with me.
Happy Sewing! Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios
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This one is for the virgin sewers out there. My beginner clients receive a list of sewing terms to assist in their learning process. I thought it would be nice to share a few with you. Here is part 1, in a 3 part series of basic beginner sewing terms you should know. Stitch LengthEach individual stitch is measured in millimetres. 2.5mm is the normal stitch length to hold a seam secure. BobbinThread from the bobbin feeds the bottom of a sew line. One of two thread sources required to create a sew line. Bobbin is placed by hand into machine. Bobbins come in several heights, make sure you use the correct height for your machine. SpoolThread used to thread the sewing machine and to fill the bobbin. One of two thread sources required to create a sew line. Hand WheelUsed to manually sew or move machine needle out of project. Found on the right side of a machine, it should only be turned towards the user, never away. Presser FootPresser foot sits on top of seam being sewn. It gives enough pressure to hold project in place. Presser foot is controlled by a hand leaver on domestic sewing machines. Foot must stay up while threading machine, and must be placed down while sewing. Happy Sewing!
Photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios Loose cords drive me nuts, especially headphone cords at the bottom of my bag. Practical and simple to make, here is your step by step tutorial on how to sew a headphone cord organizer. Materials & SuppliesStep 1Create a paper pattern using dimensions below. You can round off the corners too. Step 2It is best not to pin leather as permanent little holes can be left behind. I suggest taping the boarder of the pattern to the leather. Then you can cut out leather. Step 3Hand sew a shank style button onto the back side of leather. Center the button 1/2"-3/4" away from edge. Step 4On the other side of leather tab, cut a slit down the center starting 1/2" away from the edge. Button width + shank height = Slit length Button up your leather tab, you are done! Final DesignYou can use your leather organizer for keeping your measuring tape in tact too. Happy Sewing!
Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios Essential for Fall and Winter, pants keep us warm. But they can also be an extension of our personality through colour, fabric choice and silhouettes created when worn. Get your learn on here with pants you may not see everyday. Paper Bag Waisted PantsHow fun are these pants?! The waist is tied like a paper bag, hence the name, paper bag waist. Naturally they sit at the smallest part of the waist. When unbelted and laid flat, the pants look like a rectangle from top to bottom. I recently inherited a vintage pair of Ralph Lauren paper bag waisted pants. Check out my Instagram as I wear them this Thanksgiving Monday. Pant example retrieved on Google Images. Pegged PantsThink volume at the hips then narrows by the time it hits the hem. Perfect pants to install a side seam pocket. Pegged pants are easily mistaken for jodhpur style pants. But, jodhpurs volume at the hips is so much more exaggerated. I always think of pegged as the city version of the jodhpur. Blumarine Spring 2014 RTW retrieved from NY Mag. Bell Bottom PantsIf you grew up in the 90's, you definitely owned a pair of bell bottoms. I admittedly owned several pairs. Remember the brand Silver? I loved wearing my Silver bell bottoms to school. Characteristics that make up a true bell bottom is fitted at the waist, hips and down to the knees then flares out dramatically to the hem. Gareth Pugh 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Cargo PantsCargo pants where made for utility purposes. The wearer needed to hold alot of items easily and keep them organized. must have several pockets and made from a durable material. This version from Zara is a modern cargo pant. Do not think you can fit more than a slim phone and a lipstick in these. But who needs to hold things in your pockets when we have big purses right? Zara 2013 retrieved from Zara Online. Harem PantsAbsolutely a gypsy feel to these pants. Traditional harem pants are super full then gathered at the hem with an elastic or cuff. Newer versions are not as full but follow the elastic cuff at the hem. Pant example retrieved on Google Images. Palazzo PantsPalazzo pants are fitted at the waist and hips then flares out dramatically to the hem, they are much wider than wide leg pants. Often times can be mistaken for a long flared maxi skirt in certain angles. Great for showing off a small waist, but be prepared to make some attention while walking with all the extra fabric! Antiprima 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Happy Sewing!
Written by Sheila Wong Studios OK, first off I want to apologize for lying to you in the title, there is absolutely no sewing involved in this tutorial. This is all about how to make your own hair ties. I am posting this tutorial because it is simple enough for anyone to do and because it does not cost very much either! Materials
Step 1Step 2Step 3Give-AwayWant to win a package of handmade hair ties? Here's how:Winner will be announced on Oct 30 2013 at 3pm. These will make fantastic gifts and/or colourful arm candy.
Happy Sewing! Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios Heading into Fall season, sleeves are... well everywhere! There is more than just your basic short and long sleeves out there. In this post I will go over some pretty amazing sleeves with equally amazing names. Now the question is, which sleeve will you slide your arm into this Fall? Cap SleeveJust a smidge more fabric than a sleeveless garment. A cap sleeve literally caps your shoulder. Most cap sleeves are made by extending out the shoulder seam. Byblos Spring 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Gigot SleeveThis sleeve is one of my favourite sleeves to say out loud. Try is with me, 2 syllables- "jgie zhego"! Sounds like you are calling for a dog. Another name for this sleeve is leg o'mutton, equally as fabulous to say out loud. The easiest way to spot this sleeve is to picture a chicken leg. Extremely full at the top and fitted down to the wrist. Used in the 1800's, the idea was that if your gigot fullness was extreme, it would make your waist appear smaller. Vivienne Westwood 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Bishop SleeveA long sleeve with fullness at the bottom created by gathers or pleats and narrow at the top. Fullness is controlled by a cuff at the wrist. Gucci Spring 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Dolman SleeveThis sleeve reminds me of bat-wings. Personally I dont think this is very flattering on most figures, as it takes away from a women's natural curves. But leave it to Valentino to make a dolman sleeve flattering by cinching in the waist- good job! Important elements for a dolman sleeve include a fitted sleeve from wrist up to elbow region then excess amount of fabric dropped from armhole area. Valentino 2012 retrieved from NY Mag. Bell SleeveVisually just picture your arms are bells, with some bells being larger than others- this is a bell sleeve. There are variations of this sleeve where the bell can flare out at any part of an arm. Typically you will see a seam connecting the top of the sleeve to the bell part, this allows a designer to achieve the flare. Bell sleeves can add drama to any outfit, but I dont recommend dining in bell sleeves. Gareth Pugh 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. Puff SleeveGathers at the sleeve cap and sleeve hem make up a perfect puff sleeve. Extremely feminine and youthful sleeve. I think the last time I wore this sleeve, I was 12. If you have broad shoulders, this sleeve only makes you look wider. Chanel Resort 2013 retrieved from NY Mag. At times, certain sleeves defy conventional labels and fall under their own unique category. Here are two of my favourite one of kind sleeves from Spring 2014 shows. Happy Sewing!
Written by Sheila Wong Studios There are a few variations of a French seam: regular, narrow and faux. This tutorial is for a regular French seam. Watch out for the other 2 in the next few weeks. A French seam fully encases any raw edges and is fantastic for fabric that has high fray rate. It is best used for straight or slightly curved seams. Any seams with too much of a curve will be a nightmare to sew and also not lay flat against the garment. Step 1Wrong sides of fabric facing, line up your seam, pin, and sew at 1/4" seam allowance. Please take note that a total of 1/2" seam allowance has been allocated for this pattern. Step 2Trim seam allowance down to 1/8" seam allowance. Step 3Press seam flat to look like a book spine. Right sides of fabric should be facing each other. Step 4Right sides of fabric facing, sew at 1/4" seam allowance from book spine edge. This step fully encloses your raw edge. Step 5Pressing from the right side of your garment, press all seam allowances to one side. Pressing from the right side will allow the iron to naturally open your seam flat. Check out my Pressing Tips here. Finished SeamVoilà! You are done a regular French seam. From the right side of the garment, it should look like a regular sewn seam. From the wrong side of the garment, it should look like clean encased seam allowance. Remember to check back for future tutorials on how to sew a Narrow and a Faux French seam.
Happy Sewing! Photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios Part 2 of a 3 part series in sewing French seams, say hello to the narrow French seam. Please click HERE if you would like to view Part 1: How to Sew a Regular French Seam. The construction steps are very similar to the regular French seam except for certain seam allowances have changed to accommodate a narrow completed seam. A narrow French seam should be used for thin or sheer fabrics with medium to high fray rates. A narrow finished seam allowance will allow the seam to almost disappear in the garment. Remember, French seams are best used on straight to slightly curve seams. They will not lay flat for seams that are extremely curved. Step 1Wrong sides of fabric facing, line up your seam, pin, and sew at 3/8" seam allowance. Please take note that a total of 1/2" seam allowance has been allocated for this pattern. Step 2Trim seam allowance down to 1/16" seam allowance. Step 3Press seam flat to look like a book spine. Right sides of fabric should be facing each other. Step 4Right sides of fabric facing, sew at 1/8" seam allowance from book spine edge. This step fully encloses your raw edge. Step 5Pressing from the right side of your garment, press all seam allowances to one side. Pressing from the right side will allow the iron to naturally open your seam flat. Check out my Pressing Tips here. Your finished seam allowance inside your garment should look like this photo with a seam allowance of 1/8". Check back for Part 3: How to Sew a Faux French Seam.
Happy Sewing! Photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios Welcome to part 3 of how to sew a French Seam. This tutorial will show you how to sew a Faux French Seam, also known as a False French Seam. Click HERE if you would like to start with the Regular French Seam and HERE for the Narrow French Seam. Why a Faux French Seam? The end product looks the same as a Regular French Seam, but the process is completely different and involves both machine and hand sewing. You would use this technique when working with extremely delicate fabrics like fine lace, which have no place near a machine. Step 1Right sides of the fabric facing either hand sew or machine sew at 1/2" seam allowance. I have used black thread so you can see it in photos. Ideally you should be using matching thread. 1/2" total seam allowance as been allocated for this example. Regular seam allowance ranges from 3/8-5/8". Step 2Separately, press seam allowances in half, folding raw edge in. Line up raw edge beside sewn line in Step 1. See video below for detailed instructions. Step 3Slip Stitch closed your seam allowance on the fold. See video below for detailed instructions. Step 4Pressing from the right side of your garment, press all seam allowances to one side. Pressing from the right side will allow the iron to naturally open your seam flat. Check out my Pressing Tips here. Happy Sewing!
Photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios In the midst of bridal season one of my good friends and artist Andrew Briggs asked me to sew a few pocket squares for his upcoming wedding. Naturally, I said yes! Enjoy this three step tutorial. Materials
Step 1Cut out a square piece of fabric in the dimensions 16 inches x 16 inches. Total 1 inch seam allowance all around is already included. One edge needs to run along the lengthwise grain and the other on the crosswise grain. This will make sure your square stays like a square and does not warp. Step 2With a 1 inch seam allowance in our pattern, fold and press each edge twice at 1/2 inch each time. Step 3With matching thread sew folded edges down at an equal distance from pocket square border in a complete square. Happy Sewing!
Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios |
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