Sew News - December 2014january 2015

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December 2014/January 2015
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Contents
ON THE
COVER:
december 2014/january 2015

{ issue 344 / sewnews.com }
features
Like A Fox
Make a chic and
elegant faux fur
collar thats perfect
for holiday parties.
43
40
52
56
60
62
68
52
72
56
43
4
sew NEWS
DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015
Leather Accents
Add leather touches to garments
for a luxe look.
Posh Purse
Stitch an edgy handbag with
grommets and faux leather.
Over The Moon

Make cute and cozy PJs for
yourself or holiday gift giving.
Tidings of Comfort
Create an appliqu pillow with
rustic holiday charm.
Pants Perfection, Part 2: Pockets

Add pockets to any pant pattern with
expert tips and techniques.
Heads Up
Keep warm this winter with
wool head wraps.
Shade To Order
Learn how to make a valance with
the look of a Roman shade.
68
+ DOWNLOAD
Free Patterns
columns
22
26
28
32
38
76
from this issue at

sewnews.com/web_extras.
Best of the Basics: Neckline Options

Fitting FAQs: Darts Defined
ENTER
Home-Dec Help: Welting

Pattern Play: Unique Pleats Dress
Haute Topics: Embellishments
Hide&
SEEK
76
(PAGE 12)
Sew & Tell: Sewaholic Robson Coat
in every issue
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
21
80
82
Editors Letter
Our Experts
16
Online Extras
Reader Tips
From You
Cool Tools
Off the Shelf
Sew Your Support
Clippings
The Last Laugh
60
32
SEWNEWS.COM
Editors Letter
DEAR READERS,
Theres no denying itthe
holidays are here! Weve been
inundated with holiday products
in the stores for months now, and
its time to start decking the halls.
If you havent sewn any handmade
gifts yet, time is of the essence!
Find part 2 of Pants

Perfection on page 62.
In this installment, learn
how to customize your
favorite pant with a variety
of pocket options.
One great tradition Ive always

celebrated is wearing new pajamas
on Christmas Eve. Some years
they were purchased, other years they
were sewn by my grandmother or
mom. Either way, they were the
one gift I was allowed to open one
day early and, even though they
were expected, my excitement
for them never wavered.
Pajamas are a great gift for anyone
in your familymen, women and
children included. Its even a great
gift idea for friends, as the fit is
forgiving and the style is universally
appealing. Turn to page 56 for
the how-tos for comfy thermal
pajamas that you can make for
everyone on your list. The multisized pattern is available for a
limited time for free, so download
it and save it to your computer
noweven if you dont plan to make
them until after Valentines Day.
If youre looking for a simple gift

to make for co-workers, daycare
providers or Bunco pals, turn to
Heads Up on page 68. The
cute wool headbands are easy to
embellish in one of three ways. Plus
they keep you warm while wicking
away sweat. This pattern is also
only free for a limited time, so be
sure to grab it before its gone.
As the year comes to a close,
were wrapping up Sew Your
Support: Operation ConKerr Cancer.
However, the organization will
always accept your donations. So
gather some kids who may be stuck
inside on holiday break and teach
them to make some pillowcases for
the charity. Theyll learn basic sewing
skills and help other kids in need.
The printable how-tos for a simple
pillowcase are available at sewnews.
com/web_extras. And learn more
about the charity on page 21.
I wish you all a very happy
holiday season and happy sewing!
Ellen March,
Editor-in-Chief
Whats Next?
Were celebrating 35 years of Sew News magazine in the Feb/March 2015 issue, on newsstands Jan. 27.
This special collectors edition includes 35 of the best reader tips over the years, 35 must-know sewing
terms, 35 garment sewing tools and more. Dont miss it!
sew NEWS
Create Holiday Magic

Bring a rustic feeling to your holiday setting this year.
Some roughness around the edges can be enchanting. Enhance
the sincerity that the season brings by using raw, natural
fabrics in your craft. Beautiful, honest and pure.
Lay a little something under the tree and cherish the pleasure
of giving. Your joy of sewing can make wishes come true...
Color Touch Screen

EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEM Technology
for perfect even feed
Large Embroidery Area & Sewing Surface
Embroidery Design Editing and Save
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Start/stop function
Automatic thread cutter
Exclusive SEWING ADVISOR feature
Bobbin thread sensor
Nothing makes a holiday more special than

to own our top-of-the-line machine!
New, exclusive Sewing and Embrodiery Techniques
Interchangeable Dual Feed included
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mastering metallic threads
Ultimate Interactive Screen
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2014 KSIN Luxembourg II. S.ar.l. All rights reserved. VIKING, KEEPING THE WORLD SEWING (and design), DESIGNER DIAMOND ROYALE, DESIGNER TOPAZ, OPAL, EXCLUSIVE SENSOR SYSTEM, DELUXE and
SEWING ADVISOR are trademarks of KSIN Luxembourg II, S.ar.l. HUSQVARNA and the crowned H-mark are trademarks of Husqvarna AB. All trademarks are used under license by VSM Group AB.
The BEST BUY SEAL and other licensed materials are registered certification marks and trademarks of Consumers Digest Communications LLC, used under license. For award information, visit ConsumersDigest.com.
Our Experts
Find out about the talented experts featured in this issue,

and visit their websites and blogs for more fun extras.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1. Ashley Briggs (Posh Pursepage 52,

Tidings of Comfortpage 60) is a former
Sew News editor and Alaskan weather girl
who now spends her time sewing and crocheting in a small town in Colorado. When
not stitching, she can be found working out
or walking her dog.
2. Rhonda Buss (Sew & Tellpage 76)
is a woman of many talents. Shes a pilot,
writer, artist, dog lover and sewist. She lives
in Chicago, where she drafts patterns and
sews for her blog, Rhondas Creative Life.
rhondabuss.blogspot.com
3. Rae Cumbie (Pants Perfection, Part 2:

Pocketspage 62) is the Creative Director
at Fit for Art Patterns, which offers modern wardrobe basics that focus on fit and
include artful design options. Both in her
classes and on her blog, Sew! Lets Get
Dressed, Rae coaches sewists of all skill
levels to stitch up a fun and comfortable
wardrobe and design more creatively.
fitforartpatterns.com
4. Jennifer Davey (Heads Uppage 68)
has been sewing professionally for 18 years
and currently works as a freelance designer.
She lives in Clovis, CA, with her husband
and three children, and loves sharing her
joy for creating with others.
bestillmycraftingheart.blogspot.com
5. Liesl Gibson (Haute Topicspage 38)
is the chief designer of Liesl + Co., makers
of the Oliver + S, Lisette and Straight Stitch
Society brands of sewing patterns and
fabrics. lieslandco.com
sew NEWS
6. Ana Jankovic (Pattern Play: Unique

Pleats Dresspage 32) is a computer programmer who expresses her creativity by
sewing in her free time. Shes a self-taught
sewist and designer residing in Belgrade,
Serbia. stepalica.blogspot.com
7. Don Morin (Like a Foxpage 40) is
a clothing designer, patternmaker, educator
and 30-year veteran of the Canadian fashion scene. He currently focuses on training
new generations of design hopefuls for
the garment industry.
bagntell.wordpress.com
8. Linda Reynolds (Leather Accents
page 43) learned to sew at a very young
age and has enjoyed it ever since. She
loves sharing her passion for the craft as
an instructor teaching garment sewing to
teens and adults.
simplysewingstudio.com
9. Kim Saba (Over the Moonpage 56)
holds a degree in fashion design from the
Fashion Institute of Technology. She loves
to sew, play with her two dogs and collect
everything vintage. kimsaba.com
10. Peggy Sagers (Fitting FAQspage
26) is the owner of Silhouette Patterns,
specializing in B-, C- and D-cup sizing. She
travels the U.S. and Canada teaching easy
ready-to-wear techniques to home sewists.
silhouettepatterns.com
11. Susan Woodcock (Shade to Order

page 72) is a popular speaker and teacher,
a member of the Window Coverings
Association of America and has been featured in a variety of books and magazines.
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Free Sewing Projects

Deck the halls with
these easy-sew holiday
projects featured at
sewnews.com/
freesewingprojects.
Onli
EXTR ne
AS!
1
sewnews.com
email: [email protected]
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Editor
Associate Editor
Technical Editor
Online Editor
Editorial Assistant
Ellen March
Beth Bradley
Nicole LaFoille
Kim Saba
Jill Case
Andrea White
ART
1. Dress up your dining

room for Christmas dinner with festive Santa hat
chair covers.
2. Stitch a jolly wall
hanging that doubles as Christmas
card storage.
sewNEWS
Creative Director
Graphic Designer
Assistant Graphic Designer
Photography
Illustrator
Hair & Makeup Artist
Sue Dothage
Erin Hershey
Courtney Kraig
Jessica Grenier,
Mellisa Karlin Mahoney
Melinda Bylow
Angela Lewis, Beth Walker
F+W, a content + ecommerce company
Chairman & CEO

CFO & COO
President
President
Chief Digital Officer
VP/E-Commerce
Senior VP/Operations
VP/Communications
3. Add a bit of dazzle

to a table with simple
place settings.
VP, Group Publisher

VP of Content
David Nussbaum
James Ogle
Sara Domville
David Blansfield
Chad Phelps
Lucas Hilbert
Phil Graham
Stacie Berger
Shahla Hebets
Helen Gregory
OPERATIONS
New Business Manager

Newsstand Consultant
Online Marketing Manager
Retail Sales
On the Blog
Adriana Maldonado
TJ Montilli
Jodi Lee
LaRita Godfrey,
(800) 815-3538
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
at sewnews.com/blogs/sewing
Associate Publisher
Wendy Thompson
(910) 791-3832
[email protected]
Learn all about Sew

News contributor Jennifer
Davey at sewnews.com/
blogs/sewing and enter
to win Christmas Homemade: 35 beautiful easyto-make projects by Tessa Evelegh, Lost Quilt
Masterpieces notecards by Barbara Brackman plus
a Singer machine needle organizer. To enter, watch
the Sew News blog for the Meet the Designer post
on Dec. 5, 2014. Read the blog post and answer the
question to be entered to win. One response will be
chosen at random to receive the prize. Good luck!
What we Love
from shopsewitall.com
Give your favorite sewist the

gift of Sew It
All, Season 6.
Learn to make
garments, home
dcor items
and accessories with host
Ellen March and special guests.
10
sew NEWS
Sales Manager
[email protected]
Digital Sales Manager
Laura Abel
[email protected]
Online Advertising Operations Andrea Abrahamson

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Mary Evelyn Dalton
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Sew News December 2014/January 2015 No. 1

Copyright 2015 by F+W, a content + ecommerce company. All rights
reserved. Nothing may be printed in whole or in part without permission
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Since SEW NEWS has no control over your choice of materials or procedures, neither SEW NEWS nor the various manufacturers assume any
responsibility for the use of this data.
PRINTED IN THE USA
MAKE IT EFFORTLESS
ORGANIZE SEWING & CRAFTING WITH THE PERFECT PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
INTRODUCING THE NEW INSPIRA STUDIO COLLECTION: 8 REVOLUTIONARY PIECES

OF MODULAR SMART FURNITURE, DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR SEWERS & CRAFTERS
Developed with ClosetMaid, this system has exclusive features designed for the unique needs of sewers and crafters.
When tools and materials are organized and easy to find, you have more time, space and energy to create!
See the entire INSPIRA STUDIO collection at myinspirastudio.com.

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Visit your local HUSQVARNA VIKING and PFAFF dealers for more details.
HUSQVARNA VIKING, PFAFF, and INSPIRA STUDIO are trademarks of KSIN Luxembourg II, S.a.r.l. Trademark used under license by VSM Group AB. 2014 KSIN Luxembourg II, S.a.r.l. ClosetMaid Corporation 2014.
Reader Tips
Hide&
WOODEN WONDERS
Instead of buying expensive clips
when sewing with leather, vinyl
or any other fabric thats marred by
pins, use cheap and easy-to-find
wooden clothespins.
SEEK
Sonya J., email
PLAY AND WIN!

What is it? Pictured
above is part of a photo
from this issue. When
you find it, enter online
at sewnews.com or
send a postcard with
the page you found it
on to Sew News, Hide
& Seek, 741 Corporate
Circle, Ste. A, Golden,
CO 80401.
DOUBLE DUTY
Save the silica gel packets
from inside new shoe boxes
and purses and store them
with your sewing pins, needles and scissors. The packets
keep metal tools free from
corrosion and rust.
Cindy S., email
CONGRATULATIONS
to the Aug/Sept 14
Hide & Seek winners!
We randomly selected
five winners to receive a
copy of Ask Sew News:
150 Sewing Answers.
Linda B., Decatur, IL
Charlotte B., Watertown, WI
Ruth U., Florence, SC
Phyllis L., Forest Lake, MN
Anita W., Lambertville, MI
12
sew NEWS
Write down any sewing tips, tricky areas

or alterations onto the pattern while
sewing the project. Use the notes as a
handy reference for the next project.
Monica C., Facebook
Responses are
due Dec. 31, 2014.
From the correct
responses, well
randomly draw five
winners, one of which
could be you!
The Dec /Jan 15 winners
will receive a copy of
Ask Sew News:
150 Sewing Answers
from shopsewitall.com.
MAKE A NOTE
NOT SO FAST
Turn the sewing machine foot pedal
backward to control speed more easily.
Rhiannon M., Facebook
CUSHION COVER UP
When making a new cushion cover for an outdoor chair, the foam piece is often sticky and
difficult to fit back into place. To remedy this,
cut a plastic bag into a rectangle as wide as the
foam and twice the length of the foam plus 5.
Wrap the plastic around the foam, grasp the
ends and slide it right in. The plastic pulls out
effortlessly and is easily stored for next time.
Jeanne A., email
Featured readers received a Model 500 scissor

sharpener from Edgecraft for submitting a tip.
Send your tips to [email protected]

or post them at facebook.com/sewnews.
Holiday Perfection.
Designed by You.
Let the crisp, frosty feeling of the

season set the perfect tone for the
holiday. And why settle for ordinary?
With the PFAFF line-up of renowned
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Create exquisite items to accessorize
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Visit our website for 8 exquisite
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Create holiday magic with a true state of

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Large, high resolution
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Bobbin thread sensor
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To nd a dealer near you, call 1-800-997-3233 or visit www.pfaffusa.com

2014 KSIN Luxembourg II. S.ar.l. All rights reserved. All statements valid at time of printing. PFAFF, PERFECTION STARTS HERE, IDT (image), SHAPE CREATOR, STITCH CREATOR, ACTIVESTITCH,
CREATIVE SENSATION, QUILT AMBITION, PERFORMANCE and CREATIVE are trademarks of KSIN Luxembourg II, S.ar.
From You
facebook.com/sewnews
BEST
IN SEW
I like sewing home
dcor. At least my
chairs and windows
don't change sizes
while I'm working
on the project.
THE RESULTS ARE IN

We asked you on Facebook:
Whats your favorite type of project to sew?
Marie H.
Marie won a copy of Sew

Decorative: Quick and Easy
Home Accents from Sew News
from Martingale & Company
Publishing, a set of patterns from
McCalls Home Decorating and a
Sew News magnetic needle case
for her great comment. For your
shot at winning a prize, like
the Sew News Facebook page.
re
Find mo
great
projects
at
to stitch m!
o
.c
s
sewnew
16%
Garments
14%
Quilts
13%
Children/Baby
11%
Home Dcor
11%
Other
9%
Bags
8%
Gifts
7%
Anything and
Everything
6%
Accessories
5%
High Fashion
YOU SAID SEW

I sew costumes for plays and clothes for myself.
Nothing is off limits, however. I just love to sew!
Deborah B.
Love making clothes, shift dresses for work and

posh frocks for going out! Carrieanne B.
Making Christmas decorations always puts me in
a good mood. Helen R.
I love sewing things for my grandkids. My granddaughters give me ideas. Shirley W.
Join the Conversation!

Visit our Facebook fan page to
take polls and post comments
for a chance to receive
a special sewing prize.
Im just starting to create high fashion garments.

I made my 25th anniversary dress last year and
was very proud of it. Next Ill make a red lace/
lined A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline, and

then two Chanel-inspired jackets. So excited!
Karen W.
My 11-year-old grandniece is a budding seamstress and clothing designer. My favorite project is

working with her to make her designs come true.
Phyllis G.
I find joy and satisfaction in everything I create.

Its relaxing and exhilarating to know I created
something wonderful that can be appreciated for
years to come! Judi C.
READER REMARKS
Check out the latest comments on our Facebook fan page:
facebook.com/sewnews
twitter.com/sewnews
instagram.com/sewnews
flickr.com/groups/sewnews
14
sew NEWS
Let me quilt and Im a happy camper. Mary P.

I read that Sew News was encouraging its readers
to participate in the charity ConKerr Cancer by
making pillowcases. I recently made and shipped
20 pillowcases and plan to make more. Theyre
so easy and it makes me feel good to sew for
charity! Jill G.
Love the new issue of Sew it All. I just need more
time to sew! Georgia R.
Thank you so much for sharing your sewing skills

[in the Clara Dress Sew Along]. I really like the
elastic application in this dress. I will certainly
use it in future projects. Cennetta
Any time I sew Im happy. It helps me relax
and enjoy some time out! Sherry S.
Creating with fabric and thread is my therapy
and passion. Angie G.
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Cool Tools
Stock your sewing room with the latest
notions, tools, fabric, books and more.
The little critters

featured in Penguin &
Fish Hand Embroidery
Patterns and Kits are
too adorable to resist.
Adorn a tea towel
with the Crafty Cat
design, or decorate
a nursery with your
handiwork from the
Hedgehog Wall Art Kit.
penguinandfish.com
Stitch beautiful holiday dcor and crafts with

National Nonwovens Xotic Felt. The felt is
made from a unique and sustainable rayon/
bamboo blend, so it has a super-soft hand and
the ability to retain gorgeous, vivid colors.
nationalnonwovens.com
Bring your creativity to life with the Baby Lock Destiny sewing and
embroidery machine. Easily navigate the machines innovative features
and watch your favorite video tutorials on the large color touch screen.
Use the IQ Designer function to quickly digitize images you draw on
screen, scan in or import. The machine also includes precise positioning
tools, lots of room for large-scale projects, brilliant stadium lighting,
641 built-in designs and much more. babylock.com
16
sew NEWS
Store supplies in
the charming and
functional On the
Button Sewing Box,
which includes five
compartments that
are sized just right for
scissors, snips, needles,
a tape measure and
any other small tools
you want to keep close
at hand. The box also
makes a great holiday
gift for a sewing buddy.
modcloth.com
Popular sewing blogger and designer

Melissa Mora of mellysews.com brings
her fresh and fun aesthetic to Blank
Slate Patterns, which includes garment
patterns for women, girls and boys, as
well as stylish and practical accessories.
blankslatepatterns.com
Show your sewing and quilting pride

with cool screen-printed tees from
Patchwork Threads, that feature
modern, graphic renderings of
classic quilt blocks, as well as some
sassy sayings. Plus, support a great
cause by sporting the Designer Star
V-Neck T-shirt. Patchwork Threads
Create the sewing studio of your dreams with the elegant eight-piece Inspira
Studio by ClosetMaid Organizational System. The modular furniture collection
includes a patent-pending thread cabinet, fabric cabinet, mat and hoop cabinet,
three-drawer supply cabinet, compartment cabinet, mobile notions cart, mobile
project storage cart and activity table. myinspirastudio.com
donates 20% of the proceeds from

that design to the Quilts of Valor
Foundation, whose mission is to
create quilts for service members
and veterans touched by war.
patchworkthreads.com
SEWNEWS.COM
17
Off the Shelf
Stock your sewing library and

increase your know-how with
these latest and greatest books.
Enter to win a copy of The Magic

Pattern Book by Amy Barickman
by entering the Sew News blog
giveaway on Dec. 5!
Famous Frocks: The Little Black Dress

by Dolin Bliss OShea
essential items
for a womans wardrobe, and chances are
he or she will automatically name the little
black dress. The LBD has earned icon status by
remaining a timeless staple despite constantly
changing fashion and cultural whims. Author and
pattern designer Dolin Bliss OShea pays homage to
this deceptively simple garment in Famous Frocks:
The Little Black Dress by taking a fun and fascinating journey through fashion history. Part 1 focuses
on dressmaking basics, but Part 2 is where the fun
really begins. OShea showcases fashion idols and
the beautiful black dresses they made famous,
including instructions and patterns for you to sew
your own LBD. Appropriately, Part 2 begins with the
originator of the LBD, Coco Chanel and her versatile
jersey day dress. Next we travel up through the
decades, learning about styles worn by other style
innovators and legends, including Joan Crawford,
Audrey Hepburn and Anjelica Huston, and then
all the way up-to-date with Kate Moss party-ready
lace mini-dress. The historical context, beautiful vintage photography and clear instructions make the
book all the more inspiring. OShea also provides
great advice on making sizing and fit adjustments,
as well as many style variation ideas to help you
customize an LBD that will become your personal
wardrobe must-have. chroniclebooks.com
18
sew NEWS
SK ANY FASHION EXPERT TO LIST
New & Notable

The Magic Pattern Book
Little One-Yard Wonders
by Amy Barickman
by Rebecca Yaker
& Patricia Hoskins
Indygo Junction founder and designer

Amy Barickman shows you the magic
of multiplying six basic patterns into an
impressive array of 216 original garments.
The Magic Pattern Book includes a CD
with patterns for six wardrobe fundamentals, including a tank top, skirt, dress,
cardigan coat and accessory. Barickman
details how to follow different markings
on each pattern to yield dozens of variations. For example, learn how to make
one skirt into an A-line, maxi, pleated skirt,
pencil skirt, flared bias skirt and ruffled
mini, and then further personalize each
garment by following Barickmans helpful
fabric suggestions. workman.com
The popular One-Yard Wonder series

continues with 101 new projects
designed just for the little ones in your
life. The projects are divided by category,
including home dcor, garments, accessories, tactile toys for babies and toddlers,
imaginative toys for kids of any age,
games and hobbies for older children
and much more. With so many creative
ideas, photos and full-size patterns, this
book of little projects packs a big punch.
storey.com
Game Day: 50 Fun Spirit Fleece

Projects to Sew
by Cindy Cummins
Fleece is a favorite fabric because its easy
to sew and widely available in so many
fun colors, prints and textures. Some
of the most popular fleece prints are
licensed for professional and university
sports teams, because the soft, comfy
fabric stitches up so quickly into cozy
stadium blankets, scarves, gloves and
pajama pants. Cindy Cummins shares
more than 50 fleece projects for the
whole family to show their team spirit, as
well as many great tips and techniques for
cutting and sewing fleece. stmartins.com
SEWNEWS.COM
19
New Fabrics to Inspire Your Creativity

Advertorial
This sumptuous and Textured Soft

Cuddle plush minky has a silky
soft embossed and textured
surface. The fabric is perfect for
apparel accents, blankets, throws,
pillows, crafts and more. Textures
feature: Crushed, Bengal, Dynasty,
Lattice, Marble Rose, Onyx, Stone,
Ziggy and Tie-Dye Rabbit. Colors
include rich jewel tones of Garnet
and Plum, beautiful neutrals, such
as Oyster, Pewter, Sand, Caramel
and many more!
shannonfabrics.com
A fresh, vintage breeze breathes life into

Gossamer. Combining frosted florals
with charming gridwork, these prints
highlight a quaint approach to color that
includes dreamy blush, sheer blues and
honeyed bronze.
Designer Sharon Holland assembles
a fabric collection in the same way she
pulls fabrics from her stash to stitch a
quilt. Sharon's greatest design strength
is effortlessly mixing the vintage with
the modern. She admits the process is
similar to choosing old, and new fabrics
from her scrap basket and assembling
them into a quilt. This resulting twist
creates a look in her designs that is
timeless and easy.
artgalleryfabrics.com
20
sew NEWS
JANUARY 2014/DECEMBER 2015
Sew Your Support
OPERATION
CONKERR CANCER
If youre unfamiliar with ConKerr Cancer,

it began when Cindy Kerrs son was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and she started
making him pillowcases to brighten up
hospital stays. The idea exploded and now
ConKerr Cancer has donated more than
900,000 pillowcases to over 250 hospitals
Visit sewnews.com/web_extras for

simple pillowcase how-tos and go to
conkerrcancer.org to find a drop-off site
near you, connect with local chapters
and learn about other opportunities to
get involved.
Visit conkerrcancer.org to
learn about volunteer efforts
in your community.
Photo courtesy Na
talie Fleischer
Even though the Sew News initiative

ends with this issue, ConKerr Cancer is,
and will be, going strong. They will always
accept your donations to help children in
need. Whenever you have enough fabric
in your stash for a pillowcase, sew one up
and donate it to your local ConKerr Cancer
throughout the country. With the help of

Sew News readers like you, those numbers
continue to grow.
Photo courtesy Natalie Fleischer
drop-off site. Or if youre ever teaching a

kid, or adult, to sew, start off with a pillowcase project, and then donate it to the
organization. Even one pillowcase will help
put a smile on someones face, and may
even bring joy to an entire family.
Rhonda Buss
Photo courtesy
Thank you all for participating in this years

charity sewing effort: Operation ConKerr
Cancer. The overwhelming response to this
effort truly speaks to your enthusiasm for
sewing for people in need, and we encourage that spirit!
Thank you for sewing your support! Learn about other organizations in need of handmade goods
at sewnews.com/web_extras. And let us know what charities you sew for at [email protected].
SEWNEWS.COM
21
Best of the Basics
These neckline
change-ups and tips
were combined from
three Sew News
columns from
Apr. '87, July '94
and Feb. '03.
NECKLINE
OPTIONS
Add your personal style to any garment with
a change to the neckline. Whether scoop,
square or V-neck, a new neckline can turn
an old shirt into a new favorite.
BEST
OF THE
BA SICS
The Inside Scoop
BY
BARBARA WEILAND
Makeover a T-shirt by adding a scoop

neckline with ribbing; this redo can be
finished in an afternoon.
Put on the T-shirt; mark or pin the
center front above the desired new
neckline finished edge; carefully take off
the shirt.
Carefully remove the neckline ribbing
with a seam ripper, if applicable, and set
it aside.
Working on a flat surface, place the Tshirt right side up, smoothing any wrinkles.
Using a curved ruler, connect the backneckline original cut edge with the mark at
22
sew NEWS
the center front in a smooth curve. Do this

on one half only (1).
Cut on the new curved line, and then
flip the cutout over onto the remaining
front half; cut the second half (2). Save
the cutout as a pattern for other T-shirts.
If the neckline has only slightly been
lowered, use the original ribbing. Or,
finish the neckline with new ribbing
TIP: To use this same technique

on a woven shirt, encase the neckline in matching or contrasting
bias tape or rickrack.
3
Visit sewitallmag.com/articles/Making_Waves to learn how
to add ruffles to a scoop neckline for a fancy finish.
that matches or contrasts with the new
T-shirt. To cut the correct ribbing length,
measure the new neckline by standing a
tape measure on edge around the curves.
Cut the ribbing twice the desired finished
width plus and 2/3 as long as the new
neckline measured length.
With right sides together, stitch the
ribbing short ends using a seam
allowance; press open the seam.
Fold the ribbing in half lengthwise with wrong sides together
and raw edges aligned.
Quarter-mark the ribbing and the
garment neckline.
Place the ribbing right sides together
on the garment neckline, pin in place at
the quarter points (3).
Working with the ribbing on top and
stretching it to fit the neckline, stitch
from the raw edges; stitch again 1/8 from
the first row of stitching (4). For a cleaner
finish, serge the ribbing to the neckline.
If the ribbing doesnt hug the body, it
was cut too large. Remove the ribbing, cut
it smaller and then reapply.
Hip to Be Square
BY
CLAIRE SHAEFFER
Cut a square neckline and add piping to

define the new detail.
Reinforce each neckline corner before
adding the piping to the garment. Using
a narrow stitch, stitch very close to the
seamline for 1 on each side of the corner, and then clip to the stitched line.
If the piping is corded, expect a touch
of wrinkling at the corners. If the piping is
flat or uncorded, miter it on the underside
at each corner using a hand or machine
stitch (5).
The least conspicuous way to join the
two piping ends is to seam them together
before applying the piping. Measure the
seamline around the garment neck, and
then measure and mark an equal length
on the piping stitching line. Rip the piping
apart as needed to join the ends on the
lengthwise grain. Restitch the piping as
needed, center the joint seam over the
left shoulder and set the piping to
the neckline.
An easier method to finish the ends
is to begin stitching the piping to the
neckline on the back, 1 below the left
shoulder, leaving a 2-long piping tail.
Continue around the neckline and stop 2
before the beginning. Lap the ends so
the raw edges extend beyond the garment raw edges (6). Stitch the piping in
place, and then trim the ends.
6
Shoulder
Seam
Lap,
stitch
and trim
ends.
Piping may also be used as a facing. To

do so, finish the neckline by folding and
pressing the seam allowances toward the
wrong side. Topstitch through all layers
just below the seamline (7).
Clipped corners of necklines tend to
fray, so either cover with a shaped facing
or apply a small amount of seam sealant
to secure.
7
Topstitch
TIP: If the shirt is too long, trim the excess from the lower
edge, leaving 58 seam allowance to hem up. Then use the excess
fabric to encase the neckline for a perfect match.
SEWNEWS.COM
23
Best of the Basics
V-Neck Value
MARLA STEFANELLI
Add a V-neckline to a crew-neck shirt to
create a whole new look. This style works
well on sweatshirts as well as T-shirts.
BY
Remove the original collar by removing

the stitching with a seam ripper.
10
11
Fold the shirt in half to find the center front; mark with a removable fabric
marker. Measure down from the neck
edge along the center front to the desired
length; mark. The V-neckline depth differs
between men and womens shirts; the
neckline is about 5 from the neck edge
for women and 6 for men. Lay the shirt
flat and align a ruler with the mark and the
neck edge. Draw a connecting line with
the marker; repeat for the other side (8).
Trim along the marked lines.
Using a short stitch, staystitch from
the edge beginning 2 above the point
of the V. Repeat to staystitch the remaining side, allowing the stitches to intersect
under the point. Clip to, not through, the
stitching at the point (9).
Measure the neck opening, standing the
measuring tape on edge.
Cut the ribbing the same length as the
neck opening. For the width, cut the ribbing twice the desired finished width plus
for seam allowances. For a 1 finished
width, cut the ribbing 2 wide.
Fold the ribbing in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and
lightly finger-press the fold. Fold
the ribbing in half widthwise again
and mark the center point.
12
Measure the back neck edge between

the shoulder seams. Multiply the mea-
24
sew NEWS
surement by 2/3 (or .66 in decimal form)

to determine the amount of ribbing for
the back neck. If the measurement is 10,
the ribbing will be about 65/8. Measure
and pin-mark of this amount on either
side of the ribbing center point.
With right sides together, match the pin
marks to the shoulder seams; pin in place.
Using seam allowances, begin
stitching at the left shoulder seam
and sew across the back neck edge,
stretching the ribbing to fit. Continue
stitching down the right-front neck
edge, stretching the ribbing slightly as
you sew; end at the V point. Leave
1 of ribbing extending beyond the
point and trim the excess ribbing.
Stitch down the neck opening left
front side, stretching the ribbing slightly
as you sew. End stitching when you
reach a distance from the V point that is
wider than the ribbing width (10).
Lay the shirt flat and turn the ribbing
to the finished position. Tuck the ends
inside, overlapping the right front over
the left. Pin the ribbing layers together
at the overlap (11). On the shirt wrong
side, finish sewing the neck opening to
the ribbing at the point of the V, catching
both ribbings in the stitching (12). Trim
the ends even with the seam allowance.
Press the seam allowances toward the
shirt. Topstitch across the back neck and
front edges, if desired. Z
RESOURCES
Sewing 911 by Barbara Deckert; published by
Taunton press, 2001.
Vogue Sewing; The Butterick Publishing Co., 2000.
Singer Sewing Reference Library: Sewing Activewear;
published by Cy DeCosse, 1986.
tain
n
o
c
y
l
ld hard
her
She co
excitement as
if she won the
she waited to
hear
Koala Small S
to
rageCenter
Koala Holiday Sweepstakes

Will you win the Koala Small StorageCenter? Theres only one
way to nd out. Enter the Koala Holiday Sweepstakes at
www.MyKoalaStudio.com. Create the sewing room of your
dreams using the Online Room Planner. Then print out your
room and entry form and bring it to your local Koala Retailer
for a chance to win.
The Koala Small StorageCenter gives you extra space for fabric,
patterns, and notions and ts in rooms of all sizes. It will be
perfect in your sewing room, so what are you waiting for?
Sweepstakes ends December 31, 2014, so enter today!
See website for complete details.
Fitting FAQs
Your frequently asked tting questions

answered by Peggy Sagers
[Q]
vvoe/Shutterstock.com
[Q] Im confused about darts.
[A] The answer to this question might surprise you, so please read carefully to
Please provide some rules

for fitting and sewing darts.
Does a larger bust dart
create more circumference?
26
sew NEWS
understand. Any time a garment contains a dart, its a clue that the garment
contains all three aspects of fit. Those three aspects are length, circumference and depth. When the pattern length, circumference and depth matches
the body length, circumference and depth, that creates a great fit. Length
is the vertical changing of the garment and circumference is the horizontal
changing of the garment, but depth applies to both length and circumference. Darts deal with depth, and thats why theyre often confusing.
To make an alteration for a short

waist, the same amount is removed
from the pattern all the way around.
However, to fit a sway back, more
length needs to be removed from the
center back than from the sides. This
alteration is a darta horizontal dartbut
nonetheless a dart. Darting and depth
are synonymous. Horizontal darts affect
length and vertical darts affect circumference. Darting can affect both the garment
length and circumference, which also
might contribute to the confusion.
stand the differences, darts are easy to

understand and we arent lead astray by
incorrect information. Make note of the
following important rules about darts:
A bust dart takes away the garment

length at the side of the body, but leaves
the length the same at the garment
center, which is why this dart ends internally. So, the way to achieve an uneven
length in a garment to accommodate
curves and create shaping is depth. By
the definition of length, the length needs
to be the same all the way around a
garment. So the bust dart isnt a length
issue but a depth issue. But in the case
of this depth issue, the garment circumference isnt changed because the bust
dart is a horizontal dart. Horizontal darts
affect length, not circumference (1).
Darts in a skirt or pant are 3 to 5 long

in the front and 7 to 9 in the back.
As another example, a waist dart on a

pair of pants is a vertical dart. Its there for
the purpose of removing circumference
to better fit the waist without changing the hip circumference. In the case
of the waist dart, it doesnt change the
garment length at all, just the circumference. Again, thats because vertical darts
affect circumference, not length (2).
These two examples show that not
all darts are alike. While we refer to
both horizontal and vertical wedges of
fabrics as darts, they clearly serve two
different purposes. Once we under-
Bust dart
affects length.
The bust dart and the waist dart are

called fitting darts. These two fitting
darts must enter the bust circle in
length and not extend beyond the bust
point. The bust circle is a 3 radius
around the bust point.
The pattern bust point aligns with the
nipple of the body.
Princess seams are a combination of

the bust dart and the waist dart in a
single seam line. The princess seam
must intersect the bust circle but
shouldnt intersect the bust point.
Waist darts affect

circumference.
Change darts into seamlines or gathers

or divide and combine them, but never
eliminate darts because the garment
needs the shaping the darts create.
If a garment doesnt have any visible
darts, the bust dart has been moved
to the waist and released. Releasing
a dart means to simply not stitch the
dart; instead, the shaping from the dart
remains dormant in the garment.
Either stitch or move a bust dart, but
dont released it in its original location,
(the side seam), as the front and back
side seams wont align.
Darts, in short, give a better match
of clothing to the body than simply a
rectangular piece of fabric. Darts slim
the body and make us look taller by
taking away excess fabric that adds
bulk, making massive improvements
to how clothes fit our bodies. Z
Need expert
fitting advice?
Send your sewing questions to
[email protected].
* Published questions may
be edited for clarity
and brevity.
SEWNEWS.COM
27
Home-Dec Help
WILD WELTING
{ by Carol Zentgraf }
Dear Sew News,

My throw pillows are seriously lacking pizazz Whats an
embellishment I can add thats easy, yet impressive?
Dear Reader,
Welting is a fun way to add pomp to your dcor without
adding much time to an easy pillow project. This 2004 Sew
News article explains how, plus teaches you a simple fauxwelting technique.
28
sew NEWS
Welting, a wide, filled piping, adds an attractive finishing touch to a

pillow or other home-dcor projects. Its easy to make by covering
cotton filler cord, available in various diameters, using bias-cut fabric
strips. Make it with or without a lip, or as a combination of the two.
For another twist on this classic edge finish, create a faux welting by
lacing around a filler cord thats inside the pillow cover.
Faux-Welting Pillow
Create this welted effect by tacking filler cord to the edge of a pillow form,
placing it inside the pillow cover, and then lacing leather strips around the
underlying cord. Or use narrow decorative ribbon and a tapestry needle for
a similar effect.
Supplies
23 yard of loosely-woven home-dcor fabric (See Sources.)
18 square pillow form (See Sources.)
2 yards of 1-diameter cotton filler cord (See Sources.)

4
8 yards of leather lacing (See Sources.)

Matching all-purpose thread
Needles: hand sewing & large-eye 6-long upholstery
Leather Lace
4 flat beads with center holes

Removable fabric marker
Construct
Hand-tack the filler cord to the pillow form edge at 2 intervals.
From the fabric, cut two 20 squares.
Zigzag-finish the fabric edges to
prevent raveling.
With right sides together, align the
squares. Stitch the perimeter using
a seam allowance and leaving a
14 centered opening along one edge
for turning. Clip the corners, and then
turn the cover right side out; press.
Fold the opening seam allowances
toward the wrong side; press.
Using a removable fabric marker,

draw a line 1 from the edge on the
pillow front and back perimeter.
Insert the cord-edge pillow form
and slipstitch the opening closed.
pillow-cover side. Use the needle to feel

under the cording and stitch straight
through to the opposite side on the
marked line. Pull the lacing through,
leaving a 10 tail. Continue stitching
the lacing around the pillow edge at 1
intervals, pulling the lacing taut after
each stitch.
Thread the upholstery needle with the

leather lacing. If the lacing is too thick
to pass through the needle eye, trim
one end of the lace to taper to a point.
Securely tape the tapered end along the
lower 4 of the needle, covering the
lacing end (1).
At the lacing end, tie the ends together

in an overhand knot at the pillow edge.
Trim the lacing ends to the desired
length. Thread two beads onto each
end and knot to secure.
Beginning 5 from one corner, insert

the needle at the marked line on one
Adjust the laces evenly and tuck under

any excess fabric at the corners.
SEWNEWS.COM
29
Home-Dec Help
2
End
Beginning
10
15
Loop
Side
Loop
Side
12
Loop
16
Side
12
Loop
Side
20
Overlap Allowance
Clip
4
1
Clip
Tape
Previously Stitched
Loop Section
Looped Welting Pillow

Use this fun technique to create decorative welting loops
of any size at pillow corners.
Supplies
yard of home-dcor fabric
(cover; see Sources)
1 yard of home-dcor fabric
(bias strips; see Sources)
From the bias-strip fabric, cut enough 3-wide bias strips to

equal 3 yards when pieced. Piece the strips along the short
edges using a seam allowance; press open the seams.
Beginning 10 from one short end, snip into the bias
strip along each long edge to mark each pillow-side length and
12 for each corner loop. Leave 15 at the opposite end for
the overlap along one pillow long edge (2).
16x20 pillow form (See Sources.)
Construct
3 yards of -diameter cotton filler cord

(See Sources.)
Fold the strip in half lengthwise with right sides together.

Stitch the loop section edges using a seam allowance. Clip
to, but not through, the stitching line at each stitching end (3).

Hand sewing needle
Tube-turning tool (optional)
Cut & Prep

From the pillow cover fabric, cut two 17x21 rectangles;
mark the center of each side at the edges.
30
sew NEWS
Trim the seam allowances to and press open. Turn the

partially sewn tube right side out, using a tube turner if desired.
Tightly wrap 2 of one filler cord end with tape and insert the
cord through the stitched sections until the bias strip and cording ends are even.
At the unstitched bias-strip sections, fold the fabric around

the cord with wrong sides together, aligning the raw edges; pin.
Install a welting or zipper foot onto the machine and use a
seam allowance to baste (4).
Beginning at one long-edge center, align the cording with
one pillow-rectangle right side. Baste the cording to the pillow,
ending from the corner. Form the finished cord section into
a loop, and then resume basting the lip to the adjacent pillow
edge, beginning from the corner. Repeat to baste the entire
welting to the rectangle (5).
Decrease the stitch length to 2.5mm. Stitch over the welting
basting line, ending 3 from the beginning.
Cut the welting end 2 beyond the beginning. Remove the
basting stitches 3 from the welting end. Fold back the fabric
and trim the cord so it abuts the opposite end. Fold the fabric
toward the wrong side (6).
Remove the stitching 1 from the welting beginning. Wrap
the folded strip end around the abutted cord ends; pin.
With right sides together, align the pillow cover rectangles,
matching the center marks and raw edges. With the welting
panel up, stitch each pillow-cover edge along the previous
welting stitching, beginning and ending 2 from each corner.
Leave a centered 12 opening along one short edge to insert
the pillow form. Turn the pillow cover right side out; press.
Fold the side and corner opening seam allowances

toward the wrong side; slipstitch the corner openings.
Insert the pillow form into the cover, and then slipstitch
the opening closed.
Fold down each corner loop, adjusting the seamline to the
back. Tack the loop in place using two to three stitches. Z
SOURCES
Dritz provided the Hollywood Trims cotton filler cord: dritz.com.
Fairfield Processing provided the Soft Touch pillow forms: poly-fil.com.
The Leather Factory provided the leather lacing: leatherfactory.com.
Waverly provided the fabric: waverly.com.
SEWNEWS.COM
31
Pattern Play
UNIQUE
PLEATS
DRESS
{ by Ana Jankovic }
Add a dramatic focal

point to a simple
shift dress by creating an intricately
pleated panel.
Look for a
basic dress
pattern, such as
McCalls 2401.
32
sew NEWS
Close dart.
Redraw.
Supplies
Long-sleeve shift dress
pattern with bust & waist darts
(such as McCalls 2401)
Dress fabric, lining & fusible
interfacing (amount according to
pattern envelope plus approximately
212 yards for pleat panel)
Invisible zipper & notions
(according to pattern)
All-purpose thread
Pattern or tracing paper
Rulers: clear & curved
Clear tape
Hand sewing needle (optional)
Prepare
Cut out the pattern pieces.
Before beginning the alterations, pin-fit or make a muslin fitting
sample of the selected pattern.
Make any necessary fit adjustments
to the pattern, and then trace a copy
on paper, transferring all markings.
Alter
Draw a gently curved boat neckline
on the front and back patterns, making
sure the front and back shoulder seams
are the same length. Trace the front
pattern onto new paper, and then flip it
along the center-front line; trace to create
a full front pattern. Draw a vertical line
Side
Center
from the neckline through each waistdart center to the lower edge (1). Save
the original front and back patterns for
drafting the lining and facing patterns.
Measure the front waist-dart width.
Redraw the front waist darts, transferring
the entire width to the dart outer edges
(2). Use the curved ruler to true and
smooth the new dart edge into a gentle
curve. Cut the front pattern along the
vertical lines to create center and side
panels. Discard the left side panel. Cut
away the dart width from the right side
panel to create a curved seamline. Tape
the side-panel bust dart closed (3).
To draft the sleeve-cuff pattern, draw
a line 3 above and parallel to the sleeve
SEWNEWS.COM
33
Pattern Play
Cuff
Cuff Pattern
3/4
Pleat Lines
6
Sleeve
Back
lower edge. Trace the sleeve area below

the new drawn line; cut out. Fold a piece
of pattern paper in half. Place the cut-out
sleeve piece upper edge along the fold;
trace, and then cut out. Repeat to place
the new pattern lower edge along a fold
and cut out so theres a mirror-image
shape along both the upper and lower
edges. Trim the lower cuff shape to half
its width to create the cuff pattern (4).
To add a pleat to the sleeve pattern,
trace the original sleeve onto new paper.
34
sew NEWS
Draw a horizontal line connecting the

sleeve-seam upper points. Draw a vertical
line from the sleeve-cap center point to
the lower edge. Cut the vertical line to,
but not through, the upper point. Cut
the horizontal line to, but not through,
each sleeve-seam upper point. Spread
the pattern vertical cut edges 34, allowing the cap sections to rotate downward
as needed. Tape the sections in place,
and then retrace the sleeve pattern,
including lines indicating the vertical cut
Side
Front
Center
Front
Cuff
edges for reference when stitching the

pleat (5). Save the original sleeve pattern to use as the sleeve lining pattern.
The dress pattern pieces include the
back, side front, center front, sleeve and
cuff (6).
To create the lining and facing patterns,
transfer the boat neckline to the original
front and back dress patterns. Draw a
curved line 2 from and parallel to the
front and back necklines. Cut the patterns along the drawn lines. The lower
panels are the lining patterns and the

upper panels are the facing patterns (7).
Pleat Panel
Measure the center-front panel width,
and then subtract 2; record. Using the
recorded measurement as the height and
4 as the base width, draw an isosceles
triangle for the pleating template (8).
From the main fabric, cut a long
pleating strip 4 wider than the centerfront panel and approximately 96 long.
The panel length will shrink a great deal
with pleating.
Using a removable fabric marker, draw
a line along the pleat-panel center, and
then draw a line 2 from each long edge.
Back Facing
Beginning near the pleat-panel upper edge, center the pleat template
between the outer lines. Trace the
triangle perimeter along the pleat-panel
length, creating a continous zigzag line.
After marking the entire length, place
the template 12 below the first triangle
marking. Using a different pen color,
repeat tracing the template to create a
second continous zigzag line. The first
line denotes the pleat foldline, while the
second line denotes the stitching line (9).
Fold the panel along the next

foldline with wrong sides together.
Stitch the next stitching line, crossing the first pleat stitching line (11).
Fold the pleat downward; press.
To stitch the first pleat, fold the fabric

along the upper foldline with wrong sides
together. Stitch along the first stitching line
to secure the fold (10). Press the pleat
downward to create a crisp, even fold.
Cut
Continue folding, stitching and pressing each foldline and stitching line
down the entire panel length, creating
the diagonal pleat pattern (12). Always
press after stitching each pleat to maintain an even interval and crisp angles.
From the pleat panel, cut the centerfront dress pattern with the pleats
running downward.
Front Facing
1/2
9
Foldline
Stitching
Line
Back
Lining
10
Stitch rst line.
Front
Lining
11
12
SEWNEWS.COM
35
Pattern Play
From the main fabric, cut one sidefront pair, one back pair, one sleeve pair,
one cuff pair, one front-neck facing on
the fold and one back-neck facing pair.
From the lining, cut one front on the
fold, one back pair and one sleeve pair.
From the interfacing, cut one cuff pair,
one front-neck facing on the fold and one
back-neck facing pair. Fuse the interfacing
pieces to the coordinating fabric pieces
following the manufacturers instructions.
Construct
With right sides together, stitch
one side-front to each center-panel
long edge; press open the seams.
Stitch the back waist darts, and then
press them toward the side seams.
Align the dress front and back pieces
with right sides together. Stitch the
shoulder and side seams; press open.
With right sides together, stitch each
sleeve pleat according to the pleat markings. Stitch each sleeve seam; press open.
With right sides together, fold each
cuff in half lengthwise, and then stitch the
long open edge; press open. With wrong
sides together, fold each cuff along the
upper and lower foldline; press well.
With right sides together, stitch one
cuff to each sleeve lower edge; press
open the seams.
Insert an invisible zipper into the
dress center-back seam following
the manufacturers instructions.
36
sew NEWS
Insert the sleeves into the dress armscyes following the pattern guidesheet.
Finish the dress lower edge with
a hand or machine blind hem.
front-neck facing lower edge to the frontlining upper edge. Repeat to stitch the
back facings to the back lining pieces.
Finish constructing the lining, and

then insert it into the dress following the pattern guidesheet.
SOURCE
The McCall Pattern Co. carries McCalls 2401:
mccallpattern.mccall.com.
Sew NOT
your kitchen
table!
Call 1-800-533-7347 or visit
www.arrowcabinets.com
to find a dealer near you
Your Dream is Closer Than Ever

Experience the fun of Sulky Teacher Certication classes
in the comfort of your own home!
RE
STER N
GI
OW
Seats
Are
Limited!
Winter, 2015 Classes are Forming Now
Bargello Duck
Project Detail
Whether you want to begin a career as a sewing teacher or advance your sewing career, the Sulky
Online Teacher Certication Training program is designed to enhance your success with the most
up-to-date teaching skills. In the comfort of your home, youll learn how to do and teach the
most popular creative machine art techniques and how to use the newest creative products as you
develop beautiful, inspiring samples; and have lots of fun doing it! Or, maybe it is just time to do
something creative and educational for YOU, because you deserve it!
Find out even more about the 10 included projects, and register today.
Floral Fantasy
Sculptured Art Project
SewNews.com/Sulky
SEWNEWS.COM
37
Haute Topics
Julie Angel Saad/Shutterstock.com
EMBELLISHMENTS
{ by Liesl Gibson }
Dont save fancy embellishments just for holiday parties. Many designers are
moving away from minimalism and embracing trims and adornment in their
designs. Take a look at the fall runways and youll find all sorts of embellishments
for everyday wear. Find out about trendy embellishments and how to incorporate
them into your sewing projects.
38
sew NEWS
catwalker/Shutterstock.com
catwalker/Shutterstock.com
Anton Oparin/Shutterstock.com
Gordana Sermek/Shutterstock.com
Oversized, exaggerated soutache braidstyle trim emerged on the runways from

designers, such as Stella McCartney
and Miguel Palacio (1). McCartneys
soutache incorporated unlikely notions,
such as mountaineering rope and zipper teeth. Take inspiration from the bold
embellishments and look for large-scale
braids and yarns and add them in a
swirl pattern to a clutch coat. Or if the
oversized trims are too much for your
taste or lifestyle, choose a simple jacket
pattern with clean lines and apply traditional soutache braid to highlight the
design details. Even just a little bit of
braid applied to a garment adds a wonderful textural effect to a winter outfit.
Some designers, including Devota
& Lomba, felted multi-colored fibers
in a geometric pattern onto dresses
and sweaters (2). Add a few felted
Anton Oparin/Shutterstock.com
shapes or organic swirls to the hem of

your winter coat. Or apply loose wool
fibers or yarn to create texture and
color that transforms plain wool fabric
into a unique designer-inspired piece.
Lace inserts and appliqus bring
heirloom sewing to high fashion. Some
inserts had a round, organic shape, while
others were more geometric. The lace
sections were delicate but also very modern in appearance (3). Use vintage lace
that might be languishing in your stash
to replicate the look in your next project.
Many designers showed enormous
hardware-inspired bling that encrusted
skirt and dress fronts (4). This trend
might inspire you to break out the
BeDazzler again and embellish a basic
dress, but apply the bling in moderation
to avoid too much of a good thing and
end up with a look straight from the '80s.
Heavy beading was a major trend,

especially on sweater, dress and jacket
necklines and seamlines (5). Add beads
to a heavyweight sweater or jacket in
a creative way, such as asymmetrically
along one side. Or hand stitch small
seed beads onto a lightweight blouse.
Alternatively, try adding lighter beading as a trim, taking inspiration from
Lanvin, who finished many pieces
with a beaded fringe. Embellish only
the armscye and princess seams of a
jacket for a subtle, yet stunning look.
The runways also showed a variety
of quilted jackets and detailing that
creates wonderful subtle texture. The
always outlandish and exciting Thom
Browne showed beautifully quilted
wool jackets that might inspire you to
add channel stitching to a garment. Z
SEWNEWS.COM
39
LIKE A
{ by Don Morin }
Stitch a soft-as-silk faux

fur collar to accessorize
cold-weather wear. This
must-have is a fun and
feminine way to keep
warm and look chic.
40
sew NEWS
Download the Like a Fox

pattern at sewnews.com/web_
extras for free until Jan. 31,
2015. The pattern will be
available at shopsewitall.com
for purchase after the
expiration date.
Supplies
From the faux fur, cut one main collar
14 yard of satin lining fabric
with the nap running toward the collar

curved lower edge using the full pattern
piece. Use the craft knife or safety razor
to cut through the faux-fur backing
without cutting the fur pile (2).
114 yard of 112-wide satin ribbon
From the interlining, cut one main
Supplies listed are enough to create

one 4x22 collar.
14 yard of faux fox fur
14 yard of needle-punched
fleece interlining
Pattern tracing paper or cloth
112 yards each of 12- & 1-wide
stay tape
Coordinating nylon thread
Craft knife (such as X-Acto)
or safety razor
collar using the full pattern piece.

From the satin, cut one lining collar
on the fold.
From the ribbon, cut two 20 lengths.
Construct
Place the narrow stay tape along the
fur-backing perimeter. Hand-baste the
stay tape in place using a herringbone

stitch (3).
Whipstitch the dart edges with the
fur right sides together, catching
the adjacent stay-tape edges in the
stitching (4). Use a stiletto to
Stiletto
Hand sewing needle
Press cloth
Seam sealant (optional)
Prepare & Cut

Download the Like a Fox pattern at
sewnews.com/web_extras; cut out.

Fold the pattern tracing paper in half.
Place the main pattern on the fold and
cut out; unfold the paper.
Lightly comb the fur to decipher the
nap direction. Mark the nap direction

by drawing an arrow on the faux-fur
selvage wrong side. Transfer the pattern
to the faux fur wrong side, denoting
the nap direction (1).
SEWNEWS.COM
41
manipulate the stray hairs to the fur

right side.
Place the wide stay tape along the
fur right-side perimeter. Push all

the perimeter fur beneath the tape;
whipstitch the tape edge to the fur,
catching the narrow stay-tape edge with
the stitching (5). Use small, even hand
stitches along the fur outermost edge.
Finger-press the stay tape toward the
wrong side (6).
Abut the interlining dart edges and

stitch together, using a 3.5mm-wide
zigzag stitch (7).
Abut dart
edges.
Place the interlining on the fur wrong
side; baste through the vertical and

horizontal center through the fur
backing only.
Wrap the wide stay tape around
the interlining perimeter; hand-baste

through all layers using a running
stitch (8).
Place one ribbon end along one collar
upper-edge corner with the ribbon
right side facing the interlining; hand
stitch the ribbon in place using a
backstitch (9). Repeat to stitch the
remaining ribbon to the opposite
collar corner. Fold the ribbons toward
the right side beyond the collar edges.
Cut each ribbon end at an angle; apply
seam sealant to the ribbon cut ends,
if desired.
Finish
Fold the lining perimeter 1 toward
the wrong side; press on low heat using

a press cloth.
Place the lining right side up over the
10
interlining, aligning the stay-tape and

lining edges and extending the ribbon
ties beyond the fur edge; pin. Slipstitch
the lining in place (10).
Using a comb, fluff the fur pile along
the seams. Z
42
sew NEWS
leather
ACCENTS
{ by Linda Reynolds }
Make a bold and

contemporary statement
by incorporating leather
into a variety of garments.
Discover tools and techniques for sewing leather
and create a dress, top
and skirt with fashionMcCall's 2401
(modied)
forward leather accents.
SEWNEWS.COM
43
d
Downloa e to
id
u
g
t
a
a gre
genuine
sewing
leather
x
u
and fa
ws.com/
at sewne xtras.
e
web_
Leather In Vogue
Leather Considerations
Leather is no longer limited to

handbags and outerwear, as both
genuine leather and faux leather
have become popular in all types of
everyday clothing. Creative leather
elements add style and luxury to any
garment. Incorporate a small leather
detail for a pop of color and contrast,
or use more for a bold, contemporary
statement. Look beyond the obvious
to find that leather has a place in almost
every type of garment. Bring an old
thrift shop buy back into fashion by
repairing or replacing garment sections
with leather. Update a plain skirt or
dress by adding a leather peplum.
For a subtle effect, add a leather
border along a skirt or sleeve hemline.
Anywhere a contrast of color or
texture will enhance, update or transform a garment, leather is a fun and
stylish option.
Sewing with leather might seem

intimidating, but the techniques arent
difficult, just different than sewing with
standard fabric. Knowing the tools and
techniques you need and having a clear
strategy before beginning any leather
project makes the sewing process easy
and fun. There are some important
differences that make sewing leather
different from sewing fabric:
To add leather to a garment, begin

by selecting a pattern that has details
or contrasting fabric areas that easily
translate into leather. Or choose a
pattern that includes a color-block
design and plan to use leather as one
of the sections. For patterns that dont
immediately suggest contrasting or
color-blocked areas, select garment
sections to cut from leather, such as
a sleeve, collar, pocket or side panel.
For a more personalized and creative
approach, begin with a simple pattern
in a basic silhouette, and then add
style lines, seamlines or panels to cut
from leather.
44
sew NEWS
Genuine leather is a natural organic

material that requires special handling
and specific tools.
Leather is bulky so intersecting
seamlines or multiple layers are
often problematic.
Leather has some stretch, but no ease.
Every pin or needle hole in leather
is permanent.
Leather tends to stick to metal parts
of a sewing machine.
Genuine Leather
The key to sewing real leather,
especially the first time, is to use a
lightweight hide rather than attempting
to sew thick heavyweight leather.
For clothing, a thinner hide is better
because the sewing process is more
similar to sewing regular fabrics.
Lightweight hides also wont strain
most home sewing machines.
When buying leather, the amount is
generally measured in square feet. Real
leather is typically sold as hides, which
are irregular in shape. Therefore, square
footage measurements are generally
estimated so factor in some waste to
account for imperfections, such as holes

or grain irregularities. To convert fabric
yardage to leather square footage, most
sellers use this standard formula: One
linear yard of 54-wide fabric is equal
to 18 square feet of leather. The leather
thickness, which suggests the degree to
which it will drape, is generally measured
in ounces or millimeters. One ounce is
equivalent to 164 of thickness or .4mm
(more than twice as thin as a dime).
For leather embellishments on regular
clothing, hides less than 2 to 2.5 ounces
in thickness (132 or .7mm to 1mm)
look best.
Faux Leather
Much of the leather used in commercially manufactured clothing these
days isnt genuine, but looks and feels
surprisingly real. Faux leather is widely
available in most fabric retailers and
comes in many colors, thicknesses
and textures. Its a popular alternative
for good reason. Its considerably less
expensive than genuine leather and
some faux leathers feel and drape more
like regular fabric, making them considerably easier to cut and sew. As a
manufactured product, faux leather
is sold in linear lengths, so yardage
requirements and pattern layouts are
also easier to determine. Some faux
leathers are even machine washable,
making them easy to care for. Once
again, when making clothing, lightweight faux leather is best, as it drapes
well and requires fewer unconventional
techniques. Many faux leathers are
backed with fabric, so theyre also
more comfortable to wear.
Prepare
Cut out the pattern pieces.
Before beginning the alterations,
pin-fit or make a muslin fitting sample

of the selected pattern.
Make any necessary fit adjustments
to the pattern, and then trace a copy

on paper, transferring all markings.
Reserve the fit-adjusted dress patterns
to use as the lining patterns.
Alter
On the dress-front pattern, draw a
curved diagonal princess seamline from

the side seam at the hip to the neckline
center, intersecting the waist-dart upper
point. Slash the bust-dart upper leg up
to the apex, and then cut along the new
princess seamline. Rotate the bust dart
closed, transferring the dart shaping
to the princess seam. To eliminate
the waist dart, trim away 1 from the
princess seamline between the dart
upper point and side seam (1).
Draw a curved diagonal line on the
back pattern from the neckline to
the side seam just above the waistline.
Dont eliminate the back waist dart (2).
New princess seamline
Eliminate
waist
dart.
Close
bust dart.
Color-Block Dress
Add lambskin leather color-blocked side panels to take a sheath dress from
simple to stylish.
Supplies
Sheath dress pattern
(such as McCalls 2401)
Invisible zipper & notions

according to pattern envelope)
8-square-foot lambskin leather pelt

with .7mm to.9mm thickness
Leather needle
Mediumweight fabric (weight compatible with leather weight and drape;

amount according to pattern envelope)
Lining fabric (amount according

to pattern envelope)
Butcher or pattern paper
New princess
seamline
All-purpose thread
Binder, paper clips or fabric clips
PTFE, roller or walking foot
SEWNEWS.COM
45
Trim 12 from the center-front and
center-back neckline edges to create

the leather neckline trim patterns (3).
1/2
1/2
Cut
Cut
Add 58 seam allowances to the new
cut edges.
Cut
Front
Lay out the leather hide right side up
in a single layer. On the leather, use

chalk to trace one front-side panel pair,
one back-side panel pair, one frontneck trim and one back-neck trim,
avoiding imperfections, such as holes or
grain inconsistencies. Transfer markings
and notches on the leather wrong side.
Cut out the pieces using shears or a
rotary cutting system.
Back
From the fabric, cut one altered front
dress on the fold and one altered

back-dress pair.
From the lining, cut the original dress
front and back pieces following the

pattern guidesheet.
Construct
front neckline-trim lower edge with

the front-dress upper edge; secure
with clips (4). Select a 3mm straight
stitch and install a roller, walking or
PTFE foot. With the leather side facing
up, stitch the trim to the dress upper
edge. Dont backstitch; instead, tie
off the thread tails. Repeat to stitch
the back-neckline trim to the backdress upper edge.
46
sew NEWS
Press open and flatten the seams by

placing craft paper under each leather
seam allowance to prevent an indentation on the right side (5).
Stitch the lining bust and waist darts.

Align the lining front and back with
right sides together, and then stitch
the shoulder seams; press open.
Align the side-front panel with the

front dress along the princess seamline
with right sides together; secure with
clips (6). Stitch and press open the seam
following the previous instructions (7).
Align the dress and lining with right
Stitch the back waist darts, and then
sides together. Stitch the neckline edge

following the leather handling instructions. Trim and clip the seam allowance,
and then understitch the lining close
the seamline.
press them toward the center back.
Align the dress and lining armscye
With right sides together, stitch
seams, secure using binder clips, and

then stitch. Trim and clip the seam
allowances. Turn the lining to the
dress wrong side by pulling the backs
and press open the shoulder seams

following the previous leather handling instructions.
through the shoulder seams. Press

around the armscyes to set the curves.
Align the dress pieces with right sides
together and lining pieces with right

sides together. Stitch the side seams
separately (8).
Finish constructing the dress according
to the pattern guidesheet.
Statement Sleeves
Give a casual knit top an edgy touch by using faux leather for the sleeves and
optional pocket. Faux leather is soft and more compatible with jersey knit, so
the shirt is comfortable to wear. The faux leather is also washable, so caring
for the top is just as simple as washing an everyday T-shirt. The featured top
above is the authors own design; find a basic T-shirt pattern that suits your style,
such as McCall's 6964.
Supplies
Basic long-sleeve knit T-shirt pattern
(such as McCall's 6964)
12 yard of faux leather (or approximately 6-square-feet of real leather

with 0.7mm to 0.9mm thickness)
Invisible tape
Jersey knit fabric (amount according

to the pattern envelope)
Binder, fabric or paper clips
Walking foot
Tailors chalk
Serger (optional)
All-purpose thread
SEWNEWS.COM
47
raw edges and seams; clip in place (11).

Stitch using a 12 seam allowance, and
then serge- or zigzag-finish the seam
allowances. Fold the cuff toward the
sleeve right side; press.
Finish the neckline and bodice lower
edge following the pattern guidesheet.

Place the pocket right side up at the
Prepare & Cut

Lay out the faux leather right side up
in a single layer. Trace a sleeve pair
onto the right side, and then cut out.
Trim 112 from the sleeve lower edges
to accommodate a knit cuff.
For the optional breast pocket, cut
a 412x512 rectangle from the faux
leather. Designate one short edge as
the upper edge.
From the jersey, cut the front and
back bodice. For the cuffs, measure

the faux-leather sleeve lower edge,
and then add 1; record. Cut two
jersey rectangles measuring 4x the
recorded measurement.
Construct
If applying a pocket, fold the pocket
upper edge 1 toward the right side;
clip in place. Stitch the fold sides using
a 12 seam allowance (9). Turn the fold
right side out, and then press the sides
and lower edges 12 toward the wrong
side, creating a 312x4 rectangle. Press
using a press cloth and craft paper
under the seam allowances. Topstitch
the pocket 78 from the upper edge;
dont backstitch, instead tie off the
thread tails.
48
sew NEWS
desired location on the front bodice

right side; tape the pocket edges in
place (10). Edgestitch the sides and
lower edges.
Align the front and back bodice with
right sides together. Stitch the shoulder

and side seams. Serge- or zigzag-finish
the seam allowances.
Stitch and press the sleeve underarm
seams following the previous leather
handling instructions. Serge-finish the
seams or leave them unfinished.
10
Insert the sleeves into the armscyes
following the pattern guidesheet,

but dont stitch any ease into the faux
leather sleeve caps. The knit fabric
will provide enough stretch to accommodate the lack of ease in the faux
leather. Trim the seam allowances,
and then serge- or zigzag-finish the
seam allowances.
With right sides together, fold one cuff
in half widthwise. Stitch the short ends

using a 12 seam allowance, forming a
loop. Fold the cuff in half lengthwise
with wrong sides together. Repeat to
construct the remaining cuff.
Position one cuff around one sleeve
wrong-side lower edge, aligning the
11
12
Flap
placement
4
Front
Prepare & Cut

On the skirt-front pattern, mark the
pocket-flap placement. Draw a slightly
angled 4 line extending down toward
the side seam from the dart apex (12).
Trim 238 from the skirt-front and
-back lower edges to account for the
leather border.
Cut out the skirt and lining pattern
pieces from the fabric following
the pattern guidesheet. Transfer
the flap marking.
New Look 0137

(modied)
Measure the skirt total lower-edge

circumference, and then add 114 to
account for seam allowances; record.
For the lower-border pattern, draw a
rectangle that measures 7x the
recorded measurement.
For the pocket-flap pattern, draw
a 234x412 rectangle. From the

faux leather, cut one border strip
and two flaps.
Bold Border Skirt

A faux-leather border and welt pocket flaps are chic finishing touches to dress
up a basic yoke-waist A-line skirt. Genuine leather works equally well for the
trim details.
Construct
Stitch the skirt-front darts.
Fold one flap in half lengthwise with
Supplies
Basic skirt pattern
(such as New Look 0137)
Skirt fabric, lining, invisible zipper &

notions (according to pattern envelope)
14 yard of faux leather

(or 6-square-feet of genuine leather
with .7mm to .9mm thickness)
Tailors chalk
Binder, fabric or paper clips
Pattern or butcher paper
right sides together. Bring one long

edge 14 beyond the other edge to
reduce the bulk when sewn; fingerpress. Stitch the short ends using a 14
seam allowance. Turn the flap right side
out; press flat using a press cloth.
Repeat to construct the remaining flap.
SEWNEWS.COM
49
13
14
15
On the skirt right side, position

one flap long raw edge along the
placement line. Pin within the seam
allowance or tape in place (13). Stitch
the flap long edge using a 14 seam
allowance. Fold the flap upward, and
then tape in place. Edgestitch the short
ends to the skirt (14).
Finish constructing the skirt following
the pattern guidesheet, but dont
finish the hem.
With right sides together, fold the
border in half lengthwise; clip the short

ends (15). Stitch each short end using a
5
8 seam allowance to create a vent at
the skirt center-back. Trim the seam
allowance and then turn the border to
the right side; press using a press cloth.
With right sides together, place
the border along the skirt lower

edge, matching the raw edges and
aligning the border short edges with
the skirt center-back seam; clip in
place. Stitch the border to the skirt.
Serge- or zigzag-finish the seam
allowances, and then press them toward
the skirt using the previous leather
pressing instructions. Z
SOURCES
The McCall Pattern Co. provided 2401 and carries 6964:
mccallpattern.mccall.com.
Simplicity provided New Look 0137: simplicity.com.
50
sew NEWS
Inspiration is everywhere.
Jo-Ann helps you
bring it home.
www.joann.com
poshPUR SE
{ by Ashley Briggs }
52
sew NEWS
Stitch a stylish designer-inspired

leather purse with metal grommets that
are both decorative and functional.
TIP: A hot iron damages leather

and melts faux leather. Fingerpress seams or use a dry iron on
the lowest temperature setting,
always using a press cloth.
Supplies
34 yard each of genuine or faux
leather & mediumweight cotton fabric
Seven 134-diameter metal grommets

114-long turn-lock closure
13-long metal zipper
Size 100/16 leather needle
Polyester or rayon thread
Removable marking pen
Walking foot
Press cloth
Binder or fabric clips (optional)
Cut
Download the Posh Purse pattern
from sewnews.com/web_extras. Print,

and then cut out.
From the leather, cut one purse front
and back, two closure strips, two
closure rectangles, one base, two accent
pieces, four accent strips, four straps,
four strap tabs and two zipper strips.
From the cotton fabric, cut one purse
front and back lining, one base lining
and four lining pockets.
Construct
Use 2 seam allowances and sew with right
sides together unless otherwise noted.
1
Position one closure rectangle wrong
side up on a flat work surface. Designate one short edge as the lower edge.
Draw a horizontal line 58 from and
parallel to the lower edge and 12 from

each long edge.
Center one grommet back along the
lines (1). Trace the grommet inner
circle, and then cut out the circle.
Repeat to cut the remaining
closure rectangle.
Install a walking foot and a leather
needle onto the machine. Select a
3mm to 3.5mm stitch length. Thread
the needle and bobbin with polyester
or rayon thread. Stitch a faux leather
fabric scrap to test the stitch and
tension settings.
Align the closure rectangles with

right sides together, matching the
cut-out circles. Stitch the long edges
and lower edge. Turn the closure flap
right side out through the unstitched
short edge. Install a grommet through
the closure-flap hole following the
manufacturers instructions.
Center the female turn-lock closure
back over one closure-strip wide short
end, abutting the closure edges with the

strip raw edges (2). Trace the inner
oval, and then cut out the oval. Repeat
to cut the remaining closure strip.
SEWNEWS.COM
53
GLAM
GROMMETS
Easily insert grommets by
learning a few simple tips.
Large diameter grommets
are installed by hand using
fold-over tabs on the grommet wrong side. If needed,
use a small hammer and
gently hammer the tabs flat.
Always install grommets
with the fold-over tabs
facing the project wrong
side. If the wrong side is
visible during wear, select
a grommet type with no
distinguishable wrong side.
Carefully trace the grommet inner circle for cutting.
If the hole is too large,
the grommet wont stay
in place. If the hole is too
small, the fabric shows
through the center.
Align the closure strips with right sides

together, matching the cut-out ovals.
Stitch the long edges and wide short
end. Turn the closure strip right side
out through the unstitched short edge.
Install the female turn-lock closure
through the closure strip hole following
the manufacturers instructions.
With right sides facing up, center the
closure strip over the closure flap,
aligning the raw edges; baste.
Position one accent piece wrong
side up on a flat work surface. Draw a
horizontal line 58 from and parallel
to the lower edge and 12 from each
short edge.
Position one grommet back
along each side and lower line (3).

Trace each inner circle, and then cut
out each circle. Install one grommet
through each hole. Repeat to install
grommets on the remaining accent
piece, referring to the manufacturers
instructions for specifics.
Stitch two accent rectangles
along each long each, and then turn

right side out. Repeat to stitch the
54
sew NEWS
remaining accent-rectangle pair. Thread

one accent strip though the grommets
on the left accent-piece right side.
Repeat to insert the remaining accent
strip through the grommets on the right
accent piece.
With right sides facing up, position the
left accent piece over the purse-front
lower-left corner, aligning the edges.
Stitch the accent-piece upper and inner
edge, making sure the grommet-strip
short end is caught within the stitching
(4). Repeat to stitch the right accent
piece over the purse-front lower-right
corner. Trim the accent strips even
with the purse-front edge.
Center the male turn-lock closure 3
from the purse-front upper edge; install.
Position the purse back right side up
on a flat work surface. Center the
TIP: Only pin within the seam

allowances, as pins create permanent holes in the faux leather. Or
use binder or fabric clips to hold the
layers together during stitching.
closure flap wrong side up over the

purse front, aligning the flap raw edges
with the bag upper edge; baste (5).
Stitch one zipper strip to the right
zipper tape; finger-press open the seam.
Topstitch the strip 14 from the fold.
Repeat to stitch the remaining zipper
strip to the left zipper tape. Stitch the
left zipper-strip long raw edge to the
purse-front upper edge. Repeat to
stitch the right zipper-strip long raw
edge to the purse-back upper edge.
Stitch the purse-base long edge to the
purse-front lower edge. Repeat to
attach the opposite purse-base long
edge to the purse-back lower edge.
Stitch the purse front and back at the
sides. Turn the purse right side out.
Stitch two strap strips along one
short end; finger-press open the seam.

Repeat to stitch the remaining strap
pair. Stitch the two straps along the
perimeter, leaving a 4 opening along
one long edge for turning. Turn
the strap right side out through the
opening. Topstitch the strap perimeter,
closing the opening with the stitching.
Center one grommet back along one

strap short end. Trace the inner circle,
and then cut the circle through both
strap layers. Install a grommet through
the hole. Repeat to install a grommet
at the opposite strap short end.
Stitch the base-lining long edge to the
With wrong sides together, edgestitch
Insert the lining into the purse
two strap tabs along each long edge.

Repeat to stitch the remaining strap-tab
pair. Insert one strap tab through one
strap grommet. Align the strap-tab ends
and center the tab on the purse left-side
seam allowance 1 from the upper
edge; stitch the short ends. Repeat to
attach the remaining strap tabs to the
purse right-side seam allowance.
with wrong sides together, aligning

the lining upper edge with the zipper
strip/upper-edge seamline. Fold each
zipper strip towards the purse wrong
side at the zipper strip/upper-edge
seamline. Topstitch the purse 14 from
the upper edge, catching the lining
within the stitching. Z
front-lining lower edge. Repeat to

stitch the opposite base-lining long
edge to the back-lining lower edge.
Stitch the front and back lining along
the sides.
Stitch two pockets along the perimeter,
leaving a 3 opening along the lower

edge for turning. Turn the pocket right
side out; press. Repeat to stitch the
remaining pocket.
Position the front lining right side up

on a flat work surface. Center one
pocket over the front lining 212 from
the upper edge. Stitch the pocket sides
and lower edge. Repeat to attach the
remaining pocket to the back lining.
SEWNEWS.COM
55
over the
moon
{ by Kim Saba }
Create a cute and cozy thermal

pajama set to stay warm in the
winter. Stitch a set of your own
in your favorite fun thermal print,
and then make a pair for everyone
on your gift list.
56
sew NEWS
BONU
Visit se S!
wnews
com/w
.
eb_ext
ras
for ins
tr
on mak uctions
ing ma
tching pa
jamas
for kid
s.
Supplies
Construct
Thermal knit fabric & ribbing

(amount determined by
measurements; see Sources)
Use 14 seam allowances unless

otherwise noted.
112-wide non-roll elastic

(amount determined
by measurements)
Needles: 80/12 stretch
& twin (optional)
Install a stretch needle into the machine and attach a walking foot. Select
a stretch stitch or a narrow zigzag stitch.
If using a serger, install two stretch
needles into the machine. Test-stitch a
knit fabric scrap to decipher the correct
stitch length and tension.
Rotary cutting system
legging front and back crotch.
4-wide double-sided fusible web

Walking foot (optional)
front and back inseam, matching

the front and back crotch seam; pin,
and then stitch (1).
Serger (optional)
Fold one legging cuff in half length-
Cut
wise with right sides together; pin, and

then stitch. Press open the seam.
Machine wash the thermal fabric in

cold water, tumble dry low, and then
press with a warm iron.
Download the Over the Moon pattern
at sewnews.com/web_extras. Cut out

the shirt, sleeve and leggings pattern
according to your measurements.
Fold the thermal fabric in half length-
wise. Cut one shirt front and back, two

sleeves on the fold and two leggings.
Transfer the pocket-placement marks
onto the shirt front.
If the ribbing is tubular, cut along one
foldline. Position the ribbing in one
layer with the wrong side up on a flat
work surface. Refer to the chart on
the pattern for ribbing measurements.
From the ribbing, cut two legging cuffs,
two sleeve cuffs, one waistband and one
neckband based on your pattern size.
Make sure the ribbing length is perpendicular to the ribs.
From the elastic, cut a length according
to the pattern chart based on your size.
short ends; stitch. Quarter-mark the

waistband upper and lower edges and
leggings waistline.
Fold the waistband in half lengthwise
with wrong sides together. Insert

the elastic into the waistband,
aligning one long edge with the
fold (3). Baste the waistband upper
raw edges together, sandwiching
the elastic within the waistband.
Fold the cuff inside itself widthwise
with wrong sides together, aligning the

seam and short edges. Designate the raw
edges as the upper edge. Quarter-mark
the cuff upper edge (2). Repeat to
construct the remaining cuff.
Stitch.
Quarter-mark one legging lower-edge
opening. Position the cuff over the

legging lower edge with right sides together and aligning the quarter-marks;
pin. Stitch, stretching the cuff between
the quarter-marks to match the legging
lower edge.
Repeat to stitch the remaining cuff
to the opposite legging lower edge.

Select a 2mm-long and 5mm-wide
zigzag stitch on the sewing machine.

Fold the elastic in half widthwise,
overlapping the short ends by 12; stitch
along each elastic short end to secure.
Quarter-mark the elastic waistband.
Fold the waistband in half widthwise
with right sides together, aligning the
SEWNEWS.COM
57
TIP: Use a decorative stitch along

the raglan seamlines on the right
side to mimic a coverstitch.
Position the waistband over the waist-
line with right sides together, aligning

the quarter-marks; pin (4). Select a
stretch stitch or narrow zigzag stitch.
Stitch, stretching the waistband between
the quarter-marks to match the waistline. Press the seam allowance toward
the leggings.
Topstitch the leggings 18 from the
waistline seamline.
Shirt
Position the pocket wrong side up on a
sleeve lower edge with the shirt-front

upper edge; stitch (5). With right
sides together, align the opposite
sleeve lower edge with the shirt-back
upper edge; stitch. Press the seams
towards the shirt. Repeat to stitch
the remaining sleeve to the opposite
shirt-front and -back upper edges.
sleeve seam and shirt side seam. Press
the seam toward the shirt. Repeat to
stitch the opposite sleeve seam and shirt
side seam.
Fold the sides 14 toward the wrong
Fold one sleeve cuff in half lengthwise
side; press. Fold the lower edges 14 toward the pocket wrong side; press. Fold
the pocket upper edge 12 toward the
wrong side; press.
with right sides together; pin. Stitch the

long raw edge using a 14 seam allowance. Press open the seam.
Position the shirt front right side up on
with wrong sides together, aligning the

seam and short edges. Designate the raw
sew NEWS
With right sides together, align one
pressing surface. Adhere the fusible web

along the pocket perimeter, following
the manufacturers instructions. Remove
the fusible paper backing.
a flat work surface. Position the pocket
58
right side up over the shirt front at the

pocket placement marks; pin. Topstitch
the pocket sides and lower edge.
Fold the cuff inside itself widthwise
Stitch.
edges as the upper edge. Quarter-mark

the cuff upper edge. Repeat to construct the remaining cuff.
Quarter-mark one sleeve lower-edge
opening. Position the cuff over the

sleeve lower edge with right sides
together, aligning the quarter-marks;
pin. Stitch, stretching the cuff between
the quarter-marks to match the sleeve
lower edge.
Repeat to stitch the remaining cuff
to the opposite sleeve lower edge.

Fold the neckband in half widthwise
with right sides together, and then

stitch short ends; press open.
Fold the neckband in half lengthwise
with wrong sides together; press.

Designate the raw edges as the upper
edge. Quarter-mark the neckband
upper edge.
Quarter-mark the neckline open-
ing. Position the neckband over

the neckline edge with right sides
together and aligning the quartermarks; pin. Stitch, stretching the
neckband between the quartermarks to match the neckline edge.
Press the seam toward the shirt.
Topstitch the shirt 18 from the
neckline seamline. If desired, use a
twin needle for a professional look.
Refer to the sewing machine manual for twin needle instructions.
Double-fold the shirt lower edge 12
toward the wrong side; press, and then

topstitch the first fold.
SOURCES
Natures Fabrics provided the Moons and Stars thermal
fabric: (814) 734-7137, naturesfabrics.com.
Rockywoods Fabrics provided the heather grey 1x1 cotton
spandex ribbing: (970) 663-6163, rockywoods.com.
RIB IT!
Learn the ins and outs of incorporating ribbing into projects.
Ribbing is a rib-knit fabric that has distinctive lengthwise ribknit stitches on both the right and wrong side. Rib-knit sizes are
based on the number of knit stitch wales and purl stitch wales.
For example, a 1x1 rib knit has one knit stitch wale and one purl
stitch wale on both fabric sides.
To identify rib-knit fabric, pull the fabric crosswise and look for
the raised knit stitch wales and the recessed purl stitch wales (A).
Rib knits lay flat and dont curl like jersey knit. Rib knits have
more stretch crosswise than lengthwise. The amount of crosswise
stretch is the reason theyre used for knit garment cuffs and neckbands because they stretch to fit over your head, legs and arms.
Ribbing usually comes in
a tube or flat fold and is
sold by the inch. For garment cuffs and neckbands,
select a mediumweight 1x1
ribbing. Always cut ribbing
with the desired length perpendicular to the lengthwise
ribs and the width parallel
to the ribs.
SewBaby provided the mediumweight cotton, cotton/

spandex and poly/cotton ribbing: (800) 249-1907,
sewbaby.com.
SEWNEWS.COM
59
TIDINGS
off ccomfort
{ by Ashley Briggs }
Add a festive leather

appliqu to a soft velvet
pillow for charming
holiday home dcor.
Supplies
Supplies listed are enough to make
one 16 square pillow.
12 yard of crushed velvet
18 yard of genuine or faux lightweight (2-3 ounces) leather
8x15 rectangle of mediumweight
fusible interfacing
16 square pillow form
Craft knife
All-purpose thread
Hand sewing needle
Temporary spray adhesive
Walking or PTFE Foot
Cut
Download the Tidings of Comfort
template from sewnews.com/
web_extras. In the printing
60
sew NEWS
preferences, remove all margins and size

the text to fit 812x11 paper; print the
template. Cut out the text, leaving at
least 14 around the text perimeter.
Spray temporary adhesive onto the
template wrong side and position over
the leather with right sides facing up
(1). Carefully cut out the template
along the text perimeter using a
craft knife; remove the template (2).
From the crushed velvet, cut two
17 squares.
Construct
Use 12 seam allowances.
Center the interfacing rectangle over
one velvet square wrong side; fuse
following the manufacturers instructions. To avoid crushing the velvet pile,
place the velvet right side over a terry
cloth towel.
Center the leather text over the
interfaced velvet square with right sides

facing up. If needed, use temporary
spray adhesive to secure the leather to
the velvet square (3).
Install a walking or PTFE foot onto
the machine and select a 3mm to 4mm

stitch length.
Begin stitching at the F letter end and
and adjusting the presser foot when

needed around the curves (4). Leave a
long thread tail at the stitching beginning and end; dont backstitch.
Thread each thread tail through a
hand sewing needle (5). Bring each
thread tail to the velvet square wrong

side; knot the needle and bobbin thread
to secure.
Align the velvet squares with right
sides together. Stitch the perimeter,
leaving a centered 9 opening along
the lower edge for turning. Clip the
corners and turn the pillowcase right
side out through the opening.
Insert the pillow form into the
pillowcase. Thread a hand sewing

needle with all-purpose thread
and whipstitch or slipstitch the
opening closed. Z
continue stitching the lower scroll

section, ending with the needle down
SEWNEWS.COM
61
PANTS PERFECTION
PART TWO:
POCKETS
{ by Rae Cumbie }
In Part 1 of this series,

we learned how to
choose and construct a
waist finish and closure.
Now experiment with
pockets for a great functional detail that allows
you to customize your
pants. Alter a basic pant
pattern to include slash,
curved or patch pockets.
All pants are

Fit For Art Patterns
Eureka! Pants
that Fit (modied)
62
sew NEWS
Fin
Perfec d Pants
tio
Waist n, Part 1:
Closu bands &
Oct/N res in the
News ov 14 Sew
,
shops available a
ewita
ll.com t
.
Picking Pockets
Before adding pockets to a pants
pattern, first resolve all fitting issues and
determine the desired waist finish and
closure. The true test of a comfortable
and functional fit is in the wearing.
Complete a pair, wear them a few
times, assess them honestly and make
any needed adjustments to the pants and
the pattern. Once youre thoroughly
satisfied with the fit, move on to adding
any of three basic pocket types: slash,
curved or patch pockets (1).
The sleekest-fitting pants have
no pockets to interrupt the style lines
or fit. While it seems unrealistic for
most women to wear pants without
pockets, consider the purpose of
your pockets. What will you carry
in your pockets? Do you want pockets
in the front or back? The safety of the
objects you carry is as important as
the convenience.
Slash Pocket
5
Trace
Curve Pocket
Pant Front
Pattern
Patch Pocket
Curved pockets also originate in the
Pocket Types
side seam but make an L-shaped curve

into the waistband at the high hip.
They add a horizontal design line to
the hip area and their high position
means that objects rarely fall out
unnoticed. Theyre not as likely to
spread open during movement as slash
pockets, so this pocket is a better
choice for a woman with a full middle
or short waist.
Slash pockets angle across the front of
A patch pocket is traditionally posi-
Slashed & Curved Pockets
tioned in the back of the pant. On

jeans, they extend deep into the
derriere, making these large and
precariously placed pockets more of a
fashion statement than useful. Ideally, a
carefully designed patch pocket should
be only a bit larger than the object you
want to carry. The higher up it sits on
the pants, the safer its contents. Placed
high on the back hip or near the front
waist, patch pockets are excellent for
carrying small essentials. If minimally
topstitched, these pockets will almost
vanish into most pairs of pants. By
contrast, larger decorated patch pockets
can provide a design focus.
Both a slash pocket and a curved

pocket require an alteration the front
of the basic pant pattern and add two
additional pattern pieces: a side pocket
and pocket lining.
the pant with a straight line from the

hip area to the waist. They need a
waistband for support. The placement
and angle of the slash is your choice,
but the shallower the slash, the more
vertical the style line. Craft the slash
carefully so your hand can easily slide
into the pocket but objects cant slide
out when you sit. Slash pockets always
spread a little during movement,
especially in tight-fitting pants, so you
may want to add ease to pants with
slash pockets. If you have an appleshaped body or are very short-waisted,
slash pockets present a fitting challenge.
Create the side-pocket pattern first.

Place a piece of pattern paper over the
upper side section of your pattern.
Trace the pants side and waist 7 to 8
along the hip and 5 to 6 along the
waist (2).
Draw the pocket bag shape by
connecting these two lines with a line

that curves from the side, down into
the pant and then up to the waist (3).
Use your hand to judge if the pocket
SEWNEWS.COM
63
is deep and wide enough, and then

adjust if needed. Label this the side
pocket patern. Trace a second copy of
the pattern and label it as the pocket
lining pattern.
To complete the pattern for a slash
pocket, use a ruler to draw a slash on

the pocket-lining pattern. Mark the
upper edge approximately 112 from
the upper corner and mark the side
112 from the lower corner, and then
draw a diagonal line connecting the
marks (4). Add the 58 seamline above
the slash. Use your hand to determine
if you like the position and length of
the slash; adjust if desired. Trim away
the pattern above the slash-line seam
allowance, and then label as the slash
pocket lining.
Curved Pocket
112
Trace
112
To complete the pattern for a curved
pocket, draw a curved L-shaped line on

the pocket lining pattern. Draw the line
at least 2 down from the upper corner
along the side-seam edge and 3 from
upper corner along the waistline (5).
Add seam allowances above the line,
and use your hand to determine if the
curved opening is the desired size and
shape. Trim away the pattern above
the curved line, and then label as the
curved pocket lining.
Trace a copy of the pant front and
place the pocket-lining pattern over it,

matching the side seam and the waist
seam. Draw the pocket slash or curved
cutting line onto the pant front (6).
Trim away the paper above the line.
5
2
6
Front
Front
Slash Pocket
64
sew NEWS
7
Facing
POCKET POSSIBILITIES
Choosing the correct stabilizer and fabric assures that pockets wont be too
bulky or stretchy. Always choose pocket fabric and stabilizer that require the
same care as the pant fabric.
Pocket Choices:
The chosen pant fabric is a perfect choice if its not too stiff or heavy.
Cotton broadcloth or batiste works well when paired with a heavyweight
or stiff fabric.
Silky linings in polyester, rayon, or silk are a good match for lined
or dress pants.
Stabilizer
Strip
Cotton or silky linings with Lycra are compatible with stretch fabrics.
Stabilizer Choices:
One-Way Stretch Tricot Interfacing: Cut a 1-wide strip to the slash length.
(The strip long edge should be cut in the non-stretch direction of the
interfacing.) Fuse the interfacing along the slash line on the pocket wrong
side according to the manufacturers instructions. If desired, also stabilize
the pant-front slash line.
When cutting out the pant pattern pieces
from fabric, use the new front pattern

thats been altered for the pocket, and
cut two side pocket pieces and two
pocket linings. If using heavyweight fabric, consider using cotton or lining
fabric for the pocket linings to reduce
bulk. If desired, add a narrow mainfabric facing to the lining before
construction, so the pocket visible
inside matches the pants fabric (7).
Twill Tape: Cut a piece of twill tape the length of the pocket slash. Position
the twill tape along the slash line on the pocket wrong side so it extends 116
beyond the seamline; edgestitch (A).
Silk Organza or Lining Selvage: Cut a strip thats 34x the slash length. Follow the twill tape directions above to apply the strip to the slash edge (B).
Slash and curved pockets are built
into the pant front before the pants are

constructed. Interface each pocketlining edge with a light non-stretch
interfacing to stabilize the pocket edge
and prevent stretching and distortion.
See Pocket Possibilities at right for
stabilizer options.
lining to the pant front along the slash

edge (8).
SEWNEWS.COM
65
Check out Rae Cumbie's great

video series "Perfecting Your
Pants" at craftdaily.com.
9
Folded
Edge
10
Patch Pocket
Patch Pockets
Create patch-pocket patterns using the
11
Stitch
all layers.
dimensions of the items you wish to

carry. Allow at least 34 extra on all
sides and make sure the pocket is large
enough for your fingers to reach in and
remove the contents. To accomodate a
credit card or folded tissue, cut a 312x
412 rectangular pocket.
Clip the corners, turn the pocket right

side out, and then press the pocket so
the edges are folded toward the wrong
side along the stitching lines. Hand or
machine stitch the folded facing to the
pocket wrong side.
Draw the finished pocket size on
on the pants; pin. Topstitch 18 from

the pocket sides and lower edge.
pattern paper, and then add 1 2

along the upper edge and 58 on the
remaining three sides. Draw a line 112
below the pocket upper edge and label
it as the foldline.
1
Clip and/or trim the seams, and then
From the fabric, cut out one patch
press the pocket lining toward the

pant-front wrong side. Topstitch the
pocket opening, being careful not to
stretch the fabric (9). Stitch each side
pocket to the corresponding pocket
lining around the pocket-bag edge (10).
pocket. Fuse a 2-wide non-stretch

interfacing strip to the pocket wrong
side along the upper edge, and then
serge- or zigzag-finish the raw edges.
Press, and then stitch all layers along

the waist and side seams (11).
66
sew NEWS
8 seam allowance, securing the fold

along each side (12).
5
Fold the pocket upper edge toward

the right side along the foldline; pin.
Stitch the sides and lower edges using a
Place the pocket in the chosen location
SOURCE
Fit For Art Patterns carries the Eureka! Pants that Fit
pattern: fitforartpatterns.com.
12
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SEWNEWS.COM
67
HEA
EAD
DS UP
{ by Jennifer Davey }
The warmth and breathability of wool makes these head wraps not
only fashionable but functional. Choose from three embellishment
options to make a quick gift for every fashionista on your list.
68
sew NEWS
Dow
Heads nload the
Up pa
sewn
ews.c ttern at
om/
extras
for fre web_
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Jan. 3
1, 201 ntil
The p
5.
attern
and fu
tions
ll in
wil
shops l be availa strucb
ewita
ll.com le at
the ex
after
pirati
on
date.
Silk Ribbon Wrap

Incorporate silk ribbon embroidery into
the head-wrap design for a unique
technique that makes a statement.
Supplies
Supplies listed are enough to make
one head wrap embellished with silk
ribbon embroidery.
1/
8
From the felt, cut two head wraps and
two button tabs. From the elastic, cut

one piece according to the elastic
length measurement. If the pattern is
used as-is without modifications, use a
3 piece of elastic.
Using the snowflake template, transfer
1-wide elastic
1/
8
diameter
All-purpose thread
1 yard each of 1/8-wide coordinating
silk ribbon
Hand embroidery needle
Paper-release adhesive water-soluble
stabilizer (See Source.)
Pattern tracing paper
or cloth (optional)
Prepare
Measure the recipients head from
behind one ear, over the top of the
head and continuing behind the
opposite ear, manipulating the tape
measure to look like a headband; record
as the head-wrap length. Measure from
behind one ear, around the nape of the
neck and continuing behind the
opposite ear; subtract 2, and then
record as the elastic length (1).
Download the Heads Up pattern and
snowflake template at sewnews.com/

web_extras. Shorten or lengthen the
pattern as needed to achieve the
head-wrap length measurement by
cutting along the Shorten or Lengthen
Here line on the pattern. If extra length
is needed, tape the needed amount of
Place each button flap on a flat work
surface with wrong sides together.

Sandwich of the opposite elastic
end between the flaps along the straight
edges, making sure the elastic isnt
twisted; pin. Topstitch the button-flap
perimeter 1/8 from the edge, securing
the elastic end with the stitching (3).
Mark the button-flap center 3/8 from
Embellish
yard of wool felt
Buttons: -diameter &
pattern tracing paper or cloth under the

cut pattern edges.
as many snowflakes as desired onto the

stabilizer paper side. Cut out each
snowflake. Remove the paper backing,
and then adhere each snowflake to the
main head-wrap piece wrong side
where desired.
Thread the embroidery needle with
one strand of silk ribbon. Working
from the head-wrap wrong side to right
side, backstitch along the template
outline using the template as a stitching
guide. Leave a 2 ribbon tail at the
beginning and end instead of knotting
the ribbon to avoid a bump in the head
wrap. At the stitching end, weave the
ribbon tails through the stitching on
the head-wrap wrong side.
Stitch the small button to one
snowflake center using all-purpose
thread. Knot the thread ends along
the head-wrap wrong side.
the rounded edge. Stitch a 1-wide

vertical automatic buttonhole centered
on the mark. Cut open the buttonhole
using a seam ripper or sharp scissors.
Center the large button 1 from the
head-wrap curved end on the right side;

stitch in place by hand or machine.
Head-wrap
Length
-2 for
elastic length
Construct
Place each head wrap on a flat work
surface with wrong sides together
and the embellished head wrap facing
up. Sandwich of one elastic end
between the head wraps along the
short straight ends; pin. Topstitch
the head-wrap perimeter 1/8 from the
edge, securing the elastic end with
the stitching (2).
SEWNEWS.COM
69
TIP: Choose a colorful elastic that

matches or complements the head
wrap for added flair.
Appliqu Head Wrap
Cut out a favorite motif from coordinating felt and appliqu it to the head
wrap for an easy accent.
Download the pattern and prepare it

according to the recipients measurements, following the Silk Ribbon
Wrap instructions.
Supplies
From the felt, cut two head wraps and
Supplies listed are enough to make one

head wrap with appliqu embellishments.
two button tabs. From the elastic, cut

one piece according to the elastic
length measurement.
Appliqu Accent
1/
8
1-wide elastic
-diameter button
Thread: all-purpose &
heavyweight decorative
Hand embroidery needle
Prepare
Measure the recipients head, following the instructions on page 69 for the
Silk Ribbon Wrap.
Construct
Construct the head wrap per the Silk
yard of wool felt
Coordinating wool felt scrap (big

enough for desired appliqu shape)
side to right side, using a blanket stitch

or running stitch. At the stitching end,
knot the thread tails along the head
wrap wrong side to secure. Alternatively, edgestitch or blanket stitch the
appliqu in place by machine.
Embellish
Draw the desired appliqu motif onto
the felt scrap using a removable fabric

marker; cut out. Use a cookie cutter,
stencil or die-cutting machine to create
an appliqu to your liking, making sure
its no larger than 3x8.
Pin the appliqu to one head-wrap
right side where desired, using the

photo above for design and placement
inspiration. Hand stitch the appliqu
perimeter using a hand embroidery
needle and two strands of heavyweight
decorative thread. Knot the thread ends
and work from the head wrap wrong
Ribbon Wrap instructions.
Reversible Wrap
Choose two felt colors and different
embellishments for two head wraps
in one.
Supplies
Supplies listed are enough to make one
reversible head wrap.
1/
8
yard each of 2 coordinating or

contrasting wool felt fabrics
1-wide elastic
Two -diameter buttons
Coordinating all-purpose thread
70
sew NEWS
Embellish
Construct
Embellish each head wrap piece as
Construct the head wrap per the Silk
desired. Add appliqus, silk ribbon

embroidery, hand embroidery or
machine embroidery. Or straight stitch
various ribbon widths along the head
wrap length, and then hand tack or use
fabric glue to secure the ends along the
head wrap wrong side. If desired, leave
one head wrap plain and embellish the
opposite head wrap.
Ribbon Wrap instructions, making sure

the head wrap and button tab colors
match on the desired sides. Stitch a
button to each head-wrap side along
the curved edge. Z
SOURCE
Sulky of America provided the Sticky Fabri-Solvy stabilizer:
(800) 874-4115, sulky.com.
WRAP FOR WEE ONES

Easily make a head wrap for a baby or toddler by reducing and modifying
the pattern and using narrow elastic.
Reversible Head Wrap
Supplies
Prepare
1/
8
yard (or scraps) of wool felt
- or -wide elastic
Measure the recipients head, following the Silk Ribbon Wrap instructions.
Download the pattern and prepare it

according to the recipients measurements, following the Silk Ribbon
Wrap instructions.
Desired embellishments (grosgrain or

silk ribbon, embroidery floss, coordinating felt scraps for appliqus)
From each felt fabric, cut one head
wrap and one button tab. From the

elastic, cut one piece according to
the elastic length measurement.
Fold
Pattern tracing paper or cloth
Measure the recipients head

according to the Silk Ribbon Wrap
instructions.
Reduce the pattern 50%; print. Shorten or lengthen the pattern using the
Silk Ribbon Wrap instructions. Cut the head-wrap piece in half widthwise;
discard the half with the curved end.
Fold the pattern tracing paper or cloth in half. Place the cut head-wrap
edge along the fold (A); cut out. Discard the button flap piece.
Cut the elastic according to the elastic length measurement.
From the felt, cut two head wraps.
Embellish one or both head-wrap pieces as desired.
Place the head-wrap pieces wrong sides together on a flat work surface.
Insert of one elastic end inside the layers at one head-wrap short end;
pin, and then stitch (B). Insert the opposite elastic end inside the layers at
the opposite head-wrap short end; pin, ensuring the elastic isnt twisted.
Topstitch 1/8 from the head-wrap perimeter, securing the remaining
elastic end in the stitching.
SEWNEWS.COM
71
SHADE
to Order
{ by Susan Woodcock, courtesy of rowleydiy.com }
Learn a simple shortcut to create the look of a Roman shade

by sewing a simple scalloped valance to dress up your windows.
Supplies
7 54-wide mediumweight cotton or cotton-blend
fabric & cotton or cotton/polyester drapery
lining fabric (amount according to measurements)
7 Matching all-purpose thread
7 Sew-on plastic or brass shade rings
7 Cable zip ties (number according
to shade width)
72
sew NEWS
7 Spring tension rod

7 Craft or pattern paper
7 Compass or small round plate or bowl
7 Removable fabric marker
7 Hand sewing needle
Tip: For easy cleaning,

simply slip the shade
off of the tension rod.
Measure
Use 54-wide fabric to yield a shade
up to 53 wide. The featured shade is
19 x 30.
To determine the finished shade
width, measure the window-opening
width inside the frame or casing;

record. To determine the finished
shade length, measure the windowopening length from the upper edge
inside the frame or casing to the
desired lower-edge point; record.
To determine the fabric and lining
cut length, add 24 to the finished

length measurement; record. Divide
the cut length by 36 to determine
the fabric and lining yardage.
Evenly mark the horizontal line to indicate each scallop peak. Using a compass
or small plate or bowl, draw curved
lines connecting the peak marks. Cut
the strip along the scallop markings.
Cut one rectangle each from the fabric and lining measuring 1 wider and
24 longer than the finished length and
width measurements.
Center the scallop template along
the fabric rectangle wrong-side lower
edge, and then trace the scallops (1).
Use seam allowances unless

otherwise noted.
If making shades for multiple windows,
Align the fabric and lining rectangles
with right sides together; pin the sides

and lower edge.
To make the scallop template, cut a
paper strip measuring 4x the finished

shade width. Designate one strip long
edge as the lower edge. Draw a horizontal line 2 above and parallel to the
lower edge.
Determine the desired scallop width
and number. (The scallops should be

4 to 6 wide.) The featured shade is
30 wide and has six 5-wide scallops.
Construct
multiply the cut length by the number

of windows, and then divide by 36 to
determine the yardage.
Prepare
With the fabric facing up, begin
stitching one side at the fabric upper

edge. End with the needle down in
the traced scallop line and pivot.
Stitch along the scallop line, and
then stitch the remaining side.
Trim the fabric and lining from

the scallop stitching line (2). Turn the
shade right side out, and then press,

making sure the lining doesnt show
on the shade front.
Topstitch the sides and lower edge
using a seam allowance (3).
SEWNEWS.COM
73
Tip: For an alternative look, leave the shade lower

edge straight, and then embellish it with tassels,
trim, buttons or embroidery after construction.
With the lining facing up, place the

shade on a flat work surface. Mark
the shade from the left side and 6
above the scallop peaks (4). Make
three more marks above the first mark,
each spaced 6 apart and from the
left edge. Repeat to mark the shade
right edge.
Measure the width between the

marks, and then divide the measure-
ment by eight to determine the number

of horizontal marks, as the horizontal
rings should be 8 apart or less. The
featured shade has three horizontal rings
spaced 7 apart between each set of
outer rings. Mark each set of horizontal
rings on the shade.
Thread a hand sewing needle with

four thread strands. Hand stitch a shade
ring at each mark through the lining
and fabric layers. Knot and trim the
thread on the lining side (5).
Measure from the shade lower

edge to the desired finished length plus
20; mark. Draw a horizontal line at
74
sew NEWS
the mark. Trim away the excess fabric

above the line. Double-fold the upper
edge 1 toward the lining; press and
pin. Topstitch close to the first fold
through all layers to create a 1-wide
rod casing.
Fold the shade accordion-style to align
the ring rows. Thread a cable zip tie
through each set of aligned rings, and
then pull the tie to securely cinch them
together (6). Trim the excess cable.
Finish
Place the shade right side up on a flat
work surface. Evenly smooth and align

each fold. Lightly steam the shade if
desired, but dont press sharp creases.
Adjust the tension rod to fit the
window following the manufacturers
instructions. Insert the rod through the
shade casing, and then hang the shade
in the window opening. Z
SOURCE
Rowley Company carries home-dcor fabric and tools:
rowleydiy.com.
watch how simple

sewing can be!
Season 8 of Sew it All TV
is available on PBS stations nationwide.
Watch individual episodes online
at sew.tv and craftdaily.com.
The eighth season of Sew it All is full of fun projects, basic
techniques and helpful how-tos. Copy a favorite tank top
and add a pretty peplum; make a wrap skirt from two fabric
rectangles; learn three tricks for better tting garments;
plus discover a slew of menswear sewing tips. With 13 new
projects to inspire your creativity, youll eagerly await each
episode of the season. New expert patternmakers, innovative
bloggers, and not to mention Project Runway winner Michelle
Lesniak, guide you through the steps you need to create
each project in no time. This season of Sew it All is instant
gratication at its nest. You wont want to miss it!
Contact your local PBS station for air dates and
showtimes at pbs.org. Find featured free patterns,
templates and bonus online extras at sewitalltv.com.
Host,
Ellen March
Missed seasons 1-7? Find them all on

DVD at www.shopsewitall.com.
THANK YOU to the fabulous Underwriters of Sew It All, Series 800!
Sew & Tell
SEW A
LON G !
SEWAHOLIC
PATTERNS
THE
ROBSON
COAT
{ by Rhonda Buss }
On The Blog!
The next Sew News Sew-Along begins
on Dec. 1, 2014. Join us to stitch the
contemporary classic Robson Coat from
Sewaholic Patterns. Each week through
December visit the Sew News blog for
tips to stitch the Robson Coat. Plus,
find easy solutions to tricky sewing
techniques, such as stitching princess
seams and attaching bias binding. Sign
up for Flickr, the photo-sharing site,
to post photos of your fabric choices
and progress, or to find help from
other sew-along members, Rhonda
Buss and the Sew News team.
76
sew NEWS
Purchase the
Robson Coat
Sewing Pattern
at shopsewitall.
com.
Pattern Details
A feminine and flattering take on a
menswear staple, the featured trench
coat is a must-have in every womans
wardrobe. With old-style storm flaps,
epaulettes and button tabs on the
sleeves, the Robson coat sticks to tradition. But, with princess seam detailing
and a slight flare, the coat moves gracefully out of boxy menswear to ladylike
style. The pattern has 17 pattern pieces
and is unlined. The inner seams are
bound with bias tape for a neat finish.
The pattern comes in sizes 0 to16 and
requires 412 to 434 yards of fabric. Use
light- to mediumweight woven fabrics,
such as cotton twill or gabardine.
Dont miss weekly how-to

videos on the Sew News blog
for further instruction, tips
and hints from Rhonda at
sewnews.com/blogs/sewing.
SEWNEWS.COM
77
Sew & Tell
Join the Sew News Robson Coat Sew-Along on Flickr. Find a

tutorial on how to join and use Flickr on the Sew News blog!
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Join the Sew News Robson Coat Sew-Along
and learn proper techniques for professional results.
Learn how to stitch smooth,
pucker-free princess seams.
Find techniques on how to
bind seams for a professional
finish (A).
Learn how to attach a bulk-free

collar that lies flat (B).
Determine proper buttonhole
placement with expert tips (C).
Sew-Along Schedule
Purchase the pattern and buy the fabric,
notions and supplies according to the
instruction guide. Sign up on Flickr (or
bookmark the Sew News blog) and
join the Robson Coat Sew-Along group.
(Flickr is helpful but not required.) Prep
the chosen fabric according to the manufacturers suggestions and visit the Sew
News blog each week for updates and
further written and video instructions.
78
sew NEWS
Week 1: Week of Dec. 1

Pattern Elements & Fabric Choice
Princess Seams, Seam Binding
& Topstitching
Attaching Collar & Belt Loops
Buttons & Buttonhole Placement
Hemming & Finishing Details
Grab the Sew News RSS Feed to keep

up-to-date throughout the sew-along.
JOIN US
for the Sewaholic Patterns
Robson Coat Sew-Along!
2014-2015 NATIONAL
MAKE IT WITH WOOL
COMPETITION
Coming to Sparks, Nevada
John Ascuaga Nugget
~ January 28-31, 2015 ~
www.makeitwithwool.com
(for information)
Make It With Wool Competition

Box 175 Lavina, MT 59046
Send SASE for more information
on
L
p Ra oo
pa erso es a k for
nts na rt
in lizin icle
thi g y
s is ou
sue r
!
SEW A
LON G !
Purchase the pattern at
shopsewitall.com to get started,
and then visit the Sew News
blog for weekly updates
and video tutorials at
sewnews.com/blogs/sewing.
Now Available
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DETAILS
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888.929.9453
Enter Promo Code SN0114

for 10% off full versions of PatternMaster
All Styles Now Available Online From www.birchstreet-folkwear.com
Sewable Swedish
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Dont cut your patterns! 10 yard rolls 29 wide
Trace your pattern with this durable, strong, see-through
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Eureka! Pants that Fit
Birch Street Clothing
P.O. Box 280137, San Francisco, CA 94128

650-515-6190
www.birchstreetclothing.com
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
www.FitforArtPatterns.com
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (required by Act of August

12, 1970: Section 3685, Title 39, United States Code). 1. Creative Machine Embroidery
2. (ISSN: 1541-5414) 3. Filing date: 10/1/2014. 4. Issue frequency: JAN/FEB, MAR/APR,
MAY/JUN, JUL/AUG, SEP/OCT. 5. Number of issues published annually: 6. 6. The annual
subscription price is $29.95. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication:
F+W Media, Inc., 741 Corporate Circle, Suite A, Golden, CO 80401. Contact person: Kolin
Rankin. Telephone: 305-441-7155 ext. 225 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or
general business office of publisher: F+W Media, Inc., 741 Corporate Circle, Suite A, Golden,
CO 80401. 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing
editor. Publisher, Kristi Loeffelholz, F+W Media, Inc., 741 Corporate Circle, Suite A, Golden,
CO 80401, Editor, Ellen March, F+W Media, Inc., 741 Corporate Circle, Suite A, Golden, CO
80401. 10. Owner: F+W Media, Inc., 10151 Carver Road, Suite #200, Cincinnati, OH 45242.
11. Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent of
more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 12. Tax status: Has Not
Changed During Preceding 12 Months. 13. Publisher title: Creative Machine Embroidery. 14.
Issue date for circulation data below: September/October 2014. 15. The extent and nature of
circulation: A. Total number of copies printed (Net press run). Average number of copies each
issue during preceding 12 months: 38,902. Actual number of copies of single issue published
nearest to filing date: 37,867. B. Paid circulation. 1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions. Average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months: 25,361. Actual
number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 25,251. 2. Mailed in-county
paid subscriptions. Average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months: 0.
Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 0. 3. Sales through
dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales. Average number of copies each issue
during the preceding 12 months: 4,129. Actual number of copies of single issue published
nearest to filing date: 3,690. 4. Paid distribution through other classes mailed through the
USPS. Average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months: 0. Actual
number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 0. C. Total paid distribution.
Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 29,490. Actual number of
copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 28,941. D. Free or nominal rate distribution (by mail and outside mail). 1. Free or nominal Outside-County. Average number of copies
each issue during the preceding 12 months: 242. Number of copies of single issue published
nearest to filing date: 241. 2. Free or nominal rate in-county copies. Average number of copies
each issue during the preceding 12 months: 0. Number of copies of single issue published
nearest to filing date: 0. 3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other Classes through the
USPS. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months 0. Number of copies
of single issue published nearest to filing date: 0. 4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside
the mail. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 233. Number of
copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 0. E. Total free or nominal rate distribution. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 475. Actual number
of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 241. F. Total distribution (sum of
15c and 15e). Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 29,965.
Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 29,182. G. Copies not
Distributed. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 8,937. Actual
number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 8,685. H. Total (sum of 15f
and 15g). Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 38,902. Actual
number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing: 37,867. I. Percent paid. Average
percent of copies paid for the preceding 12 months: 98.4%. Actual percent of copies paid for
the preceding 12 months: 99.2%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation: A. Paid Electronic Copies.
Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 86. Actual number of
copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 58. B. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c)
+ Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a). Average number of copies each issue during preceding
12 months: 29,576. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date:
28,999. C. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a). Average
number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 30,051. Actual number of copies
of single issue published nearest to filing date: 29,240. D. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic
Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100). Average number of copies each issue during preceding
12 months: 98.4%. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date:
99.2%. I certify that 50% of all distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above nominal
price: YES. 17. Publication of statement of ownership will be printed in the January/February
2015 issue of the publication. 18. Signature and title of editor, publisher, business manager,
or owner: Kristi Loeffelholz, Group Publisher. I certify that all information furnished on this form
is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information
on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to
criminal sanction and civil actions.
since
1995
[email protected]
See whats new at
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Clippings
Upco
oming Events
SUGARLOAF CRAFT
FESTIVALS:
DECEMBER 12 TO 14,
CHANTILLY, VA
Browse the works of thousands of

R
juried artisans at one of the top
craft experiences in the country. For more than 30 years,
the Sugarloaf Craft Festival has gathered together the
nations finest artisans to present fine art and contemporary crafts. For more information and to learn how to
participate in the festival, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.
ROAD TO CALIFORNIA
QUILTERS CONFERENCE
& SHOWCASE:
JANUARY 22 TO 25,
ONTARIO, CA
Shop at booths of more than 170 vendors showing the

latest in cutting-edge tools, machines, fabrics, patterns,
books, antique quilts and more at the annual Quilters
Conference & Showcase. Beginning Jan. 19, choose
from more than 150 classes and lectures taught by
nationally recognized instructors. Preview the show the
day before it opens for a sneak peek at the amazing
new, antique, traditional and contemporary quilts on
display. For class times and more information, visit
road2ca.com.
SEW ORIGINAL QUILT & CREATIVE EXPO:

JANUARY 8 TO 10, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Shop the vendor mall for quilting, embroidery, sewing

and needle arts products and services offered by
exhibitors from across the United States. Get inspired by
the hundreds of quilts on display and the quilt contest
submissions. Pre-show workshops begin Jan. 7. For
more information, visit qscexpos.com/Oklahoma.html.
High-Tech
Textiles
Singtex Industrial, for example, owns 34 patents, including one for S.Cafe, a polyester cloth that has coffee
grounds mixed into it. The coffee grounds, recycled from
local 7-Eleven convenience stores and Starbucks cafes,
absorb odors, making it ideal for athletic clothing. Singtex
counts the Timberland and Hugo Boss brands as its customers, and will supply fabric for the Liverpool soccer
clubs uniforms.
Forster Rohner, a Swiss embroidery company, developed
a luxury solar-powered handbag in partnership with other
international research centers. The bags textile photovoltaic
surface charges a hidden lithium ion battery inside the
bag to illuminate the
interior and charge
a cell phone when
plugged into the USB
cable inside.
Functional textiles,
such as netting to
hold plane cargo
thats 15 times stronger than steel, and
air-conditioned bulletproof vests, continue
to advance, protecting us and providing
new innovation to
fuel the future.
In 1853, the first Singer sewing machines, manufactured in New York,

sold for $100 each, which is equivalent to more than $2,500 today.
Test fabric fiber content using the burn test, taking proper safety precautions.
Silk fibers smell like burnt hair, cotton smells like burnt paper and synthetics
may shrink, melt or drip and produce dark smoke.
In 1975, Singer introduced the first electronic sewing machine, the Athena 2000.
sew NEWS
world.
As technology advances, the textile industry finds new ways

to incorporate stronger materials, smart computer chips
and even LED lights into fabric to solve problems and offer
innovative products.
Did you Kn
now?
80
Stay up
to
date on
the
latest ne
in the se ws
wing
Fabrric
ic Facts
ctts
OILCLOTH HISTORY
When you think of oilcloth, the image of a brightly-colored

tablecloth gracing your grandmothers kitchen table probably
comes to mind. While oilcloth is typically associated with the
50s, the fabric actually dates back much further.
Oilcloth derives its name from the linseed oil that was applied
to heavy stretched cotton fabric during the 18th century. After
several coats of the thick, unpleasant smelling oil, the material
became somewhat waterproof, making it an inexpensive roof covering and fabric for sailcloth, tents and raincoats. As oilcloth grew
in popularity, artisans began drawing designs on the fabrics prior
to oiling and sold them as floor cloths.
The process of making oilcloth drastically changed with plastic
manufacturing. In the 50s, a thin coating of vinyl was applied to
decorative flannels, making the material water repellant and more
crack resistant. Consequently, oilcloth became extremely popular
for protecting furniture, lining drawers and storing shoes and clothing. In fact, it became so popular that magazines of the day often
included projects on how to use oilcloth around the home.
Todays oilcloth hasnt changed much from its 50s counterpart. However, instead of flannel, woven cotton mesh is used
as the material base. Its covered in a vinyl coating, making it not only easy to sew, but resistant to tearing, fading and yellowing.
OILCLOTH ESSENTIALS
Learn essential oilcloth stitching tips for perfect project results.
Oilcloth is a heavy, canvas-like material with a stiff hand. Use a size 90/14 or 100/16 universal needle when stitching
oilcloth to prevent ripping, tearing or excess perforations.
Always use a pencil to mark oilcloth. Pens and removable fabric markers bleed through the fabric.
Never use pins, as they leave permanent holes in oilcloth. If pinning is necessary, only pin within the seam allowance.
Or use paper or binder clips to secure fabric layers.
Stitch oilcloth with the right side facing up because the wrong side feeds easily over the machine feed dogs. Or install
a PTFE or roller foot onto the machine.
Never iron oilcloth because it can melt. Finger-press open seams. Lay oilcloth out in the sun for several hours or place
heavy books on top of the fabric to remove wrinkles.
Use oilcloth to create a cute

picnic blanket bag, such as the
one featured in the June/July
12 Sew News. Get the issue at
shopsewitall.com.
SEWNEWS.COM
81
Last Laugh
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
When I was teaching fashion, I went into my
classroom one morning and heard a motor
running. I immediately rushed to the sound
and realized that the foot pedal of one of my
machines was stuck under a cabinet, so the
machine had been running all night. A custodian
came into my classroom and asked me if my
machines turn on by themselves. He said while
vacuuming the previous night, that all of a sudden
a machine started running. It really scared him. I
explained to him that the presser foot had been
stuck and we both had a good laugh as we solved
the mystery of the phantom sewing machine.
e
And thgh
last lauo...
goes t
Phyllis H., email
USE YOUR GRAIN

I grew up sewing but stopped after college.
After I picked it up again as an adult, a lady in
town asked me to make a garment. It was
coming together beautifully the seams aligned
and all the intricate pieces looked wonderful.
However, during the final fitting, I realized that
Id cut the entire garment on the wrong grain!
Needless to say, I charged her less than what
Id originally planned.
EASY DOES IT
I purchased a pattern drawing program, and thought
Amanda H., email
Id be able to create the perfect-fitting pants. I was

IN YOUR DREAMS
A few years ago, I challenged myself by making
a jacket using blue and cream checked fabric.
Planning it was exciting, but it took an extremely
long time to match checks and align pockets to
make sure it looked good at all angles. I worked
on it late one evening and went to bed at 3 a.m.
As I slept, I dreamed that every object in my
dream was blue and cream checks! Landscape,
trees and even faces were all blue and cream.
This is what you get when you stare at a fabric for
so long. It was a labor of love, and it's still one of
my favorite projects.
Thearla K., email
right. They fit perfectly. One thing I didnt realize was the need to add ease in order to sit down.
Unfortunately, I didnt find that out until I tried to
sit in my car to go to an American Sewing Guild
event. Not wanting to be late, I didnt go back into
the house to change. I sat at an angle all afternoon
because my pants kept pulling down in the back and
I tugged at them during the whole event. I learned
a lesson about ease that day.
C.S., email
Send us your sewing bloopers! If your blooper is chosen as our Last Laugh, youll
win a $25 gift card from Fabric.com. Write to [email protected] and include
your name and mailing address with each email. Bloopers become the property of
Sew News and may be edited for clarity and brevity.
Issue 344. Sew News (ISSN 0273-8120) is published 6 times a year in Feb/March, April/May, June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan by F+W Media, 741 Corporate Circle,
Suite A, Golden, CO 80401. Periodicals postage paid at Golden, CO 80401 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sew News, P.O. Box
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82
sew NEWS
TruE love.
Introducing the NEW embroidery software for Mac

computers: TruEmbroidery 3 nd your passion!
Youll truly love everything you create with the latest
Embroidery Software for Mac computers: TruEmbroidery 3
Elite and Elements. New features, assistants, designs and
fonts make it easy to see your designs in 3D, select your
favorite colors and threads, and have complete control
at your ngertips. Whatever your embroidery inspiration,
TruEmbroidery 3 software has everything you need to
discover true embroidery love.
TruEmbroidery.com
for Mac OS X Yosemite, Mavericks
STITCH STORY NO 830:
How a costume revealed

his true identity
Ellens son, Jake was full of personality at home, but painfully shy at the playground.
Then inspiration struck. Using her Janome Skyline S5, Ellen stitched a custom
cape that transformed him into Super Jake and allowed his bold spirit to shine
through. Learn more about the new Skyline S5 and how our sewing machines deliver
more super powers for the money. Visit Janome.com
WHATS NEXT
a stor y in ever y stitch

h
Skyline S5

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12 GREAT GIFTS TO GIVE & GET (P. 16)

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DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

Over The Moon

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