So there were a few of you in the comments from my last post on my serger that mentioned that you had a serger/overlocker and were frightened to death of it. Believe me, I was the exact same way when I purchased my serger, though I have to admit that I was so overjoyed when I got it I immediately went home and spent several hours learning how to thread it. My serger purchase also came with a free class for using my serger, so I signed up for the class and was so happy that I went and learned a few tricks for my serger and serging in general. So when Amy Alan of Really Handmade contacted me and asked if I wanted to giveaway a free access pass to her class on serging to one of my readers, well, how could I say no?

Do y’all know Amy? If you don’t, can I suggest that you head on over to her blog and take a gander at this amazing plaid Anise Jacket. I don’t think I need to tell you, but planning and sewing a plaid jacket is not an easy venture, but just look at the plaid matching on this lovely. It’s truly amazing – would you just take a look at the plaid line-up along the sleeve. Sigh….so gorgeous. I’m a sucker for plaids and I love this jacket. Amy is an amazing seamstress. Additionally, Amy teaches the class on Beginner Serging on Craftsy! So for those of you who are ready to take your serging to the next level or even are frightened to death of using your serger, you need to go check out Amy’s class. Or you could just win the class here! Yay!

So for a chance to win a free access pass to Beginner Serging on Craftsy, all you have to do is leave a comment. Wouldn’t hurt if you left a comment on the kind of serger you have and how long you’ve had it either. And that’s it! I’ll be leaving this giveaway open til Monday (May 27) and then from there I’ll announce a winner, picked at random. OK, friends enter away!

I am of the opinion that everyone should just go get a serger. Yup. I lived without one for way too long and I was completely in the dark as to how much they cost and how much they really are worth to a garment sewer. Sergers just make life easier and believe me when I tell you, I am not kidding. Since I’m a Thread’s Insider (seriously, just go get a membership now!) I have access to all of Louise Cutting’s Industry Insider Technique videos – this is totally worth the membership by the way, Louise is a GENIUS! I love her! Anyway, I remember in one of the videos she says something to the effect of how great and easy it is to use a serger and how no sewer should really be without one because the days of finishing seam allowances without one are over. I agree 1,000,000%! I finish seam allowances with my serger nearly 100% of the time now (occasionally I’ll do a french seam on linings, but otherwise, I’m a serger girl).

So let’s talk about what I was never able to seem to find out before I just went out and bought my serger a few years back. You can get a decent serger for fairly inexpensive these days. Mine was a whopping $275. Yup. You can drop your jaw too if you’ve been thinking that sergers will cost you an arm and a leg and you have to give up your firstborn for one. You can and should be able to purchase a decent serger for something in the $300 – $500 range. My sewing machine was considerably more than that, so when I found out that sergers weren’t all that expensive I kept wondering why I had waited so long.

Then I went out and purchased the Babylock Lauren. It’s the entry level Babylock serger. Now, I’m not going to say that this is the serger for you, but I’m happy with it. It finishes my seam allowances like a champ. Sometimes we have small issues going over bulky areas, but for the most part its fine. Its actually one of the easier ones to thread and I say that having threaded many sergers for students and threaded the ones at Yellow Bird Fabrics a few times. It has a pretty good narrow hem on it that I use from time to time to finish a lining hem. It’s got four threads, differential feed and you know, that’s pretty much it. With sergers you can get crazy and spend money on a really really nice one (like the Babylocks that thread themselves….sigh….) but the end game is pretty much the same – it finishes your seam allowances so that you can spend your time perfecting other sewing techniques. And when it comes to seam allowances, a serger really really does save you time. The daunting task of finishing seam allowances all of a sudden is not daunting anymore. It reduces time spent doing that to like 1/4 of the time you would spend finishing those silly seam allowances. In fact, I remember the times before I had a serger and I would wander around in a fog just thinking about how long it was going to take me to finish the seam allowances on any garment. Now I don’t even think about it. I just do it and its done.

So, when I first purchased my serger, immediately after I had done the deed and paid the money, I was reading a certain blog (which I’ll not name, but held in very high regard at the time) that went into great detail about how even though they had sergers on their premises that they were “rarely used” because they were totally into finishing their seams the old fashioned way. And it wasn’t just one blog post, it was like several blog posts where they kept mentioning that and their sort of “higher ground” for not being in the serger crowd. So then I had instant buyer’s remorse for being one of those that invested in a serger and every time I went to serge a seam I would feel instant guilt because I wasn’t doing it the “higher ground” way.

Friends, this is BOGUS! Look, I totally understand if you don’t have the money to invest in a serger right now – I empathize. Just know that there are entry level model sergers that do the job just fine, so maybe you won’t have to save up quite as much money as you were thinking. Otherwise, serging just makes life easier. Thank you – I’m a “lower ground” sewer and I’m proud to admit it!

What are your thoughts on sergers? Been saving up thinking that sergers are going to cost you thousands of dollars? Are you a “lower ground” sewer?

In addition to all the craziness that’s been going on around here, I decided to purchase a coverstitch machine. I’ve had my eye on procuring one for quite some time and I was finally able to treat myself to one and goodness gracious, let me tell you – I’m a convert. If you are unaware, this machine’s main function is for hemming knitwear. It does that whole double needle thing with what looks like a serged edge on the other side. It does more than just hemming, but yes, this is the sole purpose for why I really wanted one.

I had my eye on the Brother coverstitch machine – I was totally swayed by Elizabeth’s love for her coverstitch – and the Janome Coverpro. After reading Andrea’s take on the Janome, I opted to go for this little machine. The free arm and “Wow, it actually looks like a sewing machine, look at all that room on the right hand side of the machine” thing is what finally sealed the deal. I purchased the lower end newer version of the one Andrea has (the 900CPX rather than the 1000CP) and I’m totally thrilled with it. Mine is only capable of a double needle function (the Janome 1000CP and CPX have a triple needle function, but after much thought I didn’t really think this was something I would use) and I’m not able to move the needle for narrower or wider needle widths. I’m totally fine with this.

I decided not to go into a full-on review of this machine since I think Andrea did a first rate job of that here and if you were ever interested in purchasing a coverstitch machine, you should definitely hop on over to her blog and have a gander at what she has to say. Like Andrea, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money for one of the higher end models, but I still feel like I got a great deal for the money I did spend.

Additionally, I would like to state that I think coverstitch machines are a good investment only if you a) work with knits quite a bit and b) are completely dissatisfied with the hemming methods that your sewing machine can do. The more and more that I’ve come to work with knits, the more and more dissatisfied I was becoming with the hemming methods that work around not having a coverstitch, ie: twin needle hemming (mine always tunnels something awful and I always end up breaking the bobbin thread when I put the garment on, uggh!), blind hem stitching (one that I’ve become more attached to, but was still somewhat dissatisfied with) and finally self fabric or rib knit bands (my favorite of the three, but this method doesn’t translate to every style very well). I think its also worth stating that this machine doesn’t just magically work and not everything you do turns out perfectly. Like any other machine, it takes some getting used to and you’ll still have to invest in a few extra pieces for it to be able to do certain things better. Also, there are sergers out there that have a coverstitch function. I thought about going this route too, but ultimately, I LOATHE entirely changing settings and feet and needle plates and blah blah blah on my serger as it is and would rather smother myself with a pillow just have a separate coverstitch machine – though I know that not everyone feels this way so just do your homework if you ever plan to invest in one (PS ~ from what I’ve read, coverstitch machines are MUCH easier to thread than sergers, my own coverstitch being a complete cinch to thread).

Thoughts on coverstitch machines? Thoughts on hemming methods for knitwear?

Here’s a small fabric sample that I’m creating a hem on. I’ve turned the raw edge up 1/2″ and from there I’m going to turn it up a full inch meaning that my hem allowance in this case was 1 1/2″.

Apply the fusible web with the webby side down on the fabric. For some webs you’ll steam or iron it in place and for some, like the Wonder Tape, you just stick it on there and push it down. For my sample here, I’ve turned the 1″ portion of my hem allowance back and I’m applying it to the inside of what will become my hem.

Once you have the web in the place you want it, lift up the paper. For the Wonder Tape, this might be a bit tricky but just separate it carefully at the top and away you can go.

Now stick the remaining adhesive side to something else. In this case, I’m just turning up the hem that 1 inch and sticking it to the other side. Keep in mind though that this can be helpful for zippers, trims and other such things. You’ll press with steam in the place with your iron and then from there permanently stitch in place. Remember the fusible web is just a temporary baster. It keeps things from shifting about and makes sewing certain things together easier. The final step is permanently stitching whatever you’ve temporarily basted. Also, you can purchase my favorite fusible webs here in my shop!

So, what are some other applications that you might use this stuff in? I’ve just shown a hemline here and zippers which you can see in my Craftsy class. Some other places to consider is matching plaids and patterns on fabric. Instead of hand basting these sections, try the fusible web instead. One of my favorite places to use this is in the collar stand area on a classic button up shirt – in fact I’ll show this one in an upcoming tutorial. Easy peasy! Another favorite application: Whenever I have to stitch in the ditch, like in the case of a skirt or pant waistband, I put this stuff down on the inside/facing first and then go about stitching in the ditch. Prevents rippling, pulling, puckers and distortion. So much easier! I also used it in the neckline binding of my wrap dress version from the 2-in-1 sewalong.

Ready to give fusible web a try? If you use it, what are some things that you use it in?

Last year I purchased a Thread’s Insider pass (totally worth it by the way) and I found that there were all these videos on Industry Secrets by Louise Cutting. I’ve become a HUGE fan of Louise (she’s a genius!) and would love to one day attend one of her workshops because I think she just has so many great secrets and she goes about making things easy and fast instead of always trying to convert you to the long way of doing something. In one of the video sessions she talked about fusible web and how its one of those tools that she never lives without. Then I used it and I was converted! Seriously, this stuff has sooooooo many uses and I can’t even believe that for so long I discounted its existence. So let’s talk about what it is and a few myths that surround this product, shall we? Oh yes, we shall.

Fusible web is a temporary baster. This means that you can use it to temporarily baste anything in place. This can take the place of basting something by hand and I say “can” because there are times that you might want to baste by hand (but I pretty much don’t anymore, ha!). I use this product to temporarily baste the centered, slot seam zipper in place in my Craftsy class. Can I just say that for years I never used this zipper application because I felt that it was the hardest zipper application to get looking good. I dare you to take this zipper application out of your bag of tricks and try to get those topstitching lines perfectly even on each side of the zipper without the use of the fusible web. Wait, let me up that ante – do it without having to rip it out at least once or 5 times. Yeah. It’s really, stupidly hard. Really really. Then I was asked to do the Craftsy class and then they were like “we’ll need to do that centered slot seam zipper, ya know” and I was like “of course.” Inside I was quaking in my boots. Then I remembered the fusible web and the problem was solved! Temporarily baste that sucker in place and ha! The hardest zipper application is now the easiest and I’ve been using it all over the place lately. Plus you don’t have to hand baste it in place and end up getting threads caught in your topstitching that won’t come out or getting screwed up because your basting lines aren’t straight but yet your topstitching lines are supposed to be. Yup, I’m not a fan of hand basting this sucker in, if you couldn’t tell.

Anyway, there have been a few questions that have arisen from my use of this product on the Craftsy platform. So let’s chat about some of those too.

Myth: Fusible web will gum up your needle.
Fact: No, it won’t. Take my word for it because I actually use it! Ha! And I use it all the time. 100% NO GUMMING!

Myth: Fusible web can leave permanent web and gum on your fabric.
Fact: It doesn’t leave gum on your fabric and its not permanent really in any way. It’s temporary. You can even peel it off your fabric if you need to move something somewhere else – like a zipper. I’ve even used it on silk. Plus, unless you’re using this product the way that you’re not supposed to, you won’t be able to see where you’ve applied it anyway. Whenever and wherever you use fusible web, just know that its temporary and you need to permanently stitch it in place later on down the road. Plus, to add better to best, you can use the Wash Away Wonder Tape that’s in the shop and yeah, it actually washes away after the first use. I know, you can totally thank me later (snark!).

With that friends, I’ve since tried new brands of this fusible web and have put two of my absolute favorites in the shop: the Clover fusible web and Wonder Tape by Collins. The Clover brand works just like Steam-a-Seam, but I like it better because the tape that you pull away is just well easier to pull away. The Wonder Tape is just as awesome and doesn’t need steam or heat to set and it washes away, like I just said upstairs there. Slap it on your project, peel off the tape and temporarily baste whatever in place. Voila!

Tomorrow I’ll be back to show you some of my favorite applications of this product and hopefully you’ll be converted too! Thoughts on fusible web anyone? Are you a convert yet?

I distinctly recall my first purchase of a Burda World of Fashion magazine (which by the way, is now BurdaStyle magazine). I remember falling absolutely, insanely in love with a dress (that I have yet to make) on the front cover of the magazine and purchasing it up real quick like. I got the magazine home and started flipping through the endless pages of photos of all the patterns in the mag and thinking, “Gosh, this is amazing! All these patterns in one magazine.” I remember when I found this really big sheet of paper at the end of the magazine that had lots and lots of lines all over it and then it hit me like an anvil that those were the actual pattern pieces. There they were all nested like a hot mess on top of each other, and there I was completely horrified at the thought of having to trace one off. This before I even knew that they didn’t have seam allowances to boot. This is not to say that I don’t actually appreciate these types of patterns, I do – especially as they have become more popular in sewing books that come with patterns – its just that I wasn’t educated on how to properly trace a pattern. I had never traced off a pattern before and the idea really perplexed me. For starters, where in the world would I find paper that was big enough? And what would I do then? Just take a pencil and start outlining my size? And what if there were something like 12 – 15 pattern pieces? And then I have to add a seam allowance too? It felt really overwhelming and I think, to someone who has only ever worked with Big 4 patterns (Simplicity, McCall’s, Butterick & Vogue) and just cut your size from the tissue, you might think the same thing.

Today I wanted to show you two ways to trace off a sewing pattern. Both methods work for tracing off patterns that come nested on one big sheet of paper and those that come in an envelope too. If you are asking why you would want to trace off an envelope pattern, rather than just cutting out your size, I would say that choice is up to you.  If you feel that its a pattern you’ll keep in your stash forever and want to wear again when you’re 40 but at the moment, you’re 25, trace it because its almost guaranteed that you’re body will change as you age putting you in a different size bracket. If not, don’t trace it and just cut your pattern size from the tissue. Ok? Ok.

Method #1
I’ve tried many methods for tracing off a pattern, so as one who is always looking for the latest and greatest in pattern tracing technology (ha ha!) I’ll show you my two favorites. First, let’s start with the less expensive. To trace in this manner you’ll need three elements:

• Paper – I prefer medical exam paper! Very Very easy to see through, write on and tape up
• Pencil
• Ruler – those 2″ x 18″ gridded rulers are the bomb!

Layout your pattern with the piece you want to trace facing up. Lay the medical exam paper or paper of your choice on top of the pattern and then lay down a few heavy objects (like cans of food or pattern weights) or pin the trace off paper to the pattern so the papers don’t slip and slide around. From there, start the tracing game. Trace off your size, with the aid of the ruler (seriously, this is a TON easier with a ruler), label your pattern piece and if needed, add the seam allowance. Adding that seam allowance is made only about 1000 times easier with one of those 2″ x 18″ gridded rulers. In addition, you’ll use that sucker for so many other things, its not even funny. Get one. You know you need it. By the way, I have 3 because I loose these puppies all the time and having more than one makes it a bunch easier to find at least one….

Method #2 – Sunni’s favorite method of all time!
This is the best, easiest, coolest method on the face of the planet, for tracing off a pattern! If you’re in it to win it, and save yourself a butt-load of precious time (because who has that in abundance these days), you need the following:

• Paper – again, my favorite is medical exam paper, but for this method any paper will really do ya.
• Waxed Tracing Paper – this stuff is fabulous, amazing, the best thing since sliced bread and anything else you can possibly imagine.
• Double Tracing Wheel – this is a FREAKING GODSEND when it comes to those Burda magazine patterns that need a seam allowance because this little doodad will trace off and add the seam allowance in one. fell. swoop. You can also use a regular old tracing wheel too, so no pressure or anything.

You’re going to make a little trace off sandwich here. First, lay out the tracing paper with the waxy side up – by the way, the blue and red are the best for this sort of thing. Then lay your paper of choice on top of that. Add your pattern on top of that and slap down a few pattern weights and you’re good to trace. Take your tracing wheel and start a tracing yo. That’s right, I said, YO! No pain. Less time consuming and well, less mental and emotional trauma. In addition, of you don’t have concerns about the fit, you can actually use this method directly on the final fabric. Or you can use this method directly on muslin too. Whatevs. To make the sandwich with fabric, I lay down the fabric first with the wrong sides out, then the tracing paper face down on the fabric, then the pattern.

A word about tools for this method. I sell all the tools here for doing both methods in my shop. You can find that stuff here. The wax tracing paper is huge and will last a long time – like years. The medical exam paper will last quite a long time too it being 75 yards and all. The double tracing wheel is so cool! Here’s some up close shots, just in case you were curious as to how this works. It works by repositioning the pegs that have the actual wheel on them. You can reposition them to any width from 1/4″ to 1 1/4″.  Or you can just use one peg and ditch the other one if your pattern has seam allowances already. Whatever.

If you’re newer to tracing off sewing patterns, I truly hope this little tutorial has helped give you a few options to think about. There’s always more than one way to skin a cat, and knowing that is half the battle. So there you go. My two favorite ways to skin a cat, I mean trace off a sewing pattern. In addition, because I feel SOOOOOOO passionately about this subject, I made my first ever video. I hope you like it. It will give you a quick and dirty action packed run down of what I’m talking about here.

Don’t use either of the methods above? How do you trace off a pattern?

After that fiasco, I started looking around online at some vintage hem markers. I found some that were the chalk spray type, but decided that I didn’t want to go that route. Then I saw a host of these pin markers on Etsy. I thought, “Why not?” Lurked around a little more and found this one for mini-skirts on Ebay, not that I’m going to make a mini, but you never know right? But now it’s mine! And it came in the original box!

So what makes these contraptions so great? Let’s start at the beginning, shall we. For one thing, these have metal and wood parts. Enough said there. You have the base, which usually comes with a pincushion (how very handy, if I say so myself). Then you have the ruler which is attached with a screw to the base. Next you have the actual metal pinmarker. This part slides over the ruler and is tightened or loosened with a wingnut screw. I used mine on my Linda-Hop Skirt. First, I tried on my skirt and marked it where I wanted the hem to be. Next, I took off the skirt and put it on Ms. P, adjusted the pinmarker to the height of the pin I marked the skirt hem at and Voila! started marking my skirt all the way around by sandwiching the skirt fabric between the marker and the ruler.

These things work really great for circle skirts. Really great. Not to mention they are so easy to use that if you didn’t have a dressform, you can get your significant other or a friend to mark your skirt for you. Seriously, they are THAT easy to use. AND, since the pin is pushed through the fabric at 4 different points (rather than the regular 2), it really doesn’t fall out. I always have that problem, you know, the pins falling out of the fabric while pinning things up, in the carpet, where I can’t find the darn pins. Won’t happen here. Promise.

Do you have one of these? You need one, if you don’t. Seriously, these are the COOLEST gadgets out there. Simply brilliant.

It truly is a beautiful machine. I LOVE it. Can I say, it doesn’t get hung up and make really loud awful noises when I sew through multiple layers of fabric. In fact, it glides right through them. I can’t even believe the difference. All the feet are handmade. Handmade!! They are perfectly balanced in order to provide ease and stability in sewing. I also found out that this here bobbin set-up is the best set-up that has been built so far.

The Bernina Company has not moved to the upper bobbin system because of this system’s problems in maintaining consistent tension. I would have to definitely agree after coming from a starter Brother machine that features this upper bobbin system. I think the lower bobbin is the only way to go. So here I am. A true Bernina convert. I can’t believe all the stitches this thing can do either. I really can’t. How is it that I can find so much joy from so many stitches? I’ve really only used about three, but the idea of using all of them makes my mouth water. I want to marry my machine…Oh wait, I’m already married. I’ll have to settle for a long term affair.