Video - Bias tape maker or pins to make bias tape

I recently bought myself a bias tape maker - wonder why I didn't buy it earlier. Simple tools just make life so easy, yet you tend to put it off for later. I don't sew an awful lot so why spend on tools. Right? Same here.. I don't own any fancy foots, tools, cutting board, curves nothing. I own a simple sewing machine and a regular and buttonhole foot that has come along. I could as well survive without this bias tape maker, it was just that spur of the moment at the fabric shop that I bought it.  I made them using pins before that.

Below is a video showing both how I make them now using the bias tape maker and using pins like how I did earlier. I didn't take the video using my camera so its not very clear, not that I take good videos.. can't figure out how to focus or rather not focus at all. I'm really bad at videos but thought it gives a clear motion view especially with the pins.

I used the bias tape maker to make bias tapes for the two summer dresses - made of lawn fabric & another one.
Before that I made then using pins for a flowy dress on which the summer dress will be based on,  nightie and this  sleeved dress.

Have a good Sunday!

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4 ways to hem circle skirt

How to hem circle skirt or any curved edge

I've made many circle skirts now, and the nirma skirt is essentially a circle skirt and I've made many now. So its time for me to share my learning.
Click the image for the method you want to see.
Circle skirt although is the simplest to cut, I think it is the most difficult to sew - simply because we need to sew a much larger fabric onto a smaller fabric without gathering. It is tricky really. I'll here show the various methods I've used. My favorite here is double fold. It gives a very professional look - if I may say :)

All images are edited using picmonkey. 
I'm slowing moving away from gimp and using picmonkey.


I'll show you four different types here: (Note I have used white thread just to show, you would need to use matching thread)

1. Zig Zag finish or serger to hem curved edge

( if you have one):  This is the easiest for a starter, but doesn't give a neat look though. You can learn how to zig zag here.
Difficulty level: super easy, very simple
Look: not bad
Time taken : hardly


I've used this method for the 1 hour nirma skirt I made. It was less than an hour because I used the easiest method to hem.

Once you have zig zag stitched if there are threads hanging then you can cut them out.

2. Zig zag and fold to hem curved edge:

Difficulty level: easy, simple
Look: not bad
Time taken: 15 minutes. (this is for me)


This gives a better finish than above zig zag. It is neat from front but since a circle skirt twirls the zig zag will the seen which is on the wrong side.
I've used this method in this circle skirt

 a. Zig zag stitch the ends and sew 1 cm from the edge.

b. Sew all around the skirt. Above is just for the tutorial and I've just used a curved fabric piece ..  obvious I know but just thought of mentioning, just in case :)

c. Press wrong sides together at the sewn line with the sewn line folded towards the wrong side so it is not seen.

d. Sew on top of the zig zag stitch.

e. In case you cannot manage the fabric (the top part is much larger than the bottom in figure above) then use a pin to push some of the fabric under the presser. You would get a small pucker there but that is on the inside and will not be seen)

3. Bias Tape to hem curved edge:

Difficulty level: easy, simple
Look: Good
Time taken: 15 minutes. (this is for me)

 a. With right sides together, pin the bias tape all around the skirt edge and leave a 4 cm tail on either side of the middle line shown. After that start to sew from the point mentioned Start up until point mentioned End. The start and end are about 6 cm apart.

 b. Sew all around

 c. You can see here the gap, we left

 d. Pinch the tails with right sides together at the middle line and pin together.

 e. Sew on the pinned line.

 f. Cut the tails close to the stitching line.

 g. Sew close the gap we left of about 6cm

 h. This is how it looks.

 i. Press the bias towards the wrong side of skirt

 j. If there is any extra fabric (bias) than the skirt below then push in some of the bias into the presser foot or raise the presser foot creating a pucker. It is on the inside, so it will not be seen.

4. Double Fold hem circular edge: 

Difficulty level: medium
Look: quite professional.
Time taken: 25 minutes (this is for me)

This is the most complex of the lot and the most professional looking. However it is also the most time consuming way to finish the skirt - but I'd say it is worth the time and effort.
I've used this method  black circle skirt,  nirma skirt, nirma skirt, nirma skirt.

 a. From the edge of the skirt sew 1 cm from it. This stitching line will help to fold the fabric.

 b. Press the wrong sides together at the stitching line with stitching line towards the wrong side.

 c. Just go over the whole skirt again to press.

 d. Now sew again over the first stitching line all over.

 e. Sew all along.

 f. Again fold 1 cm same side as before (right with wrong side this time since it was already folded once). Press.

 g. Press all over again.

 h. Sew on top of the stitching line. you will have 2 stitching line here. On the bias fabric side it is easy since you can stretch the fabric as you sew but on non bias side it is difficult. So there are 2 ways here: One is to create a plucker.

i. Two is to pull the bottom fabric and leave the top fold loose as you sew. I have done this for all skirts and have managed to sew one of them without a single plucker.
Thanks,
Preethi.

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Zig zag stitch to finish raw edges

Hi All,

I used to do basic Sewing 101 but along the way it stopped.
I'd like to continue the series and today I'm posting the way I finish off the raw edges of the fabric - using zig zag stitch. I do not have a serger and a serger gives a more professional look but I haven't been convinced enough to buy myself one. I can zig zag stitch or make a french seam if I didn't want to zig zag finish it.
So here it is.

 1. Select zig zag stitch on your machine (It is C on mine) and select the stitch length (I've selected 2 here).
I select higher number which means it is sparsely spread when the fabric doesn't fray a lot and select a smaller number when it is. Fraying means threads falling out of fabric as soon as you cut it. You can see in the above picture the unfinished edge on the bottom there are threads falling out.

 2. Pull the threads (bobbin and top) and put them under the foot and move them behind.

 3. Make sure the needle points on side at the edge of fabric and other on the fabric. When you move your hand wheel backwards and forwards you can adjust this.

 4. You can see here the finished edge for a stitch length of 2.

5. We can now modify the stitch length to 1 or 0.5. You can see the result below.

Thanks,
Preethi.

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How to thread sewig machine

Hi All,

This is part of the Sewing basics series: 

How to thread your automatic sewing machine

This post is full photos post on how  I thread my machine. I do not know about other machines but I presume most machines should be similar.  The first time you do it, it is going to be a very tedious task of something like 10 minutes but now I can do it in a whim.
Please do not get overwhelmed by the number of steps here. May be they are too detailed. I didn't imagine that there will actually be so many steps for a couple of seconds it takes to thread the machine :). I wish I had this the first time I threaded my machine.

1. After winding the bobbin lay the bobbin case on the bobbin (that is wound up) such that the  thread is facing upwards in anti clockwise direction and the thing protruding the bobbin is facing downwards. Note the direction here. I've figured it out trying different ways, getting the thread jammed up, forming lumps on the fabric and found this works best.

 2. Now take it in your hands and pull the bobbin thread through the grooves adjacent or just on top of the bobbin.

 3. Slide the thread till it comes out of the case like shown.

 4. Open the storage box in case you had closed it while winding the bobbin.

5. Open the bobbin case in case you had closed it while winding the bobbin.

6. By pulling up the front knob place the bobbin case with the bobbin inside so that the protruding holder snaps in position.

 7. Now leave the knob

8. See that the thread is hanging down.

9. Make sure that the hand wheel is pressed in (Remember we had pulled out to wind the bobbin)

10. Now put the thread with thread coming out anti clockwise.

11. Pull the thread and it must go through this grove.

12. Thread it down in the grooves and up again making a U (starting from right to left though).

13. Now turn the hand wheel forward such that the hook circled comes up.

14. Thread it inside the hook

15. The thread needs to settle in the circle of the hook.

 16. Now pull it down on the left of the U.

17. Now it needs to go behind the little hook circled.

18. Put the thread in the needle (My machine came up with the needle fixed, else you'll need to look up your manual to fix the needle first)

 19. Pull the thread so it has a long tail.

20. Now turning the hand wheel let the needle go down and up.

21. While it comes up it brings with it the bobbin thread.

22. Take both top thread and bobbin thread and put both in the center of the foot and let the thread now go behind. I haven't taken a photo of what I mean by going behind. Sorry. It means the tips of the thread are not facing towards you but facing opposite side.

23.  Now close the bobbin case

24.  Close the storage box.

Ready to sew!!

Thanks for reading.
-Preethi.

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