Sewing – Page 53

March 18, 2020

Make Lemonade

The threat of the Covid-19 Coronavirus has made a tremendous impact on most of our lives. My personal life went from run, run, run to near total isolation. While others are struggling with how to occupy their time at home, those of us in the sewing community have a different perspective. When given lemons, we make lemonade.

No, we are not in the kitchen!

We immediately turned to our sewing rooms. While others were scouring the stores for toilet paper, we sauntered into our sewing rooms to peruse our “stash” and plan which of those waiting projects would finally get our attention. We are not lazily wasting time watching TV reruns or movies for the umpteenth time. Instead, we are giving ourselves permission to use this self-imposed quarantine time to exercise our creativity, to enjoy our time, and SEW!

My usual schedule is to leave the house around 9 AM to go to my job teaching at the local college. When I leave mid-afternoon, I then go to a learning center where I tutor at-risk students until 7 PM. Somehow I also squeeze in three neighborhood groups, not to mention some community activities as well. Oh, and then there are the grandchildren just a few miles away. When do I have time to sew?

Thanks to Covid-19, the college has moved to online teaching, the tutoring center is closed, community activities are cancelled and the grands are staying at home with Dad. So my future for the next month looks like time for me. I’m supposed to stay at home. So I will.

Moving (a bit) out of the sewing room

Despite having a large sewing room, I decided to set up my embroidery machine on the dining room table. That way should I decide to cook, I can embroider and still listen for the microwave to ding. The rest of the time I plan to isolate myself in my sewing room and enjoy the freedom to create a new wardrobe with some of my favorite patterns.

If I decide to take a break from creating, I may just take the time to check out the educational programs available to ASG members. There were a few I started to watch on fitting and drafting changes that I never did get back to. This would be a great time to just sit back, enjoy and learn.

While my husband used to scoff at my fabric collection, I can now imply that it was simply planning ahead. I had the foresight to make all those purchases for just such a rainy day. And all those patterns, just perfect for a variety of new outfits. Who knows, I may even get around to making him that shirt I promised last summer.

So while we all deal with whatever is to come of this virus, I hope you all stay healthy and safe and enjoy your time doing what we love, SEWING.

~Rosemary Fajgier

March 6, 2020

Oh, the Places Our Sewing Will Go

When my 40-something son, Todd, invited me to join him on a Mount Kilimanjaro climb, I thought about it, laughed, and then declined. I am too much of a risk, even though others my age and older have done it. When he said he would like a banner of some kind to wave when he reached the summit, I knew I had a job!

Climbing for a purpose

Todd was training and climbing for a purpose… suicide prevention. And yes, he had recently lost a high school classmate. He would pay all his expenses himself and was hoping he could raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It took me a while to realize that their logo is a life preserver. I found the logo on the ASFP web page and copied, enlarged and printed it, and used Steam-a- Seam to trace it and iron it to a piece of nylon ripstop. I wanted it to be lightweight, yet big enough to be a banner. Sewing down the letters was a bit tedious, but he was really excited about it, so that gave me energy. In the meantime, I also sent the ASFP logo to a digitizer and was able to embroider out a couple of patches, which he could put on his jacket, as did his hiking partner. He had invited several people to train with him.

“Since he was raising money for a worthy cause, I started thinking about what else I could do with my trusty sewing machine and years of sewing guild meetings, where we share skills and ideas.”

Aha! Pocket Tissue covers! I have great fun making these and giving them out! I printed out the AFSP logo, using the mailing label size, and June Tailor Colorfast Sew-In Fabric Sheets for Ink Jet Printers. Now I had the logos on cloth! So, I cut them apart and added dark blue batiks around them, in order to make pocket tissue holders (definitely from a Neighborhood Group meeting!!).

Todd Spinney (right) and Judy’s banner at the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro

I also started obsessing about a picture of the mountain… so once again I went to the computer and printed an image out on cloth, added some more grass and some sky from my stash, and made it an outside pocket on a bag which would be big enough to hold the banner.

I made about a dozen tissue holders and mailed them and the new bag to Todd in Massachusetts so he could give them to friends and co-workers who made donations to AFSP.

Time to climb

In the meantime, he was training. Every weekend was devoted to climbing somewhere, and every bite of food was recorded on an app on his phone. He used a special mask that helped him prepare for the altitude sickness that interferes with many climbers. He got his shots. He made his reservations. He chose a plan that took eight days and used a team of guides and porters, who carried the tents and food, prepared the meals and took care of the details. Todd and his partners carried their personal gear. One of his partners made a valiant try at the climb, but when they reached the high altitudes, her asthma made continuing impossible and she turned back (with one of the porters as a guide). Todd texted and even called during the climb (of course at odd hours…) and had brought along a solar-powered charger for his phone. We were able to follow along, and knew which day he would summit (who knew summit is a verb?).

He has since put together a slide show and showed it to us at a celebration party after his return. Lots of pictures of the banner! I’m so glad it is over. And so proud!

~ Judy Spinney, North Jersey Chapter

February 14, 2020

Linda MacPhee named Keynote Speaker for 2020 Conference

ASG is excited to announce that international designer Linda MacPhee will be the keynote speaker at the 2020 conference in San Antonio. As our way of introducing her to you, we have selected her as our independent designer of the month for February. Linda hails from Alberta, Canada and will be once again making her way back to conference.

Sears Catalog for Inspiration

As number 5 of six kids and raised on a family farm in northern Alberta, money wasn’t abundant. In fact, her early memories include going through the Sears catalog with her siblings and picking out their favorite outfits, only to have a local seamstress try to duplicate them from old garments. Even then she realized the finished product never really did live up to the picture she had chosen and hoped for. That’s why she decided at an early age to try her own hand at sewing. She sewed her first garment when she was about 12 when she wanted a new dress for her cousin’s wedding. “My dress was quite successful I remember; but because I knew nothing of fitting, I had to position myself against a wall so I could use my one hand to hold/grab a handful at the back of the dress to make it look like it fit! I guess that dressmaker likely influenced my desire to create my own look. Looking at family pictures now she really was a master as my brothers were in good looking suits that she had recycled from whatever. My mother didn’t sew or have any interest in sewing, although I’m sure she must have mended and repaired things as necessary. Our dressmaker, Mrs. Schmitt, was from Germany and was truly a master at the sewing machine. (We had a treadle of course!)”

Concerning her formal training, Linda commented, “I joined the local 4-H sewing club when I was old enough and that was my only training until I graduated from high school. I enrolled in Home Economics at the University of Alberta as by that time I was sewing all my clothes and was interested in learning more.”

It Started With a Parka

While working as a district Home Economist for the Department of Agriculture (extension agent) in Northern Alberta and at one of her meetings with 4-H groups, Linda met a leader who had on a beautiful Parka. She was a nurse and had recently immigrated from the Phillipines. While chatting, Linda learned that the woman had made it herself. That set her mind in motion and she set about to make one herself. It was no easy task for the woman had tanned her own coyote skin for the fur trim and had sourced her own fabric (wool duffle) from the local Hudson Bay store. Linda explained, “Well, I didn’t tan my own skin but decided if she (a nurse) could do it so could I—a Home Economist! So I did!! My favorite childhood story that I had read to me many times was “The Little Red Hen,” and the theme has fulfilled itself many times in my life!”

She continued, “One of my responsibilities as the extension agent was to teach adult sewing classes to rural women. I met lots of people and with my parka on, came many requests to make them for people. I had learned also how to make moccasins/mukluks from some of the Native American ladies I had worked with. So in my spare time I started making parkas and matching mukluks for a never ending line up of customers. I charged them $100 which seemed pretty good at the time! I realized quite quickly that the demand would never end, so I decided to teach people how to do it themselves. That was the start of my business!”

The Inuit ladies of the N.W.T. had been making parkas for years so those parkas were the inspiration for the basic design. Wanting her parkas to be different, she added applique and trim, and each one became its own work of art. She came up with many different patterns for parkas and applique designs to help people come up with their own look.

Creating the World’s Easiest Patterns

In commenting on her patterns Linda added, “I have always wanted patterns to be simple, “not rocket science.” I had basic pattern drafting from my university training, but my object was to have as few pattern pieces as possible and as simple construction as I could too. My object was to have everyone be able to make one of whatever I designed. My line of “world’s easiest” patterns were best sellers and business boomed. World’s Easiest meant the pattern was usually one, two or three pattern pieces total! I then taught an army of instructors to help in my quest to get everyone sewing. We then franchised our shops across Canada and life was good (but very busy). By this time I was married and my husband who was an R.C.M.P. officer turned down a transfer and joined the business full time which is the only way I could have carried on. Yes…. we are still happily married 52 years later!”

On the future of sewing…

“I’m seeing a renewed interest in recycling coming from the younger people, and that I find so exciting. They have inspired me to recycle/recreate, and I have made many patterns to help with this aspect of sewing. Once this group discovers the potential of the sewing machine, they will be hooked! This direction has brought me full circle to my humble first attempt!”

In her quest to teach the world to sew, she decided the best way to do it was by having her own T.V. show. It was quite a task to get going but she and her husband managed and directed “Sew Much Fun” and ran with it for 6 seasons (72 shows) which showed on Canadian channels as well as PBS in the U.S. They then developed that into “Linda Macphee’s Workshop” which ran for another 6 seasons. “That was likely the highlight of my career,” she added. “I was awarded the “Woman of Vision” by CTV Television and YWCA “Entrepeneur of the Year” and also an “Award of Merit” from the Canadian government for Business. My alma mater, University of Alberta, awarded me their highest Distinguished Alumni Honor award.”

When asked about her favorite aspect of her job, she replied, “It is creating/designing the original garment and then seeing it through to a pattern to enable me and others to teach the world.”

However, she also reflected, “I have been saddened by the lack of Home Ec training in schools where I think the spark should begin! I never did take Home Ec. in school as my school was too small to have it. I, of course, did take it in University and did earn my teaching degree but opted to teach adults instead of youth.”

“If we can keep the world sewing, I think the future is bright. How you ask? I think the patterns have to be kept quick and easy. More sewing T.V. shows like mine would certainly help to show how easy it can be. For example…..in all the garment patterns I designed (well over 200) there was never a buttonhole in any of them. That was something that a novice might not do well, and my motto always was ‘make it look like you didn’t make it!’”

Being from Canada, Linda was never part of ASG as a member. She said, “I was a sort of member of the Holt Michigan group who I worked with/for many years. I very much enjoyed my work with many ASG chapters across the country. I was always promoting the formation of Canadian groups, but we just don’t have the population to make it work.”

Today Linda describes herself as “sort of retired” and only does “private gigs.” She has stopped doing major sewing shows, but loves doing her own version of fashion shows using local women as models for her garments. She spends her winter months in Mesa, Arizona and finds fun in doing smaller gigs for the multitude of retirement parks within driving distance. You can check out Linda’s patterns at her website at www.macpheeworkshop.com.

~Rosemary Fajgier

February 7, 2020

Machine Needles: What’s the Point?

The needle you use in your sewing machine can make the difference between perfection and a disaster. Use the wrong needle, a damaged needle or a worn needle and you could end up with broken threads, holes, uneven stitches, puckers and possibly even permanently damaged fabric. To keep your seams straight and your collars curvy, there are several points to successful stitching.

Check first

Check for any special requirements for your specific machine. For the most part, standard sewing machine needles can be used in any sewing machine. However, differences may be found in some machines like sergers, embroidery machines and some brands which could require a special needle.

Size matters

Needle size is the numeric representation of the diameter of the blade. Note that when you see needle sizes, they are labeled with two numbers, separated by a slash (65/9, 80/12, etc.). This refers to EURO metric sizing (in millimeters) and the comparable US sizing. The following chart from Colonial Needle describes the fabric weights and the size of needle that are appropriate for each project.

Information reprinted with permission from the Colonial Needle Company
ASG Members receive a 20% discount. See the Special Offers page in Members Only.

Download the Colonial Needle machine needle resource guide.

Let’s Get to the Point

There are 3 basic General Purpose needle types. Universal needles are usually used in knits and wovens. Ball points are great for knits. Finally, Sharps/Microtex are used in finely woven fabrics.
Specialty needles are available for use in denim, leather, embroidery, metallic (for use with metallic threads), quilting, twin, triple, stretch and more. Check out this Guideline for an extensive list of needle types, sizes and their uses.

Needle Tips

For best results, needles should be replaced every 6-8 hours of sewing time.
If you hit a pin, even if the needle seems okay, it’s safer to replace it.
Needle breakage could mean that the needle size is too small for the type or thickness of fabric you are using. In this case, try changing to a larger needle size.
When you are sewing, allow the feed dogs to draw your fabric along. Use a light touch with your hands to guide the fabric rather than pushing or pulling, which could cause your needle to bend and break.

Stock up

It can be frustrating to not be able to start — or finish — a project because you don’t have the correct needle or don’t have a replacement, so make sure to keep a good supply of your favorite needles on hand. ASG members can take advantage of a 20% discount on needles, notions, thimbles, thread, jewelry and more at Colonial Needle by visiting the Special Offers section of ASG.org

~Janice Blasko, webgoddess for ASG

January 31, 2020

A Cut Above: Laser Cut Designs

If you’re a quilter, perhaps cutting out all those tiny precise pieces for your appliqué work might not be one of your favorite tasks—you’d rather get going to complete the design. I sure feel that way, and alas, someone heard my plea.

Recent advances in the quilting realm have brought us the advent of laser-cut designs. Whether it’s an intricate appliqué motif with zillions of pieces, or a more traditionally pieced work, precision cutting is key to fit and the overall look.

And, as an added bonus, the fabrics have been pre-selected for you, so there’s no scrambling to find just the right piece for your design. Appliqué pieces are pre-fused as well.

Did you know? Laser cutting has been used for years in the ready-to-wear industry where garments are cut in production quantities. It provides superior accuracy for factory sewing.

How does it work?

For appliqué designs, fabrics are backed with the fusible web prior to cutting, so when you get the pieces in your kit, they’re ready to have the backing paper peeled off and the designs fused in place. But, how do you know where to put them? There’s a printed guide for the pieces, so pretty foolproof.

When you get the kit, simply open the pattern placement guide and either trace it onto your base fabric if it’s a dark color, or if it’s a light color, position the fabric over the guide and you’ll be able to see the lines through it. A light box or sunny window is helpful when tracing onto dark colors.

Place your marked base fabric onto a pressing surface, peel off the backing paper on each piece and position it in place on the background. It’s akin to completing a jigsaw puzzle. If you have trouble peeling off the backing paper, use a pin to get it started at one edge.

Pressing Matters

When all the pieces are positioned, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse them in place. If you don’t have a large enough pressing surface for the entire design, fuse one section at a time. Be careful—if you’ve marked with a heat-sensitive pen, don’t remove markings in an area you haven’t fused yet. Using a small craft iron can be handy, as it’s easier to secure tiny corners and work in small areas at a time.

Some companies recommend using a pressing cloth when securing pieces to protect the iron from errant fusible. Press both sides of the design to fully secure the pieces.

Finishing Touches

Once all the pieces are fused in place, your design work is completed. There’s no need to stitch around each piece (unless you really want to). Just move on to adding borders, quilting and binding. Easy peasy!

Building Bridges: Sometimes small and delicate pieces are connected to either larger fabric pieces or to a fabric frame to keep them from getting damaged, so they appear not fully cut. If that’s the case and you get pieces with bridges, simply carefully cut the connection points away from the larger base fabric to create the piece size/shape needed for your design.

Pieced Designs

Some laser cut kits are not for appliqué, but for traditional piecing instead. The accuracy of laser cutting ensures that the pieces will fit together with precision.

With these types of kits, there will be a guide included showing a piece number and shape, and both will be referenced in the assembly directions. There may even be a notch into the seam allowance to indicate the upper edge of the piece in the construction process.

Laser-cut pieced designs may also include some fusible-backed pieces for features appliquéd on the surface, like animal eyes, feet, etc.

~Linda Griepentrog Linda is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and two dogs, Yohnuh and Abby. Contact her at gwizdesigns@aol.com.