#Shirring sewing technique

[anielskaaniela]

Shirring Fabric for Beginners: Easy Sewing Tutorial

In this post, you’ll discover how to step-by-step shirring fabric for beginners. Love what you see ? Support me by snagging some cool items from my shop! Every purchase helps me bring you more awesome content. Thank you! Shop Now Shirring fabric is a sewing technique that uses elastic thread to create stretchy, gathered fabric. This beginner-friendly sewing pattern guide will cover everything…

[20dollarlolita]

hi! me again. cut/sew 015 has me in the trenches. if you don't mind, do you think you could look at the instructions and tell me if they're setting me up for failure? specifically steps 9, 10, and 18. i've tried pinning the shirring to the bodice in every way i can & it either doesn't turn out the way that step 18 indicates OR the straps come out twisted. i'm not sure if i did something wrong at steps 9 and 10 (i've triple and quadruple checked and don't think i have) or if it's a misprint. ty!

So, I have the instructions here, but the instructions do not specify notches, so I'm doing a little bit of guessing here.

Quick note from someone who's been doing amateur lolita sewing tutorials for almost 9 years now: when you make a design that will be lined, write the instructions such that you treat the lining as if it's a different fabric from the face. Even if the end user decides to line the garment with its self, it will help people understand what is going on. This is because a lining in the mirror version of the face fabric. When you have four pieces that are identical, except that some of them are mirrored, things get very confusing very quickly.

Anyway, for everyone new to the party:

Cut/Sew dot Co is an indie pattern brand. They're basically one incredibly dedicated woman who designs, patterns, cams, builds, tests, writes instructions for, markets, and distributes the patterns. She's made nearly 100 different patterns, as far as my counting goes. Their goal is to make alternative j-fashion inspired patterns available for everyone, especially beginners who don't have a lot of technical sewing experience.

They're relevant to this blog because 1) they make patterns that they claim are lolita fashion patterns and 2) one incident in 2020 where the designer had a go at the lolita fashion community because we said her designs weren't actually lolita and 3) someone specifically asked me about this pattern.

I've previously made one of her patterns, and the main issue that I had with it was that none of the images of the pattern actually properly represent what the pattern will actually make. My other issue is that the patterns seem to have 1/4" seam allowance, which is a really bad seam allowance to use when you're sewing a garment that needs to be adjusted and have techniques like gathering and zipper application. 1/4" seams are usually used in quilt piecing, where they're being used on stable plainweave cotton and not on curved, load-bearing seams.

Anyway, CUT/SEW 15: Lolita JSK appears to be a self-lined JSK with a 1/4 back shirring panel and a 12" invisible side zipper closure. It has a front faux-lacing panel, and princess seams with trim along the princess line that extends all the way to the hem. The hem has two wide ruffles.

I'm not here to critique this pattern. That will be later.

So the questioner here has kindly provided me with the instructions, and here's my best ability to help them. The question is that steps 9 and 10 explain how to assemble the bodice, which is then set aside until step 18. When we pick the bodice back up in step 18, it feels like it has somehow changed and does not line up with step 10.

I am posting the instructions here in the hopes that my input will help other people who bought this pattern use it effectively. These instructions and images are posted to help cut/sew's customer base use their product without frustration.

STEP 9:

9. Place the sewn bodice front face up in your work space, making sure the dress straps are laying flat. Take a bodice side back piece and lay it under one of the dress straps so one edge of the strap just meets the notch along the top edge of the bodice side back. With the angle of the straps, the other edge of the strap should hang off past the bodice side back by about 3/4” - that’s okay! Pin this strap in place right at the notch, then take it to your sewing machine and baste the strap in place, sewing 1/4“ away from the edge..

Lay the sewn bodice front face up in your work space, then take another bodice side back piece and lay it over top, face down. Match it to one of the basted bodice side back pieces on all sides, then pin the two together. Take the pinned bodice to your sewing machine and stitch the two together along the top, sewing 1/2” away from the edge. Pull out the basting stitch underneath, then press out this seam.

Repeat this entire step with the second set of bodice side back pieces on the opposite strap. When finished, flip both bodice side back pieces out so they’re face up, then press the seams you’ve just sewn flat.

Okay so this makes plenty of sense to me, once you remember that this is self-lined. This means that there are four side-back pieces in play. We're going to call that left-sideback-face, left-sideback-lining, right-sideback-face, and right-sideback-lining. LSF, LSL, RSF, and RSL, if you will.

The image up there shows the in-progress picture, but here's what I think it'll look like when you've finished everything, and you're at " flip both bodice side back pieces out so they’re face up, then press the seams you’ve just sewn flat.":

The important thing to note is that, from my understanding of these images, you will have the straps attached with the short end (where is says SA in my drawing) facing the center.

For the record, this is where commercial patterns have notches. You notch the side seams on all patterns so that you don't get confused about what pieces connect to the side seams. Notches make patterns easier.

10. Place the shirred bodice center back face up in your work space. Lay a sewn bodice side back piece over top, face down, and match the edge with the notch and strap to one raw edge of the bodice center back. Pin the two together along this side, then take the pinned bodice to your sewing machine and stitch, sewing 1” away from the edge.

Repeat this step on the opposite side with the second bodice side back piece to create one continuous bodice.

So here is where the instruction diagrams confused me a little bit. I added some color to clarify things: The PINK line is the back sewn to the shirring panel. The GREEN line is not sewn to anything.

When this step is over, and we lay the complete bodice out, it will look like this:

If this is what your bodice looks like at step 10, when we pick back up in step 18:

18. Place the bodice front face up in your work space. Lay the bodice back over top, face down, and match the two together on the right side. Pin them at this seam, then sew both together by stitching 1” away from the edge. Trim the raw seam with your pinking scissors, then press open this seam.

Note that you're only going to sew one side seam here, because the other one will have the zipper installed. We can't actually lay the piece flat anymore, but if we could magically lengthen one of the straps so that it was suuuper long, it'd look like this:

I think your part is getting twisted because that image up there that I had to add the green/pink line on isn't very clear about what side is being sewn. If you look at that and sew the sides that LOOK like they're lined up in the picture, you'll sew your side backs backward.

I just want to emphasize that THIS is what notches are for. Notches are a means of communication between the pattern developer and the user. Placing your standard one notch on your side seams will allow the person who uses the pattern to know for sure what pieces are being connected to what pieces, and where those should be. The decision to not notch the common things (back and front, side seams, sleeve holes and sleeve caps) is just something that makes no sense to me.

While not directly asked, I am also VERY confused about the instructions for placing an invisible zipper in this dress.

I really, really want to like cut/sew as a company. Their mentality is in line with my own: make things easy for beginners, and make the environment they're in accepting and supportive, and people will be able to build things and have fun. I regularly have to remind myself that just because something didn't get done my way, it doesn't mean it wasn't done effectively. Cut/Sew has put out something like 100 patterns, which were all the work of one incredibly dedicated individual. My general complaints with the company have been with social media presence and marketing, as well as not having clear images of the garments and/or technically usable fashion flats. My other beef that I had with them, the 1/4" seam allowance, seems to be resolved in this pattern. It looks like they've gone up to 1/2".

If there's enough demand, I can buy this pattern, make it, and provide a technically accurate flat as well as complete images of the garment. Just let me know if you want to see that and then get ready to wait possibly literal years until I acutally get it done.

Hope this helps somehow. G'night.

[embroidery-pro]

Your Comprehensive Guide to Successful Sewing

Guide to Successful Sewing

Whether you're a beginner just starting your sewing journey or an experienced seamstress looking to refine your skills, the Guidelines offer a wealth of knowledge to help you succeed in your sewing projects. This comprehensive collection of educational articles covers all aspects of sewing, from basic techniques to advanced methods. Exploring the Guidelines The Guidelines are organized into various categories, each focusing on different aspects of sewing. Let's take a closer look at what you can find:     1 - Sewing Tools   Basic Tools   Sewing Tools   More Sewing Tools   Mats for Rotary Cutters   Rotary Mat Q&A   Scissors and Shears   Rotary Cutters   Measuring Tools   Marking Tools   Tube Turners Part 1   Tube Turners Part 2 2 - Equipment   Setting Up a Sewing Room   Sewing Machine Basics   Buying a Sewing Machine   Pressing Equipment   Ironing Boards   Sergers   Presses & Home Pressing Systems   Serger Stitches   Computerized Sewing Machines 3 - Understanding Patterns   Pattern Markings Part 1   Pattern Markings Part 2 4 - Fabric   The Right Fabric   Preparing to Sew - Fabric and Pattern Preparation   Cotton   Identifying Fibers & Fabrics   Denim - More Than Just Jeans   Napped Fabrics   Unconventional Fabric Sources   Straightening Fabric Grain   Sewing with Knits   Working with Napped Fabrics   Wool   Slick Tricks: Laminated Fabrics and Vinyls   Sewing with Handwovens   Identifying Plaids   Sewing with Minkee-like Fabrics 5 -Linings & Interfacings   Interfacing 101 6 - Notions   Button, Button   Pins   Invisible Thread   Elastic - the Notion that Gives   Selecting Snaps   Bindings & Tapes   Using Bias Tape   Rick Rack 7 - Home Dec   Bed Coverings   Drapery Types   Table Treatments: Tablecloths   Table Treatments: Placemats, Napkins and Runners   Decorating with Quilts 8 - Home Dec How To   Pillows   Fabric Napkins   Covering a Lampshade with Fabric   Making Rod Pocket Curtains   Tab Top Curtains   Making a Shower Curtain   Covering a Bench Top   Tassels 9 - Quilting   Quilting Tools   Quilting Terms   Notions for Quilters   Pre-Cut Quilting Fabrics   Quilting Rulers   Quilting Designs   Making Bias and Bias Binding   Binding a Quilt   Prairie Points   Yo-Yos   Seminole Piecing

10 -  Fashion/Apparel

  Body Types   Clothing Care and Repair 11 - General How-To   Pressing Pants   Simple Seaming Techniques   Seam Finishes Part 1   Fold-Down Casings   Simple Hems   Staystitching   Easing, Gathering & Shirring   Working with Fold-over Elastic   Applied Casings   Twin-Needle Sewing   Seam Finishes Part 2   Ruffles   Working with Stripes   Piping   Princess Seams   Flat Fell Seams   Bound and Hong Kong Seam Finishes   Beading Part 1   Beading Part 2 12 - Garment How-To   Attaching Buttons   Easy Waistband Casings   Centered Zipper   Button Loops   Covered Buttons   Understitching   Dart Basics   Topstitching   Shirt Collar Pointers   Read the full article

[doyoueverwonderwhy]

I'm working on a sewing project that requires me to learn a new technique - by most accounts not a difficult one, but new to me.

So I set aside some time this morning to practice my shirring before I tackle the actual garment, only to discover that I have the right materials in the wrong colors for my project. 🤦🏼‍♀️ How I managed to miss that my stash of elastic thread is black and my project is pink and white I'm not sure, but I'm also not leaving my house today to get the right stuff.

[unit3-fmp]

Shirring

Shirring is a technique used to gather fabric to create a textured and stretchy design. Here I cut out strips of fabric in which I occasionally frayed to add this additional texture to the design. Using shirring elastic sew a line down the centre and let it gather.

Instruction:

cut out a strip of fabric down the grain

Frey the edges of the fabric

thread your bobbin with shirring elastic

sew a straight line dawn the middle of the strip of fabric and a gathered effect should be created

In conclusion, I really like the effect and look shirring creates as it also links in with the fashion of the Georgian period and queen Charlotte due to the shirring down the front of the dress as shown here...

... I further like how when you sew it on the fabric all gathered it adds this 3D element to the design creating this really cool texture especially when the shirring and base fabric are the same colour as sown below.

[aahsoka]

u know one like . sewing technique? style? idk that i hate is shirring like not necessarily making it i just hate how it looks lmfao

[dandelionmage]

I think what you're looking for is shirring (not smocking). Usually shirring is done using elastic thread in the bobbin, and it takes the fabric in quite a bit. It's usually done before the garment is constructed. I think the normal way of doing shirring as most tutorials show will be too much for the small amount you need to take in.

I did find this tutorial for shirring that might suit your situation better. It still involves elastic thread, but you just sew a zig-zag stitch over it with normal thread. Then you can adjust the elastic thread before tying it off, so you have more control over the amount taken in.

Hope that helps!

i've been struggling to find a good solution for this on my own (largely due to not knowing exactly what terms to use for my search) but maybe someone on tumbrl knows?

i need (want) to add a smocking/shirring to the back of a dress to make it fit better. The dress is sewn without any zippers, so i need quite a bit of elasticity to be able to put it on over my shoulders. to geth the desired fit i think i need to 'take in' abt 10 cm of fabric, but i still will need most of those 10 cm to be able to put the dress on

i have access to a sewing machine, but i'm not super practiced and more comfortable with sewing by hand

[wastelesscrafts]

I have a health issue that causes a lot of bloating, so there are days/weeks where my clothing fits completely differently. For example, my favorite pairs of jeans either have to be worn with a belt or are too tight. A t-shirt might be loose some days and other days it's riding up because my stomach has expanded. There isn't much in between. Is there a way to alter existing clothing so it can accommodate those issues? I used to have pants with adjustable waists and I miss them.

I'm sorry you have to deal with that. There are indeed ways to alter clothes to accommodate this issue. Adjustable pants a good example of this, as you mention. Let's take a look at a few techniques.

Fluctuating sizes:

Introduction:

There are many reasons why someone might need adjustable clothes. Health issues, pregnancy, fluctuating weight, growing children,... All a normal part of life, yet quite frustrating when your clothes don't grow or shrink with you. I've already done posts on upsizing and downsizing clothes in the past, but let's look at some more flexible options today.

Generally speaking, it'll be easier to start off with clothes that fit well on your larger days than clothes that fit you on your smaller days as you'll have more fabric to work with. This gives you more leeway.

Lacing:

Throughout the centuries, lacing has been a popular choice to make clothing adjustable to your size. If you need to go up a size, you loosen the lacing, and if you need to go down, you tighten it. Check out these regency maternity stays by Romantic History, for example: they have lacing in the stomach area to allow more room for an expanding belly. The same goes for shoe laces: if you have feet that swell up easily, laces can be tightened or loosened depending on the state of your feet.

Adding lacing to an existing shirt is pretty easy. Trash to Couture has an example of a DIY laced t-shirt: she's added eyelet strips in the front and back of a shirt. While these were intended for aesthetic reasons, you could also employ them for practical reasons if you make them strong enough. You could add them in on front, back, or the sides of your garment (or whatever other places cause you trouble).

(Image source) [ID: a woman wearing a white t-shirt with loosely tied corset lacing in the front.]

There's a few ways to make eyelets for a project like this. You could use grommets (metal eyelets), which require some hardware but aren't too hard to install, or hand-sewn eyelets. Another option is to use a strip of eyelet lace: that way, you don't have to make any holes yourself. Loops to string your lacing through are also a fun way to make this work. Use ribbon, string, or shoelaces for your lacing.

Elastic:

Elastic's an easy way to give you more control over a garment's size as it stretches along with you. The best-known version are narrow strips of elastic band, but you can also buy them in larger sizes (e.g. corset elastic).

You can add elastic to the waistbands of existing trousers or to existing skirts to make them a bit more flexible. If you don't like the look of an elastic waist, half-elastic waistbands are also a thing.

(Image source) [ID: close-up of a pair of gray checkered pants with a half-elastic waist.]

As for shirts or dresses, you could add a single line of elastic at the waist (or wherever you want it) to make it look a bit more fitted on smaller days. If you've got access to a sewing machine, you can sew the elastic straight onto the fabric.

If you don't feel like doing that or if you're sewing by hand, you could also make an elastic channel. To do this, draw a straight line on your garment where you want your elastic to sit. Make a fold on that line on the inside of your garment (works best if you want the elastic to go around the entire garment) and sew it down, leaving a gap to thread your elastic through, or find a piece of ribbon that's wider than your elastic and sew it in place on top of the line (inside the garment to hide it, outside the garment as a decorative touch), again leaving a gap to thread your elastic through.

Note that if you sew your elastic directly onto your fabric instead of using a casing, it'll be harder to replace later on if it ever wears out because you'll have to undo all of your stitching.

(Image source) [ID: close-up of a white piece of fabric with a white elastic sewn on top of a seam using a zigzag stitch.]

If you'd like to sew your own elastic waist pants, check out the Paco pants pattern on Freesewing.org. For skirts, take a look at this skirt tutorial by Break n Remake.

you can also make adjustable waists by using buttonhole elastic. Adding this type of elastic to pants or a skirt allow you to down- or upsize your garment on the fly.

(Image source) [ID: close-up of a gray waistband with the ends of buttonhole elastic peeking out of holes in the fabric.]

Shirring:

A step beyond a single line of elastic is elastic shirring. This is a technique to add a panel of elastic to your clothes. These panels will stretch along with your body, but still look form-fitting. Shirring can be both cased or uncased. You can either open up your garment's seams and add in a new panel of shirring, or add shirring to gather up loose garments.

If you've got access to a sewing machine, one way to add in shirring is to use elastic thread rather than bands.

(Image source) [ID: a panel of green fabric with white polkadots, shirred with elastic thread.]

If you don't have access to a sewing machine or if you don't want to fiddle around with manually threading a bobbin, you can also add in panels like these with elastic bands rather than thread.

If you want to make a cased panel of shirring with elastic bands, you'll need to double up on fabric. By sewing channels through both your layers, you'll create spaces for your elastic to sit between. This technique needs more material and is a little fiddlier, but using channels makes replacing elastic much easier as you just need to open up the channels rather than removing all of your stitches.

To make these without channels, refer back to the above link about sewing elastic directly onto fabric. The only difference is you'll be sewing several bands above each other rather than a single one.

Combine shirring with lacing for a more fitted look.

(Image source) [ID: the back of the top of a light blue dress with shirring, lacing, and waist ties.]

You don't need to limit yourself to panels when it comes to shirring. Fully shirred clothing is an option.

(Image source) [ID: a gray fully shirred sleeveless top with white lace and bows and elastic shoulder straps.]

Drawstrings:

Adding a drawstring is another method you could try. This combines several techniques we've already discussed: using string to tighten or loosen a garment, sewing channels, making eyelet holes,... You can add these to waistbands, shirt waists, necklines, or whatever other spots bother you. Add a channel to the spot you want your drawstring to sit at, and either leave the ends open or insert eyelets, then thread your string/ribbon/shoelace through your channel.

(Image source) [ID: diagram of the front and back view of a shirt dress with a drawstring at the waist.]

Waist ties:

Waist ties can also help control the fit of a garment. They're basically two strips of fabric you sew at the sides of your garment and tie at your back. By tying them more loosely or tightly, you can control how the garment's fabric falls at your waist.

Check out Megan Nielsen's blog on how to make waist ties. Try to find a fabric that compliments your garment, or use ribbons. Either sew them on top of your side seam, or open up the side seam a little and wedge the end of your tie in there, then sew it shut again. Another option is to sew a button at your waist, then add buttonholes to your waist ties. This results in removable waist ties that allow you to choose whether you want to wear them or not on the fly.

(Image source) [ID: back view of a gray chiffon blouse with shirring and removable waist ties.]

Conclusion:

This post is not exhaustive: these are just a few ideas on how to make clothes more adjustable to size fluctuations. I hope you'll find something that works for you!

[sarcasmic-skies]

the dead poets vs. laundry 🧺

based on this post by @tuskofthyme <3

i’ve worked in the laundry industry for 4+ yrs so i feel qualified to speak on the matter 😌✨(jokes!)

**i wrote these hcs under the assumption the welton boys are responsible for their own laundry & i tried to adjust to be accurate to 1959!! the first bullet points for charlie & knox i based on a guy my sister knew in college! he was from vermont & yes, that’s the god-honest truth. it makes me laugh every time i think abt it, which is at least once a day

charlie:

him & knox never learned how to do laundry so they just. buy new clothes whenever they run out of clean ones. meeks & todd are horrified.

purchases only name-brand garments. never looks at price tags (trust fund baby)

calls the laundromat a “laundry-mat”

charlie’s mother washes his clothes for him whenever he’s home. he always says thank-you and kisses her on the cheek <3 (he’s a mama’s boy)

after rowing practice he throws his dirty uniform in a pile in the corner of his & cameron’s room. the pile grows through the term, along with mold and mildew :)

favorite garment: a bright pink polo shirt he bought after reading ‘a separate peace’ (1959)

has really nice clothes but doesn’t take care of em (“i can’t put my leather jacket in the washing machine??! what do you mean i’m gonna ruin it?!? cows don’t get ruined when it rains!!!”)

once, charlie was trying to be funny and got stuck in one of the dryers at the laundromat. it took the combined efforts of pitts, meeks, todd, neil, and knox to pull him out.

neil:

watched his mother do the laundry growing up & learned by observation. his aunt taught him how to sew at the age of twelve

always lays his beloved wool sweaters flat to dry so they wont shrink in the dryer

hangs his pants with a crease. color-codes his closet. repairs any tears in his clothes with his travel-size mending kit

pairs & rolls his socks, most of which are argyle

embroiders tiny hearts on the inside of all his sweater sleeve cuffs for todd to find

goes with todd, meeks, and pitts to the laundromat every sunday after welton’s mass

gave up on trying to teach charlie proper garment care years ago (he refuses to learn)

always makes an effort to look polished and sharp. takes really good care of his clothes. mr. perry loves to remind neil that “appearances are everything”

likes to read the movie magazines at the laundromat. gossips with the older women about montgomery clift, rock hudson, and tab hunter

has to fight the urge to jump in one of the laundry carts and roll around the store every time he’s there bc carpe diem!

todd:

he’s helped his mom with the laundry from the time he could reach the dials on the washing machine. todd’s learned just about everything there is to know abt household laundry & can fold fitted sheets. perfectly <3

todd finds laundry very calming and satisfying. nice to turn his brain off and just focus on folding & hanging his clothes nicely :,)

jeff always said “thanks little man” when todd ‘delivered’ clean clothes to him. todd misses that. a lot. so does jeff.

wardrobe comprised of almost exclusively jeff’s hand-me-downs (they are a little big on him)

is a GOD when it comes to getting stains out. not even spilled ink can withstand his technique

hangs his pants with a crease, doesn’t fold em. ALWAYS checks the pockets before washing

enjoys the trips to the laundromat more than he lets on. helps him feel less homesick

pairs & rolls his socks, organizes them by color in his drawer

always checks garment tags for proper care instructions. hates having to pay for drycleaning

meeks:

neil taught him & pitts the art of laundry

measures out the detergent with the utmost precision. refuses to use bleach

does not separate darks from lights from whites (“after you’ve washed them a few times the colors shouldn’t bleed or transfer! i refuse to do multiple loads!”)

does pitts’ laundry for him helps pitts with his laundry

always brings extra change for the jukebox <3

keeps forgetting he has pens in his shirt pockets and they explode in the wash. ink ends up all over his clothes more than a few times. (todd comes to the rescue in these situations)

not fantastic at folding but better than some

washes everything on ‘cold’ (“it conserves energy & water”), dries everything on ‘low’ (meeks is terrified of starting a dryer fire)

helps the older women in the laundromat a lot. they always compliment him and try to set him up with their daughters, nieces, granddaughters, etc. (“such a nice boy!”)

pitts:

forgets to check the pockets of his clothes before loading them in the washing machine

washes everything on ‘hot’ (“it sanitizes the fabrics!”), dries everything on ‘high’ (then wonders why his pants keep getting shorter)

doesn’t fold his clean clothes, just puts em in a basket. refuses to pair his socks

is asked to help fold sheets, comforters, quilts, etc. by the older ladies in the laundromat all the time bc he is so TALL! pitts is always happy to assist <3

endlessly appreciative whenever meeks does laundry for him

made the mistake of putting a brand new pair of red socks in with the whites the first time he washed his clothes by himself. his undershirts, underwear, socks, & rowing sweater all came out bright pink, like marilyn monroe’s satin dress in ‘gentlemen prefer blondes’. charlie never let him hear the end of it.

cameron:

gets up early every morning to press his shirts & crease his pants with his personal clothes iron

uses sock garters to keep his nylon stretch socks up. sometimes forgets to unclip them & they go through the wash lol

for the longest time he was using shirt hangers for pants and pant hangers for shirts. charlie pointed it out. they argued about it for 20+ minutes (“how would you know? you don’t even do your own laundry!” “big deal! anyone can tell the difference! haven’t you ever picked up dry cleaning?!” “sure i have, but who pays attention to the hangers?!” “i want a divorce, richard”)

bleaches his whites to keep em ✨pristine✨

sometimes overfills the dryer. forgets to clean out the lint trap. gets his quarters stuck in the machines. a lot.

pretreats all stains. scrubs them out with his designated laundry toothbrush and powder soap (this is the most time-consuming part of cam’s laundering process). he’ll ask todd for advice if a stain is particular stubborn

pairs & folds his socks in half like a heathen

his mother hand-sews labels with his full name on em into every single article of clothing he owns. he refuses to be made fun of for this

knox:

no idea how to do laundry. absolutely no clue. like charlie, he buys new clothes whenever he runs out of clean ones

always forgets to cut the sale tags off and remove the big paper collar stays n shirt pins from his new clothes n dress shirts. neil helps.

knox overstreet alone keeps the town dry cleaners in business with the two-dozen cashmere cardigans he drops off each month

“i have nothing to wear!” “knoxious i swear to god if you say that one more time i am going to slap you into next week”

tagged along to help the poets with their laundry once. started a dryer fire. twice.

his dad bought him his first ever pair of blue jeans, the exact same as those worn by james dean in ‘rebel without a cause’ (“don’t tell your mother”). knoxious refuses to wash them, he’s convinced they’ll get ruined. knox & charlie start to call them his ‘james jeans’

[professorpski]

BurdaStyle November 2022

This issue has several appealing patterns for evening wear including the red dress which is a re-issued pattern dating to the 1961/1962 winter season. Dress 123 is a simple, sleeveless, darted sheath up front--sheaths were very popular from the mid-1950s onward-- and is then softened with bows at the shoulder and a dramatic draping over the upper back bodice.

If you want to show a bit less flesh, Blouse 106, which has collar options, offers a sheer look instead. This blouse has complete illustrated sewing lesson as well, which is a good idea as the shirred, standing collar, asks you to gather the fabric along elastic by zigzagging over it. Since you never want anything squeezing your neck, the idea is that the elastic simple narrows the outer fabric to the shape of the collar. That being the case, you might use narrow cording too. These kind of sheer blouses can be worn alone, but work nicely with evening suits as well. Of course, you can make it in a solid and skip the collar which is what Blouse 107 is, see the pattern sketches.

For day wear, I show you a couple of dresses as well. A very simple dress in red Dress 120 which is done in knit, has a short funnel collar,  and a tie belt to give it some shape. More difficult, but also more sophisticated in blue is Dress 110 which has a nice front detail on the bodice and has slim sleeves or cuffed sleeves as model Dress 111. There are several coats and jackets including Jacket 108 which you see in pre-quilted camel corduroy. Its collarless and boxy look means it is wearing in cool weather, but not cold. 

There are also some children’s fashions, plus sized patterns too, and a stuffed monster toy which has a full sewing lesson, which is handy once you realize you could alter this pattern and create all kinds of creatures from it. All the patterns are included in a range of sizes, and they need to be traced out from the overlapping lines on the printed sheets. There are basic sewing instructions for all the patterns and then illustrated articles and a glossary showing various techniques, and a little lesson on doing the embroidery featured on the front. All this, in addition to fashion news, which makes it a bargain.

You can find it at your local fabric store or here: https://www.burdastyle.com/burda-style-abonnement-12-mois-1.html

[lovellelolita]

CUTSEW 015 // Lolita JSK Pattern Review - Bodice Section

Crisscross Lacing

You may have noticed that I did not add the crisscross lacing on the bodice, like in the pattern pictures. ISSUE: This is because I think it will look bad. This is totally subjective, but I just think that the distance (from princess seam to princess seam) is much too wide. I’m sure it can be done well (Innocent World's Rococo Bustle JSK, AP's Antique Rose OP), I just don’t think it would be the case here.

Examples of typical distance: AP Classical Princess JSK, AP Assorted Cookie JSK, AP Creamy Scallop JSK, etc.

It’s faux lacing, the ribbons are sewn directly into the seams, which isn’t inherently negative or anything, but just means that it isn’t removable.

So, without it, the bodice is incredibly plain. I… don’t really know what I want to do for the center yet. I'm thinking I'll go for the fake button up style center (ex. SoufSong's SRH JSK, AP Dream Fantasy Special Set JSK).

Tip: If you do omit the lacing, make the lace on the bodice seams face outwards. It faces inwards here to make the ribbon lacing look more proper (Ex. AP's Lovely Organdy OP). So if there isn’t any ribbon lacing, the inward lace will look...unorthodox, I suppose. Because most Lolita dresses have their bodice-seam lace face outwards.

Bodice Straps

The straps are atypically (I think?) wide (2.5 in/6.35cm), which is interesting because most straps on mainstream Lolita JSKs are on the thinner side. (The straps on my SoufSong SRH JSK are 1 in/2.54cm wide.) One example of a wide strap JSK I've seen is Metamorphose's Jewel Butterfly High Waist Drape JSK.

It’s unusual, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I kind of do like how it looks. That was just something I wanted to bring up.

The straps are not adjustable, they're sewn in, which leads me to ->ISSUE: There are marks for where the straps are sewn in in the bodice, in the instructions (obviously), but positioning is really just a total guessing game. If you don’t angle it correctly, the straps will wrinkle weirdly when you wear it and will also feel really, really awkward on your shoulders, like they’re floating or are about to slip off. good luck I guess

ISSUE(?): The instructions say that if they're too long, to just cut out a chunk and then sew it together again which is??????? And if they're too short to cut it in half and then sew in an extra strip???

I...suppose? The provided strap length was fine for me, so I didn't have to do something like this. But if I did, it's not like I'd have a solution to it other than what they're suggesting, but...it seems like a rather undesirable outcome to say the least.

I know how I could make them adjustable in theory (Buttonholes on the ends of the straps instead of sewing them in, and buttons on the inside of the dress) but not too sure in practice here because these straps are so wide. Theory: Maybe use larger buttons if you want to try?

Waist Ties

The ends are in the shape of [using scissors to cut a piece of ribbon at a diagonal angle]. Simple, but cute.

ISSUE: The waist ties are sewn directly into the bodice. This is a problem for two reasons.

1) Many people don’t like waist ties. They’re difficult to tie, the bow pokes into your back when you sit in a car, you can’t use waist ties and an apron at the same time, etc. 2) It was insanely difficult to get the zipper up past the area where the waist tie was sewn in. It’s already difficult enough on normal dresses to get the zipper up past the border where the skirt and bodice meet.

There aren’t many tutorials specifically about making detachable waist ties, but I learned how to do so on my own. (I can make a tutorial if enough people ask and if I feel motivated enough).

Shirring Panel

Oh god the shirring panel. Most mainstream Lolita shirring panels use the elastic casing/channel technique. ISSUE: This pattern uses the elastic thread technique, where you wind up elastic thread in your bobbin. Pros: it’s kind of cute looking I guess. Cons: it’s not much cuter than the standard elastic casing technique, and I found the experience REALLY REALLY HARD AND THE PANEL NOT PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE. This reviewer had a hard time with it too [X].

Yeah. This isn't something you can skip, so if you can't do it, you can't complete the dress.

Tip: If you have a Brother machine like I do and need to use the elastic thread technique for whatever reason, a YouTube video I found says you have to take out the thing you put the bobbin in and tighten the green screw carefully. But like, go find actual instructions, don’t just do that without proper context please.

Tip: Don’t forget to stretch out the panel while you’re sewing the bodice to the skirt, or else the skirt won’t also stretch and you won’t be able to fit inside because the waist of the dress won't move.

Tip: If you succeed at this and finish the dress and are able to put it on, measure the width of the panel when you are wearing the dress (it will be stretched over your body, and longer than it normally is, not-on-person). Should you choose to make another dress and decide to try making it with an elastic channel panel instead, that would be the length of the elastic you would use.

Tip: This pattern doesn’t include instructions for corset lacing over the shirring panel on the back. This isn’t a huge loss because as cute as it looks, it is also impractical as all hell. I do not recommend adding this feature to your dress, but it’s something to consider if you wanted to, I guess :/

[anielskaaniela]

Faux Shirring Hack: How to Create Stunning Shirred Dresses with Just an Elastic Band

In this post, you will learn faux shirring hack to create dresses without the need of a zipper. Have you ever admired those shirred dresses that look so chic and comfortable, but thought they were too complicated or expensive to make? Well, you’re in luck, because in this faux shirring tutorial, I will show you how to create your own shirred dresses with just an elastic band and some…

[20dollarlolita]

Casings with Headings

Since we've been talking bloomers, I thought it'd be nice to show off one of the easiest cuff techniques, the casing with the heading.

A casing with a heading is a channel that you can run a cord of elastic through, with a built-in ruffle at the end. They're super handy for lolita, and you can add one to any pattern with a little bit of pattern manipulation.

Step 1 is figuring out what you're making. I draw a picture, every time. It’s especially important if you’re doing more complex casings with multiple trims and elastics. You need to figure out the proportions of your casing and your heading. Since I'm pretending I'm making a sleeve, I measured my hand to get a good idea. I'm going with a 1.5" heading.

Now you need to know how big the casing part of your sleeve should be. The general rule is 1/8" to 1/4" bigger than your elastic or drawstring. I'm using 3/8" elastic, so my casing is going to be 1/2".

Now, if you're adding your casing onto an existing pattern, you need to remove your seam or hem allowance. Commercial patterns will have it written somewhere on the pattern. The easiest way to remove it is to just fold the edge of the pattern so it's not in your way.

Now add your casing width to your heading size, multiply by two, and then add 1/4". This is how much fabric you are going to have to add to the edge of your patter piece.

You can mark the individual fold lines if you like. From the edge, you mark:

1/4" for the turning of the raw edge

Your casing measurement

Your heading measurement

Your heading measurement again

Your casing measurement again

You can also do this without marking the fold lines, but it's really helpful to do it your first few times so you can get an idea of what's going to happen.

Optional next step: remove the cat, if needed

Now, you need to press your casing into the proper shape. If you didn't mark your fold lines, measure 1/4"+Casing width+heading width, and fold the fabric on that line. Fold your raw edge under 1/4" and pin. Sew along your folded edge.

If you didn't mark your fold lines, measure the width of your casing away from the fold and mark that. Sew along your edge and along your marked casing line.

TIP: if you pin with the points of the pins facing in the direction that mine are (towards the edge of the sleeve/the heading), you can sew the line between the casing and heading without removing the pins, and then sew the turned-under fold after that. This keeps the two lines of stitching from shifting.

Now, you get to make a choice. If you feed the elastic in now, you get a much less formed ruffle. If you add a line of topstitching (or trim) at the edge of the casing, you get a ruffle with a sharper, crisper edge. If you want to do this or not is a matter of preference, and you need to take the style that you're working on into account, as well as your fabric.

Softer edged ruffles work really well in soft fabrics like chiffon, and in softer styles like modern and OTT sweet and semi-chaotic styles like punk lolita.

Stitched-edge ruffles work well for more tailored substyles like classic, old school, and gothic. They work very well on crisp fabrics that are still thin enough to be prone to shifting, like calico.

If you don't know which choice to make, remember that you can always feed your elastic through your casing, see if you like the softer ruffle look, and then remove the casing and add topstitching if you don't like it. If you don't the topstitching after you've done it, you can rip it out and go back to the softer ruffle. You are the master of your own destiny.

And there you go. Add your elastic and you're done!

Remember: If you like this look, you can add it to ANY elasticized or drawsting opening in your garment. Neck holes, arm holes, sleeve cuffs, bloomer legs, anything. Shirt pattern want tailored cuffs and you don't feel like doing that? Just add a casing. Got a pattern that calls for wide lace on cuffs and you want to use narrow lace? Bam, casing and narrow lace on the edge, almost the same look.

The most common place to use this in lolita is on the edge of puffed or detachable sleeves. The sleeve on this Bodyline blouse has a wide lace trim applied on a standard casing, but it would be a good place to put a casing with a heading if you want to save on lace.

So, there goes, quick technique that's easy and adds just another frill to your lolita pieces.

[coumbak00263962]

Movement Project

My movement project is based on my birds. My three techniques were fringing, gathering and felting. I was very happy to work with these three techniques because I enjoyed exploring them. I develop these techniques by drawing 15 different designs. I also sewed 10 swatches with a sewing machine using the basic methods, shirring, ruffles, pleat. For 6 of my swatches I used smocking. For the rest I did fringing and water felting. The fabric I used are cotton, wool and satin.

[mbphillips-blog1]

50 LEATHER SEWING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS and PROS

What's the Project? 

Regardless of whether you are new to sewing or you're an old genius, these sewing tips are going to enable you to ace your aptitudes. Huge amounts of sewing traps and hacks to enhance the majority of your sewing aptitudes.

With such a great amount of fervor about figuring out how to sew, enhancing aptitudes and simple sewing ventures, I figured it would be a decent time to pull together a rundown of a wide range of sewing tips and traps for amateurs, professionals and everybody in the middle.

Regardless of whether you've been sewing for quite a while, there are most likely methods you haven't attempted. Also, it's amusing to attempt new things right?

Let's be honest, most likely practically we all have things to learn and things to chip away at in our sewing, so today I have a rundown of 50 Sewing Tips, Tricks, and Techniques to help you in your activities.

SEWING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS AND PROS:

Here we go! I've separated it into classifications to make it less demanding. On the off chance that you find other incredible tips and traps online that you think would profit others, don't hesitate to send them to me and I can include them in.

Beginning TIPS FOR BEGINNING SEWING:

All that You Need-Sewing for Beginners

Understanding Your Sewing Machine

Sewing Dictionary-Sewing Terms Defined

What Supplies Will I Need to Start Sewing?

The Sewing Pledge

Nuts and bolts/BEGINNERS:

Instructions to Sew a Straight Line

The ZigZag Stitch

Winding and Threading Bobbin

Basic Steps to Improve Your Skills

Seasoning 101

Understanding Different Types of Fabric

SEWING TECHNIQUE:

Instructions to Sew Piping

Turning and Top Stitching

Including Elastic in a Casing

Instructions to Sew Ruffles

Instructions to Insert a Zipper

Instructions to Sew Buttonholes

Instructions to Applique

Shirring/Smocking with Elastic Thread

Cutting and Notching Curves

Tips for Sewing Corners and Squares

Utilizing a Stretch Stitch

Hand Stitching

Making Crisp, Even Hems

Sewing With a Double Needle

Mitered Corners

Sewing Pleats

Serge without a Serger

Tip for Sewing on Vinyl

Instructions to Draft and Sew a Skirt

Sewing Jeans

Instructions to Finish Seams

Instructions to Sew a Dart

Tips for Perfect Pressing

Taking Your Measurements

Example Cutting

Understanding Patterns

Texture:

Which Fabric to Buy? Seeing How to Buy Fabric

Pre-washing Fabric

Sewing with Cuddle Fabric

Instructions to Sew on Leather

Instructions to Sew with Lace

Sew with Laminates

Sewing on Knits

Devices:

Cleaning Your Sewing Machine

Understanding Thread Tension

Buying Guide for Leather Sewing Machine 2019

Unraveling the Marks on Measuring Tape

Utilizing Stay Tape

Utilizing a Rotary Mat and Cutter

Joining Snaps

Understanding Interfacing and Lining

SEWING FOR KIDS:

Figure out how to Sew Kids Series

Instructing Kids to Sew

Ideally, these sewing tips will be useful for you in your sewing venture!

Also visit for best reviews Finestreview.com

Also, make certain to go along with me on Pinterest where I stick sewing tips, sewing undertakings and a wide range of other incredible sewing thoughts.

[trendilyyours]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: FREE PEOPLE Pixie CrossBack Tunic Top in Light Combo.