General Sewing Instructions
Preshrinking
the fabric
When you
buy your fabric, ask how much it will shrink when washed. In all cases, when
the fabric is washable and when you are not sure that the fabric won't shrink,
it is safe to wash and iron it before cutting. Don't forget to preshrink
lining as well.
Cutting the pattern pieces
Cut pattern pieces on folded fabric, right side of the fabric folded inwards. Make the necessary marks on the fabric with chalk or pencil.
If the fabric is plaid, striped or checkered, align the hem lines at the same point on the repeating pattern. For sleeves, the repeating pattern should match where the bottom of the armscye and bottom of sleeve cap meet. Vertical centerline of sleeve should be placed at a vertical stripe or at center of a plaid square. Jacket, blouse and dress front center should be placed the same way.
Transfer notch marks from your pattern to the fabric by cutting snips (depth 0.5 mm /1/8") into seam allowances. When joining garment pieces, place corresponding notch marks in the two pieces together.
HINT: If the fabric is slippery spread out newspaper between the fabric and the table. It will keep the fabric in place when you cut the garment pieces from it. Be sure not to let the printing ink from the newspaper to stain your fabric. If this would be the case use another paper.
HINT : Do not use pins to attach the patterns to the fabric. Use Scotch tape in stead. Position the tape pieces half on the fabric and half on the patterns where you want to and cut through the tapes. Normally you do not have to remove the tape pieces after cutting, the pieces which are on the patterns do not hurt them and the pieces on the fabric are outside the garment pieces.
Interfacing
Cut and
iron interfacing to under collars, facings, waist bands, slit facings, blouse
and shirt button extensions and sleeve cuffs. Using interfacing at
jacket's hem seam allowance makes get a neat hem.
If you
sew a patch pocket and don't line it, attach interfacing to it also.
Always
trim interfacing to eliminate the seam allowances
Cutting
the lining
Cut
lining along with garment patterns without space for facings (but remember to
add seam allowances) and hem seam allowances. Do not cut lining for
collars. Lining fabric usually is not as elastic as garment fabric, so
cut it with about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) wider seam allowances than for the
garment pieces.
Basting
Use the
longest possible machine stitches for basting. It is quick and the
stitches can easily be removed.
HINT : In some cases you can use two-sided fusible interfacing for basting purposes. If you need to keep two garment pieces on top of each other and prevent them from shifting when you sew - like pocket on the garment, put small pieces of two-sided fusible interfacing under the pocket piece and iron the pocket lightly. After you have sewn the pocket in place, remove the interfacing between the pocket and the garment.
Finishing
the garment
You will
get the best result if you always press seams and darts as you sew. First
iron seams or darts flat without turning them to either direction. Then
press them towards center, side seam towards front. Two-piece sleeve
seams are both pressed towards shoulder mark. Use a steam iron. If
you press seams from right side of the fabric, use pressing cloth if necessary.
Edge stitching
gives a well-finished look to garment, but only if it is straight and
even. Long stitches of 1/4 inch (4-5 mm) look best in
edge stitching. Sew edge stitching only after you have ironed the seam.
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