Tutorial: How to Cut Fabric to Make Chevrons

When I was making my Playing with Stripes dress, I had a hard time figuring out how to cut the fabric to ensure that the stripes would be on the bias and that they would match up and make a chevron. The first two bodice pieces I cut out were actually oriented the same way and made a long diagonal stripe. It took me the first 2/3 of watching My Week with Marilyn to figure out a quick and dirty way to do this, and imagonna show you how. May you have an easier time than I did.

First I marked a new grain line on my pattern piece. I used my cutting mat to do this. It has a 45 degree line printed on it. I lined up the straight grain line with one of the vertical lines on my mat and traced the 45 degree line. Easy peasy. This photo was taken after the fact and I didn’t properly line up the straight grain. Ooops. Do as I say, not as I do.

With printed fabrics, it is not a guarantee that the design is printed on the grain. Since it was important to me that my stripes be at a 45 degree angle, I used them instead of the true bias grainline (speaking of true bias, Kelli won my giveaway). I simply lined up my new 45 degree grainline on the pattern piece with the edge of one of my stripes. I don’t have a photo of this so I hope that makes sense. If it doesn’t leave a comment and I’ll clarify.

To get the accuracy needed to match up stripes, it’s best to cut fabric in a single thickness, instead of doubled over. After the first half (e.g. the bodice front or bodice back) is cut use the piece you just cut as the pattern piece. This is what will make it easy for you. I was doing all sorts of crazy things trying to line things up right.

Simply flip the piece you just cut right side down, line up the stripes that way (this only works if you can make out the stripes on the wrong side of your fabric). Voila, when you stitch the center seam they will form a chevron.

I hope this will help someone out and happy stitching! I want to see more cute chevron dresses.

Tulip Skirt- Simplicity 2512

I really like this skirt because I feel it seamlessly fits in with my style and wardrobe. This is pretty much how I dress everyday. I mean, you can’t go wrong with denim… amirite? Adorable tangent, this koala tank was my husband’s when he was a little boy. Isn’t that cute? I picked it up when we visited his mom for Christmas. These pictures were taken at Smith Rock in central Oregon. We went there this past weekend to do some camping and rock climbing. I think it made for a very picturesque photo locale.

I made view B of this pattern using some thrifted denim. This skirt was sitting on my mannequin as a UFO for over a month. Originally, I made the ties that are shown on the pattern envelope. However, this denim is very heavy and it had WAY too much bulk. It was a thick, lumpy mess when I installed the zipper. Grody! This sat unfinished waiting for me to unpick the zipper and ties. In fact, it was sooo heavy duty, I broke my seam ripper unpicking this.

I didn’t use bias binding at the top of the waistband like the pattern calls for. Instead I stitched and turned the band. Because of how heavy the denim was, I zig-zagged over some dental floss to make the gathers. That was much easier than trying to pull on the bobbin thread. It just kept snapping. The only thing I think I want to change about this skirt is to make it a little more narrow just at the hem. I’d like to accentuate the tulip shape.

Oh yeah, you should enter my giveaway! Peace.

Giving Back

Dear Friends- I decided to give something back to ya’ll. I’ve really enjoyed joining this community of bloggers and stitchers. I’ve won a few giveaways and gotten a few blog awards. Thank you so much. I’ve decided it’s now my turn to add to the love fest. One lucky reader will get herself a copy of Simplicity 2444 in size 4-12. Just comment on this post telling me your favorite cute animal youtube clip,  and I’ll pick a winner Sunday the 14th.

P.S. This frenchie can’t roll over! My heart!

Playing With Stripes: Simplicity 2444 v2.0

Heeey-Ooooooh! So I finally did the finishing touches to my second version of Simplicity 2444. I made a few changes to the pattern pieces to get this chevron effect. I traced the bodice pattern piece and instead of laying it on the fold, I added a seam allowance so that I could create a chevron effect with my striped fabric. I also changed the neckline to a 45 degree angle to mimic the shape of the stripes. This fabric was actually a stretch cotton which I didn’t realize when I purchased it. the combination of stretch and being cut on the bias makes for a very comfortable dress. I opted to not include pockets in this version, because I didn’t want to throw my pattern matching off at the side seams. The only place where the stripes don’t match up perfectly is at the center back with my zipper installation. Honestly, I should have done a hand-picked zipper so that I could have more control.  But, I didn’t feel like doing any hand sewing, so I didn’t. Instead of using facings I fully lined this dress. Using this tutorial for an All-Machine Clean-Finish Sleeveless Bodice Lining Technique from the Slapdash Sewist, it came together quite simply. I then clean-finished by machine the bodice lining to the zipper tape using this tutorial. In keeping up with the no hand sewing I used my blind hem foot to finish the hem. Then I was done. Since this dress is fully lined I didn’t really bother with fancy seam finishes since you can’t see them. Everything is pinked on the inside. All-in-all I really like this dress. It’s fun and comfortable and I definitely won’t have to worry about running into someone else wearing the same thing. Isn’t sewing grand?

This last photo is an outtake but it’s the best one that shows what the stripes did at the darts.

Baby’s First Drop

So… I love to ski and this season’s been kind of a bummer snow wise. Finally it’s started dumping! That’s why things have been slow sewing wise lately . A goal I’ve had all season was to huck it off of a cliff or cornice. I finally did Sunday at Mt. Bachelor, now I need to get braver and do it while I’m actually skiing :). So if you’d like a chuckle here’s a video of my freaking out about a 5 foot cornice drop.

Sneak peek

I still need to cut out the skirt lining and hem this thing, but it’s almost done. I’ve gotten side tracked the past few days

Help me ladies!

So I have this fun striped fabric. Doesn’t it remind you of something Mondo, from Project Runway, would use. Of course, he’d pair it with 10 other crazy prints and make it look fabulous. I don’t have those skillz (yet).

I want try experimenting with changing the grainlines and matching stripes, yikes. Melizza,  just made this adorbs Colette ginger skirt. I’m loving the chevron effect, and I had intentions of doing something similar when I bought this yardage.

So… I’m planning on modifying Simplicity 2444 . I’m going to make a center front seam on the bodice; and try my darndest to match all those stripes at the front, back, and sides. I’m not sure if I want to try all that on the skirt as well. Baby steps, people.

Here is my question. I’m concerned about the bodice stretching and getting all wonky since it’s meant to be cut on the straight grain. Should I stabilize all of the bodice pieces with a lightweight interfacing, so that it behaves more like fabric cut on the straight grain? Is this step unnecessary? I have pretty much no experience when it comes to this. Any feedback is appreciated. Help a sistah out!

My Sweet Bow Dress- Simplicity 2444

I couldn’t be happier with my latest make. After my birthday dress and another UFO, I’m glad to have something cute and that was simple to make.

The fabric was purchased from the Mill End (if you’re in the Portland area go there!!) It’s a very light and floaty Marc Jacobs’ cotton lawn. I recognized it as Marc Jacobs’ because I’m an obsessive blog lurker (I’m starting to comment more and be less of a creep, I swear) and remembered this adorable dress by the talented Suzanne. This fabric feels like second skin, it’s very soft and almost silky feeling. Oh and duhh, it’s covered in bows. Cute cute cute!

I took inspiration from this uber cute fabric and said , “What would Zooey Deschanel wear?” I decided this fabric was dying to be turned into a little retro dress with a full skirt and short sleeves. I was right 😉

I used Simplicity 2444, one of the Project Runway patterns, and I love it. The four angled darts in the bodice provide a nice shape and are unique. This will definitely become a “tried and true” pattern for me. In fact, I’ve already got another dress planned.

This is me asking Chris to make sure he takes a photo of the darts

I have had so much luck with Simplicity, it’s like their pattern designer took measurements of me one night while I was sleeping and said this will be our size 12. I made absolutely no modifications whatsoever to this pattern. Love that! It makes sewing a lot more fool proof and fun when you’re not worried about if your adjustments will work or not.

The instructions for the construction of this differed a little from typical dress instructions. It has you attach the front skirt to the front bodice, the back skirt to the back bodice, and THEN do the side seams. I thought that was a little bit weird, but it did make finishing with french seams very easy to do on a majority of the seams. I think I’m going to try to remember assembling this way the next time I want to use french seams.

Any of the raw edges that couldn’t be finished with french seams were bound with bias tape. I also used matching pink lace hem tape to finish the hem and I catch-stitched by hand. Instead of folding under the sleeve-hem and leaving a line of stitches, I used the bias tape as a facing and catch-stitched it into place as well.

The only change I think I’ll make to future versions is to make the pockets bigger. They feel a little too shallow to comfortably put my hands in. Also, you don’t need nearly as much fabric as the pattern envelope suggests. I bought 3 yards and still have nearly a whole yard left over AND I followed the “with nap” layout and nominally tried to match up the bows. If this was solid colored fabric I could have made this with a little less than 2 yards of fabric.

All in all, this dress gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me. It’s super wearable and is just precious enough for a girly girl like me.

Mad Men Challenge

Julia Bobbin is hosting a Mad Men Dress Challenge which I’m sure you may have seen in the blogosphere. I’m not sure if I’m *in* or not (mostly because of the deadline). I have been thinking a lot of what dress I’d like to recreate and I keep coming back to this sassy little number being worn by Megan. I want it. I’m pretty sure I will end up recreating this at one point or another. It’s just too cute.

Jealous?

Sexy Tom Selleck came to my party and he conveniently forgot his shirt.