Do you struggle with getting the perfect fit, even though you have a dress form in your size? You’re not alone. As if it weren’t bad enough that the fashion industry tries to stuff us all into 10 measly different sizes. We can’t even fit our own clothes on a dummy that’s shaped just right. Even adjustable models can’t always get a perfect fit without a little help.

There are a couple of solutions to this problem, the first being to make yourself a duct-tape dummy. I’ve written about why I don’t like this solution before. But I just came across an ingenious product that makes changing shape and size on any dress form a breeze–the Fabulous Fit Dress Form System.

As any seamstress knows, just because the size is right doesn’t mean the shape is right, especially for us curvy gals with generous bust and hips. So, we cut up foam and tape it on, trying to get just the right shape. It’s messy, and not great if we have to keep changing sizes to sew for clients. Well this handy little system makes getting a perfect fit really easy.

How it works:

The system comes with a variety of anatomically shaped pads and two stretchy covers to hold the pads in place. All you have to is slip the cover over your dress form and then slide the pads in place until you get the perfect silouette. That’s it! Piece of cake.

Although Fabulous Fit does sell their own dress dummies, the system works on any brand or model, including Dritz, Uniquely You, Singer, PGM and the rest.

Who should use this system?

Anyone who has  a hard time fitting themselves.

“I never thought that I could make my dress form look like me. My body is curvy and I wear a size 14-16., so I didn’t think it was going to be easy to create a duplicate of my body. I was wrong! I had to alter a few areas, but in the end it paid off. I was able to do this from my Dritz adjustable dress form. Easy to learn and use. Definitely worth it! “ Sabrina Soto, Brooklyn NY (source: Amazon)

Anyone who doesn’t want to do multiple fittings when sewing for others.

“I work on several sizes from 2 to 18 and there is no need for my clients to have more than one fitting. I highly recommend it. It will save you hours of fitting frustration.” –Aelicia (source: Amazon)

Anyone who changes sizes now and then.

“I have one, too and love it because I can change it when my body changes. I seem to be shifting weight lately for some reason–no weight gain or loss, and I know I can adjust my dress form to conform.” OP (source: patternreview.com)

Professionals who want to look like a genius to their clients.

“I sew for a living and wish I would have found this system twenty years ago!! It saves my customers the trouble of having to put up with a lot of fittings and it makes me look like a great dressmaker because the dress fits the first time.”–Lainee (source: Amazon)

Could you use a little extra help getting a perfect fit?

I know these little babies are going on a hook right next to my fitting area, so they’re always within reach. At $69, Amazon usually has the best price on these dress form pads. And I know for me, it’s a small price to pay for easy, happy fittings every time.

I’ve been thinking a lot about comments people are making on Twitter and Facebook. It’s just amazing how many reasons people have for wanting to learn how to sew. Some people want to make curtains and cute home decor items. Some people want a creative outlet or something to do that doesn’t involve a computer or TV screen. Lots of people, it seems, are obsessed with learning to sew in order to make their own clothing.When I ask them why they want to do that, I get a few responses over and over.

I want to sew my own clothes because I don’t like the fashions in the stores.

This is a great reason to learn sewing. It’s tremendously satisfying to see an image of a dress or fancy jacket in your head and then be able to reproduce it. You don’t need grand schemes to be the next Donna Karan or YSL, for most people it’s enough to be able to make clothing for themselves and their loved ones. But just learning the basics of sewing isn’t going to get you where you want to go. You also need to understand how clothes are put together. How do you take a two-dimensional pattern piece and create a three-dimensional shape that fits with other shapes to make a whole garment? It’s not difficult, but it does take some study. You’ll want to learn draping (how to create pattern pieces using a real body or dress form.) Pattern drafting is a useful skill, too, but unnecessary unless you plan to reproduce your designs over and over.

I want to sew my own clothes because nothing in the stores fits me.

Another great reason to learn sewing. Mass manufactured clothing is designed to fit an “average” shape in average sizes. The funny thing is almost no-one fits the average. And we all have features we like to show off or hide. Unfortunately, this season’s styles in the stores may accentuate what you wanted to minimize. It’s so frustrating to finally find a blouse style that looks amazing on you, only to have it disappear from stores for the next 12 years. Again, studying draping and fitting techniques will serve you well once you’ve graduated beyond pillow cases and curtains.  Commercial patterns are a good start, but you’ll soon find that they, too, are made for “average” sizes. So, it’s important to know how to modify patterns to fit *your* body.

I want to sew to save money.

This is a toughie. Sewing your own clothes often ends up costing you more money than just purchasing a similar item in the stores. Fabric by the yard isn’t cheap, and if you make mistakes or buy too much fabric, that’s even more expensive. You also have to factor in thread, needles, interfacing, patterns and a host of other supplies. Manufacturers can sell garments cheaply partly because they purchase all their supplies in massive quantities, which reduces the overall cost.

This doesn’t mean you can’t save money by learning to sew. You just have to be smart about it.

1) Get the highest quality sewing machine you can afford. You want it to last a long time and have little or no issues that require repairs.

2) Recycle fabrics as much as possible. Yard sales, thrift stores and your friends’ closets are a great source of cheap (or free) fabric. You don’t have to start with fabric by the yard. You can easily cut up old clothes and use them to make brand new items. Some of my favorite garments came from old blue jeans that didn’t fit me anymore. Old bedspreads can turn into beautiful skirts. Even stained or worn-out items can become pillow stuffing or quilt filling. The next time you go out to buy fabric, especially when you’re just learning, try to think of a way to reuse some fabric that might be lying around.

3) Reuse notions like buttons, hooks and eyes and zippers. Before you recycle any fabric or throw away a worn-out garment, strip it of all useful pieces. Buttons, especially, really add up when you have to buy them new.

So what about you? Why do you want to sew your own clothes? And what tips do you have that might help a beginning seamstress? Give us a comment, won’t you?

I hate throwing fabric away. There are lots of great uses for scraps. But I use so much fabric, my scrap pile can sometimes get out of control and threaten mutiny. Keep those little soldiers in line by making a conscious effort to use them up whenever possible. Or better yet, get rid of whole baskets full at a time. Clear out the old and make room for the new. Here are a few ways to use up your scraps in a big way. Remember, anything more than a half-yard isn’t a scrap. Cut off the small bits, fold it up and put it on your shelf. (Your yardage limit may vary. Especially if you’re a quilter or make small items.)

Make a true patchwork quilt.

None of this matchy-matchy, fancy patterned quilts. Just cut up your scraps and sew ‘em together. If you’re not into finishing quilts, you can donate sewn quilt tops to a variety of charity quilt programs.

Use fabric scraps for stuffing.

Whenever I need to stuff a pillow, a toy, even a duct-tape dress form, I try to use up scraps of fabric that are really too small to do anything with. Snips and clips of leftovers can be stored in one bag, so you can just reach in and pull out the amount of stuffing you need.

Use fabric scraps instead of styrofoam when shipping packages.

This is a great one, especially around holiday time. When you have to ship something delicate, just pad around the object with your scrap fabric. Don’t use too much, though, or you’ll wind up paying a bundle for extra shipping.

Use natural fiber scraps as firestarter.

I live in northern New England, so I’m constantly starting fires in our wood stove five or six months out of the year. I take linen or cotton scraps and wind them into a tight roll. Dip them in melted wax (recycled from old candle stubs.) Let them dray and keep them by the wood pile. The wax helps the fabric burn a long time, so I need less kindling.

Donate your extras:

Here are a few places to drop off larger sized scraps. If these places say they don’t use fabric, offer to teach a class for them.

• Theater costume departments
• Schools–either to art classes, sewing classes or a theater department
• Pre-schools or daycare centers
• Retirement homes
• Scouts or after-school programs
• Sunday school programs

If you sew regularly and find you often have an unruly scrap pile, make it a habit to get rid of all of it at least once a year. Don’t feel guilty or sad, just do it. The new empty space in your sewing room will give you peace of mind. Besides, it’ll be full of new scraps in a month or two anyway.

Choose the right thread for your project

We’ve discussed the need for high quality thread before.  It’s necessary to prevent your machine from acting up and causing you headaches. But how do you know if a thread is high quality? And what if you use *a lot* of thread for serging? Do you have to spend a fortune on expensive thread?

Choosing sewing thread shouldn’t be rocket science, but sometimes it feels that way. Just like with needles, there are different sizing systems in Europe and America, and the manufacturers usually put both types on a spool. So it can be really confusing. Here’s a rundown of the basic information you need to know:

You have five main types of thread to choose from: cotton, nylon, silk, polyester and cotton-wrapped polyester. And they fall in to three basic categories: general purpose, heavy duty and decorative.

For general sewing and serging you have the most choice.

Here are the basic recommendations for light to medium weight fabrics.

Cotton:

• Size 50
• Mercerized
• Good for woven cottons, rayons and linens
• Unsuitable for knits

Silk:

• Size A
• Good for sewing silks and wools
• Also good for knits

Nylon:

• Size A
• Good for sewing synthetics-woven and knit

Polyester:

• Size 50
• Good for sewing all fabrics, any fibers, knits or wovens

Cotton-wrapped Polyester:

• Size 50
• All-purpose thread for sewing any type fabric

For heavy-duty sewing on things like canvas, vinyl, leather or upholstery fabrics you need a heavier weight thread. Size 40 is the most common for heavier sewing, and you can find it in all the fibers listed above.

How to tell if your thread is damaged.

Light will cause thread to deteriorate. And the cheaper the thread, the faster it goes bad. Hold a strand up to the light and look at the fibers. If the thread is smooth and strong, you’re good to go. If you see all sorts of fuzzy bits or the thread seems rough, throw it out. It’s no good to anyone, not even for hand sewing. Store your thread in a light-proof container to keep it in good condition.

Thread conditioner can help.

You can also use thread conditioner to smooth out questionable threads.  If you’re sewing by hand, just run the strand through some beeswax to lubricate. If you’re sewing by machine, especially industrial sewing, you can purchase special containers for silicone liquid thread conditioner. The container sits near your machine and the thread runs through it to be coated with the conditioner before winding its way through your machine.

Decorative threads need special care.

There are all sorts of specialty threads from sparkly metallics to shiny nylon and silk for embroidery machines. These can shred and cause all sorts of problems if you don’t pay close attention. Make sure your machine is designed to handle decorative threads. Usually, all you have to do is change to a special needle with a wider groove down the shaft. They make needles especially for metallic thread and embroidery thread. You may also need to use a stabilizer or embroidery hoop with your fabric when sewing with specialty threads.

Experiment to find your favorite threads.

Everyone has their favorite thread they buy all the time. Some people swear they never ever use cotton thread, and others do just fine with it. The truth is every sewing machine and ever fabric has a different tolerance for what type of thread it will take. So, experiment with different levels. Personally, I use a lot of thread because I do a ton of serging. After lots of experimenting, I’ve found my Viking Huskylock does just fine with the cones of thread I can buy at my local fabric store. It’s not the cheap “5 spools for a buck” thread, but it’s not the highest quality either. But my machine is happy with it, so I’m happy.

Remember that 90% of sewing machine problems happen because of the thread or needles. Before you get angry or frustrated at your machine, try a different thread. It might just save you time, money and headaches.

Faux sequin fabric

Now that Halloween’s over, I’ve had a chance to talk with some people about their experiences with sewing costumes. Many of them used “glitter dot” fabric (that polyester stuff with the mylar dots glued on) and said they were so frustrated sewing with it. The needle gets stuck; the dots come off on your iron; they gum up your machine. One person even said “why do they even sell this stuff if you can’t use it?”

I’m right there with you. Sewing dance and skating costumes for so many years, I can’t help but sew with glitter dot now and then. The main reason people have a hard time sewing this stuff is that the heat and friction from the sewing process melt the glue and release the dots. Fortunately, there are a few tricks that help make the process easier.

1) Use a fresh sharp needle, even though the fabric itself is a knit. A ball-point needle won’t penetrate the dots, or at least not gracefully.

2) Lubricate the needle with a silicon liquid like Sewer’s Aid (available in the notions section of your local fabric store.) If you’re in a pinch, you can just rub candle wax on the needle.

3) Use a high quality thread (that hasn’t been sitting in the sun.)

4) Don’t press unless you have to, and then use low heat and only on the back side of the fabric (and use a pressing cloth.) Heat softens the glue and melts the dots. It’s a mess you really don’t want to deal with.

5) Try to sew most of your seams “right sides together” so the dots can’t escape onto your needle. If you have to topstitch, you might want to use some wash away stabilizer over the dots. Then just rinse it away when you’re done sewing.

6) Sew as slowly as you can, to avoid heating up the glue.

7) If the needle becomes gunky with glue build-up, you can use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to clean the needle (don’t forget to reapply the lubricant.)

When you’re finished with the project, discard your needle and give your machine a good cleaning out. You don’t want any stray dots or fuzz to stay inside the mechanical parts. Do you have any tricks for sewing with glitter dot? Share them with us in the comments.

I’ve known about this book for a while now, and finally had a good look at it this week. What a treasure! It’s like having your own private sewing teacher on hand all the time. Hundreds of sewing teachers, actually, because the book is mostly written by regular visitors to PatternReview.com.  The book takes the best tips from a community of over 200,000 members. Plus you get mini-tutorials from master teachers and designers like Susan Khalje, Kenneth D. King, Anna Mazur and more.

You can just open the book and start reading. Most of the tips are little more than a paragraph long, but solve some of the most frustrating sewing problems like:

• Fitting problem areas
• Sewing zippers and pockets
• Organizing your stash
• Sewing with difficult fabrics like velvet, fleece, chiffon and lame
• Using tricky trims like feathers and ribbon

But this is not just a great coffee table book, it’s a useful reference volume, too. The overall chapters are organized into general topics. So, you can find a quick answer to your immediate problems. The chapters include:

• Sewing gear
• Setting up your sewing room
• Design and pattern prep
• Fabric, thread and notions
• Layout, cutting and marking
• Fitting
• Sewing
• Finishing
• Embellishments

Because the tips are written by regular people who sew all the time, the solutions are practical and easy to understand. When you finish reading a section on linings, for example, you’re left with the feeling that it really isn’t that difficult. It makes you really want to go tackle that scary technique and overcome the stumbling block once and for all.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that I wasn’t able to put it down. Each tip led to another and another and before I knew it, I spent hours reading and planning new projects in my head (when I should have been upstairs sewing.)

I highly recommend this book for anyone who sews, or wants to sew. It would make a fabulous gift, sure to be loved and used regularly for a long time. It’s available in paperback from your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.

Sometimes when you sew multiple layers of fabric, like with quilting or upholstery work, you’ll notice the layers tend to go together unevenly. It’s incredibly frustrating as you sew and unsew seam after seam. Sometimes you can just add a ton of pins along the seam to stop this, but it’s much more efficient to use a walking foot.

A walking foot has its own set of feed dogs to move the top layer of fabric, while the bottom feed dogs on your machine move the bottom layer. This means your thick stack of fabric moves along at an even pace and you don’t get weird wrinkles or bunches in your sewing.

You can buy industrial sewing machines with a built-in walking foot. These are designed to sew only straight and are often used by quilters and upholsterers. This type of walking foot includes a “needle feed” which means the top and bottom feed dogs and the needle all move in conjunction so the fabric is advanced to the back in one smooth step. They make sewing leather, canvas and quilts much easier, but they’re not always necessary–especially if you have a high quality machine to begin with

Home machines can have a walking foot, too. But it doesn’t work quite the same way as an industrial. In this case, there’s no needle feed and the walking foot isn’t actually “walking”. It’s just assisting in moving the layers of fabric better than a smooth-bottom foot would. Some home machines include a walking foot in their standard accessories. But if yours didn’t, don’t worry. You can purchase a walking foot for almost any machine at your local fabric store or online. It simply snaps or screws onto your needle bar just like any other specialty presser foot. There are no special settings you need to worry about.

Helpful hints:

Make sure you purchase the correct foot for your machine’s make and model.

Use a walking foot when you have more than two layers of fabric, or you’re sewing thicker fabrics like denim or canvas.

A good walking foot eliminates the need for lots of pins. In fact, some people skip the pinning step completely.

Compact sewing cabinet with storage

It shouldn’t hurt to sew. You probably know the feeling you get after a long stretch of sewing–the aches and pains in your back, the stiff joints, the eye-strain and headaches. Not unlike how I feel after too long at the computer, actually. Here are some reminders to help you stay healthy and pain free while you sew.

1. Sew in a well-lit room. Use lots of natural light, if possible, or light bulbs that simulate natural light.
2. Every now and then, get up and look out the window. Let your eyes focus on something far away for a while. Too much up-close focusing leaves your eyes tired and twitching.
3. Use a cutting table. I think most people use whatever surface is handy to cut fabric. When I was younger, I just used the floor. That was a huge mistake, and my back and knees paid for it! Kitchen tables aren’t the best solution either. To find the perfect height for you, measure from the floor to 4″ below your elbow. If your table is too short, you can simply add books or risers from a bed and bath store. If your table is too high, well, it might be a good idea to get a different one.
4. Get a good sewing chair. Your knees and hips should be at a 90-degree angle when you’re sitting. You also need back support if you’re going to be sitting for long periods of time. If you can’t get an ergonomic chair for yourself, at least make a lumbar support pillow for yourself.
5. Make sure your sewing machine table is at a good height for you. You should never have to hunch over to operate your machine. To find the correct height, sit down so your knees are at a 90-degree angle, then hold your arms up so your elbows create a 90-degree angle as well. Measure up from the floor to where your hands are. That’s where your machine’s sewing surface should be. Most of us sew at a height that’s way too high, resulting in shoulder and neck pain, and worst of all-headaches.
6. Sit up straight while you sew. For many people, the proper furniture isn’t enough. You have to practice good posture and use it all the time. If your skeleton is out of alignment even a little bit, your muscles are compensating to hold you steady. By sitting up straight, your bones do most of the supporting and your muscles don’t have to work as hard. (Which means you can sew longer.) When using your machine, sit close enough to the table that you don’t have to reach forward with your back. You want to sit nice and tall.
7. Take a stretch break–often. The standard posture at a sewing machine (or computer for that matter) is leaning forward. So, when you take a break, stretch in the opposite direction. Reach your hands over your head and bend backward for a little bit.
8. Look up. Your neck will get cramped if you spend too much time looking down at your machine, so make sure you take some time to look up and move your head around.
9. Stay hydrated. Your muscles need water–and no, coffee and soda don’t count. Caffeine actually dehydrates you. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try flavored varieties. My favorite is peppermint extract–just a few drops makes my water taste like mint ice cream (yummmm)
10. When lifting heavy bolts or rolls of fabric, remember to lift with your legs, not your arms, knees or back. And get some help, if you need it.

OSHA has a great website set up specifically for sewing room ergonomics. It was written for manufacturers, but the same concepts apply to home sewing rooms as well. You can find it here.

Do you have any tips for pain-free sewing? Share them with us in the comments.

Okay, so I learned the hard way. A few years ago, I ordered eight yards of the most gorgeous red heavy silkish fabric I’d ever seen. As I looked at it on my computer, I could see the very dress I was going to make with it. Maybe even a long jacket. Eagerly, I filled out the order form and sent in my credit card number. And then like a kid waiting for Christmas, I ran to the mailbox every day hoping it was there.

It took about a week (a watched mailbox never boils,) but when it finally arrived I was so excited I ripped open the package before I even got back to the house. And that’s when my heart dropped right out of my chest. The gorgeous red silk was actually a watermelon color with some weird ridges running through it. Definitely not the fabric I ordered. What a disappointment.

Not to be undone, I quickly got online to get the customer service phone number and fix the situation. No phone number. Just a generic email address and a submit form. Well, that was better than nothing. When I finally did get someone to talk to me about the mistake, I found out it wasn’t a mistake at all. And I learned the most important lesson about buying fabric online…

Colors On Your Monitor May Not Be Accurate.

Apparently, different monitors show color differently. So what was actually watermelon, looked like a deep cherry red on my computer screen. Always ask for a swatch, unless you know for sure what you’re getting.

Fortunately, the customer service representative took pity on me and said “It’s okay, just send it back to us and we’ll refund your money (minus a restocking fee, of course.)” Which leads us to lessons two and three…

Make sure you can get a hold of a real person at the company (by phone, preferably).

It’s best if the website has an actual brick and mortar store somewhere. But if not, a phone number and mailing address somewhere on the site is a good sign.

Check their return policy.

Be sure you can return the fabric if there’s a mistake. And find out who pays for shipping.

Remember when I said this was a few years ago? Well, I came across this pile of pink stuff just the other day. That’s right, I never did return it. At the time, I was a busy mom of three very young children and it got pushed to the back burner until it was just too late. I can’t even remember the website I ordered it from anymore.  Which brings us to lesson four…

If you do need to return something, do it promptly.

There’s no sense in holding onto fabric you’ve got no use for. So, do you like watermelon pink fabric? Send me an email…I’ve got a present for the first person to claim it!

Got any online purchasing stories of your own? I’d love to hear them. Leave a comment!

Wing needles come in several sizes and even double needle style.

Most of the time you want to avoid making holes in your fabric as you sew. But occasionally holes can make a nice decorative touch. That’s what a wing needle is for. It’s a regular sewing machine needle on top, but down by the eye it has two protruding wings. The wings work like an awl, pushing the individual threads of the fabric apart but not breaking them. So instead of a tear, you get a nice lacy opening.

Wing needles work on light to medium weight woven fabrics. So they’re great for linens, cottons, even some denim.  Many people use a wing needle to create a row of holes between rows of machine or hand embroidery. This gives a nice old-fashioned effect like Victorian drawn-thread embroidery. Most people use this technique to create heirloom looks on the hems of bed linens, towels, handkerchiefs, aprons and pinafores. But you can use it anywhere you like. Think outside the box and you never know what you might come up with.

Wing Needle Hints:

• You can use the wing needle with thread or without. For example, if you wanted to do some lacing with a thick decorative thread or ribbon, you could run a row of wing stitches without thread to make the holes quick and easy.
• Make sure you test your needle out on a scrap piece of fabric first. Different weaves create different sized holes, and you want to get your spacing right before you sew on the actual project. To adjust the spacing between holes, just change the stitch length.
• Sometimes lighter weight fabrics will tend to pucker as the wing pushes the threads apart. You can fix this by backing your fabric with a lightweight stabilizer.
• For best results on linens and cottons, prepare your fabric ahead of time. Apply a light coating of spray starch, let it soak in for a minute, then dry iron your fabric. Repeat three or four times until you have a nice crisp foundation to work on.
• Use an open toe embroidery foot so you can see your work clearly. And you may need to change your throat plate to accommodate the large needle. Try making a stitch with the handwheel first. If metal meets metal anywhere, you need to make adjustments or you’ll damage your machine.
• You can create single rows of holes by using a straight stitch. Or you can make multiple rows by using a zig-zag or other decorative stitch.
• You can make a very pretty trim by placing an organza ribbon or piece of lace on top of your primary fabric and sewing with the wing needle.

Stitches made with a size 16 wing needl

Wing needles are easily available at your local sewing shop or you can get them online. They cost less than $10, and since you’re only using them occasionally, they last a long time. Why not experiment with a wide variety of stitches, tensions, backings, etc.? Make a sampler of your experiments and keep notes. That way when you need to use a wing needle effect in the future, you’ll have a quick reference chart handy.

Have you tried using a wing needle? Have any great tips to add to this list? Please leave a comment!

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