Complete idiots guide to sewing, the missy shelper rebecca kemp brent

The Complete Idiots Guide to Sewing Sewing by Missy Shepler and Rebecca Kemp Brent A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc ALPHA BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc , 375 Hudson.The Complete Idiots Guide to Sewing Sewing by Missy Shepler and Rebecca Kemp Brent A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc ALPHA BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc , 375 Hudson.

by Missy Shepler and Rebecca Kemp Brent

A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc

ALPHA BOOKS

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York

10014, USA

Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700,

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Copyright © 2011 by Missy Shepler and Rebecca Kemp Brent

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THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and Design are registeredtrademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2010913771

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its authors.

It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the

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If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competentprofessional should be consulted

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a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application ofany of the contents of this book

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Blanket or Buttonhole Stitch

14

Project: Bare Necessities Needle

A Treasury of Tools and Notions

30

Project: Biscornu Pincushion

31

3

Machine Needles and Thread 35

Machine Needle Know-How

52

An Open and Shut Case

Beyond Basic Machine Stitches 61

Standard Machine Stitches

66

78

Project: Sweet Seamed

Pleats Are a Kick

Project: Pop-Up Storage

182

Elastic Types and Widths

Zipper Parts and Types

Mind the Gap!

Pattern Layouts and Cutting

Project: The Fudd Cap

Facings and Linings

us survived our own personal sewing disasters when we were

starting out, and thankfully, we’ve improved a bit since then

Through the years, we just kept stitching, even when handmadeitems weren’t “hip.” That’s a big part of why we’re so excited aboutthe renewed interest in sewing Crafty is cool again, and we couldn’t

be more thrilled!

Today’s sewists seem fearless, with a relaxed style of sewing that’struly “stitch-and-go”! We see them rediscovering sewing skills inclasses and online, yet struggling with some of the same techniquesthat troubled us, too That’s why we put together these sewing

instructions, tips, and resources—information we wish we’d had wayback when!

Whether you’ve never picked up a needle and thread or are

returning to the stitching life after an extended absence, you’ll findessential sewing information here This book explains the basics ofboth hand and machine sewing and steps you through specific

techniques with fast, fun projects to make Plus, we’ve unpuzzledpatterns, made sense of measurements, and outlined easy garmentconstructions

Ready to get sewing? Read on!

What You’ll Find in This Book

Like any other art or craft, sewing is a skill Once you’ve masteredthe basics, you can build on that foundation We’ve structured thisbook with that idea in mind, starting with simple hand-sewing skillsyou’ll use again and again, teaching you how to make the most ofyour sewing machine, and introducing and explaining the tools andmaterials you’ll need We cover common terms and techniques you’llneed to know about and simplify the steps for making cute clothesthat fit And because experience is the best teacher, we’ve includednumerous projects throughout so you can practice your newly

learned skills Finally, we point you toward more information,

supplies, and local connections within your own community

Here’s how it all breaks down:

Part 1, Let’s Start Sewing!, introduces you to simple hand stitches

and guides you through getting to know your sewing machine Weget down to details about machine needles and

thread and set you straight on squaring up fabric, the importance ofpressing, and other essential skills you’ll use in every project youmake We also explore standard, utility, and decorative stitches

available on most machines

Part 2, Great Seams, covers a few of the many ways to sew two or

more pieces of fabric together We show you how to sew standardand specialty seams, give common options for

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sewing

finishing seam edges, and offer ideas for alternative endings Wealso present super-easy solutions for sewing curved shapes

Indulge your taste for texture in Part 3, Sweet Shapes In addition to

learning how to use darts to add shape to and contour garments, youlearn how to transform flat fabric with pleats, tucks, gathering, andruffles; simple shirring; and different methods of appliqué

Part 4, Textiles and Trims, takes a closer look at fabric, fasteners,

and trims Learn what fabrics work best for specific tasks and get theinside story on linings and stabilizers Explore trim types, make yourown bias binding and piping, and try out fun trim techniques Expandyour notions knowledge with our overview of simple fasteners andlearn to attach buttons, elastic, and zippers

In Part 5, Getting into Garments, we play with patterns, taking the

mystery out of body measurements and learning simple fitting

techniques You also learn to pin, mark, and cut like a pro and

expand your wardrobe with basic garment construction skills

Check the appendixes at the back of the book for a glossary of

common sewing terms, resources for sewing supplies, additionalsewing instruction and inspiration, and tips for finding sewingrelateditems in your area Appendix C contains hints for heading off

machine mayhem, plus information on standard pattern sizes andinstruction on figuring fabric yardage and

Acknowledgments and Special Thanks

Many people have contributed to this book First of all, we want tothank our friends and families for excusing our extended absences

(mental and otherwise) while we were working on this project.

Thanks go to Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency for

making the connections; to the publishers and editors at Alpha

Books for persevering with this project, especially at such a

tumultuous time for the publishing industry; and to Scott Shepler foradding his considerable illustration and photography expertise to thebook

We’d also like to thank Linda Turner Griepentrog, the best sewingresource in the world and our constant cheerleader She has madesuch a difference in so many lives!

Special thanks go to the companies that contributed supplies andmaterials for the projects in this book, especially Westminster Fibersfor providing such wonderful Free Spirit Fabrics and Coats & Clarkfor providing threads and zippers Please use these products

whenever you can (see Appendix B)

And as always, thanks to our mothers, grandmothers, and grandmothers for sharing their needle skills with future generations,stitch by stitch

great-Trademarks

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or are

suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been

appropriately capitalized Alpha Books and Penguin Group (USA)Inc cannot attest to the accuracy of this information Use of a term inthis book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any

trademark or service mark

Part

Let’s Start Sewing!

1

In the first part of this book, you learn the basics of hand and

machine sewing Beginning in Chapter 1, you start building stitchskills and practicing techniques on quick-to-stitch, practical projectsthat are also fun to make! In addition, you start assembling a

treasury of sewing tools and notions you’ll use again and again—even far beyond these pages

Also in these chapters, we demystify the sewing machine, identifycommon machine parts, and explain simple skills every successfulsewist must know, such as how to change a machine needle, wind abobbin, sew a straight line, and tame tension troubles You learn how

to choose the right needle and thread for your fabric, how to preparefor your first project, and which machine stitches to use where Easy-to-follow, step-by-step project instructions include extra informationand ideas to advance your skills

You’re going to love sewing and saying, “Thanks! I made it myself!”Let’s get stitching!

Chapter

Hand Stitching

1

In This Chapter

tSimple hand-sewing tools

tEasy but essential hand-sewing skills

tAn introduction to needle and thread

tSewing stitches to get you started

tCreating a needle case sewing kit

Some people prefer to sew by machine; others love stitching by

hand Often there’s a need for both techniques in a project, and

having a few simple hand-stitching skills in your sewing arsenal is,

well, handy for anyone—even the most die-hard, machine-only

sewist! Hand stitching is perfectly portable, and it’s so easy to getstarted Just gather a few simple sewing tools, thread, and fabric,and you’re ready to sew!

Hand-Sewing Essentials

You can start to sew with an amazingly small number of tools andmaterials The bare essentials you need are pins and needles,

scissors, fabric, and thread It’s also helpful to have a needle

threader, thimble, tape measure, pincushion, and emery on hand.Let’s take a look at each of these basics

Needles

Needles vary by thickness, length, eye shape and size, and pointshape Needle size is indicated by number A low number indicates alonger, thicker needle, while a higher number denotes a shorter, finerneedle Choose a needle for the fabric weight and thread thicknessyou’re using It should be thin enough to pass through the fabric

without leaving large holes but strong enough not to break or bend

Be sure the eye’s large enough to accommodate the thread you’reusing and protect it from undue friction that causes fraying

4

Part 1: Let’s Start Sewing!

Needles are sized and shaped according to their

elongated eye

round eye

intended use.

needle shaft

ball point

sharp point

Most needles are inexpensive and are available in packages

containing several sizes of one type of needle or an assortment ofdifferent types If you’re just starting out, get a variety pack that

contains the most commonly used needle types:

Sharps are fine, medium-length, pointed needles with small, round

eyes Choose them for general sewing

Betweens or quilting needles are short needles with small, round

eyes The short needle length facilitates fine, quick, accurate

stitches, making betweens a favorite for hand quilting and detailedsewing

Embroidery or crewel needles look similar to sharps but have an

elongated eye to accommodate multiple strands of embroidery floss.They’re used for general sewing, crewel work, smocking, and

embroidery

Milliners or straw needles are fine and similar to sharps but longer.

They’re the same diameter from tip to eye, so they glide throughnarrow spaces easily Milliners were designed to use in making

women’s hats, but they’re also used for basting, pleating, beading,and decorative stitching

Tapestry needles are large, blunt-tipped needles that feature

extra-large eyes to accommodate yarn, floss, and decorative threads used

in needlepoint, embroidery, and counted cross-stitch

Their blunt tips pass through the loosely woven or open-mesh

materials without splitting the fabric’s threads Tapestry needles canalso be used to thread narrow elastic, ribbon, or drawstrings throughcasings

Straight pins are used to hold layers of fabric together for both handand machine sewing Like needles, pins come in a variety of formsfor specific sewing needs Pins may have metal, plastic, or glassheads, and the length and thickness of the shaft varies with the

intended fabric use

The metal in a pin can make it rust-resistant or rustproof and

determines whether or not you can sweep them up with a magnet—ahuge help if you happen to drop one … or one hundred!

Chapter 1: Hand Stitching

5

It’s not necessary to have every pin type in your sewing stash, but it

is helpful to have a few different kinds Here are some of our

Ball point pins have rounded points that slide into knit and delicate

fabrics without piercing fabric threads Available in medium and long

lengths, these pins have round, easy-grasp heads.

Flower head pins are extra long, fine, and sharp, perfect for pinning

together thick quilt layers or loosely woven lace The thin diameterallows the pin to slide easily through most fabrics The flat flowerhead is easy to grasp and lies out of the way, close to the fabric

Glass head pins are available in short, medium, and long lengths

and can be used with all fabric types and weights Medium-lengthpins (¹¹⁄ to ¹⁵⁄ inches) are used for most sewing projects

Glass heads make pins easy to spot and grasp, and they hold up tothe heat of pressing

Silk pins are fine, sharp pins used on silks, sheers, and other

delicate fabrics Their thin shafts prevent pinholes in the fabric, whiletheir round glass heads are easy to see and stand up to pressing

T-pins are strong, heavyweight pins for use with thick, tough,

upholstery-weight fabrics and canvas The pin shaft is bent to form acapital letter T at the head, providing extra leverage when you’repinning heavy layers

PINPRICK

Never press plastic pinheads They can melt, leaving permanentcolored spots on your

project

To pin fabrics together, insert the pin straight down through the

fabric, pivot the pin back up toward the fabric, and push the pointback through both layers of fabric The pin and fabric should lie flatwith the pin perpendicular to the raw fabric edge

Part 1: Let’s Start Sewing!

Place pins perpendicular to the fabric edge.

1/4" to 1/2"

Scissors and Shears

If you remember nothing else after reading this chapter, let it be this:

invest in good-quality sewing shears Quality shears may seem

pricey when you’re first starting out, but they’ll cut accurately; lastlonger; and save you time, money, and mental health in the long run

Many different scissors and shears are available for various sewingtasks Scissors measure less than 6 inches in length, have equalsize ring handles, and are used for lightweight sewing tasks such astrimming seams and clipping curves or threads Shears measure 6inches or longer, have different size handle rings, and are used tocut multiple layers of fabric

Use scissors for simple trimming tasks, and

save your shears for cutting fabric.

scissors

shears

PINPRICK

Using sewing scissors for anything other than cutting fabric can dull

or damage the blades

Take care of your sewing scissors by keeping the cutting bladesclean and sharp

Fabric and Thread

If you haven’t already noticed, there’s a huge selection of fabric andthread out there just waiting for you! Don’t be overwhelmed by thenumber of choices available Most patterns or projects offer fabricand thread suggestions in the materials list; use those suggestions

as a guide for your fabric shopping

Most sewists fall in love with textiles and collect a stash of favoritefabric and thread You must be prepared when the sewing bug

strikes!

Chapter 1: Hand Stitching

7

Threader and Thimble

At some point in everyone’s life, eyesight gives way to age, and whatused to be a simple, seconds-only task—threading a needle—

becomes tension-filled turmoil Save yourself the stress Use a

needle threader Hand-needle threaders consist of a thin, folded wireloop attached to a handle The wire loop is flexible, but it’s fine andstiff enough to slip easily through the eye of a needle

To use a threader (left), place the thread through the threader’s wire loop and pull it back through the needle eye Tapestry needle

threaders (right) have rigid, heavier-weight wire loops to

accommodate larger yarns, ribbons, and decorative threads.

A thimble is a small covering worn over your fingertip or thumb toprotect against painful needle pokes and help you push needlesthrough thick fabrics Thimbles come in many different shapes andsizes and are commonly made from metal, leather, and rubber Mostpeople prefer to wear a thimble on the middle finger of their needlehand; others find their index finger more fitting Experiment to findwhat works best for your sewing style

Use the thimble end to push the needle’s eye

end through the fabric, grasp the point between

your thumb and thimble, and pull to complete

a stitch.

Tape Measure, Pincushion, and Emery

Tape measures are usually made from plastic or fiberglass that’s firmbut flexible enough to bend around curves without stretching Lookfor a tape measure 60 inches long with inch markings on one sideand centimeters on the other

8

Part 1: Let’s Start Sewing!

Pincushions come in many, many shapes and sizes, from tiny, size wonders that fit on a finger to wristwatch-size wraps or prettylittle pillows While traditional pincushions are clothcovered shapesfilled with sawdust and stuffing, more modern magnetic pincushions

ring-“capture”

metal pins on a brightly colored plastic base All pincushions havethe same purpose—to provide a safe, handy place for storing

needles and pins

The standard segmented tomato pincushion comes with a smallerstrawberry shape attached

That strawberry is filled with fine sand or emery Poke pins and

needles in and out of an emeryfilled strawberry to keep them cleanand sharp

SEWING SENSE

Emery is an abrasive mineral that, when ground into a powder,

resembles fine metal shavings Emery is often used to polish,

smooth, or grind away rust or rough spots from metal In sewing,emery is used to sharpen the tips of pins and needles

Basic Beginnings

Once you’ve collected your sewing essentials, it’s time to start

sewing Where to begin? With needle and thread, of course!

How to Thread a Needle

First, cut a length of thread about 18 inches long if you’re sewingwith a single thread and want your stitching to blend in or be lessnoticeable Cut the thread twice as long if you’re sewing with a

doubled thread for strong or boldly visible stitches