Sewing to Techniques to Master in 2017
I have a bad habit of half-assing my projects. Like, if no one else will see the inside seams, why finish them? I had no 'sewing standards' so to speak. But I am done with that. I'm turning over a new leaf and I am going to start actually making a decent garment. I feel as though I am in the stages of becoming an intermediate seamstress. So to up my game, I have decided to make a list of techniques that I am either not good at or haven't tried and work on them in the upcoming year. So without further ado, here are my top 7 techniques for becoming a better sewer... sew-er... seamstress. ((sigh))
#7- Zippers:
I can't tell you how many zippers I have put into my garments crappily. They seem easy enough, but mine never come out right. Like, never ever. Usually I can hide them well enough, but I would like to make them look better. I've read a lot of tips on installing zippers, so we'll see.
#6- Piping:
I have done a little piping a few years ago when I did a custom pillow order on my Etsy shop, but that is the only time I've messed around with it. I would really like to try to incorporate it into a princess seam on a dress or something similar. I just think it looks very professional.
#5- Bias Binding:
Here is another technique that I've done and I feel like I'm no good at it. I have read some tips for making it look better, like on a curved neckline, but I have yet to attempt it. So again, it looks professional to me so I'd like to master it.
#4- Inverted/Contour Darts:
This is a technique that I've never encountered in any of my patterns yet, so I'd love to give it a go. I'm not a huge fan of darts, but the seem interesting the way they really shape a garment. I'm not really a fan of billowy tops 9 times out of 10. Sometimes I like the way they look, but I'm more of a fitted blouse fan, so these inverted darts seem right up my alley.
#3- Welt Pockets:
Another technique I haven't encountered in the wild is a welt pocket. Well, I take that back... I may have seen it on a sweater pattern and disregarded it, but I'm not sure. It seems new to me and I think I'd remember seeing this, but I'm not 100%. Anywho, this seems like a nice detail in a structured blazer or maybe even on a blouse or pair of vintage slacks, so I'm going to give it a go.
#2- Boning:
Heh heh... Boning. Sorry, had to channel my inner Beavis for this one. I've been fascinated by the inner structure of haute couture dresses, but I've never even come close to putting any structure in my dresses. There is a strapless dress pattern that I've been dying to make that uses boning and a waist stay to hold the dress up, so I'll be making that soon. Unfortunately, there are a few kinds of boning and I have the cheapest/least sturdy of them all; the plastic kind from Hancock Fabrics (RIP). I hear it will do in a pinch, so I'll practice with it and maybe splurge on the good stuff if I have a fancy occasion dress to make one day.
#1- Underlining:
Oh boy. This technique for some reason makes me cringe, and I'm not sure why. I've read about underlining a few times and it really doesn't seem that bad, but for some reason it intimidates me. I know it's main purpose is to add structure or body to a garment, which is a good thing! I think there might be a pattern it Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book that uses underlining, so I'll have to try it.
So that's it for my techniques for 2017. When I finish with one, I'll link it on this post to keep track of the ones I've accomplished. Wish me luck!
**Pictures for the Underlining, Welt Pockets and Inverted/Contour Darts were taken from the Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing from 1976.
#7- Zippers:
I can't tell you how many zippers I have put into my garments crappily. They seem easy enough, but mine never come out right. Like, never ever. Usually I can hide them well enough, but I would like to make them look better. I've read a lot of tips on installing zippers, so we'll see.
#6- Piping:
I have done a little piping a few years ago when I did a custom pillow order on my Etsy shop, but that is the only time I've messed around with it. I would really like to try to incorporate it into a princess seam on a dress or something similar. I just think it looks very professional.
#5- Bias Binding:
Here is another technique that I've done and I feel like I'm no good at it. I have read some tips for making it look better, like on a curved neckline, but I have yet to attempt it. So again, it looks professional to me so I'd like to master it.
#4- Inverted/Contour Darts:
This is a technique that I've never encountered in any of my patterns yet, so I'd love to give it a go. I'm not a huge fan of darts, but the seem interesting the way they really shape a garment. I'm not really a fan of billowy tops 9 times out of 10. Sometimes I like the way they look, but I'm more of a fitted blouse fan, so these inverted darts seem right up my alley.
#3- Welt Pockets:
Another technique I haven't encountered in the wild is a welt pocket. Well, I take that back... I may have seen it on a sweater pattern and disregarded it, but I'm not sure. It seems new to me and I think I'd remember seeing this, but I'm not 100%. Anywho, this seems like a nice detail in a structured blazer or maybe even on a blouse or pair of vintage slacks, so I'm going to give it a go.
#2- Boning:
Heh heh... Boning. Sorry, had to channel my inner Beavis for this one. I've been fascinated by the inner structure of haute couture dresses, but I've never even come close to putting any structure in my dresses. There is a strapless dress pattern that I've been dying to make that uses boning and a waist stay to hold the dress up, so I'll be making that soon. Unfortunately, there are a few kinds of boning and I have the cheapest/least sturdy of them all; the plastic kind from Hancock Fabrics (RIP). I hear it will do in a pinch, so I'll practice with it and maybe splurge on the good stuff if I have a fancy occasion dress to make one day.
#1- Underlining:
Oh boy. This technique for some reason makes me cringe, and I'm not sure why. I've read about underlining a few times and it really doesn't seem that bad, but for some reason it intimidates me. I know it's main purpose is to add structure or body to a garment, which is a good thing! I think there might be a pattern it Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book that uses underlining, so I'll have to try it.
So that's it for my techniques for 2017. When I finish with one, I'll link it on this post to keep track of the ones I've accomplished. Wish me luck!
**Pictures for the Underlining, Welt Pockets and Inverted/Contour Darts were taken from the Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing from 1976.
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