Skip to main content

Guest Post: Maddie from Madalynne

Image
By
Maddie's on the blog today! 
She has a wonderful sewing blog that must be bookmarked in your resource library right now!
Following our post on how silk is made by Gabby, we asked Maddie to help us on how to actually sew this beautiful fabric. Which if you have ever attempted, you know it can be a real hot mess! 
Try her tips below, and if you have any questions please comment on this post or send us an email.
We would love to help you get answers.
Hi, my name is Maddie Flanigan and I am the blogger behind Madalynne, the cool sewing and pattern making blog. If Steve McQueen was the “King of Cool,” then Madalynne is the “Queen of Cool.” My blog covers everything from how to draft a sloper to interviews with independent pattern makers/designers and what projects I’m working on. For the past two and a half years, my day job has been in the technical design department for a very large fashion company in Philadelphia. A couple of months ago, this company took note of my personal blog and asked me to start an Internet blog that would create a cohesive voice for all their brands. Cool, right? I consider myself one lucky gal to be able to do what I love both day and night (blog and sew), not to mention I receive a stellar discount off some really fancy clothes.

Enough about me though, let’s talk about silk.
Silk can be a disaster or a beauty. It can be sinuous and smooth or pucker like no other. It’s all up to you and how much TLC you give the fabric. Below, I have listed my tips on handling and sewing silk. Each point is super important but the most important thing to remember when sewing silk is patience. If you find yourself impatient or rushing at any point, step back, take a break or sleep on it, and come back to the project. Silk needs time and care and when you give it, you’re project will be epic.
Maddie is a big fan of using muslin underneath her silk when cutting out her pattern. She pins right onto the muslin so it prevents the silk from slipping around while she's cutting. 
What a great tip!
We sell muslin too! So the next time you order silk, think about adding a few yards of muslin to your order. 
We suggest using your cut out muslin pieces as a sample run of the garment you will be making prior to sewing on your actual fabric to check sizing and prevent as many expensive mistakes as possible.

Silk is not as daunting as before now, right? We hope so! Give it a try!
Shop our silks here.
Don't forget your muslin!

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2012 at 11:06 AM

    Love love love it! So glad I could help you out!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

By
Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

By
Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!!  It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants.  The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications.  The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam.  I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast.  My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration.  I drafted these last year and have been wo...
5 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

By
Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles.  ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do!  This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...
6 comments
Continue Reading »