Sew Along: Winter Coat Update: Sewing the Good Fabric

Last weekend I made a big dent in the progress of my Burberry-inspired winter coat. There is not a lot to report back on, but I will highlight a few little things that I did to enhance the coat.

- Did you ever use tailor's tacks? I'm sure many of you know this little trick, but I felt the need to share it in case some of you don't know about it! My mother taught me how to use these and they are one of the best ways to mark your fabric. I don't care for using chalk marks because it always seems like they disappear by the time I get to that section of a garment.

Thread a needle with a contrasting thread. Make sure to meet the ends of the thread. This is a good time to use threads that you hardly use, or old threads that may be too brittle to use in your sewing machine. (I have some of these inherited from my grandmother.) Then poke the needle through the pattern paper and all layers (good fabric, lining, etc.) leaving about 6-7 inches on the top of your stack. Then poke the needle up through stack and pull the needle through. Make sure you have two tails of 6-7 inches. Pull off the pattern paper. Starting at the bottom of your stack, pull apart each section leaving an even amount of thread between the sections. Cut the threads so that you have a tack attached to each piece. (If you leave your threads a little longer, you could even tie the threads in a loose knot to prevent them from falling out.) Now all your pieces are marked! It takes a little longer, but I feel is worth it.

You can see my tailor tacks on this sleeve section.

- While fusing interfacing on all the necessary pieces, I fused a 3" piece of lightweight fusible interfacing and placed it along the bottom edge of the hem and hem on your sleeves. This creates a crisp hem when you press the hem up rather than a "baloon-like" hem. I will take a picture of the finished hems when the coat is finished. Here is a picture of the interfacing along the hem of the sleeve.

- I decided to add flannel to the inside of my coat to make it even warmer. Rather than basting it all in place, I used 505 Spray and Fix by Odif USA. I use it all the time for holding pieces together. It is temporary, but fairly strong and does not ruin your fabric. It also does not gum up your needle which is a HUGE plus for me. After it was attached I cut approximately 1/2 inch from all edges of the flannel to reduce the bulkiness in the seams.

Here is a picture of a section I was VERY happy when all the plaids matched. At this point I was matching the side seams and creating the pockets.

Next post I'm hoping to share with you more interesting things! I should have the entire coat constructed at that point. Happy Holidays!

~ Julie

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

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...

Made By A Fabricista: Effortless ITY

Clothing made from ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) fabric is effortless, almost like wearing secret pajamas. It is silky and cool to the touch, with a beautiful drape and amazing stretch. ITY fabric is incredibly versatile, and some of the best dresses, skirts, and athletic wear I’ve owned are made from it. Thanks to Fabric Mart’s recent influx of unique ITY fabrics, I was inspired to add some additional ITY items to my wardrobe. I found two beautiful ITY fabrics on the Fabric Mart site that stopped me in my tracks. The first fabric I loved was a funky off-white and multi-color flora and fauna print from a New York Designer. I ordered two yards of this print with a top in mind. Next, I saw a beautiful ITY fabric panel featuring off-white and blue floral print. I’m usually hesitant to buy fabric panels without a plan of how to use them, but I threw caution to the wind this time. I ordered 5 panels, hoping that would give me more than enough fabric to showcase the...

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

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...

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