Category Archives: tutorials

Tutorials: How to Sew French Seams

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This is the last of the tutorials in honor of the 1910s blouse pattern.  In this tutorial we will learn how to do French seams.

French seams are a great seam finish and the technique is quite old-  most of the original lingerie blouses and dresses I have seen from the Edwardian period have this finish for their seams.  I’ve seen it on the inside of lovely sheer chiffon 1920s and 1930s garments, and it is still used today on fine fabrics and sheers where you want a nice clean finish on the inside but don’t want the fabrics to ravel and don’t want an overlock stitch visible through the sheer.

You will need:

  • A sharp machine sewing needle (especially if using delicate or lightweight fabrics)
  • scissors
  • Good quality thread
  • a sewing machine (a basic straight stitch will do)
  • And, of course, your fabric. I do suggest trying this out on scraps before starting a final garment to make sure you understand technique.  Using fabrics with a print are helpful when learning this technique, as it is done by alternating stitching on right and wrong side of the fabric.

Just to clarify, for those new to sewing, the “right side” of the fabric is the side with the print or the side which should be visible when worn.  The “wrong side” of the fabric is the side which will be next to your skin and invisible when worn.  This is also called the “outside” or the “inside”, especially in vintage instructions.

For this tutorial we are using 1/2″ total seam allowance, which is what I use in most of my patterns.  Since French seams are completed in two basic stitches, we will divide that number in half, and each seam will be 1/4″ from the edge of the garment. It will make more sense as you read below:

1-  On the RIGHT SIDE of the fabric (fabric layered wrong side to wrong side), stitch 1/4″ from the edge.  I use a special 1/4″ foot for my sewing machine when doing this step, as I can just line up the seam allowance with the edge of my foot.  Be sure to be accurate with your seam, as using a smaller or larger seam allowance will cause pieces not to line up correctly when finished.

2- Trim your seam allowance to approximately 1/8″.  I usually eye half of the width and trim it away.  This is an important step, as it will prevent any threads from being visible from the outside of the garment.

3- Open the garment, with the seam allowance still facing up, and press the seam to one side using an iron.

4- Fold your piece right sides together, wrong sides facing outward, sandwiching the seam allowance between them.  Your garment will now be right side to right side (as it is when you sew a basic seam).  The edge you just stitched should be butted right up to the fold, nice and crisp.  Press again to create a nice, crisp, folded edge.

5-  Stitch 1/4″ from the edge.  This stitch encases the seam allowance, and from the outside it looks just like a normal seam. Press your seam, then open your garment and press the seam to one side.  It’s a nice and small and tidy seam on the inside!

As a visual, these photos are re-posted from one of the close up posts of an original garment.  In the first photo you can see the outside of an original 1910s blouse, and on the inside you can see the seam finishes.  Two of the seams in the last image are French seams (not the curved seam, but the others).

Outside detail.  You can faintly see the French seam through the fabric.

Inside detail, with the seam finishes visible.

That’s it!  They’re pretty simple once you get the hang of them, and you’ll find they will probably become one of your favorite seam finishes for delicates or sheers.

I hope you have enjoyed these tutorials and hopefully they will be useful for your sewing creations!

Tutorial: Attaching Laces to Each Other & Gathering Lace

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We’re going over how to attach laces to each other in this post. In the previous post we learned how to do basic lace insertion by machine.  If you missed it, here is the link.

Attaching Laces to Each Other

When planning a garment you may decide you would like a wider insert- one composed of several pieces of laces attached one to the other. In this tutorial we will learn how to attach straight pieces of lace one to the other.  This can look lovely going down the front of a bodice or used to edge a sleeve, or to create a collar.

You will need:

  • A machine that does a zigzag stitch
  • Lace.  I recommend using one with a high cotton fibre content, and purchase extra, as I always have an tendency to run out of trims after inspiration strikes!
  • Good quality thread
  • A new sharp machine sewing needle

We are building upon techniques learned in the last post, so please read that post to help clarify steps if you’re new to these tutorials :)

1- Prepare your lace as you did in the last post, by carefully hand washing with mild soap, letting it air dry flat, and then using spray starch to give it body.  Figure out your design and, if needed, cut your lace pieces a little bit longer than the finished design (you can always cut it down later and you want to be sure the finished edge will be nice and crisp, not bunchy from where you start your stitching). When attaching laces of a similar design I find it looks best when the designs are lined up.  Here you can see I’m planning the flowers of the two lace strips to attach so that they line up.

2-  Zigzag the two laces together by machine.  The idea is to attach the headers together.  Use a similar zigzag stitch as used when attaching lace to fabric, using a width wide enough to create a sort of “bridge” over the header, encasing the two together, with the needle going down just on either side of the header.  It’s perfectly ok if the needle falls off of your lace edge- in fact, I personally try to make it go on either side of the header-  but be certain your lace pieces are starched and that your machine tension is correct so that they will not get “eaten” by your machine!

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Tutorials: Basic Lace Insertion by Machine

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As promised, in honor of the new 1910s Blouse and Guimpe pattern, here is the basic lace insertion tutorial!

Lace insertion is a wonderful technique to have under your belt.  When I personally think of lace insertion, I think of the gorgeous Edwardian garments and undergarments that were literally festooned with lace and trimmings, yet still retained a simplicity and elegance.  This technique is not limited to that era alone, however, and you can see it on garments from many time periods.  It gained a resurgence of sorts in the late 1930s to early 1940s, as the “Gibson Girl” mode came back in style, and we saw it again on garments- especially blouses and evening gowns.  This continued to be in fashion off and on, and today it is mostly used for children’s wear, as shown often by the heirloom sewing aficionado, Martha Pullen, and her magazine Sew Beautiful (which, I might add, is fantastic as inspiration for adults as well.  Most images and projects are for babies and children but the techniques can move into adult wear easily, especially when used for historic or vintage dress.)

Heirloom sewing can be quite addictive, and after you master the basic techniques you may find yourself wondering what other projects you can add lace and embellishment to, and be on the hunt for trims to use.

I am sharing here the methods that I personally use for lace insertion by machine.  There are many different methods out there.  For me the most important factor is how well something will launder and how often I am going to launder it.

Basic Pointers and Tools Needed

You will need the following tools:

  • A method of marking which will come out of your finished garment.  I used a special pencil I bought at an heirloom sewing supply store, but you may find you want to use a special sewing pen or other mode of marking.  Test it on a scrap of your fabric first to make sure it will come out when laundered.
  • Fine pins.  I use silk pins.
  • Scissors
  • Insertion style lace (with two straight edges, called “headers”).  I find those with a high cotton content work best.  A standard for heirloom quality laces are 90% cotton, 10% nylon.  Many are imported from places like France or Switzerland.
  • Your fabric.  I am using Swiss batiste, but cotton lawn or handkerchief linen also work well.
  • Spray starch
  • Good quality thread (I use Gutermann)
  • Fine sewing machine needles. Use a new, sharp one to prevent snags in your fabrics or laces.
  • A sewing machine with a zig zag stitch.
  • A pattern you plan on using (of course, I recommend my new blouse pattern.  I specifically designed it to use used with heirloom sewing techniques! :) )

Before Sewing

  1. Test your marking method (as mentioned above) on a scrap fabric.
  2. Pre-wash your laces and fabrics on a gentle cycle and with a gentle soap to prevent future puckering or stretching when cleaning your finished garment.  Lay them flat and let them air dry.
  3. Spray starch your fabric and lace after it has dried.  This is an important step, as when these fine laces and fabrics are washed they loose body which is necessary to keep them smooth and not puckering while sewing.
  4. Test your tension on your sewing machine using your zigzag stitch.  Sewing machine tension plays a huge factor in successful heirloom sewing.  If your machine needs to be serviced or is due for a tune up, you may consider getting it before trying this, especially if using expensive laces and fabrics.
  5. Make a sample of your insertion and test it in your method you will wash the finished garment to be sure it will not fray and cause the lace to separate from the garment.  Always hand wash with a mild soap or dry clean heirloom garments.  They will not stand up to a normal machine washing and do not throw them in a dryer- make sure they air dry flat.  Doing a test sample also helps you learn techniques before you start your final garment so your final garment will be your best work.

How to Plan Your Design


Plan the design of your garment and draw your guides on your fabric.  Insertion lace is sort of like patchwork- you are building a design from the bottom up- if edges need to be finished take into account what needs to go first, second, etc, to make sure all edges are finished properly and will not fray. The example above is a close up of the work I did on one of the samples of the 1910s blouse pattern, which I based on an illustration from a period catalog.  You can see that I added the horizontal insertion pieces first, then added the vertical pieces which finished the edge of the horizontal piece.  The horizontal pieces had an extra “tail” which extended into where the vertical piece was placed.  I clipped off  the “tail” when I clipped away the backing of the vertical piece, in order to have a finished edge (no hole at the ending, as would happen if I cut it right where it was to end design-wise). This will make more sense as you keep reading the basic technique below.

How to Sew Insertion Lace by Machine

Since we’re doing basic technique, I’m going to assume we’re just doing a vertical insertion from either the shoulder to hem or from the center front to hem.  This tutorial only covers insertion lace that is straight- curved lace insertion requires an additional technique.  I find it usually is best to do insertion lace before constructing a garment, unless that garment is going to have lace which travels, say, around a neckline- and in that case I’ll do it after attaching the shoulder seams.

1- Draw your design lines using your water soluble marking and a clear ruler.  Keep in mind the grain of the fabric as it relates to your design.  I have drawn two lines here that are the width of my insertion lace.

2- Pin your lace to your design.  I’m kind of haphazardly pinned my lace here- use as many pins as you need to get your lace lined up on your fabric and be sure you don’t create tension between the lace and fabric as this will cause puckers.  They should lay smoothly together.

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How-to: Bias Facing + Mitering Inside Corners

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Hurrah! We made it to the last post of the bias facing and bias binding tutorials!
In this post we’re going to look at facing scallops, or inside corners. Learning this technique comes in handy for doing the 1940′s Apron Pattern, but also for binding squared, v neck, or sweetheart necklines.
We’re building upon techniques already learned in the prior binding/facing tutorials, so if you feel lost or missed the previous posts you can find them here.

There are a lot of ways to miter inside corners.  For this tutorial I’m going to show you the technique I use. If you use another method please feel free to leave a comment or link!

Mitering Inside Corners or Scallops

We’ve already learned how to attach bias facing to a straight edge, and we’ve learned how to miter inside corners with bias binding. You’re going to combine those two types of techniques when you do your inside corners with bias facing.  Just like with your bias binding, the most crucial part of getting inside corners right with bias facing is going to be that inside point.  You can see we’ve pinned the bias facing along the edge (for this one  the seam allowance is 1/4″, the same as the bias tape seam allowance).  Pin until you get to the corner.  See the point inside the circle?  That is the most crucial part.  We want to get that point right, so that the bias binding will lay flat along the inside of the piece at both the scallop you just did, and the scallop to come, and not pull or pucker at the point.  Ease in the excess at the cut edge like a tuck (this is called a miter).  Do the same for every scallop, or every corner you need to bind.

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How-To: Bias Facing + Inside Curves

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In this section of the bias facing tutorials we’re going to learn how to face inside curves.  In the 1940′s Apron pattern which prompted these tutorials, there are no extreme inside curves to bind so you won’t need to do this.  However, bias facing for inside curves is prevalent in vintage sewing- you usually see it used for necklines (like the Sunkissed Sweetheart pattern) or for armscyes (like the 1930′s Jumper Dress pattern).  Here I’m showing how to sew an inside curve with a sample so you can get an idea of what do do for your project.

We are building upon techniques learned in the previous posts. If you feel like you’re missing out on something make sure you go back and re-read the previous posts in this how-to series.

Bias Facing for Inside Curves

First thing you’re going to do, like in the previous posts with bias facing, is figure out where you want your seam line to be.  For this hypothetical project, we’re using 1/2″ seam allowance, so I drew my line 1/2″ from the cut edge of the fabric. Important! Test a scrap of your fabric with your marking method to make sure it will come out when the garment is washed.  If you are making a garment using a fabric that will not be washed by machine (like dry clean only materials) you will not want to draw on your seam line on your fashion fabric.  Either pre-cut your edge or draw the line to match up with the cut edge of the bias binding, as described in a previous post.  For all following instructions, substitute either method for the one that shows drawing on seam allowance lines.

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How-To: Bias Facing + Outside Corners

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Continuing the how-to tutorials on bias binding and bias facing, here is how to use bias tape to face the outside corners.  You can find the intro to bias facing here, and you can find the tutorial for finishing outside corners with bias binding here.  We will be building upon techniques already learned in these tutorials, so if you feel like you’re missing out on something go back and read the previous posts in this how-to series.

Facing Outside Corners with Bias Tape

This technique is not actually used in the 1940′s apron pattern that prompted me to do these tutorials, but for future reference I thought it would be a good idea to include this, in case you are following a pattern that needs outside corners faced.

For this tutorial I am using contrast thread so that you can see my stitching.  Don’t be like me. Use thread that matches the fashion fabric of your project!

First step to to is to figure out your seam allowance.  We’re pretending the seam allowance of this hypothetical project is 1/2″.  Draw your seam lines in 1/2″ from the edges to be bound using a clear ruler and a method of marking that will come out of my fashion fabric when I wash it.   Important! If you are making a garment using a fabric that will not be washed by machine (like dry clean only materials) you will not want to draw on your seam line on your fashion fabric.  Either pre-cut your edge or draw the line to match up with the cut edge of the bias binding, as described in a previous post.  For all following instructions, substitute either method for the one that shows drawing on seam allowance lines.

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How-to: Bias Facing- Basics & Straight Edges

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We’ve got bias binding under our belt, so now we’re moving on to bias facing.  If you look at the 1940′s Apron Pattern sample photos, the one done with bias facing is the one in red and white.  Unlike the blue apron, where you can see the binding externally in a contrast blue, kind of like a trim, the red and white apron has the facing tucked to the inside of the garment, invisible from the outside.

Bias Facing- The Basics
Bias facing can be made either from store bought pre-packaged SINGLE FOLD bias tape, or can be made from your fashion fabric.  Most often times in vintage clothing it will be made to match the fashion fabric and cut from scraps.  You would use the bias facing to finish edges like necklines, armscyes of sleeveless garments, the bottom of sleeves, or even a curved wrap skirt (like the Sunkissed Sweetheart pattern, where the top and the skirt are both finished with bias facing).  In fact, the more you get into vintage sewing the more you’ll find that construction calls for edges to be finished with bias facing!  In pre-1950′s patterns, as mentioned previously, it was more common for patterns to call for bias facing than to include facing pieces. It’s a great skill to have under your belt.
With all instructions given for marking make sure you use a fabric pen, chalk, or marker that will come out of your finished garment!  Test it on a scrap of fabric before construction to make sure!


For this tutorial we will be using store bought single fold bias tape.   You can apply the same methods for self fabric bias tape made from fashion fabric after you cut your strips and press them (which we aren’t going to cover in this tutorial).  Above you see the single fold bias tape out of the package with the wrong side facing up so you can see how it’s pressed.  I always wondered why it was called single fold bias tape when there’s obviously two pressed edges ;)   But with the double fold bias tape, like you saw in the bias binding tutorials, you basically get one of these strips that’s then pressed in half lengthwise.  So for bias facing make sure you get the single fold. For this apron we use 1/2″ single fold bias tape.

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How-to: One Step Bias Binding + Mitering Inside Corners

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This is the last installment in the series for bias binding using the one-step method of attaching both ends of the bias at once (not the sew one side, flip over, then sew the other side as used most often now-a-days).  In this blog post we’ll learn to bind inside corners. After this you should be all set to sew the bias bound version of the 1940′s apron pattern!  Of course, all of these techniques can be applied to any sewing or craft project you are making that needs to have bias binding attached.

Mitering Inside Corners

We previously learned how to miter the outside corners, and attach bias on curves, so now we’re ready for the rest of the apron construction!  This method can be used for the scallops but should also be used for a sweetheart neckline.

Here you find me nearing my first scallop to be bound.  See the point on the outside? The area you will need to bind will actually be a bit more of a drastic point.  To help aid with getting this point right on my bias binding, so it lays flat and smooth, I have given myself a cross line to match (in yellow on the piece).  Of course, make sure your method of marking will come out of your finished garment!  To draw my cross marks I used a clear ruler and measured in 1/2″ from one edge, drew a line, then 1/2″ from the edge of the next scallop, and drew another line (if your bias binding is a different size, substitute that measurement for the 1/2″).  Where those two lines intersect you are going to make your point.  The excess will be folded in, so it rounds the corner nice and smoothly.  Here we go…

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How To: One Step Bias Binding + Mitered Outside Corners

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Intro to the Bias Binding/Bias Facing Tutorial Posts

As promised in my post yesterday about the new 1940′s Apron pattern, here’s the first tutorial for attaching bias binding.

Pre-made bias fold is pretty darn old, and whoever came up with the idea of pre-packaging pre-folded bias tape was a genius.  I first started using bias tape with quilting- where you often make your own bias tape from fashion fabric. It doesn’t take a long time to make your own bias tape, but it is kind of a pain in the butt if you just want to get to sewing!

A lot of patterns from the 1920′s through the 1940s call for pre-made or self-made bias tape (often called bias facing or bias binding).  Bias tape was most often used to finish edges, though it could be decorative as well.  In the 1950′s it became more popular to face pieces with self fabric and patterns included separate pattern pieces for this purpose, but in the earlier pattern many times facings were not included and you were told to finish edges with bias tape or seam binding. Take a peek into a 1940′s dress if you have one in your closet and you may see this (or self fabric bias instead of tape).  This actually helped conserve fabric, as every little bit you could cut out of fabric usage was the mode of the day in the 1940s! Pattern companies had to stick to rigid codes of how much fabric their patterns took to make, just like ready to wear clothing makers. Just think of it- the Great Depression and called for ingenuity (lots of books were put out in the late 1920′s to early 1930′s of how to do fashions and home decor with bias tape as accents), and then WWII fabric rationing.  Bias tape totally makes sense!

Bias Binding

These days most people attach bias in two steps. First you attach one edge, then encase the seam you just made by turning the bias over to the other side and stitching it to place.  In earlier decades this was just one of the methods to be used.  The other was to attach the bias binding all in one step, which I’m going to show here, and what the pattern the 1940′s apron was based on called for.  It’s actually a quicker method and uses less thread- and since aprons were meant just as a handy household item, high sewing techniques were not always called for.  An apron was a useful item.  As long as it was sturdy and did the job, that was what was needed!

THE BASICS

For bias binding we are using pre-packaged DOUBLE FOLD 1/2″ bias tape.  This is how the pre-made bias binding comes- notice that one side of the fold is longer than the other. You want the longer side to be on the WRONG side of the fabric. The shorter side should be on the RIGHT side of the fabric (the side of the fabric which your print is on, or the outside of the garment).

Here you can see pinning the bias to the fabric.  You want the inside fold of the bias to meet with the cut edge of the fabric so it sits in there snugly.  Sandwich your fabric between the bias tape.  Straight edges are super easy.  Just do this and pin it to place.

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Under-Structure- Changes in Silhouette from the 1920s to the 1950s

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Thinking on proper foundations is somewhat of a new territory for me in terms of vintage wear.  Unlike historical costuming, where the foundations are essential for creating the period silhouette, it seems that foundations for vintage wear seem to be optional for most enthusiasts.  Since I’ve been thinking more in terms of foundations I thought you also might be interested in seeing visuals of change in under-structure from the 1920s until the 1950s.

Of a particular note, I would like to point out that the bra was relatively new, with many women accepting it for wear during the first twenty years of the century.  Because of this, I think the evolution in terms of construction and silhouette are particularly interesting.  It appears to me, though I am by no means a historian in terms of undergarments, that major changes came to pass during the decade of the 1930s, so I have supplemented two images from that decade.  The one on top is from 1930 and the one underneath is from 1936.

Also of note is that silhouettes underwent changes during each of the decades pictured, so the images are just a round-about view, though if you want to go more in depth you can research changes within each individual decade.  I found that changes happen, in general, during the first, middle, and last part of each decade, and you will find that fashion also follows suit with those being the major times of changes.

And as an extra here’s a few images I found interesting from both the 1940s (the bra at the top has the “whirlpool” stitching we often equate to 1950s bullet bras), and an advertisement for padded bras of the 1950s.  Padding in bras seems to be an alternative, with separate padding most common from the mid 1930s until the 1950s, although bras with padding included in the structure were around by the 1950s.  The 1920s, of course, was an era which suppressed the breast, and during the 1950s it reached quite the opposite silhouette.  I personally think the 1930s is the closest to the modern day bra silhouette.

Next up we have girdles or corselettes.  In most vintage catalogs and magazines I tend to see these and the all in ones still termed as “corsetry”, a term which carried over from the 1800s.  In 1920s the emphasis was on the “boyish” or “youthful” frame, so the hips and chest were both flattened.  The 1930s influenced the “classical line”, so again we see hips flattened, but towards the middle of the decade we see the bust start to be more emphasized than previously.  The 1940s seems to be the middle ground between the  1920s and 1950s shape, and in the 1950s we see the nipped in waists combined with accentuated bustline.  When the sheath or “wiggle” dresses were very popular we also see somewhat of a nipped waist combined with smoothed hips and accentuated bust.

And lastly, and this perhaps shows the ideal silhouette the best, are the all-in-ones, also called “corsetry”.

So, a question for my readers… which of the decades do you find the most challenging for creating a period silhouette?  I’m sure every answer will be different depending on your individual figure, but I’m curious to know!

 

Which Decade’s Silhouette do You Find the Most Challenging?
The 1920′s
The 1930′s
The 1940′s
The 1950′s

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