Seeing Red? Zips, Waistbands and Hems...

Hello Ladies and Gents,

This is the second blog on making a circle skirt and they'll be a limited amount of photos... I was merrily taking pictures and when my Husbandy was looking through them when he spotted that they hadn't come out as the camera was on the wrong setting...I wasn't amused to say the least but I will try and explain the best I can and your imagination will also help!

So, I'm about to join the front and the back of the skirt together. I marked a 1.5cm seam along the side of my fabric and pinned the pieces together (right sides facing). I stitched the sides together using my Singer 2250, carefully following the line I had marked on the fabric. With one side done, I then moved onto the other which involved the invisible zip. Now I had been eager to use my invisible zipper foot for a while so now the moment had come! With my blog and Coletterie blog called "Installing an Invisible Zipper" at the ready, I was good to go!

When installing the invisible zip turn the fabric wrong side facing each other and rights sides on the outside. Mark a 1.5cm seam along the length of the zip and marking the bottom of the zip with tailors chalk. Unzip the zip and pin the zip right-side-down onto the right side of the fabric. Take the skirt to the machine and stitch making sure the zip teeth go in the left hand hole in the invisible zipper foot. Once done, do the same to the other side, pinning the right-side-down to the right side of the fabric only this time put zipper teeth into the right hole on the invisible zipper foot. Phew... invisible zip done! I must confess it took me more than one attempt to get right - especially as when doing the right hand side I puckered the fabric so had to do it again...and again. Practice does make perfect and one day I'll be the master of stitching invisible zips but until then I will do my best and not give up! To finish the seam I swapped over the pressure foot, turned the fabric inside out so right sides were facing, placed a pin at the bottom of the zip as well as pinning the two sides together and stitched. 

#selfie #nowaistband

So in theory I had a skirt and all it needed was some tarting up... how hard could it be! Now in my case I found the instructions for inserting the waistband a bit sparse so I went on to You Tube and found this great tutorial by Professor Pincushion called 'How to sew a classic waistband'. This tutorial is great for beginners and it really got me out a jam. 

With my fabric ready, I pinned the waistband to the right side of the fabric along the stay stitch which was stitched earlier. I then sewed along the edge of the waistband as close to the edge I could make it. I then took this to the iron and pressed. Once pressed you then had a nice smooth line to put in the top-stitch. With top-stitch complete, I folded over the fabric onto the wrong side of the fabric and hand sewed the waistband using a slip stitch making sure not to pierce all the way through the fabric. I then hung the skirt up over night.

Well I left it hung for a little longer than a night but it had all hung beautifully

Measuring up the hem

and I was ready to do the hem. I read the pattern and measured from the top to the bottom leaving a 1.5cm hem at the bottom. It was at this point that I could tell I had not been very accurate when cutting out the pattern so instead of measuring 1.5cm from the bottom, I measured from the top and measured at 61.5cm and joined up the marks. I then stitched using the sewing machine all along the tailors chalk mark. After stitching I took the fabric to the ironing board and pressed the fabric along the stitch I had just done. I then folded the fabric under to make a neat role and pressed and pinned - see photo below. Once pinned I did herringbone stitch all the way around to make a neat hem and ta-dah my skirt's complete.

Rolling under to make the hem

I enjoyed making this circle skirt by Simplicity but I will say a few things... 1) the pattern comes up big! When I had stitched it altogether (including the invisible zip) I had a size check and it virtually fell off! So this involved a lot of unpicking and cutting but all this made good practice for me so I saw the positive side. I followed the size 16 pattern (which says a 30" waist) and in the end made a size 12 (which says a 26" waist) so please double check before you stitch. 2) The other thing I would do differently is make the waistband double the thickness and perhaps insert some interfacing. By doing this it won't be so fiddly and make the waistband more firm and 3) The pattern is for beginners but still found the instructions a little confusing and perhaps lacking in detail. I do enjoy a challenge and working things out for myself but sometimes it can take the enjoyment away by not even having enough info to look up about! All this said, I will definitely make the skirt again and next time use a more exciting fabric!

Top Tips:

• Equipment: Fabric (2m) with matching zip and thread, fabric scissors, paper scissors, tailors chalk, pins, sewing pattern, sewing machine, invisible zipper foot, general purpose zipper foot, tape measure, iron and time!
• Don't be afraid to research how to do something... if you're like me you like to figure things out for yourself but when you're learning you need to take 5 and research how others have done it to help overcome those little challenges
• Double check the measurements before taking the fabric to the sewing machine! Although I didn't mind in the long run, if you were using a more delicate fabric it could stretch or damage the fabric which would be a nightmare. Pin the fabric together and make any adjustments with safety pins

Useful Websites: 

• Professor Pincushion called 'How to sew a classic waistband'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe9ks9u4e8U
• Coletterie blog called "Installing an Invisible Zipper"   http://www.coletterie.com/tutorials-tips-tricks/tutorial-installing-an-invisible-zipper

Happy Zipping x

Sewing, Facing and Invisible Zips.... The Finale

Dear Ladies and Gents....

Let me firstly apologies for the delay in getting the final installment to you on completing the 'A' line skirt - mostly to 'The Thrifty Stitcher', Claire-Louise - life has got in the way and now I will finish what I started.

So with all the sides overlocked it was now time to join all the pieces together. With the pieces pinned together and the sewing machine set to a straight stitch, follow the tailors chalk line to join the two back pieces to the front piece - taking the pins out as you go. Now its time to insert the invisible zip! Take the 10 inch invisible zip and line the top of the zip with the top of the skirt and mark with tailors chalk where the bottom of the zip is to go on the fabric. The zip goes right side down onto the right side of the fabric - this is then pinned into place (remembering to be 15mm away from the fabric edge). On the sewing machine change the zipper foot to an invisible zipper foot. Align the foot over the zip. To align the zip, it should go down the small hole to the left as you look at the sewing machine and stitch as close to the zip teeth as you can remember not to backstitch as it may damage the fabric and needle. Sew down the side of the zip until the place where you marked the fabric. Top Tip: You need to go as far down as you can so its secure but not too far down otherwise you will catch the zip lever and snap the needle. Also remember as there is not back stitch at either end don't forget to unpick the last loop and manually tie a knot. Now, do the same the otherside. Un-zip the zip and pin the zip to the right side of the fabric remembering to keep the same distance from the fabric edge. Top Tip: do not panic at this point! My brain could not work out how it would work, but trust me and the experts - it does! Do the same as the other side and slip the zip teeth into the right hand hole on the invisible zipper foot. You're almost there! Now swap the invisible zipper foot to a general-purpose foot. Start at the top of the zip and stitch as close as you can get and then all the way to the bottom of your skirt and ta-dah you have a skirt-ish!! I appreciate this is complex but do persevere... once done it is so satisfying! A great tutorial to help you out is 'How to sew an invisible zip' by ctquiltingvideos - link below.

Joining the facing

Now there is only a couple more part to do and one of them is fixing your facing. A facing is not required all the time but for this skirt one was inserted. To create the facings trace the pattern onto dressmakers square patterned paper using the pattern from the skirt. Before tracing remember to take out the darts and measure down approximately 3.5inches - do this for both the front piece and back two pieces. This then needs to be pinned to the fabric and cut out using fabric scissors - remember to place the front facing on the edge of folded fabric to make one long piece and cut out two back pieces. Once cut out pin the back pieces to the front pieces remember the 15mm hem line. Once the three pieces are joined together, overlock the sides and the bottom. Once overlocked, pin the right sides together at the top of the skirt. Now to ensure you don't go over you zip, mark each side with a pin - this will be your start and end point. Go back to the sewing machine and sew the facing to the skirt. Turn the facing into the skirt and its almost done!

The hem ready to the hand-stitched

The final part of the skirt is the bottom hem. As I wanted my skirt to have a more vintage feel I hand sewed this by using a herringbone stitch. I would describe this as hand sewn zig-zag stitch; only catching a tiny thread on the outer fabric and catching the hem as you go - this should also appear invisible on the outside. I decided to do this bit at home as the day was all ready drawing to a close - but one thing was for sure...I had made a skirt :)

Top tips:

• Equipment: Hemming ruler, fabric scissors, fabric, dressmakers square patterned paper, pins, sewing machine, invisible zipper foot, invisible zip and patience!

Useful websites/ blogs:

• 'How to sew an invisible zip' by ctquiltingvideos - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Dz6tk_fW4

Blurred photo of finished item!

I wear the stunning blue skirt regularly and its been complimented a great deal. I never appreciated the time and effort it takes to make a garment and I now have first hand stitching experience. Before I made a skirt I used to think about where my clothes were made and now this is more important than ever. I do try and buy British made where I can and that is why businesses like Vivien of Holloway and other independent shops are so important to me and to keep the British textile industry alive.

For anyone learning to sew I would highly recommend 'The Thrifty Stitcher'. The course is relaxed with clear guidance and support. The day goes so quickly and you will learn a great deal of skills in a short amount of time and retain them for years to come! Again, I'd would like to say a massive thank you to Claire-Louise and to all at The Thrifty Stitcher for a wonderful creative day - I will use all these wonderful skills to make another skirt and other clothes! 

Happy Stitching x