5 Sewing Tips for April

Have you ever sewn a long zip down the centre back of a dress, and it has turned out wavy? Say goodbye to this problem by applying fusetape to the stitching line first:

The wavy appearance is caused by the fabric stretching as you sew (either because the fabric is stretchy, or the seam is a curved shape). Fusetape prevents the fabric stretching as you sew, and your finished zip will be perfect.

Still on the topic of zips – make life easy on yourself and insert your zip as early as possible in your garment assembly.

It really is much easier to sew a CB zip into the back panels alone, than to try and sew it into a nearly completed skirt or dress. Otherwise you could end up like I did!

Taping a waistline is always a good idea to prevent it stretching during wear, but it can get a little bulky around the zip with all those layers.

My secret is to trim 1cm (seam allowance width) off the length of the tape at each end, eliminating one layer of bulk in this area.  I have been known to trim 2cm (two seam allowances) to eliminate more bulk if I think it needs it.

I’m all for making things easier on yourself, so here’s another trick – when you are binding a sleeve placket, cut the binding on the straight grain and not the bias:

Trust me, you’ll find it far easier to sew.  Save the bias idea for fabrics that call for it – such as checks or plaids.

April’s tutorial is all about how to hem an inverted pleat – it can be a bit tricky to get a neat finish in this area, and this tutorial demonstrates step-by-step how to keep those insides pretty!

Have fun, and happy sewing!