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Home , Burda Style, Chiffon (fabric), Notions (sewing), Sheer fabric

SPRING 2012 A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN GUILD VOL.XVII, NO.2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 National Notes 3 Sponsor Spotlight 4 Chapter News and Views Sheer Magic 18 by Marla Kazell Sew ‘n Share: Laundry Products to the Rescue

heer fabrics were in almost every designer’s spring BETSEY JOHNSON collection and you probably have seen them featured BUTTERFLY PRINT: 20 S PACIFIC FABRICS Sew ‘n Tell: Core Four in stores, magazines, and catalogs. From dresses . . . and More and skirts in soft drapey chiffons to simple shirts in 23 crisp , sheer fabrics are everywhere. Sew Young Don't let sewing with sheer fabrics intimidate 28 you. If you've never sewn with them, you can start small by using a as a L.J. DESIGNS SORBET TOP & MERINGUE PANTS Sew for the Gold detail. Add chiffon or ruffles to the of a dress or organza ruffles to the 31 edges of a jacket. Add organza bands to Book Beat the hem and sleeves of a jacket. Insert sheer Book Briefs fabric godets into gored skirt seams. Create a 33 sash, a tie, a scarf, or a . In no time DVD Corner you'll be ready to plan and sew an entire garment of sheer fabric and be right in style. 35 CUTTING LINE DESIGNS 12269 Product Previews Sheer fabrics range in hand from crisp offerings, like organza and , to soft versions, like 36 chiffon and georgette. Crisp sheers stand away Industry Insider from the body and form more bouffant fullness 43 when gathered or pleated. Soft sheers drape ASG Conference 2012 closer to the body and create gentle fullness when gathered or shirred. Because softer fabrics like chiffon are more fragile, can be easily 44 distorted, and are susceptible to snags, they are the most Chapter Calendar difficult to sew. 47 Other sheer or semi-sheer fabrics, like , lawn, Advertiser Index , eyelet, , and handkerchief , fall in between. Their hand can vary from soft to crisp 48 depending on the , processes, or finishes used. ASG Conference 2012 Calendar These sheer fabrics are usually the easiest to sew. 50 The See-Through Factor ASG Of course, what all these sheer fabrics have in com- Conference mon is the fact that you can see through them. 2012 When construction details, including Registration Form allowances, darts, , facings, and interfac- BUTTERICK 5750 ings, show through, it can be distracting and OMBRE SILK CHIFFON: 52 PRINTEDSILKFABRICS.COM Members Only 8974 (continued on page 38) FLORAL SILK VOILE: PRINTEDSILKFABRICS.COM Sheer Magic choice over your hand with the sheer (continued from page 1) fabric on top and study the effect. A second layer of your fabric create a very messy look. Color and can also act as an . pattern will also factor into your sewing decisions. Lighter colors are The Layered Approach more transparent than darker colors. For modesty reasons and/or to hide Solid colors show every detail while some of the construction details, overall prints and patterns may help adding an underlining, a , or distract the eye so that show-through using multiple layers of sheer fabric construction details are less apparent. can make your garment more opaque. This all presents some special chal- Underlining: Construction details lenges. will be less visible behind an opaque Ask yourself a few questions as you underlining. The second layer gives consider your pattern choices. Will I added body and strength to the sheer be able to make French seams or other fabric. This can be an advantage if narrow seams? Can I change existing you are making a more fitted or struc- darts into tucks or gathers or in tured garment with a softer sheer fab- the fullness? Can I incorporate the ric. The underlining will help take hem show-through into the design? any stress off the seams and will give Will an alternate hem technique support to the sheer layer. It can also work? Will facings showing through become the interfacing layer in collars ruin the look of the garment? Will an and cuffs. Try underlining the front, underlining or lining be appropriate? back, collar, and cuffs of a , but Can I eliminate interfacing? Can I leave the sleeves and details like ruf- find an appropriate sheer interfacing? fles or sashes sheer. Consider both the characteristics of Experiment with color by holding your fabric and the style of the gar- various colors of underlining fabrics ment when making your pattern under your sheer fabric. Try a flesh choice. For very soft sheers, especially color, a matching color or a darker or fragile chiffon, avoid complicated lighter shade. You will be surprised at seaming or very fitted styles. Instead, how much the color can change. The take advantage of the fabric’s drape rosy red background of a chiffon print and choose styles with , gath- used by one of my students for a ers, soft , or tucks. Crisper blouse looked washed out by a pale, sheers lend themselves nicely to sim- flesh tone, darker and dramatic with ple styles with a minimum number of a burgundy underlining and brighter seams. Semi-fitted and boxy silhou- and richer with hot pink under it. ettes that are already meant to stand away from the body will compliment these fabrics. Should your garment need interfac- ing, remember that it, too, will show through. Very lightweight fusibles may work on semi-sheer fabrics, but for very sheer fabrics, a sew-in inter- To underline, garment pieces is best. My favorite choice is from both your sheer fabric and silk organza. It comes in a wide vari- another fabric. You can use a second ety of colors and can be steam pressed piece of the same sheer fabric, anoth- to maintain its crispness or pre- er sheer fabric (like organza), which washed to make it softer. Test out sev- can add some body, or a lining fabric eral colors of silk organza—options such as crepe de chine, China silk, or include white, cream, a flesh tone, or . and baste the two lay- a match to your fabric. Drape each ers together and treat them as one

38 ASG • Spring 2012 during the remainder of construction. it—over a fourth layer of crepe de Lining: A garment meant to be soft, chine lining. The subtle leaf pattern drapey or flowing will do best with a created an interesting, subtle texture. separate lining layer added for opaqueness. The sheer fabric main- Cutting Tips tains its softness and drape. If these Sheers have a tendency to slip and styles are underlined, the fabric has slide during the cutting process. Here more weight and body and will not are some preventative techniques as drape as softly. Sew the seams and you lay out and cut your pattern. hems separately for each layer and Work on a fabric surface rather attach the sheer garment and lining than a slick table. Use a padded layers together at the neck for dresses board or cover your cutting surface and tops or waist for skirts and pants. with , , , or a Try different colors of linings as flannel-backed tablecloth. described previously to find the best Stab into the grain board or choice. use weights. Pinning pattern pieces Multiple layers: Multiple layers to the fabric distorts the tissue and automatically create more opaque- prevents it from laying flat. ness. By building up layers of a sheer Cut with very sharp shears. If you fabric, you intensify the color as well. prefer a rotary cutter, use weights and Try multiples shades, dark to light, of a very sharp blade. the same color or layer multiple col- Make sure your fabric is on grain ors. For a bolder look, try multiple by pulling a cross-grain or layers of a strong graphic print or pat- tearing. Match and cross- tern such as polka dots. Or mix pat- grain and be sure they are at right terns to create an entirely new fabric. angles to each other. For example, start with a stripe. Cut Cut each piece separately. For the most accuracy when cutting, “grain up” a rectangle of fabric large enough for a single pattern piece and cut each piece one at a time. Be sure to flip the pattern piece the second time, so you have a right and a left side!

Marking Tips Mark construction symbols with your favorite chalk or marking pen or pen- cil. that marks can be removed. one layer on straight grain and one on They will show on both sides of sheer crossgrain and you’ve got a plaid. fabrics. tacks and thread trac- The key to get- ing with fine silk thread is another ting a client's white good option. chiffon dress opaque enough to Sewing Tips wear was to layer Use sharp, fine pins. three chiffons— Use fine needles—size 60/8, 65/9, one plain, one with 70/10 Universal or Microtex Sharp. a jacquard leaf Use lightweight thread. My pattern and favorites are Coats & Clark Extra Fine one with or Mettler Fine thread. rhine- Shorten the length—the stones longer the stitch length, the more like- scat- tered on (continued on page 40)

39 Sheer Magic A B (continued from page 39)

ly fabric will pucker. Try a single-hole throat plate and hold thread tails at the beginning of can become part of the design of your a seam to prevent fabric from being garment. These hems work best on pushed down into the machine. straight-grain edges. For curved hem- Use the taut sewing technique to lines, choose a narrow machine- or prevent puckering. With one hand hand-rolled technique. behind the needle and the other hand Basic hem in front of the needle, hold the fabric (A): Press up the taut as you sew. Don’t pull on the fab- hem allowance ric; let the feed dog do the work. along the hem- Shorten the stitch length to 1.5 at line. Turn the the beginning and the end of seams cut edge under 1 rather than backstitching, which can an even ⁄4" create unsightly lumps of thread. (remember—it shows through) French Seams and slipstitch by French seams are perfect for sheer hand or top- fabrics. They can be sewn as a very stitch close to the edge by machine. narrow seam and enclose all raw For a decorative finish and to play up 1 edges for a clean finish. The key to a the ⁄4" edge, stitch beads along the well-sewn French seam is in the upper edge of the hem. 1 pressing. For a ⁄4"-wide finished seam: Double-fold hem (B): This hem 5 1. Start with ⁄8" seam allowances. Pin outlines the garment edge with three the seam, wrong sides together, and layers of fabric. It can also be used to 3 stitch ⁄8" from the cut edges. Use a create the look of a band along a cen- 1.5–2 stitch length. ter front edge or along the edges of a 2. Meld the stitches by pressing the slit. A wide version can add some seam flat on both sides, then press it weight to the bottom of a garment. A open over a wood pressing surface narrow version can mimic a French such as a point press or tailor board. seam to give a consistent look to all 3. Press the seam closed, right sides lines that show through. together with the stitched line 1. Press up the hem allowance along exactly on the edge. the . 4. Open the seam and the seam 2. Turn the cut edge in to meet the 1 allowances evenly to less than ⁄4". hemline fold; press again. 5. Refold the seam right sides togeth- 3. Slipstitch by hand or close 1 er, pin, and stitch ⁄4" from the to the edge by machine. pressed edge, enclosing the raw edges. Seams 6. Meld the stitches; then press the Because they are seam to one side. curved and To create an even narrower French there is ease in 1 seam, stitch first ⁄2" from the cut the sleeve cap, edges; meld, press open, and press French seams closed; trim the seam allowances to a are not easy to 1 1 scant ⁄8"; stitch again, ⁄8" from the do on an arm- pressed edge. scye. A double- stitched seam is Hems a good alterna- Hem allowances that show through tive:

40 ASG Notions • Spring 2012 1. Ease the sleeve cap and, using a 1. Cut a second set of facings from 1.5–2 stitch length, stitch the sleeve your sheer fabric. into the armhole. Press the seam 2. Pin one set of facings right sides allowances flat. together. Stitch together along the 1 2. Stitch again, a scant ⁄4" from the first outer curved edge and the shoulder row of stitching. seam of the facing. Use a short 3. Trim the excess stitch length and be careful not to very close to the stitching. stretch the curved part of the seam A mock Hong Kong finish will be out of shape. even cleaner: 3. Meld the stitches, then carefully 1. Ease the press the seam allowances open sleeve cap and over a wooden pressing tool. Press stitch the the seam closed. sleeve into the 4. Open out the facing and trim the 1 armhole. seam allowances to ⁄4" or less. Press the seam 5. Baste the neck and front edges allowances together and apply the facing to the flat and trim garment. 1 to ⁄4". 2. Cut a bias Marla Kazell, a member of the ASG 1 strip of fabric about 1 ⁄4" wide. Stitch Portland, Ore. Chapter, has been sewing it to the armhole along the previous professionally for stitching, being careful not to over 30 years. She stretch the strip and overlapping creates beautiful 1 the ends ⁄4". couture garments in 3. Press the strip around the trimmed her custom clothing seam allowance, enclosing the raw business and teaches 1 edges. Pin in place and stitch ⁄16" classes and hands- from the seamline. on workshops in 4. Trim the excess bias strip close to Portland, Oregon the stitching. and across the country for ASG chapters and private groups. She will be returning Facing a Facing for her 10th year as an instructor at ASG This technique creates a clean finish Conference 2012. Marla has been one of on the edge of a blouse front while the tour guides on the ASG New York also adding a bit of support. It works tour and will also be leading a fabulous tour of Portland, Ore. this June. Visit www.marlakazell.com for information about her tours, classes, and workshops. To receive Marla's new newsletter, send your e-mail address to webmaster@marla kazell.com.

well for sheers and other soft fab- rics—a great way to use up some of your leftover sheers!

ASG Notions • Spring 2012 41