Fall Sewing Fun
I love this time of year. The leaves are changing, nights are brisk, and my sewing machine is ready and waiting for some challenging techniques after the long summer days.

American Sewing Expo

Getting Started at the Sewing Expo

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Barbara Rezac is one of the designers that I met several months ago. At the Expo, she was busy teaching students in a hands-on class designed to help them learn new serger techniques. Normally, I try to get a face in my picture, but Barbara's jacket was so special. She is a very talented designer, and I can't wait to share some of her designs with you in Simple Serger Sewing, a serger technique and project book that will be coming out next summer.

Barbara Teaching Serger Skills

Some of you may remember Kelly Chaffin's beautiful creations that I shared with you last year. This year, Kelly was busy competing in the Fashion Sewing challenge with a challenge to create an outfit that could go from work to an evening event. Kelly says even though she didn't win, it was a rewarding experience. She says, "I was the youngest there, competing with women who have been sewing all of my life! I would not take back doing it at all." Kelly is a freshman who is studying Fashion Design at Kent State University.

Kelly Chaffin Hard at Work!

Luveta Nickels, owner of The Junk Jeans People, agreed to take a breather for a quick photo. The star attraction in the Deconstruction Zone, a booth dedicated to teaching participants how to reconstruct thrift-store clothing, Luveta taught hands-on sessions for creating one-of-a-kind wearable art by ripping, stitching and bleaching junk jeans. An article featuring her techniques will appear in the March 2009 Sewing Savvy magazine. Take a minute to visit Luveta at Junkjeanspeople.com.

Luveta and I Share a Smile	Londa and I Enjoying her Sweatshirt Redos

And how could I resist spending a few minutes with Londa, owner of Londa's Creative Threads who is the designer of fabulous sweatshirt redo creations? I love Londa's sweatshirt designs as they they are always fun and funky. Londa has a design in a new book called Sweatshirts with a Twist, available at Clotilde.com, plus many fabulous sweatshirt designs available at Londas-sewing.com.

For more information about the American Sewing Expo, visit: Americansewingexpo.com.

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Readers' Questions

Looking for Ribbing

Anita Zink asks:

One of my grandsons has asked me to make him a pair of pajamas which I want to do. The problem is that he wants the top to pull over his head. Where do I find ribbing?

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Solving the Gap

Judy Caudill asks:

Whenever I make a blouse or top that has a deep v-neck or scoopneck, I find that it will fit fine all over until I bend forward -- then it will gap, exposing my bra. Where should I take out the excess fabric to stop this?

• Instead of cutting a straight line for the V-neck, arc the line toward the center. The arc will provide more coverage over the breast area.



• Sew the shoulder seams slightly smaller than normal, close to the neck. I usually take about 1/4 inch from the front on each side.



• If you're making a knit tee, always cut the ribbing smaller than the pattern to avoid excess gapping. If you've made the shoulder seams smaller, be sure to adjust for this too. On a woven, you can cut the facing slightly smaller, but be careful to avoid pull lines from easing the facing onto the bodice front.

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T-Shirt Quilt 101

Cindi asks:

I'm interested in making a quilt using pieces of T-shirts from my sons' baseball shirts. Unfortunately I have already cut them up. Some pieces are small. How do I get them on a bigger square or what do you suggest I do?

• When using the motif on the front or back of the T-shirt, leave a minimum of 2 to 3 inches of material surrounding the motif.



• Stabilize the T-shirt shape by using a fusible woven lightweight interfacing on the wrong side of the knit fabric. This will make the knit fabric handle like a woven and be easier to incorporate woven sashing between the squares and binding around the outside edge.



• If your T-shirt block is small, try simple piecing techniques such as a log cabin or a triangle on each corner of the motif to enlarge the small block. Though it's not necessary to make all the blocks the same size, for a beginning quilter, it will be easier to complete the quilt if the blocks are the same size.



• Use sashing between each T-shirt block, and apply binding to edge-finish.

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The Perfect Bra

Paula Harrison asks:

Do you know where I can find a pattern for bras? I have a very difficult time finding a bra that fits and I would like to start making my own.

Do you have any serger or sewing questions? How about a fitting challenge that you'd like to solve? What new techniques are you interested in learning? Send your serger or sewing-machine questions, difficulties with fabric questions or ask me for some alteration tips by clicking here. Your solution is only a click away.

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Readers' Tips

Patterns in a Bag

Sandra Clare says:

In order to save money, I buy patterns on sale that have many views on them. Once I get the pattern home, I cut out the pieces and store them in plastic bags according to the parts of the garments. That way I don't have to keep opening the pattern envelope to look for the pieces of the garment -- even if they are all together from the last use. I know which pattern and view I'm choosing because I also scan the cover of the pattern, print the number of copies I need and put a copy in each bag, labeling each bag with the contents.

Becky Thompson says:

I wanted to add a hint for those extra plastic-pillowcase sham holders. I put my patterns in them to keep the pieces all together, especially if you have a favorite pattern and the outside envelope that holds the pattern is torn. The plastic cover helps keeps all the pieces together.

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Inspiration in a Notebook

Ruth says:

I was sorting through stuff in my sewing room and rediscovered my inspiration notebook. Whenever I see ideas in a sale catalogue, or anywhere else, I snip out the picture and put in my notebook. Then, when I need ideas, I open my notebook and immediately get inspiration.

Another hint that I've used: I often use twill tape as a stabilizer and strengthener when serging fleece or other stretchy fabrics. If I run out of twill tape, I use the selvage trimmed from regular woven fabrics. I save it to always have some on hand. This saves me time and money!

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Stabilizing T-shirts

Lori says:

When I embroider, I use a stretch interfacing as a stabilizer on the back of T-shirts. Put the stretch of the interfacing running the opposite direction of the stretch of the T-shirt. Lightly iron the interfacing to the back of the T-shirt. Follow all the other directions, such as hooping the stabilizer and T-shirt together, etc. Then, when done stitching, cut away the excess interfacing. If the interfacing isn't ironed on really tightly, it will come off easily.

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Fit Tips

Joan Cavin says:

I am a fairly advanced fitter but know that not all adjustments are simple. In fact, I have found that if you work with an expert or a good sewing friend to make a basic pattern that does fit, then you can use that pattern to adjust almost any other pattern much more simply. The problem for many sewers is that they don't know how to take something that does fit and apply it to another pattern. This doesn't seem to be a topic that is taught as frequently as it perhaps should be.

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Change Your Needle

Joan Hayslip says:

When your machine doesn't sew correctly, try changing the needle. Often you can't tell when the problem is the needle because it is not easily seen. This will cure most of your sewing problems.

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Right & Wrong Embroidery Thread

Heather Castrucci says:

After reading one of your newsletters, I saw the note on the correct end of thread and the larger eye of the needle, and it reminded me that there is a right and wrong end of embroidery thread. Embroidery thread is easier to insert into the needle and will lie flat on the finished product when threaded correctly.

So how do know? Run the thread over the area just above your upper lip. The correct direction feels softer on your skin. This is because that area is so sensitive. When I was told this, I was skeptical, but it really works.

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Snippets of Cloth

Terri says:

Each time I finish sewing a garment, I snip a small piece of the cloth used and pin it to the pattern envelope. Not only does that give me a history of how I used the pattern (and I find I have used some of them more than a dozen times!), but if there were problems with the pattern or the fit, I can make adjustments accordingly. You also become aware of how different a blouse can look when using different materials.

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Sort and Stash

Hannelore Nelson says:

When I buy fabrics, I buy them with a certain project in mind. I keep all of the fabric and notions together for a project, and then all I have to do is pull them from my stash when I want to get started. I also buy extra fabric. That way, if I change my mind, I have enough to play with.

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Grommets for Cushions

Maureen Sparrow says:

I recently purchased some kitchen chairs. Instead of the usual ties, the cushions had grommets in the corners, and the ties went through the grommets. No more bias ties coming apart from the cushion! I will be using that idea when I restitch tied-on cushion seats in other parts of the house.

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Scraps Stash

Barbara says:

I keep a small box wherever I am sewing or crafting. I put all my small pieces of material, thread scraps, crochet yarn ends and small pieces of stuffing in the box. When I need to stuff small projects, like Christmas ornaments, I grab my box of stuffing stashes.

Do you have any great sewing tips that you're willing to share? Please send your best tip, a difficult question or your great ideas by clicking here. Who knows, maybe you'll see it published here? And a special thank you to readers who shared all of these great tips and to readers that write to tell me how much they loved all of your great tips!

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Readers' Comments

Help with Sewing

Sue Davis says:

This note is for anyone who loves to sew. I make little girl dresses and boy shorts and send them to Women on a Mission group in Alabama. They distribute them to missionaries. The dresses are simple, with no sleeves, as most of the dresses go to children in countries where the weather never gets cold. Last March, our group made 25 dresses and 10 pairs of shorts for boys. For more information, please send an e-mail to: hemmedinprayer@aol.com.

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Towels for Doggie Beds

Kim says:

I have a great use for old towels. When I got a puppy from a local Humane Society, I made several pet beds with leftover materials, both for my own new member and some to donate to the Humane Society for homeless pets. Over time, my doggie chewed the corners off his beds, and I had a constant battle of trying to keep his bed clean. Then I came up with a nifty solution! By sewing two older towels together like a pillowcase, I managed to create a great way to stop him from chewing up his bedding and an even better solution to keeping it clean. Now, I simply slide out the core bed and throw the towel casing in the washer. He loves to jump into his clean, dryer-warm bed and curl up for naps.

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Love Your Newsletter

Roseanne says:

I just love your newsletter and your ideas. You have done a great job since you've taken over. I find the newsletter educating, inspiring, encouraging and fun! And oh, did I mention never boring. Many thanks for a job more than well done -- you're the BOMB as we New Yorkers say. Just wanted you to know.

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Hemming Chiffon

Cheryl Stringer says:

I have another way that I do rolled hems in chiffon. I pin the hem (a bit tedious but with a good end result); then sew over a lightweight strip of paper -- just a straight stitch that is no less than 1-inch wide as you need to be able to grab onto it. Then I rip the paper from the hem. The paper helps to stabilize the hem and doesn't stretch the fabric or leave a twisted appearance on the hem.

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Loves to Learn!

Nancy says:

I love to learn to sew with Julie!

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Fall Felting Fun
Fall fun for me is felting. I don't know why, but I love using felted fabrics for unique creations. Maybe it's because I'm so good at making felted fabric!

I think you'll love this easy to sew felted bag, Sweetly Felted, as much as I did. If you love making felt and creating handbags, be sure to visit the updated Sewing Savvy Web site for a great felted bag designed by Ewe-nique Creations. And, if you're not a subscriber, you can try out a free issue of Sewing Savvy magazine.

Click here for a printable version.

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