Method of preparing continuous bias

Take a piece of rectangular fabric A-B-C-D .On the wrong side mark a true bias line X-Y. Draw parallel lines to this line at equal intervals. Keep the distance between the lines equal to the width of the bias strip needed. Mark a point P on the first line ¼ “ away from the corner point X. Mark another point Q on the second line , on the opposite side ¼” from the edge A-D.

Right sides together fold the fabric lengthwise. Take threaded needle pass the needle at the point P and then through the point Q. (see Figure 2)

 Tack the edges together with ¼” seam along black line. (Refer figure 1) See how a continuous line has formed! (Refer Figure 3)

Machine stitch. Secure the stitching by stitching once again on the first stitch. Press the seam open. (Refer Figure 4)

 Start cutting from the part of the line 1 as shown in the figure 5.

Continue cutting round and round on the marked lines. You will get continuous bias strip (Figure 6)

Continuous bound placket

A placket is an opening that allows clothing to be put on or removed easily; it has got two parts the extension and the facing. Facing falls above the extension .Some call it as under placket and top placket. It is also called single button stand and double button stand. In Kannada it is called “Gundi Patti". When we use hooks and eyes or bars are used eyes or bars are sewn in the extension and hooks are sewn on the facing. When press snaps are used   snaps are sewn on the extension and balls are sewn on the facing at back side of the garment. If buttons are used buttons are sewn on the extension and button holes are made on the facing. In ladies garments extension is sewn in the left front and the facing is sewn in the right front.Continuous bound placket is one of them.

Continuous bound placket provides a strong lapped finish for a garment opening. It is suitable for children's dresses ,petticoats and for sleeve openings with cuff or a band.

Method of preparing bias strips

Bias strips are very essential for sewing. It is also called cross piece.It is used for curved edge as well as straight edge finishes. Fabric tubes are prepared from bias strips and used for decorating neck and sleeve edges.
Method of preparing Bias strips

Fold fabric on bias along the line G-H as shown in the figure 1. To get true bias strips fold line should be at 45° to the grain lines .(selvedges}Mark lines at equidistance and parallel to the fold .The distance between the lines depends upon the width of the bias tape needed. Cut along the lines A-B, C-D, E-F and the fold line G-H. It is always advisable to prepare true bias strips as it stretches well. Sew them together using ½” seam. To secure the stitching one more line of stitching is done above the previous line. Open the seam and press. Figure 2 and 3 show the method of joining the bias strips

Method of taking measurements from a blouse

Fold the measurement blouse in to 4 folds as shown leaving the extension of the placket outside

A-C = shoulder width + ¼” .While taking this measurement place a scale along the dotted line.

C-D = Chest + 1” for seams. Seam allowance can be kept more to adjust the size.

E-F = Full length + 1½” for folding.

G-E = Waist + seam allowance that is equal to the  seam allowance added for chest.

I-J = Sleeve length + 1½” for folding

L-K = Scye depth

I –P = Sleeve width + seam allowance equal to the  seam allowance  added for chest.

P-Q = Sleeve   width + seam allowance equal to seam allowance  added for chest.

R-S = Biceps width + seam allowance equal to seam allowance   added for chest.
L-M = Neck width -1/4".While taking this measurement Place a scale along the dotted line
N-O = Neck depth .  While taking measurement place a scale along the dotted line

Method of stitching Katori Blouse

Basic sari blouse draft of front and back are prepared on a folded sheet of paper. Folded sheet is cut along the fold line and the draft of the back is removed. The remaining details are drawn on the front portion.For basic sari blouse draft please refer      here.

Step 1
Mark A-B the full length of blouse + 1” on the fold line.
On this line Mark point K such that A-K = back neck depth =¹/12th chest or to taste.
Mark point L on the line A-B such that A-L =front neck depth =1/8th chest or to taste.
Mark point D on the line the line A-B such that A-D = scye depth = ¼ chest-1¼ or 1½.
For details about scye depth refer      here.
A-M = front length + ½”.
Draw perpendicular lines to the line A-B from the points A, D, M and B.
On the perpendicular line at A mark A-C = ½ shoulder + ¼ “.
On the perpendicular line at D mark point E such that D-E = ¼ chest +1½”.
On the perpendicular line at M mark point N such that M-N = D-E.
On the perpendicular line at B Mark F such that B-F = D-E.
From the point C drop a Perpendicular. It meets the line D-E at the point H.
On the line C-H mark points R such that C-R = ½” or ¾”.
Join the points G and R.
Mark point J on the line C-H such that J-H = 1”.
Mark point I on the line B-F such that I-F = ½” Join the points E and I.
Line E-I intersects the line M-N at the point O.
Join points K and G by a curved line as shown in the figure. This is back neck line.
Join points L and G by a curved line as shown in the figure. This is Front neck line.
Now cut along the line K-G-R-E-O-I-B.
Separate front and back draft by cutting along the fold line K-L-D-M-B.
Keep back draft (on which there are no markings) aside.
Step 2

Take the front draft on which neck and front scye Markings are there.
On the line D-E mark point Z such that Z-H = 1/2' to 3/4".This is for the bust measurements up to 33".For bust size more than 33" shift the point Z to towards H and continue.
S is the midpoint of D-Z.
From the points S and Z drop perpendiculars. These lines meet the line M-N at point 2 and 3. respectively. On the line S-2 mark point T such that S-T =1/8th chest -1½”.
For further details about the point T see     here.
Through the point T and on either side, draw a line parallel to the line M-N. This line cuts the line A-M. at the point 4 and the line Z-3 at the point V.
On the line A-M mark point P such that 4-P = 1”. This is for chest measurement below 36".For bust measurements 36" and above increase this measurement to 1¼” or 1½”
On the line  Z-3  mark point Q such that  V-Q = 1”.This is for chest measurement below 36".For bust measurements 36" and above increase this measurement to 1¼” or 1½”
Join P-T and T-Q.
Paste a small piece of paper of width 2” along P-X outside the line A-M.
Produce the line V-4 to U such that length of line P-T + the length of the line T-Q = length of the line V-U.
Paste a small piece of paper of width 2” along the line M-N.
Produce line 4-M to X such that 4-X = P-M.
Produce line V-3 to W such that V-W =Q-3.
Join U-X. On U-X mark point Y such that X-Y = 1”.
Join W-Y by a curved line as shown in the figure.
Produce T-2. It cuts the line W-Y at point 5. At this point take a dart of ½”.
Point 1 is the midpoint of the front neck line. L-G. Join 1 and Z by a curved line as shown in the figure.
There are three pieces in the draft. I have coloured them with different colours .Please see figure 3.

We have to separate them.
Piece no 1 is side piece.
Piece no 2 is Katora piece .
Piece no 3 is Under bust piece.

Cut front neck line along the line L-I-G.Cut along the shoulder line G-R and front scye shape R-J-E. Cut along the E-O. Cut along O-3.
Cut along the curve 1-Z-Q-V- 3. This is piece no 1 or side piece.
 To separate piece no 2 or Katora from piece no 3 or under bust piece cut along the line P-T-Q.
Cut along the line U- 4 -T-V-3-W-5- X-Y-U to get under bust piece.

Waist band

1-2 = (A-B -  A-M )=(Full length of the blouse–  Front length of the blouse) +½”.
2 to 4 = M-O (refer fig 2) -1”.
4-3 = 1 to 2 -¾ or 1”.
4 to 5 = ½”.
Join 1 and 3 by a curved line as shown.
Join 3 and 5.
Cot along 1-3-5-2-1.

Sleeves

Refer  sari blouse
While cutting the fabric take ½” extra for seams as shown in the figure 5 by dotted lines. Arrow mark shows length wise of the cloth. To get good fitting the  Katora piece  which is   coloured in green should be cut on bias as shown in the figure 5.

Stitching

 Fold the under bust piece which is coloured blue along the line T-5 and stitch ½” dart. Open the fold and press .See Figure 6 .

Place the under bust cover on the katora ,Keeping right sides together and place D’ on D, C’ on C and B’ on B . See figure 7. Stitch them together along the line D-C-B, ¼” from edge. Make small snips along the stitched edge  taking care to not cut the stitches. Open and press. See figure 7.

Keep the side piece which is coloured pink  on katora and under bust which are stitched together, keeping right sides together and Point A on A’ G on G’ and stitch ¼” away from the curved edge . Make small snips and turn the seam and press. See Figure 8

 Out of 4 waist band pieces  take 2 pieces of the belt and  stitch them together along the edge I-J and turn the seam inside fold and press. Place the belt on under bust piece and side piece which are stitched together, matching points F and F’ and H and H’. See figure 9.

This is left front of the blouse. Stitch right front also in the same manner.

Complete sewing the blouse as an ordinary sari blouse.

Night dress for young girls

This night dress has a shoulder wide round yoke with lining .Gathers of the skirt is sandwiched between the yoke and its lining and stitched. It has got puff sleeves.length of the dress depends according to taste.Yoke and neck can be edged with lace or piping or frills .It has got front opening.Using this draft, sleeveless dress can also be stitched.
Dress
Prepare child’s basic bodice draft as in Fairy’s costume (figure 1)

Separate front and back of the bodice. (Figure 2)

Take a sheet of paper and fold it in to half length wise. A-A’-X-X’ is the folded sheet of paper. A-X is the fold line. Length of the folded sheet A-X should be equal to length of the night gown +1”. And width A-A’ should be equal to or more than line O-D of the bodice draft.
Pin the bodice front on the sheet of paper keeping the edge I-C of the bodice front falls on the fold line A-X and point N falls on the line A-A’. (Figure 3)

Produce D-E to X’ such that O-X =D-X’
Mark P on the line I-C such that I-P =N-G.
Mark point Z on the arm round from where the armhole shape starts to take a curve
Shape the yoke curve P-Z-G Keeping the width of the yoke same throughout. I-N-G- Z-P is the front yoke.
Cut and remove the shape I-N-G-Z-P .This is front yoke folded. Cut and separate along the line I-P. These are right and left front yokes.
Stick these yoke shapes on to another bigger sheet of paper and seams of ½” along the curve .Add extensions for the neck placket, ½” on right front yoke and 1½” on left yoke. (See figure 4.)

The remaining portion of the draft X-C-P-Z--D-E-X’ is used to prepare skirt front.( Figure 5)

Stick another piece of paper behind this draft near the curved line and mark a line ½” above the curved line P-Z .This is for seams. (Figure 6)

Divide the skirt portion in to three equal portions. ( Figure 7 )

On a different sheet of paper draw a line of length equal to twice O-D or to taste. Arrange the panels as shown. Two gaps should be equal to one another. Join the three panels by a new curve P-Z .Cut along the lines P-Z-D-X’-X ( Figure 8 )

Follow the same procedure and prepare back body yoke H-Q-N-G and back skirt Q-Z-G-D-E-Y’-Y
Parts of the night dress

Sleeves
Refer the post     fairy's costume

I am deeply annoyed

I had a nasty shock today while browsing the web. I found some of the contents from my tutorial have been copied and posted word for word in another blog http://www.vanitha.tk/ under the heading"hand work" and the author was passing it off as her own. There is no possibility of her having copied the contents from any book as I had not copied it from any book. I have explained it in my own way. The images are my own. I am very much annoyed to see many of my tutorials that I had posted last year have appeared in her blog this year without any prior permission or acknowledgment.
The posts that she has copied are here
http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/03/denim-pinafore.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/03/simple-dressstiching.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/chudidar-pyjama-method.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/method-of-drafting-pyjama-stiching.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/anarkali-salwar-set-top.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/anarkali-top-with-panels-flaring-from.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/anarkali-dress-top-with-panels-indian.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/02/peasant-top.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/01/pavada-blouse-blouse-for-long-skirt.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/01/pavada-stitching-long-pleated-skirt.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/01/under-stitching-nack-ect.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/01/method-of-stitching-neck-with-fitted.html

http://www.vanitha.tk/2011/01/method-of-sewing-one-shoulder-dress.html

Another funny thing is she has not seen the spelling mistake that I had made and she has posted without correcting it! I will be very grateful If you write your comments in her blog. By doing so we can put an end to this.
Thanks