Basic stitches that one should know

Tacking

Tacking is a temporary stitch used to hold two or more layers of fabric. Length of the stitch need not be small. It can be of ¼” or ½”It is removed after permanent stitching is done. It should be not done be where the permanent stitch .It should be done close to permanent stitch line but behind .Tacking can be removed by clipping the stitch 3 “ or4”intervals. Care should be taken not to put permanent stitch on the tacking. It can be stitched with single or double thread, knotted at the end; evenly spaced stitches are made by taking the needle in and out of the fabric. Line of tacking is ended with 1 back stitch or a knot.

Running stitch

Method of doing running stitch is similar to tacking. End of the thread is knotted. Small stitches are made by passing the needle in and out of the fabric. Stitches should be small and evenly spaced. It is used to make gathers.

Overcast stitch

Overcast stitch is used to keep raw edges from unraveling

Hemming

Hemming is used to finish the hems.

Catch stitch

Catch stitch is used to hold a raw edge against a layer of fabric. It is worked from left to right.Take needle out at the point A on the fold. Take a small stitch at BC on the single layer .Once again take a stitch DE on the fold. And continue.

Slip stitch

Figure 1

I like this stitch very much.It gives perfect finish for the hems.Slip stitch is used to make invisible hem. It will not unravel as most of the stitch is hidden under the layer if fabric. It is worked from right to left with a single thread fastened with a knot hidden inside the hem. Bring the needle out through the folded edge at point” a “; pick up a few threads of the flat single layer of fabric at “ bc ” and then work through the fold again at ” d “ . Slide the needle along, come out of the fold at “a’ “ to make the next stitch. This stitch is very useful in attaching sari fall

Back stitch

Back stitch is the strongest stitch which can be used when garments are hand stitched
Bring the needle out at A insert needle at appoint B, behind A (1st step).Bring the needle out at the point C (2nd step) one stitch AB is formed. Once again insert the needle at the point A (3rd step) and bring the needle out at D (4th step) 2nd stitch CA is formed. Continue like this. Dotted line signifies the thread behind the fabric.

Fairies costume

Fairy’s costume is nothing but a skirt with plenty of gathers with wings .It can be mini, midi or maxi skirt. It can be with puff sleeves or sleeveless. It looks good if it is stitched with thin material with matching satin lining. Pastel colors are suitable. Bodice is stitched first .Then the skirt portion is attached. Gathers should be more .It will be nice if the width of the skirt is thrice the chest.
Wings are prepared separately.

Bodice front and back

Keep A-C on Fold. A-C = Waist length + ½”.
A-O =¼ chest-½”.
From the points A, O, and C draw perpendiculars.
A-B = ½ shoulder width + ¼”
A-N =1/12 th chest +¼” or to taste
A-I =1/12th chest +½” or to taste
A-H = 1½”. Shape back neck N-H and front neck N-I as shown in the figure
O-D =¼chest +1½” .O-D =C-E
M-E =1/2” .Join D-M.
B-G =½”. Join N-G
F-J =1”.Shape G-D back armhole and G-J-D front armhole as shown in the figure.
L is half of C-M.A dart of 1/2” is taken along the line K-L as shown in the figure.
Add 1"+ 3/4"extension along the line A-C at centre back of the bodice for button stands.Shown by shaded portion in the layout.

Sleeves

M-N= ¼ chest +1½”.N-P =sleeve length+2” for puff +½ for folding
N-P =M-O.
M-Q = 1/12 th chest+¾”.Join Q-N
O-T=¾”Join Q-T
S-T = ½”M-R = 1/12th chest. R-U =¾”.
Shape Back arm round Q-R-N, front arm round Q-U-N and P-S

Skirt .

Gathers should be more .It will be nice if the width of the skirt is thrice the chest. You can stitch full length skirt or knee length skirt.

Wings

Take two aluminum hangers. Cut and remove the hooked portion and straighten the wire. Cut a template of a wing with a card board. Keeping this as a model, shape the aluminum wire. Prepare two wing shapes with the wire. Cover the wire with thin gold ribbon with the help of glue. Cover the shapes with tissue material or netted material. Join the two wings in the middle. Two straps stitched with the material of the dress are attached to the wings as shown in the figure( purple one in this figure), distance between them being equal to shoulder width. After wearing the dress tie the wings at armholes. Take one end of the strap under the armhole and take the other end above the shoulder and tie in front it like a bow. Do the same thing for the other side also.

Stitching peasant top

Join front and back of the bodice to right and left sleeves as given 1-2 to 3-4,5-6 to 7-8,9-10 to 11-12 and 13-14 to 15-16.Attach 1½” bias binding to the neck keeping right sides together .Fold over and stitch .This is the casing to pass draw string. Make a small button hole in middle of the front to pass draw string. Fold over the edges of the sleeves to make the casing for elastic, Pass elastic of the length equal to sleeve round and secure the ends to the sides of the sleeve by 2 or 3 back stitches. Join sides of sleeves and bodice .Fold the bottom by ½” and stitch. Pass a draw string through the neck casing

Make your own peasant top

Bodice front and back

A-B= ½ shoulder+¼”
A-P =length of the top +1½’
A-O = 1/12th chest
A-H =1½”
A-L =1/12th chest+1½”
A-C =¼chest-1”
Draw perpendiculars from C and P
C-E= ¼ chest +1”+½”
C-D =A-B
Join B-D
Mark F on the line B-D such that D-F =1”
Join O-H and O-L back and front neck shapes as shown in the figure. Mark G such that O-G = 1”
Join G-F and produce. From the point E draw a perpendicular E-N to the line G-F produced.
Produce E-N to M such that N-M =E-N
Shape E -F-G as shown in the figure LIPK is extra material 2” wide for gathers in front. And HIPK is extra material 2” wide for gather at the back. Width can be increased or decreased according to taste.

sleeve

A-B= ½ shoulder+¼”
A-O = 1/12th chest or to taste
A-H =1½”
A-L =1/12th chest+1½”or to taste
A-C =¼chest-1”
Draw perpendiculars from C
C-E= ¼ chest +1”+½”
C-D =A-B
Join B-D
Mark F on the line B-D such that D-F =1”
Join O-H and O-L back and front neck shapes as shown in the figure. Mark G such that O-G = 1”
Join G-F and produce. From the point E draw a perpendicular E-N to the line G-F produced.
Produce E-N to M such that N-M =E-N
B-R = sleeve length +2"
R-Q = sleeve width+1/2"
Join M-Q.
Shape M-F-G as shown in the figure
SRTO is extra fabric ,O-T =S-R= 2" wide for gathers. It can be varied according to taste.

Method of drafting and cutting for beginners

When there are identical parts usually pattern is drafted on folded paper. For example right and left sleeves front and back of bodice etc…. Both the shapes of front and back such as neck, armhole etc……are marked on the top fold itself. Outer line is cut first .Sheets are separated. This forms the back. On the top sheet the inner lines are also cut .This forms the front. Care should be taken to measure from the fold line. Facing line for neck, armhole etc …can also be marked .position for darts can also be marked.
Precautions to be taken while cutting the material.
1. It is better to shrink cotton material before cutting or ½’ extra should be added for width.
For the length we can add still more. It depends on the material. I prefer to wash, iron and
then cut the pattern.
2. Straighten the grain of the fabric by pulling the corners material .If the fabric is long you need help of another person. Lay the fabric on a table keeping both the selvedges together. If it forms a rectangle and the warf and weft are perpendicular it means fabric is grain perfect. Sometimes shopkeepers also would have cut the fabric bias. That also should be corrected. Pull a thread from width wise from end to end and cut on the line got by pulling the thread.
3. Fabric should be ironed lengthwise. Length wise means the grains that run parallel to the selvedge.
4. Selvedges should always come to sides .(side of the sleeve, side of the bodice etc…..)If the garment is stitched width wise it will not stretch. It will be uncomfortable to wear. Dresses get torn fast.
Measure the width of the draft and fold the material according to that. Keep the fabric on table and smoothen it so that there are no folds. Place the large pieces of the paper draft first. Check whether the garment has back opening or front opening. Keep the one that has got no opening on fold line. Selvedges should come to the sides. Arrange the other small pieces .Pin the pieces to the fabric without lifting the fabric.If there is not enough fabric to cut same pieces together cut them separately. Mark darts and notches and then remove the pins.

Pattern making(for begginners)

Making a paper pattern is a must for the beginners. I prefer to make paper patterns and then cut the fabric. It saves time and material and the paper draft is reusable. We can adjust the placing of the paper pattern on the fabric according to the material available. If the fitting is not good we can make necessary alterations in the paper pattern itself. Same paper pattern can be used as basic and design different patterns
Materials needed
1. Sheet of paper.
We need thick sheet of paper if we want keep the draft for a long time and use it again and again. If not news paper is well and good. Once we get correct fitting we can make cut pattern in thick cardboard and use it for future use.
2. Pencil
3. Eraser
4. Ruler
In the paper pattern ½” seam allowance will be there unless it is mentioned.name of the parts should be written .If two identical parts are cut separately we have to mark R and L on the draft. For example sleeves. Especially while cutting plain material we end up cutting two right sleeves.
½” seam should be added to attach button stands. If we have ample material button can be cut along with the bodice. Care must be taken to mark the place by notches from where the button strand starts. Notches should be made to mark important points that must coincide while stitching. The point of notch should project beyond the cutting line of the pattern.

Puff sleeves with gathers at the top only

Swing the sections apart at the cap line only keeping the sleeve edge together.Give shape as shown in the figure . We get gathers, only at the cap of the sleeve.

 Another method