Support us on Patreon! Love to Sew Podcast

Support us on Apple Podcasts! Love to Sew Podcast

Follow Helen! Blog: Helen’s  Closet Patterns, Cedar Quilt Co., Instagram: @helens__closet, @cedarquiltco

Follow Caroline! Shop: Blackbird Fabrics, Instagram: @blackbirdfabrics, @bfpatterns

Follow the Podcast! Instagram: @lovetosew.podcast, Facebook: /LovetoSewPod

Leave us a voicemail with your questions, comments, and feedback: 1-844-SEW-WHAT (1-844-739-9428)

E-mail us: hello@lovetosewpodcast.com

Sign up for our newsletter to get weekly episode updates, special news, and even some exclusive content that you won’t find anywhere else.

Leave us a review! It will help other sewists discover us.

---

Transcript:

Helen: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello, and welcome to Love to Sew! I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew, and it’s basically all we want to talk about.

Caroline: You’ve reached the Love to Sew helpline. What’s your sewing struggle? In this episode, we’re taking your calls and giving out advice on how to upcycle overalls into pants, what fabrics to use for summer shorts and trousers, whether or not to backstitch when shirring, and more.

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Hello, Helen.

Helen: Hello, Caroline. Welcome back.

Caroline: Welcome back! Feels like we never left.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. It’s so good to be back though, and I love, love, love the fall vibes, as we say every year.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

Helen: Just a really, really, really exciting sewing season, for me.

Caroline: Yes. And it’s fall 2023, which means it’s been six years since we started making this show. Honestly, I can’t believe it.

Helen: Neither can I. Six years! What episode number is this? 238! What?

Caroline: Ah! So many episodes.

Helen: So many episodes.

Caroline: So proud.

Helen: I feel like anyone who’s listened to all of them should get some kind of award. Like, we need to be sending out gold stars or…

Caroline: Yeah…

Helen: …ribbons or something.

Caroline: …you get a gold star. You get a gold star. Oh, my gosh. Well, of course, because it’s the first episode of the new season we’re gonna start this episode with a little summer catch up, and we do have a little announcement at the end, but let’s catch up first, right?

Helen: Yes, let’s. Caroline, how was your summer?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I am amazed that it’s already the end of August. But my summer has been filled with wedding prep because we’re getting married in just over three weeks. And it is, like, seriously crunch time right now. I’m feeling it. I’m feeling the pressure. But over the summer I’ve been slowly, kind of, working away on getting ready for the wedding. I’ve thrifted almost 60 bud vases.

Helen: Whoa.

Caroline: This was a big project, countless thrift stores, but I have finished that project now, and they’re all ready to go for our little bud vases on our tables. I’ve also been working on making my wedding dress, which if anyone is freaking out or wondering, it’s going really well, and I’m so close to being finished, and I will be finished well before my wedding. So no sewing the dress the night before happening over here.

Helen: Good.

Caroline: So you can all relax, including me. And you, Helen, because I know you’ve been worried.

Helen: I have been worried, and I’m still a little worried because it’s not done yet.

Caroline: It’s not done yet. Just because I have so much hand sewing to do now, it’s pretty much only hand sewing left. And I’ve been slowly working away at it, but August has been busy. We’ve had a lot of house guests and things going on. So, yeah, it’ll happen. I have some good stretches of time coming up that I’m going to be able to work on it, so…

Helen: Good, and I cannot wait to see it. And for our listeners, we’re going to be doing an episode about Caroline’s wedding dress journey this season. So you’ll get to hear more about that.

Caroline: Yes, we’ll save it for the pod.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I’ve also been throwing, glazing, and firing our wedding mugs with Shea. We are giving each of our guests a handmade mug. And Shea and I both love pottery, so we split the work and each made about 28 mugs. And we just finished unloading the last kiln load last night, so they are all done. And…

Helen: Oh, my gosh!

Caroline: …Oh, my gosh! It’s so nice to check that off the list. And they turned out so good. I’m so excited and really proud because that was a big project, and I can’t believe we pulled it off.

Helen: That is incredible. I’m so excited to see them all, and I’m so excited to pick one. Oh, my gosh. It’s going to be so fun.

Caroline: There’s some really good ones in there. It’s hard not to want to keep them all, or at least keep my favourites, but I can make more mugs.

Helen: Yeah, yeah, exactly. There’s always more mugs.

Caroline: Yes, and also this summer, my brother and his fiance moved to Vancouver, and he’s now living 15 minutes away from Shea and I. And honestly, we could not be more excited. Shea and I keep talking about how great it is to have my brother around. He’s just so awesome and hilarious, and he, like, lights up a room.

Like, it’s just, he’s so fun to be around. So having him close is just, like, kind of, a dream. And I haven’t lived close to family in 13 years, Helen. So it’s, kind of, weird to have somebody, like, my sibling so close by, so close that I could just drive over in 15 minutes, but it’s been awesome. We’re really, like, soaking it in right now and enjoying it a lot.

Helen: Oh, I’m so happy for you, and I can’t wait to also spend more time with your brother because I agree, he is awesome and hilarious.

Caroline: Yeah, he really is the life of the party. We also squeezed in a camping trip this summer, which we talked all about on Patreon. And I’ve had tons of family and friends visiting, a lot of family coming by because of my brother’s move to help him get settled in. And then, yeah, just lots of friends’ visits and weddings and things. So it’s been a really jam packed summer, but it’s been really fun.

Helen: Good. I’m glad to hear that.

Caroline: And then on top of all of that, y’all, we launched our very first sewing pattern at Blackbird, our first BF Pattern. And we’ve been working on our pattern line for, honestly, what feels like forever, but really, it’s been almost two years, or just over two years actually.

And we launched with the Bestie Bag, which is a banana-shaped crossbody bag that comes in two sizes. It is out now. So if you go to our website, you’ll see it. But we started working on this bag a full year ago, and honestly, it truly takes a village to get this pattern out, or to get any pattern out.

Holy cow. Like, I don’t know. It was so much work. And none of us on the team are really working on this full-time. So things move pretty slowly for us, which, you know, is… I don’t know.

Helen: A new experience.

Caroline: It’s, it’s a new experience. Yeah. And it’s really, like, just patterns in general for us. It’s been a long time. It’s been a journey with a lot of ups and downs and pivots and problem solving, but I’m so proud to finally have this out in the world. And the response has been amazing. Thank you all so much.

If you bought the pattern or just, like, followed us on Instagram or left a comment or something. It’s been so, so nice to see the response. And honestly, I get a thrill every time I see a new Bestie Bag out there. There are quite a few already, and it’s very exciting.

Helen: Isn’t that the best part? I love scrolling through our hashtags and seeing what people have made with our patterns. It’s such a good feeling.

Caroline: It really is. It’s so fun to see people’s, like, individual takes on the pattern and how they customise it or hack it. Like, it’s just, it’s been really fun. So I’m so happy and excited about what we have coming up, which, you know, slowly, but surely will make it out into the world. I’m not promising any launch dates at this point…

Helen: There you go.

Caroline: …but we’re working on some really, really exciting patterns that, yeah, are just wonderful to wear. I’ve been enjoying wearing samples. I’m one of our fit models. So I get to have a lot of new clothes, which is, like, a perk of having a pattern line that I wasn’t really thinking about when we decided to do this, but it’s, it’s a real plus, I gotta say.

Helen: Yeah, it is. It’s very true, but wait ‘til you have too many samples.

Caroline: Yeah, I know I’m going to need, like, a wardrobe purge pep talk from you ‘cause I know you do that a lot, and you have a lot of clothes.

Helen: I do. You need to find people that are, like, body doubles. Like, I’m lucky my sister’s pretty much the same size as me, so I just give her things.

Caroline: Yeah. But yeah, that’s pretty much it. I’m now getting ready to take a month off of work for my wedding and my brother’s wedding and all the festivities. And we’re squeezing in a little honeymoon, as well. So it’s going to be a busy month off. I have never taken this much time off work, so I’m a little nervous but also, like, so excited. And hopefully, it’ll be awesome, so…

Helen: It will be. Oh, my gosh. And by the time this episode comes out, you’re going to be off. You’re going to be off and away, off and away doing things.

Caroline: Yeah. I think this. Actually, when this episode comes out, I’ll have a few more days of work, and then, I’ll be off for a month, so, yeah.

Helen: Okay. We’re going to miss you.

Caroline: Wish me well.

Helen: But wait, Caroline, what about the podcast?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Well, we’ve been working hard recording episodes for the month that I’m away, so don’t worry, y’all…

Helen: We’re prepared.

Caroline: …we are prepared. We’ll still have some, actually, awesome episodes coming out. I’m so excited about this new season.

Helen: Me, too. It’s going to be so good. So good.

Caroline: How was your summer, Helen?

Helen: Well, much like you, I am shocked that it’s over. Like, what? It definitely flew by. I’m sure our listeners can relate, but it was such a good summer. It was truly wedding-themed for us because we attended three weddings so far, and we have one more, which is yours, of course, to attend.

But that was really fun. Our whole summer was basically heading to Vancouver every few weeks to go to a big lavish party with all of our friends. So what could be better than that? I got to wear a fun outfit. I got to dance my heart out, watch all my friends get hitched. It was really, really fun. And I can’t wait for yours. I’m so excited.

And in between that, we got in, like, so many family visits, of course. And we went on our annual vacation to one of the local islands here in BC, Hornby Island. So that was lovely. Got lots of beach time in. And in July, I even managed to squeeze in a pattern launch for both Helen’s Closet and Cedar Quilt Co. It’s, honestly, I think I blacked out. I don’t even remember doing it. I…

Caroline: I was gonna say like, how do you do it all? And I need to know. It’s crazy.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. It was so much work. Like, June and July were so busy. And now that I’m in August, and it’s, like, chiller. I just, like, yeah, I barely remember what happened, but apparently, we launched patterns, so that’s great.

We launched the Whale’s Tail quilt in July for Cedar Quilt Co., and that was so much fun. I really love all the samples for that quilt. And people seemed to really like the design. So that was great to hear. It was only our second pattern for the company. So I’m still like, are people liking this? So what, so what do you guys think? So far, so good. People seem to be really appreciating the design aesthetic that I’m bringing to the table, so that’s really nice.

And we also launched the Lawrence Top and Dress, under the Helen’s Closet label, which was a huge hit. And I’m not surprised at all. It’s such a fun summer sew. Who doesn’t love gathered tiers of fabric? I mean, if you don’t, that’s fine, but I love it. I just love wearing them, swooshing around. It’s, like, the perfect way to celebrate a beautiful textile, like, the Blackbird Fabrics block prints, oh, my gosh, perfect for this pattern. That’s my favourite sample, and I’ve been wearing it around the house a lot as a house dress, so you know I’m going to be using these dresses all winter, too. It’s an all-season situation.

Caroline: I still think about that sample because you let me try it on when I was at your place…

Helen: Yeah, it looked so cute on you.

Caroline: …over the summer, and once I have time to make all those gathers, I will be sewing one up in a block print because it’s so beautiful and, like, flowy and breathable and the pattern is just, like, I don’t know, it’s, it’s a real statement…

Helen: Right?

Caroline: …while also being, like, comfortable, while also being, like, simple.

Helen: Yeah. And classic. Like, I think it will never go out of style.

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: And it does come with a really cute top option that I think is great for any season, whether you want to do the little shoulder ruffle or not. Like, without the shoulder ruffle, it’s just a nice v neck shell tank that literally could fit into any wardrobe. So yeah, I’m really happy with that pattern. I’m glad everyone likes it as much as I do.

Caroline: Yay!

Helen: As always. but summer’s not over yet. I want to squeeze in a couple more beach hangouts and paddle boards. I’m really trying to, like, squeeze every last drop of summer, you know, make the most of it before the weather starts to turn, but I am looking forward to fall, and we’ve got very exciting new garment and quilt patterns in the works. So definitely more on that in the coming months, and I can’t wait to share.

Caroline: Ooh! So excited. Yeah, it’s been a good summer, right?

Helen: Yes, it really has been. Top notch.

Caroline: Top notch summer.

Helen: Okay, before we get to the sewing helpline, we do have a little announcement. You can now become a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Subscribers get access to our monthly bonus episodes, and it’s so convenient because if you already use Apple Podcasts, the episodes are right there in your feed.

Caroline: Yes, this is such an exciting addition, and we wanted to talk about what comes with the bonus episodes. So in our monthly bonus episode, we do, like, a chatty catch-up on what’s been happening in our lives. We share about the realities of running a small business. We discuss new indie pattern releases. We also talk about what we’re sewing right now, or maybe what we’re not sewing right now, what we want to sew. It’s super fun, and many of our subscribers say that these bonus episodes are their favourite.

And if you subscribe, you actually get access to the full back catalogue. That is over 60 bonus episodes and over 40 mini episodes. It’s, like, 75 plus hours of Love to Sew content, and we’re really excited about it. And our mini episodes focus on a specific topic. It’s, like, a deep dive into sewing. So you can sign up to get access to these bonus episodes right in the Apple Podcasts app.

Helen: And we do still have our Patreon going. Don’t worry, patrons. You can go to patreon.com/LoveToSew to sign up. If you’d like, Patreon and Apple podcasts are both great ways to support the podcast, regardless of the platform you choose. You can sign up for a seven day free trial to check it out and get access to that bonus content and see if you like it.

Caroline: Yes. And we’re ad free because of our lovely subscribers. We’re so grateful to them. And if you can’t support us financially, that is totally okay. We love you for listening. Thank you so much.

Helen: Thank you so much. Okay. Let’s answer some questions. I’m so excited.

Caroline: Let’s do it. Hello, you’ve reached the sewing helpline. First caller, please.

Elizabeth: Hello, hello. This is Elizabeth calling in from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’m a longtime listener of the show and a first time caller. I’m calling regarding your episode about Gathering, Shirring, and Flounces. Absolutely loved it. Gathering, um, and making ruffles is one of the first ways that I ever hacked a pattern. I added it to the bottom of my Helen’s Closet Orchard Dress. And I feel like that’s a really approachable and easy way for, kind of, new-ish, or beginner, um, sewists to actually customise their garments.

But one question that I have is about shirring, and I’m still unclear as to whether you’re supposed to backstitch when you are shirring. I’ve seen it done different ways. I’ve seen people, um, on YouTube, kind of, tie the elastic and the thread stitches the way that you do, kind of, at the end of a dart. And so I’m, I’m just still confused and unsure slash terrified to do it because I don’t know what the correct, or securest, way is going to be.

And I’m not sure if you all mentioned it on the show. I don’t think that you did, but could you please let me know because I would love to go ahead and get started, um, shirring, but that has really held me back because I’m not clear as to if you’re supposed to backstitch or not. Help me, please. Thank you so much for all of your amazing work, patterns, and fabrics.

So much love to the show and to you both and to your team. Thanks. Bye.

Caroline: Hi, Elizabeth. Thank you so much for all the love. Okay. I agree that adding a gathered tier to a dress is one of the best, simplest hacks ever. I actually do it all the time, and it’s a good way to get in some gathering practice. But onto your question, whether or not you backstitch when you’re shirring depends on whether you’re working with a circular or flat piece of fabric.

Helen: Yeah, if you’re shirring a piece of flat fabric, you can backstitch within the seam allowances at the beginning and the end of your seams. Backstitching with elastic thread isn’t very neat, but it doesn’t really matter in this case because it’s going to be hidden in that seam allowance after you sew it up.

And I have a feeling that some people knot off the threads even when they’re working with a flat piece of fabric just to avoid the bulk. The elastic thread is bulkier than regular thread, but in my opinion, a backstitch isn’t really bulky enough to make a difference in the long run.

Caroline: Yeah, I’ve also seen, on a flat piece of fabric, people just turning around. So you basically sew to the edge, stitch down a few stitches, and then turn it around and pivot and keep stitching. So you’re only backstitching at the beginning and very end of the shirring rows.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So that works, too. But if you’re working with a piece that has already been sewn into a circle, it would be neater to pull the threads to the inside of the fabric and tie them off in knots. You can do this by gently pulling the elastic thread from the inside until the upper thread comes up in a loop and then, just use a pin to pull the thread through and tie it in a square knot with your elastic thread. So you’ve got options.

Helen: Next caller, please!

Emma: Hi, there. My name is Emma. I’m calling from San Francisco. And I’m calling with a question. So, I’m very much a beginner sewer, and I just started a couple months ago, but I’m very excited, and I really want to create my own wardrobe eventually. But I have quite a long list of projects that I want to do, and some of the projects on that list are starting to include advanced beginner patterns, intermediate patterns, and I just really want to know when am I ready to move on to those patterns that are labelled that way. Like, when will I know that I’m ready to do a advanced beginner pattern versus an intermediate one? Is it a certain set of skills? Is it confidence? I really appreciate your insight and thank you so much. I love the podcast. And thank you again. Bye

Helen: Hi, Emma. Thank you so much for this question. It’s a great one, and I think one that a lot of people have, and I love this idea of when will I know? When will I know when I’m ready? And really, there’s no universal set of skills that all pattern makers agree on for categorising patterns, but we looked over some other pattern companies difficulty guidelines and thought about our own experience, and here’s what we came up with.

Caroline: So, beginner, this is a smaller category than some people may think. We’ve had people write to us saying they’re beginners when they’ve been sewing for a year or more. But in reality, this category is for those starter projects: PJ pants, an apron, a tote bag, pillowcase, or, maybe, a wrap skirt. These are all projects with mostly straight seams and no closures, and they’re perfect for first time sewing machine users.

Helen: And this adventurous slash advanced slash confident beginner category, is maybe the largest category. A lot of patterns end up in this one, and for good reason. This is where you start to see things like zippers, buttons, interfacing, bias binding, curvier seams, and smaller pattern pieces appear, too. Projects for adventurous beginners are a bit more advanced than say a pj pant. But someone who’s motivated could definitely accomplish them just as well. And to be honest, I think someone who’s successfully sewn a wrap skirt could move on to a dress with a zipper and be just fine. They might need to practise sewing a zipper on some scraps first, but they can totally do it. In this case, I really think it is mostly about confidence.

Caroline: Mhm. Okay and then next up would be intermediate. I would put button up shirts, fitted dresses and tops, and simple pants into this category. Intermediate patterns require knowledge of at least a few special techniques like sewing belt loops or a fly or a rolled hem. Fitted patterns go into this category, too, because you might need to know how to grade between sizes or make fit adjustments.

If you’re nervous about attempting an intermediate pattern, remember that every sewing technique is just a series of steps. If your pattern instructions aren’t very helpful, you can always look up a video or a photo tutorial. And consider choosing a pattern that has a sew along. Many pattern companies produce them. There’s video ones, there’s blog ones, and there are some great ones out there from sewing creators like past guest Saremy from SewSewLive.

Helen: In the advanced intermediate category, we would put things like coats and jeans. You have to be able to work with specific fabric types like thick wools and heavy denims. And there’s a lot of details that are even trickier to accomplish because of those fabrics. But again, if you can sew a woven tank top pattern with darts and bias binding, you can make jeans, you will get through it one step at a time. What might hold you back with these projects is more likely to be your sewing machine than your skills. So if you’re still sewing on a really beginner sewing machine, these projects might not be available to you just yet, you might need to upgrade.

Caroline: And then advanced. Advanced patterns are unusual, but they do exist. These patterns are usually for formal wear or tailored clothing. They have features that aren’t on everyday clothing like boning and hair canvas. Sometimes they’re made for delicate fabrics like satin or brocade. Sometimes they’re called advanced because the pattern instructions are really basic, or non-existent, like Marfy Patterns. You’ve got to really already know how to do it, which is, kind of, intimidating.

Helen: Yeah, and ultimately, there are a lot of factors that go into deciding of a pattern. So these categories are definitely not hard and fast. For example, like a bias cut skirt might be categorised as intermediate. Even though there are only straight seams and no closures, working on the bias is a special skill.

Or a casual blazer might be categorised as intermediate because it’s, it doesn’t have a lot of that tailoring and structure to it, or maybe it doesn’t have a lining. Many pattern makers ask their pattern testers what level they would categorise the pattern as to get a little guidance. And there’s also the pattern maker’s experience and knowledge that goes into it.

Personally, we list almost all of our patterns as advanced beginner because we do like to do more simple designs, but also, I just think that anyone can do anything, and it is really just a series of steps, and I’m so confident in our instruction booklet that I know they’re going to be able to achieve it.

Caroline: Totally. And some pattern companies list the skills you need to accomplish a pattern, which is a good place to look if you’re not sure that you’re ready for something. If there’s one or two things on the list you’ve never done before, that sounds like a good level up. If there are more than that, you can still try it out, but just know it’ll be a bigger challenge.

Helen: And it might be helpful to think of difficulty level as the level of the pattern, not your level as a sewist. You don’t have to get permission to try something that you’re worried is above your level. Some people start on hard mode, and they don’t regret it. At the same time, it’s totally okay for a long time sewist to make beginner patterns.

You don’t necessarily need to constantly challenge yourself, and some of the coolest patterns out there are really easy to make. And really, how else are you going to learn new skills if you don’t go to that next level of pattern or try a pattern with a technique you’ve never done before? Like, that’s exactly what you should be doing.

Caroline: It’s so true. It never hurts to give it a go. And if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. That’s fine. Okay, next caller, please.

Madeline: Hello, my name is Madeline. I’m calling from Virginia. Thank you so much for this glorious archive of podcast episodes that have really helped me when I’ve had some specific questions as I learned to garment sew. I have a question about a type of fabric that I haven’t used yet. Um, and I have a question about how to pronounce it (v-wall), or (voy-uh-l), especially of the cotton variety. Is it (v-wall) or is it (voy-uh-l)? I’ve heard it both ways. Is it a regional thing? Is one more official or, like, signals that you’re a professional as opposed to a noob? Very curious because of all of your expertise. Thank you for being awesome.

Caroline: Hi, Madeline. Thank you for being awesome, too. Okay, so for those who haven’t come across this fabric It’s a lightweight often sheer fabric, and you’ll usually see it in cotton or polyester. Cotton voile is a nice lining fabric, and if it’s opaque it can make a stunning lightweight dress. So think of voile as one step lighter than lawn.

Helen: And how you pronounce it probably depends on your region. I wouldn’t say one way is absolutely correct and one way is absolutely not correct. Although, maybe you will receive emails. But, voile (v-wall) it’s a French word that means veil. So the French pronunciation seems like a good bet. But I wouldn’t correct anyone for saying voile (voy-uh-l). I often say voile (voy-uh-l). Caroline, you’re French, so maybe you would say voile (v-wall).

Caroline: I honestly probably interchange in conversation because I think both are very commonly used, but I do think, like, the French way is probably more correct, but I don’t know. It’s a fabric. I think it’s okay to pronounce it however you feel comfortable in this case.

Helen: If you’re going into a store and you’re like, I’m looking for voile (v-wall). They might be like, what?

Caroline: Yeah, exactly.

Helen: But if you said voile (voy-uh-l), that might be more clear, but it depends where you are. If you’re in France, who knows?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Alright. Next caller, please.

Anna: Hi, this is Anna from Germany with a question. So, the other day I had to redo quite a big part of my project. And while I was ripping away with my trusty seam ripper, I thought about the best way to open up seams. Thanks to you, I know how to open up an overlocked seam and find it weirdly satisfying. But since it was a knit project, I also had to redo a zigzag seam and a lightning stitch, stitch of doom in this kind of situation, if you ask me. So long story short: do you have any good tips on how to open up seams? Especially zigzag or lightning seams? Thanks a lot. I really love your show. Bye.

Helen: Hi, Anna. First of all, we are totally stealing the phrase “stitch of doom.” I love that. aAnd I think the way you open up seams really depends on the kind of fabric you’re working with. So we’ll start with some tips for regular machine seams, and then, we’ll move on to zigzag and those dreaded lightning seams.

Caroline: When I’m ripping out a seam on a tightly woven fabric I like to separate the layers of the fabric and insert my seam ripper under the stitch that pulls across the top. So if the stitches are a ladder it would be, like, the top rung, and then, you can gently pull the fabric apart until it won’t separate anymore and rip the top rung again.

Helen: And of course, if your fabric is sturdy and you’re feeling brave, you can insert the ball end into the seam and run your seam ripper blade down the whole length of the seam to cut it open quickly. But, this can result in rips, so be warned. If you try to do this and it just won’t go, make sure you stop and do it the long way. It’s not worth it to force it down that seam because you will rip a hole in your seam.

Caroline: Mhm. Yeah, our pattern drafter at Blackbird uses a razor blade to unpick seams on wovens. It, kind of, terrifies me when she does it, but honestly, Helen, it works so well on, like, stable mid-weight fabrics. You just pull the two layers apart and run your razor blade. I wouldn’t recommend it for knits or lightweight fabrics. And if you want to try this method, like, test it on a scrap first, but I wanted to mention it because it’s really cool and so fast.

Helen: I used to have a seam ripper. I ended up getting rid of it because I never used it, but it was a different kind of style where it had a handle. But then, at the end, it had, like, a little scooped razor blade. Like, it was not just a razor blade you would use from, like, a shaving kit, but it actually was, like, in a little seam ripper. It was super cute, but yeah, I was too scared to use it so I got rid of it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Regret, regret. Okay, if I’m working with a delicate loosely woven or, like, fray prone fabric, I won’t separate the layers. Instead, on one side, I’ll just insert my seam ripper under every third or fourth stitch to rip it out. And then when I’m done, I can pull the long threads on the other side, which should come out really easily, super satisfying, and you won’t have any holes or distortion in your fabric from pulling it apart.

Caroline: Another thing, the ball on the seam ripper is really good for getting under a stitch without catching any of the fabric threads. That’s what it’s there for. And honestly, is there anything more satisfying than, like, pulling the long back thread out after you’ve ripped the seam this way? It’s, kind of, like, pulling out basting stitches. If you get it in one go…

Helen: Oh, I love it.

Caroline: …it’s like… Oh, yes. I love it.

Helen: Yes! Okay, for zigzag seams, if the tension isn’t too tight, sometimes you can hold your seam flat and slide your seam ripper under several zigzags and cut through them all at once. And then, again, you get to pull the long thread out on the back. For knit fabrics, you might have trouble doing that without catching any of the fabric yarns and creating holes potentially in your jersey. So in that case, settle in and do that cutting of every third or fourth stitch on one side. It will be worth it.

Caroline: And lightning bolt stitches, the stitch of doom, as Anna said…

Helen: The stitch of doom!

Caroline: These stitches on knit fabrics are truly the worst to seam rip. They’re tight together, and they go back and forth. This is another one you need to rip out super slowly, taking out every third stitch or so. You will not be able to rip multiple stitches at once, unfortunately.

Helen: No, and honestly, I have resorted to cutting off my seam in this case and just sewing the garment smaller or abandoning it and recutting the pieces if I have more fabric. It’s so hard to rip out. And in the process of ripping it out, you have a pretty high chance of ripping a hole in your fabric or distorting that seam. So it’s, like, unrecognisable from where you started so it might be worth it just to, like, if it’s a side seam, just cut it and then, sew your garment a little smaller.

Caroline: Or maybe, like, question your perfectionism and be like, is this just okay? And maybe I can let it pass to avoid seam ripping, depending on what you’re ripping.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: If I’m being honest, I can’t recall ever having to rip out a lightning stitch, but it does sound like an absolute nightmare, so maybe I just blocked it out

Helen: Yeah, maybe. Okay, we have a few more tips to make seam ripping easier. First one is huge: make sure you have good lighting. If you don’t have good lighting in the room you’re in, you can use task lighting like a headlamp or one of those reading lights that goes around the back of your neck. It makes a big difference to the level of frustration that you’re going to feel during the process.

Caroline: And if you have trouble seeing the stitches consider putting on reading glasses or using a seam ripper with a magnifier. So cool.

Helen: Put on a good podcast or album or TV show, sit on a comfy couch, lean into the slowness of it, deep breaths, maybe you find it satisfying in a weird way, just embrace it.

Caroline: Yeah, if I have, like, a lot of seam ripping to do Like, let’s say I made a big mistake and I want to rip it all out, I’ll, like, usually separate that task out. I realise the mistake. I’ll be like, okay, I’m going to seam rip this tomorrow. And then I have, like, a seam ripping session where it feels like I’m going to accomplish something.

And then it’s, like, separate from my normal sewing practice. And then I can go back to, like, the fun stuff. And if you feel frustrated, that’s totally normal. I don’t think there’s anyone who seam rips happily. Just go easy on yourself. Every level of sewist uses seam rippers or razor blades. It’s part of the process.

Helen: Alright. Next caller

Sarah: Hello! Calling in from Santa Cruz, California. I have a question for you, which is about ease. How do you ease in a sleeve without just doing tucks? That is my question. Love the podcast. Thanks a lot. Oh, and this is Sarah. Thanks.

Caroline: Hi, Sarah. Okay, easing in a sleeve without tucks is definitely possible, but it is challenging, so you’re not alone. We have some tips. You don’t want to skip the lines of gathering stitches. They are there so that the pieces can fit together smoothly, and you want to carefully distribute the gather so that the fabric doesn’t form any folds. You’re gathering, but you’re not, like, making gathers, if that makes sense. You’re just, sort of, tightening up that seamline where you’re going to be stitching. And if your pattern doesn’t call for this step, consider doing it anyways.

In fashion school, I was actually taught to steam the sleeve cap after this step. It’s super, super helpful. So if you have a tailor’s ham, you can place the sleeve cap over the end so it, kind of, wraps around the round part on the end. And that, kind of, mimics a shoulder shape. And then, use the steam on your iron, and it’s going to help shrink up the fabric so that it fits better into the armhole. This works especially well with, like, a natural fibre, like a cotton or a wool or a linen, that will actually react to that steam and shrink up a little bit. But that’s a great tip if you’re not having a lot of luck just with the gathering.

Helen: That makes a lot of sense because you’re basically, like you said, shortening the fabric in that area. You’re, kind of, pushing the fibres together, not necessarily gathering them, and then, you want to set that in place before you even take it to your sleeve.

One thing that I do is, if I’m using a really lightweight fabric, use a shorter basting stitch. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the full six lengths so it’s super long because that can result in more tucks. You could try, like, a four length. And actually, that will give you a smoother experience when you start pulling on those gathers. You might get less tucks, and then, you add in that steaming and perfect.

Caroline: Chef’s kiss.

Helen: Yeah. You can also consider basting instead of pinning. So when you go to actually put your sleeve into your armhole, you can baste that in there instead of pinning or at least pin very carefully and thoroughly. Make sure your pins aren’t pinching the fabric together. You want to pull the pins out before your fabric goes under the needle because sewing over the pins, not only is it risky for breaking your needle, but that can actually cause tucks of fabric to form, so make sure you’re pulling out those pins as you go along.

And doing some quick hand basting will give you more control than pins. So if you’re really struggling with sleeves, hand baste even just that section between the notches where all of that extra ease is. Take a little needle and thread, do some running stitches along your seamline, and then, you can pull that thread out later and it’s going to be a lot more accurate than pinning, and you’ll experience a lot less frustration.

Caroline: Mhm. And some sewists like to keep the sleeve piece facing upwards when they’re setting in sleeves so that they can see the fabric going under the foot and prevent any tucks, like, as they sew along, and you can go slowly and, sort of, adjust the fabric as you go. Other sewists like to keep the sleeve piece facing down towards the feed dogs. The feed dogs are gonna help ease in the sleeve and prevent any tucks. So, kind of, depends on your preference. I feel like slightly more advanced sewers maybe will feel more confident to have that sleeve piece facing down if you tried that method a few times.

Helen: Yeah, it does help to, like, gather the fabric a little bit, but I am still love to see what I’m doing.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: I like to be able to distribute the fabric if necessary, so I like to have my sleeve piece facing up. But I promise this will get easier the more times you do it. If you’ve sewn a few sleeves and you find the process frustrating, that’s totally normal. It is frustrating, but you will get better at it. It will become more intuitive.

And a couple of small tucks in a sleeve is totally not a big deal. You can’t even see it in a printed fabric. So if you step back and you can’t see that tuck. Just keep going. Like, you don’t need to fix that unless you really want to. If you do want to fix it, you can unpick an inch or so around each tuck and then, just pull it flat and sew it again. I do that all the time. I definitely get tucks in my sleeves from time to time, especially when I’m sewing in a rush.

Caroline: And remember even after you sew that sleeve in a little bit of steam goes a long way. Like, that seam might not look amazing, but then, take it over to your iron and steam it out, and it’ll become just, like, much more crisp. It’ll sit nicely, and it’ll get rid of any little waviness that you might have in that seam.

Helen: Yeah, for sure.

Caroline: Alright. Next caller, please.

Noémie: I love to sew. I’m Noémie, a new fan from Belgium. I recently discovered the show, and I’m loving going through all the previous episodes, all the way back to 2018. I’m calling because I’m a bit of a bias rebel. I never cut my bias. Well, on the bias. I feel like it’s a waste of fabric and both from a sustainability point of view and from an economical point of view. I want to use my fabric as efficiently as possible. Honestly, I don’t find that it’s ever been a problem, but I do worry that the sewing police is going to come and get me one day. So is it okay to be a bias rebel or will I come to regret this? Love you both and thank you so much for the show.

Helen: Wee-ooo. Wee-ooo. Wee-ooo.

Caroline: Sewing police coming in hot!

Helen: We love a sewing rebel here on the show, and we give a lot of info on the podcast so that listeners can make informed choices, but we are not trying to tell anybody what to do. So if you’re happy with the results you’re getting from using cross grain binding rather than actual bias binding, then you go on your rebel way and be happy.

Caroline: But since you asked, the only situation we can think of where you would really regret doing this is if you’re binding something super curvy like a scooped neckline or a circular patch pocket. For those kinds of curves, you’re going to need some stretch so that the binding is going to go around the curve and still lay flat.

Helen: Yeah, if you’ve made garments using non-bias binding, and you’ve noticed that arm openings or necklines aren’t lying super flat, that would explain that, and that would be a reason to switch to bias binding. To get the best binding without cutting on the bias, you want to make sure you’re using a soft and flexible fabric, nothing too stiff or bulky because that’s just going to exacerbate those issues.

Caroline: Yeah, and one way to get bias binding without wasting fabric is to cut many smaller strips and join them together. I’ve done this in the pinch. It does result in more seams But you can join as short as four- to six-inch long pieces together to get the length that you need

Helen: Yeah, you can squeeze it out of, like, a little bit of leftover fabric if needed. Because sewing those really long strips does just, like, eat up your yardage, and it’s so annoying.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So just break it down into small pieces, and then, you can still get that bias. And of course, the sewing police aren’t real. They don’t exist. In the end, we all get to make our own choices about how and what we sew. And if someone decides to play sewing police and criticise you, you just go on your merry rebel way. You’re doing just fine.

Caroline: Wee-ooo. Wee-ooo. Wee-ooo. Wee-ooo! Next question, please!

Helen: Er, er, er. Alright, next caller, please.

Haley: Hi, my name is Haley, and I live in Detroit, Michigan, and I am a beginner sewist now, just over a year, maybe almost two years. And I have a question for the podcast. I dove right into my sewing journey with pattern drafting, which I think some people would call a mistake, but I really enjoyed it. I got into sewing because I wanted to make things that I had designed, and so that’s why I picked up right with pattern drafting.

Because of that, it’s not been the smoothest journey and I’ve had a lot of resources, including your podcast, which has been so incredibly helpful, but I’m getting a lot better at creating the design in my head on paper. And not so great at actually putting together the pattern and the order in which it should be sewn and all of those, like, nitty gritty details after you’ve put the design on paper.

So, my question for you, or maybe my, like, call for advice is, do you know of any really great construction resources? Like, once I have the pattern. How do I put it together? How do I write the, descriptor for how to sew it up myself? What kinds of things do I need to be doing before I really make sure the pattern is final, like, balancing it, checking all of the notches and all of those little details that are not so little?

Yeah, I hope this makes sense. I’m really just looking for something that gets into a lot more of the actual put it together part of sewing rather than the pattern design, and I’ve been having difficulty finding some resources. Thank you. Love the podcast.

Caroline: Hi, Haley. I think it’s so cool that you started with pattern drafting, and we do have a few construction resources for you and a couple of pieces of advice. So first up, when you’re in the muslin making stage, there are a few things to check before you finalise your pattern. You want to make sure that the lines of your pattern are laying correctly.

So the grain of the fabric should make a straight line from the top of the garment to the bottom, and the side seams should be going straight down, not tilting to the front or back. So you want to stand sideways and look in the mirror and see that line of the side seam. You can research more about balance lines to find out how a balanced pattern should look.

Helen: And, of course, you want to check that you can move in it, sit, stand, crouch, bend over, check that your garment has enough ease. And there’s tons more to fitting that we won’t go over today, but in general, make sure you don’t have a lot of draglines, excess fabric, or tightness.

Caroline: And the sewing order of operations is really similar for every garment. Our former guest, Alexandra Morgan, has a video and blog post all about this that we’ll link in our show notes. But the bird’s eye view is this.

Helen: First, you cut the pieces, and then, you do what she calls bundling. And this is your prep stage: applying your interfacing, transferring your pattern markings, and pre-pressing your hems.

Caroline: Third is sewing. First, you sew all the details you can add while the garment is flat, and then, you sew your pieces together.

Helen: Fourth is finishing, That’s adding any closures, cuffs, facings, and hems.

Caroline: There’s a more detailed list for the sewing and finishing steps in the blog post that you can go through.

Helen: It is cool that a lot of patterns follow these general order of operations. And I will say that when we’re designing a pattern, I write a really quick short list of how I think it’s going to go together. Then, I sew it, and then, I realise, no, I have to switch this and that because this needs to happen before that happens, or it would be better, you know, user experience for this to be done at the beginning so it’s ready to go later. And then I, I rewrite the instructions more robustly, and then, I sew it again and back and forth. So there is no, like, getting it right the first time, in my opinion. I think it is an iterative process.

Caroline: Yeah, and it depends a lot on the garment and the details in the garment and, like, for example, with the closure, sometimes you want to sew the closure of the first steps and sometimes you’re doing it at the end depending on how it’s finished on the inside. So you really have to, kind of, use trial and error and gain that experience over time. It’s not something you’re going to know right off the bat.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Another way you can learn about the order of operations is to reference the pattern instructions from similar patterns. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same kind of pattern, but the closer it is, the more ideas you’ll get for how to construct and finish your garment. There are a lot of free patterns out there that you can look through, and some of them are going to teach you different methods and finishes.

Helen: Yeah, I definitely learned how patterns come together from sewing a lot of them. And I love that you want to create your own designs. I totally relate to that, but I want to encourage you not to let that stop you from sewing designs from other people because this will be so helpful for learning construction steps and methods. And I’ve also asked more advanced sewists for advice when I wasn’t sure how to best put something together. They will have a lot more experience and may have encountered a really cool trick that you can use.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s so true. You could, like, read all about construction and try to learn it that way, or you could learn by doing, and then, you have new clothes out of it.

Helen: So true. It is definitely going to help you in your journey.

Caroline: And another construction resource that’s super helpful is The Vogue Sewing Book. It walks you through tons of different sewing techniques step-by-step, from sewing in facings to inserting zippers to making welt pockets. And there’s also some fabric info and cutting and fitting advice. It’s, kind of, nice to have just one construction resource to start with, and then, you don’t have to wade through a bunch of online tutorials to find what you need. I will say there’s a short section on dressing for your body type that we don’t really stand behind, but it’s easily skippable. It’s more of a reference book than a read front to back, kind of, thing.

Helen: Jordan, can you patch in our next caller?

Sarah: Hi, there. My name is Sarah, and I’m a sewist from New York City. My question for you both is about gathering. I can’t tell if I’m missing something, but I feel like I never know how to know if I’m doing the right amount of gathering. When I’m pulling my, my thread after I do, like, the two rows of long stitches, how do I know if I’ve pulled enough, or if I’ve made enough, gather it? Is the only way to know by whether it then fits in the other pattern pieces? Or am I missing information in the pattern instructions that should tell me how many gathers to be making or how to measure them? Uh, or is this something that people just use their intuition about? Thanks so much!

Caroline: Hi, Sarah. Great question. Usually, the best way to know the right amount of gathering is to hold it up to the piece you’re attaching it to. And if it’s only partially gathered, like a puffed sleeve cap, there will be markings on the pattern to show you where the gathered part should fit. Sometimes it’s notches, sometimes it’s just little, like, tailor’s tacks or markings on the pattern piece. Just make sure to transfer all those markings when you’re cutting out your pieces.

Helen: For a circular piece, like a skirt, you would first sew together the bodice, and then, sew together the skirt pieces, so they’re both circular. And then you’re gonna gather the skirt and hold it up to the bodice to check how much more it needs to be gathered. If you want to keep it adjustable, so that you can add or let out a few more gathers, you wrap the threads in a little figure eight around a vertical pin instead of tying them off, which is usually what’s recommended.

I personally like to over gather. Like, when I need to gather a piece of fabric, I’ll gather it, like, right up into, like, a big bunch. And then I, like, to, kind of, push the gathers back out until it fits my pattern piece. And I find this easier than under gathering and then, having to add more gathers. And I also find, since I have to distribute the gathers anyway, like, pushing them out gives me an opportunity to, kind of, distribute them as I go along.

Caroline: Yeah. And if you’re finding, like, holding up your piece to the piece that you’re gathering it to, maybe it’s, like, a lot of heavy pieces, and it feels, kind of, unruly and hard to manage, I actually like to measure the piece that I’m attaching it to just with my dressmaker’s measuring tape. I’ll just walk that measuring tape along the seam line that I’m attaching it to, make a quick note of the length that I’m aiming for, and then, measure my gathered piece as I go along until I get to that length.

And I find that’s really helpful to just get it close to the right place, and then, you can just make little tiny adjustments once you get in there. And remember that you don’t need to make the gathers look nice until you get it to the right length. So once you tie off the threads or wrap them around that pin, you can spend some time moving the gathers around so that it all looks pretty and evenly distributed.

Helen: Totally. Alright. Next caller, please.

Ines: Hey. My name is Ines, and I live in the Netherlands. And my question is why on earth are my jackets lifting at the back? The jackets look great lying down, perfect, the back aligns perfectly with the front. But then I put them on, and the back gets away from my body, look like it flying behind my back. It’s a bit shorter somehow, and I have no clue what I’m doing. Could it be that I need a curved back adjustment, on maybe one of those weight chains at the back? Something else? It’s all very mysterious. I hope you can help me. Thanks!

Helen: Hi, Ines! Okay, jacket fitting can be a bit tricky and it’s a great idea to make a muslin first, you may have already done that, but it is hard to tell what adjustments you need without actually seeing the jacket on your body. And here are a few ideas for adjustments that you could look into based on what you’re describing: a forward shoulder adjustment, a high round back adjustment, an upper back length adjustment, and a broad back adjustment.

It sounds like you need more room in the upper back area to help the lower part of the back jacket to lie closer to your body and not pull up and out. So play around with your muslins and see what lowers the back of the jacket. If you’re using, like, a cotton muslin, you can even cut into the upper back and see if the jacket falls down and how much it falls down. And that would be a good indication of how much of an adjustment you need to make.

Caroline: Some good resources to look into are Closet Core’s article “How to Fit a Tailored Jacket or Blazer” and The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting. We are wishing you the best of luck. You can do this. Next caller, please.

Jo: Hi, Helen and Caroline. My name is Jo, and I’m calling from the UK. Can you please suggest some medium weight cotton fabrics that would be suitable for summer shorts and trousers? I am trying to find fabrics online, but most websites either don’t list fabric weights, or if they do, it’s not something that you can filter on to narrow down the results.

Some websites use light, medium, and heavy as descriptors, but then use light and medium to describe a fabric. I guess I’d like some ideas to identify suitable fabrics and to make a plea for UK websites to add this important piece of information to their listings and their filter options. Thanks so much. Bye.

Caroline: Hi, Jo! Okay, so some medium weight cotton fabrics that would work great for summer shorts and trousers include twill, chambray, denim, and seersucker. A medium weight could go anywhere from, like, 6 to even 10, 11, 12 ounces. It does depend on the fabric, but at Blackbird, we classify medium weight as 200 to 400 GSM, which is about 5.9 to 11.8 ounces.

But again, it depends on the composition of the fabric because different fibres are going to translate differently depending on the weight. For websites that don’t list fabric weights, you can try emailing them about specific fabrics to find out if they’ll work for your project. It’s not really possible to tell the weight of a fabric online without either ordering a swatch so you can feel it yourself or hearing all about it from the seller.

But with that said, I think most chambrays would be a safe bet for summer shorts. Denims or cotton twills that are described as lightweight could work. So, like, a lightweight denim is probably more of a medium weight fabric, but because it’s being compared to other denims that tend to be heavier, we would call it, like, a lightweight denim. So I hope that makes sense.

You can also look out for other clues like pattern suggestions or even going on that shop’s Instagram or website if they post finished makes with fabrics but for summer shorts specifically, I just wanted to call out I think it depends on the pattern that you’re using. Like, if it’s something that’s more of like a jean short you’re gonna want to go more on the, like, mid- heavy-weight end.

And if it’s something with, like, a gathered waistband or something or an elastic waistband, you can go with something lighter. But I would say anything from about six to eight ounces or 200 to 300 GSM would work well for a summer shorts pattern.

Helen: Yeah, totally. My favourite fabric for summer shorts and pants is linen. Yes, it wrinkles, but it’s also just so lovely and summery. And I like my linen for pants to be around six ounces, so more of a mid weight linen for the best results. And I also like rayon pants and shorts for even lighter, more breezy pairs of, like, elastic waist pants. And, those fabrics can be closer to, like, what three ounces, Caroline?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So that’s very lightweight, and they’re not very durable. So it’s definitely for casual wear. No, like, bike riding or horseback riding or anything like that.

Caroline: So Jo wants cotton, but we want Jo to use linen.

Helen: No, cotton is great, too. It’s so great.

Caroline: No. It’s good to explore different fabrics, too. If you’re used to cotton, then that’s great, but try out some linen. You know, we love linen here, so…

Helen: We’re ready for our next caller

Shannon: Hello, this is Shannon calling from Vancouver, and I had a question about pretty insides of garments. So I’ve just noticed that if the inside of my garment is really pretty and has really good finishing, it’s better durability and will last me a lot longer, and I also feel more confident wearing it. So, I wondered if you had any tips about that. I’ve noticed that Helen’s Closet Patterns, they usually have a really nice finishing on the inside. Are there any other designers that you’d recommend or resources to brush up on techniques in that area? Thanks. I’m a big fan. Bye.

Helen: Hi, Shannon! We definitely agree with you. Pretty finishes usually make more durable garments, and we do have some suggestions for finishes that make a garment stronger. First one is flat felled seams. These make a garment more comfortable to wear because you don’t have that seam flapping around on the inside, but they also make a super strong seam. The stress is spread out over two seam lines rather than one.

Caroline: French seams are stronger than regular seams because there’s a bit of a backup seam if the first seam pops.

Helen: A lining also adds longevity to a garment because it puts a layer between the shell garment and your skin, so it will prevent your body’s sweat and oils from deteriorating the outer garment fabric.

Caroline: And Hong Kong seams, which are when the seam allowance is finished with bias binding, they’re not going to make your seams stronger. However, they will keep your seam allowances from fraying or wearing away.

And at the very least, I feel like finishing seam allowance with a serger or zig zag stitch is going to make your garment last longer, so we always recommend this. If you don’t finish your seam allowance at all, the fabric is going to fray and deteriorate really quickly.

So I don’t know, if you’re used to just, like, not finishing, and then you switch to a serger that’s already making much prettier insides of a garment than you were before. And then you can just level up with some new techniques, as well.

Helen: One of my favourite little, quick and dirty seam finishes is just to serge or zigzag and then, press it to one side and topstitch it. It’s, like, a faux flat fell…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …because from the outside it looks flat felled, but on the inside you didn’t have to do all that work. But that really does strengthen the seam, as well.

Caroline: And I don’t think that pretty insides always make a garment more durable. I mean a simple seam sewn on tightly woven cotton is going to be stronger than any kind of seam sewn on a lightweight satin. But if it makes you happy to see pretty insides, who cares if it makes your garment stronger, just go for it.

Helen: Most patterns don’t include instructions for making the insides of your garment pretty. It’s, kind of, a “choose your own adventure” situation. But you can decide on what kind of pretty finishes you’d like to add during the planning phases of your project. You might need to adjust a few small things like seam allowance or hem depth to prepare for that.

But I did want to say thank you for noticing that we include those options. I always like to think about the possible seam finishes that would work and indicate where a certain finish like a French seam or a flat felled seam would be appropriate and give people those options as they’re sewing so that they can try out different seam finishes, too.

Caroline: Yeah, and I think a good place to start researching would be Claire Schaeffer’s book, Couture Sewing Techniques. At the very least, it would be a great jumping off point for learning specific finishes.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: Alright, let’s patch in our next caller.

Amanda: Hi, Helen. Hi, Caroline. Um, my name is Amanda, and I’m calling you all the way from Melbourne in Australia. Um, and the question that I have for you is about alterations. So I have a pair of ready to wear overalls that I want to turn into a pair of pants. I’ve made plenty of pair of pants from scratch, but I’m just not sure what’s going to be the best approach given these are already made and how I’m going to sew, like, the zipper and the pockets. Do you think it’s best if I basically, like, undo them as much as possible and then, treat them like a fresh make? Or is there some tips and tricks you might have for me to make it a bit easier? Thanks. Bye.

Helen: Hi, Amanda. This is a really fun challenge. I wish I could see the overalls because I want to take them apart myself now.

Caroline: It’s like a new hack that we didn’t know existed.

Helen: Yeah. So if you want to take the whole garment apart and use the fabric to make new pants, that’s probably an option. It would be easiest if your overalls are really roomy and you’re making them into tighter fitting pants. You might need to do a bit of piecing to make everything fit. And you might need to buy a bit of new fabric to fill in any gaps. When you’re laying your pattern pieces over your overall pieces, just make sure to match up the grainline so that everything hangs nicely when you’re done.

Caroline: And if you like how the pants part of the overalls fits already, then I don’t think you need to take them apart completely. I would start by cutting off the bib of the overalls, even if it means the pants go up super high. At this point, it’s better to have too much fabric. And you can take a belt or a piece of yarn and use it to hold the pants up so that the crotch is in the place you want it to be. And then mark where you want the waistband to go.

Helen: There will probably be too much ease at the waistline, so you can either gather the pants into a waistband. You could add darts. You could shape the side seams from the hip to the waistband. For darts or shaped side seams, put the pants on inside out and then, pinch out the excess fabric. Make sure the crotch seam is still centred and that the side seams are going straight down from your waist to the hem.

Caroline: And the zipper is going to be the tricky part. I can’t see how you could add a fly. You would have to do some piecing at the centre front, and I think it would get pretty bulky depending on what these overalls look like. But instead you might want to go for an exposed zipper or an invisible zipper at the side seam. The invisible zipper at the side is, kind of, like, a retro 70s look. You can buy a heavy duty invisible zipper if the fabric is medium or heavyweight.

Helen: You can also skip the zipper if you decide to just make a casing and insert an elastic waistband, either all the way around or maybe just in the back. And if you have extra fabric that you cut off the top of your overalls, you can use that to piece together a waistband out of several smaller pieces, or you could get a small amount of new fabric to do that. Make sure the waistband is long enough to overlap for a button and buttonhole, or a hook and eye closure, or however you decide to construct that waistband.

Caroline: Yeah, you could also draft a facing if you don’t have enough fabric for, like, a exposed waistband and you want it to look clean. You could just draft a facing and use, like, a contrasting fabric or similar fabric for the facing.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: I’m actually so excited for this project for you. So if you want, please send us a picture of your upcycle. We’d love to see it.

Helen: Alright. We’re ready for our final question of the day.

Maddie: Hi there. My name is Maddie. I live in North Carolina. So I have a question about the speed of sewing. While I’m sewing, my husband had made a few comments about how fast I go and how maybe I should slow down a little bit. Recently, I was at an open sew night, and I was watching the instructor sew, just a straight line across the top of a bodice, just, like, the binding strip. And she was going a lot slower than I typically go, which leads me to believe that I might have a bit of a lead foot.

So, I’ve been trying to slow it down, while I’m stitching, on the machine, and it has made a difference. So, I was just wondering what your thoughts were. Is there an ideal speed or pressure that I should be putting on the pedal? Just to be sure everything’s accurate and make sure the stitches look good. I’d love to hear your thoughts. This podcast is amazing. I think y’all do one of the best podcasts across all genres. And I spend 85% of my life in the car, so I listen to a lot. Anyways, thank you guys for what you do, and I appreciate it. Bye!

Caroline: Hi, Maddie. Oh, my god. Okay. Thank you for calling in, and thank you so much for the kind words about the show. We’re so flattered. So nice to hear. This question made me think about when we do our, like, FaceTime sewing days with our friend, and we do our, like, big catch up at the beginning and then, for, like, the bulk of the, like, whatever three, four hours that we spend sewing all you really hear is, like, us sewing in the background.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It’s just like we’re, we’re sitting there and just listening to the sounds of our machines, and it’s always, like, rahr, ruh-rahr. It’s like a, like a motor, like, revving because we’re all just, like, speed sewing so no, no problems with speed sewing over here. I think it’s totally okay, but we’ll talk a little bit more about it.

Helen: If Sam, like, came into my sewing room and made a comment about my speed, I would be like, what are you doing in here?

Caroline: Yeah, I mean, like, you don’t know anything.

Helen: No, but sewing speed is really up to the sewist and also dependent on the machine. So if you like the results that you’re getting, then sew as fast as you want. And as long as you’re watching your fingers, I don’t think it’s especially risky.

Caroline: But with that said, it is easier to get a good result on tricky seams, like curved pieces, if you’re going slower. A good result would be, like, straight stitches, consistent seam allowance, and good tension. And it does sound like you were having slightly better results going a little bit slower, so maybe slow it down just a little bit.

Helen: Many sewing machines actually have an option for adjusting the speed of the machine. So you can check your machine’s manual. You can usually find it online by googling your machine’s name and number. So if you want to slow down, there’s more you can do other than just lightening your pressure on the foot ‘cause sometimes that’s not possible. And if you find your foot finicky, too, you can actually replace sewing machine feet. Maybe it’s just wants to go all the way down as soon as you put any pressure on it. So you might just need a new foot.

Caroline: Yeah, sometimes just some machines are much more sensitive to the touch of your foot. Some machines also won’t sew as nicely if you put the pedal to the metal. You might notice weird tension, skipped stitches, or in some cases with older machines, like, a bad smell or, like, a weird sound. None of this is good. Definitely slow down if you experience these things and you may even need to take your machine for a tune up, like, if you smell burning oil or something.

Helen: Yes. But sewing speed is super personal. Some people just enjoy going slower or love going fast, and this can be impacted by your lifestyle, too. You might have less time to sew, so going fast is more likely or more important for you, and that’s totally fine.

Caroline: But once again, if you like your results, there’s no reason to slow down. Speed off into the sunset.

Helen: Do you have a need for speed, Caroline?

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Alright. That is our last call for the day. Thank you so much to all of our listeners who called in with questions. This was so much fun. We love hearing your voices, and we have a fabulous season coming this fall. We’re so excited to share it with you.

Helen: We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew or check out our podcast page on Apple podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428, or send us an email at hello@LoveToSewPodcast.com.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh-bye.

 

 

Related Episodes