https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:42:43 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1385230 Wed, 29 Oct 2014 02:09:38 +0000 barbaraq 1385230@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>E, you have signed yourself up for a very big challenge! &nbsp; Both the pattern and the linen fabric. &nbsp;Do make yourself a test "muslin" in a fabric that is very similar to the linen you have chosen. &nbsp;Linen tends to shift around in a bias way during construction. &nbsp;I mostly prewash it to soften it and make it more manageable, but you need the crispness for this pattern. &nbsp;No flannel or corduroy. &nbsp;Much less velvet. &nbsp;Taffeta would be good. &nbsp;I don't know what it is with Vogue patterns, but in the 50 years I have been sewing my clothes, Vogue ALWAYS comes up with the "unsuitable for diagonals" caution. &nbsp;I really don't see what they are talking about, hardly any fabrics these days would fall into that catagory. &nbsp;A great big wool herringbone, perhaps?</p> <p>Anyway, go for it and learn a lot in the process! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1385001 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:15:58 +0000 E 1385001@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Gaylene for such extensive advice! It is all very helpful, and I will definitely follow it. I didn't know about the grain straightening at all! Or that linen is tricky to sew; I bought it because I like its environmental friendliness compared to cotton, but I bet I could find some organic cotton to make a wearable muslin first. So much to think about! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384470 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 19:08:18 +0000 Gaylene 1384470@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lovely pattern and kudos for taking on the challenge. Doing a test run with a less expensive fabric to work out any kinks is a good idea. Linen, while lovely, is not the easiest fabric to work with because it can unravel and fray quite a bit while you are handling it during construction. It can also be harder to pick out stitches (almost inevitable if you are teaching yourself as you go along,). </p> <p>Since you indicated you might like this dress in other fabrics, why not do your "muslin" in a cotton, or cotton-poly blend, broadcloth that you can wear as a casual summer frock? The broadcloth will have a similar drape, but is a much more tightly woven fabric than linen so it is easier to handle--and, if you sew it with a slightly longer stitch length, will be easier to rip out and adjust seams when you need to fix something. You can choose to line this "muslin" frock, just line the bodice, or even forgo the lining altogether. </p> <p>I'd also prep my fabrics before starting, depending on how you plan to care for the finished garment. Since you'd probably want to wash the summer frock, launder and iron the length of broadcloth before cutting out the pieces. If you intend to dryclean the linen, steam press the fabric length to ensure there won't be any shrinkage when the garment is cleaned and pressed. Same goes for your lining fabric--make sure the cleaning methods for it are compatible with the fashion fabric. And stay away from 100% polyester linings unless you want to feel like you are in a sauna every time you wear the dress. Rayon/viscose blends are more comfortable, and silk is the best! Just remember to wash or steam press the lining fabric as well to avoid shrinkage. </p> <p>Another tip is to make sure the grain of the linen is straight before putting your pattern pieces on it-- linen often gets twisted when it is rolled up on the bolt by the big machines. Here's how: Straighten the ends of your linen fabric length until you can pull a single thread from selvage to selvage on both cut ends. Fold the fabric in half length ways and check to see if the cut edges line up; if the cut edges don't line up straight (and they probably won't!), you need to straighten the grain until the folded fabric length forms a perfect rectangle instead of a trapezoid shape. Find a helper and get that person to grab one corner of the opened up fabric, you grab the diagonal corner on the other end and start tugging on the fabric. Check every so often to see if the cut edges are lining up straight by refolding the fabric in half lengthwise again. </p> <p>Prepping your fabric before you cut out your pattern pieces is hugely important if you want a wearable garment, but it often gets ignored in the excitement of doing into a new sewing project. Have fun! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384446 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:35:19 +0000 E 1384446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Diane! Thanks so much for chiming in. I actually have a couple thrifted sheets, so I can use one of them as a muslin. I'm glad to hear I don't need to line it, so I don't need to buy double the lining fabric! If I were in England, I would just save up and have you to make me a dress instead. But this way hopefully I'll acquire some new skills.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384439 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:29:07 +0000 Anonymous 1384439@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi E. I'm so late to this and you have great advice already. What a nice pattern! You know I always keep old bed sheets that are past their best and use them for making muslins. I also keep old curtains and anything else I can think of so that I have a variety of weights. You wouldn't normally put a lining in a muslin either. The idea is to get a pretty close representation of fit. So just make sure it has a little room in it and you can then tweek the fit of the main garment when you do a baste fitting. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384428 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:09:45 +0000 E 1384428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Firecracker, how interesting re: the gores! And your eye for detail is astounding. Luckily I purchased a generous yardage of the fabric, so I can choose either view. I might measure them first; I’m not sure I have any gored skirts to compare.<div><br /></div><div>Beth Ann, that’s an excellent idea, and one that I will definitely do. Especially since it’ll let me work out all of my mistakes before they matter. The bodice is lined in the pattern: should I line the muslin too?</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you Jennifer! I had come across patternreview.com before, so I did check it for people’s thoughts &amp; liked how it looked!</div><div><br /></div><div>Meredith, I hadn’t heard of that site, but it looks really neat! Thank you for the link. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks Alasse! It’s rated as very easy, so hopefully I’ll manage to produce a lovely dress as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for the link Laurinda! The pattern comes with 4 cup size choices, but I’ll read about the bust adjustments to figure out what cup size I should pick (their directions give me a different result than my bra size).</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384263 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:53:32 +0000 Laurinda 1384263@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good for you for creating your own dress! I agree with Beth Ann on first making a muslin, a princess-seamed bodice may need either a small or full bust adjustment.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/12/helpful-links-for-bust-alterations.html">Gertie's Links for Bust Adjustments</a>&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384230 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:18:01 +0000 Alassë 1384230@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's a lovely pattern, E! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384214 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 11:46:25 +0000 Meredith 1384214@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>E, have you ever looked at Past Patterns? If you're enjoying reading seeing history I think you'd like the visuals on this site. I could even see you borrowing some elements of the looks for yourself as you develope your sewing skills.</p> <p><a href="http://www.phttp://www.pastpatterns.com/1880.htmlastpatterns.com/1880.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.phttp://www.pastpat...../1880.html</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384171 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 06:59:12 +0000 jennifer 1384171@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Another resource I like for sewing is patternreview.com if you are a paid member you can read older than 6 months reviews . As it so happens there are only two for that pattern and both are fairly new ( July / August ). The forums are great for advise and info too! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384115 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 03:41:26 +0000 Beth Ann 1384115@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wonderful pattern, E!&nbsp; I wanted to chime in and suggest that you try a "muslin" of the bodice first.&nbsp; I don't think you'd need to put on the skirt, or even put in a zipper in the back, but it would help you get a custom fit and make changes before you start working on your good fabric.&nbsp; It doesn't have to be actual muslin, of course.&nbsp; Any cheap woven of roughly the same weight and stretch would do.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384077 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:23:08 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1384077@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It's curious that view E takes less fabric than view B. Your logic would make sense, but I think the skirts are probably about the same circumference around the bottom, ie., the same amount of fullness. What requires more fabric for B, I'm guessing, is that B has 5 gores (panels) across the front and 6 across the back (the middle gore is divided into two for the center back seam). View E has 3 gores across the front and 4 across the back. More pieces, with the extra amount needed for seam allowances to sew them together, adds up to more fabric. Those additional panels apparently take up more extra fabric than the gathering in view E does. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384046 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:28:48 +0000 E 1384046@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Vildy! That technique sounds very interesting. Did you know dressmakers used to use tons of tiny pleats to achieve the shaping of women's gowns from a rectangle of fabric? When the empire dress style first came into vogue, some sewists didn't realise they could let the fabric draped &amp; initially started out keeping all those time consuming pleats in the back! (I was just reading <i>The Needle's Eye</i>, about colonial New England sewists: it was fascinating.)&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm definitely not starting with a pattern, or velvet or corduroy or anything with a nap: my fabric a solid grey medium weight, garment-intended&nbsp;linen. I was just confused by the diagonal thing, and whenever I'm confused I tend to ask lots of questions/reference examples. I definitely want to start simple &amp; build my way up! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384039 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:21:02 +0000 Vildy 1384039@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I would not start out a first sewing project by choosing either a stripe or plaid. <br />Unless it was just a piece made up of basic rectangular pieces. There's already a lot of design lines in that bodice. Just look at how many separate seams and darts. Plus we tend to think of plaids as very boxy and even but only some are regular in the placement of their lines and others are wildly irregular. </p> <p>If you want to use a very bulky fabric like a corduroy or a velvet and you want the full gathered skirt, read up on how to pleat the fullness in instead of running a gathering thread and shirring it up. Makes a significant difference. You'll still have some bulk but it will be controlled and you won't get weird random poofiness when the fabric has a mind of its own. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384036 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:18:30 +0000 E 1384036@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Cross-posted w Missey &amp; BJ! Thank you both for your detailed replies: this forum is such a font of wisdom. :D&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384033 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:17:05 +0000 E 1384033@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thnx BettyCrocker: that does make sense. It's pretty literal, in retrospect, hehe.&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you Firecracker! You're an excellent interpreter. :)&nbsp;I hadn't quite processed the flared vs gathered distinction between the views, but that makes complete sense that heavier fabrics work better in the flares. Um, would they both be 'poofy,' for lack of a better word? I do like my poof. I'm guessing that since B requires more fabric than E, B will end up with a fuller skirt? And thanks for the details re: prints! Shall avoid any seam matching until I've got some more experience under my belt. Of course, I left my iron in Texas, so I probably won't be able to start sewing until after Christmas (going home for the holidays). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384021 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:11:48 +0000 bj1111 1384021@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>agree with bettycrocker re diagonals. &nbsp;for the fabric, the recommendations have a specific hand and drape. &nbsp;crisp, will stand away from the body. &nbsp;a floppier fabric like lace or organza can be used as an over-skirt layer over the basic dress. &nbsp;you will need to find the right weight flannels or velvets to get it to hang the way it was intended or make a dress with softer folds that swish instead of swirl. &nbsp;for cordoroy, probably a very thin wale would work, again need to get the right thickness of fabric (influenced by the wale). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384018 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:11:01 +0000 Missey 1384018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>With the structure of the dress, medium weight linen and suiting weight flannel should work.&nbsp; I think a lighter wool flannel would work too.&nbsp; Corduroy would probably be too heavy, but it depends on the weight, and lighter velvet should be OK.&nbsp; Make it and you'll see first hand how it moves and hangs.&nbsp; You have a good eye for fit and weight of garments, I think once you see it made, you should be able to tell what may work. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384013 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:08:25 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1384013@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The pattern envelope is suggesting fabrics with some body, which will stand away from the body in the gathered or flared skirt. It would work in all the fabrics you suggest. Are you planning to use the flared version (views A-C), or also the gathered skirt version (views D-F)?&nbsp; I could see all of your choices in the flared one. They are certainly possible for the gathered version, too--it just depends on what effect you want with the gathers. (The fabrics you suggest would create pretty bulky gathers.) Stripes aren't diagonals, unless they are printed diagonally on the fabric (as you look at it with the selvedges going straight up and down). Same with plaids. So either would work well. But I would say plaid would be a nightmare to match, with all those seams. Stripes would be easy to work with, if you use them vertically. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1384009 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:05:09 +0000 Anonymous 1384009@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>They are referencing the print, not the fabric. When the pattern is not suitable for obvious diagonals, it refers to prints that are diagonal rather than vertical or horizontal. I hope this makes sense. I don't know how else to explain it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/question-for-the-sewists#post-1383994 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 00:54:56 +0000 E 1383994@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>A few months back I bought some linen fabric to make myself a sleeveless, round-necked,&nbsp;princess seamed, be-pocketed,&nbsp;fit &amp; flare grey dress, as after years of searching for it I've given up on finding one via retail. And then I discovered it's oddly difficult to find just the right pattern! I think I finally might have found it: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8998-products-48396.php?page_id=174">Vogue V8998</a>. And it's on sale: yay!&nbsp;I'm very much a beginner sewist though, and I have a possibly silly question before I buy it. Once I get the fit sorted, I'd like to be able to make the same pattern in lots of different colours &amp; fabrics. The pattern info says: <br /><span><span><b><br />FABRICS:</b>&nbsp;Silk Faille, Broadcloth, Pique, Satin.<b>&nbsp;Contrast F:</b>&nbsp;Lace, Organza.</span><b>Not suitable for obvious diagonals.</b></span></p> <p>Um, can someone interpret that for me? Would it work in mediumweight linen? Wool flannel? Corduroy? Velvet? *pauses to contemplate all those yummy fabrics*&nbsp;And how careful do I need to be about prints: are stripes diagonals? Are plaids? Basically, would this work in day dress materials&nbsp;vs party ones?</p> <p>Clearly I'm a neophyte. Any and all advice appreciated.&nbsp;:) </p>