Fabric covered buttons on the Mae blouse - A tutorial

Who is up for some inspiration for the upcoming weekend? Of course sewing related....

Remember my Gingham Mae blouse i posted about here?  Well i did a schmancy thing and added some matching fabric covered buttons to the button down back. You know, i gotta tell ya, this  button down back on the Mae blouse, is just as much a pretty f***ing cool feature as the scalloped neckline, so it deserves just as much attention, so why not make it even more spesh! Yeah!

I did promise i would share a tutorial on how you can easily create your own spesh buttons on your Mae blouse, so before we start here is a heads up. You can use whatever fabric takes your fancy, matching or contract works, but just an FYI, a  thicker fabric won't work the best with the fabric covered buttons, so stay away from it, OK? Or you will have shit buttons.

Are ya ready? OK... lets do this:


Step 1:
 Make your buttonholes.

Step 2:

Gather all your supplies for making your fabric covered buttons, such as:

5/8'' fabric covered button kit (You can pick these up in most, if not all sewing shops)

1/8 yards of  fabric of your choice (Remember you can use matching fabric or contrast fabric, go wild!)

Needle and thread

Step 3:

Cut 7 2''x 2'' fabric squares from your chosen fabric.

Yeah i know there is only 4 in the photo,
but you cut 7!

Step 4:

Centre the button shell with the fabric wrong side up and  with the rounded side of the button shell facing down in the centre of the fabric.

Step 5:

Hold the fabric firmly and press the  button shell into the mold.

Step 6:

You can trim the extra fabric around the sides, but i just left mine and it worked just fine!

Step 7:

Tuck/squish the fabric into the button shell.

Step 8:

Place the button back over the tucked/squished fabric.

Step 9:

Press down firmly with the pusher to snap it in place, you will hear a soft click, if you don't press harder :)

Step 10:

You're all done! All you need to do now is sew those beauties on!

How easy is that? So easy!

 Now go forth and cover your buttons, my friends!

The Mae sew-along starts next Wednesday the 11th September! I hope you all  have marked your calendars and are dreaming of what to buy with your prizes if you win!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Abby

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Non printed vintage patterns - A tutorial.....

So you just brought the most amazing vintage pattern, all uncut and in its original goodness..?
Its going to be great, you think to yourself, ill sew up the most amazing vintage garment EVER!

The pattern arrives in the post...

You open to find that it is an unprinted pattern! @#$^&^!!!!

Don't worry i gotcha back with a few tips on how to make working with non printed patterns a cinch!

Working with unprinted vintage sewing patterns is actually really easy and just as straight forward as working with printed patterns, the same information is still there as the same printed patterns, basically it is just laid out in a different format, so don't worry you don't have to attend any special courses, or chase up your mates Grandma who is apparently a sewing genius and has been sewing for  100 years and knows everything..... You just need to understand a few basic tips.

First things first ..

Where do you find these little bits of knowledge that will make you unprinted sewing pattern experience  a happy one?

Depending on the actual pattern you have brought, you may need to refer to the back of the pattern,  instruction sheet or pattern layout. With my particular pattern my happy pieces of information , they were located on the instruction sheet.

Hang on, there ain't no lines on my pattern pieces?

You will notice when you open up your pattern pieces they are all marked with a letter and a few random perforated holes everywhere. The letters on each pattern piece determine which pattern pieces are which, i.e  'A' is the front bodice, B is the back bodice. This system is very much like printed patterns and each pattern piece having a number or letter to determine which piece is which. Again you can see this information on the layout below.

And what about all these perforated holes throughout each pattern piece, and seemingly without any real system...???

Again refer to your happy information place, wherever it is in your pattern. These perforated holes  indicate the darts, which pattern pieces are required to be cut on the fold, grain-lines etc

Now you know what these perforated holes represent, you need to find out EXACTLY what they mean on your pattern ( this will again differ between each pattern)  for example:

As you can see on my pattern instruction sheet, it tells me the 3 large holes, represent cutting the pattern piece on the straight grain, the 2 large perforated  holes placed close together indicate to place the pattern piece on the fold. I suggest tracing you pattern pieces, so you can scribble  down all this info onto the pattern pieces, and refer to this info as you are working, without ruining the vintage pattern.

These are the main tips you need to keep in mind when working with an unprinted sewing pattern, but below are a couple more to keep in the back of your mind  before you cut into your gorgeous fabric:

*Remember to also keep your eye out for whether or not the seam allowance is included ( as it obviously wont be marked) in the pattern or whether you need to add it - majority of times it will be added in the pattern, but just check.

*Marking your darts etc, Again refer to your happy information place, and read up on what method they suggest.  I mark  the darts using pins, pinned straight through the perforated hole and fabric, then pull the pattern pieces away, leaving the pins in place marking the dart, super easy!

*Make sure to have all you pattern pieces facing the right  side up, it sounds silly but with only the letters to determine which pattern pieces are which,  letters can decidedly look the same from each side of the pattern pieces. If you get confused by this, just refer back to where your happy information place is located to see the exact diagram of the pattern piece.


I hope you find this little tutorial helpful and don't feel  intimidated anymore when that perfect vintage turns up in the post and you realize  it is unprinted. You just need to hunt for that happy  information in the pattern and you will sewing your perfect vintage garment in no time!

Abby
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Finishing your seams ....

Hello lovely readers, its been a wee bit quiet around these parts. I have been frantically working on the upcoming Billie Jean sew along tutorials, the new pattern design, among other sewing related things, of course. I am back, and  hopefully on a more regular basis, as  i think i have tamed the wild beast jobs list i had going on!

So to get prepared, refresh our memories and basically just get into the  mood for some serious sewing with the upcoming  Billie Jean sew along i thought it would be helpful to get back to some basics and do a little  post on finishing your seams. I will be doing some more  little posts like this leading up to the Billie Jean sew along, so we are all super prepared.
I hope somewhere along the lines in one of these posts you may find a little helpful tip! And the coolest part you will be able to refer back to these little sewing blog posts whenever you like, during the sew along or at a later date!


On the Billie Jean pattern instruction sheet  i specify to just finish your seams, which is a tad bit general, considering there are few ways to finish off your seams.Below are some of the most common and some of the main ways  i use:

What does it mean to finish your seams exactly?

Finishing your seams is basically securing and tidying up the raw edge of the seam allowance, the most commonly is an 5/8'' allowance. More importantly finishing your seams also prevents the edges from fraying. So after you have stitched your seam using the 5/8'' AND pressed your seam opened, you can then begin to finish the seam edges with one of the methods below. FYI i have only listed the most commonly used, more fancy ones will be covered at a later date.

Pinked seam

* 'Pinking' is basically using  your pinking shears to trim the excess fabric on the seam allowance, and prevent fraying. One of most quick and easy ways to finish off your seams. I use a lot just mainly because it is quick and easy and i it feels like i am kindergarten, doing a real good crafty project with these bad boy scissors.

Overlocking/ Serging

* Definitely my favourite way to finish off my seams, its quick and easy. The Overlocker  trims  the excess fabric and stitches the raw edges nicely as it goes, and it  looks super duper professional once done. Sometimes i also finish my edges as one seam instead of the 2 separate edges with the overlocker, its just personal preference which way to choose to finish them with the Overlocker, i do both. I highly recommend spoiling yourself and buying an Overlocker if you don't have one. Depending on what part of the world you call home, it can be an Overlocker or Serger. It is a worthwhile investment, especially if you are a keen as mustard and addicted sewer! Once you get one you will be in love and wonder why you have waited so long!

Bound seam

*I have done this once or twice, only because i am lazy when i comes to be finishing off the inside of my garments as well as i have done on the outside. But this is a worthwhile way to finish off your garment in a super fancy schmancy way if you are so inclined. Although i wouldn't recommend it on light or sheer fabrics, as  it will add bulk to the seams, and just look plain weird. Basically the bias binding encloses the raw edges of the seam allowance, finishing in it in this way. So just pin it on each side of the raw edge and stitch away!





FYI i am expecting the Billie Jean sewing pattern to be received from the printers today or at the latest Monday! Crossing my fingers that they aren't stuck in customs! But i have a sickly feeling that they are, so this means if they are, there is a high possibility of rescheduling the sew along until they arrive and you get your patterns... see how things roll and i will keep you up to date as soon as i have more up to date info.

 Sorry folks, and  I thank you again for your patience with this massive delay, this was meant to be the easy side of the whole pattern release.. boy it seems i was wrong. This will be the first and last time delays like this will happen to my pattern releases, its too darn stressful for me and you peeps and it makes really unhappy to think of all you waiting on your Billie Jean pattern to be received in the post, that is why i am currently in process of sorting out other alternatives for the patterns.

Remember also to join up to the Flickr group for the sew along, and you feel like it grab the Sew along button on the side bar and show some Bluegingerdoll love. Also Google reader is shutting up shop very very soon, so if you follow me on there don't forget to follow along on Bloglovin, Feedly... the usual following along suspects.

Abby
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