Got Tape anyone?
I am very interested in custom-made dress forms of late. Most of my adult life, I would buy a pattern, add 5 inches to the pants length and 2 inches to the sleeves, and the clothing would fit fine. I have steadily been gaining weight over the last decade and can no longer do that. Who wants to make clothes that don’t fit? It’s a lot of work wasted if you do not take the time to do the fitting. But, to do this well, you need a good sewing friend to help you, or a dress form that fits your body.

So, I have been researching custom forms and experimenting with forms made of duct tape or paper packaging tape.

These are pictures of my daughter and her custom-made form of duct tape. I am hoping to schedule a class to share my findings with you, so that you can make a form that fits your body, too. The first date I am considering is coming up fast – Sunday, February 9, 2008 from 10am-4pm. (NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE!)

I have spoken to my current students, and many of you would like to do this. So, I say, “Why wait?” I am thinking that we should limit the class to 10 students, working in pairs, or even better, trios. If there are more students than I can accommodate that day, I will set another date soon. I will post a small list of what you need to bring, shortly. By clicking on the links in the paragraph above the picture, you can get a preview of what we will be doing. In fact, if you do plan on taking the class, I encourage you to read up as much as you can so that you will be familiar with the process.

Threads Magazine has had articles over the years about dress forms. Click here to view the a summary of the 4 different ways they recommend to making your own forms. Their article also includes links to various websites which have more detailed instructions and pdf downloads.

The cost for the day is $90. We will have refreshments and lunch available. Duct tape is included. Plus most of the other materials needed. That way, you can eat when you are not being fit.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

So, after all of this, here is what you need to bring with you when you come to the workshop:

• Long T-shirt or close-fitting turtleneck, this will become part of the dress form, so it has to be one that you are willing to sacrifice to the cause! If the shirt doesn’t go past the hipline, we can extend it

• Leggings or tights to wear while being taped

• Undergarments like you wear under most of your clothes, so that the form will be shaped (conformed, constricted, or left to hang) like your body is on a daily basis.

• Breath mints, just kidding!

If you have been to the shop, or see the pictures on the site, you know that there are large windows across the front and on the door. All shades and curtains will be pulled closed and the door will be locked so that we won’t have any surprise visitors while we are holding this workshop. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, we will stop and cut the form off immediately.

I will walk everyone through the process and demonstrate the taping techniques. We may need to do some prep of your shirt, etc. and we will do that, too. I will supervise every form made so that you will be happy with the one you take home with you. No swapping!

I think that teams of 3 work really well. One person being taped by 2 others. One in front and one in back. I think it will go better that way and faster.

There are ways to make stands and fill the forms. I will present them to you and you can decide what you want to do. You will need to buy fiberfill, (polyester fill for pillows and stuffed animals) to fill and support your form. I have seen various options, included packing peanuts. I have seen it recommended that the bust be filled with raglan shoulder pads. Let’s see how it goes and I will answer any questions you have about finishing them. If need be, we may have a short follow-up class.

The final thing is that I can teach you how to use your form through the classes you take for sewing. If your body does change, you will know how to make the form. With help from a good friend, you can remake the form in short order and very little monetary outlay.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, March 16th!

Learning new ways to produce historic garments

This past week, at my daughter’s school, they held a World Fest. It was a great opportunity to expose the students to other cultures. The students were encouraged to wear costumes during the day representing their national background.

Since our background in mainly Finnish, with a little Swedish thrown in, I did an online search for what a traditional costume for a girl would be in Finland. I found these two websites: Finnish National Costume and Kutri’s Korner.

I decided to make an outfit which would evoke the feel of the costume while making use of fabrics in my stash. I found a woven striped fabric I made into a simple dirndl skirt. It took me less than an hour, which lead me to believe that I could easily make a whole outfit in a day. The apron was one I made for a friend’s daughter for Colonial Days at her school (Brackett Elementary) last Spring. I borrowed that and she gave me a button-down, white shirt to use if I needed it.

I didn’t see any good vest patterns online. So, I pinned pieces of Swedish Tracing Paper to my daughter’s T-shirt. (I actually prefer Pattern Ease, but I used what I had.) I traced the lines I wanted for the vest and fit the paper to her shape. I made a pattern, adding seam allowances and truing seamlines. Even though it was for one day, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything other than make a fully lined and finish garment. I found some Logger’s Flannel which I had bought years ago from The Rain Shed. Finnish vests are made from wool, luckily, this heavy flannel looked a lot like wool. I lined it in black moire, interfacing the front with Knit Fuse interfacing. The front closures are some frog-like links we had bought from the Wright’s Ribbon Outlet in Sturbridge, MA. (If you have never been there, it is worth the trip!) I don’t know why we bought them, I think it was one of the items Amelia chose with the shopping allowance I gave her. Fortunate for us when it came to making this outfit. I was very tired when it was time to attach them to the vest, so I tacked them on with the machine, in matching thread.

The last item was a white blouse. I didn’t have time to make a whole new blouse, but I wasn’t happy with the look of a button-down shirt in it’s place. So, I compromised and removed the collar and cuffs. I added a gathered flounce collar to the neckline and trimmed it in lace. The lace was actually from a lace snowflake kit I bought at Wright’s outlet. Then, I released the pleat at the bottom of the sleeve, added fabric and sewed lace over the joining seam. I wove burgundy cording through the lace and tied it around the sleeve. It was almost 3 am by that time, so I packed it all up and went home to bed.

My daughter had some white tights and black shoes which completed the outfit. I knew that it wasn’t exactly what the girls wear in Finland, but was pleased later in the day when I ran into a friend who had spent time in Finland an exclaimed that the outfit looked just like what she saw girls wearing when she lived there. Amelia made the appropriate praises and gave me a nice number of hugs to have made the loss of sleep worthwhile.

In Massachusetts, the public schools have 3rd graders study Colonial times. Many schools have Colonial Days in which the students come to school for the day dressed in costumes like children would wear during that time in history.

I have a special interest in this since my daughter is in 3rd grade this year. She has an American Girl Doll “from” Colonial Williamsburg. Elizabeth is her name. The February vacation (2006) after she received the doll, we visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I have a friend, Amy, who coaches the Fifes and Drums corps there and often plays music on flute and piano for events in Williamsburg historic area. The visitor center allows parents to rent costumes for the children to wear. They are simple white dresses and mop caps for girls. I have to admit that I cannot remember what they had for boys, other than 3 cornered hats. It was fun for my daughter to walk around wearing the dress and cap, carrying her doll, who was in her own costume, too.

I remember when Amy started working there over 10 years ago. She talked to me about how she had to make her own dress. It had to be out of certain materials and sewn all by hand!

Well, I am not so interested in being that authentic. Meaning, I plan to use a sewing machine for most of the construction. Luckily, McCall’s Pilgrim or McCall’s Fancier Colonial and Simplicity have issued patterns for different eras in American history. Unfortunately, these patterns are only available for girls. They offer no patterns of this era for boys. The following do have patterns for both. There is a company in Colorado, Patterns of Time, which offers many historic patterns. Sewing Central offers patterns and material. You may find Kannik’s Korner on the previous 2 sites, but they do offer a few patterns for girls and boys. Harper House offers many patterns from various eras. Their link takes you to the page for Children’s Colonial clothing. All of these linked names will take you as close as I can get you to pages for patterns for Children. You may find it fun to explore the sites. I have never used the patterns of these independent companies. They may be best suited to an experienced sewer.

The patterns vary in difficulty. Last year, I made costumes for my neighbor and her daughter. They were very simple, and we can use the patterns I drafted, too.

I have purchased the McCall’s and Simplicity patterns so that I can make samples for you to see. I may end up making the more elaborate dress while we are working on your projects. I will hang it near the front window so you you can observe the progress of the outfit. As soon as I finish the first dress, I will post it online here. I will find a pattern for a boy’s outfit, too. They can be easier to manufacture from their current wardrobe by altering pants and dressing with the right accessories.

I have been trying to find a time in my class schedule that would work for us to meet as a group on this topic of sewing. I would like to propose Wednesday evenings. Or, it may be possible to do a Thursday 11am-2pm time slot. If those times do not work for you, join any class. My classes allow you to work on what you want at your own pace, so it would be fine to come at a class time that is convenient. Though, I think that working together on these outfits together can be helpful, inspiring and a lot of fun.

A new sewing machine can be both an exciting and scary prospect. It is very easy to be discouraged when you try to figure out how to use it on your own. There are a few simple things you can do to make sure that you have success when using your machine. But, the manuals aren’t always clear on what to do.

Here at Laura’s Sewing School, we LOVE to teach beginners. We love all of our students, but we are happy to open the fun world of sewing to new enthusiasts. I have yet to meet a machine I couldn’t figure out. And, I will be able to demystify its workings for you. We can make some fun projects right from the beginning.

There are still spaces left in the classes starting in January 2008. So, give us a call or send an email. We are happy to answer any of your questions and if you want, sign you up for a class.

A long title, I know. But, this happens often. You decide that you want to take a sewing class, find my website, but the classes just started, or they start tomorrow and you cannot free up your schedule until next week. If we have the space in the class you want, we can take late registrations and charge you a pro-rated fee. So, don’t be afraid to contact us when this happens. If you are a beginner, or any other level, you won’t have missed anything, because everyone works on their own projects, at their own pace.

I have been sewing since middle school. I could not even begin to estimate how many items I have sewn. Not only for myself, but gifts for friends and family, plus as part of the many sewing jobs I have done in my life.

Here are some examples of my work. I will post pictures as I find them. Click on image to enlarge it. Then use the back button of your browser to return to this page.

This picture is of several projects. I painted and decoupaged the dresser on the left of the photo. The little dress above it, I made for my daughter when she was a baby. I came up with a way to cover gripper snaps with fabric for the back, so they would be less bulky than buttons. The quilt above the ironing board was a project my daughter chose to do. She picked the pattern, the fabrics and then helped with the construction. She loves ironing, so she pressed the folded centers of the flowers. She was worried about not being able to sew straight, so she press the clutch of the sewing machine while I guided the fabric for some of it. It’s like driving a car while someone else has control of the accelerator. Luckily, we all arrived safely. At the time, I was a member of the Quilter’s Connection. I was entering my Elephant walk quilt in the show. My daughter wanted to enter a quilt but didn’t really get serious about it until the Saturday before the Thursday morning deadline. You can guess what I worked on almost exclusively those 4 1/2 days. It was fun to work together with her. She was 5 years old at the time. She has been using a sewing machine since she was 4. Now, she is 8.

Before and after pictures of a chair I slipcovered for my sister. I did it in one day, while I was visiting her in Maryland. I brought along my Bernina Activa.

I made these blue sheers for my sister, Peggy, too. They had some navy valances in place already, along with some cellular shades behind them.

I had window lettering done by Tricia O’Neill in December 2006. Just a short time before opening my new space for classes. I felt for awhile that a sign above the shop was needed. The framework for the old metal sign was still attached to the front of the building. I measured it and decided to make my own sign. I used outdoor friendly fabric. First I traced the letters on my window and enlarged them 150% with a pantograph. Then I fused the cut letters to the background fabric. I had drawn chalk lines on the red fabric to help me space the letters. Then, I stitched them around the edges with UV protected thread. One I was done, I sewed heavy duty velcro to the edges. With help from my friend, Cynthia Murray, and her husband, we mounted the fabric sign to the framework on the building. Luckily, it fit. Now, I just have to get some lighting on it.

Over the summer, we offered week-long, sewing classes for kids & teens. The kids would meet in the morning and the teens in the afternoon. It’s is amazing what they accomplished in 5 days. Almost all of them were beginners. The youngest was 8 and the oldest 18.

Usually, I start beginners off with a simple apron. It is a project that is finished rather quickly and gives us a chance to talk about many of the basics about sewing: the grain of the fabric, pinning, cutting, prepping with the iron, how a sewing machine works and how you go about sewing a straight line of stitching. Also, it gives me a chance to determine how each student learns, so that I can give them the instruction they need.

After the apron, the most popular projects were; tote bags; fabric-tied, flip flops; pajama pants; quilted triangle bags, ribbon bulletin boards and several other items. Here are some examples of the work the kids did. Truly inspiring!

Click on image to enlarge it. Then use the back button of your browser to return to this page.

I think it is important to share what students have completed during classes here at Laura’s Sewing School. The pictures are just a small fraction of the work completed by students over the years I have taught in both of my studios. I have also taught workshops for outside groups for which I do not have any photographs. If by some chance you were a part of one of those sessions and would like to post your work here, please contact me. And, if you were one of my regular studio attendees and would like to send me a picture to post, I would love to share it with others.

Click on image to enlarge it. Then use the back button of your browser to return to this page.

Finding Laura’s sewing school was a great opportunity for me, someone
who always wanted to sew but didn’t have the confidence to attempt it
on my own. I learn the basics of sewing in an extremely friendly, hands
on environment where no question was too stupid and mistakes were a
vital, accepted part of the learning process. In addition, I gained the
knowledge and understanding of the logic and background behind sewing
that makes me able to attempt projects on my own that I would never
have dreamed of trying before, with professional looking quality and a
sense of pride that you could never get from buying something in a
store. I would highly recommend that anyone interested in sewing,
whether their interest is in clothing, furniture upholstery, home
goods, accessories or any other category, sign up for a class with
Laura, where you can go at your own pace and chose projects that
interest you, because you won’t be sorry!

These pictures are of a bag designed by Lizzy. She has attended classes since January 2007. She made the pattern, quilted the fabric, inserted a welted zippered pocket on the outside and a double compartment pocket on the inside. The closure is made with a fabric covered button and a black elastic loop. Lizzy made this during a week-long, summer teens class.

Scroll over the pictures for product labels.

Click on pictures to enlarge image.

Use your browser’s “back” button to return to this page.

In a few instances, I have pictures of items I do NOT recommend,  so that you can see them.  Please take note of the one(s) I DO suggest you buy.

Places to purchase most or all of the items are:

Fabric Corner, Mass Ave and Mill St, Arlington

Joann Fabrics and Crafts, Burlington, Saugus, Natick, etc.

Atlanta Thread & Supply has most items and they are very well priced. They are located in Georgia and the Ground Shipping is quite fast.

Fabric Place, Woburn & Framingham, MA have most items.

Clotilde, catalog and online catalog of sewing supplies and other great stuff.

I have been sewing for over 35 years. I have tried most sewing tools available. My goal is to steer you to the best brands and styles, to save you from buying notions which are not worth using. I do not receive any recompense for my suggested list. Most of the items are inexpensive. The highest priced one is a good pair of dressmaking shears. Don’t skimp on those, they are worth every penny. They are the “good” scissors your mother wouldn’t let you use.

Portable Sewing Machine w/ pedal and power cord

Sewing Machine Manual Please bring this, it can help answer questions.

Bobbins to fit your machine. These are not the same size for all machines and may vary in the same brand of machine. If you are not sure what you need, check with a sewing machine dealer or the website for your model of sewing machine.

Machine needles

I recommend Schmetz brand. Universal style, Sizes 10, 12, 14 are the most common sizes. If you plan to hem Denim, buy size 16 or 18 Jeans needles.

The Universal works on both knits and wovens. Other brands will specify Sharp or Ballpoint needles. You need a Sharp needle for woven fabric and a Ballpoint for knits. What I like about Schmetz is that they are tempered. Just like tempered glass, when they meet a certain resistance, they break rather than damaging your sewing machine. They are very well made all around. The only caveat is that because they break,

I like to suggest that you wear either safety glasses or regular glasses, when you sew, to protect the possibility of a piece of a sewing machine needle getting in your eye when one breaks. Not to scare you! Just good to be prepared. I have simple safety glasses available. Kids think it’s cool to wear them but, many Teens do not like them. One solution: you can buy some fake glasses with clear lenses and cool frames at places like “Claire’s.” Also, for those of you with more mature eyes, if you forget your magnifying glasses, I do have some in strengths ranging from -1.00 to -2.50.

Small Screwdriver

3 in One oil, or some other oil meant for sewing machines. I like the Dritz zoom spout oiler. It has an extending tube which can snake into tight spaces inside a sewing machine. It can be used around the house, on hinges, creaking knees, squeaky wheels…..

Iron and Ironing board or pad. It comes down to this, if you do not like to iron, take your clothes to the cleaners, wear them wrinkled, or only wear wrinkle-free clothing. But, if you want the best results when you sew, you must find a friendly space in your heart for ironing. Irons are in most households and are absolutely essential to sewing well. You will not need an iron or an ironing board for class as I have several. A good quality iron makes a huge difference in the quality of your results. I recommend Rowenta brand irons. For a good one, you will need to spend over $50. Bed & Bath, JoAnn’s and other stores carry them. Do not buy the cheapest one. You get what you pay for. You can get a good deal at www.smallappliance.com. Sometimes, I find a refurbished Rowenta iron at Home Goods or TJ Maxx. Black and Decker makes a decent iron which I found recommended on Pattern Review. It is the Digital Advantage iron. I bought one at Bed & Bath, by using the 20% off coupon I got in the mail, the price came down to $40. They carry Rowenta’s, too.

Sewing Box

It can be a formal Sewing Basket or a Decorative tin or Plastic lidded container. Something that will hold all your small sewing tools and notions. A small tool or tackle box works really well. Home Depot and Lowes have some plastic ones for $5. Pearl Arts & Crafts at Central Square, Cambridge, has a very nice craft box you may want to check out. They are located in Central Square. Playtime, just down the street from my shop, has some ArtBin boxes that work well. Recently, one of my students found a good one at A.C. Moore arts and crafts store.

Pencil, pen and notebook (8 1/2 x 11 inches)

8 inch Dressmaking Shears, Bent Handle, Brands: Gingher Dressmaking Shears (Chrome, not the plastic with the metal blade insets, they are not strong enough to cut through thicker fabric) Marks Mundial Cushion Soft Lightweight Shears. For Kids, I find that the 7 inch chrome dressmaking shear by Gingher works well for them. It is lighter and easier for them to maneuver.

Thread Clippers This tool is small and works by squeezing the sides to cut. This makes it very easy to pick up and use. You don’t risk cutting the fabric as easily as with the large shears mentioned above. My favorite clipper is made by Clover. You can buy them at Clotilde for $12.50. (Or, I usually buy another brand of clippers at a discount rate, so you can buy one from me for $3)

Paper cutting scissors, inexpensive scissors from an office supply store. You will use these to keep from dulling your “good” scissors by cutting paper or tape, etc.

Handsewing Needles, I prefer John James English Needles. They are easily available at quilting shops and Fabric Place. (The package is white paper and has Black and Yellow stripes.) There are many types of hand sewing needles. The best all-around needle is called a “Sharp.” But, you may find it handy to buy a variety pack that includes needles for darning, quilting, tapestry, embroidery, etc. You can buy a variety pack of 50 needles for as little as $3 from Clotilde Sewing Notions (they are also available at the Quilter’s Way in West Concord.)

Thimble, a very personal choice. There are many types on the market. Buy one after you have a chance to try a few. I prefer a leather thimble called a Nimble Thimble. It fits comfortably over the tip of your middle finger (not your index or ring finger) and has a space at the tip for your fingernail to stick out. I take an XL in glove size but find that the Medium thimble fits the best. I know that Fabric Corner in Arlington and Fabric Place in Woburn & Framingham carry these. Most likely, area quilt shops will, too.

Pins, I prefer the long (1 3/8″), white glass-headed variety (you can also get them in red, white or multi-colored). They are sharp, easy to use and the iron does not melt the pin head. Usually, you want to buy slender pins referred to as “silk” pins because they will penetrate most types of fabrics easily. You can purchase IBC glass-headed pins from Clotilde. Also, available at most fabric stores. If you buy a “Grabbit,” mentioned below, it usually comes with a set of pins. But, they are of a much inferior quality to the glass-headed.

Pin Cushion, Box or Magnetic Pin Pad, I prefer the magnetic pad, then the box and lastly the fabric pin cushion. For fast pin access, the fabric cushion is impossible to use because you have to pull the pins out and stick them back in, one at a time. A small box makes the pins easy to pick up and drop back in, but if it gets tipped onto the floor, there is a lot of wasted time picking up pins. (And you can buy a telescoping magnetic wand to help you pick them up when they spill on the floor.) If you would like to use a box, I find that the best one has a rounded vs. flat bottom inside. The Tomato is the one familiar to most of us. The Chinese doll one is so cute. I use mine to hold needles. Etsy has some fabulous ones made by various craft artists. From fabric to felt, they are worth looking at.

The best magnetic pin cushion is the “Grabbit.” Any other brand just does not hold the pins very well. It does come with it’s own set of pins, but they are not very good. So, do buy the glass head pins I mentioned above. Brass or stainless steel pins will not work with it. But, the pins I recommend, do work with the “Grabbit.” It comes in a variety of lovely colors.

Telescoping Magnetic wand. Cost is $5 from HomeSew, the hardware store or an auto supply store. This is the size of a pen when collapsed. It even has a clasp at one end that can hook over the edge of a pocket or notebook. It is chrome colored and round and as thin as a pen. It has a very powerful silver-colored magnet at one end. It is approx. 2 ft long when extended. It works well to pick up dropped pins. I swish it around the floor to pick up pins I may not be able to see, especially before vacuuming. The magnet is strong enough that it can pick up a ring of keys from behind the sofa, or wherever you may have dropped them. I have seen this kind of wand at the hardware store. Do not mistake this for a plastic magnetic wand that is sold in fabric stores, which is not what I am suggesting you buy.

Sewing Gauge, this is a 6″ ruler with a blue or red plastic slider in the middle that can slide up and down most of the length of the ruler. They only cost about $1.50 and can be found at any fabric store. One of the most essential sewing tools and one of the cheapest. Do not buy the blue plastic one with a piece of chalk on the end. I tried to find a picture of one to show you. I couldn’t find one, but they must be available for purchase somewhere because I have had students bring them in.

Seam Ripper, they are inexpensive and are available in 3″ or 6″ lengths. Get what feels most comfortable in your hand (the 3″ length becomes 6″ long when you put the cap on the end.) You will need this tool and it is less than $2. If you don’t mind spending $5, Clover makes a really nice seam ripper that is strong, fine and sharp. Do not purchase the two-tone pink seam ripper from JoAnn’s. They are very dull.

Chacoliner, this is a marking tool that comes in 4 different colors and can be refilled. It works very smoothly. There is a little wheel at the tip that distributes a fine line of chalk across your fabric, which is easy to remove by brushing it off. I suggest purchasing the white color and then others if you end up liking it. Do not buy the one (not pictured here) by Fons & Porter, it does not roll at all well.

6 ft retractable tape measure, an optional but very handy item that only costs about $3. Not to be confused with a metal tape measure from the hardware store. The one that I am referring to is a flexible, coated fabric, tape measure. The casing is usually plastic. If you purchase one, I recommend the Hoescht brand. If you plan to make clothing, you do need to have one of these.

PLEASE………..

Before coming to the first session, go through all your sewing items and mark them with your initials or name. This includes your sewing machine, cords, pedal, etc. You’d be surprised how easy it is to mix yours up with someone elses’. And if you leave it here, it will help me know whose it is.