You can sew (and still have fingers left!)
You don’t need to sew perfectly to create great costumes, but it sure helps to
know the basics. If you haven’t done much sewing before, don’t worry! This
chapter can help you get started.
Essential equipment
Although you can sew with just a needle and thread, I highly recommend
having access to tools like these:
for removing stray stitches and icky seams) must Seam ripper (an absolute ✄
Measuring tape (the soft, flexible kind works best) ✄
Sharp scissors, preferably used only for sewing (paper dulls scissors rapidly) ✄
Straight pins, small to medium sized ✄
Sturdy thread (very cheap thread tends to break and jam your machine) ✄
Words t o know
— your fabric’s right side ✁
best looking side
— distance seam allowance ✁
between seam and edge of
fabric (usually 1/4”)
— part of sewing presser foot ✁
machine that holds fabric in
place while the “feed dogs”
pull it through (must be
lowered in order to sew)
— the most seam ripper ✁
important sewing tool!Basic sewing steps
15
Cardboard measuring mat (not absolutely essential, ✄
but very handy)
Iron (and a place to iron—you can buy very small ✄
ironing boards that work on any flat surface)
Sewing machine (as discussed below) ✄
Sewing machines
Unless you’re an expert handsewer, I recommend getting
a sewing machine. They’re fast, they do a good job, and
they’re easy to use. You don’t need anything fancy—as
long as it does straight stitching of adjustable lengths and
runs decently, it’ll do. Decorative stitches and zig-zags
can be useful but they’re not necessary. Many sewing
machine stores sell inexpensive used models, and you can
always trade up if you ever want a better machine. Be
careful, however, about getting a machine that betrays
you at every other stitch. The machine should run
smoothly and without jamming, producing steady, even
stitches. Run a test scrap and scrutinize the stitches
carefully to make sure they’re all the same length.
Since every machine is different, you need to check the
manual to see how to wind bobbins and thread it. Most
machines have a veritable gauntlet of gadgets (mine has
seven) the thread must pass through before reaching the
needle. If yours doesn’t come with a manual and you’ve
gotten tangled up trying, ask the people where you
bought it or the people at your local fabric store for help. Basic sewing steps
16
IMPORTANT first steps
right sides As a general rule, you need to sew your fabric
The right side is the one you want facing out together .
when the costume is finished. It’s usually brighter, shinier,
more finely printed, or just plain better looking than its
opposite, the wrong side. (If try as you may, you can’t tell
the difference between sides, you’re probably pretty safe in
assuming it doesn’t matter for that particular fabric.) By
sewing fabric right sides together, you can turn the pieces
right side out when you’re done sewing, leaving the
stitching and untidy ends inside the costume where they
won’t show.
The distance between the stitches and the edge of the fabric
is called seam allowance. One fourth of an inch (1/4”) is the
standard seam allowance for all the costumes in this book, and
for most small costumes in general (5/8” is standard for
human-sized clothes). This not only affects how far from the
edge you sew, but the way you cut your fabric. You always
need to make sure each of your costume pieces includes an
extra 1/4” all the way around to get eaten up by the seam
allowance. Having a sufficient amount of seam allowance is critical to the
longevity of your costumes, since seams sewn too close to the edge are not only
difficult to create, but liable to come apart at the most inconvenient moments.
Last of all, there’s very little sewing that can’t be redone. Keep your seam ripper
handy and try it again (and again). So watch your fingers and start stitching!
When your machine wants to
quit working before you do
Rethread the machine ✁
completely (top and bottom)
Look for anything in the ✁
bobbin area that may be
jamming things up. Broken
needles, pins, and even lint
build-up can prevent smooth
operation. (Because of this, try
to avoid sewing over pins
whenever you can.) Then
rethread the machine.
Replace the needle and ✁
rethread the machine
If all else fails, start looking for
repair shops. (I can usually get my
10-year-old machine to behave
just by waving a trade-in coupon
in front of it a few times.) A
reputable, friendly repair shop is
an absolutely invaluable resource
(if you have the good fortune to
find one). Did I mention you
should rethread the machine?Basic sewing steps
17
Start stitching!
Since straight seams are the easiest to sew…
1. Get a fabric scrap (or a paper towel) and fold it in half right sides together.
2. Place your scrap in the machine so that the unfolded edges
line up with the edge of the presser foot (this creates
approximately 1/4” seam allowance).
3. Turn the wheel on the side of your machine towards you
to lower the needle into the scrap.
4. Next, put the presser foot down (there’s usually a little lever for this). The
presser foot must be down whenever you stitch. This allows the material to
automatically feed through evenly—you should never have to push it. You
only need to gently guide it through.
5. Press the foot pedal to stitch forward a few stitches, then stop.
6. Press the “reverse” level or button to stitch backwards a
few stitches. This is the machine equivalent of tying a knot
and will hold your stitches in place.
Key to illustrations
foot up, needle up ✁
foot up, needle down ✁
foot down, needle up ✁
foot down, needle down ✁
Some machines come with several
changeable feet, each with a
different purpose. A zipper foot
is one of the most common (and
most useful)! I still don’t know
what most of the feet on my
machine are for, so don’t worry if
you don’t have a lot of them.Basic sewing steps
18
7. Continue stitching forward until you get to the end
of the fabric. Reverse for a few stitches again, then
stitch forward off the end of the fabric.
8. Raise the needle to its highest position. This prevents
it from becoming unthreaded.
9. Raise the presser foot and remove the fabric from
your machine.
10. Cut off the extra threads hanging from the fabric so
they don’t get in the way later.
You did it! Look at that lovely seam! Turn your scrap
right side out to admire it fully. If you can do that (plus a
few more tricks explained shortly), you can sew the
costumes in this book!
If your seams don’t come out right (and this happens to
everyone, beginner or expert), you can always use a seam
ripper to tear them out and try again. That’s the beauty
of sewing.
Up (and down) on the corner
Of course, you would have a difficult time costuming if
you could only sew straight seams.
1. When you come within 1/4” of a sharp turn, lower
the needle into the fabric, then raise the presser foot.Basic sewing steps
19
2. Pivot the fabric to the left. Since you have the needle
lowered, you won’t lose your place in the stitching.
3. Line the fabric up with the edge of the presser foot
again, then lower the presser foot.
4. Continue stitching merrily as usual!
Rounding curves
and watch your fingers. For slowly Approach curves
gentle curves, that’s all the advice you need. For more
rambunctious curves, you need to make lots of little
stops and pivots (not huge changes in direction). (You
may also want to shorten the stitch length.)
Whenever you feel the fabric becoming hard to steer,
lower the needle, raise the foot, pivot the fabric just a
little, then lower the presser foot again and continue
sewing. Keep repeating this until you’re back on the
straight away.
Once you’ve completed your
curved seam, you may need to snip
the seam allowance here and there
to make the costume easier to turn
right side out (just be careful not to snip the seam…)Basic sewing steps
20.Source URL: http://lifestyleartsblogs.blogspot.com/2011/05/basic-sewing-steps.html
Visit Lifestyle Arts for daily updated images of art collection
You don’t need to sew perfectly to create great costumes, but it sure helps to
know the basics. If you haven’t done much sewing before, don’t worry! This
chapter can help you get started.
Essential equipment
Although you can sew with just a needle and thread, I highly recommend
having access to tools like these:
for removing stray stitches and icky seams) must Seam ripper (an absolute ✄
Measuring tape (the soft, flexible kind works best) ✄
Sharp scissors, preferably used only for sewing (paper dulls scissors rapidly) ✄
Straight pins, small to medium sized ✄
Sturdy thread (very cheap thread tends to break and jam your machine) ✄
Words t o know
— your fabric’s right side ✁
best looking side
— distance seam allowance ✁
between seam and edge of
fabric (usually 1/4”)
— part of sewing presser foot ✁
machine that holds fabric in
place while the “feed dogs”
pull it through (must be
lowered in order to sew)
— the most seam ripper ✁
important sewing tool!Basic sewing steps
15
Cardboard measuring mat (not absolutely essential, ✄
but very handy)
Iron (and a place to iron—you can buy very small ✄
ironing boards that work on any flat surface)
Sewing machine (as discussed below) ✄
Sewing machines
Unless you’re an expert handsewer, I recommend getting
a sewing machine. They’re fast, they do a good job, and
they’re easy to use. You don’t need anything fancy—as
long as it does straight stitching of adjustable lengths and
runs decently, it’ll do. Decorative stitches and zig-zags
can be useful but they’re not necessary. Many sewing
machine stores sell inexpensive used models, and you can
always trade up if you ever want a better machine. Be
careful, however, about getting a machine that betrays
you at every other stitch. The machine should run
smoothly and without jamming, producing steady, even
stitches. Run a test scrap and scrutinize the stitches
carefully to make sure they’re all the same length.
Since every machine is different, you need to check the
manual to see how to wind bobbins and thread it. Most
machines have a veritable gauntlet of gadgets (mine has
seven) the thread must pass through before reaching the
needle. If yours doesn’t come with a manual and you’ve
gotten tangled up trying, ask the people where you
bought it or the people at your local fabric store for help. Basic sewing steps
16
IMPORTANT first steps
right sides As a general rule, you need to sew your fabric
The right side is the one you want facing out together .
when the costume is finished. It’s usually brighter, shinier,
more finely printed, or just plain better looking than its
opposite, the wrong side. (If try as you may, you can’t tell
the difference between sides, you’re probably pretty safe in
assuming it doesn’t matter for that particular fabric.) By
sewing fabric right sides together, you can turn the pieces
right side out when you’re done sewing, leaving the
stitching and untidy ends inside the costume where they
won’t show.
The distance between the stitches and the edge of the fabric
is called seam allowance. One fourth of an inch (1/4”) is the
standard seam allowance for all the costumes in this book, and
for most small costumes in general (5/8” is standard for
human-sized clothes). This not only affects how far from the
edge you sew, but the way you cut your fabric. You always
need to make sure each of your costume pieces includes an
extra 1/4” all the way around to get eaten up by the seam
allowance. Having a sufficient amount of seam allowance is critical to the
longevity of your costumes, since seams sewn too close to the edge are not only
difficult to create, but liable to come apart at the most inconvenient moments.
Last of all, there’s very little sewing that can’t be redone. Keep your seam ripper
handy and try it again (and again). So watch your fingers and start stitching!
When your machine wants to
quit working before you do
Rethread the machine ✁
completely (top and bottom)
Look for anything in the ✁
bobbin area that may be
jamming things up. Broken
needles, pins, and even lint
build-up can prevent smooth
operation. (Because of this, try
to avoid sewing over pins
whenever you can.) Then
rethread the machine.
Replace the needle and ✁
rethread the machine
If all else fails, start looking for
repair shops. (I can usually get my
10-year-old machine to behave
just by waving a trade-in coupon
in front of it a few times.) A
reputable, friendly repair shop is
an absolutely invaluable resource
(if you have the good fortune to
find one). Did I mention you
should rethread the machine?Basic sewing steps
17
Start stitching!
Since straight seams are the easiest to sew…
1. Get a fabric scrap (or a paper towel) and fold it in half right sides together.
2. Place your scrap in the machine so that the unfolded edges
line up with the edge of the presser foot (this creates
approximately 1/4” seam allowance).
3. Turn the wheel on the side of your machine towards you
to lower the needle into the scrap.
4. Next, put the presser foot down (there’s usually a little lever for this). The
presser foot must be down whenever you stitch. This allows the material to
automatically feed through evenly—you should never have to push it. You
only need to gently guide it through.
5. Press the foot pedal to stitch forward a few stitches, then stop.
6. Press the “reverse” level or button to stitch backwards a
few stitches. This is the machine equivalent of tying a knot
and will hold your stitches in place.
Key to illustrations
foot up, needle up ✁
foot up, needle down ✁
foot down, needle up ✁
foot down, needle down ✁
Some machines come with several
changeable feet, each with a
different purpose. A zipper foot
is one of the most common (and
most useful)! I still don’t know
what most of the feet on my
machine are for, so don’t worry if
you don’t have a lot of them.Basic sewing steps
18
7. Continue stitching forward until you get to the end
of the fabric. Reverse for a few stitches again, then
stitch forward off the end of the fabric.
8. Raise the needle to its highest position. This prevents
it from becoming unthreaded.
9. Raise the presser foot and remove the fabric from
your machine.
10. Cut off the extra threads hanging from the fabric so
they don’t get in the way later.
You did it! Look at that lovely seam! Turn your scrap
right side out to admire it fully. If you can do that (plus a
few more tricks explained shortly), you can sew the
costumes in this book!
If your seams don’t come out right (and this happens to
everyone, beginner or expert), you can always use a seam
ripper to tear them out and try again. That’s the beauty
of sewing.
Up (and down) on the corner
Of course, you would have a difficult time costuming if
you could only sew straight seams.
1. When you come within 1/4” of a sharp turn, lower
the needle into the fabric, then raise the presser foot.Basic sewing steps
19
2. Pivot the fabric to the left. Since you have the needle
lowered, you won’t lose your place in the stitching.
3. Line the fabric up with the edge of the presser foot
again, then lower the presser foot.
4. Continue stitching merrily as usual!
Rounding curves
and watch your fingers. For slowly Approach curves
gentle curves, that’s all the advice you need. For more
rambunctious curves, you need to make lots of little
stops and pivots (not huge changes in direction). (You
may also want to shorten the stitch length.)
Whenever you feel the fabric becoming hard to steer,
lower the needle, raise the foot, pivot the fabric just a
little, then lower the presser foot again and continue
sewing. Keep repeating this until you’re back on the
straight away.
Once you’ve completed your
curved seam, you may need to snip
the seam allowance here and there
to make the costume easier to turn
right side out (just be careful not to snip the seam…)Basic sewing steps
20.Source URL: http://lifestyleartsblogs.blogspot.com/2011/05/basic-sewing-steps.html
Visit Lifestyle Arts for daily updated images of art collection
