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Show WOMAN'S WORLD Knowledge of Basic Fabric Facts Needed Before You Start Sewing ' By Ertta Haley Funnel Pockets r r jf'T've made myself some beautiful cotton dresses, but the velvet I skirt I just finished doesn't look j right," says a young woman who I has learned to sew and likes it. '"What's wrong?" she goes on to i ask. There are so many materials from which to choose, and so many i different ways of handling each lone that success with one does not Imcan automatic success with an-1 an-1 other entirely different. However, this does not mean that jyou have to make mistakes with each one before you can achieve i a successful skirt, blouse or other !ltem of wearing apparel. If you ,'learn to know what you should do with each material, before actual cutting and sewing, you can, naturally nat-urally be successful with even the first effort. Type of construction, rather than kind of fiber determines the way material must be cut and sewed. If you follow pattern cutting directions, direc-tions, which includes laying the pieces on the material, and -then again, the sewing directions, you can turn out professional looking garments readily. Pay attention to weave, weight, design, nap or lack of it when you work with the material; treat it according to the directions. If you know what happens, ignoring cer- Budget-priced dress by a New York designer shows important trends with its funnel pockets, a flame red wool flannel, three-quarter sleeves with cuff interest and a simple neckline with stand-up collar. It's an ideal dress for showing off jewelry because of its simplicity simplic-ity of line. If you deviate from these directions, direc-tions, you will have pile on one section of the skirt running a different differ-ent way than the next section, and this would be disastrous to the appearance ap-pearance of the garment. It will look very much as though you had two different pieces of material. As soon as these pieces are cut, fold them all together in the order in which they're to be used. Better still, remove them from the cutting cut-ting table and baste at once so there can be no mistake. Never press velvet or any of the deep-napped materials. Place a damp cloth over the iron surface, after setting the iron upright. As steam rises from the cloth, move the fabric through the steam, keeping keep-ing fingers moving as you do so, to prevent finger marks on the mar terial. Metallic materials should be treated treat-ed carefully. First of all, make sure that you have a good pair of very sharp scissors for cutting the material, or you'll give up before the task is finished. If the metallic metal-lic fibers are heavy and you have much material to be cut, have two pair of shears handy, as one may get dull before you finish. Press metallic fabrics as little as possible while working with them, and then only with a warm, rather than hot iron. The fabric must be bone dry. If the outer fabric is likely to be marked with seams, when you press on the inside, lay strips of paper under each seam edge before pressing. This is good technique to use with satins and woolens. Use proper pattern layout .... tain basic facts, you can better gauge your sewing technique to come out correctly with each type. Beginners may choose firm weave cottons and spun rayons as their first sewing project. After one or two efforts with these, and careful attention to the differences that must be observed when using designed, de-signed, napped and stretchy materials, ma-terials, they can make more elaborate elab-orate garments. Definite Designs Need Matching If you're working with large prints, plaids, stripes and checks, be certain that you buy the amount designated on the pattern. It may seem like buying more material than you really need. In some cases, but any material with design needs to be matched in the cutting. That's why you need a certain amount of material for working properly. Before cutting any designed material ma-terial check to see that the design will be carried out properly on places where seams meet, especially especial-ly on the skirt, bodice and sleeves. All-over small prints do not need Straighten Fabrics Before Cutting Warp and woof threads often get out of line during their finishing, printing or rolling processes. These materials should be straightened before cutting so that the grain is true, and so the garment does not look lopsided. Clip the selvage, catch one crosswise cross-wise thread and pull gently out of the fabric. Cut carefully on this line. This gives you one straight end. Materials which have an even warp and woof, such as lightweight flannels, flat crepe, crepe de Chine and percale, clip selvage and tear quickly across to straighten end. For tearing properly, grasp both edges of clipped selvage and tear with enough force to break threads all the way across the width. Clip the selvage there. Lengthwise tearing tear-ing is often necessary for lightweight materials, just as is crosswise tearing. tear-ing. Only very strong materials, ribbed or corded fabrics which do not tear easily should not be torn. Straighten them by stretching or by pressing. After materials have been torn, stretch them into line by grasping opposite edges at points some way apart. See-saw diagonally. Repeat along length. If this does not straighten them sufficiently, dampen damp-en those materials which can take it and use the see-saw motion again. Plastic Materials. Need Light Handling Smooth plastic materials out over a door before you start cutting cut-ting and sewing. If any part is soiled, wipe with damp cloth, but do not press with iron. No pins, basting or tacks should be used on the synthetic materials Work with these materials oniv when the temperature is moderate. If it gets too cold while you work, the plastic will become tough. Touch the edges with a bit of oil on the fingertips to overcome the toughness caused by cold. Dampness which makes plastic stretchy and moist can be overcome over-come to some extent by applying a bit of talc im powder to the material. ma-terial. Plastics have no grain so that pieces can be placed in any direction direc-tion if the color is plain. Observe Ithe usual precautions '.ven other materials if working with large prints ox plaids. correct tension for sewing. to be cut with the same precaution because the design is small enough to melt into the general pattern. Stitching flaws will not be especially espe-cially evident on any of, the small print, firm weave fabrics. On any of the other materials, however, test the needle and tension on your machine before stitching. Use a small sample of material so that machine can be adjusted. The weight of the thread also has an important bearing on the stitching stitch-ing used on some of the more loosely loose-ly woven materials. The same is true of very smooth, glossy fao-rics, fao-rics, too, such as satins. Sheer fabrics tend to slide and pull and amateurs frequently find them difficult with which to work. It's best to avoid them entirely until a little experience in sewing has been gained. Then, to make the stitching easier, it's a good idea to place them on tissue paper and sew on both fabric and tissue. This gives body and prevents slipping. The tissue is easily torn off after the sewing, and you'll have straight seams with little difficulty. Nap, Pile and Sheen Require Special C.re Current fashions are using many of the velvets, velveteens, satins and other materials which have nap, pile or sheen. In cutting any of these, follow pattern layout suggestions sug-gestions and diagrams carefully, as these are designed so that all pieces will be cut the same way. |
