More Sewing Terminology

PIXIE PATTERNS PILLOWCASE DRESS TIPS

Welcome to the wonderful world of Pillowcase Dresses!

Do you love pillowcase dresses? I do! I love making my own pillowcase dresses and smock shirts for my daughter. They are so beautiful, perfect for summer, and you can make them from any fabric or pillowcase. They are just so easy to do and take 30 minutes or less to complete!

Best of all the only material you need is a pretty pillowcase, ribbon and some basic sewing know-how.

NEW: I have now included instructions in the Pillowcase Pattern Set to make these cute dresses with sweaters. Great for the colder weather! Make them with sweaters and put them over a long sleeved shirt. Looks so warm and adorable!

What make a great Pillowcase Dress / Smock Shirt?

Attention to detail when sewing and choosing the perfect pillowcase or fabric is key. And ALWAYS remember to pre-wash your fabric or pillowcase before making it or you may end-up with a bad case of shrinkage after you've made it.

I love simplicity. Finding a colorful print, just doing the basic sewing and adding beautiful ribbon ties is enough for me. Other people prefer to add on extra trim, bows and other accessories. I think that is great for parties and special occasions, but for every day wear you want to avoid too much "fluff".

Another thing to consider is the fact that kids get dirty! It's a fact of life, and having an all white or very pale fabric will show all kinds of stains and wear very quickly.

Sewing the ribbons together is also not a great idea. It makes it so you can't replace or adjust the ribbon if need be. And when it comes to ribbon, ALWAYS make sure to seal it properly to prevent fraying. There are several ways to do this like using a hot rod, lighter or special glues. Use what ever method you feel is best.

The other big thing is the pattern you use. You want one with a template for DIFFERENT SIZES. Who wants to get a pattern that only makes one specific size, and then leaves the rest of the sizing up to you to determine by guess work etc...? I certainly wouldn't want to have to deal with that. I mean, that's why you bought a pattern right, to cut out guess work?

I hope these tips have been helpful! I will try and add more in the future. And if anyone else has more tips, just let me know and I'll make sure they get posted.

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French Seam Tutorials

A French seam is a seam that encloses the raw edges into itself. It's very simple and will make your projects nice and neat.

Step 1. Lay your fabric panels wrong sides together.
Step 2. Sew a 3/8" seam along the side edge

how to sew, french seam
Step 3. Open up the sewn panel and press the seams open. Press well

Step 4. Fold the panel on the seam line right sides together.

Step 5. Press the folded edge

Step 6. Sew in 5/8" from the folded edge enclosing the raw edges of the 3/8" seam

Step 7. Press the seam to one side

Now you have a clean, professional seam with no ugly raw edges.

Use a French seam whenever you are going to have the backside of the seam exposed.

FRENCH SEAM TUTORIAL VIDEO:

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More Sewing Definitions & Terms

Alteration - Changes made to change the fit of a garment. More Alterations & Fitting

Baste - a method of temporarily joining fabric using large stitches which are easily removed. More on Basting

Bias Tape - strips of fabric which are cut from the bias of the fabric .. usually folded on two edges and sometimes folded again for edging... the bias allows it to smoothly follow curves. More on Bias Tape

Clean Finish - stitch 1/4" from the edge and press to wrong side. If the raw edge will not be stitched down in another step, stitch down. More Basic Seam Finishes

Contour - with a curve - for example: a pattern may be described as having a contour waistline. This means that the waist band is cut on a curve verses cut out as a straight band. This usually lends it self to a better fit.

Directional Stitching - Stitching in a particular direction to maintain pattern shapes Directional Stitching

Ease - a way of making one piece of fabric fit on to another by evenly pulling in the extra fabric with out making any gathers or tucks in the larger piece of fabric .. this is necessary in may areas of garments in order to have proper fitting and ease of movement in the finished garment. Easing Versus Gathering

Edge stitching — A row of stitching that appears on the very edge of a garment, normally 1/8” or less from a seam line, fold line or finished edge. Thread matches the fabric color. Grading And Under Stitching Facings

Fabric diagonals - A fabric that is printed on a diagonal, many patterns state "not suitable for diagonal fabrics, this is means that due to the pattern design it will be impossible to match diagonal prints or designs.

Flat Felled Seam - a very durable seam, usually seen on jeans. How To Sew a Flat Felled Seams

French Seam - A seam which is completely enclosed How to Sew A French Seam

Gather -- a method of pulling fabric together to create fullness. More -- Easing Versus Gathering

Grainline - refers to the way the threads make up the fabric. More on Fabric Grainlines

Grade Seam - trim one layer of the seam allowance shorter then the other layer to eliminate bulk. For example: a facing seam allowance would be trimmed shorter on facing part of the allowance and longer on the body seam allowance. How To Grade A Seam

Hair Canvas - a form of interfacing - high quality which lends itself to molding for areas such as firm blazer rolled collars. Hair canvas is a woven interfacing available at any quality fabric store.

Lengthwise - Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally. To fold lenthwise is to fold along the length of the material.

Moderate Stretch Knit - usually found in the suggested fabrics area on a pattern envelope. There is usually a ruler type diagram on the same envelope which demonstrates the amount of stretch the fabric will need to have. For example: A lycra spandex fabric in comparison to a tee shirt type knit.

Notch - A small cut into the seam allowance which will allow fabric to bend at curves and corners.

Pattern Layout - directions for the way to lay out a pattern Pattern Layout Lesson

Pile - the nap of the fabric - when the fabric is brushed in one direction it looks like a different color - velvet and corduroy are classic examples. Lay all pattern pieces so that the pile is going in it's natural direction... for example... the down pile would be down the leg. More on Fabric Nap

Preshrinking - refers to laundering the fabric before you begin cutting or sewing. More on Preshrinking

Rolled Hem - 1. fold raw edge under 1/8 to1/4" and then 1/8 to 1/4" again, enclosing raw edge. Top stitch to hold hem. 2. A serger stitch which rolls the fabric and encloses the edge with thread. More On Sergers

Satin Stitch - A zig zag stitch with a shortened stitch length to create stitches that look horizontal to each other. Satin Stitch

Seam Allowance - the area of fabric that is between the seam stitching and the cut edge

Selvage - the edge of raw fabric which is unable to fray... usually has company info +/or color matching dots.

Serger/Overlocker - a type of sewing machine which cuts and finishes the seam allowance in one step. the stitches it makes are found in most manufactured clothing and is a great stretch stitch. See all the stitches that can be made here.

Separating zipper - A zipper which completely separates, such as for a jacket or sweater. The bottom of the zipper has metal tabs for starting the pull, while a regular zipper it clamped together to not separate.

Staystitching - Stitching done to stabilize fabric and helps pieces fit together even after handling. Staystitching

Stitch In The Ditch - a method of under stitching - press seam allowances to one side and top stitch as close to the seam as you can to hold the seam allowance down and cause the piece of fabric to stay folded under. For example: When you are attaching a facing, if you stitch in the ditch on the facing side of the seam, the facing will stay turned into the garment and give you a clean edge. Grading And Under Stitching Facings

Top Stitch - A row of stitching, visible on the finished product. Can be functional or decorative. See top stitching pointer at the bottom of lesson 11

Under stitching - Stitching done very close to the seam line, sometimes referred to as "stitch in the ditch". Grading And Under Stitching Facings

Widthwise - From side to side; in terms of width. To fold widthwise is to fold along the width of the material.

More Sewing Terminology

A number of terms used in sewing may be puzzling to you at first. The ones listed below are all defined in their proper places in the book (see the INDEX). In case you should come upon them without their explanation, however, here are some quick definitions.

Back-tack - A few stitches taken in reverse to secure a line of stitching.
Bar Tack - A very short thread reinforcement for points of stress
Baste-marking - Marking with hand- or machine-basting.
Clean-finishing - Edge of fabric turned under once and stitched. Used on edges of facings, hems, seams, etc.
Construction stitching - Stitching, such as seams and darts, that shapes and holds a garment together (as distinct from stay-stitching, finishing, etc.).
Crocking - Color rubbing off.
Directional stitching - Stitching with the grain in woven fabrics. In knits, stitching all seams in the same direction.
Ease - The allowance added to a body measurement to make a garment wearable.
Ease, to (verb) - To attach a fabric edge to an edge that is slightly shorter. When ease-stitching, the longer edge s very slightly gathered.
Fashion fabric - the outer fabric in a garment.
Finger-pressing - Opening seam allowances with the thumbnail. Mostly used on fabrics that cannot be pressed.
Give - the degree of elasticity in a fabric or a thread.
Grading - Trimming each seam allowance to a different width to reduce bulk and avoid a ridge.
Hand - The feel and drape of a fabric.
Interlining - a layer of fabric added to a lining for warmth.
Miter - The diagonal fold made at the corner in an edge finish, such as a binding, hem, etc.
Nap - In actual fact, the raised, hairy or downy surface on fabrics such as flannel, etc. In patterns, however, "with nap" means any fabric surface that looks different when held up or down, such a s pile, knits, one-way designs.
Non-woven fabric - A fabric not woven or knitted from thread or yarn. Non-woven fabrics, include fake leather and suede, felt, various interfacings.
Notches - Markings on patterns used for matching. They are no longer notches but the opposite-they stand out from the cut edge. Notches cut into the seam allowance may weaken the seam.
Pivoting - Moving the fabric around with the machine needle in it and the press foot up.
Pre-shrinking - Shrinking done before a fabric is used.
Self-fabric - The fabric from which the garment is made.
Sizing - A starch-like finish, added in the manufacture of some natural-fiber fabrics and rayon. It is water- and steam-soluble.
Stability - The degree to which a fabric resists pulling out shape.
Stay - A tape added to a garment part to keep it in shape.
Stay-stitching - Stitching done inside the seam allowance, before construction, to stabilize curved or slanted edges. Usually done on a single thickness, but also used to attach interfacing.
Stitching-in-the-ditch -Stitching on the right side through a seam (in the ditch"), to fasten something underneath.
Test seam - A seam done on a scrap of the garment fabric to test the machine stitch.
Topstitching - hand- or machine-stitching, either functional or decorative, that shows on the outside of a garment.
Understitching - a line of stitching along the edge of a facing or undercollar to keep it from rolling to the outside.

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