Ipads & Watching SFD Videos

Periodically I get emails from you ladies letting me know that you can't watch the SFD videos from the SFDLearningCenter Video Library on your Ipad tablets or Iphones.

Until I finally got with it and purchased an Ipad, I thought all Ipads and Androids were the same.  Wrong!!!!  As most of you know (which I didn't know), the Ipad is an Apple product, and the Android tablet is anything else, like from Samsung, Nexus, Sony etc.

When I researched the problem of not being able to view the SFD videos from the Learning Center, I was told that all tablets, Apple or otherwise, could not play videos because they weren't allowed to have the required Flash software installed on the device.  Of course, because I was talking with technical support from my website host, I took this information as gospel.  He was only partially correct.

Steve Jobs, Apple, when designing their tablets and Iphones, did in fact, not allow Flash software to be installed.  So this accounts for why some of you were able to view the videos on your Android tablets, whereas Apple Ipad users couldn't.

When I recently came of age and recently purchased my Ipad, I discovered all kinds of things relevant to this topic and then had choices to make.  Fortunately I got a really good geek (at Costco) who showed me the features and benefits of each.  When I was leaning toward the Ipad (no video from my site), he said, 'Let me see what I can do about that!'

Lo and behold, he came up with a solution which I want to share with you.  There actually is an app out there that you can purchase for only $4.99 (at least that's what I paid for it) that you can install on your Ipad/Iphone and when you use it for your browser (instead of the installed Safari browser), you can watch all the videos from the Learning Center!  Yahoo!!!

It's called Photon Browser.  Here's the link -  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appsverse-photon-browser-tabbed/id430200224?mt=8  So far, it's been really reliable.  Or if you do a search for 'How to get Flash on an Ipad (or Iphone) using Photon Browser, you should come up with this app.

It's not just SFD videos you'll be able to watch, it's on any site where videos are embedded in the web page.  It doesn't cost much and for me, it was well worth the small investment.

So there ya' go!  Now you can watch all the videos (from websites) that you want!

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Cropped Leg Pants Continued

Remember last week I showed you the easy jeans-style inset pocket?  Well this week I must do a quick review of the seam down the center of the back pant leg.  Even though I typically don't put this seam down the back leg of my pants pattern, I decided to for these cropped leg pants.

This seam really can make a big difference to the fit.  For those of you with a flat butt or for the larger backside in relation to relatively thin legs, this seam is a life-saver!  Team that up with a horizontal fish-eye dart and you've got a winner.

Now...once the seam is down the center of the back pants leg, then I also incorporated a small horizontal fish-eye dart.

Here's a close-up.

 

I think you can see the seam a little better in this close-up.  The fabric has kind of a waffle-like texture and honestly, the seam just simply gets lost.

Once you've refined your personal pants blueprint to include this seam and the horizontal fish-eye dart, just use your pattern over and over again.  Two extra seams takes no time at all to sew.  Just change the style of waist edge treatment, the opening details, width of leg and finished length - they all will give you satisfaction.

I should mention that because this was a stretch-woven fabric, I chose to finish the waist with 2" (5 cm) wide elastic.  They are totally pull-on because the fabric had enough stretch to pull up over my hips.  Actually, this pattern is a combination of the yoga/travel/comfort pants from Pants that Mix n Multiply and the easy jeans-style inset pocket from your SFD Pants Kit instruction book.

Here's the video on how to draw the horizontal fish-eye dart in the back leg of your pants pattern.
It's not too long.  Please take a look if you haven't watched it before.

If you so choose, when you're sewing this center leg seam, leave a 4" or 5" slit/vent open at the hem level.  Yes, you are emphasizing the seam, but now the design all looks like an intended variation.

Have fun and enjoy the fit!

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Easy Front Inset Pocket in a Stretch-Woven Cropped Pant

I was given a remnant of fabric - just enough to sew a pair of cropped pants with an easy front inset pocket.  Since it was a stretch-woven, I did size down my body blueprint 1 measurement dot.  This seemed like enough at the time, but as can happen with stretch knits and stretch-woven fabric, I still basted the seams first - did a try-on - and ended up slimming the hip line even a little more.  You just never know how much it's going to give and how it's going to feel on your body.

Always do a stretch test by picking up 10" on the crosswise grain and stretch it comfortably.  This stretched up to 13" meaning it's a moderate stretch knit.  It should only need to be sized down one dot, but what this doesn't account for is the fabric's ability to rebound or recover.  This particular piece didn't have great recovery.

Now on to the easy inset pocket in the pants front.  The upper and under pocket is all one piece of fabric.

Then you fold the pocket lining - in this case - the beige fabric - up so that the lower cut edge meets back up at the waistline.

If you'd made the pocket lining out of the same fashion fabric, then you would not need to face the 'under' pocket.  But that's not always suitable or practical if the fashion fabric is too heavy.  In this instance, the next step was to cut a shaped facing piece and sew it on to the right side of the waist edge of the under pocket lining.

 

You can also see that the inside edge(s) of the pocket bag have been sewn/serged together.  (Likely best to sew the topstitching on the pocket opening before sewing this inside bag seam).

 

Topstitch the pocket opening if you wish.  Then with the pocket in position, baste through the pocket bag and the side seam and the upper pocket edge to the pants front at the waist edge to hold it in place during the remainder of the construction steps.

This very easy pocket designing and sewing technique is found on page 22 & 23 of your Sure-Fit Designs Pants Kit Instruction Book. It's a Jeans style of pocket without the fuss of a separate upper and under pocket.  If you haven't yet, try it to see just how easy it is.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Celebrate September - National Sewing Month

There's no better way to celebrate our love of sewing than to sew something.

This year, for National Sewing Month, I'm introducing another Made in a Day project.

 

I was challenged with how best to name this new top without becoming too wordy.  So let's just call it a Blouson Cap Sleeve Top.  The big foldover pleat is actually added at center front neck point, but then tapers down to nothing at the hem level.  It's super simple to design from your SFD Dress Kit.  And of course it gives you the same good fit no matter what position you choose to transfer the bust dart to.

 

As you can see, there are a number of variations to choose from.  And if you don't like cap sleeves, or you want to make this more for cool-weather wear, then simply don't make the changes for the cap sleeve and add a sleeve in the length you desire.

I hope you enjoy drawing and sewing this new design as much as I did.

Click here to obtain your copy - it's a PDF download.

Happy Sewing,

Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Winner $20 SFD Bucks

Thanks so much to all of you who entered the raffle to win $20 SFD Bucks.  The deadline for entering this contest was August 29, 2014.

And...the winner is Doreen Tamulevicius!

Doreen is relatively new to Sure-Fit Designs.  Her suggestion for a quick and easy Made in a Day project was a wrap skirt.  Thanks Doreen.  This is easily accomplished with the skirt pattern from the SFD Dress Kit.

I plan on filming a short how-to video for this project just to show you how easy it really is.  Maxi-length skirts and dresses are back in fashion, so this is perfect timing.  Now I just need to find the time to shoot the video, but it will come.  In the meantime, for any of you who already have the SFD Children's Kit, you'll find simple directions for designing this on page 27.

Thanks to all of you who offered suggestions for a Made in a Day project...I appreciated receiving all of your ideas.

And please welcome Doreen to Sure-Fit Designs.  I hope you enjoy using this fitting system as much as countless others already do.


Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!