Animal Print Slinky

www.surefitdesigns.blogspot.com
Last week I talked about working with slinky and some of the challenges you'll encounter as well as ways to best deal with the fabric.  Here's a cute outfit where the skirt is designed and sewn with a 'slinky' type of fabric.  The top is sewn from a very stretchy 2-way knit jersey, though it isn't slinky.

The hem of the skirt is simply finished as a rolled hem sewn on the serger with wooly nylon.  Sorry it's hard to see up close when it's been stitched in black thread.  The waist edge is pull-on and has been finished with 1" wide elastic. Directions to design and sew this style of waist edge are found in the Pants Kit Instruction Book on page 24.

For the top, I used my Dress Kit bodice blueprint, though I'd previously removed the dart for a T-Shirt type of style.  Since I'm so small busted I can get away without having the dart.  For these directions, go to this article - http://www.sfdlearningcenter.com/T-Shirt-Tactics.html.

Here's a close-up of the sleeve detail.  This is a 3/4 length sleeve and I added shirring at the middle of the sleeve near the hem level.

Shirring instructions can be found in the designing book Sew Sensational Shirts.

The top features a V-Neck embellished with strips of the animal print criss-crossing the V-neck opening.

This criss-crossing process went like this.
1. Copy both sides of the V-neck shape on tracing vellum.

2.  Then draw where you want your strips to criss-cross.  I've highlighted the approximate positions in pink and yellow highlighter tape.

3.  Prepare the strips.  I interfaced directly down the center.

4.  Then I stitched and turned the tubes/strips.

5.  Lay the strips criss-crossing one another using the drawing as a guide.

6. Hand or machine baste the strips at the cross points.

7. Staystitch the neck edge and clip to the V point.

8. Using the vellum diagram as a guide, place the strips to the neck edge.  Baste in place.

 Inside view

Right side view

9. Then finish off with the facing.  I cut a 2 part front facing (meaning there was a seam at CF) so that it would be easier to stitch up to the V.  It still wasn't that easy, but with persistence and fiddling, it all went together.

I'm sure there is likely an easier way to attach these strips to the front.  Perhaps someone who has previously sewn this type of insert would like to leave a comment as I'm sure it will be of benefit to all reading this blog.  I invite your comments and do appreciate them.

Happy Fitting & Sewing!

Slinky Issues!

At a recent Fit Retreat, we got into a discussion about sewing with Slinky.  Or should I say 'fitting with Slinky'?

Here's my black Slinky shell.

I rarely wear sleeveless tops/dresses, so I stitched up this diagonal hemmed cardigan to go over top of it.  If you're interested, directions for this lacy cardigan can be found in the bodice designing book - Beyond Bodice Basics.

And if you've ever sewn with Slinky, you know it can present some stretching, fitting and sewing problems...or should I call them 'issues'?

Slinky is an elastic acetate knit.  It's available in different weights and stretch and is sometimes combined with spandex to help eliminate the bagging that can occur.  It is really soft and comfortable to wear, has a supple hand and really drapes well.

For the pattern design, keep it simple with few design lines, minimal seaming, elastic casings, loose sleeves or sleeveless.  Avoid real close fitted styles.

Let me pass on some tips on working with Slinky.
1.  Pre-treat Slinky in cold/warm water (no bleach) and throw it in the dryer - cool/warm temp.  When washing after wearing, wash in cold  water and line dry.
2. You can definitely sized down your pattern at least 1- 2 dots in all circumference areas.  Everything is going to stretch - both horizontally and vertically - so you're likely safe to 'dot-down' at all points on the SFD master pattern.
3.  Add 5/8" seam allowances.  This width will make it easier to handle.  Then after you've basted and adjusted the fit, serge/trim to 1/4" allowance.
4. When cutting, make sure that none of the fabric hangs off the cutting table.  It will definitely stretch out of shape.
5.  Treat Slinky as a napped or one-way fabric with all pieces headed in the same direction.
6. Cut with extremely sharp fabric shears or rotary cutter.
7.  Decide which side you want as the 'right' side and mark with a visible marking pencil or place a piece of plastic tape on the 'wrong' side and write 'wrong' on the tape.
8.  Use a 'walking foot'.
9.  Test sewing on remnants.  Stitch horizontally, vertically and diagonally.  Use long embroidery pins.  Since the fabric does not feed evenly, stop periodically, raise the presser foot, smooth the fabric then continue stitching.
10.  Baste - baste - baste with the longest stitch possible!  Test the fit.  There is no way to gauge how much your Slinky is going to stretch vertically or horizontally until you put it on.  Adjust the fit to your comfort level.  If the Slinky is a very dark color, baste with a bright contrasting color thread.  It will make it much easier to pick out.
11.  Always stitch directionally i.e. from the hem up.
12.  Then when you are satisfied, to complete the seams use a long straight stitch but not necessarily a stretch stitch, trim or serge/overlock the seams.
13.  If you're sewing pants, the length of the crotch seam WILL stretch vertically.  Stabilize with a narrow flat, clear elastic as you stitch the seam.  This allows the seam to have a little give, but not stretch excessively.  Shoulders, necklines and long side seams can also be stabilized with clear, flat elastic.
14.  To bind the neck and armhole edges, as I have done on this tank top, cut the ribbing and binding strips on the crossgrain approximately 25-30% shorter than the edge to be finished.
15.  Hemming.  They say you can use fusible webbing, but I couldn't get mine to 'melt' and adhere the 2 layers together, so I simply top-stitched the hem in place.  But since Slinky isn't going to ravel, you could just cut and leave the hem as a raw edge.

These tips should help you out on your next Slinky project.
Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

SFD June Fit & Sew Retreat

Happy ladies...lots of work...happy results.

The last week of June saw ladies from N. Carolina, Texas, California, Oregon and Canada attend yet another Sure-Fit Designs Fit & Sew Retreat.

 

This first photo shows all of us as we begin their 6-day Retreat adventure.  All of them arrived with individual personal goals for their fitting success.   You'll see Sherry, my assistant standing to my left.  And the lady second in on the right is our new Canadian distributor - Anna Espindola - here for her practicum training.

Closing event occurred on Wednesday evening.

And the above photo is all of us squished in together.

A student from the June Fit & Sew Retreat - designed the yoga pants project but sewn at home - the yoga pants are found in the designing book Pants that Mix n Multiply. Don't you just love the happy fabric. Her husband calls them her 'happy pants'. And she's happy that they fit so well. Thanks for sharing Shelley!

Here's Anna - our SFD Canadian distributor - in her Retreat project - Yoga Pants and Tank Top.
They fit so well and look just great on her.

Thanks to all of you for attending and working so diligently to achieve the best fit possible for your body shape.

Happy sewing,

Setting Secrets...the Set-in Sleeve Master Class!

www.surefitdesigns.blogspot.com 

Do you struggle trying to sew a perfectly smooth set-in sleeve?  If so, read and follow the instructions for the Set-in Sleeve Master Class. 

This master class is totally free and is found on our newest website - www.SewFitAcademyOnline.com.
There you'll find 2 video lessons, the actual text lesson, as well as a downloadable PDF file of the lesson.

You'll build your sleeve setting skill by following these techniques for setting in the classic sleeve.  Just follow along as I show you a process that I've used for years to achieve a beautiful outcome when sewing the set-in sleeve.

Setting Secrets...the Sleeve Master Class - Click Here.

Happy Sewing!