sewing with stretch fabric at home 1. Cut out the fabric from your pattern pieces
front
back
sleeve
2. Select a ‘Zig Zag’ stitch on your Sewing Machine & test on your fabric Experiment with different stitch lengths and widths until you are happy with the stitch 3. Tips for sewing with stretch fabrics • Choose a Ballpoint Needle - stretch fabrics require a ball-point needle, the standard needles that we use for woven fabrics will tear holes in the knit fibres • Knit fabric seams often look ‘stretched out’ after sewing. Press gently and apply steam from your iron to shrink the seam back to normal • When cutting out use pattern weights instead of pins to stop holes in your fabric. Also, when cutting, keep your fabric flat and ensure it is not stretched out. A common reason knits stretch while you are cutting is when they are hanging over the edge of the table. Cutting on a larger table or on the floor is an alternative
4. Join the Front & Back together at ‘one’ shoulder seam
Match the front and back together at the shoulder seam
Pin in place
Sew in place MKT1661/0221
5. Press the seam towards the Back
back
back back
front
front
wrong side
right side
sleeve
6. Measure around the Neckline
7. Cut a strip of Jersey 3cm wide & 5cm shorter than the measurement around the neckline, fold and press in half
Measurement around neckline minus 5cm
8. Stretch the Binding onto the Neckline & pin in place
The Binding is stretched onto the Neckline - if it was the same length it would fold forwards
3cm wide
This is the neckline binding
9. Sew the Binding around the Neckline
back
wrong side
sleeve
right side
10. Match the shoulder seam to join the Front & Back together and pin in place
pin in place
11. Sew across the shoulder seam
Binding around the Neckline & the Front and Back are joined at the shoulders 12. Open out the Front & Back so the armhole is flat
ARMHOLE
13. Place the sleeve head on to the armhole (right sides together) matching at the shoulder seam ARMHOLE
sleeve
SLEEVE HEAD
14. pin and sew in place
pin in place
15. sleeve in the armhole front
back
sleeve
sew
16. Lay the garment flat (right side up), fold over to match up the side seams and under arm seam – right sides together
side seam
back
sleeve
under arm seam
front
17. pin and sew in place
pin in place
18. Close Fitting Top
sew
19. Finishing the Hem & Cuffs • Binding – follow the method for the neckline • Zig Zag – as used for sewing the seams • Twin Needle (widely available from haberdashery shops)
20. Machinery available at the University Centre to finish garments to an Industrial Standard
4 Thread Overlocker used for sewing seams
Coverstitch Machine used for finishing necklines, hems, cuffs etc.
drafting a close fitting bodice block
Ref. Winfred Aldrich Pattern Cutting for Womenswear
This Block is drafted for maximum stretch, fine ribbed Jersey or Lycra fabrics MKT1661/0221
Measurements required to Draft the Block The example below is for a Medium (size 12) (see chart for other sizes or use your own measurements) Bust Nape to Waist Back Width Sleeve Length (Jersey) Neck Size Armscye Depth Wrist Finished Length
88 cm 41 cm 34.4 cm 54.5 cm 37 cm 21 cm 16 cm 60 cm
Body Sections (calculations for a Medium (size 12) are in brackets next to each instruction) Square down and across from 0 0-1 nape to waist plus 1cm; square across (41cm + 1cm = 42cm) 0-2 finished length, square across (60cm) 0-3 armscye depth minus 3cm; square across (21cm – 3cm = 18cm) 0-4 half the measurement 0-3; square across (9cm) 0-5 one eighth the measurement 0-4; square across (1.2cm) 0-6 one sixth neck size; square up (37cm ÷ 6 = 6.2cm) 6-7 1.3cm; draw in back neck curve 3-8 half back width minus 2.5cm; square up to 9 and 10 (34.4 ÷ 2 = 17.2 – 2.5 = 14.7cm) 10-11 1cm; join 7-11 3-12 quarter bust minus 3cm: square down to 13 on the waistline, 14 on the hemline (88cm ÷ 4 =22cm – 3cm = 19cm)
Draw in armscye curve (armhole) from 11 through 9 to 12 13-15 3cm; draw inside seam 12, 15, 14 0-16 one sixth neck size minus 1cm; draw in front neck curve (37cm ÷ 6 = 6.2cm – 1cm = 5.2cm)
Back and Front are the same except for front neck curve Sleeve
Square down from 17 17-18 half the measurement 0-3 plus 1cm (9cm + 1cm = 10cm) 17-19 jersey sleeve length plus 4cm; square across (54.5cm + 4cm = 58.5cm) 17-20 the measurement of the diagonal line from 11-12 on body section plus 0.5cm 20-21 one third of measurement 17-20
Draw in sleeve head. Hollow the curve 0.6cm from 20-21; raise the curve 2cm from 17-21 19-22 half wrist plus 0.5cm; join 20-22 (16cm ÷ 2 = 8cm + 0.5cm = 8.5cm) Short Sleeve 17-23 sleeve length required: square across to 24 24-25 1.5cm; join 20-25 with a curve
Ref. Winfred Aldrich Pattern Cutting for Womenswear
Body Measurement Chart
Bust Nape to Waist Back Width Sleeve Length (Jersey) Neck Size Armscye Depth Wrist Finished Length
Extra Small (XS) Size 6 76 39.8 31.4 53.1 34 19.8 14.6 60
Small (S) Size 8-10 82 40.4 32.9 53.8 35.5 20.4 15.3 60
Medium (M) Size 12 88 41 34.4 54.5 37 21 16 60
Large (L) Size 14-16 94 41.6 35.9 55.2 38.5 21.6 16.7 60
Extra Large (XL) Size 18 100 42.2 37.4 56.9 40 22.2 17.4 60
what is a pattern master? • It is essentially a ruler, a French curve and a set square all rolled into one. • It has extra markings to help you find a centre of a line (which is very useful to have in pattern cutting). • You can add seam allowances with ease. • There is a 45 degrees marking to help you square off patterns. • You can draw certain size circles with a Pattern Master. For more information about a Pattern Master and where to buy Patternmaster (morplan.com) https://www.morplan.com/gb_en/41558 https://www.morplan.com/gb_en/products/fashion-design/pattern-design-tools?type_and_use=1850 https://www.amazon.co.uk/HAND-Pattern-Marking-Making-Students/dp/B00B90F3R0
Ref. Winfred Aldrich Pattern Cutting for Womenswear