Alter pattern to make maternity top
Dear Vicki: I would love for you to find me a pattern for a maternity top. I know it is late summer, but I will be needing summery clothes for a long time. I live in the South. All the clothes in stores are knit and form-fitting. I like them, but I would also love to have something feminine and fresh. I like to sew, but I’m not too good with buttonholes and zippers. Thanks. Caroline E.
Dear Caroline: I found McCall’s pattern number 7544 for you to consider. It’s not a maternity top, but it can be. Just take into account that your bust will increase, and also make it somewhat longer. It doesn’t have buttonholes, just a loop at the top in back. Choose a light, cool fabric. If you decide to make a sleeveless version, be sure to cut the armhole 5/8 inch higher.
Dear Vicki: I just purchased a new embroidery sewing machine. It has opened up a whole new world of sewing for me. I’m actually having a ball playing with it. Our instructor suggests using Sulky thread, but it’s fairly expensive compared to other threads. I would rather use the threads that I have collected over the years. Your thoughts, please. Mandy R.
Dear Mandy: Actually, you can use any and all of the thread you have, but just for practice. The results will be coarse and lumpy, and frankly, clunky. But if you are just getting to know how new designs will look and are sewing on scraps, it’s fine.
When you want embroidery that is ready for prime time, use something better. Sulky is very fine rayon; it has a luster and smooth appearance — it’s my favorite. However, it is fragile and does have a tendency to shred and break. Some people can’t tolerate this, and so they use polyester embroidery threads, which have shown themselves to be much stronger and less apt to break. The poly thread has much more surface shine.
If this is not to your liking, then there is also cotton embroidery thread. This looks very much like embroidery floss, with more of a handcrafted appearance. I very much like cotton thread when I am embroidering baby things. So you can see there is not just one answer.
But bear in mind that sewing machine embroidery threads have only two fibers. This is so that they lie flat on the surface of your fabric. Because of this you really should use embroidery needles — they have much larger eyes and let the thread float and have less stress and less breakage.
Each week I share a reader’s tip and thank him or her with a set of 100 fine English hand-sewing needles from John James. This tip is from Maggie Martino, of Peoria, Ill. She writes:
“I keep an extra seam ripper in my kitchen. It comes in so handy to cut the foil seal on jars of everything from vitamins to peanut butter. Simply run the seam ripper around the inside edge of the seal.” Send your tips and questions to Vicki Farmer Ellis, P.O. Box 220463, St. Louis, MO 63122, or email vickifarmerellis@swbell.net.