Summer dress has sleeves, or not
Dear Vicki: I would like you to find a summer dress pattern for me to wear on vacation. I look best with sleeves, but sleeveless is not a dealbreaker. But I would like something with a little pizzazz. Thanks for your help. — Monica W.
Dear Monica: I found Burda 2933 for you. It has both sleeves and sleeveless, and also short and long views. It just looks like fun, and a lightweight summery fabric will be just right. I particularly think a rayon challis would be great.
A good question to my mother:
Dear Eunice Farmer: When I look at readymade clothes I see facings at the neck and armholes, but patterns often just have you turn back the edges or sew bias trim to finish. Why the difference? — Martine C.
Dear Martine: The quality of the clothing you are examining is the reason for the facings. Sometimes pattern companies believe we just want fast and easy, but I think many of us aspire to do better.
I want to make clothing that I could never afford to buy, so I look for details that take time but look expensive and beautiful. And it goes without saying that I want my sewing to be special, not especially fast. My time is valuable, and I want to be very proud of what I have made.
That being said, sometimes a narrow beautiful Hong Kong edge is just the thing. So just be sure the treatment you choose is the look you want.
Dear Vicki: Can I use the selvage of the fabric for straight edges of my pattern pieces? It sure would save time. Thanks. — Kathryn O.
Dear Kathryn: The selvage is always woven somewhat tighter than the yard goods; therefore, it can cause the garment or project to now hang incorrectly or actually not fit together. So don’t use it. An exception would be waistbands, which we usually would like to be extremely stable and firm.
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 week the tip is from Gay Adams, of Norfolk, Va. Gay writes:
“My tip is to help with waistbands on pants that are a little too full and gape at the back. If they’re only a little too big, I have found that I can add belt loops — one on either side of the center back loop. I also topstitch around the top of the pants, maybe ¼ inch, so that the belt can’t ride up over the top of the waistband.” Send tips and questions to Vicki Farmer Ellis, P.O. Box 220463, St. Louis, MO 63122, or email vickifarmerellis@swbell.net.