Sewing Tips - Advancing Your Basic Techniques

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You may sometimes think that basic techniques just fall into an elementary category. But I say that even the “Basics” can be divided into intermediate and advanced levels.

For example, your hand stitches fall into the beginning category, whereas accurate marking of notches, dart lines, placement lines, etc. are intermediate, and boning a bodice is an advanced practice. Yet the process of adding bones is still a basic skill of historical construction.

Here are 13 fundamental steps to advance you in the right direction when you are working on your sewing projects.

Intermediate Skills

Pressing and ironing. The secret to a professional looking garment (from any time period) is pressing as you go along. Don’t rush ahead. Half of your sewing time should be at the ironing board.
As for ironing, you do this to get wrinkles out of a fabric and what you do to your husband’s dress shirts. However, you also iron your finished costume before wearing and after cleaning.

Pressing is the up and down motion of the iron on the fabric. You do not slide the iron when pressing; you lift the iron and set it down again.
Accurate marking of construction symbols. Notches, dart lines, centers, pocket, button and trim placements, sleeve dots, and other markings that help you put together your pattern pieces are critical in the construction process. Without them, your sleeves don’t sit right in your bodice and you end up with the wrong space between buttonholes. Transfer these marks at the cutting stage before sewing.
Keep one set of really good sharp shears reserved for fabric cutting only. Use a smaller set of scissors for cutting thread at your machine. And use even another pair for your paper patterns. Paper dulls scissor edges very quickly. Dull shears will mar your fabrics while cutting. Keep them sharp!
Break down your sewing steps into small sections. Set goals for when each step should be completed. When you have only a small amount of time to sew, follow your goal sheet with the next step even if that means only pressing the hem and sewing later; or only setting in one sleeve per sewing session. If you work in stages and with set goals you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Sharp, clean hand sewing needles. If you repeatedly use the same needle it will pick up your skin oils and make for going through fabric more difficult. Don’t be afraid to throw out your old and dirty needles. They are cheap to replace. For dull hand sewing needles, use an emery strawberry to keep them sharp.
During the cutting process, pin only in the seam allowances. Cut with the grain when possible. The best way to cut tulle is laid out on a self-healing mat and cut with a rotary cutter.
Use natural fabrics ONLY for all your correct period undergarments. They breathe and keep you cooler and/or warmer depending on the weather. This is a must for you to remain comfortable in your layers of period clothing. I would not recommend a poly/cotton blend for your chemise and drawers even though it doesn’t crease like 100% cotton or linen. Even the minor polyester content will keep you overheated; and inexpensive cotton fabrics are readily available.

Advanced Basics:

Grading seam allowances. Grading is very important for enclosed seams to lie flat. It is another method to keep your projects from looking “home-made.” Trim all layers in a seam to graduated widths. This includes interfacings, interlinings, facings, collars, pockets and flaps – any fabric layers sandwiched within a seam. Taper them all to different levels.
Take a new set of measurements before each project and over correct undergarments. Do not assume you’re the size same as last season. Verify the numbers.
And don’t wait to lose or gain weight before starting an outfit. It will never get done if you procrastinate. Ways exist to take-in and let-out garments to allow for weight fluctuations. Just get the project started.
Cry over having to cut a 2nd mock-up – not over having to buy 10 more yards of $16/yd silk. Muslins (mock-ups/drafts/examples made up in a cheap fabric to test your pattern) are worth their time and effort. They will save you valuable money and time.
Always buy that extra yard or two of special fabric and trim. You probably won’t find it again. Better be safe than sorry. You can always make a reticule (bag or purse) as an accessory for your costume or a fancy pillow for your home. Any extra fabrics you don’t want or need can be donated to your local American Sewing Guild who will make the fabric into articles for those in need (e.g. quilts, caps for cancer patients, etc.).
When in doubt, add one more petticoat. Petticoats make all the difference in a correct looking outfit and a thrown together costume (even if you spent many hours on it). Wear correctly shaped petticoats that follow the line of your skirt. Keep them one to four inches shorter than your skirt hem.
Look at period art and fashion plates for design ideas. Fashion plates were first published in the late 18th century. (To give an example, the featured spread in our current Vogue magazine and other contemporary fashion magazines are today’s fashion plates.) Women would look at these published sketches, modify them for their own tastes and budget then create the new outfit.

And the final (bonus) basic tip that works for every sewing level:

Don’t sew while angry, PMS’ing, or during a hurricane.

No matter what fundamental method you are striving to perfect, it will take your sewing to the next level of professionalism.

Best of luck to you as you apply these basic techniques to your historical sewing!

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write by ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ