Okay, so on to the questions...
Lisa Pellegrini asked, "Have you ever been tempted to use the wrong side of a fabric as the right side?"
Of course I have and when I do I call it a designer decision and feel no need to tell anyone that I used what everyone else considered the "wrong" side of the fabric! *LOL*
Kuby asked, "Which machine company did she advertise for?"
I have no idea...I want to say Viking but I will have to dig my old pattern magazines out from the 80's and see if I can find out!
Julianne asked, "Do you preshrink your piping?"
Oh man, I feel like saying busted! I know that I should preshrink it but honestly I never have and never had a shrinking accident which just reinforces my bad behaviour. But all the sewing books say that you should...let that be your guide!
Sheila stated, "Regarding applying piping, have you tried an industrial piping foot on your machine?"
I do use my piping foot often when applying piping as noted in the other piping post I linked to. It is not industrial but it is the piping foot that Janome recommends for my sewing machine.
BeeBee asked, "Do/would you ever remove the "stuffing" from the part of the piping thatwill go into the seam allowance?"
Yes, I've use flat piping as an embellishment. But when I used that technique, it was with a flat bias binding that was folded in half, pressed and stitched into the seam.
JustGail asked, "Do you have a method to keep Fray Check from getting hard and scratchy?"
I've heard this complaint before but have never experienced it. Have you tried Fray Block instead? It's suppose to have a softer end result than Fray Check.
LinB discussed partial linings...
I've used a partial lining in this pants suit and can't stand the partial lining. It creeps, it creases and the hemline scratches my legs. So I need to figure something else out.
Josh asked, "Are you still participating in the craftsy course?"
Honestly, I've watched one class and that's it. But the reason I signed up for the craftsy course is that I have unlimited access to it for a year. So during one of my 3-day weekends, I will concentrate on it again. I just need some serious downtime to do so!
Andsewitgoes asked, "You sandwich the piping on the neckline between the dress and the facing, correct?"
Actually I've omitted the facings on this dress pattern years ago. So the piping is sandwiched between the fashion fabric and the lining fabric.
Laceflower asked, "How do you decide the quantity of fabric to buy? How do you use it in say, the first garment and expect there to be enough for the last garment?"
Ah this is a really good question! I figure out the pieces I want to make and how much yardage they take and then purchase accordingly. I'm going to get five full garments out of the ten yards of ivory poly crepe and I have plans to use some of the larger scraps in other garments to make sure that I use almost every piece of fabric.
...and finally, MelissaL88 asked, "Are you not worried about the "warmth" factor of polyester crepe?"
Melissa, the crepe is lightweight and yes it's polyester. But I'm thinking of the dress, pants and skirt as spring & fall pieces...that's why I'm getting them constructed so quickly so that I can wear them now before the temperatures start to rise. The two jackets will work throughout the summer since I commute in over-the-top air conditioning (like its on right now on the bus!) and in an office that can feel like a refrigerator at times. I really just wanted some drapey, non-wrinkling ivory pieces to use as a base for a spring/summer wardrobe and this piece fit the bill.
I hope this answers the questions that were left. If I missed one that you asked, leave it in the comments and I will update this post with it.
...as always, more later!
Years ago, I did tests of Fray Block and Fray Check. Like you, I had much better results with Fray Block!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, per the Craftsy website under the FAQS page, you can access your class FOREVER!! Hope that helps--I know how fast a year can go by...
ReplyDeleteI agree about Fray Block being less scratchy than Fray Check. Much better.
You are very good about answering questions! So appreciated.
You are so good. I need to follow your lead on publishing questions asked by followers.
ReplyDeleteYour Whitney dress was a perfect alternative. It was beautiful; rich in color and style. Love it.
Thanks for answering our questions. As always, your post is informative and fun to read.
ReplyDeleteIt was Viking that Cynthia Guffey advertised for. I remember those beautiful dresses that she embroidered. It was the first time I had seen machine embroidery that I liked. Everything was tone on tone.
ReplyDeleteYou truly are a Sewing Shero! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.
ReplyDeleteYour Whitney Dress looked great in Chicago. The top stitching is amazing from what I could see by (intrusively) moving your sweater aside. I got cold, then hot, throughout the entire Fashion Show but that's me sometimes. Wonderful to meet you finally! Now let's see if I can remember how to post this comment since I unsubbed from Google....
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day. I enoy your blog very much.
ReplyDeletere:BeeBee's question, I think she meant to ask if you remove the cord from the piping in the SA portion of the trim i.e. the last 5/8, more or less.
ReplyDeleteI do this and it makes for a flatter seam, especially if they cross.
And I have used bias tape as trim in a dress, as you have.
I'll have to keep an eye out for Fray Block - thanks!!
ReplyDelete