SPRING 2012

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN SEWING GUILDVOL.XVII, NO.2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2National Notes

3

Sponsor Spotlight

4

Chapter News and Views

Sheer Magic

18

by Marla Kazell

Sew ‘n Share: Laundry
Products to the Rescue

heer fabrics were in almost every designer’s springcollection and you probably have seen them featured
in stores, magazines, and pattern catalogs. From dresses
and skirts in soft drapey chiffons to simple shirts incrisp organza, sheer fabrics are everywhere.

Sew ‘n Tell: Core Four. . . and More23

Sew Young

2831Book BeatBook Briefs

DVD Corner

35

CUTTING LINE DESIGNS 12269

Sheer fabrics range in hand from crisp offerings,
like organza and organdy, to soft versions, likechiffon and georgette. Crisp sheers stand awayfrom the body and form more bouffant fullness
when gathered or pleated. Soft sheers drape
closer to the body and create gentle fullness when gathered or shirred. Because
softer fabrics like chiffon are more fragile, can be easily
distorted, and are susceptible to snags, they are the mostdifficult to sew.

Product Previews

36

Industry Insider

43

ASG Conference 201244

Chapter Calendar

47

Other sheer or semi-sheer fabrics, like voile, lawn,batiste, eyelet, gauze, and handkerchief linen, fall inbetween. Their hand can vary from soft to crisp
depending on the yarns, processes, or finishes used.
These sheer fabrics are usually the easiest to sew.

Advertiser Index

48

ASG Conference
2012 Calendar

The See-Through Factor

50

Of course, what all these sheer fabrics have in common is the fact that you can see through them.
When construction details, including seamallowances, darts, hems, facings, and interfacings, show through, it can be distracting andASG
Conference
2012
Registration
Form

52

Members Only& MERINGUE PANTS

33L.J. DESIGNS SORBET TOP

Sew for theGold

Don't let sewing with sheer fabrics intimidateyou. If you've never sewn with them, you
can start small by using a sheer fabric as adetail. Add chiffon or georgette ruffles tothe hem of a dress or organza ruffles to theedges of a wool jacket. Add organza bands tothe hem and sleeves of a jacket. Insert sheer
fabric godets into gored skirt seams. Create asash, a tie, a scarf, or a shawl. In no time
you'll be ready to plan and sew an entire
garment of sheer fabric and be right in style.

BETSEY JOHNSON SILK CHIFFONBUTTERFLY PRINT:
PACIFIC FABRICS

20S

BUTTERICK 5750
OMBRE SILK CHIFFON:PRINTEDSILKFABRICS.COM
BURDA STYLE 8974
FLORAL SILK VOILE: PRINTEDSILKFABRICS.COM(continued on page 38)

Sheer Magic(continued from page 1)

create a very messy look. Color andpattern will also factor into yoursewing decisions. Lighter colors aremore transparent than darker colors.
Solid colors show every detail while
overall prints and patterns may help
distract the eye so that show-throughconstruction details are less apparent.
This all presents some special challenges.
Ask yourself a few questions as you
consider your pattern choices. Will I
be able to make French seams or othernarrow seams? Can I change existing
darts into tucks or gathers or ease inthe fullness? Can I incorporate thehem show-through into the design?
Will an alternate hem technique
work? Will facings showing throughruin the look of the garment? Will anunderlining or lining be appropriate?
Can I eliminate interfacing? Can I
find an appropriate sheer interfacing?
Consider both the characteristics ofyour fabric and the style of the garment when making your patternchoice. For very soft sheers, especiallyfragile chiffon, avoid complicatedseaming or very fitted styles. Instead,take advantage of the fabric’s drape
and choose styles with shirring, gathers, soft pleats, or tucks. Crisper
sheers lend themselves nicely to simple styles with a minimum number ofseams. Semi-fitted and boxy silhouettes that are already meant to standaway from the body will complimentthese fabrics.
Should your garment need interfacing, remember that it, too, will show
through. Very lightweight fusibles
may work on semi-sheer fabrics, butfor very sheer fabrics, a sew-in interfacing is best. My favorite choice issilk organza. It comes in a wide variety of colors and can be steam pressed
to maintain its crispness or prewashed to make it softer. Test out several colors of silk organza—options
include white, cream, a flesh tone, ora match to your fabric. Drape each38

choice over your hand with the sheer
fabric on top and study the effect. A
second layer of your fashion fabric
can also act as an interfacing.

The Layered Approach
For modesty reasons and/or to hidesome of the construction details,adding an underlining, a lining, orusing multiple layers of sheer fabric
can make your garment more opaque.
Underlining: Construction details
will be less visible behind an opaqueunderlining. The second layer gives
added body and strength to the sheer
fabric. This can be an advantage if
you are making a more fitted or structured garment with a softer sheer fabric. The underlining will help takeany stress off the seams and will give
support to the sheer layer. It can also
become the interfacing layer in collars
and cuffs. Try underlining the front,
back, collar, and cuffs of a blouse, but
leave the sleeves and details like ruffles or sashes sheer.
Experiment with color by holding
various colors of underlining fabrics
under your sheer fabric. Try a flesh
color, a matching color or a darker orlighter shade. You will be surprised at
how much the color can change. The
rosy red background of a chiffon printused by one of my students for a
blouse looked washed out by a pale,flesh tone, darker and dramatic witha burgundy underlining and brighterand richer with hot pink under it.

To underline, cut garment pieces
from both your sheer fabric andanother fabric. You can use a second
piece of the same sheer fabric, another sheer fabric (like organza), which
can add some body, or a lining fabricsuch as crepe de chine, China silk, orcharmeuse. Pin and baste the two layers together and treat them as one

ASG Notions • Spring 2012

during the remainder of construction.
Lining: A garment meant to be soft,
drapey or flowing will do best with aseparate lining layer added for
opaqueness. The sheer fabric maintains its softness and drape. If thesestyles are underlined, the fabric has
more weight and body and will not
drape as softly. Sew the seams andhems separately for each layer andattach the sheer garment and lining
layers together at the neck for dresses
and tops or waist for skirts and pants.
Try different colors of linings asdescribed previously to find the best
choice.
Multiple layers: Multiple layers
automatically create more opaqueness. By building up layers of a sheer
fabric, you intensify the color as well.
Try multiples shades, dark to light, ofthe same color or layer multiple colors. For a bolder look, try multiple
layers of a strong graphic print or pattern such as polka dots. Or mix patterns to create an entirely new fabric.
For example, start with a stripe. Cut

it—over a fourth layer of crepe dechine lining. The subtle leaf patterncreated an interesting, subtle texture.

Cutting Tips
Sheers have a tendency to slip andslide during the cutting process. Hereare some preventative techniques as
you lay out and cut your pattern.
Work on a fabric surface rather
than a slick table. Use a padded grainboard or cover your cutting surface
with cotton twill, canvas, flannel, or aflannel-backed tablecloth.
Stab pins into the grain board or
use weights. Pinning pattern pieces
to the fabric distorts the tissue andprevents it from laying flat.
Cut with very sharp shears. If you
prefer a rotary cutter, use weights anda very sharp blade.
Make sure your fabric is on grain
by pulling a cross-grain thread or
tearing. Match selvages and crossgrain and be sure they are at rightangles to each other.
Cut each piece separately. For themost accuracy when cutting, “grainup” a rectangle of fabric large enoughfor a single pattern piece and cut eachpiece one at a time. Be sure to flip thepattern piece the second time, so you
have a right and a left side!

Marking Tips

one layer on straight grain and one on
crossgrain and you’ve got a plaid.
The key to getting a client's white
chiffondress
opaque enough towear was to layer
three chiffons—one plain, one witha jacquard leaf
pattern andone withrhinestoness c a t tered onMark construction symbols with yourfavorite chalk or marking pen or pencil. Check that marks can be removed.
They will show on both sides of sheer
fabrics. Tailor tacks and thread tracing with fine silk thread is anothergood option.

Sewing Tips
Use sharp, fine pins.
Use fine needles—size 60/8, 65/9,
70/10 Universal or Microtex Sharp.
Use lightweight thread. My
favorites are Coats & Clark Extra Fineor Mettler Fine Embroidery thread.
Shorten the stitch length—thelonger the stitch length, the more like(continued on page 40)39

Sheer MagicA

B(continued from page 39)ly fabric will pucker.
Try a single-hole throat plate andhold thread tails at the beginning ofa seam to prevent fabric from being
pushed down into the machine.
Use the taut sewing technique toprevent puckering. With one handbehind the needle and the other handin front of the needle, hold the fabrictaut as you sew. Don’t pull on the fabric; let the feed dog do the work.
Shorten the stitch length to 1.5 at
the beginning and the end of seams
rather than backstitching, which cancreate unsightly lumps of thread.

French Seams
French seams are perfect for sheer
fabrics. They can be sewn as a very
narrow seam and enclose all raw
edges for a clean finish. The key to awell-sewn French seam is in thepressing. For a 1⁄4"-wide finished seam:
1. Start with 5⁄8" seam allowances. Pin
the seam, wrong sides together, andstitch 3⁄8" from the cut edges. Use a
1.5–2 stitch length.
2. Meld the stitches by pressing theseam flat on both sides, then press it
open over a wood pressing surface
such as a point press or tailor board.
3. Press the seam closed, right sides
together with the stitched line
exactly on the edge.
4. Open the seam and trim the seamallowances evenly to less than 1⁄4".
5. Refold the seam right sides together, pin, and stitch 1⁄4" from thepressed edge, enclosing the rawedges.
6. Meld the stitches; then press theseam to one side.
To create an even narrower Frenchseam, stitch first 1⁄2" from the cutedges; meld, press open, and press
closed; trim the seam allowances to ascant 1⁄8"; stitch again, 1⁄8" from thepressed edge.

Hems
Hem allowances that show through40

can become part of the design of yourgarment. These hems work best on
straight-grain edges. For curved hemlines, choose a narrow machine- or
hand-rolled technique.
Basichem(A): Press up thehem allowancealong the hemline. Turn thecut edge underan even 1⁄4"(remember—itshows through)and slipstitch byhand or topstitch close to the edge by machine.
For a decorative finish and to play up
the 1⁄4" edge, stitch beads along theupper edge of the hem.
Double-fold hem (B): This hem
outlines the garment edge with threelayers of fabric. It can also be used tocreate the look of a band along a center front edge or along the edges of aslit. A wide version can add someweight to the bottom of a garment. Anarrow version can mimic a French
seam to give a consistent look to alllines that show through.
1. Press up the hem allowance along
the hemline.
2. Turn the cut edge in to meet thehemline fold; press again.
3. Slipstitch by hand or topstitch close
to the edge by machine.

Armscye Seams
Because they are
curvedandthere is ease in
the sleeve cap,
French seams
are not easy to
do on an armscye. A doublestitched seam isa good alternative:

ASG Notions • Spring 2012

1. Ease the sleeve cap and, using a
1.5–2 stitch length, stitch the sleeve
into the armhole. Press the seamallowances flat.
2. Stitch again, a scant 1⁄4" from the firstrow of stitching.
3. Trim the excess seam allowancevery close to the stitching.
A mock Hong Kong finish will beeven cleaner:
1. Easethesleeve cap andstitch
thesleeve into thearmhole.
Press the seamallowances
flat and trim
to 1⁄4".
2. Cut a bias
strip of fabric about 11⁄4" wide. Stitch
it to the armhole along the previous
stitching, being careful not tostretch the strip and overlapping
the ends 1⁄4".
3. Press the strip around the trimmed
seam allowance, enclosing the raw
edges. Pin in place and stitch 1⁄16"
from the seamline.
4. Trim the excess bias strip close tothe stitching.

Facing a Facing
This technique creates a clean finish
on the edge of a blouse front while
also adding a bit of support. It works

1. Cut a second set of facings fromyour sheer fabric.
2. Pin one set of facings right sides
together. Stitch together along theouter curved edge and the shoulder
seam of the facing. Use a short
stitch length and be careful not tostretch the curved part of the seamout of shape.
3. Meld the stitches, then carefullypress the seam allowances open
over a wooden pressing tool. Press
the seam closed.
4. Open out the facing and trim theseam allowances to 1⁄4" or less.
5. Baste the neck and front edges
together and apply the facing to thegarment.
Marla Kazell, a member of the ASG
Portland, Ore. Chapter, has been sewing
professionally forover 30 years. She
createsbeautifulcouture garments inher custom clothingbusiness and teaches
classes and handson workshops inPortland, Oregon
and across the country for ASG chaptersand private groups. She will be returningfor her 10th year as an instructor at ASG
Conference 2012. Marla has been one of
the tour guides on the ASG New Yorktour and will also be leading a fabulous
tour of Portland, Ore. this June. Visit
www.marlakazell.com for information
about her tours, classes, and workshops.
To receive Marla's new newsletter, send
your e-mail address to webmaster@marla
kazell.com.

well for sheers and other soft fabrics—a great way to use up some ofyour leftover sheers!

ASG Notions • Spring 201241