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From: leelee
Date: 03-21-2004, 06:22 PM (1 of 5)
| I am making a window seat. I am using a contrasting solid color fabric for the welting. When making the welting, do I always have to cut the fabric on the bias or does it just depend on the fabric? If I have to cut the fabric on the bias, do you have any suggestions on how to do so? The "how to sew" book I purchased does not have this information. My window seat is 53" so I would need to do about 10 (?) yards of welting. I just bought my first sewing machine and I am a novice... any info is greatly appreciated!! Thanks! |
User: leelee
Member since: 03-21-2004 Total posts: 4 
|
From: paroper
Date: 03-22-2004, 03:14 PM (2 of 5)
|
You don't have to cut on the bias but it doesn't look very good if you don't. The bias cut allows the fabric to give and stretch. In actuality, when sewing, it allows the welt to conform to the curves and bends in the fabric without puckering or buckling so that you don't have unsightly wrinkles in your finished product. This makes a much cleaner, neater more professional product...and that is what you really want. The bias (which is naturally stretchy) is 45 degrees from the selvage of your fabric. The EASY way to cut this is with a knife, long measuring device and a cutting mat; you can mark your lines with a yardstick, compass and a pencil and then cut your marks. There is a really cool way to do this in a tube. You figure out how wide you want your strips and cut a 45 degree retangle out of your fabric (dividing the width of the box by the width of your strips...for instance, if you wanted 6 strips 2 inches wide, your box would be 12 inches wide and however long your fabric would allow. It just needs to be 45 degrees at each corner. Then, after you cut your 12 inch box, take a yard stick and measure and mark with pencil on the wrong side every 2 inches all the way up and down your strip. When you have marked your strip, offset your mark so that you have a loose end 2 inches wide at both ends. Put the right sides together and sew a seam on the wrong side, leaving the two inches free on both ends. When you are through, take a pair of scissors and cut on the marked line all the way around your tube until you reach the other corner...this will give you a long bias strip with the ends already neatly sewn for you and you will be ready to start your welt. To attach your welt to your fabric, you can use a zipper foot...that is the easiest foot I know unless you happen to have a welt foot. Good Luck!!!
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: leelee
Date: 03-24-2004, 12:58 AM (3 of 5)
|
Thank you so much...I get it! I have fabric ordered. It cost me a lot and I dont want to mess it up. I'm gathering as much information as I can before it gets here! Thanks again! |
User: leelee
Member since: 03-21-2004 Total posts: 4
|
From: MaryW
Date: 03-26-2004, 10:41 AM (4 of 5)
Hi Leelee, welcome to Sew Whats New.  You have taken on quite a challenge for a novice. Home dec. is not all that hard but it does intimidate a lot of people though. Let us know how you progress. I love a window seat. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
|
From: leelee
Date: 03-27-2004, 06:41 PM (5 of 5)
You're not the first person who has told me that I am taking on quite a challange for my first project! I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm a little too confident in my abilities.  . I tend to be one of those people who think they can do anything...not always proven to be true! This project is for my upstairs bathroom. I figured if I messed up a little, not many will see it! I purchased a pattern on line for a really cute valance for the window and over the shower. The window seat is what I was more concerned about. I had one proffesionally made for my living room so I took the foam out last night and turned it inside out to study how they constructed it. I'm going to give it a go! The alternative was to have it done through an Interior Designer who gave me a quote for...$2300.00!!!!!!!!!  I got all my fabric, interlining and lining for under $400.00. Better but still too much money in fabric to mess up on! Thanks for the warm welcome! I may be troubling you in the very near future for help! |
User: leelee
Member since: 03-21-2004 Total posts: 4
|
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