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The Sew What’s New Archive
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From: mumof9
Date: 06-04-2007, 09:52 PM (1 of 9)
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Ok all of the experienced sewers out there, I need all of your helpful hints and tips on sewing with chiffon please. To be quite honest it scares the heck out of me because it wont stay still........... its worse than the baby crawling  I have heard that if I lay interfacing or paper down, then lay the chiffon on top of that and then the pattern, pin the whole lot together and then cut it will stop it moving. Is that correct? What sort of pins, needles and threads are required for this fabric. I normally sew with cotton, satin, medium weight fabrics. Any if I use a rotary cutter then how do move the mat underneath the fabric with out shifting the fabric and twisting it? Thanks in advance for all your help. This one is stressing me as I have vented in the Lounge area Cheryl, mum to Kathryn, Adrian, Nicole, Matthew, Vanessa, Rebecca, Cassandra, James and Monique. Phew, I really need
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User: mumof9
Member since: 05-20-2007 Total posts: 16 |
From: AndreaSews
Date: 06-04-2007, 10:25 PM (2 of 9)
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Oh a pain! Things got easier for me when I set out a flannel cloth and then the fabric and pattern over that. If you were thinking of cutting through something to help keep it stable, I'd vote (in order of preference) for old flannel in your stash first (or on the $1/yd rack), then the interfacing, then the paper, which is slipperier than the others. Get your scissors sharpened so the chiffon doesn't run away from your blades. I agree about the challenge of moving the rotary cutting mat. That didn't work for me. There was a lot of foul language that night.
Andrea
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User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005 Total posts: 1007 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 06-05-2007, 12:06 AM (3 of 9)
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Sounds like Andrea's hit the nail on the head again. I just wanted to throw in - I got the new issue of Sew News today and its all on Brides and dresses and has some good info on sewing slippery stuff, I think it was charmeuse and how to lay it out and cut it. But I really like the flannel idea.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 06-05-2007, 02:43 AM (4 of 9)
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Having read both of your posts about this I'd add one thing. I would demand your friend's presence at every stage of the process - she can help you keep the fabric in place while you're cutting and help wherever else possible. At least then she'll have a good idea of what she's asked. What pattern are you going to use? Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 06-05-2007, 07:42 AM (5 of 9)
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Hopefully you have enough fabric that you are not trying to cram everything on at once. It would help -- and perhaps allow you to use a rotary cutter -- if you could layout and cut one piece at a time. Weights might help keep it all in place. If you can use a rotary cutter there would be less shifting. Sandra Betzina suggests cutting from a single thickness of fabric -- probably a great idea. Then you only have to worry about one layer shifting. If a piece is cut on the fold she suggests cutting a duplicate piece from tissue and taping it to the original at fold line so you can cut a single piece at a time. She suggests laying the single layer of fabric on tissue paper (here's where Andrea's flannel would work well) and pin through the pattern tissue, the chiffon and the bottom tissue with the fabric sandwiched in the middle, keeping the pins in the seam allowance. Waxed chalk will stain so don't use it for markings, Betzina says. Use silk organza that is the same color as the skin of the person wearing the dress or self fabric for interfacing and interface the upper collar and cuffs so the seam allowances don't show through. (I once saw someone on television use the skin colored organza to bind seam allowances to keep them from showing. That was a great trick.) Betzina suggests fine cotton thread, a 60/8 or 65/9 HJ or HM needle and a short stitch length. To finish seams she suggests French seams, of course, and to prevent the seams from drawing up a very narrow zigzag on longer seams. Steam pressing will cause water spots. Machine button holes -- stabilized with the organza are OK but hand pick zippers. That's from More Fabric Savvy. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MotherInLaw
Date: 06-05-2007, 11:47 PM (6 of 9)
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I posted that yesterday Dorothy on her other post also. Don't you just love Sandra's Books? I'd recommend them to anyone who is getting involved in fabrics and sewing. It really helps to know what needle to use on what fabrics and all the other technical things you really need to know when sewing fabric you're not familiar with.
I'm regressing back into my youth, I just have to figure out how I'm going to convience my body to come along with me.
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User: MotherInLaw
Member since: 06-25-2005 Total posts: 1118 
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From: mumof9
Date: 06-06-2007, 07:38 AM (7 of 9)
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Once again a BIG thank you to all of the ladies, in particular AndreaSews for her wealth of information. Thought about writing a book yet??? You should!!!!  To DorothyL and MotherInLaw, could I adopt you please.............. your sense of humour is priceless. 
Cheryl, mum to Kathryn, Adrian, Nicole, Matthew, Vanessa, Rebecca, Cassandra, James and Monique. Phew, I really need
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User: mumof9
Member since: 05-20-2007 Total posts: 16 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 06-06-2007, 07:39 AM (8 of 9)
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Remember the television show, Susie? I learned so much from those shows. Now I watch Susan Khalje but it's not nearly as good. Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the bag -- probably today I will write up directions. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: yoyomom
Date: 07-26-2007, 09:51 PM (9 of 9)
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Gingher makes scissors with a special edge for handling slippery fabrics, the edge is serrated to grab the fabric and the tip of these shears are blunted as well. I like to experiment, if I had to I might consider very lightly spritzing temporary adhesive spray onto tissue paper before I laid my fabric on it. Leslie |
User: yoyomom
Member since: 07-08-2007 Total posts: 11 |
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