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As long as I could remember, I had an interest in the ability to make things with my hands, but it wasn’t until an MTV Making The Video episode with Destiny’s Child, that I even heard of the idea that one would make their own clothing. While the mother of one of the artists mentioned that she made the entire group’s outfits - a flame in me was sparked and it’s been burning ever since.

I had little to no knowledge at the time of what making your own clothes actually meant, so for me this would mean that I need to think about what clothes I wish I had, draw the idea, and then figure out how I could make it by hand. This involved combining clothes that I already had, to hand stitching them into what I wanted them to become.

Below is a make that I designed when I was 13. It was the very first time I let my imagination take over to create something physical that began from thought.

Today looking at it,  it seems like a simple scarf wrapped around a tank top, but it is so significant to me as it was something created out of whim - this was a time before social media and before crafting or sewing was something I was even aware of. This top is super common but I had no clue of it at the time, all I knew was that I wanted to manipulate this fabric in a way that I had never seen before, and that is something I’m super proud of.

It wasn’t until much later in life that I learned that both of my grandparents sewed and even owned their own tailor shops. Looking back I could have picked their brain about how to start or how one would go about sewing, but now knowing sewing was something familiar to the family, I am inspired to teach my children and keep exploring ways to carry on that legacy.

The today me also would’ve told the 13 year old me to keep going, keep designing, and keep researching the clothing making process. If I would’ve consistently been sewing or creating since then, who knows how far I would be by now - but everything happens for a reason and the beauty is that today I get to share a piece of my origins story with you with hopes that it will encourage, inspire, and motivate you to start, continue, and keep creating and sewing ❤️

XO

Stephanie

@sewwithstephanie

Looking for a quick and easy pattern with a bold and modern feel? Look no further than Hexie Mirror! Create this adorable baby size quilt and try out piecing trapezoids with or without templates.

Brittany Lloyd of Lo & Behold Stitchery provided this fun project. 

CLICK HERE for the full tutorial

Fold Over Elastic or "FOE" is used in such a large part of our ready-to-wear clothing that I am sure you are wearing some RIGHT NOW. Here's a guide for how to "Sew that FOE (Fold Over Elastic) Like a Pro!"

What is Fold Over Elastic?

“ Fold Over Elastic” is an elastic widely used in ready to wear garments. It is easy to spot and defined by an elastic you can fold down the center. This type of elastic is lightweight and has great recovery! The elastic is sandwiched over the fabric on top and bottom and attached usually with a Cover Stitch Machine for high performance fabrics and stretch/ knits. This elastic is typically shiny on the finished side. Fold Over Elastic can come in many width options with 5/8” being the most common.

Why use fold over elastic?

Fold over elastic finishes the edge of the garment and adds structure/ elasticity to the edge line in one step.

I think you will find this application to be on multiple pieces of clothing in your wardrobe. This method can be used on sportswear, underwear/ lingerie, as well as under garments / tank tops and so much more!

Trace out your garment to make a pattern!

First I began by tracing out the garment to make a pattern. When finishing with fold over elastic you will not need to add seam allowance. This is because the fold over elastic encases the raw edge at the “edge line”. Only add seam allowance where seams are sewn together (at the shoulders and side seams).

Cut out the Pattern Pieces in your fabric.

Keep in mind you DO NOT need seam allowance where your FOE Fold Over Elastic will go. Only where you will seam your garment together.

Assemble Your Garment

For the next step I assembled the garment. Options for the seams include: Sewing the seams together using a stretch stitch on your sewing machine or Serger like the Janome AirThread 2000D.

Pin on Your Elastic

I then measured the elastic on the garment I am copying. I cut two strips, one for each arm hole opening and one for the neckline. I then cut out a thicker band for the under bust. Before pinning the elastic to the garment you will need to seam the elastic together to make one continuous loop.

I recommend to pin the elastic to the garment before attaching it. You will  stretch out the length of the opening and pin the elastic around the opening. Work your way around the opening while holding the elastic against the inside of the garment. This picture shows the elastic pinned and the garment right side facing you. (Reminder: The shiny side of the elastic is the finished side.) The fabric should line up just shy of the elastic’s fold line.

Attach Your Elastic

I used a zig zag stitch to roughly attach the fold over elastic. I set my machine to a wide Zig Zag with my stitch length at 4. This extra step will ensure that when you come back to cover stitch your elastic, you will not miss your garment’s edge or struggle to fold it and sew. TIP: You can also use this step to try on your garment for fit and easily adjust the elastic if needed. The Picture below shows the zig zag basting stitch has held the elastic in place before I start the cover stitch.

TIME TO COVER STITCH

Using my Janome CoverPro 3000 Professional, I fold over the elastic remaining onto the front face of the garment and top stitch. TIP: Do not pull your fabric or elastic through the cover stitch machine while sewing.

You will notice, using the CoverPro 3000, your garment will look professional top and bottom. I am using wooly Nylon thread in this example for maximum stretch and fiber matching. TIP: using the AUTO THREADER is essential to threading wooly nylon thread into your machine. If you do not have access to a CoverPro 3000, don’t worry you can zigzag this step on your Janome Sewing Machine!

Sit Back and Admire

Trying to achieve Factory finishes can be intimidating. This is why I like to work through a garment and copy how it should be sewn to get comfortable with techniques like these. Fold Over Elastic is definitely an industry standard but I recommend trying it out. Finishing your garment with FOE Fold Over Elastic will ensure your work looks just as good if not better than store-bought!

 Did you enjoy this post? For more from Jacquline Terry head over to her website. LINK HERE

Have you ever wanted to dress as your favorite superhero but don’t know where to begin? A great place to start is with the wrist bracers. These are a quick and easy project that you can try at home. Follow along with NipahDubs as he shows you how he went about making these bracers with some stretch lycra fabric and craft foam. There are many ways to go about making these but this is a way to do it so the fabric of the bracers will match the fabric of your suit.

Click here For the Full Project Tutorial

“How do you handle sewing stretch/slinky/textured fabrics?”.

It's not a straightforward answer, so Janelle Santner of Seams Come True decided she would do her best to walk you through her favorite techniques and tips when working with tricky fabrics! She will demonstrate these with her current make, a rainbow-striped 2-piece outfit made out of stretchy, metallic Bodre fabric.

Bodre is a lightweight fabric with irregular pleats that drapes beautifully but tends to slip around when being cut and sewn. When she saw this fabric, she immediately thought of all the gorgeous flowers at Biltmore House in Asheville, NC, and knew she wanted to make an outfit to wear there on her next visit!

Click here to view the tutorial