What do all these sewing pattern terms mean?

One of  the most rewarding parts of my job has to be teaching. I teach "How to use a sewing machine" and "How to follow a sewing pattern" whilst my friend Michelle teaches "Patchwork and Quilting for Beginners" as well as an excellent "Machine Applique" class. Our little sewing room in Colchester is always a fun and friendly environment.

Many people show up not knowing a thing about sewing, after all they are at a beginners course. So here are a few terms you may have  heard or seen on a sewing pattern that you may not know yet;

Selvedge - This is the finished (neatened) edge of the fabric. If a fabric is sold on the roll then the selvedge is at either end of the tube. Sewing patterns will often say "fold fabric in half, right sides together selvedge to selvedge. If they said to fold in half along the length or width things could get mixed up, after all not everyone things of the length as the longer measurement and the width the shorter. Also what if you are using 1 meter of fabric that is 1.5 meters wide? By saying Selvedge to selvedge or "So the selvedges meet" they are removing that area of doubt.






Grain - The grain line TENDS to be an imaginary line that runs along your fabric parallel to the selvedges (see  how the selvedge makes an awesome reference point). When placing pattern pieces on your fabric you need to keep all of the grain lines in the same direction (imagine a striped fabric, if you put one side of the dress at a different angle on the fabric then the stripes will run in a different direction. EVEN if you're using a plain fabric try to follow the grain line. All fabrics have a little "Give" which is different at different angles, so you may find  some of your panels stretching slightly. 

Nap - Some fabrics have a texture, such as velvet or fun fur. When this texture only runs in one direction we call this the nap. Run your hand over some velvet, then run it the other way, see how different it feels and how it makes the fabric look different. The back of a sewing pattern will tell you if you need extra fabric to accommodate a nap. You will need this as sometimes the pattern will lay out a pattern piece "upside down" in normal fabrics this makes no different, but in a velvet for example it will make your garment look very odd if one side runs one way and their side has the velvet brushed the other way.

The Bias - When the pattern pieces are laid out on a fabric at 45 degrees to the grain line we call it Bias Cut. This will often give the garment a little stretch. Many people seem afraid of sewing on the bias but it's just like regular sewing, you just have to take it easy and take your time.

If you have trouble with "Interfacing and facing" or" Lining and interlining" just check out our blog.
Happy Sewing all.  

Sewing Classes, what we teach in them, and what we learn from them.

From being too scared to try threading a machine to making a cushion

We have been running sewing  classes in Colchester Fabric8 since last Summer.  During this time we have run classes in putting in zips, patchwork, making fancy dress costumes and how to use a sewing machine.  There is a special warm glow you get when you give someone the skills to create something. I have lost count of the number of people who have come along to our "How to use a sewing machine" and told us they bought a machine years ago but have been too afraid to use it. The fear of failing can be very powerful and very destructive. The look of pride on people's faces when they hold up something they learnt to make in an hour or two and the determination they  have to go home and start sewing is fantastic.

A group of happy quilters with  out Patchwork,
quilting and appliqué tutor Michelle.

We get different kinds of people coming to our classes. Many are like the young lady above who was afraid to even thread the machine  at first. Often these people have a project in mind and need help overcoming the initial fear or maybe just need a little knowledge. We then have people with a good basic knowledge but who want to try something new like our Patchwork and Quilting classes or our Machine Appliqué classes.  Often these people like to come in groups and they like to make it part of a girls day out.
For these people we now offer a special discount.
If you book 2 places on the same class you get 5% off.
If you book 3 places will get you 10% off
If you book 4 places will get you 15% off.
And if you fill the class up with 5 people you get 20% off, that's a whole person free!

 We have learnt a lot from teaching as well though
.
1) Mean people don't sew. I mean it, we've never had anyone who wasn't totally lovely attend our classes.

2) It is always worth going to a basic class even if you know loads. We have had several people book in on the "how to use y our sewing Machine" even though they felt very confident in their abilities. Sure enough they always leave with a little gem of knowledge. One lady had been making curtains for years and said had she been to the class 10 years ago who life would have been a lot less frustrating .

3) Teaching helps you improve yourself. By slowing down and thinking about everything I do as I explain how to sew I have found myself becoming neater and more precise!

4) Enthusiasm is contagious, and it works BOTH WAYS! Our students always leave primed and ready to sew (most pick up a lot of fabric after the class to go home and work on). However after the classes I tend to stay behind and carry on sewing myself. There's nothing quite like sharing a passion for sewing and quilting to make you want to grab some fabric and start creating.

5) THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS - EVER! This can not be stressed enough! What may seem obvious because you've sewn for decades may not be at all apparent to someone setting out. And sometimes the questions really do make me think long and hard (such as how do you adjust the tension when sewing a light silt to a heavy furnishing fabric).

So there you have it, great reasons to either try a sewing class or to teach one! If you're handy with a machine then invite a friend over for a sewing session and teach them the basics. you will BOTH find it fun and rewarding!

And if you're anywhere near Colchester pop in for a sewing lesson with us! at the moment prices start at £8.00 and the lessons are not only informative but great fun!

Check back tomorrow for the second part of the blog. Teaching Kids  How to Sew!

Why do we love Rico Wool so much?

  Sewing and knitting are back in fashion (to my mind they were never out of fashion). People are starting to realise that creating your own clothes and accessories is without doubt the finniest way to express themselves. If you are tempted to take up kitting and crochet there are many knitting books and crochet books out there to guide you.

What many people  new to knitting and sewing may not realise is that you can create truly dazzling and unique things with only basic techniques. My waistcoats often receive compliments  but the pattern is basic, it's the choice of fabrics that sets them apart. And so it is with knitting. Rico do a huge range of yarns than enable to create breath taking tops, bags scarves, hats and so much more using pretty basic techniques. The secret is in the yarn!

Rico Creative Cotton
The crochet and craft yearn. Rico Creative Cotton is the yarn of choice for making household items as well as the popular Patchwork Family Crochet animals. knitting  as well as crochet. It forms a firm fabric with an even tension and is very comfortable to wear.

£1.99 for 50g

Rico Essentials Cotton Lurex
A fine cotton yarn, however this also has metallic lurex thread giving your project a glittering effect.

£3.69 for 50g

Rico Essentials Merino
An ultra fine DK (double Knit). Easy to knit with this yarn is renowned for giving very even knitting.

£3.99  for 50g

Rico Creative Pompom Print 
One of the more unusual yarns out there.  Useful for knitting truly unusual scarves or very cute tops and blankets.

Rico Creative Big Moment
Just one of these giant 200g balls will give you a beautiful scarf. The soft thick yarn subtly changes colour along it's length giving your work a soft cuddly and dreamy feel to it.

£14.99 for 200g

Rico Creative Micro Print
Another colour changing yarn. This acrylic yarn makes light and comfortable clothes  that are also easy to care for.

£4.99 for 100g




Rico Creative Reflection 
A light weight shimmering thread, available in regular or colour changing.
Clothes knitted from this thread take on a  beautiful  ethereal quality as the glimmer and shimmer in the light.

£3.49 for 50g

Rico Creative Filz Print
A strange little yarn. it has a very lose twist to it. Designed to be knitted up and the washed to turn it into felt.

£2.99 for 50g

Rico Creative Loopy-Pompom
Combining loopy yarn with pompom yarn.
Perfect for lightweight scarves for the spring and summer. In the brighter colours this also makes fantastic clubwear!

£6.99 for 100g


As you can see there are many types of yarn out there, each with their  own unique uses giving very different results. If you are new to knitting and crochet, or if you want to expand your horizons in the realm of crafting , we recommend just getting a few balls of yarn and playing. Playing around with fabrics and yarns is not only fun, it's the best way to learn and discover new techniques.