How to make a cushion or pillow case.

Last week's blog was "How to make a quilted panel"  to be part of a steampunk fabric  cushion. Top stitching this panel on to an existing  pillow case could prove difficult. If I simply stitched directly onto the case it would be very easy to stitch through both layers of the pillow case. I also didn't have pillow case at hand which I thought would fit well with the room.  With this in mind I thought I would make my own pillow case. This way I could top stitch the panel onto one side of the case before making the whole case up.  Making a pillow case or cushion cover is pretty simple, the only tricky thing is the  envelope opening at one end. This envelope style is useful as it doesn't require buttons, Velcro or zips which can be uncomfortable when you lay against them.

You will need:

Two strips of fabric one 3cm longer than your pillow and 6 cm wider.The second piece has to be 15cm longer again.
Pins
Needle
Chalk

Step one
Cut out the two rectangles of fabric. About the width of your pillow with 6cm added to width of both rectangles and 3cm longer than your pillow on one piece and 15cm longer on the other (this extra length will form your envelope). Hem one of the short sides of each rectangle. A trained kitten to hold the fabric in place is useful here. An untrained kitten on the other hand makes things a lot harder.  Check here to see how to hem .

Step two
If you're adding a panel to your cushion or pillow case then now is the best time to top stitch it in place. Decide which side of the pillow or cushion case you want your panel to be on. If it's on the shorter piece then place the panel in the middle. If you want it on the longer side remember it does not go in the middle, but 15cm to the side of the middle to allow for the envelop opening of the pillow case.

At times it can be tempting to try and hurry through stages like this. However it is often quicker to take your time. In this case I positioned the panel in the middle of pillow case panel and pinned it in place before carefully top stitching the middle section to the pillow case.  This secures the panel to allow you to then smooth out the fabric and pin and sew the outer edge of the panel to the pillow case panel.
Top stitch the out edge to the pillowcase.



Step three.
Place both panel pieces right sides together, lining up the NON-HEMMED short sides. One piece (in this case my red piece) will be longer than the other.

Fold the extra length of fabric over the shorter piece. Now pin and stitch the two sections together, leaving a 1cm seam.  Sew lone edges together (at the ends you will be sewing through 3 layers of fabric). Sew the un-hemmed short edges together as well.

Pull the pillowcase right side out, and hey presto you have a pillow case.  Once you have the hang of making pillow and cushion cases you will find you can run one up very quickly. These projects are perfect for using up any old odds and ends of fabric you may have at home. So get creative !

How to make a quilted panel for a cushion.

I have a chair I absolutely love. A leather captain;'s chair is a superb piece of Steampunk furniture. Whilst this creation of brass and oxblood leather may look superb it is not very well padded. I decided that  instead of just buying a cushion I would make a padded, quilted panel to adorn a pillow case to use as a cushion.

I scavenged my pile of remnants for some suitable steampunk fabrics. Check out this blog on tips for how to store fabrics.  A basic quilt can be made with small squares of fabric. I found a red fabric with a beautiful design about twice the size of my intended quilting squares. I decided this would become the central feature of my panel. 

Each square  of fabric would have a seam allowance of about 1cm. The central panel would have to be 1cm smaller on each side than TWO quilting  squares to make allowances for the fact  that it would not loose fabric to a seam allowance half way along it's length (as it was all in one piece)

The easiest way to sew lots of squares together is to sew them into strips and then to sew these strips together.

Right sides together  pin and sew one square to another, and repeat to make a strip of three squares.

Repeat this until you have 4 stripes of fabric. Press the seams open. 

Now line up one end of the strip to the central panel and right sides together sew along the length of the panel. This SHOULD leave one square not sewn to the central panel.

Now place the next strip along the other edge of the central panel, begin by sewing the end to the square of the first strip that is not sewn to the central panel. Now fold out and right sides together sew this strip to the edge of the panel. 

Repeat for the remaining two strips. You should now have a square or diamond of patchwork. This by it'self can look very attractive, but I wanted to add an extra dimension.  To give the panel a padded effect cat out two pieces of fabric the same size as your patchwork and some nice thick wadding. Sandwich the wadding 

between the patchwork and one piece of the fabric WRONG SIDES together. Pin in place and starting from your central piece top stitch where one square of fabric meets another. 

You should now have a beautiful padded panel. to finish the work place the second fabric piece over your quilted project RIGHT sides together and sew along the edges, leaving a gap to let you turn everything right sides out. Slip stitch this gap shut and you now have a stunning padded panel.

By itself this padded patchwork makes a nice decorative cushion, however the next blog will show you how to make a matching cushion cover opr pillow case to stitch it onto.

Can you wear your Halloween costumes all year round?

Everyone at Fabric8 loves Halloween. Most of us enjoy sewing, knitting or some other way of creating fun things to wear or cool decorations for the home. Halloween tends to be the time we can really go mad and indulge the less serious side of our nature. In the past I've seen people make "Dark Jedi" and "Zombie Pirate" costumes to wear to work. Looking closer at these outfits I noticed they were very well made and realised they were built to last. As it turns out the costumes were made for more than just Halloween. A long pirate coat for example can  be worn through out winter. The Dark Jedi robe became a bath robe to be worn around the home.

Then my boss had a stroke of genius. With everyone trying to save money these days why not show people some fantastic costume ideas  that can be worn all year round!

Steampunk was an obvious starting point for us. Check out our blog on a brief guide to what is Steampunk.
 This picture of our shop window display (complete with ghostly Renault reflection) helps to give a sense of the over all feel of Steampunk.

We stock Steampunk sewing patterns, however you can make any Victorian or Western wear a little steampunky with the right accessories. These creations can then be worn night clubbing, or out to special events. I wear my wasitcoats as part of a steam punk outfit and in day to day wear as well.  Steampunk jackets and dresses don't actually look out of place in most venues, they just make you look more individual and creative.

You can also use this blog to learn how to make pirate shirts and how to make harem pants (or  Pirate pants). Pirate shirts can also be used for Medieval wear, or for  when you just want to look like a poet.
  You can always make a fairy petticoat to add an ethereal touch of the super natural to any other outfit or use some translucent fabrics from our Halloween fabric section to augment an existing outfit.

 And you don't need to limit yourself to Steampunk. A good corset and petticoat combo can make a great "Dark Fairy" costume. These can then be worn  with a jacket or other top and with a more full skirt to form a ball gown.

Once you have an outfit you're happy with you'll be amazed at where it can take you. I know of modern day Victorians who go dinosaur hunting in the museums of London, and of mad scientist who go for days out at the London science museum, resplendent  in a lab jacket and brass goggles. Or of corseted ladies in full ball gowns who take picnics to Kew Gardens.  You can take just about any costume you want and then just become a "what ever-Zombie". For example, a retro zombie girl. This then gives you a perfect 50's dress to go out Jive dancing in. What ideas can you think of to make a Halloween costume reusable?

Don't see Halloween as a time to spend time and money on a throw away outfit. See it as a launching pad for new and amazing creations that will propel you into all sorts of adventures all year round!

Making a Waistcoat and adding functional pockets.

Anyone who has seen me enjoying my work at the Colchester  branch of Fabric8 will realize I LOVE my waistcoats. As a close up performer I tend to wear them a lot (and at the last count I had well over 30). My friends  and I have been asked to help Headway a charity that helps people with brain injuries. They are holding a Dickensian style ball and need some entertainment, all performers to be sporting Victorian attire. Naturally I'm always set for such an eventuality, but two of my friends need waistcoats. A lot of customers in the shop have said they want to have a go at making a waistcoat but have never followed a pattern to make a garment before. So behold, a step by step guide to following Simplicity 4762, with a few tips and tricks I have developed and functional pockets. I'll be making two double breasted waistcoats with collars. The pattern has no pockets for this version, but I'm planning on adding them anyway. A few things to note. Patterns include a seam allowance of 5/8th of an inch. Just take your time when sewing, make sure to enjoy the creative process. You don't HAVE to add pockets but I think they're worth the trouble. Try making one up on some scrap fabric if you're uncertain. Finally this waistcoat is for a man (well Chap) The construction for women's waistcoats follow the same principles though, you just need to get the right pattern.

You will need

Simplicity Pattern 4762 (or other pattern)

Fabric for the front of the waistcoat (in my case 1.1 metres)

Lining (and back) (I used Duchess Satin)

Fusible Interfacing 1.5 metres

4 buttons

belt buckle for the back

Needles

Pins

Thread

Scissors

Thread Snips  

Tailors Chalk 

Recomended:-

Point Turner

'Carbon' paper

Tracing wheel 

Step one

Measure your subject and decide which size you need. Next check which pattern pieces you need for your project. Most patterns are both multi sized and have different options, for example this pattern  has four different styles of waistcoat to choose from.  

Cut  along the line indicated for the required size. 

You will see little triangles pointed in on the pattern. These are notch marks and are used to align your pattern pieces. DO NOT cut into the pattern piece  Instead cut a triangle on the OUTSIDE of the notch, as seen below. 

Step Two

Lay the pattern pieces according to the guide with the pattern. Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric keeping both the pattern and the fabric as flat as possible. 

The pattern pieces will tell you how many pieces you need to cut and of what. You will notice you need something called Fusible Interfacing. Interfacing adds body and rigidity. Fusible interfacing is an interfacing that bonds to the WRONG side of the fabric using the heat from an iron. 

Step Three

Apply interfacing. In this case to the collars and the front of the waistcoat. I'm also adding pockets to my waistcoat (using the pattern pieces provided for one of the styles). I like to pre-wash my interfacing in cold water (just swirl it around in the sink and then hanging  it to  to dry, it dries really fast). Interfacing has a heat reactive glue on it which can muck up an ironing board if any gets on it. For this reason I keep some clean cotton to place on my board to protect it. Set  your iron onto setting 2 and place the front panel onto the board right side down. Iron out any creases and then place the interfacing panel onto the wrong side of the waistcoat front. The glue side is slightly shiny, this is the side to put onto the wrong side of the fabric. Place a damp cloth over everything and gently iron from the centre out, holding the iron for 12 seconds at a time. If you think the fabric will stretch out of shape try applying the interfacing BEFORE cutting out the pattern piece. 

Step Four.

Mark out the darts onto the front of the waistcoat. There are a few different ways of marking out where the darts are. Some people use tailors tacks, others marking with pins. I find using a pattern tracing wheel and carbon paper (or other colored marking paper) makes this process much faster.  

Slide the paper between the pattern and the front of the waistcoat. Using a ruler to guide you push the wheel along the lines for the darts.

At the widest part of the dart slide a pin from one side of the line to another

Bring the pointy end of the pin back to the first side of the fabric. Repeat along the length of the dart. Stitch the dart into place. 

Step Five 

Stitch the collar pieces together along the outer curve and the top, right sides together. Clip the curve as shown (click on the picture for a bigger view). Normally it's best to press the seam allowance  towards the lining side. However in the case of the red velvet waistcoat I'm doing the opposite  This will give the collars a white satin trim. Stitch to the waistcoat front as shown on the pattern. 

Step Six

Adding pockets is much simpler than people think. As a fan of pocket watches I think it's well worth he effort to create a functional pocket.

Begin by cutting out and interfacing the pocket WELTS. Fold in half, right sides together and press

Next stitch down the sides of the welts using a 3/8" or 1 cm seam. Clip the corners

My Point Turner only £1.80 

Turn the welt right side out using a point turner. You CAN use a pair of rounded scissors but more often than not you'll just damage the the fabric and not get a clean corner either. I can't recommend these things enough. Now press the welts again. I HIGHLY recommend a PRESSING CLOTH. Again these are relatively inexpensive to buy and give you a far more professional finish. There are chemically impregnated to disperse the heat evenly. It will stop the corners of the pockets scorching  I recommend using a pressing cloth whenever pressing the RIGHT SIDE of your waistcoat. 

Make the "pocket bag"  as shown. It is narrow in the centre (it will  eventually be folded in half to form the pocket. Don't make it too deep as your pocket watch chain may be pulled too tight. 

Mark out where your welt will be (along the dart by the waist). Set it so the short vertical sides are laying straight up, the lower end near the front of the waistcoat, the higher end near the side of the waistcoat. Draw a faint line along the bottom of the welt then flip the welt so the rough unseen side is now on this line. Top stitch in place. 

Place the pocket bag over the welt, right side down. Align it so the narrow centre of the pocket is just above where you have sewn the welt into place. place a pin just on the inside of each welt and two more to hold the pocket bag in place as you flip the waistcoat front right side down. 

Sew a rectangular box just above the stitching for the welt using the pins either side of the welt as a guide to make sure it's not too wide. The bottom of this box should just sew over the seam allowances of the welt, the top of the box should only be sewing the pocket back to the waistcoat. Flip the waistcoat front right side up again and cut a line through the middle of the box you've just sewn, push the pocket bag through this hole in it's middle. 

Right sides together sew the bag shut.

Place two strips of interface either side of the pocket and press into place. These stop the front of the waistcoat creasing by the pocket (a little tip I worked out years ago) 

The front of the waistcoat should now look like this. Fold the welt up over the hole and press into place (using a pressing cloth). Make sure the pocket bag is UNDER the welt before top stitching the welt into place (you don't want to sew through the pocket bag as well, yep I've done that) 

Behold the finished pocket. This may seem complicated and drawn out but it's actually simple once you've given it a go. You always feel really good when being able to slide your pocket watch or other bit and bobs into a pocket you made yourself.

Step Seven 

The hard work is done :) Right sides together sew one back panel to another, repeat for the lining

Right sides together sew the front sections to the back at the shoulders.

Repeat for the lining.

Pin the outer side of the waistcoat and the lining right sides together along the armholes, bottom of the back, the front bottom, sides and neck. Basically everywhere BUT the sides.  Stitch in place, clip corners and press towards the lining side. 

Now put your hand into the back open side and reach through to the front of the waistcoat and pull it right side out. You're almost there. Pin the side outer fabric to the back outer fabric, lining up the seam and notches as shown. Leave the back and front lining alone at this pint. Try to the pin a little of the back and front linings together either side of the side seam and stitch in lace. repeat for the other side. Now all that remains is to check it on your model for fit and add the buttons and button holes and slip stitch the inner sides shut as these are non structural I've been known to use instant hemming tape (wonder web) for this :)

And there you have it. A quick walk through on waistcoat construction. Hopefully this guide along with the pattern will encourage you to give it a go yourself, perfect for magicians, steam punks and people who just want to look sophisticated :) 

Wave Gothic Treffen. Goths don't all wear black anymore

When you think of Goths you may well be thinking of everything in that video. However Goth fashion has changed a lot over the decades. Another common misconception is goths are depressed, most goths could really be described as Mono-chrome Hippies. Every  year I travel to Germany with my friends to soak up some wonderful music and amazing goth inspired fashion at Leipzig's Wave Gothic Treffen. And this year I even dragged my manager with me :)

So let us begin with what you may think of as classic Goth clothing (all be it on a regal scale)

Many years ago Black Velvet was the fabric of choice among the Gothic populace. However more recently the most popular fabric has become Duchess Satin. IT's important to use a heavy satin for Goth Dresses. This is because these dresses tend to be very   floatey and in a lighter satin can look more like a nighty. In contrast a heavy satin gives a sense of structure and lets the intricate pleats and folds hold their shape and stand out.

After a while the colour white begins to creep in. This white and black costume was made (and is being modeled) by one of the regular customers of Fabric8. The skirt is a "gypsy" style skirt, made of short panels being pleated into the panel above. This way 5 meters of  fabric can give you a hemline of over 20 meters!


The corset is also a common feature among Goths and affiliates sub cultures. As is oftent he case with fringe fashion, aspects of this are coming into the mainstream. As this BBC article goes into  


 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18409752 . 









The Black and white skirt above was originally constructed to form part of a Belly Dance costume. There are many different form of belly dance including Gothic belly dance.  There is a strong link between Goth culture and fantasy culture. Many goths are also historical re-en-actors. As a result there is a strong medieval theme at WGT as well as Middle Eastern and  fantasy (with one venue dedicated to medieval and middle eastern clothing, artifacts, and music)

As a result there are some fantastic costumes which you may not associate with Goth at first. Lashings of Lace, Tule as well as Organza and Chiffon  can build up layers which catch the wind and the light is fascinating ways. It was a little strange seeing people in black leather queuing for hot dogs next to the fae folk, but it's just part of the experience for me.

Of course you can wear just a simple dress if you accessories yourself correctly. A simple pair of wings and a bottle of Absynth makes for a fantastic "Green Fairy" costume

Many costumes were not made of fabric at all, such as this interesting skirt made out of fruit juice packets. Goth festivals seem to be a hotbed for experimental fashion as well as providing a great show case to show off your creations.

 Steam Punk is a form of fashion I enjoy greatly.| He basic essence is a combination of Victorian fashion with Science fiction. To me personally it answers a question that many people will not ask. "What is Goth" there is no simple answer. However Steam Punks are romantics. The re-imagine the past applying modern ideals to the Victorian aesthetic. Wanting the best of both worlds, the beauty of the Victorian times without the oppressive attitudes to women or subjects of 'The Empire'. They seek an idealized world by harking back to the past. Personally I see this in the Goth Culture as a whole. It's not just an obsession with vampires and the color black. IT's about seeking a romantic idealized world.








Many Steam Punks adorn themselves with brass gadgets. Others wear a Victorian styled outfit adorned with brass trinkets and a very cool hat, much like our good manager here :) 

 

I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my fashion spotting holiday. I've been to WGT 4 years running now and enjoy it very much. I always return inspired to create. However I still don't understand why Bobba Fett's cousin turned up.