Sewing a French dart June 18, 2007

A French dart is a bust dart coming from the side seam pointing upwards, it is not a straight dart but it is shaped one.

This is an example of a French dart sewn in a linen blouse.( you see the inside of course)

Sewing a French dart is not difficult but needs a bit of extra care due to the way the dart is placed because the dart is not on the straight of grain lengthwise or crosswise, it can stretch during sewing and handling like pressing. The dart needs a reinforcing to stay in shape.

A way to prevent stretching this French dart out of shape is to add a lightweight piece of stay-tape to the stitch line.

 If you do not have the light weight polyester stay-tape you can also use a piece of lining cut at the cross or lengthwise grain or cut a bias cut piece of lining which you steam press and stretch during the pressing so it will not grow anymore.The advantage of using a bias cut lining it will not fray, like a crosswise or straight of grain will do.

Place the tape for reinforcing the dart at one of the dart stitching lines and sew the dart from the widest point (side seam) towards the end.I did placed the stay tape at the seam allowance which is the one heading towards the center front.

The next step is pressing the dart open till about ½ inch (1 cm) from the top, the point can be pressed open by using a toothpick which you can insert at the point, press the last ½ inch with the toothpick inside the point over a pressing ham or the end of the ironing board.

 It will depend if the garment will be lined or not and what kind of fabric you use to decide how the seams are going to be finished.

For example if your garment is a blouse or dress and will be unlined and your fabric is a light to medium weight you can finish the seams by serging both seam allowances together.Press the dart downwards.

If your garment will be lined no finishing is needed, or if your fabric does fray easy using your pinking shears to stop the fraying.

               

  

 

Godet skirt in semi sheer fabric March 24, 2007

I sewed the previous post godet 6 panel skirt pattern for my mother. The fabric she bought is a semi sheer stretch seersucker. I used some silk organza pieces to reinforce the fabric on some stress points and thought it would be helpful if I share this fabric sewing process.

The lining skirt prevents see-thru.

 

A three thread serged seam finish on all the seams of the panels and godets except the godet hems and waist seam allowance was done prior the actualy sewing . I used Serafil thread 120/2 which is a German brand thread to use on the serger or blind hemming machine , it is very expensive about US $ 16.00 per cone of 5000 meter but well known in Europe for its outstanding quality. 

I used a size 60 sewing machine needle and  alterfil thread which prevents puckering seams because this thread is covered with a special coating.

The next step in sewing was hemming the godets; I pressed the 2 cm (⅜ inch) hem allowance and stitched with a long stitch and a loose tension close to the edge about 3 mm ( ⅛ inch) a helping stitch guideline only..

Cutting off the excess hem allowance with an appliqué scissor. And fold the hem 3 mm (  ⅛ inch) in once more and used a silk thread to stitch the final stitch line.

 

I removed the first stitching line because it was a only a help line. to sew the tiny baby hem.

Prior of sewing  the panel seams till the beginning of the godet inset mark, I pinned a small piece of silk organza at the end of the stitching line overlapping the beginning of the godet inset line. This to prevent a stress point. I marked this piece on the picture with a yellow line. Because I wanted the sheer stripes to match on the panels I pinned the seams using the sheer stripes as a guideline .

   

The small organza piece is hardly visable on the skirt fabric (so I put pins to show you the location).

Another piece of silk organza also cut on the grain, but with finished serged edges is used to reinforce the zipper opening for the invisible zipper.  

 

Matching seams on the panels parts.

Panel hem 4 cm ( 1 ⅝ inch) and godet hem 5 mm ( ¼  inch).

Godet inset in skirt, to keep the top of the godet seam allowances attached to the panel seams I fused a tiny piece of fusible sheer hem tape on the horizontal seam allowance.

 

The panel hem is 4 cm wide and stitched by hand using a size 12 needle, the tiny size needle helps to do an invisible hem stitch, just passing one or two threads from the  right side fabric.I sewed the hem by folding the allowance for 5 mm (¼1inch) backwards so the stitches are covered by the hem allowance.

.

Detail view of the skirt.