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    Craft Workbook: Sewing
    Craft Workbook: Sewing
    Craft Workbook: Sewing
    Ebook166 pages54 minutes

    Craft Workbook: Sewing

    By Charlotte Gerlings

    2.5/5

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    About this ebook

    These books are designed with the absolute beginner in mind, as well as those who would welcome a refresher in these most popular needlecrafts. Each book includes two or three specific projects for readers to get stuck into, with straightforward instructions and large, clear illustrations. With a section on choosing the right equipment, glossary of terms and abbreviations and even a section on aftercare of your handmade products - as well as including both UK and US terminology - this is the perfect starter series that caters for all.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcturus Publishing
    Release dateDec 2, 2013
    ISBN9781782128496
    Craft Workbook: Sewing
    Author

    Charlotte Gerlings

    Charlotte Gerlings was born in Reading, England into a home where her mother and grandmother were regularly occupied with dressmaking and stage costumes. She graduated in Publishing from Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes) and began work in London as a design assistant with a leading art publisher, before moving into trade publishing. She gained an MA in Fine Art from Wimbledon School of Art and has written books on art history and crafts.

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      Book preview

      Craft Workbook - Charlotte Gerlings

      To Thelma M. Nye, craft editor at B. T. Batsford Ltd for over thirty years and friend and advisor to many grateful authors and designers

      Font cover: Shutterstock

      Back cover: Photograph reproduced by kind permission of Janome (www.janome.co.uk)

      This edition published in 2012 by Arcturus Publishing Limited

      26/27 Bickels Yard, 151–153 Bermondsey Street,

      London SE1 3HA

      Copyright © 2011 Arcturus Publishing Limited

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person or persons who do any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

      ISBN: 978-1-78212-849-6

      AD001661EN

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      PART I:EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

      Equipment

      Needles, pins and cutting tools

      Thread

      Fabric

      The sewing machine

      Paper patterns

      Notions

      PART II:HAND SEWING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

      Threading a needle

      Straight sewing stitches

      Sewing an open seam

      Sewing an encased seam

      Curves and corners

      Mending

      Using a seam/hem gauge

      Hemming

      Casings

      PROJECT: Drawstring favour bag

      Binding

      Gathering and pleating

      Smocking

      Waistbands and cuffs

      Openings and fastenings

      Making a hand-sewn buttonhole

      Attaching set-in sleeves

      Trimming: Beads, sequins and bows

      PROJECT: Apron

      Trimming: Edgings, rouleau and appliqué

      PART III:MACHINE SEWING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

      Threading the sewing machine

      The bobbin

      The importance of tension

      Troubleshooting

      Stitch width

      Machining special fabrics

      Machining an encased seam

      Machined seam finishes

      Making darts

      Shaped facings

      Inserting a zip fastener

      Topstitching

      Machining a buttonhole

      Shirring

      Making piping [cording]

      PROJECT: Dachshund draught excluder

      Laundry and aftercare

      Sewing terms

      INTRODUCTION

      The first needles were made from cattle bone and used to sew animal hides together with lengths of sinew. Between then and now, people have sewn clothes for warmth, tents for shelter, sails for voyages of exploration, and flags for nations. It could be argued that a needle and thread in a skilled pair of hands has played as great a part in civilization as the invention of the wheel.

      However, as everyday items around the home, needles and thread are mere clutter until we unlock their potential – together with our own – and master the basic techniques of sewing. This book has been prepared with beginners in mind, providing a step-by-step illustrated guide from threading a needle and learning basic stitches, to cutting and shaping fabric, and machine sewing with confidence. Whether you are just starting to sew or would like a refresher, this book aims to be a handy reference. The terminology used throughout is UK-standard, together with the relevant US terms in square brackets [ ] to make this a practical guide for all readers.

      There are sections on all types of equipment; threads, fabrics and trimmings; how to read paper patterns; and what goes into making a garment. One complete part is devoted to the sewing machine, especially useful nowadays when more and more households are investing in one. Other sections deal with smaller but important matters such as making repairs, using a seam gauge or inserting a zip. Finally, the book contains three easy projects for you to practise your sewing skills, before embarking on the more ambitious ones you have planned.

      PART ONE:

      EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

      EQUIPMENT

      A Needles, pins, pin cushion(s)

      B Fabric and reels of thread

      C Thimble

      D Seam ripper

      E Dressmaking shears

      F Scissors

      G Embroidery scissors

      H Thread snips [nippers]

      I Pinking shears

      J Seam gauge

      K Transparent ruler

      L Fibreglass tape measure

      M Tailor’s chalk

      N Beeswax

      O Iron

      P Sleeveboard for dressmaking

      Q Sleeve roll and tailor’s ham for dressmaking

      R Sewing machine

      NEEDLES, PINS AND CUTTING TOOLS

      Hand sewing needles are manufactured in a wide range of lengths and thicknesses; the higher the number the finer the needle. Decide on the best needle for the job from the following basic list:

      1 Sharps Medium-length and pointed, with a round eye, for general sewing with standard cotton or polyester thread.

      2 Crewel or embroidery Pointed like sharps but with a long oval eye like a tapestry needle, for thicker or multiple threads.

      3 Blunt-tipped Used for sewing knitted items, designed not to split the yarn.

      4 Betweens Very short and sharp, with a small round eye. Used for fine stitching and quilting.

      5 Milliners or straws Very long and thin, with a round eye, for

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