Hints & Tips

Jeans waist that stretches when worn

admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:55:50 +0000

Stretch jeans are great, but sometimes the band can keep stretching when worn. Pockets can also poke out. A client asked if there was anything I could do to stop the jeans from falling down. they could have been taken in at the centre back (there are a number of ways to do this) but the client did not want to go to that expense, so the next option was to sew cotton tape around the top of the band. I used a thin tape so it was not too uncomfortable. This is the process:-

Cut enough tape to go around the band
Unpick the top of the belt loops, and pin down out of the way
Fold tape in half and place centre fold at the centre back
Pin around to the front – stop at the belt loop closest to the zip
Pin the tape from the centre back around to the opposite side stopping at the belt loop closest to the zip
Stitch cotton tape onto top of band, trying to sew into the original stitch line on the top of the band (use a thread colour the same as existing thread)
Stitch the pockets down either all the way or just at the top section about 5 cm (2 in)
Zig zag belt loops back on

By stopping the tape at the belt loops by the zip, it still allowed a little bit of stretch on the jeans.

YouTube video link is:-

Jean waist stretches

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Trouser back panel too large

admin — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 06:25:05 +0000

Back leg baggy not pinned

Take a look at the trousers and if the back panel is too large the fabric will fall in layers, whereas the front panel will sit normally. Note where the outside seam is in proportion to the person’s legs. Is it sitting down the side of the leg? Is the inside leg seam sitting in the middle of the inside leg? Once these questions are answered, look at the back panel and notice how much excess fabric is between the inside leg seam and the outside leg seam of the back panel.

Take a hold of the excess fabric at the back panel only, at the point where it begins to flounce. This is usually at the hip area.

Place the first pin taking a small section from the back panel only and pin into the outside seam.

Place another pin under this one about 5 cm (2 in) below and take the excess from the back panel and move it over to the side seam and pin.

Repeat this all the way to where there is no more excess fabric.

Notice in the photo the difference between the right leg and the left leg. The right leg is pinned the left is not.

When preparing, measure from the band to the first pin and write this measurement down.

Back panel only pinned

Repeat every 5 cm ( 2 in) down the leg.

Take the pins out and unpick the outside seam from the start pin position to the end position. Place dots on the right side of the fabric and move the front panel over. Sew through the front panel original stitch line.

No more baggy panel

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Right leg only pinned

Sewing on labels

admin — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 04:15:51 +0000

Some schools require all garments to be labelled, and even if they don’t it is worth while. Clothing is expensive, and if someone decides they do like your childs clothes more than their own, it might just deter them from taking them if they are labelled. Students that attend a boarding school must have their clothes labelled for laundrying purposes.

The labels can be purchased online and are cloth labels. Use a white thread on the top and the colour of the garment on the bobbin. For example the socks on the right are white, so I had a white thread in the bobbin. Place the label up and down, rather than across the sock else it will stretch it.

The shorts on the left are actually French Navy so I had that colour in the bobbin. Try and place labels so that they will not be annoying to the person wearing them, but visible to someone who may want to steal it.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Lower neckline striped jumper

admin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:08:12 +0000

There are a number of options when lowering the neckline on jumpers, sweatshirts or other stretch garments.

One option is to unpick the ribbing around the top and use that, however in this case the ribbing was quite narrow, so I opted for lowering the neckline and attaching a contrast red bias binding around the neckline with two rows of stitching securing the bias so it sat flat.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Glass case secure to pocket

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 01:45:30 +0000

Glass case secured to pocket

Does your glass case fall out of your shirt pocket? Try this easy method of securing glass case and glasses to the pocket. Attach a piece of velco (hard) side to the pocket as close to the centre as possible – see 1. Attach velcro to top of pocket

Tip – Most soft glass cases come with velcro stuck to case. Usually the soft section is on the flap and the hard on the case. If the flap is soft, then use hard on the pocket and viz versa.

Stitch a piece of soft velcro underneath the hard on the top of the pocket. This velcro will attach to the soft on the body of the case – see 2. Attach velcro to back of fiirst piece

In the example I had the velcro about .5 cm (1/4 in) above the edge of the pocket. This was because of the position of the velcro on the glass case.

This method stops the glass case from falling out of the pocket and gives easy access to glasses by lifting flap, and accessing glasses whilst the case is still secured to the pocket.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

1. Attach velcro to top of pocket

2. Attach velcro to back of first piece

Lower rise on trousers

Judith aka genie — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 02:00:44 +0000

Have you ever had trousers that are too tight in the crotch? The way to fix this is to lower the rise which is done in the opposite direction for taking the crotch up.

Turn the trousers inside out. To have complete access to the rise, push one leg into the other, inside out. This means you have the centre front and centre back folded.

It is always better to pin first, so begin pinning at the front with the seam on the right hand side. Line up the inside-leg seams to make sure they are together. If the trousers have a zip in the front or back, you will have to begin just below the zip area. If the zip is in the front begin to sew just below the zip and taper out slowly. Sew around to the centre back, then over lock off the excess, or zig zag if you do not have an over locker (serger).

The trick to getting a good shape is to begin on one side at the seam BEFORE it curves under so that you create a new curve lower down. When coming up the opposite side, taper into the seam slowly. If the stitching is not smooth into the seam, when turned inside out it will have a lump in the fabric.

Try the trousers on to see if they feel comfortable. I would suggest you sew a little at a time until you have let out enough.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Sewing buttons on with sewing machine

Judith aka genie — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:06:34 +0000

There are ways to sew a button on by hand using a needle and thread, but the other method is to use your machine. I remember the first time I tried. I had made a lot of shirts for a client and had so many buttons to sew on, that I thought “why not use the machine”. So there was a bit of trial and error, but the biggest help was the sewing machine foot I used. Now I know that I am getting on in years, and maybe there is a better way, but initially I used my Silver standard sewing machine foot, and the button slipped, so I thought why not use my button hole foot. I did not have a button foot at the time, and still do not have one (if there is such a beast for my machine). Anyway this foot held the button in place and worked a treat.

I have uploaded a video to my YouTube site and have got the link below for you.

Sewing a button on using Sewing Machine

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Shortening trousers that are frayed at the bottom

Judith aka genie — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:46:13 +0000

I talked before about the Oscars and other shows where the people are dressed superbly, but the hems are too long. Trousers can fray at the bottom after half an hour of scraping on the ground. It may only be the back, but that is enough for them to look tatty after one wear. The problem with this is that usually trousers are JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG. That means when they fray, you are left with no hem allowance if you cut at the fray. So your choice is a false hem, which isn’t a bad thing, or you could try this little technique. Iron the trousers so that the frayed section is sitting flat. Have the person try them on and pin at the correct length. Let’s say it is 1cm (1/2”) above the fray. You need to calculate what the hem allowance will be. For ladies I do a 4cm (1½”) hem allowance and for men I do a 5cm (2”) hem allowance.

Turn the trousers inside out.

Place the tape measure on the original hem fold, with the tape at 1cm (1/2”) at this point. Place a mark above the fold at the end of the tape measure, then come down to 1cm (1/2”) BELOW the original hem fold and place a mark, then down another 4cm (1½”) for ladies or 5cm (2”) for men.

Cut on the bottom line. If the hem has to be unpicked, then unpick the hem first.

Check to see that the hem allowance will fit up into the trousers. If it doesn’t then release at the side seams, or take in if the trousers are flared. All of this is explained in my book Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed.

Fold the trousers at the ORIGINAL HEM and stitch around the bottom 1cm (½”) up from the original length. This means that the frayed section is encased in the stitching. Turn the trousers the right way, and under stitch around the base, joining the seam to the hem allowance. This ensures that the hem allowance and the seam will lay flat. Overlock the edge, or sew ribbon around the raw edge and stitch.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Wedding gown with envelope hem

Judith aka genie — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:23:56 +0000

This type of gown has an encased skirt. The lining is attached to the hem allowance and usually there is a plastic mesh strip which is attached to the top of the hem allowance and is the width of the hem allowance. Usually the strip is joined on at the same time the hem allowance is attached to the lining.

The only ones I have altered have also had a train, so I have only shortened the section beginning at the sides and around to the front.

The first step is the pin the correctly. See my book Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed for how to pin or see Tags for other blogs similar.

Transpose the pin measurements, unpick the hem from the lining and separate the mesh strip from the hem allowance.

Measure up the amount to be shortened at the front tapering around to the sides but remember to come back down the same hem allowance as before.

With the lining, measure up the same amount as the outer fabric was shortened, at the same positions, but only come down the hem allowance for the lining.

Cut the outer and the lining. Pin the mesh strip and the lining back together, and iron when completed. If the lining is the correct length it should not need anything to hold it up, however to be sure lightly stitch by hand to hold up hem allowance.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Opening Pockets on Lined Jackets

Judith aka genie — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 04:31:09 +0000

This is a true story. A gentleman come into one of my shops, and he said, “I want you to put some pockets in my favourite jacket. I don’t care how much it costs. I have had this jacket for years, and I love it, but I can’t stand it any more. I want pockets!!!!!”

Looking at the jacket I poked my little finger into the side of the pocket. Then I poked my finger into the other side of the pocket. It was a very tight fit, but I could just get my long acrylic nail in there.

Grabbing a quick unpick I sniped the stitches, beginning at the edge and working across.

Then I unpicked the opposite pocket. I pulled out the loose threads and handed him back his jacket, and said “How about $100.00?” “Just kidding…”

He could not believe it. For good measure I looked at the top pocket, and it was sewn shut as well, so I opening that.

I had a customer for life…………………………….

Manufacturers sew most of the pockets shut because they don’t want them to sag open on the hangers, and there are people who do not want to put their hands in their pockets, because it might put the jacket out of shape. Personally I LOVE my pockets. I have my hands in them all the time, so if you have someone who comes and gets a jacket altered, even if it’s the sleeves, check out the pockets, and ask if they want them opened.

I don’t charge to do this. I think it’s a good PR exercise

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie