Marcy Tilton - TUTORIALS

This is a great little unlined sweater-jacket with a figure flattering lightly shaped fit. For the garments in the pattern envelope, I used polar fleece for one version and a printed boiled wool for the other. This pattern is really easy to make and has fun, easy and quick to sew techniques straight from European ready to wear. The collar is sewn on using a lapped seam.

Below is a tutorial showing the slightly unconventional but fun and easy cutting & sewing details.

Play with your fabric to see which direction to cut the strips---you want the fabric to roll when stretched/steamed as shown above. I use a 2" x 48" metal ruler (found at Home Depot type stores), and a rotary cutter for clean accurate cutting.

ALWAYS cut your strips longer than needed to allow for the fabric to move as sewn---see above. Here, I have pinned one edge to the ironing board and am about to steam

Steaming makes the fabric curl...the secret is NOT touching the fabric with the iron.

Here is the collar ready to sew to the jacket. Notice that the bottom edge remains flat so it can be easily attached to the neck edge.

Cutting the strips longer than needed is a secret to success. Once the strips are sewn together and steamed, the collar is cut to the exact size needed.

I use Clo Chalk to mark the stitching line on the collar edge to help sew accurately. Clo Chalk is one of my secret ingredients. It is one of the few products that can be used on the RIGHT side of the fabric---it disappears with pressing or over a few days. The marked line sits right on top of the seam line on the collar. I stretch the collar very slightly while sewing so the collar hugs the neck.

Shows the staystitching on the neck edge---the marked line on the collar lines up almost next to the staystitching line.

The finished collar. The final step is to steam the lapped seam so it curls to match the other curled strips.

Making the little dots and dashes: Cut a narrow strip of the fleece, stretch it out---as shown here. Then, press, steam, and pin the other end to hold until dry.

The little 'dashes' hold the fabric strips in the curl position and add a spot of color/texture. Sew, stitching down the center....the trick is to stitch when in a longer strip so you can get a grip on it....

Then clip. The 'dashes' are about 1/2" in length.

VOILA! Finished.

Elastic Waist Technique
This technique results in a smoother and more professional elasticized waist than the standard elastic waist which is inserted into a casing. I learned it from my sister Katherine who used it in her clothing line. Yes, I was nervous about using the serger to sew the elastic, but it is easier than it looks. Once you try it and master this easy method, it will become your default for all elastic waist pants and skirts. The elastic in encased in the fabric.

I prefer this 1" flat rib elastic. Measure a length that fits snugly but not tight around your waist plus 1" for lapped seam. Most elastics stretch a bit when stitched, so allow for that.

Lap 1" and stitch all around the edges and in an X as shown

Mark the circle of elastic in quarters. I use chalk rather than pins. The quarter markings on the elastic will match with the center front, back and side seams on the garment.

Pin the elastic to the garment matching at the quarter marking ONLY, with elastic on top.

The elastic will be sewn on top, and pins removed as you come to them.

Sewing the elastic on the serger. Stitch with the elastic on top, stretching the elastic so it is sewn evenly. Lengthen the stitch length. Work one quarter at a time, one section at a time, keeping the edges even and being careful not to cut the elastic with the blade. It is OK to trim a bit of the fabric away with the blade. Work all the way around the circle at the waist, going slowly---this takes a bit of practice, but is well worth the learning curve!.

Pressing is key. First, press flat as sewn, steaming the gathers so they smooth out and loose some of the puffiness. Then, wrap the elastic to the inside and press so it is firmly wrapped inside the fabric. If your fabric is a knit, you can slightly stretch it for a smooth fit---you want to eliminate as much fullness and excess fabric as possible, and every fabric is different. You can pin to hold things in place. The pressing gets everything positioned for the final stitching.

Stitch from the inside of the garment as shown, using a wide zig-zag stitch, stretching as you sew, stitching around the waistline and encasing the elastic in the fabric. If your machine skips stitches, use a stretch needle. I mark the center back with a snippet of ribbon.

Back to the ironing board for a final press which will flatten and smooth out the gathers. I put the garment on a tailor ham and use a combo of steam and light pressing---it is amazing how much fullness you can smooth out this way!

Page