Dryer sheet-- can be used
for any spot that requires interfacing of sorts as
in collars and cuffs but should not be used for the
entire garment. I have tried it several times and
cutting it away sometimes ends in holes in the actual
garment no matter how careful I am.Tear away stabilizer--
this is useful for china silk that is slightly heavy
yet still slippery. The bad thing is that tearing
it away sometimes will distort the stitching and
fabric.Water Soluable stabilizer--- my latest
discovery! This stuff is easy to use simply trace
the pieces to the stabilizer and construct the garment.
When ready to get rid of the stabilizer simply dunk
in cold water and it all dissolves like magic leaving
soft silk in it's place. It is also handy to use
in bodice construction as when you turn bodices sometimes
pointy or even dull tools can poke through the fabric
the stabilizer helps to prevent this thus avoiding
the ruin of a lot of work! So far I haven't found
a downside to this yet.The 2 stabilizers mentioned
above are available in the machine embroidery section
of any sewing or craft store and are usually very
light weight. My current packages of both the Tear
Away and the Water Soluable (Solvy) are by Sulky.
No I do not sell the items mentioned I just use it
and love it! |
| Machine basting patterns to fabric is a lot
of work. I've found that hand basting is faster and
less of a hassle as you do not have to pin the pieces
to the fabric first. Slightly larger stitches are ok
for this too as you want to be able to see to take
them out later! |
| Best tools I've found so far are crochet hooks.
A size 5 crochet hook has a blunt butt end that is
smaller than a bodkin which is useful also but the
crochet hook also has a rounded end by the hook that
is great for getting bodice pieces to turn nicely too.
This is especially important for half inch scale bodices! |
| Got small kids in the house? I do! My kids are a
3 year old girl and a 1 year old boy. Mischief makers
both. Now being that I sew and do it A LOT I use needles
and pins.... standard pin cushions don't babyproof
enough to suit me. My solution is to take the nice
childproof prescription medicine bottles and put pins
and needles in those. I have a nice fat one for pins
and several skinny ones for various types of needles
including sewing machine needles. This makes storage....
and the kids can't get into them! |
| Alternate to ribbon for measuring small dolls
accurately is a twist tie. To measure simply place
one end at the starting point and the other end you
bend then measure the tiny portion before the bend
against an accurate ruler. |
| Perfect
Patterns
Dressmaker's Ham Pattern (pressing aid) |
