I’ve gotten so much great advice on the project I’m now working on for my daughter, so I’m trying yet again. Burda pattern 8000, a semi-fitted, slightly (3/4″) dropped waist, shirt-waist style dress, with vest, recommends pinwale corduroy or velveteen as fabrics for the dress. I found a cotton print I want to use. I’m thinking of channel-stitching the fabric to another layer of cotton broadcloth, for use on the bodice, at least (maybe not the skirt), without any filler or interfacing, except interfacing in the usual places. Has anyone else used this method? What do you think about it, will it work? Will it bring the weight of the fabric close to corduroy or velveteen? What problems might I encounter?
I thought I would leave the sleeves with flounce attached above the wrist, made of only one layer of the cotton.
I found some great brown boiled wool to use for the vest, and this cotton print works wonderfully with it. This is one of those times I fell for the pattern first, and went looking for appropriate fabrics…and had a terrible time finding a non-raveling fabric for the vest. I’m looking forward to figuring out some way of embellishing the exposed seams on the vest.
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i'd use iron-on tricot interfacing. it adds body without making the top fabric stiff and crunchy. i looked at the pattern, and think the skirt should be same weight as bodice. that's a lot of fusing or channel stitiching, but either would probably work.
could you just make the sleeves from the print you like and find a compatible pinwale for skirt and bodice?
Edited 10/28/2006 10:44 am ET by msm-s
Thanks for checking the pattern photo . I've not used fusible tricot before, so I'll get some and try it on my fabric. I sort of like the idea of channel-stitching; it would work well with the print I want to use, but not if I need to do the whole dress that way - you're right, that's a lot of fusing or stitching, either way.
I would underline it witha cotton batiste . I would nt chanel stitch it . You would treat the two layers of cotton as one after you have cut it out . I would use the same for the skirt and top and perhaps have a a double layer of the print for the cuffs. Make sure that you wash both of them invery hot water so there is NO risk of shrinkage afterwards.
Thanks, Mem. That sounds like a good alternative. The dress has an underskirt, or lining, to which a contrasting band is attached at the hem, which peeks out below the over-skirt. Do you still think the over-skirt should be underlined as well? I take it you mean also that you would underline the upper part of the sleeves, with the flounce lined with self-fabric?
I am saying that you should underline the top layer and then add in the lining which will hang separately to the underlined patterned cotton you have chosen.. The purpose of the underlining is to make your top fabric more the weight of the corderoy or velveteen which has a different drape to the un underlined cotton you have chosen.. I would then use a double layer of the patterned fabric on the flounce which I would create by sewing the right sides together and then turning them out so that when looking at the flounce you will see the same fabric inside and out.
Yes, got it, thank you. Now if I can get my pattern difficulties figured out I'm good to go. May need some advice about the boiled wool - another first for me.
I see you're on to fabric so you must have gotten your pattern difficulties sorted out. I'm curious to know what the problem was.
No, actually, I'm still just planning how to use the fabric, and haven't cut the muslin yet, waiting for more info on the pattern. The contact at Burda forwarded my message to "technical people" and no word yet. Meanwhile, others have suggested that 1) in measuring I hadn't considered the band collar, and 2) the Burda shoulder line is about 1/2 inch forward of the typical pattern shoulder line, to accommodate a more common forward shoulder. Have you found that (about the shoulder line) to be true? It seems to me that even if it is true, the measurement from shoulder seam to bust point in the Burda sizing chart would take that into consideration- it's still a measurement from shoulder seam to bust point, and the pattern piece measurement isn't long enough! What do you think? When I pin the front and back bodice pattern pieces together at the shoulder seams, the back waist marking does fall about 1/4 inch below the front waist mark. Does that mean that the shoulder line is a little forward?Also, assuming that the band collar should be included, that only adds 3/8 inch to the measurements. That pretty much corrects the shoulder-seam-to-waist measurement. However I think, but am not certain, that the vertical bust dart is supposed to fall an inch below the fullest point, so I still cannot account for the measurement differences. If the 10 1/4 inch measurement in the chart is correct, I will still have to lower the dart point 1/4 inch to match my daughter's measurements. I'm getting tempted to just make the muslin according to the pattern, send it to my daughter, and let her mark on the muslin where her bust point is. I can't seem to do it with measurements only. With this type of dart, I don't actually have to lengthen the bodice to lower the dart, do I? - can't I just shorten the dart 1/4 inch?Thanks for your interest and help. Heavens!-what I don't know about patterns and fitting makes me feel like a beginner again.
What a cute pattern! I agree with the idea of underlining the bodice at least, to increase the weight of the print.
Channel stitching to an underfabric will make it like a quilted fabric so I would try this technique the first time with a simple vest. It is sometimes done on the diagonal.
It seems that the channel stitching, corduroy, and print would be alot of texture which might create more contrast than you want in one garment. Just my two cents. Mary
I hadn't thought of that. The cotton print I'll use for the dress has a very dark brown background covered with deep-red, smallish (less than 1" square) leaves arranged in vertical stripes, so the print is busy though the colors are low-contrast, subdued. I had thought I could channel stitch almost invisibly between the leaves. I'm not using corduroy, though; I couldn't find a printed corduroy I liked. You're right, channel-stitching may create too many textures, and why do it if simply underlining will do the trick? Plus, the vest is top-stitched, to add to the busy-ness.
So if I understand right, the dress will be underlined brown cotton print and the vest will be the boiled brown wool? Are you going to use red thread for the vest topstitching to match the print?
That's what I'm thinking, yes. I'll try the deep red thread and see what it looks like.On the other hand, that article in Threads about the fulled wool jacket stitched in an art deco design with cutouts showing a contrast facing - was it in the last issue? I think so - has me drooling. Maybe I'll find something to do with leaf shapes...and do the top-stitching on the vest seams with matching brown thread instead. I don't know...I'm dreaming. Suggestions?
Now that is sounding co ordinated! I think that would really pull it all together. Hope you send in photos when you have finalized all the details and complete the set.
I love all the planning and creating but have trouble finishing projects before I move onto the next adventure. What I really lack is discipline. I am more of a process person than a product person which has become a real roadblock for me. Too bad I can't afford to hire someone to complete my projects. Then maybe we could sell them and make money to buy more supplies!!!! lol You can guess what my New Year's resolution will be......................Mary
Oh, me too...most of my projects are in the folded-fabric stage, though. Still, yesterday as I was basting some trim onto a "practice" version of a vest, - I almost never baste anything! or make a "practice" anything! - I thought about how pleasant it is to do even those ugh! tasks when not under pressure to finish. That recent Threads article "25 Ways to Achieve Sewing Zen" spoke to me, and I, too, resolved to make myself do the less-creative or more meticulous tasks to make a better end product. I tend to think of basting as an obstruction, rather than as an aid, to the process - lol. Thanks for your encouragement. Still waiting to hear from Burda about my pattern questions, and straining at the leash. (And speaking of Burda and basting, on this my first Burda pattern I notice instructions to baste every single seam.)
My motto was "basting is for Turkeys". Shame on me, but I hate to do extra things unless I have to. lazy me
trouble is you might feel like a turkey as you do all that unpecking, gobble gobble, hah hah
thanks for the giggle
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