Gone To Earth

Something to share

2012-01-20T09:32:28+00:00

Ali over at Very Berry Handmade is hosting an extremely delicious fabric giveaway to kick start January into sewing frenzy of a month ( and hopefully the following 11 months of 2012).

(Kate Spain's Terrain fabric - just one possible prize amongst many.)

There are many prizes and different ways in which you can participate, so why not join in?

What are you going to resolve to sew in 2012? Are you going to start sewing for the first time or tackle or learn something completely new. Tell Ali and take part in her massive giveaway, which is open until the 26th January.

Soul Blossoms Corduroy from Amy Butler

2011-11-18T11:02:30+00:00

I've had a couple of emails about these fabrics asking if they really are corduroy or had I made a mistake when I listed them in the shop.

(Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms Corduroy)

Well, yes they genuinely are corduroy... lovely soft, tactile needlecord or pin cord if you prefer and they are part of Amy Butler's new fashion fabrics range.

These are Soul blossom prints;

English Garden in Bluestone,

Trailing Orchid in Blue Velvet... lots of blues, highlighted with a little green.

This is the blue solid which can be used alone or to accent the English Garden or the Trailing orchid fabrics.

They are the same designs as the home decor fabrics of the same names which I'm guessing is where the confusion comes, but these are a narrower fabric as they're 44/45 inches wide (110/112cm) and not 54 inches wide like the home dec fabric. The pattern scale is also smaller.

They can be used to make clothes and bags, pouches of all kinds ....

(The Liverpool tunic in English Garden in Bluestone corduroy - photograph from Amy's site)

.... and quilts such as this one.

(photograph from Amy's site)

Enjoy!

Ruby by Bonnie & Camille

2011-10-18T10:33:03+01:00

This layer cake comprises fabric from Ruby, a new fabric collection designed by Bonnie and Camille. It has 42, 10 inches square pieces of fabric made up of 35 different designs. Some designs are doubled up to give a good balance of colour, print and design scale.

Ruby is full of gorgous little prints, tiny scallops and polks dots and lucious florals in beautiful ruby red, greys, greens and a delicous aqua.

It's got quite a retro feel to it being inspired by the youthful optimism of the 1950's.

This is a link to the Moda Bake Shop and a wonderful quilt designed using this layer cake.

(Photograph from the Moda Bake Shop website)

It's designed by Corey of 'Little Miss Shabby;. Pretty isn't it?

Psst...

2011-10-13T10:36:08+01:00

I wanted to share this with you. Look at these lovely charm squares; Rooftop Garden by Moda and Modern Workshop by Liesl Gibson of Oliver and S.

Judith over at Rags to Bags is having a giveaway as a celebration for passing a 100 followers. She's really excited and you may be excited about the possibility of joining in ? It's open until Monday the 17th October so why not visit?

Whilst you're there have a good look around as there are so many gorgeous sewing ideas and it's dripping with pictures of bags and quilts. Bet you stay a while :)

Speak soon,

Julia x

Bias Tape Makers and Bag Handles

2011-09-23T20:06:44+01:00

You are probably very familiar with Bias binding? Made by cutting fabric strips on the fabric bias grain which results in a binding with stretch and flexibility that can be sewn around curves without kinks, rucks and bumpy bits spoiling your sewing.

Ready Made bias binding

You can of course buy ready-made bias binding but if you can make your own, then you can have binding in any fabric you choose and in which ever width suits your project.

There are, as always more than one way to make bias binding. Until I was faced with making bias binding to complete this stained glass applique for a course I'm doing I never knew they were so many different ways,; ready-made, fusible binding, binding made with bias-tape makers, some kind of implement called bias bars... I'd never come across those anywhere before. But all that exploration and revelation led me to these tutorials. This is a good tutorial on how to make your own bias binding; cutting the fabric and then sewing the strips together and this one explains how to make continuous bias binding.

(I wouldn't have wanted to make this 1/4 inch bias binding without a tape maker.... )

The reason that I'm writing about bias tape makers isn't that they take away any of that cutting out the strips and sewing them together, because they don't. If you wish to avoid the cutting and the sewing part then you probably need to buy either ready-made binding or get yourself a sewing minion cum sewing slave. But seriously, what these tape makers are good for is that once you've fed the strips through (and ironed it as it emerges) you get nicely folded seam allowances that fold right into the centre of the binding. It can dramatically speed up the whole process, or is it just me that's slow at making bias binding? Obviously it still takes a little practice but then the process is always the same. An important benefit is that it reduces any opportunity of escaping fraying edges spoiling your sewing as the edges/seam allowances will be all nicely folded away inside.

Of course not all binding needs to be cut on the bias. If you're binding straight edges you won't need to make binding by cutting fabric on the bias. You can still use the tape maker as it doesn't know the difference and will still give you nice, neat and evenly folded tape.

Have I mentioned bag handles yet?

Another thing you can use them for is to create nice evenly folded fabric strips which you can use to create a bag handle. Tape makers come in all kinds of sizes so you're not limited as to the width of the handle you wish to make.

A fairly usual way of making a fabric bag handle is to multiply the width of the handle by four. For example; if you wish to end up with a 1 inch wide handle then you multiply 1 inch by four, which incidentally equals four. You would then cut out a piece of fabric which is the length of your handle and four inches wide. You then fold the fabric in half and iron it. This gives you a central crease along the length of the fabric.

You then fold in one side so that the edge meets the middle crease and iron it again and then do the same for the other side. Add the interlining, fold it all back up to make your handle and stitch down both sides. Handle made. Is that a familiar process to you?

You can also do this with a tape maker. You feed the fabric through the tape maker and iron it as it emerges. It'll be all neat and even and ready for you to add the interlining, refold and stitch.

(To create a one inch wide handle you would need a two inch wide tape maker (You would then fold the tape in half to give you a one inch wide handle.)

Should you wish to create a double faced handle (Perhaps with the exterior fabric on one side and the lining fabric on the other?), then you can use an appropriate sized tape maker for both fabrics. (Probably a one inch tape maker to make two strips of one inch wide tape. One fabric for each side of the handle.)

So, share.... how do you make your bias binding?

....and the winner is...

2011-09-16T09:57:28+01:00

Remember this pretty little bundle of Valori Wells gorgeous linen fabrics?

Thank you everyone for joining in with this giveaway and I'm sorry if I didn't get to reply to you all.

I've entered the numbers into the random number generator and the result is;

and that comment was made by Mary.

So, congratulations Mary. I'll email you so that you can send me your address and I do hope you enjoy these pretty fat quarters.

Jenaveve and a litle giveaway

2011-09-02T11:37:37+01:00

Jenaveve is a gorgeous fabric line designed by Valori Wells. It's a blended fabric made from 45% cotton and 55% linen and is a massive 54 inches wide. So, you get the benefit of cotton and the delicious texture of linen.

Let me introduce you to a few of the designs.

This is Tribal in Merlot in deep pinks and burgundy background. Valori has just taken part in a Library show featuring her fabrics so take a look at her pictures to see the scale of this richly coloured fabric.

This is Leaves in Merlot which has a burgundy tending to brown background. These pretty leaves are in pink, peachy pink and tangerine in colour and measure approximately 7.5 centimeters in length with each individual leaf being about 1.5 centimeters in long.

Pebbles in Merlot has pink and orange coloured petal shaped marks picking out this floral yet geometric pattern. Take a look at the Martha Stewart website to see this one in action. (How to make a Reversible hat - feel tempted to make one?)

Pebbles in Merlot

Pebbles in Teal is just as beautiful in a gorgeous blue teal.

All of them are brilliant for all kinds of sewing....clothes...bags.....cushions... all kinds of things.

But. perhaps you'd like to try some? If you do then just leave a comment on this post to enter my little giveaway consisting of one fat quarter of each of these fabrics (four fat quarters)., which is 1 metre of Jfabric for some lucky person. A fat quarter of this fabric measures a hefty 50cm by 70cm - that's a lot of small bags ! I'll use the random number generator to select a winner next Friday. (September 9th).

Speak soon - Jx

The Sorbetto Top from Colette Sewing Patterns

2011-07-07T10:16:09+01:00

You have probably already come across the Sorbetto top from Sarai of Colette sewing patterns.

(photograph from Colette patterns blog.)

What a gorgeous little top for summer and if you follow the link you will find a free pattern to download and print off and use to make your own Sorbetto.

Over the last few weeks Sarai has been modifying this pattern to give a Sorbetto without a front pleat.

(photograph from Colette blog.)

and a sorbetto with a scalloped hem.

(photograph from Colette blog)

This is such a versatile design ... wear it skirts, wear it with jeans... it can be casual or dressy, retro or modern. Simple but brilliant and each version is accompanied with her very clear instructions and accompanying photographs.

(Fabric layout plans and making instructions.)

There aren't any facings to deal with as the neckline and the armholes are bound with bias binding. You can see this more clearly in this photograph.

It has binding around the sleeves and neckline which you can see more clearly here. (photograph from Colette blog)

So, you can really accent the colours in your chosen fabric, but only If you want to of course.

I want one! I like the version without the front pleat. So, I've printed out the pattern .... there are lots of pieces to stick together. The first challenge was getting it to print out properly. There's test page to print out with a square on it so that you can check that it's printing out with the correct sizing. I only solved this by printing it from Adobe reader rather than from within my browser.

So, with the pattern printed out I can say that I've made very good use of the floor... spreading it out all the pieces and matching all the notches and now I need to stick it together so I can use it.

Unusually for me I haven't decided which fabric to go for but this is a contender....

This is Ditsy designed by Pat Bravo of Art Gallery fabrics. Pretty don't ya think?

I hope you try a Sorbetto. I'm sure summer will be back soon even though it's been raining for hours so far today.

Interfacing and Interlinings

2011-07-05T09:54:51+01:00

Interlinings.....

At some point in any sewing journey we all have to get to grips with interlinings. It's just one of those things. Sometimes it's easy to work out what you need because the design you're following tells you exactly which interlining to use. Other times the design only specifies 'interlining' and it's left pretty much to your imagination.

So where do you go from there ?

I've put this post together based around questions that I get asked via the shop and I've included a PDF document (at the end) that gives a little more detail about equivalents (The USA and Europe have different manufacturers names for interlinings designed for the same purpose) which you may find useful.

So, what's the difference between the terms interfacing and interlining?

These terms are often used interchangeably nowadays. But strictly speaking interfacing is used to support 'facings', such as those around necklines or buttonholes and interlinings describe something that goes between an outer fabric and a lining fabric. ('inter' 'lining' - get it? he he!)

The function of both interlinings and interfacings is to support, stabilise and strengthen the main fabric. It will change the characteristics and behaviour of the fabric making it stiffer, more durable and suited to many more uses than before. Think about cotton being used to make fabric bowls and boxy style clutch bags.

Well, that seems straightforward enough so what's the confusion?

Interlinings come in different widths, different colours, cut off the roll, pre-packaged, as sew-ins, fusibles (single and double-sided), fleeces and wovens. They also come in different 'weights', meaning that they add different amounts of support and strength to the project it's being used in.

All that choice inevitably leads to confusion. Plus, across the world, manufactured interlinings designed to perform the same function have different trade names. Trade names such as Pellon in the US for example and Vilene in Europe.

Also, please note, before I get too carried away, that anything can be used as an interlining. A light cotton/muslin maybe all that some projects need and not manufactured interlinings at all. Many folk for example use curtain interlinings as a suitable interlining for light tote bags.

Why do different trade names pose a problem?

It's only a problem because we're so fortunate to have so many sewing patterns available to us from the across the English speaking world... plus all those gorgeous designs in books which have been translated for us.

But, (you knew there was a 'but' didn't you?) however well the sewing patterns have been written and supported it's often difficult (or not obvious) to know which is the most appropriate interlining to use, given the different manufacturers names for their interlinings. A US sewing pattern for example, will suggest a suitable Pellon but if you live in Europe these may not be available to you, so then what do you do?

Hooray! There is information out there to help so I've pulled it together and turned it into a PDF which covers a few of the interlinings you may come across.

So, why do I need to know so much about interlining?

Understanding or a least being aware of the difference an interlining can make to your finished project is a bit like knowing something of the 'tricks of the trade'. The beauty of interlining (as unappealing as it might look) is that it can mean all types of fabrics become available for making items they were previously unsuited for. Who would have thought it possible to use voile for bag making for example?

But there are so many different types of interlining?

Basically there are sew-ins, which are designed to be sewn into seams and are usually cut the same shape as the fabric piece it's being sewn to. They come in different weights; extra-heavy, heavy, medium and light and give light, medium, heavy etc support to the fabric it's being added to.

One thing to note about sew-ins is that they do not fray. So, if using a heavier weight interlining creates unwelcome thickness at seams then it is perfectly ok to trim the interlining back to the seam line in order to reduce bulk. For example if you're using a heavy interlining in a bag, you may wish to trim it away from side seams so as to get a nice flat top edge to topstitch around.

As well as sew-ins there are Iron-ons or fusibles. These interlinings have an adhesive on one or both sides and are 'fused'/bonded to the wrong side of the fabric using an iron and sometimes steam. The adhesive is heat activated and left to cool it forms a lasting bond with fabric.

(Note: Some fusible fleeces (aimed mainly at quilt makers) are designed for the adhesive to disappear after a first wash, so it's good to know which fusible you're using.)

Fusible fleeces come in different 'lofts' or thicknesses. Both the medium and low loft fleeces add support and softness to your sewing. The higher the loft the thicker the fleece is and the more support and more definition it will give to your quilting stitches. The low loft fleeces are more suited to smaller projects, small bags, soft toys and items that don't require as much support.

Other iron-ons have an almost papery feel and are bonded to fabric in the same way as fusible fleeces by the use of an iron and occasionally a little steam. They also change the way the fabric feels giving a more papery feel.

Wovens.... (I love these) These again are bonded to fabric with the use of an iron. They are cotton so they feel a little like fabric but the grainy feeling side is the side with the adhesive on. It bonds readily with fabric and because it has a bias in the same way that fabric has, supports the fabric but still drapes beautifully.

This isn't intended as a definitive guide to interlinings. It is just intended to help point you in the right direction and perhaps clear up a few questions for you. The question of which Interlining seems almost unanswerable when you first start out sewing but at the end of the day the best advice to follow until you develop your own interlining preferences (It will happen, I promise.), is to follow the recommendations on the sewing pattern you are following.

If you want to see how to apply/fuse a specific interlining to a fabric then this link (the Vilene site) will give you access to some short videos' showing just how it's done (Oh! and you don't need to understand German... or even English for that matter.)

Now, here's the link to the file I promised at the beginning Download Interlinings

When you get to feel really confident with what you're using... you'll be able to mix different interlinings together, fleeces and sew-ins ands really create the amount of support you want... but that's all for later.

I really hope you find this useful.

Make it Perfect Sewing Patterns

2011-05-22T08:54:17+01:00

I added some wonderful new patterns to the shop a few weeks ago and they sold out so fast that I had to get more. I couldn't resist succumbing to a few more designs.

This is Afterglow which can be made either as a nighdress or a pretty little dress suitable for any occasion.

This is the back opening.

This is the Shearwater Kaftan a great throw over top for days on the beach or just out having fun.

There are some very pretty skirts; Flipsy for girls

and Blossom (which includes a bag and applique design)

There are Fab Frocks for summer outings and parties;

For grown-up girls there is the A+ skirt design. These are a slightly different take on the classic a-line skirt. Bit of a wardrobe staple the A-line skirt.

If you wanted some stylish pyjamas and a bag to store them in then there is this sewing pattern called Sweet Dreams. You can also make the little bag to store away other overnight essentials.

So, that's a little taster of the latest sewing patterns in the shop. I hope you like them.