How to Sew Sustainably

By Wendy Ward

Wendy Ward teaches you all the skills you need to refashion garments and reuse fabric from existing pieces you already own, plus ways to use leftover scraps to make household items and to customise your clothes. Each chapter focuses on a different technique, for instance novel ways to join small fabric pieces, using larger pieces to make pieced household items and clothing, and easy ways to refashion existing clothing. Her 'minimal waste' mentality will help you to make garments based on your body measurements, and there's a useful section on mending techniques. Wendy also covers the ethical issues involved in buying new, from shopping locally to choosing your fibres carefully and supporting small businesses and other crafters. There is a comprehensive chapter covering all the sewing techniques used, from seam and hem basics through to tips on unpicking recycled garments. Each section includes projects using the techniques covered – a total of 20 makes that can be adapted to the materials you have to hand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CICO Books
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781800651043

Book preview

SEWING BASICS

SEAMS

SEAMS IN WOVEN FABRICS

Machined seam

You should pin and then baste (tack) all your seams until you become more confident. Basting is temporary hand-sewn running stitch that holds your seams together accurately (see page 19).

1Set up your machine to sew a medium length straight stitch and set the tension appropriate for your fabric. Don’t start machining right on the very edge of the fabric as there won’t be enough fabric for your machine to get hold of; a good guide is to make sure the hole in the presser foot is covered by your fabric.

2Bring the needle down into the fabric by turning the handwheel toward you and then use your foot pedal. If you always start sewing in this way, your machine will never get in a tangle before you’ve even started (a common problem encountered by beginners).

3Use the seam guides on your machine to make sure your seam is accurate and straight. Do a reverse stitch to reinforce the start of the seam. Remove any pins as you get to them; do not ever sew over pins!

4When you reach the end of your seam, don’t sew off the fabric. Do a reverse stitch to reinforce the end of the seam then take your foot off the foot pedal and bring up the needle to its highest position using the handwheel again (remember to turn it toward you). You will always be able to easily remove your fabric from the machine if you stop in this position.

5Once your seam is sewn you can remove any basting stitches and press the seam open from the wrong side of the fabric.

TIP

The tension control on sewing machines almost always seems to completely confuse beginners.

This diagram should hopefully help you to remember how to use it.

Neatening seam allowances

1. Simple zig-zagged seam

Suitable for most fabrics, straight and curved seams, and is the easiest and quickest method, although not necessarily the neatest.

1Sew a zig-zag stitch along the edge of each seam allowance to stop them fraying. You get the best result if you have an overcasting or overlock foot for your sewing machine. If your machine didn’t come with one, you should be able to buy one.

2Set your machine up to sew a zig-zag stitch on the maximum width and a slightly shorter than medium stitch length (i.e. if your machine’s stitch length goes up to 4, set it to 1.5).

3Start your zig-zag stitch in the same way as described in step 2 for Machined Seam, but don’t reverse stitch.

4To zig-zag the seam allowances using an overcasting foot the stitch will go right over the edge of the fabric (follow the instructions for your particular overcasting foot for exactly where to position your fabric).

5You can still zig-zag your seam allowances with the normal presser foot. Position the zig-zagging a bit further in from the cut edge of the fabric.

TIP

Loosen your tension by one setting to make sure the zig-zag stitches don’t pucker your fabric.

2. Bound seam finish

A bit time-consuming but worth the effort as it’s super neat. This method really is great for almost any seam in any fabric.

1Machine the seam following steps 1 to 5 for the Machined Seam. Open out one side of the folded binding and place the right side of the binding on the wrong side of your seam allowance. Position the edge of the binding so that it just overhangs the cut edge of the fabric. Pin, baste (tack) if necessary, and machine in place along the creaseline.

2Let the binding fold back on itself along the creaseline that you have just machined along to cover your stitching.

3Fold the binding so that it wraps around onto the right side of your seam allowance.

4The loose folded edge of your binding, now on the right side of the seam allowance, should be able to just cover your first line of stitching. Pin, baste if necessary, and machine it in place as close as you can to this loose folded edge.

3. French seam

A fully enclosed seam, this method is very neat, but only suitable for lighter weight fabrics and straight or only slightly curved seams.

1Machine the seam following steps 1 to 5 for the Machined Seam, with the following changes: start with wrong sides of the fabric touching rather than right sides touching, and use a seam allowance half of that allowed for in the project.

2Trim off half of the seam allowance.

3Press the seam to one side rather than open. Fold the seam back on itself this time with right sides touching to completely enclose the trimmed seam allowances and machine together again using half your recommended seam allowance.

4There should be no stray threads poking through the seam on the right side of the seam, the raw edges of the seam allowance should be completely enclosed. Press the seam to one side from the wrong side.

SEAMS IN KNITTED FABRICS

1. Stretch straight stitch

This stitch is ideal if you need to press the seam open.

Most modern sewing machines will have one of these stitch options, your sewing machine manual may describe it as anything from a triple straight stitch to a super-stretch stitch.

2. Overlock stitch

This is another stitch that most modern sewing machines will have; in fact some have several versions. It is essentially a combination of straight and zig-zag stitches. Above are a few examples.

This stitch can join the seam and neaten the edges in one go. The seam has to be pressed flat to one side rather than open, so it’s not suitable for bulky fabrics. It works well on most T-shirt weight single jersey. You can trim off the excess seam allowance close to the stitching if you like a super neat finish. Otherwise just leave it, it won’t fray or unravel.

3. Simple zig-zag stitch

This seam can be pressed open or to one side.

If you have an older or very basic sewing machine it may not have any of the stitches mentioned so far, but you can still sew seams on knitted fabrics. A simple narrow zig-zag stitch will do the job.

HEMS

HEMS ON WOVEN FABRICS

1. Double turned

Suitable for straight or very slightly curved hems. Best for lighter weight fabrics because of the bulk.

1Fold the raw edge of the hem allowance toward the wrong side of the project so that the cut edge is level with the hemline and press.

2Fold the fabric again, along the hemline toward the wrong side. Press and pin and baste (tack) in place close to the first folded edge.

3Set your machine to sew a straight stitch and machine the hem from the right side of your project following the basting stitches.

4Remove all your basting and press the hem from the wrong side to get a nice crisp edge.

2. Bias-faced hem

Probably my favorite method for hemming as it gives a really neat finish.

1This method requires only a ⅜in (1cm) hem allowance, trim away any excess.

2Open out one long edge of the folded binding and place the right side of the binding onto the right side of the hem. Position the edge of the binding level with the raw edge of the hem allowance. Fold the end of the binding back on itself at the beginning, before you start to attach it. Pin and baste (tack) if necessary.

3When you get back around to the beginning again, allow the other short end of the binding to overlap the start (which has been folded toward the wrong side of the binding) by approx. ¾in (2cm).

4Machine in place with a regular straight stitch along the creaseline in the binding. Let the binding fold back on itself on the creaseline that you have just machined along to cover your stitching.

5Fold the fabric along the hemline, so that all the binding folds around to the inside of the hem. Pin the loose folded edge of the binding in place, which is now on the wrong side of the hem, and baste close to the upper edge of the binding. Give the hem a light press along the fold and the binding, avoiding the basting, from the wrong side to get a crisp hemline that will be easier to machine.

6With a regular straight stitch machine the hem in place from the right side following your basting. Remove your basting and press the hem to get a nice crisp edge.

HEMS ON KNITTED FABRICS

Hems in knitted fabrics require some additional preparation to sew neatly: I always baste (tack) mine in position before machining them. The stretchy, movable nature of knitted fabric can easily stretch out of shape and form tucks if you try to machine them with only pins.

1. Three-step zig-zag hem

The first and easiest stitch to use for hems in knitted fabrics is also the stretchiest. It’s called a three-step zig-zag as the stitch is in the shape of a zig-zag, but made of tiny straight stitches. It is also sometimes called a tricot stitch, and most machines have this stitch.

Here’s a guide to what settings to use on your machine:

• the widest stitch setting

• a slightly shorter stitch length than the middle setting (i.e. if your stitch length goes up to 4, use 1.5 for this stitch). This stitch is suitable for all hems, both straight and slightly curved and will work on light and heavier weight fabrics. It looks neatest if you can manage to get the stitch sitting just over the cut edge of the hem on the wrong side of the fabric. Neat, accurate basting (tacking) will help.

2. Twin needle hem

Two neat parallel rows of straight stitching. Set up your machine for a normal straight stitch (with a slightly looser tension than you would normally choose for the fabric you’re sewing) and swap the regular needle for a twin needle.

Twin needles are easy to get hold of in a range of sizes. Choose a stretch version in a size to match your fabric and a wide gap between the needles (at least ¼in/5mm). You then need to attach the spare spindle to your sewing machine and thread the two needle threads (follow the instructions in your sewing machine manual for exact details on how to do this on your particular machine as it can vary).

This method is not suitable for all hems; straight hems and those with a slight curve are best suited and hems that won’t stretch a lot. Machine from the right side after basting (tacking) and try to position the left-hand needle close to the cut edge of the hem.

3. Simple zig-zag hem

If you don’t have a 3-step zig-zag or twin-needle facility on your sewing machine, a simple zig-zag is just as good.

Use a wide stitch setting and a shorter than average stitch length as for the Three-step zig-zag. Again, try and position your hem so that the stitch sits just over the cut edge of the hem on the wrong side of the fabric.

Can be used in the same circumstances as the Three-step zig-zag.

TOPSTITCHING & EDGESTITCHING

Topstitching can be used to highlight certain seams, add decoration or contrast to a plain garment, hold bulky seam allowances flat, and keep edges crisp and flat. It is done from