Adapting the Shawl Collar Dress for Nursing

A mother asked me if I had any ideas for altering the Shawl Collar Dress so that it can be worn as a nursing dress. After a much-too-long delay, here is my proposed solution:

There would be an inner front waistband sewn to the skirt and the center front inset. The outer waistband, sewn to the two fronts of the bodice, would be attached to the inner waistband and each other by snaps (the circles) and skirt hooks and eyes (the dots).

Here is a diagram showing how to cut out the inset, using as a guide the bodice pattern and the original triangular inset piece.

I have not tested this idea, so I will not guarantee that it works! If you try this, or have discovered your own way to adapt the pattern for nursing mothers, I would love to hear about it.

Bias Tape on a Curve

Putting bias tape on a straight seam is one thing. How does a curved seam (such as a neckline) affect the way bias tape works? Here are instructions for putting bias tape on a curve.

The green bias tape is single fold, and the dark pink is double fold. The finished double fold bias tape hem is narrower, but slightly thicker.

Before you pin or sew the bias tape, lay it on your ironing board and curve it to match the curve of your fabric. Iron it well, using lots of steam.

Fold open one side of the bias tape. Pin it, right side of the bias tape to the right side of your fabric, so that when you sew in the crease of the fold, your seam allowance will be 5/8″ (or whatever seam allowance your pattern calls for). Sew, being sure to stay in the crease line on the bias tape. Trim off excess fabric at the seam allowance.

Clip the seam along the curved area, being careful not to cut into the stitches. This will allow the fabric in the seam allowance to lay flat, without binding and puckering up the curved seam.

Fold the bias tape towards the seam allowance and iron. Stitch 1/8″ or so from the edge of the bias tape that is sewn to the fabric. This line of stitching is the secret to a clean, finished edge!

If you are using double fold bias tape, fold it over and around the seam.

Fold the bias tape over to the wrong side of fabric. Pin it carefully before you sew to make sure that the fabric doesn't shift as you are sewing. That will create diagonal puckers from the seam to the topstitching.

Stitch close to the edge of the bias tape. Because of the second line of stitching, it should fold over nicely and give you a sharp edge without any bias tape showing on the right side of your fabric.

Three-Step Bias Tape Installation

When I started sewing, one of my first projects was a simple jumper with bias-tape bound neck and armholes. After some experiences in which seam rippers figured prominently, I asked mom to put the bias tape in.

Biased (haha) by these early experiences, I regarded bias tape as a nuisance that usually ended with unwanted slivers of bias tape peeking over the edge of the finished seam, until I mastered the art of 3-step bias tape installation.

Fold open one side of the bias tape. Pin it, right side of the bias tape to the right side of your fabric, so that when you sew in the crease of the fold, your seam allowance will be 5/8" (or whatever seam allowance your pattern calls for). Sew, being sure to stay in the crease line on the bias tape. Trim off excess fabric at the seam allowance.

Fold the bias tape towards the seam allowance and iron. Stitch 1/8" or so from the edge of the bias tape that is sewn to the fabric. This line of stitching is the secret to a clean, finished edge!

Fold the bias tape over to the wrong side of fabric and stitch it close to edge of bias tape. Because of the second line of stitching, it should fold over nicely and give you a sharp edge without any bias tape showing on the right side of your fabric.

Organizing Sewing Supplies

Sewing requires a lot of little tools: the pins, needles and pincushions, thread, scissors, tape measures, buttons, seam ripper, thimble . . . How to keep them all organized? Fabric stores are full of organizing helps and special containers for every sort of sewing gear, but I hate to spend money on storage--especially with my poor track record for keeping things in their own specific box!

I have a bad habit of scattering my sewing supplies and projects all through the house. I will admit right now that when it comes to "organized", I am the last person who should talk, but I do try to simplify my system and stick to it. Here is what works to contain the sewing supplies that find their way to my room: a three-tiered tray.

I bought this tray on Ebay, but I picked up another one secondhand for only a few dollars. Little things, like the seam ripper, wrist-pincushion, and embroidery scissors, sit on the top tier, while thread fills up the second tier. The lowest level holds scissors, a tape measure, a handmade felted rose pincushion, and a solitary, saucer-less teacup filled with assorted buttons and a few dulled sewing machine needles I use when sewing paper.

If you have no specific sewing area, limited space, or no cabinets to keep your sewing paraphernalia out of sight, a pretty tiered tray may be just the thing to hold your sewing supplies. It's pretty enough to be stored on an open shelf, can be easily carried to or from your sewing area, and gives you multiple levels to organize your supplies.

What's the Deal With Sizes?

Ever noticed how sizing varies from company to company? If you're a new seamstress you may be surprised when you realize that the sizing of sewing patterns is radically different than that of off-the-rack clothing!

I've had at least one seamstress ask me about the size charts I use for my patterns, confused because by my charts she was several sizes larger than she was in off-the-rack clothing.

I use the US Standard Clothing Size in designing my patterns, which means that you will probably be a larger size in my patterns than you are in off-the-rack clothing.

To illustrate the differences between sewing pattern sizing and off-the-rack sizing, let me compare a size 12 in off-the-rack size, standard clothing size, and--for the fun of it--the measurements given for a size 12 on a pattern from the 40s.

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Off-the-rack|Standard Clothing Size|1940s Pattern
Bust: 38.5 34 30

Waist: 29.5 26.5 25

Hips: 40 36 33

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As you can see, there's a huge difference in the measurements that claim to be "size 12"--a 2008 off-the-rack size 12 is roughly equivalent to a size 20 pattern in the 1940s!

A word about ease: Most big pattern companies--not my patterns!--add so much ease to their patterns that I often make my garments 2 or 3 sizes smaller than my measurements say. I recommend looking at the "actual garment size" (usually printed on the pattern piece) and choosing your size according to that. You do need some ease, but you may not be happy with the fit of your garment with the large amounts of ease most pattern allow!

The bottom line: Don't judge a garment or pattern by its "size"--the measurements are what really count!

Free (or practically free) lace!

Going along with my last post on free (or practically free) buttons, I'd like to suggest visiting thrift stores with lace and other trimmings in mind. Lace--especially "real looking" lace-- is often extremely expensive. Lace off of thrift store garments can be an affordable alternative.

The picture shows my latest free lace find--over two yards of wide, double-edged vintage lace from the neckline of an orange polyester evening gown that someone chopped off at the knees. (When I told some of my friends about the dress, describing it as an "awful orange"--meaning a color that would never flatter me--an orange-lover well-I-never'ed, so I have omitted any excess adjectives, positive or negative!)

Here is another Thrift Store Directory to help you find stores in your area.

Free (or practically free) buttons!

The price of sewing notions can easily make up half of the cost of a dress. Buttons are especially pricey. What to do when you're a seamstress on a budget?

If you have thrift stores in your area, you might want to consider going to them with buttons in mind. I have gotten a dozen shell buttons (which would cost $6-$8 new) off of a dress that cost under $5--that's not counting the nice rayon fabric to re-make into a new skirt or dress! Thrift stores with "free" sections are the best--even hopelessly stained outfits can contribute their buttons before joining the rag bag (as the buttons on the sweater, above).

Check out the Thrift Store Directory to see if there are any stores near your home!

Creating a Wedding Dress

When my brother got engaged last spring, his fiancee asked me to make the wedding dress. She gave me a picture she and her sisters had drawn of what it should look like. With the drawing, a very basic princess seam dress pattern and an old blue sheet, we started work one afternoon.

After some reckless cutting of fabric and basting of seams, I had Audra put the mock-up on inside out while I re-pinned the seams, taking in and letting out, basting and re-basting. That first afternoon we got the whole mock-up fitted and decided on the width and positioning of the four triangular skirt insets. Since all of the fitting and figuring was done, the dress went together very quickly once we got the fabric.

Dotted: usual cutting & grain line

Solid: modified cutting & grain line

Cheri asked me about the sleeves on the dress. I cut them out freehand, matching the length of the top of the sleeve to the size of the dress armhole. (And yes, I made a trial sleeve--or two--before I cut into the real fabric!) Audra wanted a flared, yet not butterfly, sleeve. To achieve the desired flutter without extra fullness at the top and middle of the sleeve, I curved the sides of the pattern out, and then cut the piece out on the bias so that it wouldn't bind and would have a nice drape. Very narrow hems, slightly stretched as I sewed, finished the sleeves off with a gentle ripple.

The main fabric was an ivory colored polyester damask, while the sleeves were a slightly textured semi-sheer polyester. The whole dress was lined with unbleached cotton that was finished with French seams on the inside.