Learning to sew: Doh! March 3, 2012 11:52 4 Comments
There are moments in which I feel my mission in learning to sew is to make other fledglings feel better. This is one of those moments. My sewing teacher and I have both commented on the weird, curvy cut of the lower sleeves on this 1957 Simplicity pattern. We decided that perhaps it was a vintage element. Mmmmmm . . . you know I'm a skeptic. I am. And this issue niggled at my mind. Kept me from sleeping. (Not that this insomniac needs any help there.) I looked at the instruction sheet again, as had my instructor. Still. I could not rest. I pulled out the pattern pieces. There it was. Plain as helvetica. I should have trimmed the sleeve for my view. I'm not going to call myself a dolt. I'll let you do that. Just don't throw tomatoes. If you must throw something, make it lemon chess pie. Homemade, please.
So. I put the pattern pieces back on the sewn bodice as best I could. Then I trimmed. And measured. And trimmed again. It is close.
The question for you, dear and ever-so-knowledgeable sewists: May I sew the bias tape on the sleeves with the underarm seam closed? Originally, I sewed it on with the seam open and flat, as the instructiion sheet ordered. It might be a little more difficult this way. But. I think it will work. Am I deluding myself? Again? Do tell.
Comments
Debbie on May 20, 2015 12:31
You really only need to rip out a couple of inches of the underarm seam to apply the binding following the pattern instructions.
That’s much easier than trying to sew the binding in the round for a small sleeve opening. Plus trying to get the ends to meet nicely.
I’m all for shortcuts but imho I think ripping out 2-3" of a seam is easier than trying to do it after the fact.
Angela on May 20, 2015 12:31
I think everyone who is learning to sew has lots of these moments :-) my seam ripper is my best friend!
You can also sew on the binding without ripping out the seam. I have done it with sleeves of childrens dresses. Sewing slowly, and IN the ‘tunnel’ of the sleeve – pictures 23 to 30 of this post show what you want to do http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com/2012/03/eider-tunic-excellence-tutorial-part-2.html
If you want a neat finish, measure the amount of binding you need, add seam allowances and sew in a circle, then follow the pictures above. Good luck.
Ellen on May 20, 2015 12:31
Either of those 2 methods works, but for a beginner sewist, I would say to go with Debbie’s idea. Ripping out enough to give you a flat area to work on will definitely be the easiest and give you some more control.
abercrombie on May 20, 2015 12:31
Sewing slowly, and IN the ‘tunnel’ of the sleeve – pictures 23 to 30 of this post show what you want to do