Sewing For Dummies

When starting a sewing project, “measure twice, cut once” is essential to your success. Follow these guidelines for taking accurate body measurements and buying enough fabric for your project. And remember, the best needle for the job is a new one, so choose the right type for the fabric and get sewing.






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Taking Accurate Body Measurements for Sewing Garments


When you want to sew clothing, you start with a pattern. Determining your pattern size can be a humbling experience because it requires you to measure your body, but it’s an essential step in making sure the finished garment fits properly. Here are some tips on taking accurate measurements so your project ends up the right size:



  • Get someone else to take your measurements. It is impossible to take them yourself and get an accurate read, so find someone you trust, swear them to secrecy, and start measuring.



  • Dress in your underwear or a leotard, and tie a narrow ribbon or a piece of elastic around your waist, but not too tight. Move around a little bit until the elastic or ribbon finds your natural waistline. Note that this may not be where you wear the waistband of your favorite pair of slacks or jeans.



  • Measure by placing the measuring tape around the torso as parallel to the floor as possible.



  • Have your helper take the following six measurements:



    • Height: ____________



    • High bust circumference at the crook of the underarms approximately 2 inches above the full bust: ____________



    • Full bust circumference at the widest part of the bust: ____________



    • Natural waist circumference (the narrowest part) at the ribbon or elastic: ____________



    • Hip circumference at the widest part and approximately 7 inches below the natural waistline: ____________



    • Back waist length measured from the bone at the base of the neck to the natural waistline: ____________


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Estimating Fabric Yardage Needs for Common Misses Garments


When shopping, you may find the fabric you’re looking for . . . and a whole lot more to inspire you. When you don’t have a particular pattern in mind but find fabric that would, for example, make a great pair of dress pants, you can use this guide to help you buy enough fabric when the creative mood strikes.


Because fabric also comes several widths and your pattern envelope may only give you yardage requirements for two widths, you can refer to this guide to buy the correct amount for the width of the fabric.


This project chart gives you a quick reference and approximate yardage requirements for Misses sizes 10 to 14 at an average height of 5 foot 4 inches. Other sizes will vary from 1/4 to 1/8 yard. For fabrics with a nap and/or one-way designs, add 1/4 yard for each yard specified. For plaids, add the length of one plaid repeat for each yard specified.



















































































































GarmentFabric Width 35-36 inchesFabric Width 44-45 inchesFabric Width 50 inchesFabric Width 52-54 inchesFabric Width 58-60 inches
Pants, full length (add -1/4 yard for cuffs)3-1/4 yards2-5/8 yards2-5/8 yards2-1/4 yards2-1/4 yards
Pants, Capri length2-3/4 yards2-1/4 yards2-1/8 yards2 yards1-1/2 yards
Shorts, Bermuda length2-1/2 yards2-1/8 yards1-7/8 yards1-3/4 yards1-1/4 yards
Skirt, straight2 yards1-5/8 yards1-1/2 yards1-3/8 yards1-1/4 yards
Skirt, A-line2-1/4 yards1-3/4 yards1-5/8 yards1-1/2 yards1-3/8 yards
Skirt, softly gathered2-1/4 yards1-3/4 yards1-5/8 yards1-1/2 yards1-3/8 yards
Shirt/blouse, short sleeves2 yards1-5/8 yards1-1/2 yards1-3/8 yards1-1/4 yards
Shirt/blouse, long sleeves2-1/2 yards2-1/8 yards1-3/4 yards1-3/4 yards1-5/8 yards
Blouse, long sleeves with tie3-3/4 yards2-7/8 yards2-5/8 yards2-3/8 yards2-1/4 yards
Blouse, capped sleeves2 yards1-5/8 yards1-1/2 yards1-3/8 yards1-1/4 yards
Camisole, bias cut1-1/3 yards1-1/3 yards1-1/4 yards1-1/8 yards1 yard
Dress, short sleeves with straight skirt4-1/4 yards3-1/8 yards2-3/4 yards2-5/8 yards2-3/8 yards
Dress, long sleeves with straight skirt5 yards3-5/8 yards3-1/4 yards3-1/8 yards3 yards




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Sizing Up Fabric Needs for Pillow Covers


For beginner sewers, pillow covers are some of the easiest, most affordable sewing projects that require the least amount of time and commitment. This table tells you how much fabric you need for typical pillow projects.





















































Type of PillowDimensions (Length by Width)Amount of Fabric Needed for 1 Pillow Cover (Using 54-inch Wide
Fabric with No Pattern Matching)
Standard bed pillow20 x 26 inches5/8 yard
Queen-size bed pillow20 x 30 inches1-1/8 yards
King-size bed pillow20 x 36 inches1-1/4 yards
Square pillow forms12 x 12 inches1/3 yard

14 x 14 inches1/2 yard

16 x 16 inches1/2 yard

18 x 18 inches5/8 yard

20 x 20 inches3/4 yard

30 x 30 inches1 yard




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Selecting General-Purpose Sewing Machine Needle Point Types


If you use the wrong type of needle for your sewing machine and project, the results could be very bad indeed. Use this table to determine which needle is designed for use in your sewing machine and for your project.























Needle Point ClassificationNeedle Point Type and Use
15 x 1H (American); 130/705H (European)Multi-purpose or Universal: Used for most fabrics for general
sewing
Blue Tip (American); 130/705HS (European); 130/705HPS (Pfaff);
Q Needle (Sears); Singer 2045		Stretch: Used for knits and microfibers and designed to prevent
skipped stitches and snagging
15 x 1DE (American)Denim or Jeans: A sharp needle designed for sewing heavier
fabrics
130/705HJ (European)Tightly woven fabrics, such as heavy corduroy, denim, and
upholstery fabrics




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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/sewing-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
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