Cornish Leather - Part 3

The dress is complete, the best part of ten months later!

What a project!  There was so much to do and learn that I found it difficult to blog about it all at the time.  I've learnt how to:

1.  Make cuffs and rouleau loops, plus secure shanked covered buttons

Made b y http://www.buttoncovering.co.uk/.  How great do these look with covered backs?!

2.  Make a continuous lap on a sleeve (what you get on men's shirts)

The lap when it's shut

3.  Work with leather

4.  Pattern match

The white line runs vertically down the centre of the dress and each pleat matches

5.  Prevent waist stretch by securing a thin petersham ribbon to the waist seam allowance

6.  Blind hem by hand

  7.  (most importantly) press pleats!  What a pain that is. 

I'm very happy with it, the only thing left to decide is when to wear it for the first time?!

Lined curtains - Part 2

Well its been a while but the lining is now complete and has been attached to the curtains. Here's my little instruction guide for attached lining curtains.

I started by cutting four pieces of lining fabric each 213.5cm long.

This measurement is the length of the window + 30 cm (15cm above and 15cm below the window) + 12.5cm (Double hem of 7.5cm MINUS 2.5cm from the top).

It was difficult to work out the right and wrong side of this fabric so I made sure I marked the right side on all four pieces (as well as marking the top of each piece!)

The bottom has been pressed up 7.5cm and then another 7.5cm and machine stitched using a straight stitch approximately 2mm from the folded edge. I'm using my new Bernina which is such a treat!

Next I lay out a curtain and lay out a lining on top of it with wrong sides together.  I centred the lining on the curtain vertically and horizontally it is 2.5cm from fold.  I placed a few pins to secure the two fabrics together.  Then came the fun of attaching them vertically using lock stitches.  I did this at the following points which I've shown just on the curtain:

The centre is the first place you secure.  Then, for each side of the centre, secure half way between the centre and just inside the side hem.  Finally, secure just inside the side hem.

To make the lock stitches:

Secure a very long single thread to the curtain near the hem.  Make a small stitch by just picking up one thread from the lining and one thread from the curtain.

Pull your needle over the thread to form a loop.  Repeat.

It seems like a big job, bit it doesn't take too long.

Once I did that, I hemmed the lining sides.

To hem the lining sides:

• Fold the lining sides back on themselves (right sides together) until each fold is in line with the mitred corner where it was ladder stitched.  Pin.

• Continue the fold up the length of the lining.  Continue to pin and finger press the fold ensuring the distance from the lining fold to the edge of the curtain is the same up the length of the lining. 

• Mark the lining 2.5cm from the fold you just made and trim along these markings to remove any excess.  The 2.5cm will be the lining side seam. 

• Now remove the pins and turn the 2.5cm under, so that you finger press along the crease you made earlier but this time the 2.5cm seam is sandwiched between the wrong sides of the curtain and lining. Pin as you go.  Ensure that the distance from the lining fold to the edge of the curtain is the same up the length of the lining.

• Slip stitch the lining sides to the curtain.

• To finish off, secure the bottom edge of the lining to the curtain using swing tacks (for a 'how to' see my post from January 2013 "Liberty print jacket - Part 4").  Make the swing tacks at the centre and then half way between the centre and the edge of the curtain on both sides.  So you will have three swing tacks on each curtain. 

And there you go, the lining is complete.

The final stage for me is to attach the curtain tape.  I don't think I'll get them done before Christmas now considering I've got four to do and lots of mince pies to eat!

Merry Christmas