Basic Sewing Concepts

T his section is not intended to be a sewing course. It is simply a

small guide so that you understand the tutorials better and do not
worry about unknown concepts and words.
You will find very basic things, like tying a knot at the end of the
thread in a simple way (at the request of a desperate tailor's
apprentice); essential knowledge; how to take measurements
correctly, and small tricks that, without being very orthodox, will
make it easier to make our baby clothes.

Index
1) Essential material
• Measuring tape
• Marking soap
• Pins
• Needles
• Scissors
• Thimbles
• Threads

2) How to take measurements

• How should I take measurements of my dog?
• Measurement tables

3) What you need to know about fabrics

• The width of the fabrics
• The fall of fabrics
• Edges, thread and counter thread
• What is a bias
• Right against right
• How to cut velvet

4) Stitches
• Sewing by hand, how to start if you are a beginner
• Widening or loose basting
• Basting
• Backstitch
• Overcasting
• side point

• hidden point
• scapular point
• curl or gather
• Buttonhole stitch

5) Seams
• normal sewing
• Open Normal Sewing
• Double or French seam
• Tying threads in machine seams

6) D hems
• Straight
• Curved
• How to measure a hem

7) sleeves
• Types of sleeves and their patterns
• How to assemble a sleeve

8) Closings
• Cord loops
• ribbon loops
• Thread loops
• Hook Loops
• Hook and loop tape
• Metal eyelets
• Embroidered eyelets
• Toothed closures
• Velcro closure
 essential
Measuring tape
Measuring one and a half meters long and made of flexible material,
it is used both to take measurements and to transfer them when
making patterns. It is
also a good idea to have
a long ruler to draw
patterns. They are used
to draw the outline of the
pattern on the fabric.
They are sold in various
colors since the line
must stand out on the
fabric. To prevent the
line from being too thick,
it is advisable to sharpen
the edge with a knife or
the edge of scissors.

to pins
They must have a sharp tip and
always be very clean. If any are
rusty, they should be thrown away.
For delicate fabrics they sell
special very fine pins. It is
advisable to have a box with foam
(see photo) or a pad to stick them
in and be able to grip them more
easily.

to glaives
There are two types, for hand
sewing or for sewing by hand.
machine. We must
choose them carefully
depending on the type of
fabric we are going to
sew.
Hand sewing needles
are numbered from 2 to
12, with number 2 being
the thickest and number
12 being the thinnest.
There are packages of
assorted needles of
various thicknesses that are the most practical.
T he sewing machine needles are also numbered according to
thickness and are also sold in assorted packs. You will also find
special needles for elastic fabrics and leather . If our fabric is knit,
lycra or stretch velvet, for example, do not try to sew it by machine
with a normal needle. Always use a special needle.
Particular attention needs to be paid to the top of machine sewing
needles: some are completely cylindrical and others have a flat side .
You have to buy one type or another depending on our sewing
machine. Machines that use needles with a flat side cannot use
cylindrical ones and those that use cylindrical needles cannot use
needles that have a flat side.
Scissors
It is convenient to have
two scissors: large ones
to cut the fabric and
smaller ones to cut
buttonholes, threads and
work on the garment.
Manicure scissors are
useful for removing
basting. They must
always be sharp.

D edals
Thimbles serve to protect the ring
finger of the hand that holds the
needle , since it is with that finger that
we must push the needle through the
fabric. They are sold in various sizes
and materials. Although at first the
thimble is more of a nuisance than a
help, it is advisable to get used to using
it, since otherwise you will end up with
a very damaged ring finger.

Threads
Basting thread is
essential.
Made of cotton, it is sold
in different colors and is
easy to remove once the
garment is sewn.
Sewing thread is sold in
spools of different sizes.
For fine garments, silk
thread is usually used and
twine thread is used to
embroider buttonholes.
You must always buy good quality threads to prevent the garment
from coming apart with use when the thread breaks.
 How to take measurements

HOW should I take my dog's measurements ?

To find out what your pet's size is, you only need a measuring tape
and follow the following steps:

1º Take the measurement of the neck, going around its contour, with
one finger's clearance.
2º Take the measurement of the stomach, going around the entire
contour of it, leaving one finger of slack. Remember that it is
stomach and not thorax.
3º Take the measurement of the spine, measuring from the end of
the neck to the beginning of the tail, as shown in the drawing. It must
be taken into account that the spine measurement is complete,
looking at the table it is likely that the garment is short between 3 to 5
centimeters.

Having our pet's measurements we can decide which size is most

appropriate for him or her. The size can vary according to the client's
taste, if they prefer the garment to be looser or tighter. Some
measurements may not match the size chart, as all pets have
different dimensions and volumes.
Make sure you take the measurements correctly, otherwise the size
will probably not be correct.

NECK CONTOUR STOMACH LOIN APPROX

SIZES
CONTOUR LENGTH WEIGHT
Baby 15 - 17cm 22 - 24cm 15 - 17cm
Less than 1kg.
0.0 18 - 20cm 23 - 25cm 22 - 24cm 1.0 - 1.5kg.
0 23 - 25cm 30 - 32cm 26 - 29cm 2.0 - 2.5kg.
1 28 - 30cm 37 - 40cm 30 - 33cm 2.0 - 3.0kg.
2 31 - 33cm 41 - 43cm 34 - 37cm 3.0 - 4.0 kg.
3 37 - 39cm 47 - 49cm 38 - 41cm 4.0 - 6.0kg.
4 40 - 42cm 53 - 56cm 42 - 45cm 7.0 - 9.0 kg.
5 41 - 43cm 58 - 60cm 46 - 50cm 10 - 13 kg.
6 55 - 58cm 72 - 75cm 57 - 60cm 20 - 30 kg.
7 57 - 60cm 78 - 81cm 68 - 71cm 32 - 40 kg.

3) What you need to know

of the fabrics
The width of the fabrics
T he fabrics that we can normally find in stores usually have different
width measurements, which are usually standardized.
Simple fabrics measure about 80 or 90 centimeters from side to
side.
There are fabrics that measure twice as long as the previous ones,
which is why they are called "DOUBLE WIDTH". They usually
measure 1.50 m or 1.60 m.
C urtain or upholstery fabrics have a special width, which varies
depending on the piece. In curtains the most common is 2.80 m.
Depending on
the garment to be
cut, the fabric must
have a width or
another that I will try
to indicate.

The fall of fabrics

T he fabrics are not
all the same, some
are stiff like jeans
and others drain like
water. A fabric with good drape is ductile and drapes smoothly. A stiff
fabric will form wrinkles and bunch up poorly.
T his quality is very important: capes, dresses, shirts and
voluminous garments must be made of fabrics with good drape so
that they feel good. The roosts, straps, bows and shoes are made
with more rigid fabrics.
If in doubt, the best solution is to ask the seller, who is the one who
understands fabrics. He will advise us perfectly on the type of fabric
we need.

Or curls, thread and counterthread

It is important to know the sewing terms if you want to understand
the instructions. Knowing what the selvage is or how to place a
pattern "on the bias" can be essential.
A piece of fabric is the entire roll. If we stretch the fabric from the
beginning, the factory finished edges are the EDGES.
A fabric is made up of threads that intersect. To know what the
address of the THREAD is, it is enough to know what the address of
the
selv
 edges (in the drawing, the green vertical threads).
The "Against thread" direction is the one marked by the orange
strands and is perpendicular to the thread.
T he red arrow indicates the "BIA" direction. This is a very important
direction that you should pay attention to. Cutting a garment "on the
bias" means that you place the pattern diagonally to the selvedge,
rather than parallel.
What is a bias?
" A bias" is a strip of fabric
used to finish collars, armholes
and any other curved part of
the garment.
This strip of fabric, about 4
centimeters wide, is cut
following the "bias" direction
(hence its name).
When sewing the strip in a
curve, it gives slightly and
stretches to fit. This way it doesn't form wrinkles. Let's now see how
to cut a bias bias and how to sew it:
Sometimes we need a very long bias but the
fabric does not allow it. In this case we will have
to cut several diagonal strips of the same width
and parallel. Then we must splice them.
To do this, we must face the strips on the front
of the fabric and sew them half a centimeter
from the edge (see drawing). Then we will
carefully open the seam with the iron
and we have the bias ready to sew. It
is possible that we do not have fabric
to make a bias bias even if it is
in pieces or that we prefer to buy it
already made. They sell bias bindings
in many colors in cotton (matte) and
satin (shiny) at a very good price.
price and of different widths, which can be used perfectly to finish a
garment without being seen or to make a decorative trim.

Right and wrong In many explanations for cutting any piece, you
will find the expression:
"place the pattern on the
double fabric, right side
against right side."
It is something that has its
logic. Generally the
patterns are cut in half: half front, half back, half skirt... The sleeves
come complete, but we only have one pattern and we have four
arms. Since you have to cut the other half of the piece exactly the
same, it is easier to place the double fabric and cut both at the same
time (this way we ensure equality) than to cut one by one.
Whenever we are going to cut a piece, we must place the fabric on
the wrong side, so that when drawing the pattern with the marking
soap, the marks are not visible later. If the fabric must be doubled,
the two right sides will "face" each other. "Facing" is a term that
means to place the two equal faces of a piece against each other.
Once the pattern has been cut and without separating the fabrics, we
will pass some extensions along the line that we have drawn
according to the pattern.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell which is right from a fabric with the
naked eye. Sometimes it is a simple matter of taste (both sides can
serve the same). A little trick is to look at the tiny holes on the edges.
On the one hand, the fabric will be smooth and will not be noticeable
to the touch, but on the other, the holes will feel rough. That side is
the right.
You have to pay attention to this detail since it is very important.
Although both sides appear the same, the shine can change slightly
and this is very noticeable when the garment is finished. For greater
security, mark one of the sides with a line, which will indicate the
reverse.
Backhand versus backhand is the exact opposite: placing the back of
the fabrics against each other.
H ow to cut velvet
Velvet is a fabric that many of us like for
our dogs because it is
 very fine and delicate, but for it to look good you have to take
special precautions.
If we look closely at the velvet, we will see that it is made up of very
fine threads woven together, but that they are not completely vertical,
but slightly inclined.
If we pass the hand
for the garment, in the sense
of the hair, we will see that it is soft and on the contrary, the hair
offers resistance.
The correct address is easy to find out. Caress the fabric in the
direction of the thread. From top to bottom it should be smooth.
This would not be of much importance if it were not for the fact that
the brightness
It is determined by the
direction of the velvet. If
two pieces of the same
velvet are placed together,
but one with the pile in the
correct direction and the
another inverted (with soft
hair from bottom to top) will observe that the
shine is completely different, since when one
piece shines the other does not. To avoid
confusion, it is advisable to paint some arrows
with marking soap on the back of the fabric, in
the direction of the pile. This way, when we
have to cut the pieces of our work, we will
always know where the "up" is and where the
"bottom" is.

4 ) Stitches
Sewing by hand, how to start if you are new
If it is the first time that you dare to sew something, possibly
 The simplest things will turn out to be a nightmare for you. Here you
have some of the most frequently asked questions explained.
If we are going to
sew a seam by
hand, it is
important to use
the correct stitch
and make sure
that the seam is
strong both at the
beginning and at
the end.
The first thing
we must do is
choose a suitable
needle:
• If the fabric is
thick (such as coat wool), the needle should be strong and a little
large , so that you can grip it well when sewing.
• If the fabric is very thin (such as chiffon or silk), the needle must be
small and very fine , so that it does not leave a hole.
• The needles, whether thick or thin, must be perfectly sharp . If you
have blunt or rusty needles, throw them away, they can ruin your
fabric.
The next step is to choose the
THREAD:
• It must be of good quality ,
purchased from a place with
guarantees. The threads from $1
stores are usually quite bad and
after a few washes they break at
the seams that support pressure
(I know this from experience). If
you don't want to be sewing your
suit, buy a good thread, even if it
is more expensive.
• It should be thread for sewing , not for embroidering buttonholes.
Make sure you buy the correct one.
• The thread must be the color of the fabric. The best way to get it
right is to cut a small piece of fabric (2 cm square) and
• Compare the color in the store.
• If the exact color is not available, it is better to buy a similar one
but slightly darker than the fabric. It will be less visible than if it is
lighter than the fabric.

The THIMBLE , that great unknown .

The thimble serves to protect the middle finger of the
hand with which we sew, since we push the needle
with it. They are sold in different sizes, so choose the
one that suits you and get used to using it. Although
at first it is a nuisance, we will soon see that it
protects our fingers and we will not know how to sew without it.
Now that we have the necessary material, we are going to
THREAD THE NEEDLE:
Cut the tip of the thread beveled with the help of scissors and
moisten it with your mouth. Place the needle at eye level, close one
eye, concentrate and with a quick gesture and without thinking, pass
the thread through the eye of the needle.
If after several attempts you have not succeeded, buy a
"threader" at the haberdashery and have them explain
how to use it. It will be of great help to you.

THE KNOT
To prevent the thread from coming out when
sewing, you have to tie a strong knot at the end
of the thread (Yes, I know it seems silly to
explain it, but several people have asked me to
do so).
The easiest way is to wrap the thread around
your index finger, holding one end between your
index finger and thumb.
Then you just have to slide your index finger
over your thumb, winding the thread around itself. This forms a roll
and stretch the roll until you make a knot. Now you are ready to start
sewing by hand. If you have never done it, it is advisable that you do
a little practice first.
Buy a meter of white canvas (it's a cheap fabric) and spend a few
moments practicing the different stitches before you start making the
baby's clothes.
I wish you good luck (and don't hurt yourself too much :D).

Stitches
Here you will find some small explanations about the most used
stitches in the making of any garment, which will be very useful. It is
advisable to practice beforehand on a piece of fabric that is not
useful. The piece of thread you use should not be excessively long to
avoid tangling.
Widening or loose basting When we draw the pattern on the
double fabric with a marking soap, we find that we only have the
exact drawing of the pattern on one
of the sides. To indicate the exact
shape in the other three we will use
this point. We will use cotton
basting thread in a contrasting color
that looks good.
The stitches should not be very
large and every two stitches, the
thread should be left loose as the
drawing appears.
When the thread runs out, it is
finished off by giving several stitches
in the same place.
Once we have passed the
extensions along all the lines of the pattern (tweezers included), we
separate the two fabrics by stretching the threads and carefully
cutting them in half. In this way we have the outline of the pattern
marked with threads on both fabrics and on all sides. :)

Hilvan
Once the pieces have been cut,
they must be provisionally joined
together to be able to try on the
garment and make the appropriate
corrections. This point should not
measure more than one centimeter
and the points should be regular.
The thread should be taut but not pull on the fabric.
A special cotton thread called "basting" thread, sold in any
haberdashery, is usually used, generally in a different color.
that contrasts with the fabric to appreciate it well.

P spout
It is the point that is usually used to
make seams. The normal thing is to do
it by machine, faster and more perfect.
But if you don't have a sewing
machine, this is the way to sew a
seam. Is sewed
from right to left. The needle is inserted at the end of the previous
stitch and pulled out a little further forward. The dots should be small
and regular.

S overcast
This stitch is used to prevent the seams
from fraying. The dots should be small
and equal to each other and about 5
millimeters apart.

Side point
It is the stitch used in hems. A fold
is made along the edge of the fabric
as it appears in the drawing, and a
stitch is taken on the fabric (just a
small thread, so that it is not
noticeable on the right side) and a
little more on the edge of the fold.
The stitches should be small. To make it stronger, stitch several
stitches together on the fold every 10 centimeters.

hidden point
This stitch is similar to the side
stitch but with one difference:
instead of making a fold on the edge
of the fabric, lift it up a little, so that
the stitch is
hidden. You must first take a
 a thread from the fabric and then a thread from the hem, so that the
stitches are barely noticeable.
The edge of the hem must be overstitched in advance.

Scapular point
This stitch is used to sew hems on
thick fabrics. The hem is not folded
so that it is not too bulky. The
stitches should be small and should
not be seen on the right side of the
fabric. With this stitch it is not
necessary to previously overcast the
edge.

Curl or gather (Hemstitch)

The needle is threaded and a
knot is tied at the end of the
thread, which must be the
same length as the piece to be
crimped. Pushing with the
thimble, the needle is inserted
into the fabric and the point is pulled out to about two millimeters.
The needle must pick up several stitches at the same time, small and
very equal.
When you reach the end, remove the needle and tie a knot in the
thread. The thread is stretched delicately so that the fabric gathers
(small folds are formed) to the desired measurement. To hold the
thread, stick a pin in and wrap the excess thread in a figure 8 around
the pin.
Distribute the folds evenly throughout the gathering, taking care
not to break the thread. If the fabric is very thick or heavy, it is
advisable to pass two gathers, separated by half a centimeter, and
then pull both threads at the same time.
Gathering can also be transferred to the machine, setting the
maximum stitch size and loosening the thread tension a little.

Buttonhole stitch
It is the stitch used to make buttonholes. It is advisable to use
special twine thread for buttonholes or double thread, this way the
stitches will be thicker and it will look better.
C wash the needle at the bottom of the buttonhole and
remove
on. Stickitthe
through
needle under again.

Before stretching the thread, pass the needle under the

loop that has formed and gently pull the thread upwards.

Normal sewing
Once the two fabrics are facing each other, a basting thread is
passed where the seam has to go and
the stitching is done by hand or by
machine using the basting thread as a
guide.
W hen it is sewn, the threads must be
tied and the basting carefully
removed.

Open normal sewing

The next step is to open the seams with the iron so that they lie flat
and do not form lumps. Iron the open seam on the wrong side by
placing a damp (never wet) cotton cloth on top. Velvet and corduroy
are not ironed, but the seams must be opened by pressing with your
finger.

French sewing
If the inside of any seam is going to be visible, such as the central
part of the hoods or the inside of the large elven sleeves, it is
advisable to line the garment.
How that is not always possible,
, . first stitch
you have to try to sew
remains as discreet as possible and this and---------------------- It is
the best system.
Q
A loe*lino V _ Right 1
The two fabrics are placed one on top
N\
another, purl against purl and a stitch is passed near the edge of the
fabric.
The two fabrics are turned over, so that the right side is on the
inside and a second stitch is done. second stitch
on the wrong side, near the edge that forms the first seam.
EITHER: / reverse /i \
If the fabric supports it, it is preferable
iron the seam before
second stitching to facilitate
job. If it cannot be ironed, such as velvet, baste the seam before
stitching the second stitch.
With the iron you should leave the seam flat, taking care not to burn
the fabric.
Remember that you have to tie the end threads.
To tack threads in machine seams
Sewing machines use two threads to make a
sewing: the thread spool and the bobbin. When we sew a seam we
are left with two threads at each end of the seam that must be tied
tightly together to prevent the seam from coming undone.
If the threads are on the edge
of the fabric, there is no
problem: it will be enough to
knot the two threads together
three or four times tightly and
cut what is left over (being
careful not to cut the knot).
If the seam ends far from the
edge, we will have one thread
at the top and another at the
bottom. To tie them, we will
gently pull one of the threads until the other appears in the shape of
a bow. With the tip of a pin we will pull that
loop until the thread is removed.
6) D hems
D straight hems
To make the hems and edges of the garments, they must first be
folded to the exact size, and that can be a serious problem,
especially when the edge of the fabric has to be tucked in so that it is
hidden.
The best system is to help us with
the iron if the fabric allows it (velvet
and corduroy are never ironed). To
do this, we place the edge of the
fabric on the ironing table and iron a
small fold of less than a centimeter
into the garment, so that the mark is
noticeable.
Once the entire contour has been ironed, another slightly larger fold
is made (2 or 3 centimeters) to hide the edge of the fabric. We will
hold it with pins as we iron.
We now have the hem ready to
baste and sew with a side stitch or
backstitch.
If what we are preparing is a view,
the second fold should be wider,
about 6 or 7 centimeters, so that
when the garment is opened it looks
more beautiful.
Be careful with the temperature of the iron. there are fabrics
synthetics that melt if it is too hot. Always do
 a test on a piece of cloth that doesn't work.
If the fabric is stubborn and the fold mark does not remain, put a
damp cotton cloth between the iron and the fabric. That helps it
stand out.

D curved hems
Some garments, such as capes and bias skirts, have the hem cut
in a curve, and must be sewn differently.
T he first thing to do is trim the
bottom carefully, eliminating all the
threads and steps it has. It should
result in a smooth curve without
teeth (cut leaving a hem of about
two centimeters). Then, overcast
with a few small stitches, always
using thread that matches the color of the fabric.
The correct system for sewing a curved hem is this: Baste the
hem one centimeter from the edge
to the appropriate size and pass a
gather along the edge and make a
very small gather. The garment is
carefully basted and ironed by
placing a damp cloth between the
fabric and the iron. This way the
steam will shrink the fabric and
the pucker will disappear.
If the fabric is thin, it is sewn with a hidden stitch. if it is thick, with a
scapular point.
W hen the garment is not lined but the hem will be visible, as in
capes, you can hang a bias tape over the overstitched edge, so that
when it is opened it looks more beautiful.
Great , this was the right way. Now let's see the faster system.
With the iron, make a
Test it on a piece of fabric that is
not suitable, to check the
temperature and if the fabric can
be ironed (velvet does not shrink).
If it can be ironed, make a very
small fold in the fabric (about half
a centimeter) and iron the entire
hem. There will be some wrinkles
on the fold, but since there is a
rush.........................................
Fold the hem back on itself,
making sure it is as small and
even as possible and iron it
again, then securing it with pins.
There should be no humps or
anything similar.
Baste the hem and sew it by hand or by machine. remove the
basting and iron again.
This system does not work for velvet, fabrics that cannot be ironed,
or thick fabrics.

How to measure a hem

T here is nothing uglier than a garment with an uneven hem;
But when it comes to garments with a lot of flow and that also have a
train, it is not easy to hold the hem correctly. This is a simple system
that will be very useful to you. Before taking the hem measurement,
the dress or jumpsuit must be completely fitted
and finished. It is advisable to iron the garment
and open the seams with the iron to stretch them
well. The happy pet owner of the garment puts
it on, we put it on a chair and some kind soul
holds the hem in front with many pins to the
appropriate size (brushing the tips of the feet,
but without reaching the floor) and in decrease
until the side seam, where it has to reach the
floor (or the seat of the chair ;).
It is not necessary to take the entire hem, half is enough, starting
from a central point to the side seam.
T he pins should be placed vertically (with the ball facing up).

7) sleeves
How to assemble a sleeve
Once the pattern has been cut, we must test how it
looks. The parts of the pattern are put together, glued
together and we insert the arm into it. Is it too short or too
long? Do we like the shape it has or would any other
model look better?
Any modification to the sleeve design must be made
now, in the pattern.
You will have to consider that the width of the fabric will
determine the length of the sleeve in some models. If the
double-width fabric usually measures 1.50 m from side to side, our
sleeve can measure, at most, about 75 cm long. If you want them
longer, you should use curtain fabric, which is wider, or make the
sleeves in two pieces, or choose another model.

Sleeve cutting
The pattern is placed on the double fabric, right side over right side.
The center line of the pattern should be parallel to the edge of the
fabric. This is very important, because if the sleeve is cut crooked,
very ugly wrinkles will form later.
When it is well placed, the pattern is
pinned and with a marking soap the
outline is drawn and cut, leaving a
centimeter and a half around it for sewing
(a little more if the fabric is very thin and
frays easily ). At the bottom, leave 5 or 6
centimeters for the sleeve hem. Now that we have cut the sleeves
and without removing the pattern yet, pinch
the fabric where the notch is, and cut a small
triangle in the seam, making a mark that will
represent the notch of the pattern. Pickets
are essential, don't forget about them.
As the upper part of the sleeve is usually
Join a with a' and b with b' with pins and baste the
sleeve on the wrong side. Then turn it right side out.

larger than the armhole, we must pass two gathers, parallel and
separated by half a centimeter from point R to point R', to adjust the
upper part of the sleeve to the size of the armhole. The curl should
be small and evenly distributed.
Let 's place the right sleeve first. To do this, the body of the garment
must be tried on, fitted, machine sewn and ironed with the seams
open.
Take the garment and turn it inside out (with the seams facing out).
The sleeve, right side, is placed inside and the upper part of the
sleeve is removed through the hole in the armhole, as it appears in
the drawing. If it is not clear, take a shirt or dress, turn it inside out
and tuck the sleeve in to understand how the sleeve should be
placed.
The sleeve is pinned at the top and
below (green dots) like this: Above, the upper center notch of the
sleeve, which marks the center, is attached to the shoulder seam.
Below, the sleeve seam against the side seam) The pins are placed
about a centimeter from the edge we have stopped sewing.
Now , place the notch of the sleeve against the notch of the dress
and fasten it with pins that will be
placed perpendicular to the edge.
The curl is distributed with the help
of a pin and more pins are placed,
spaced about two centimeters
apart.
The curl should not be noticeable,
since its objective was to adjust the
sleeve to the armhole. Although it costs a lot, there is no choice but
to distribute the curl and notlet it get noticed. To have an example
of how
i t S~.
the sleeve must remain, take a shirt or
-p , a jacket and
look carefully as
K the sleeves are
on.
III • v
I guess at this point the vests
M
have started to become a good Illi D~ idea... Do not despair.
Slowly and calmly, the result will be worth it.
Once the sleeve is pinned, it is quickly basted one centimeter from
the edge. Start from the shoulder seam forward to the side seam.
And then, another baste from the shoulder at the back to the side
seam. That way you won't have to take apart the entire sleeve if one
side looks bad.
If the gathering of the sleeve makes folds when basting, distribute
them a little by flattening them with your finger (if my dressmaking
teacher read this, she would definitely have a heart attack XD).
Once the sleeve is assembled, you should try the garment on your
chest. Here
You have a list of small defects and how to correct them:
• The sleeve is fallen over the leg:. Place a pin in the correct place
on the shoulder seam as a mark and reassemble the sleeve from
that mark.
• The sleeve fits inside the shoulder: mount it a little more outwards.
• The armhole is very small and the sleeve is tight in the armpit: cut
the armhole a little at the bottom and reassemble.
• You can't hide the curl on top. Say you did it on purpose and start
a new trend.
• The sleeve pulls at the bottom in a strange way when she lifts her
paws, like she's small or something. Cut a small diamond-shaped
piece and place it between the armhole and the sleeve, as shown in
the drawing. The rhombus should be small and should not be visible
when your arm is lowered.

8) Closures
Cord loops
A loop is a semicircle made of thread, cord, or ribbon sewn to fabric
through which a cord can be passed or a button fastened.
button. Let's see how the different clips are made:
And I use a cord that here, in Córdoba, is called "mouse tail." It is
cylindrical and thin. It is sold in many colors and is cheap.

You have to form "waves" with the cord and sew them with
small, strong stitches to the edge of the fabric without them
being visible from the right side. For this, on the edge we
will have previously made a view and we will sew the cord
only to the inner layer of the view.
The clips should be the same size and placed at regular
intervals. With a marking soap and a meter stick, make
small marks on the fabric indicating where the loops should
go and what size they should be. If the clips are visible, try
to make them all appear the same.
We must make sure that they are large enough to easily pass the
chosen cord or the buttons that we want to fasten.
If they are for lacing the garment, the loops may be
visible or may be hidden under the fabric. If they are
for fastening buttons, they must be visible.
In haberdashery stores they sell clips already made
into strips, white or black.
You have to be careful with them, since they are
designed to fasten buttons and so that all the loops
can withstand the same pressure.

If they are used to lace up a dress, using one of

each x loop, those that we do not use will fall apart
when the cord is stretched.

Tape loops
In this case, to make the loops we will use a piece
of thin tape folded over itself and sewn tightly to the
fabric.
As before, we must sew the loops on the inside to the inside of the
view and they must be long enough to pass the tape through them.
I do recommend that these clips be visible,
but they must be of regular size, so they must
be done carefully.
Thread loops
If you only need one or two loops to fasten
some buttons, sometimes it is more
convenient to make them out of thread. It is a
good idea to practice a little before making
them on the garment.
On the edge of the garment, already
conveniently finished with a hem or view,
we will make a loop with several loops of
thread. The loop should be large enough
to fasten the button but not so that it
comes off.

Bracket loops
A quick way to make clips for
To lace up a garment is to use the female part of
the hooks.
You must carefully mark where they should go
and sew them only through the small rings,
leaving the body free to pass the cord. You have
to be careful that neither the stitches nor the
brackets are visible on the right side.

Hook and loop tape

If you are in a hurry or have a garment that is
very delicate, the eyelet tape can be a good
solution to lace it up. They are actually two tapes:
one has the male parts of the brackets sewn on
and the other the female parts, which are small
square-shaped metal clips.
You only have to make a view at the edge of the
garment and sew the ribbon without the loops
being visible.
Its drawback is that the tape is somewhat
expensive and the metal loops are small, so we
will have to use a thin cord.
Or metal pulls
We have all seen them in sneakers or military boots. Eyelets are
small metal pieces that are placed on the fabric
using a special device sold in hardware stores. This
device usually comes with a bag with eyelets of
various colors: silver, gold, copper, white, black, red
To place them, the fabric must be resistant and
reinforced with interlining or the buttonholes will tear
it.
We must very carefully mark the exact place and
the distance between them because if we make a
mistake there is no possible solution.
If you want to achieve a more realistic effect, instead of placing
metal buttonholes, embroider the hole using buttonhole stitch. It's a
little more laborious but it looks much better.

Toothed closures
In almost all of our courses we need to place closures
for bags, blankets, clothes, etc.
First we place the closed closure over the place where
it will go. Let's remember that there has to be an opening in the
fabric or at least it is the union between
two pieces of fabric. Always keep in mind
that the seam will be done on the opposite
side to the view. We will baste around the
closure to attach it to the fabric. And we
will proceed to sew everything around.
Then we will turn the fabric over and have
our closure placed.
Velcro closures
In many cases it is not possible for us to put closures or eyelets or metal
locks since they can be harmful to our baby's health.
In these cases a sailboat is used. Velcro is a very quick opening and
closing system. It has microscopic plastic hooks on one side and many
tangled fibers on the other side.

The sailboat is extremely easy to place. You

just

have to place it centered on the fabric,

baste and then sew around it. It can also be
glued with special fabric glue and in this way
it becomes an invisible closure.