Official Japanese Sewalong

[Iminei]

Can we have a "Voyeur" banner for the sewalongs please.

hahahahhahaha Love it!!!!!

Yes, Fran Can we??? Or explain to me (in ways a two year old would understand) how and I will!
Fran is terribly busy, you know, works all hours!

Lizzie.....
the rules for the sewalong are (in brief)

You must post 5 times in this thread,
You can show your progress if you want but don't have to,
You do have to take pics of the uncut fabric, halfway though construction and the finished article (at the bare minimum)

At the end send the pics to Fran via whatever media you use...

I use picasa (aka Google photos)

You do not need to send the finished article to anyone (unless I fancy it then you may need to send the finished article to me for further inspection and testing)

[Lizzielogs]

Can we have a "Voyeur" banner for the sewalongs please.

hahahahhahaha Love it!!!!!

Yes, Fran Can we??? Or explain to me (in ways a two year old would understand) how and I will!
Fran is terribly busy, you know, works all hours!

Lizzie.....


I use picasa (aka Google photos)

You do not need to send the finished article to anyone (unless I fancy it then you may need to send the finished article to me for further inspection and testing)

Thank you, I've just seen an 'email' button so I'll mail them to her.

[Iminei]

Progress pics ladies......

https://goo.gl/photos/gmR3qo7eTDfnfDDH7

Bit worried about setting the sleeves in and how to finish the seams but Que Sera sera ...
Here's a taster if you don't want to divert from TSP ...




Any clues on neat shoulder seams and how to insert the sleeves ???

Please remember that I don't sew garments so please keep technical terms to a minimum!

[Lizzielogs]

I have found this email address, am hoping it's the right one for the entries
sewalongs@thesewingplace.org.uk
Only putting it on here so I can find it if I ever get this bag finished 

[Ploshkin]

Iminei, how can you doubt your ability to sew garments when you can produce a welt pocket like that?
If it's to be reversible then I can only think of a flat fell seam so there are no visible raw edges.

[Lilian]

Imi, that's fabulous, I thought you said you can't sew garments!  I haven't made anything as involved as that for over forty years!  I only sew simple things now because that's what I like to wear.

Well done!   

[Lowena]

She keeps very quiet about the fact that she was / is an ace waistcoat maker  Your work here proves you never lose the art Imi 

[Iminei]

Waistcoats dont have sleeves, Low!!

Flat fell seam ??? I know that's what jeans have but how???

I have French seamed the shoulders and then sewn them down, would that be the same ???
It looks quite neat ...




https://goo.gl/photos/gmR3qo7eTDfnfDDH7


... this is the 'wrong' side .

I have done that with the back and bust darts too ... and plan on doing that with the side seams.
My BIG worry is setting the sleeves in

Q; When I made Imself's djellaba's (which ironically was when I first started with the old forum), I think I remember sewing the side seams and the sleeves at the same time.

If you can imagine it; joining front and back at the shoulders and adding the open sleeves to the armholes and then going from cuff up the sleeve and down the sides ...

Would that be a way to do it do you think???

[Hachi]

Flat felled seams are usually used for men's shirts at the side seams and the armhole seams (as well as jeans as you mentioned).

1. Sew at the seam line right sides together.
2. Trim one of the seam allowance narrower.
3. Wrap the wider seam allowance over the narrower seam allowance and top stitch it down.


Flat felled seam will be less bulky than stitched-down french seam. (one layer less)
If the sleeve head is not too high, you can totally put in the sleeves flat (sew the shoulder seams of the bodice, then attach the sleeves "flat", then sew one continuous seam from cuff to hem) instead of setting in (shoulder and side seam sewn, sew the under arm seam of the sleeve, then sew the sleeves in "round").

If you can put the sleeves in flat, then it's easier to flat fell the side & underarm seams too.

[Jo]

Imi, the biggest difference would be that a flat felled seam is on the outside and the french on the inside. Flat felled seams are also less bulky. Here's how you can make them.
What you are talking about regarding the sleeves is sewing "in the flat" instead of the traditional "in the round" where you sew the sleeve after you sew the side seams. It works for sleeves with a lower cap and/or that don't have a lot of ease or for stretch fabrics. If they have a lot of ease you get a better result if you sew them in the round.
Edit: Hachi beat me to it with a great explanation I'll just leave this here tho, in case anyone needs to see pictures of how it's done.

[Hachi]

Jo,
Hooray for our synchronized brain 

[Iminei]

Thank you Girls....

I wish I had known that before FS'ing them as the FS's do have a bit of bulk to them, on the wrong (red) sides,  but hey ho!
the stitches are too tiny (and the fabric, which incidentally sews like butter, glorious !!!) does fray quite a bit so I'm not unpicking and redoing! Might try that with the sides seams tho'!

Do you think, considering the pattern I'm making, I can put the sleeves in flat ???
The destructions want me to set  them in already sewn.

[Jo]

If it were me, I'd give it a try The foolproof version: measure armscyes and sleeve cap, see how much of a difference there is -> that's ease. If it's a little, go for flat. If a lot...well, you know your easing and sewing skills
The lazy version: just baste them together. If it sews nicely and there ar no puckers you're good to go.
Edit: forgot to add: always sew with the longer side facing the feed dogs, they help with easing.

[BrendaP]

Flat fell seam ??? I know that's what jeans have but how???

I have French seamed the shoulders and then sewn them down, would that be the same ???
It looks quite neat ...

French seams stitched down would be a bit bulkier than a flat fell seam.
https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/05/seam-series-how-to-sew-a-flat-fell-seam/
is photographic instructions for sewing a flat fell seam.

It's a bit tricky getting all the way along a sleeve seam on the second pass - you will probably have to do it in two halves.

As for attaching the sleeves; traditional way for most garments is shoulder and side seams, then sleeve seam and then set the sleeve into the hole.  Shirt method is shoulder seams, then top of sleeve into open armhole, then side seam and sleeve seam on one pass.  In reality you can do either method for almost any garment though the more fitted it is the better it will sit if you use the first (set-in) method.

[Iminei]

measure armscyes and sleeve cap,  ????!!!  Yer whaterme what ???

always sew with the longer side facing the feed dogs, they help with easing.

Thx I didn't know that ...

you will probably have to do it in two halves. ???!!! 

So with the pattern I'm making which would be the best method ???