Cotton Organdy Interfacing AKA Forced Staystiching
I am terribly impatient. I mean really really impatient. I was aware, in theory at least, that undertaking more complex garments would require some patience and a lot of pressing. I hate pressing and often skip it entirely or maybe just press up the bottom of a hem or something that needs understitching.
I am also quite terrible at remembering to stay stitch. I'll do it if a pattern explicitly calls for it, but otherwise I generally forget. I do understand the importance and wouldn't skip it if I remembered. I have a feeling I will not forget again, but who knows. I have a terrible memory. I also forget to eat and drink while I sew but I don't think that's related to my memory.
So when I thought about taking on more tailored garments, I knew it meant spending more time pressing. My husband already has a steam press. He likes to iron his clothes. So I've been working with that and a cheap iron that I picked up at goodwill for more detailed work.
I invested in some new pressing tools, but not yet a new iron. I want to dosome more research on that first. People are very opinionated about irons and there doesn't seem to be consensus on anything in my price range (i.e., as little as I can get away with spending/preferably under $80). I hate ironing so I don't want to spend money on an iron. I have a feeling I will get over this as soon as my goodwill iron craps out, stains my fabric, or does something else terrible. (Now taking suggestions for all the ways a cheap iron can ruin my project. Feel free to scare me into buying a new iron.) Here is my recent pressing investment:
I was moving the cutting mat and ironing on my table. I'm excited about my clapper. Okay, back to the project...
Today I pressed the interfacing, cut it out, and attached it to my main fabric. Since I am using organdy instead of a fusible interfacing, I had to stitch the interfacing to the fabric. This took a long time. A really long time. And since I didn't alter the pattern pieces to add the three inches of length on the main fabric, I used the extended pieces as pattern pieces for the interfacing.
On the Clare Coat sewalong page (here), Heather suggests that even for the fusible interfacing you put on some music and just get in the zone. Oh wait, rereading it now, she actually suggests a podcast or tv show. Well, I opted for music. I got through the whole Police Message in a Box and into Regatta de Blanc before I was done with the interfacing. (Quick aside: Message in a Box is the complete recordings with 4 discs and 78 songs that clocks in at a cool 5.25 hours).
Despite the added time, sewing the interfacing had a few unintended benefits. I used about a 1/8th inch seam allowance on them. The pattern calls for a 5/8th inch seam allowance. I figured attaching the interfacing now helps me minimize the number of pieces that I have floating around and sets in the wrong side before I can forget or make a mistake. When I sew the actual seams and they get graded, any additional bulk (i.e., these seams) will be taken out. So it's a time investment now that will likely save me some headache and potential heartache later.
Added bonus: it forced me to stay stitch everything. Now, not everything needed stay stitching, but certainly all of the curves around the neck did and they are DONE! I also remembered to test my needle to see which would be best for the project. Before I started attaching the interfacing I tested three needles: 90/14 universal, 80/12 universal, and 80/12 microtex. I honestly couldn't tell the difference; they all looked nice, so I went with the microtex. I know bigger needles are for thicker fabric, which would suggest the 90/14, but I also like that microtex needles make smaller holes. Since all of the stitches looked similar, I went for the smaller holes.
Finally, I finished. I thought about stopping and picking back up tomorrow, but I really wanted to finish. By the end, I could barely see straight. So. Much. Focus.
And yes I did run out of red organdy. I bought the red before I even decided to make the coat. I would have had enough if I hadn't lengthened the coat. I bought extra of the main fabric and lining, but didn't have the chance to buy more of the red organdy. Good thing I had some extra white lying around. I used the white on the neck piece. Now I am officially out of organdy.
Next up will be cutting out the lining. I am so looking forward to construction!
I am also quite terrible at remembering to stay stitch. I'll do it if a pattern explicitly calls for it, but otherwise I generally forget. I do understand the importance and wouldn't skip it if I remembered. I have a feeling I will not forget again, but who knows. I have a terrible memory. I also forget to eat and drink while I sew but I don't think that's related to my memory.
So when I thought about taking on more tailored garments, I knew it meant spending more time pressing. My husband already has a steam press. He likes to iron his clothes. So I've been working with that and a cheap iron that I picked up at goodwill for more detailed work.
I invested in some new pressing tools, but not yet a new iron. I want to do
I was moving the cutting mat and ironing on my table. I'm excited about my clapper. Okay, back to the project...
Today I pressed the interfacing, cut it out, and attached it to my main fabric. Since I am using organdy instead of a fusible interfacing, I had to stitch the interfacing to the fabric. This took a long time. A really long time. And since I didn't alter the pattern pieces to add the three inches of length on the main fabric, I used the extended pieces as pattern pieces for the interfacing.
On the Clare Coat sewalong page (here), Heather suggests that even for the fusible interfacing you put on some music and just get in the zone. Oh wait, rereading it now, she actually suggests a podcast or tv show. Well, I opted for music. I got through the whole Police Message in a Box and into Regatta de Blanc before I was done with the interfacing. (Quick aside: Message in a Box is the complete recordings with 4 discs and 78 songs that clocks in at a cool 5.25 hours).
Despite the added time, sewing the interfacing had a few unintended benefits. I used about a 1/8th inch seam allowance on them. The pattern calls for a 5/8th inch seam allowance. I figured attaching the interfacing now helps me minimize the number of pieces that I have floating around and sets in the wrong side before I can forget or make a mistake. When I sew the actual seams and they get graded, any additional bulk (i.e., these seams) will be taken out. So it's a time investment now that will likely save me some headache and potential heartache later.
Added bonus: it forced me to stay stitch everything. Now, not everything needed stay stitching, but certainly all of the curves around the neck did and they are DONE! I also remembered to test my needle to see which would be best for the project. Before I started attaching the interfacing I tested three needles: 90/14 universal, 80/12 universal, and 80/12 microtex. I honestly couldn't tell the difference; they all looked nice, so I went with the microtex. I know bigger needles are for thicker fabric, which would suggest the 90/14, but I also like that microtex needles make smaller holes. Since all of the stitches looked similar, I went for the smaller holes.
Finally, I finished. I thought about stopping and picking back up tomorrow, but I really wanted to finish. By the end, I could barely see straight. So. Much. Focus.
And yes I did run out of red organdy. I bought the red before I even decided to make the coat. I would have had enough if I hadn't lengthened the coat. I bought extra of the main fabric and lining, but didn't have the chance to buy more of the red organdy. Good thing I had some extra white lying around. I used the white on the neck piece. Now I am officially out of organdy.
Next up will be cutting out the lining. I am so looking forward to construction!
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