Sunday 30 December 2012

Project - Vintage Button-up Shirt

I love vintage sewing patterns and have collected them for quite some time. I use a combination of vintage and contemporary sewing patterns for many of my projects. The style details of past patterns are unique and quite often you won't be able to find these little touches in modern patterns.

I wanted to make a casual button-up shirt and found the perfect pattern in my vintage stash.

Simplicity Pattern 7912 circa 1977

The thing that drew me to it most was that the blouse had raglan sleeves instead of the typical set-in style sleeves. Raglan sleeves are quicker and easier to sew - exactly what I was looking for. 



To shorten the sewing time even further, I used snap fastener buttons (no sewing on buttons and no buttonholes!). 



This pattern will definitely be one of my staple patterns for a classic, button-front blouse from now on!

Sunday 9 December 2012

Tip - Shop Safely Online

The holiday season is already here and you know what that means - lots of shopping and lots of bargains! I love online shopping for the convenience, merchandise variety and deals you can find. Plus, you can avoid the crowds and hassle of looking for parking.




While shopping online can be fun, (and maybe a little addictive) there is also a darker element associated - online fraud. After working at several online organizations, I have seen my fair share of online crime being committed. That still hasn't deterred me from shopping online though. Many merchants are legitimate sellers, but it still pays to do your due diligence so you can avoid becoming a statistic. Here are some tips I use that you can follow:



1) Research the merchant or website
Search the internet for reviews of the merchant. Read about other customers’ experiences to see if this is a merchant you want to do business with. Do not simply check the rating scores, read any comments left in their entirety as they can offer true insight on the merchant. There are review sites you can check, as well as individual seller feedback at online marketplaces. 

2) Check the merchant’s site for contact information
A genuine merchant will take the time to provide contact information and other details about their site. Take a look at the entire site, paying attention to the “About Us” pages and others which may contain company information. Contact the merchant and ask questions about their products if you are still unsure. This will also give you a sense of their quality of service and response times.

3) Research the product
Check the manufacturer’s website or search the internet to see if the product is only sold through authorized dealers. Some manufacturers are extremely guarded with their trademarks and patents, so be careful of purchasing counterfeit and stolen goods.

4) Compare prices
Make sure you do some price comparison by checking out reputable sites for an average price. If the merchant you are looking to buy from offers the item at a very low price, this should set off some alarms. For example, if several large retail chains are unable to sell an iPhone 5 for $300, it would not make sense that a random merchant is able to. The product could be counterfeit, stolen or non-existent and you want to avoid these types of transactions.

5) Pay using your credit card or an eWallet solution
Potentially fraudulent transactions can be disputed or charged back through your credit card provider if necessary. Keep in mind that charge-backs are serious and should only be done if the transaction is actually fraudulent.

eWallet solutions like PayPal and Google Wallet also have dispute processes in place to help if any complications arise. Do not pay “off site” or through unsupported payment methods if purchasing items at an online marketplace.  A fraudulent merchant may refund your payment immediately then ask you to re-pay through a different method, or to a different account. In addition, they may ask you to pay with untraceable payments like Western Union or Moneygram, which you should avoid.


Take all these factors into account when shopping online so you can have a safe and enjoyable experience. Remember to go with your instinct and if you have any doubt, shop elsewhere. If it’s too good to be true, then it usually is.

Sunday 2 December 2012

How-to - DIY Curtain Calculations

Curtains can be costly to buy or have custom-made, especially if you want quality materials and workmanship. If you can sew a straight line and take some measurements, you can make your own at a fraction of the cost. Below you will find the steps to calculate the amount of fabric you need to sew your own curtains.

  
Measurements will be taken in inches and converted to yards or meters. The two styles of curtains typically sewn are gathered or pinch pleats.

!  There are 36 inches in one yard and ~ 39 inches in one meter.

1.      Decide on the style of curtain you wish to sew – gathered or pinch pleats
1.1.    Gathered curtains have a multiplication factor of “2”
1.2.    Pinch pleated curtains have a multiplication factor of “2.5”

2.      Measure your window frame width from wall to wall
2.1.    Add 10 inches (25cm)to the measured width
*   This will allow 5 inches (12.5cm) per side for seam finishing etc.

3.      Measure your window frame height from top to bottom
3.1.    Add 12 inches (30cm)to the measured height
*   This will allow finishes of 5 inches (12.5cm) for the header and 7 inches (17.5cm) for the hem

4.      Choose your fabric and measure the width from selvage to selvage

! Most standard fabric widths are 36, 45, and 54 or 60 inches; specialized drapery fabric can be wider.

5.      Determine if the fabric has an obvious pattern that repeats or a “nap”
*       No – Proceed to Step 6
*       Yes – Measure the length of the repeat interval (ex. The pattern repeats itself every 20 inches) and proceed to Step 6

6.      Multiply the total width measurement in Step 2.1 by the multiplication factor for your  chosen style of curtains in Step 1

7.      Take the number in Step 6 and divide it by your fabric width
1.1.    Is the number a whole number? (ex. 5 or 5.1)
*       Yes  – Proceed to Step 8
*       No  – Round the number up to the next whole number and proceed to Step 8

! The number in Step 7 will be the number of fabric panels or pieces required to cover your window from the fabric width and style chosen.

8.      Determine the total length of fabric required in inches
1.1.    For fabrics with no obvious pattern repeats or a "nap", multiply your number of fabric panels in Step 7 by the total height measurement in Step 3.1
1.2.    For fabrics with a pattern repeat or "nap", divide the total height measurement in Step 3.1 by the repeat interval measured in Step 5 (this will determine the number of pattern repeat intervals per fabric panel)
1.2.1. Is the number a whole number? (ex. 100 or 100.2)
*       Yes  – Proceed to Step 8.2
*       No  – Round the number up to the next whole number and proceed to Step 8.2
2.       Multiply the whole number by the repeat interval in Step 5
3.       Multiply your number of fabric panels in Step 7 by the number in Step 8.2

9.      Convert the total inches of fabric required for your curtain project to the appropriate measurements.
1.1.    For fabric requirements in yards, divide your number by “36”.
1.2.    For fabric requirements in meters, divide your number by “39”.

10. Round the converted number up or down for fabric purchase.