Sew What Community Sewing Group September Project: Bias-Wrapped Jacket

Two days ago, our sewing group met for the September class to start a jacket project, "Bias-Wrapped Jacket," which is also called a "Fat Quarter Jacket."   With seven in attendance, and eventually three husbands stopping in to see what we do, we had a very good class!

This Bias-Wrapped Jacket is made in 100% cotton fabrics, with horse and horseshoe motifs and a plaid that color-coordinates with the prints.  I usually wear this jacket around Kentucky Derby time.  (I guess you know that since I live in Kentucky, we have a lot of Derby activities going on from Mid-April up to race day on the 1st Saturday of May!)

These jackets are so comfortable and easy to make, without much fitting necessary.  I have made several out of different types of fabrics, so they are truly versatile!

On this Derby jacket, bias binding was used for all of the edge finishes.  The plaid was used for the front/neck bindings and a wider bias band was used for the lower edge and cuffs.  I just realized the cuffs don't show up very well in this photo, but they are cut wide enough so they can be turned up on themselves.  Because they are cut on the bias, they turn nicely.

This Bias-Wrapped Jacket is made from rayon fabrics, which drapes so pretty.  I put a serger edge all around, using my Babylock self-threading serger.  It is a dream, by the way!

The stitch is called the Wave Stitch.  Two colors, black & white, were used on the front/neck edges and red/white were used on the lower and sleeve edges.  That makes the edges look like they have a separate trim sewn on.  The thread is a 40-weight rayon and seems to be holding up very well, even with all the wear I'm giving it.

This one is also very comfortable to wear and is easy-care.  I just wash it on gentle in cold water and hang to dry, which is how I wash most of our clothes.  I rarely use our dryer!  Maybe only two - three times a year.

This jacket is made from a suede-finished, hand-dyed, 100% cotton.  From a distance it looks like real suede cloth.  I put serger crochet on all the edges to finish it, using 12-weight cotton variegated thread.  The ruffle effect is quite nice, I think.  I do have to be a little cautious when wearing this jacket because of the loopy crochet edging, as it sometimes gets snagged.  But, when I take it off, the snags are easily pulled through with a tool called a "knit fixer," so I don't let that stop me from wearing it.

With all the muted colors, this jacket can be worn with many different outfits, so it's also very versatile.

This Bias-Wrapped Jacket is my favorite, but is the most delicate!  It's made of a lacy knit fabric that I just had to have when I first saw it, but had no idea what I'd do with it.  (Maybe you can relate to that?!)

Again, I put serger crochet on all the edges, but with this one the crochet edging is wider.  I believe it's eleven rows wide.  If you look closely at the bottom of the jacket, you'll see threads hanging down.  Well, that's where the ruffle snagged while wearing.  I really, really have to be careful when I wear this one!  But, it's good for dressy occasions and goes with almost everything in my color palette.

The flower is from Hope Yoder's Layered Flower In-The-Hoop design made from 100% cotton fabrics.  The center is an embroidered, covered button (flatback) from Hope's Borders and Frames design for her Button-Ups system.  I just glued it onto the fabric and then sewed a pinback onto the back side so I can switch it around to other garments.

I have also made two of these jackets for my mother out of upholstery fabric.  I don't have photos of them, but will take some and add them to a later post.  She loves wearing both of them and gets lots of compliments on both.  She says they really are warm.  We haven't tried to wash either of them, yet; but I'm going to try washing one of them, after washing some scraps and having success.  The other one has drapery trim on all the edges, so it will definitely have to be dry-cleaned.

All of these jackets were made on my serger, with some of the trims/bias bindings sewn on with a sewing machine.  There really is no reason this jacket cannot be made on a conventional sewing machine, so that's the way I taught it at our Sew What group this month.  When we have some more finished jackets, hopefully next month, I'll post photos of them.  This project is one of the more challenging projects we've worked on in our monthly group, so I'm hoping those who are making it are having success!

Fearless Serger Sewing

With a few simple lessons, you can "fear serging less!" You don’t have to give up creativity. With a serger, you can become more creative.

When I began my serger experience in 1988, I was determined to learn the machine. I was fascinated with how the loopers worked in tandem with each other and how the needle(s) interacted with the loopers. I was somewhat intimidated by this new machine, but with a few classes, I became fearless, and so can you! It would be money well spent. Allow yourself to expand your abilities and skill beyond your present level.

The serger was so much fun that I made almost everything on it for the next couple of years, from lingerie and swimsuits to blue jeans. My sewing machine rarely got used – it was so neglected! I had already been using a zig-zag stitch with an overcast foot on my sewing machine to finish seams on woven fabrics – so many that I wore out three feet. So, when I learned how to use my first serger, I was in "sewing-heaven!"

Who would have thought, just a few years ago, that delicate-looking heirloom techniques could be done on the serger. Since discovering heirloom serger sewing, another world has opened up to me. I’ve found that French seams, pin tucks, joining flat or gathered lace to fabric, lace to entredeux, and lace to puffing can be a very fast way to produce a beautiful heirloom project in a fraction of the time it takes on a sewing machine. This allows a multiple-step sewing machine process to be substituted by a one-step serger process. 

With the capability of today’s sergers to gather, to stitch on beading, to make chain stitching and multiple-needle cover stitching, to add bias binding and to do shadow work, our options seem to be unlimited. Some of these stitches can be used in multiple ways as decorative stitch embellishment. And, let’s not forget the flatlock stitch - another way to embellish our projects. Crazy patch made with any combination of these stitches is yet another creative way to use our serger.

Serger crochet can add another dimension when finishing the edges on a project. I’ve used this technique on edges of unlined jackets, both with rayon and 12 weight cotton threads. Serger crochet can also be used to add a pretty and feminine edge to handkerchiefs, scarves and baby bonnets. I even saw a demonstration on doing serger smocking on a recent Martha Pullen Sewing Room program. Where will it all end?!

If you are having difficulty threading your serger, my recommendation is to take a class that teaches how to thread your particular serger, or get with a sewing buddy who may have a similar serger for help. Or, simply cut the threads above the tension dials and tie on new threads, then pull them through. Be sure to not pull the thread knot through your tension dials/discs to prevent damaging them.

One thing I did, once I learned how to thread my serger, was to practice over and over until I could almost thread it with my eyes closed. Be sure to test repeatedly anytime you re-thread your serger, or even tie on new threads, just as you would on your sewing machine. Another option is to join the Serger Club at Austin's Sewing Center or your local dealership, where you’ll be exposed to techniques that will expand your skill level. 

Of course, we will always need our wonderful sewing machines to accomplish most of our sewing tasks, but our serger can really help us make a more professional-looking project, no matter what it is. So, now that you "fear serging less," go ahead, venture into the creative serging world and explore the various possibilities. Play with your serger, experiment with its different functions, and have fun! 

Sandy Davis ©2010