- OUR TOP TIPS - Always check the size chart to work out which size is best suited to you. Sew Over It patterns tend to have less ease than other patterns as most of the designs are intended to have a closer fit. When laying out your pieces ensure you correctly position the grainline on the pattern, parallel to the selvedge. To do this, measure from both ends of the grainline to the selvedge; these measurements need to be the same. When cutting, stand up as you will have better control. Take nice big confident snips with your scissors and if you keep the pattern paper to the left of your scissors (if you are right handed) then you will get a more accurate cut. Cut with the lower blade of the scissors in constant contact with the table for more control. For notches, you don t always need to cut the full triangle; a simple snip in the middle, up to the point of the notch will suffice. Make sure the snip is no longer than 5mm in case you need to let out the garment at the seams at a later date. Seam allowance is 1.5cm or 5/8 unless otherwise stated. Use the markings on the base of your machine to help you keep to this. And finally... allow plenty of time. Create a relaxed sewing environment and remember to stay refreshed with lots of cups of tea and cake! For more help with this pattern and the techniques used, see our blog : www.sewoverit.co.uk/blog and YouTube channel : www.youtube.com/user/ SewOverIt/
- GLOSSARY - Clip To help a curved seam sit flat, snip into the seam allowance at regular intervals, ensuring you don t cut into the stitching. Notch Notches are small triangular marks on the seamlines of the pattern, there to help you line fabric edges together before you pin. Slip stitch Slip stitch is a continuous hand stitch, using a single thread and is invisible from the outside. Alternate between running the needle inside the fold and then picking up a thread or two from the main fabric. Tailor s Tack Tailor s tacks are a hand sewn stitch comprised of a large, loose loop of double thread. They are used to transfer markings from a paper pattern on to fabric.
- Attaching the pocket welts - 1. With wrong sides facing up, centre the pocket reinforcement interfacing over the pocket markings and press in place. If you have used chalk instead of tailor s tacks, pin through from the front to transfer the markings, and then mark their position on the interfacing. 2. Interface one half of the pocket welt on the wrong side. 3. With wrong sides together, fold the pocket welts in half lengthways and press. 4. Open out the pocket welts and fold them in half lengthwise again, this time with right sides together. Pin the short ends together and stitch in place with a 1cm seam allowance.
5. Turn the pocket welts through to the right side, carefully push the corners out and press the short ends, rolling the seam towards the wrong side of the welt. You can tack along the open edge to hold the edges together. Press flat. 6. On the right side of the coat, draw a line in the centre of pocket markings. Stop 1.5cm from the end, and draw in arrowheads to meet the corner tack marks.
7. With right sides tgoether, align the raw edges of the pressed pocket welts along the chalked pocket line. The welts should align with the pocket tack marks, and the folded edge of the welt should be pointing towards the centre front. The noninterfaced side of the pocket welt should be facing upwards. 8. Stitch the pocket welt in place along the raw edge with a 1cm seam allowance. We suggest drawing in your stitch line first to help guide you. Backstitch to secure, but make sure your stitching stays on the welt and doesn t go onto the coat front.
- Attaching the pocket bags - 9. Take one pair of pocket bags and trim 1cm off of the straight edge. Put these to one side. 10. With right sides together, align the straight edge of the larger pocket bag with the chalked pocket line on the coat front. The welt will be on one side of the line and the pocket bag will be on the other. Pin the pocket bags in place.
11. Stitch in place 1cm from the chalked pocket line, starting and ending the stitching 2mm before the tailor s tacks. This is to make sure you won t be able to see the lining once your pockets are complete. The two lines of stitching should be parallel and 2cm apart. 12. With right sides together, align the smaller pocket bags with the chalk line, on top of the welt. It should meet the straight edges of the larger pocket bags. Stitch in place with a 1cm seam allowance, directly on top of the stitching on the welt. This time, the stitching doesn t need to be 2mm shorter, but make sure your stitching stays on the welt and doesn t go onto the coat front.
13. Turn the coat fronts over to the wrong side. Draw a chalk line down the centre of the lines of stitching, with arrowheads meeting the ends of the stitching. - Cutting open the pockets - 14. From the wrong side, starting at the centre of the line, cut very carefully along the line you just drew. Make sure you don t cut the pocket bags or the welt on the front, and just cut the main fabric of the front. Cut towards the triangles, but don t cut through them. Cut following the arrowhead lines, making sure you don t cut beyond the machine stitching as this will result in a hole on the front of the coat.
15. Push the pocket bags through the newly cut line to the wrong side of the coat. 16. With right sides together, align the notches on the curved edges of the pocket bags and pin.
17. Turn the coat fronts to the right side, and fold them back until you reach the pocket corner. There will be a small triangle of fabric at the top of the pocket. Pull the triangle until it lays flat and pin through all the layers right at the base of the triangle.
18. Repeat this process on the bottom edge of the pocket, folding up the hem to reveal the triangle this side and pin. - Sewing the pocket bags together and strengthening the pocket - 19. To finish the edges of the welt pocket, the triangles need to be stitched to the top and bottom of the pocket bag. Use a standard zip foot and start stitching as close as you can to the base of the triangle. The stitching needs to be strong so make sure to backstitch over this line of stitching and then continue stitching forward once more. Repeat this for the triangle at the bottom of the pocket.
20. Stitch the pocket bags together, starting and stopping where you stitched the triangles. 21. Repeat this for the pocket bag on the other side. 22. Swap back to a standard machine foot, and sew another row of stitches in the seam allowance of the pocket bag to reinforce it.
23. Lay the pocket right side up on the ironing board, with a cloth between the iron and the coat fabric. Folding the welt out of the way, press the pocket edge underneath the welt then press flat. - Finishing the welt ends- 24. Pin down the short ends of the welt through all the layers. These can be machine stitched close to the edge of the right side, or stitched by hand from the wrong side. If you hand stitch the welts, make sure the stitching is strong.
25. With a cloth between the iron and the coat, steam press the pocket welt. Allow the steam to dry fully before you move the coat fronts away from the ironing board. - Find the rest of the instructions to complete your Cocoon Coat in Lisa Comfort issue 1! -