New Presser Foots

So I haven't been doing any sewing for awhile now. Mostly minor stitching and repairs on my brother's school pants and some re-stitching on some unraveled stitches on my own clothes. I've been pretty swamped with a lot of things lately and majorly pre-occupied.

Anyways, recently, I purchased a few presser foots online for my sewing machine. I'd tried searching locally (in town) for them but they only had the regular presser foot. What was even more annoying is the fact that the sales person didn't seem well versed in the machines and accessories. They didn't even know there's a slant shank machine. It was annoying when the sales person kept looking at me like I didn't know what I was saying and kept asking whether my machine had a low shank or a high shank. Ggrrr. After wasting my time, turned out they didn't even have the things I wanted. Even the Singer outlet didn't have those parts. *sigh*

Fortunately, there was eBay. After going through the items, one store caught my attention. They had a variety of presser foots and other sewing accessories for a host of brands. The ratings were impressive and quite favourable so I was pretty confident to purchase from them. These presser foots aren't a necessity to sewing but it definitely makes it a lot easier and saves time. For someone who squeezes time, these were perfect for me.

Ruffler

I've been meaning to get a ruffler for the longest time since I started sewing. It makes creating gathers and pleats incredible fast and easy. Of course there are manual methods to create gathers and pleats but they are quite time consuming and some requires double work in terms of stitching. A lot of patience involved. Let's just say I prefer it done automatically.

Invisible Zipper Foot

Next, the invisible zipper foot. Since I started sewing, I've gotten pretty good at sewing invisible zippers with a regular presser foot but it is a very careful process and I'm proud to say that I did a better job than my mum's tailor at sewing invisible zippers. *beams* Still, it does take up time and it needed a lot of focus to make sure the stitches fall where they're supposed to. I'd have to carefully align the zipper, roll out the zip teeth edges for a close stitch. With this foot, I can just run the fabric and zipper normally because the zip teeth are rolled out automatically.

Bias Edge Foot

Another foot I got is the bias edge foot. This one is the adjustable one so I can have varying widths of customized bias tape to sew onto my pieces. Of course you can get ready made bias tapes in sewing supplies stores, but sometimes you want to use the same fabric as a bias tape and that you'll have to make manually. Again, it can get rather time consuming since you'll have to iron out the folds of the tape after cutting out strips of the fabric in the bias and ironing them flat. Manual measurements as always, can give varying widths no matter how careful you are.

Knit Presser Foot

This one is very much optional, the knit presser foot. It's mainly used to stitch knit fabrics like t-shirts. Since I will be doing a bit of sewing with t-shirts and have tried previously with my sewing machine and encounter uneven stitching because the fabric doesn't feed through smoothly.

Like I've mentioned before, these presser foots are optional. You don't need them all to begin or enjoy sewing. They cost about USD13-USD17 each and can be purchasd from Gone Sewing eBay store. The seller is very helpful and shipping is quite reasonably priced. International shipping is USD3 for the first item and USD0.25 for all subsequent items. They've got a lost of sewing supplies and I would definitely suggest checking them out if you're interested or are looking for parts.

Also, I'm thinking of making the page much more than my sewing project gallery. I'll put up other things like sewing tips or techniques as I learn more along the way. And since I do also plan to put up fashion posts here as well, I think my sewing project will evolve into a sewing and fashion blog for me. Just a heads up for my readers.

Til my next post/project!

Simple V-Neck Maxi Dress with Sash

Materials Printed Japanese Cotton Long hidden zipper Duration Close to 24hrs Cost RM39.35 for the fabric and zipper (estimate)

Description This isn't a recent sewing project. I made this particular dress for my company's annual dinner end of last year. The theme was 60s & 70s. After a little research, it just so happens that the maxi dress was famous in the 70s (apart from the hippie bohemian and saturday night fever looks). Again, referring to Ms Rozita's bridal pattern book (page 47) and opting for a subtle A-line cut which is quite the safer option. To add more definition, I quickly whipped up a matching sash/obi belt inspired by the tutorial on CraftStylish.com here. Difficulties Since this was more or less my first attempt at dress-making, I had some trouble finishing the neckline and arm openings. The zipper took a bit of work as well as the fitting. The seams are still raw since at the time I haven't bought my Singer 14N655 overlocker yet.

Black & Orange Chiffon Kaftan with Orange Tube Dress and Belt

Materials Large black and orange floral chiffon scarf Orange satin fabric Hard Interfacing Soft Interfacing Hidden zipper Metal hook & eye Button Snaps Duration 15 hours Cost RM26.90 for the orange fabric and hidden zipper. The other materials were readily available at home.

Description I had to whip up something to wear to a friend's wedding reception at a moment's notice. Fortunately I had this black and orange chiffon scarf from another wedding as a door gift during her reception. That's where I had the idea of making it into a simple butterfly kaftan because I knew it should be fairly easy and quick to make. So I went to get some orange satin fabric to match and referred to Ms Rosita's bridal pattern book (Page 26) for inspiration and guidance on the tube dress. The original pattern had a mermaid skirt to it but I opted for a simpler A-line instead. To add the subtle illusion of a more defined waist, I decided to have a belt go with it as well. The belt is simply a strip of hard interfacing pressed and sewn onto the fabric with button snaps attached to it. No lining since the kaftan was quite long. Difficulties The initial product had a few flaws in it. The princess seams at the upper chest had to be pulled in some more and the side seams at the upper corner had to be taken in by an inch each to make it more fitted around the bust area. I'd decided to attach the little metal hook and eye to the top of the zipper to have better closure at the back and reduce creasing.