Q & A: Cut on the Bias

Some how I've managed to spook myself! 

I started preparing this darling Q & A post for you last Friday, and after a bunch of googling, I became really scared about how much I don't know about sewing. That AND my challenging Sew Weekly theme, but we'll get to that later.


First up, I posted my Minty Fresh Oolong, a Colette Pattern, and a very good and easy one to follow. Proposing a new fun post idea, you ask questions and I answer them a la Agony Aunt of the Sewing World. Then as I'd imagined a few of you had some questions about bias, so I thought 'NIFTY', I'll get a little Introduction to Sewing 101 on myself and for you. And then I googled, and then I was scared:

"Only a few designers ever master the bias cut, and very few home sewers dare to take the plunge." says Marcy over at 101 - Threads

"Because of the diagonal fall of the fabric, bias cut garments are more difficult to sew than normal garments. If the garment is not made a certain way, the seams and hems can bunch and twist, instead of lying smoothly against the wearer’s body," says someone at Wisegeek

and my fave new sewing crush:

"Sewing delicate fabrics on the bias is HARD," says Daughter Fish in her post Silly Regrets and Sewing on the Bias.

YIKES. 

So just to put that to one side *deep breaths*, I'll just look over some of your gorgeous questions:


The lovely Esz asks, "So it doesn't need a stretch fabric to just slide over your head?"


A gorgeous Carolyn says, "Just pulls over with no zip?"


"What's the deal with cutting on the bias? I missed that bit in sewing 101," says Mona, the babe from Oxford.


Ok, so BEFORE I googled, I would have answered you all suchly: YEP, you can cut your pattern (for this Oolong) diagonally (just follow the instructions and pictures) and you can put it all together without needing a zipper and using straight normal cotton. It kinda moves a little when you slide it on, stretching to your curves when you wear it. And it kinda feels different than a normal dress. A normal not-cut-on-the-bias dress, I mean. 


And the deal Mona? Before I googled, I'd say it's a pretty easy deal, you just follow the little old instructions in Colette Patterns booklet and it'll be a breeze. You have to make sure you put those pattern pieces the way they say though. 


And the scary deal with cutting on the bias? You could stuff it up, make it not so much on the bias, and therefore tricky to get on, and bubbly around the seams. But, I followed the instructions about cutting it, hanging it overnight, and then hanging it for a bit before hemming it. And in my googling spree, I've found a great step by step sew through on Sew Country Chick's blog, who only made hers recently, and is a bit more eloquent than old thrifty here.


But try anything, that's my advice! Try anything, on cheap or thrifted material, and then you'll never be sad if you stuff it up. More Bias Besties are Bag-n-telle and Wikipedia of course, and google. If you dare. More soon on my silk dilemma and how I try and get to know fabrics, but you can jump over to the Sew Weekly if you need to see this week's silk/brocade dress!

And lastly, the amazing Don from Sydders says "Question- Is this a secret new dye technique? Has summer hit Melbourne already?"


Yes, secret dye technique fo sho, happy accidents happen in the wash (I've just put another load of material on, so fingers crossed no happy accidents this time)... and taking these photos took no more than 5 minutes. It was freaking freezing and I jumped up and down a lot while Husbie set the lighting (or whatever he does) to keep warm, and a few random poses later, I was back in the car! Also Don, the minty fresh dress photos were taken right around the corner from my current abode in Melbs, and these photos were all from Newtown and Enmore! We had to visit our old haunts recently! Gotta love N'town!


P.s I think I have to call this kind of blogpost Soapbox instead of Q & A? Hope you can handle a little blah blah blah!