Monday 16 February 2015

Sewing Invisibly

Say Whaaaaaaaat?!


Okay, I'm working on vintage Vogue 1521, a Sybil Connolly couture pattern and I came upon this set of instructions.  
Baste LOWER FRONT INTERFACING 4 to wrong side of LOWER FRONT 5.  Sewing invisibly along foldline and hemline.  
What does "sewing invisibly" mean? A quick google search left me with more questions than answers like this conversation. If "sewing invisibly" means the blind hem or slip-stitch why wouldn't the instructions just say to do that?  

I turned to my sewing library to help me clear up all this confusion. It took some time working through a pile of books but I think I discovered a description in my 1980 edition of Vogue Sewing that makes more sense. 
When interfacing a garment section that has a foldline along one edge, such as a collar, cuff, waistband or front edge (BINGO!) with extended facing, the interfacing should be trimmed at the foldline if the edge will be topstitched or edge stitched... Secure interfacing to garment along the foldline with long running stitches spaced about 1/2" (13 mm) apart, with only a tiny invisible stitch catching the garment fabric (156).  
Okay, that makes sense. 

Wrong side of the fabric 

Right side of the fabric
I'm only on step 5 (out of 69) and I'm on the second new-to-me technique. I wonder what other techniques I might learn along the way...  

Have you ever been confused by terminology used in a vintage pattern?

Happy Sewing!   

5 comments:

  1. I would have been stumped too. That is a nice looking coat!

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  2. Nice post!! I like your idea dear. I hope you’ll make the similar design. My mother also has great interest in these things. Last month she attended a similar event at the domestic convention center. She got really inspired from that event.

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  3. Thanks for this post. I am not sewing a vintage pattern but the wording "sew invisibly along foldlines" is used in a current children's pattern, Butterick 5877. Many thanks again for sparing me the frustration of having to do an immense amount of research.

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  4. Thanks for this - just had the same thing happen to me and your answer was what I needed!

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  5. Thank you! It is so fun learning how to sew. Making my wife a dress, Butterick 4315 and it calls for "Sew invisibly along foldline" A good reason to try some hand stitching i suppose.

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