PREPARATION IS KEY
Silk is one of my favourite fabrics to sew, but it does come with a few challenges. Working with silk requires patience with the best results obtained from ‘slow sewing’.
Preparation is most important: from cutting out the cloth, sewing and pressing with the correct tools for the job making it all so much easier.
Sewing in a small space comes with its challenges and it was imperative that the floor was thread and pin free after each sewing session. Sewing was done in the morning as after 11am it was too hot to handle silk and the black metal sewing machine attracted the heat.
With no overlocker, I treated the silk fabric to the finish it deserved using French seams. Every seam was pinned together with fine pins as to not damage the cloth and hand tacked before machine stitching. Everything was stitched on my Singer Featherweight 221 which is the perfect travel companion.
I chose a pink bias tape for the neckline facing hem and stitched in a contrast colour. Design details, however small are important. I love celebrating the selvedge and purposely make it visible in my designs. On this occasion it is the centre back seam.
With only a small scrap of fabric left, I made matching bows for my new shoes. Now to find an occasion to wear it!
I dressed up in the heat of the Spanish sunshine and set a timer for photographs.
THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB
The correct sewing needle, sewing thread, interfacing, pins, thread snips are all very important to make sew the silk well.
My suggested silk fabric would be LIBERTY LONDON Fabric 100% Silk Chiffon Elysian Day Regent
I used Clover Silk Pins, a size 70 Schmetz Universal machine needle, The Bottom Line Superior Thread on the bobbin and Gutermann Sulky thread on the needle. I used Curved Scissors for fine sewing to clip the finest threads. For pressing I used a Tailors ham and sleeve roll.
ALTERNATE FABRIC SUGGESTIONS
I have selected these beautiful polyester prints from Minerva as they have vibrant colours and prints and would look fabulous in this style and similar styles where drape, flounces, frills and volume are design features. Both these fabric designs do not need to print match, saving on meterage.
LOOKING TO UPGRADE YOUR SKILLS?
I teach all levels of Sewing Courses focusing on increasing your sewing confidence no matter what stage you are at. The Advanced Sewing Course starts in September with only 3 places remaining.
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McCalls M8167
What I use to sew the silk
Next step: Inserting the sleeves
Bias binding details
Understitching the neck facing
Sewing on my Singer 221 Featherweight machine
Hand tacking the hem
Single row of stitches to help press up the sleeve hem
Pressing circular French seams for inserting the sleeve
Sewing a circular French seam
Centre back selvedge seam details
Back neck button detail
Matching silk shoe bows
Tidying up after sewing
Side view selfie
Photoshoot selfie
Minera Charmeuse Silky Satin Dress fabric
Minerva Bubble Lights Crepe Back polyester
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