CURVE & SLASH

I can’t seem to get enough of curve piecing. While working on a sample garment, I started playing with a bit of a different look. I liked it so much, I had to share it here! For my sample I used several different black & white prints, and red for the contrast. Black accented it all as the trim.

STEP 1
First I cut strips of fabric in to 9” widths by the length of my garment. Then I cut my red contrast in to 3” widths by the same length as my previous strips. (10 - 3” strips).

STEP 2
You will now be cutting your 9” strips in half with a curvy line. You can do each one separately, using a paper “template” so each curve is identical. NOTE: Make a paper template out of sturdy paper or posterboard. Use this as a guide to cut each strip the same. Or, stack the strips, and cut them at the same time. Cut a softly curving line down the center of the 9” strips.

STEP 3
Place a strip of red contrast, underneath the curving edge of one of your previously cut strips. With fabric glue, speed baste the curve in place with small dots of glue on the underside of the curvy piece, by gently lifting it up. Do the same to the other side, positioning this piece so about 1/2” of the red contrast shows. Continue in this manner for each of your strips.

Position next piece so about 1/2" of contrast shows.

STEP 4
Now you will need to link all these strips together to make your “fabric” from which to cut your pattern. To do this, lay the edge of one strip over another, overlapping approximately 1 1/2”. Cut a curving line (using your template) in the center of the overlap (cutting each edge at once). Discard the edges, leaving two curvy cut strips. Repeat Step 3 and 4 to link all strips.

Repeat to link all strips.

STEP 5
Lay your pattern piece over your “fabric”. Piece additional strips if necessary. Cut out pattern.

Cut out pattern pieces.

STEP 6
Prepare trim. Cut strips from your “trim” fabric slightly wider than 1/2” (a “fat half” I call them). Run these through a 1/4” bias tape maker to make your trim. HINT: When I am making trim using the 1/4” bias tape maker, I don’t pull the tape maker along the strip. Instead I push the iron against the tape maker, while having a pin hold the end of the strip in the ironing board, pushing the tape maker along. You’ll get much better results this way.

STEP 7
Sew trim over the raw edges of curvy lines with a 4.0 Double Needle (saves time, you only stitch once). Flip garment piece over and trim out any excess fabric to within a 1/2” to remove bulk. The stitching line acts as a guide. Cut off ends of trim that extend beyond the garment piece. Press pieces well. They will have “scrunched up” during the application of trim, but this should press out with a steam iron.

Cut off excess ends, press well.

Assemble garment as pattern recommends. Here’s what I did to finish off this sample of #1007 Kimono Jacket....

I cut the Collar Band out of the same black fabric that I used for the trim, but I made a seam allowance where the foldline is and cut one in the black cotton and the other out of one of the black & white prints (this would be the underside) and making this one slightly wider by 1/4”.

Collar pattern has a foldline, begin by making a new collar pattern. Trace collar up to foldline. Add seam allowance beyond foldline. Mark new pattern piece.

I sewed first, each half of the collar, down the new seamline. Then stitched the center back seam. Next, I stitched curvy lines in red on the black side of the band using a Sulky Rayon and my 4.0 double needle.

When I folded it right sides together to sew the ends, I let the underside extend beyond the solid black, (raw edges on the ends should meet, but the “seam” will not be centered where the fold would have been). When turned right side out, it looks as though I have a 1/4” trimmed edge along the black collar.

Then I simply “stitched in the ditch” of the seamline to accentuate the 1/4” edge. When applied, it makes a really “finished” garment with very little work!

Note: I used the same technique on the sleeves (photo at top) stitching Sulky Rayon in curving lines with a double needle.

The lining was stamped with Opaque White Textile Paint using Fishbones and Dogbones.

Materials used for this project:
PAW Prints #1007 Kimono Jacket & Vest (Short Version)
1/4” Bias Tape Maker
4.0 Double Needle
Fabrics:
1/4 yard each - 5 Different Black & White Prints
1/4 yard - 1 Of the Prints above for undercollar
1 1/4 yds - Black Cotton for trim, collar and sleeves.
7/8 yard - Red Cotton for Contrast
2 1/4 yds - Lining

NOTE: When purchasing 1/4 yd. pieces for the vest fronts & back, the fabric cannot be directional. You will be cutting the strips in half crosswise so a directional print will be on it’s side when pieced.

 

Kit also available to re-create the "Cats & Dogs" Jacket above. $39.95 (Lining not included)