How should seams be pressed before they are pressed open?
Press flat
Is a pressing cloth always necessary when pressing?
No
What motion is used to press fabric?
Lowered to fabric then raised up and lowered to a different spot
What motion is used to iron fabric?
Back and forth
Which end should you start at when stitching a single point dart?
Wide end
How do you determine what temperature setting to use when pressing?
Set temperature according to the fiber content of your fabric
How should horizontal darts be pressed?
Fold downward
How should vertical darts be pressed?
With the fold toward center front or center back
What garment area is usually pressed over a tailor's ham?
Curved areas
What is the function of a dart?
To control fullness and give shape to fitted clothing
How do you secure the ends of the thread on a dart?
Tie in a knot
Are sergers recommended for darts?
No
What should be done to wide darts or darts made of heavy fabric?
Be pressed open, slash along fold line, trim slash from stitching line
Which takes more yardages to make--gathers in light weight fabric or gathers in heavy weight fabric?
Light weight
How many rows of machine basting is necessary to gather fabric?
Teo
What type of stitch does the serger use to make gathers?
None
How can you secure the ends of threads after they have been pulled to make gathers?
Tie knot
How do you ease fabric that is slightly longer than the other?
Pin baste right sides of fabric together with the longer side on top; place pins every 1/2 inch; stitch with longer side on top and ease in extra fullness as you stitch
What technique is used to gather heavy fabric?
Use a zigzag stitch over a narrow cord
What steps are involved in gathering?
Starts with two parallel rows of machine basting; then bobbin threads are pulled from ends; stitched to shorter length of fabric
What are gathers?
Soft folds of fabric formed by pulling up basting stitches to make the fabric fit into a smaller space
What is easing?
Allows fabric to be shaped over a curved area of the body
What is shirring?
Formed by several rows of gathering
What type of marking is on the pattern that tells you when to start and stop a gathering stitch?
Notches or dots
What seam is the most common seam for an eased seam?
Set-in-sleeve
Why are darts made in garments?
To control fullness and give shape to fitted clothing
How should darts be positioned in relation to the body?
Point to fullest part of the body and end 1 inch from the body curve to which they point
What direction are single darts stitched?
Wide end of dart to the point
What direction are double pointed darts stitched?
Start at center and stitch to each point
How do you make sharp points on darts?
Stitch the last two of three inches as close to the fold line as possible
How do you handle the thread ends of sharp points on darts?
Tie the ends in a knot or leave 1 inch thread ends
How do darts using a serger compare to those made on a sewing machine?
Can't get smoothed, tapered to nothing point
How are the steps for making wider darts different from the steps for making small ones?
Wide darts are pressed open and slashed along the fold line
How do you secure the bobbin threads after pulling a gathered section?
Wrap the threads around a pin
What are the three general steps for making gathers?
Starts with two parallel rows of machine basting; then the bobbin threads are pulled from both ends to draw up the fabric; finally the gathered fabric is stitched to the shorter length of fabric
What is the basic difference between making gathers with a serger and with a sewing machine?
Serging uses three threads; a sewing machine uses two
How is shirring made?
By several rows of gathering, secure each row with a knot, then stitch over the knots in the seam allowance
How is elasticized shirring made?
Wind elastic thread on bobbin by hand, stretching slightly; use 6 to 8 stitches per inch; stitch on right side of fabric, stretching previously stitched rows as you see each new row
How is an eased seam different in appearance from a gathered seam?
Eased looks smooth with no gathers or tucks
I ended up with the imprint of my iron on a skirt I was making. I do not think the iron was too hot. What could have happened?
Applied too much pressure
Do you have any hints for pressing curved areas of a garment?
Press over a curved surface, use tailor's ham
Why is pressing rather than ironing better for garment construction?
Ironing can cause the fabric to stretch
What should you check for when test pressing a fabric before pressing the garment?
For any reaction to heat, steam, and pressure
When do you need to use a press cloth?
When pressing on the right side of fabric
Why are seams pressed flat before they're pressed open?
Reduced bulk in the finished garment
In what order should you press the parts of an entire garment?
1) detailed areas
2) small areas
3) large areas
How can you prevent pressing a crease at the end of a dart?
Press only up to the point