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Working with Velvet

2/7/2015

 
When I was making Lisa and Bonnie's purple dresses with the velveteen bodices, I took some photos to share my technique for working with velvet (and corduroy, or anything with a nap). I used to always pin the patterns onto both the velvet and the lining and cut them both out. Then when I tried to put the right sides together, it was always impossible to get the lining to stay in place and match up. Even when it was pre-basted. The nap on the velvet made the lining move, and it would always end up too short somewhere.  It was always so frustrating!

So now I don't bother to cut out the lining at all until AFTER sewing. Whenever I need a velvet (or velveteen, or velour) bodice, I usually first trace my pattern onto some lightweight iron-on interfacing. Then I cut out the bodice. Then I place the velvet right side down onto the lining fabric , pin it down, and cut widely around it. Then I hand-baste through the layers along the stitching line. On these bodices, the back seams and neckline get stitched first.. You'll notice that the bodice on the left has moved during basting, and now touches the edge of the lining fabric in one spot. That's not where the velvet bodice was originally positioned. But because there was extra fabric all the way around, at least the velvet is only up to the edge now, and not over it.
Picture
With the lining fabric not being cut out yet, it doesn't matter if the velvet walks to one side a bit. After machine stitching, the back and neckline edges are trimmed, the neckline curve clipped, and the bodice it turned right-side-out (left, below) I press it on the back, then trim the lining away...
Picture
A perfectly aligned lining!  
No more fussing with trying to make a pre-cut lining stay in place when working with velvet!
Brigitte
2/7/2015 01:26:57 am

That's really very helpful. Thank you! :-) Sometimes i'm using satin as lining, when i'm working with velvet. That's extra awful.

Brigitte
2/7/2015 01:31:09 am

Ups... and the parts allways looks like pincushions. I'll try your trick with that combination too and i'm sure, it will work better.

Martha
2/7/2015 01:32:34 am

I can imagine!! One fabric wants to walk, while the other wants to slide. Maybe this technique will help.

Catherine Lewis
2/7/2015 02:20:50 am

Im sorry 2 sound so ignorant, Im not really a seamstress even tho I do enjoy it sometimes. What does 'nap' mean, I have so many of my patterns say that and never understood. Thank you in advance, and 4 the gr8 information!

Martha
2/7/2015 02:39:42 am

'Nap' refers to fabrics like velvet, velveteen, velour and corduroy, which are not just flat woven fabrics, but have fuzzy fibres which stick out like a 'miniature carpet'. If you run your hand over velvet, you will notice that it's smooth in two directions, and rough in the other two. When sewing anything out of fabric with a 'nap' it's important to have the smoothness going from top to bottom. When sewing two pieces of fabric with nap right sides together, the nap will make the fabric 'walk'. Imagine a soft hair brush - if you place it bristle-side down on a flat surface, and then press down on it, it won't go straight down, but the bristles will make it move to one side. Velvet does the same thing.

Catherine Lewis
2/7/2015 02:49:30 am

How very interesting Martha, you are an expert in your field indeed, I would never have thought it would be that much of a problem with a tiny Bodice piec, but the details, now I see what you are saying, thank you so much for your expertise!

Célestine link
2/7/2015 04:30:44 am

Bonsoir Martha, je découvre votre blog et je l'adore ! Que de merveilles, je viens d'acheter une Lonnie et vais donc essayer vos patrons si gentiment offert . Merci beaucoup Martha pour ce partage, vous êtes très généreuse, je suis très touchée et merci aussi pour vos explications si détaillés, vous êtes formidable, un grand bravo . Bien amicalement

Martha
2/7/2015 12:06:34 pm

Thanks so much! Lonnie is such a lovely doll. Best of luck sewing for her!

Saraquill
2/7/2015 03:02:30 pm

Thanks for the tip! Do you have any advice for pressing velvet? I've only ever used velveteen, where the pile is so short my teeth remain ungritted.

Martha
2/8/2015 02:30:40 am

Sorry, no tips here. I know you are supposed to press velvet on one of those metal tooth things - which I don't have - but mostly I just use small bits of velvet so am not concerned about flattening the nap. I just press with a cloth on the back.

Jane
2/8/2015 07:32:22 pm

Thank you for the tip!

designdreamer
7/31/2022 03:59:25 pm

Thanks for the tip Martha. I'm an expierienced seamstress, so knew about basting, and like you, STILL had trouble with "creep" (it's also true with minky fabric - have you ever worked with it? :Rolling Eyes:) So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!


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    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
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