This used to be part of a skirt. A little while ago I spent some time sorting through my closet and pulling out the things I didn’t or couldn’t wear anymore. This skirt fell into the latter category. I think I must have boughtit in grade ten or so and it is hard to believe that I really used to fit inside. I still really liked the fabric though and I didn’t want to give it away so it spent some time shoved in the back of my fabric cupboard. Last Friday I decided that it would make a very pretty reticule for Regency dress up.
 
I decided to use a French seam for the outer layer since the skirt fabric looked like it would fray rather badly. This wasn’t ideal since the bottom of the purse is curved but it will help the seam last longer and the jogs in the curve aren’t noticeable once there is a bit of weight inside. I also lined the body with muslin so it would be a bit sturdier.

The fabric ‘beads’ were an after thought - I wanted to cover up the knots in the ribbons and there were some smallish pieces of material left over. They are just circles with running stitches around the edges. I stuffed some batting in around the knot to fill out the bead and pulled the running stitches in tightly. I made a back stitch to hold it and sewed through the edges right across through the ribbons to the other side a few times make sure everything would stay put.

 

This tutorial is the result of a conversation I had with a friend a few weeks ago. We were talking about a project she had been working on and she told me she had stopped because finishing it off involved doing French seams. Somewhere along the way someone had described the process of doing French seams to her and she had been left with the impression that they were very difficult and to be avoided if possible. This tutorial is designed to relieve that seam related anxiety - French seams can be fiddly and they take a little longer than regular seams but they are not difficult.


A French seam is one that encases the raw edge of the fabric inside a narrow pocket running the length of the seam. French seams are useful when you are working with fabrics that fray badly or when the inside of a seam may be visible from time to time, such as in an open vest or over-skirt which might flap open.

French seams are not good for places where you will need to open the seam up to make a slit or along curves because you cannot clip the seam to lie flat. This tutorial assumes you are using a standard 5/8” seam allowance.



Step 1: Cut your fabric exactly as you usually would.


Step 2: Sew your pieces together, wrong sides together, with a 1/4” seam.


Step 3: Press your seam and clip the seam allowance to 1/8”.



Step 4: Press you fabric back on it self so you have the right sides together with your seam along the outside edge and the raw edges inside.



Step 5: Sew another 1/4” seam, right sides together, to enclose your raw edges.


Step 6: Press your seam. Open out your fabric and press the seam allowance to one side.



Et Voila! A neat and tidy French seam.

 

 

This is my favourite time of year here. The sun is back and it is warm enough to go outside without three layers of clothing but there is still snow on the ground and the lakes are safe. It is the best time of year for winter sports and goingfor walks. I think we will have to go for a picnic at one of the lakes in the next few weeks. Hot dogs and s’more are especially good when there is still a bit of snow around.
 
It’s warm enough today that I’ve opened up some of our windows to get rid of all the stale air from the winter. Zeke has been sticking his nose out to see what’s going on outside. He moves from window to window depending on what he smells and which room I’m in.
 
With temperatures rising I’m certain we will be smelling barbecues soon. That’s the official beginning of summer in my mind and it starts as soon as it is warm enough to stand outside to cook a steak. Like the hot dogs and roasted marshmallows, barbecued steak is somehow even better when you can still see snow in the shady places.