Humatrope 8/Sewing Tip 8: Tassel Tutorial

Tassels give weight to the closure of the Humatrope collar, helping it stay in place

The tassels of the Humatrope collar are modelled on the ones taught me by my mentor and friend, the wonderful Vancouver couturier, Blossom Jenab. I spent a year of free time (seriously!) busily making an embroidered, beaded corset to Blossom's specifications. The finishing touch - the tassels - were fun to make and so over-the-top decadent, I just had to try a riff on them for the Humatrope collar. 

Tassels from corset made from Blossom's instructions; the left one is unfinished

Embroidery floss is wound around cardboard, much like a pompon is made, and secured at the top with heavy-duty thread to form a bobble, which is then beaded and attached to the braided cording that is the closure.

Here are the instructions, in case you want to make your own.

Ingredients for tassels: 15 year-old floss, needle caps, found pearl beads, cardboard 

You will need a folded piece of cardboard the height of the desired finished tassel, and some sort of thread or floss. I used a flattened box from my daughter's alcohol swabs and a left-over spool of glossy, woven embroidery floss from a beading class with Blossom, 15 years ago.

• Estimate the amount of floss needed by quickly wrapping it around the cardboard until it looks the right thickness. Count the wraps as you go. I used 27 for each tassel. Add an arm's length, or so, for good luck. Unwind. 
• For the optional beading on the tassel loops, count out the necessary number of needle caps and pearl beads - 1 set for each wrap. Poke a hole through the end of each needle cap using a sharp pair of pointy scissors and twist to make a smooth hole. Each of the tassels has 8 purple caps amongst the green, to represent my daughter's age. (We changed needle type partway through making the thing, and wouldn't you know but the new ones were a different colour!) 

String the beads before winding onto the cardboard, spacing randomly

• Using a darning needle, string a needle cap onto the floss. String a pearl, which will act as an anchor, then go back up through the needle cap. The blunt needle will help avoid piercing the floss when working back up through the cap. Repeat with remaining caps and beads. The spacing will be only rough at this point. The floss will look kinked, like a string of Christmas lights.

Wrap in an "X" shape, one needle cap per wrap

• Begin wrapping the floss around the folded cardboard, with the fold at the bottom. Wrap in an "X" shape. Slide the beads along the floss, if necessary, so that each wrap contains exactly one cap and bead. Wind both tassels in the same manner. Secure the thread tails with tape.

Beginning to sew the tassel

• Thread a heavy needle with strong thread or embroidery floss. Knot both ends together, so the thread is doubled. Push the needle between the two layers of cardboard, under the floss at the top end of the tassel, then back through the doubled thread loop. Pull tightly, to secure the windings. Remove the tape and slip the mess of threads off the cardboard by bending it slightly.

A reject tassel - not thick enough - showing the bobble being formed. Too skinny

• Sew repeatedly through the top end of the tassel, all over the place, to form a dense mass of stitches that will prevent the wraps from coming loose. Go in and out in all directions, wrapping the thread occasionally, too, to form the bobble. You will run out of thread once or twice. Re-thread your needle with a single ply of heavy thread and keep going until you have formed a nice, chubby ball on top.

Forming the handle around a pen. Note the bobble, made of lots of heavy thread

• Make a handle on top of the tassel with two loops of heavy thread.  I formed the loops around a pen. Secure well by stitching in and out of the bobble a few more times.

The handle: two loops of thread, covered with buttonhole stitch

• Cover the handle with buttonhole stitch, using whatever colour or type of thread your little heart desires. I used silver on the corset. On the Humatrope collar, instead of matching floss, I (inexplicably) chose old, pink embroidery cotton that probably once belonged to my grandmother.

The cord is braided right onto the handles

• Bead the ball as you desire, to cover up the mass of stitches. I used random-coloured beads from clothing hang tags that have been amassing over time, cotton thread, and a very fine beading needle. I went through each strand of beads twice, just in case. 
• Attach the cord by stitching it to the handle then covering with another layer of buttonhole stitch to hide the evidence, as I did for the corset tassels.
  Or attach by folding three strands of cord over the handle, and braiding the resulting six strands together, as I did with the Humatrope collar. This second method makes a clean finish, and doesn't require further embellishment to cover up the stitching.

8 purple needle caps because she is 8, and love in every stitch

All that's left is figuring out what to do with the exquisite little item you just made. But as Blossom says, make the garment and the occasion to wear it will present itself.

Humatrope 1: Ingredients

Humatrope 2: Test Swatch and Scoliosis Brace

Humatrope 3: Foundation, More Brace

Humatrope 4: Lost for Words
Humatrope 5: Hello Little Girl in the Bullet-Proof Vest

Humatrope 6: Three Distractions
Humatrope 7: From the 13th Floor

Sewing Tip 7: Embroidered Dog Pocket Tutorial

Perfect Twirling Nightie with embroidered, cheetah fleece, boxer dog pockets

One of the required elements of my daughter's Perfect Twirling Nightie was "something doggish". Another was the inclusion of a small piece of soft, cheetah print fleece. "Boxters" are her favourite dog; how about um... cheetah print, boxer dog pockets...? It was a stretch, but nothing else came to mind!

Not knowing much about what dogs really look like, I searched the web for a picture to use as reference, sketched it to size on two sheets of tracing paper and went to work. Briefly considered hand embroidering the motif, but I really enjoy freehand machine embroidery, so that is what I did.

Thread, stitching test sample

Hunted in my thread drawer for something appropriate, and came up with a mystery spool of bulky, silver-wrapped polyester (?), origin unknown, marked only "Made in Taiwan". At this point I did a test sample and chose to ignore the warning signs. My trusty machine was not amused: the tension could not be properly adjusted; the thread shredded and broke in any needle I tried, including a big-holed topstitching needle and a heavy jeans needle. I spent so much time re-threading the machine it would have been faster - and far more relaxing - to do the embroidery by hand. And when it was all over the silver barely showed. Back to the thread drawer... 

This time I came up with three oldish spools of Coats coral-pink cotton - one for the bobbin thread, one for the stitching, and one just in case. My machine was pleased. Stitching the pink over the silver was easy and fun.

Here are the fine points of making this pocket:

Fleece, silk organza, fleece, tracing paper, Solvy, diagonal basting. Sweet woodruff

Silk organza supplies stability between the 2 layers of fleece, which are diagonally basted together. Fusible interfacing would work, too, but I didn't want to squash the fleece. The design, sketched onto tracing paper, is diagonally basted on top of the sandwich. Finally, a layer of water-soluble Solvy is (yes, diagonally) basted over the whole thing. The outline of the pockets is cut after the embroidery is completed. For freehand embroidery basics click here.

The right side, embroidery finished, prior to clipping thread tails

After stitching the motif, remove most of the Solvy by ripping it off like a Bandaid: bravely and quickly. Remove the shards of tracing paper and Solvy bits with tweezers. 

If you do not want any thread tails to show on the right side, do the following: clip the centres of the thread tails and pull through to the back by gently tugging on the bobbin thread tails. Avoid the temptation to trim the threads close to the fabric: they will fray and show on the right side. A pin or slim scissor point can help coax the threads through to the back.

The wrong side, all the threads pulled through

Leave thread tails about 1cm long and they will be more likely to stay at the back, where they belong. Short-trimmed threads will "un-sew" themselves, showing up again on the front of the work. Consider tying reef knots before trimming, if the tails are long enough. For extra security, a tiny dot of Fray Check will keep them in place, though I've rarely bothered.

Pocket opening finished, ready to be attached to garment. Solvy sheet extends onto garment

To finish the pocket opening, zigzag with Solvy folded over the edge. The Solvy will keep the stitching flat and not warble the fabric. Hide thread tails on wrong side of pocket.

Reinforce ends of stitching with circles of fabric on back. Tie off ends

Place pocket on garment, pin in place, then diagonally baste yet another sheet of Solvy on top, extending onto the garment. Remove pins. 

To reinforce the garment at the opening of the pocket, on the back place a loony-sized circle of fabric to be caught in the stitches. I used fleece. Baste - or pin, if you will remember to feel under the work with your fingers to make sure the circle does not flip over while stitching.

Use a zigzag foot for best accuracy, but a regular foot will do the trick, too. Zigzag from the right side through all layers, overlapping stitches at the pocket opening, and being careful to keep the zigs and zags centred - just barely going off the edge of the fleece onto the garment. 

Remove Solvy. Pull thread tails to back and tie off. Press, using a pressing cloth, just in case. Any excess Solvy will disappear with the first wash.

Sewing Tip 6: Rick Rack (Puzzle 5/5)

I like rick rack for its homey, happy look. It's a must for aprons, adorable on children's clothing, and - used judiciously - playful on grown-up wear, too. It's sweet sewn flat, but especially charming turned so the scallop shows from beyond the edge of the garment. Here are some pointers for rick rack in general, and a scalloped edge in particular:

Scalloped, circular edges - from front and back.
Joins blend smoothly. Trim tails after topstitching (not shown)

• Cotton rick rack will shrink and possibly bleed, so remove it from the package, zip it into a lingerie bag and run it through the washer and dryer with a load of like-coloured laundry. Use water hotter than you intend to use for washing the finished garment. Resist the temptation to skip this step: a puckered garment is not charming.
• Synthetic rick rack should not shrink or bleed, but it could. Pre-shrink or live dangerously - up to you.
• After washing and drying, the rick rack will likely be warbly, tangled and curled up. Take a breath, gently tease it apart (it won't be as hard as it looks), give it a press with hot iron and steam, and you're ready for the fun part.
• When applying rick rack to a circle (e.g. neckline, armhole, skirt hem), bend the cut edges into the seam allowance, overlapping the beginning and ending of the length of trim like an X. The join will be hard to find from the right side. Expect the cut edge to fray slightly when washed. This is part of the charm.

Diagonal baste before stitching, for best control.
Stitch along centre of trim for even scallops

• Rick rack tends to move around while stitching. To best hold it in place, pin, then diagonal baste rick rack to the garment, right sides together. Remove the pins as you baste.

• Sew by machine, keeping eye - and therefore stitching - focused on the very centre of the rick rack, slightly ahead of the needle. This is the secret for even scallops. Don't let the waviness make you drive off the edge! Keep looking where you want to go and that is where you will sew - just like driving.
• Press flat from the wrong side to set the stitches, then turn the raw edges under, and edgestitch to secure. If you sewed straight down the middle, just the scalloped edge will peek out. Charming.

Puzzle Top, made of scraps and old rick rack

• This method works well with stable, non-fraying, slightly stretchy fabrics, like the polyester double-knit of the Puzzle Top. For a more attractive, finished interior, serge the raw edge, leaving up to a 1cm seam allowance, before applying the rick rack along the seam line. Be sure the centre of the rick rack does not touch the serging threads, or they will show after turning: not charming. Note: rick rack is not stretchy; be sure the garment will fit easily over your head.
• Firmly woven fabrics, since they have no stretch, will not lie flat when curved edges are finished by turning and topstitching this way. Use a facing, instead. First, stitch the centre of the rick rack along the seamline, as above. Next, apply the facing, right sides together. Sew from the garment side, following exactly the stitching line from the rick rack. Clip the curve so it will lie flat when turned. Do not clip the rick rack - it bends. Charming, and a clean finish on the inside, too.

I'd been waiting a long time to use the hand-me-down, muted, soft, cotton rick rack from my stash. It seemed a perfect match for the Puzzle Top - a riff on my grandmother's rick rack-trimmed housedress - and adds a charming touch, if I say so myself.

Puzzle 1 Button Tutorial
Puzzle 2 Blatant Advertising
Puzzle 3 What and Why
Puzzle 4 Puzzle Top Tutorial

Sewing Tip 4: Puzzle Top How-To (4/5)

Fun to make, and used up a whole whack of useless stuff

The Puzzle Top consumed three riveting weeks of spare time and brain-power. Here are all the nerdy construction details.

Since I like the fit of the Garden Gnome Top, I started with a copy of that flat pattern - minus the sleeves - placed on the mannequin to get a good look. Snip, slash, spread, trim - after adjusting the length, width, neckline and armholes, the new pattern was trued, marked with grainline, and traced. Full front and back pieces were taped together at one side seam and placed on a padded table. The scraps were then arranged - held in place while working by loosely pinning into the padding. There were two rules:

No Cutting Allowed

Grainline Must be Maintained

What I envisioned as a 20-minute frolic of deftly flinging and rearranging scraps into place, took 3 painstaking days. There were plenty of cuttings to choose from, but most of them were the wrong shape, wrong colour (too much red!), or on the wrong grain.

Once the placement was finalized, I held my breath and removed the pins. A layer of lightweight, water-soluble Solvy was laid over the work, pinned, then diagonally basted with cotton thread to each scrap along each join.

Full back and front pattern pieces, abutted at one side seam, scraps placed, covered with Solvy and diagonal basted.
The red plaid, with narrow "bridge", is my favourite: such a useless snippet

Have you discovered Solvy yet? Solvy is a nifty, plastic film-like stabilizer commonly used for appliqué or machine embroidery. It comes in different degrees of stiffness, and in different manners of disappearing: by water, heat or tearing. I use it often, mostly to prevent distortion when sewing tricky fabrics or doing freehand machine embroidery. In this case, the Solvy held the puzzle pieces in their correct alignment during the machining - a triple zigzag along each join.

The stitching was mindless fun. I chose second-hand, silver, cotton thread from my stash, and had almost enough, with only a little cheating near the end with mismatched bobbin thread.

Next, the pattern was laid on top once again, and the edges were marked all around with a running stitch*. To form the flat puzzle into a 3D garment, the scraps at the remaining side and shoulder areas were overlapped exactly the right amount, and in the correct orientation, by matching these running stitches. The scrap-flaps were diagonally basted in place then checked on the mannequin before zigzagging.
*Super-Sewing-Geek note: a couture pattern has no seam allowances. When the pieces are laid on the fabric, the edge of each pattern piece (i.e. the seamline!) is marked on the fabric with a short-short-long running stitch, before it is cut - with seam allowances gauged by eye. In couture sewing the seamlines are matched, rather than the edges of the seam allowances.

Would-be shoulder seamline, marked with pink running stitch

Rick rack holds bust shaping in place after easing,
and delineates the neckline and armhole

From the inside: raw edges at the underarm: no cutting!
The plaid patch hides the button stabilizer behind the pocket

At this point the garment was rigid from all the Solvy, so it was sent through the washer and dryer to remove the stabilizer before the Moment of Truth: the first fitting.

Since the original, unaltered shape of the scraps dictate the curve of the neckline and armhole, I planned to leave the wonky, raw edges unfinished to celebrate this feat. However, once it was washed, I didn't care for the fit of the armhole at the bust. To fix this, a row of basting stitches was run along the baggy areas. With the garment on the mannequin, the thread was pulled up to ease the gaping, creating bust shaping, which was then held in place by some lovely, hand-me-down, cotton rick rack. The rick rack was turned under and topstitched, so only the points are seen. The uneven fabric edges no longer showed, but rule #2 decreed the urge to trim them must be resisted, so they were left to tell the tale.


Lastly: the pocket, made from a buttonhole test, was attached with the triple zigzag. The button was given a sturdy shank using silk buttonhole thread, anchored from the wrong side with a folded square of silk organza, so it can't pull through. This is hidden by another scrap, hand-sewn with herringbone stitch using the rest of the thread left in the needle after applying the button. The hand sewing wasn't entirely necessary; the thread was so smooth and lovely to sew with, I just didn't want to stop.

An ode to the importance of grain, I'm happy with how the Puzzle Top turned out. It reminds me of my grandmother and namesake, whom I remember in her rick rack-trimmed housedress, making heavenly bierock, cinnamon buns, and doughnuts. She grew fragrant sweet peas in her garden, and kept a vaseful on the table. This is my housedress, in memory of her.

Puzzle 1: Button Sewing Tutorial
Puzzle 2: Blatant Advertising
Puzzle 3: What and Why
Puzzle 5: Rick Rack Tutorial

Sewing Tip 5: Buttons - By Hand or Machine (Puzzle 1/5)

The intensely satisfying thread shank button - this one is especially stiff

I like a firm, meaty shank - the hand-sewn thread post that enables the button and buttonhole to fit together the way they were intended. Without one, the fabric under the button is strained - jammed up against the buttonhole, spreading it, causing the fabric around it to buckle and bulge, and the button itself to potentially pop off. A shank eliminates the strain, allowing the button and hole to work together to achieve their mutual goal.

Creating a shank is slightly more involved than other button application methods - but the hardest part is locating a smooth, round, wooden toothpick for use as a spacer between the button and the fabric. Keep one in the tool compartment of your sewing machine, and experience the recurrent thrill of satisfaction every time you button.

Hand Sewn, with Shank

The buttonhole easily straddles the button's shank

Here's how to do it:

Toothpick nestles between fabric and button,
leaving room to create the shank

• with the toothpick inserted between the button and the garment, sew four or so passes through each set of holes.  Thicker fabric at the buttonhole needs a longer shank - loosen your sewing tension accordingly.
• Remove the toothpick, resulting in slack thread and a toothpick's diameter of space between the now-wobbly button and the garment. 
• Bring the needle up into that space.
• Holding the button away from the garment by pinching the loose threads, wrap the thread tail several times around them, forming the shank. More wraps and thicker thread produce a more erect shank.
• Finish off by passing the needle under the thread tail for the last two or three more wraps, forming overhand knots. Bury the thread between the layers of fabric and clip.

By Machine

Or do it cheap and easy - with your zigzag machine. This method is adequate for lesser garments and Halloween costumes, or for those who hate hand sewing more than they love a good shank.

Machine-sewn, no-shank button. Note humped fabric and diagonal thread between the sets of holes.
Unattractive from the front and the back.

The position: medium zigzag


• Drop the feed dogs so there's no traction when stitching. 
• Set the machine to the medium zigzag, or "button" setting. 
• Mark the garment exactly where the centre of each button should go.
• Place the 2 or 4-holed button on top of the mark. Keep in position with a length of scotch tape* from above. This is important so the button doesn't shift, causing the placket to go out of whack.
• Set the whole thing under the presser foot so the needle is exactly above a hole. Lower the presser foot.
• Start slow. Hand-crank the first stitch. Once the needle is inside the hole, and you're sure the next stitch is going to zig, not zag, use the foot pedal.
• Do 6 or 8 stitches. Some stop at this point, simply clipping the threads. The button will eventually loosen, and fall off.
• Go all the way: leave 3 or so inches when snipping the tail. Tug gently on the bobbin thread to pull both tails through to the wrong side. Tie a reef knot: right over left and under, left over right and under.** Done.
  *personally, I would rather do the whole thing by hand than pick off tape shards afterwards and not even have a shank to show for it
  **learned that in Brownies

"Be Prepared" 

Brownie uniform buttons, c. 1973, 

A quicky with your machine will do the trick, but a leisurely shank-making session is a thing of beauty: be prepared with your toothpick handy in case the need should arise.

Three-way. Not sure where to put the toothpick...

Puzzle 2: Blatant Advertising

Puzzle 3: The Item, Itself

Puzzle 4: Puzzle Top Tutorial

Puzzle 5: Rick Rack Tutorial