THE BEST WAY TO REPLACE A ZIPPER IN A JACKET OR SWEATSHIRT

Has anyone one besides me noticed how cheap zippers are in jackets and sweatshirts anymore?  I just replaced the zippers in three hoodie sweatshirts for my husband and this school jacket for my granddaughter.  I am a pro at it now.  This is not my first time at this task.  This job happens every fall.  I really think this is the easiest technique to use.  First, do not remove the old zipper.  When you do this, the sweatshirt and jacket material just stretches out of shape terribly and, your new zipper will never fit.  What I want you to do is just very carefully remove the teeth from the zipper already in the jacket with your scissors.  You might have to remove a few threads to get your small scissors in to start cutting as shown in the first picture.  Go very slow so you do not cut into the material.

 After just removing the zipper teeth, then run your hands up and down the zipper tape that is still in the jacket or sweatshirt and remove all of the frays or strings that are sticking out.  Some will pull out and others will  need cut off.

 Now I laid my new zipper on top of the old zipper tape still in the jacket and made sure the zipper was exactly at the bottom of the jacket, I pinned it to hold it in place until I could get it under my presser foot.  Make sure you have your zipper right side up.

Now sew in the new zipper just holding it in place as you sew.  I did change and put on my zipper foot.  As you can see in the picture, I sewed by just following down the exact sewing line that was already holding in the old zipper tape.  

I folded the zipper tape in half diagonally and tucked it under the top of the zipper when I reached the top of my jacket.  I also cut and removed some of the hard ends off of the actual zipper tape so it would not be uncomfortable on her neck.

Sew on the other side zipper exactly the same and you are finished.  I did add another row of stitching on the very edge of the jacket right by the zipper teeth.  I did that because this was the way it was previously sewn on the jacket.  You will now never know it was replaced and it looks very professional.

Please jot me a note if you like this post!!

 

All In One Facings!!

This is one of my very favorite videos, but every time I want to use it, I need a refresher course.

It just amazes me how this works.  I will put it on my blog in case you ever need to refer to it.

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2016/05/02/video-how-to-attach-an-all-in-one-facing

The last time I used this technique was for a wedding dress.  It was a mother's dress from the 60's and it had long sleeves.  The daughter wanted it altered  to be sleeveless.  I was a nervous wreck, but it turned out beautiful.  I had to take the whole bodice apart and take out the zipper on the dress.  What a difference that a little change can make for a dress.  She looked beautiful in it and it really gave it an updated look.

Hemming Your Garment!

One of the most tell tale signs of a home made garment is the hem.  I struggled with this for years, but now I pretty much have it down pat.  As the video tells you, I also have had people pick up my garment and look at the hem.  I sometimes think they don't believe I made it and I guess a poor hem proves that I did!  That is why I concentrate on making my hems as perfect as I can.  Here are some tips!!  Just click on the link, this is a very good video to keep in your sewing files.

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2012/01/12/how-to-hem?utm_medium=editpost&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=facebook

Cobb Shoes - So Amazing!!

I don't know if you are like me, but when I see some fantastic way of sewing, I just have to share it.  This cobbler, Dr. Marten, shows how Cobb shoes are made.  Only 50 people in the factory.  I think I have a pair of Cobb shoes.  I am going to have to check that out.

Watch this video, it is truly amazing!!!  I watched with my granddaughter and we were both mesmerized.  I  told her I would love to go there and play with the machines and make her a pair of shoes!!!  She said I will take them!  They are just so fast!!

Click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO1YAx4QW1I

SNEAKER TENNIS SHOE WRISLET!!

I saw this on Facebook a couple of months ago and bought the pattern.  This little wristlet turned out really cute!  You can, of course, choose your own colors and I decided to make a pink color.

It sews out all in one hooping, but it did take pretty much part of a good day.  Once you do it, I am sure the second and third would be much faster.  LOL  I went slowly so I didn't make any mistakes!!  

If anyone is interested in the pattern, you can get it off of Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DisorderlyThreads

The cost is $8.00 but I didn't pay that much.  I think it was on sale when I purchased it.

It is shown in an aqua blue color.

It brought a big smile to my granddaughter!

Quilting Skills On My Front Porch!

 Some twenty years ago, I watched a Martha Stewart show where she painted her front porch. Oh, how I loved to her show back then when she was totally country.   I have a sort of Southern Style home with a large front porch and big pillars and I was so in love with her front porch that I just had to copy it.  This will be the third time that I had to get down on my hands and knees and paint this porch.  This time it was harder to get down and up, but it was in desperate need of being repainted and I still had to have my checkered pattern.

What you have to do is first paint the entire porch one color with a good enamel paint.  Then you need to wait until it is good and dry.  Purchase a couple of rolls of blue painters tape and I taped it off.  (The one picture I forgot to take)  But I used my 12-inch quilting square and laid out my squares making sure that everything was pretty even.  Then you paint the squares that you want to be painted.  I did every other square.  Then the next day carefully pull up your painter's tape, do not stand on your second color of paint yet and after you remove the tape let it dry again for several days.

There may be a few touch ups after that if the painter's tape pulled off any paint.  It is a pretty long process.  Unfortunately, it took me about 3 weeks to get this accomplished because we had so much rain.  I had to leave my tape on for several days and this really created a mess and lots of touch-ups, but I finally got it finished and it looks great.  

Here are a couple of pictures of it being painted.

How Madeira Embroidery Is Made in Portugal! Fascinating!

I ran across this link this morning on how Madeira embroidery is made in Portugal.  This is fascinating and the amount of time of both days and hours that are put into this.  You must watch!

phttps://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FofePskIzaSs&h=ATNZTg_mhJGjCgxn0nCGnzj7lesOE62hXofDCVpO_QoMZ8AXXizs93ZXyR9PkpzQzemewLepg2JCcUPWv0-1-ZfNWonJPdhrNYmtoznz1Q2sXjeYeQFp

The production of Bordal’s Madeira Hand Embroidery, filmed in our factory. All customers are invited to visit Bordal's Historic Tour in our factory at Rua Dr. Fernão de Ornelas, 77 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal