How to make a round table.

We were expecting company on Friday night, my Grandson Joe, his Wife Cassondra and three beautiful little girls.  They were also bring a friend Mary Jo.  They would stay in Carrel's house.  The table cloth was old and I thought ugly, so I made a new one. 

We did have a factory outlet in McGehee  Ar.  which is only eight miles from me.  We would stop there a lot just to see what was available.  Don't tell Carrel but I think I buy too much material, my Children will have it when I am gone.   I bought a full bolt (100 yards) of this off white canvas fabric, for $ 1.00 a yard.  I can not pass up a bargain.  I store this big bolt of fabric over at Carrel's house in the back room closet.  We lay it ( sometimes when I say We it is really Carrel)  on the floor, measure what I want and tear it off, this is the best way to get a straight piece of fabric.

                                       
To find the how much cloth you need,  measure your table across  the widest place (diameter.) I forgot to take a picture of Carrel measuring his table.  I did not go over there, I can not get out in cold weather, because of my face.  My table is 42 inches, I add a 9 inch drop, you have to double your drop.  Diameter + 18 inches.  I can make mine with material 60 inches wide.  Carrel's table measured  48 inches add a 9 inch drop, you are adding 18 inches.  You have to have a square to cut a round table cloth. I was so glad this material was 72 inches wide.  The formula for this table is 48 + 18 = 66+1 inch for hem.  What ever drop you want you have to double.

I have folded this material twice, once half 72 x67 I added 1 inch for hem, then you fold again, 36 x 33 and one half inches.  Now you fold it into a triangle.

You measure from the tip of the triangle half of your diameter or radius  33 and one half inches.  You can tie a piece of chalk on a heavy string, make sure it does not stretch, measure the length you need, which for me was 33 and one half inches. I did not have any string, so I used my measuring tape.

My counter is whiter than the fabric but not much.  I hope you can see that I am measuring from the tip of the triangle.  When I went to school and we were having the Geometry  part of Algebra, some of the boys would say "Why are we having to learn this."   I am so glad I had Mr. Malcolm  La Fay in the 9th grade, he taught and I learned, if a child learns he never forgets.  He helped me with my sewing in later years by telling us to pretend to have a black board in our minds.  When I see a piece of material I can see how it would look made, on the blackboard in my mind.  He wanted us to work our math in our mind instead of the piece of paper. 

I really had a hard time cutting all these layers of fabric.  I cut two at a time.  I cut by the marking across the bottom of the fabric.

                                            

Turn up one fourth, then another one fourth more and you have your hem. 

If your fabric is not wide enough you will have to buy two lengths.  
If your fabric is 45 inches and you are making a 60 inch table cloth.  You buy 2 length of 45 inch fabric 60 . Buy more if fabric is end is not straight.  Cut one piece of 45 inch fabric 60 niches long.  45 +15+1 this is what you will need to add  for a 60 inch square.  You add 1on both sides of the 15 for 1/2 inch seams.   Divide the 16 inch stripe into two equal pieces. divide by 2 = 8 inches.  Sew one 8  inch strip to both sides of the 45 inch piece of cloth.  44+71/2 + 71/2 =  60, the 45 inch piece of fabric you used 1/2 inch.  Follow the instructions above for making your table cloth.  Do not forget to sig sag your seams and press.

I have taken a piece of yellow paper to show you how to fold your fabric.  I cut this paper to make it square.

Fold the square of fabric that is the size of the table cloth you need width wise. 60 length wide 60 or whatever you need.

                              When you fold  this time it should measure 1/2 of your table cloth at all sides.

     Fold on the two diagonal ends of square.
                                                           

Now you have a triangle.  My cutting area was not big enough to cut this any other way.  This is the best way to cut them. 

Measure from the tip  of  the shorter side.  The  one that is half the size of your table cloth. 

Then a circle.

You have cut off the corners of your square now you have a circle hem and you have finished.

I hope you have learned something from this blog page.  If you have any questions please ask.  I will do my best to answer them. Thank you for reading this blog and Happy sewing to you!   Gerber Daisy (Juanita Sheffield)

                                                                     








         

Charlotte's Menagerie: Bamboo Treat for the Goats

Charlotte's Menagerie: Bamboo Treat for the Goats

Cassondra's Frist lesson

The first thing you need to do is gather your tools.   I ask Cassondra what she had and she told me nothing, except a sewing machine.  I had bought 20 yards of red material at the factory outlet here in my home town, so I took it for her to  make her first items.  I found a Simplicity pattern that fits a 2 through 6x.  A good pair of cutting scissors, I bought her the kind I use Fiskars, keep them hid.  Nothing ruins a good pair of fabric scissors quicker than cutting anything other than fabric.  A tape measure is a must.   Pins, pin cushion, seam ripper and hope you never have to use it, but we did. the biggest mistake was mine. I think that gave her more hope, even if it did slow us down.   Some days you should just not get up.  We counted the yardage for each item on the pattern then doubled it.  Cassondra and my Grandson Joe have three little girls, we sewed for the older two.  We put the material in the washer, Cassondra wanted to embroidery an S on Sadee and Sophee's jumpers. Never embroidery on fabric or any ready made item with out washing. I learned the hard way.  If it shrinks the least bit it will cause the design to wrinkle, embroidery thread does not often shrink.
                                                                  

While the fabric was washing and drying we measured the two sweet little girls.
                                                                  

This is Sophee the oldest of the two.  Sophee's  hair is really beautifulf.  Length of back from neck to waist.

















                   Chest                                                     

                                                       Waist and hips.

Length of back.  This shows  you best how to measure.  And the length of the full dress.  I did not take a picture of every measurement, compare with the pattern.  We bought ten yards of a non woven material marked with dots every inch to copy the pattern, This way you can use the paper pattern for years.  Patterns are very expensive, and easy to tare and wear out.  Cassondra will be able to use this pattern for years.  Buying one that fits from 2 to 6x  is a good buy, if you make them ion the non-woven material in  each S. you need.  I have the same shirt pattern I have used since 1995 making our holiday shirts my paper pattern is still like new.  We also have a purse pattern I will show you in a later blog.  My friend and I have drawers full of shirts for every holiday. Also you can make adjustments with out cutting your bought paper  pattern.  We compared the girls measurements to the pattern Sadee was a 3 with a 5 length.  Sophee was a 3.

Cassondra reading the instruction.

Read every word on the pattern and on the instruction sheet.  You should look at every notch, word and dot on the pattern and transfer them to the copied pattern.  In time you will be able to sew up a simple garment with out the instruction.

Hear I am showing Cass how to mark the grain line on her new pattern.  Mark all information on the new pattern from the paper one.  Such as cut on fold, back,  front, straight of grain line of fabric.
The straight-of-grain-line of fabric is on of the most important markings on the pattern.  If you do not cut on the straight-line-of-fabric your garment could most likely hang badly.  Now I will tell you a true story. I worked in J C Penny's Fabric Department in the 70's  A woman came in and told me the pattern she bought from us ruined her pair of pants.  She had bought the fabric from Roy's
Fabric Center.  I am almost sure she tried to get them to replace the fabric, however Mrs Roy knew the lady was to blame.  I did also when I saw the pair of pants.  The side seam of the legs turned  out toward the center of the pants.  She informed me she had worked for Penny's in Kansans and she knew I could not refuse her, because the customer was always right.  Well I knew she was not, however I went up stairs and told my boss what happen was she had not cut on the grain line. She was at fraught.  Did not matter, I had to give her a new Pattern and pay for her material.  However before I did I showed her on the pattern, she brought back the grain line marking and explained nicely how to measure it on her material.  She really stole from J. C. Penny's and I think she knew I knew it. 
You measure from the savage the bottom of the line and the top of the line, the tow must be the same.

   We are laying a skirt on the fold. Measure from the savage side of the fabric top and bottom, they must be the same.  As small as this skirt is, we could get the front and back on one length of 45 inch fabric.
                                                                                                

Cassondra sewing the skirt from the bottom up.

Make a 5/8 inch seam allowance mark on your sewing machine, with tape.  Make sure you measure from the needle with it down.  Sew up from the bottom because you will be sewing in the direction of the most lengthwise grain. Most pieces will have a 5/8 inch seam allowance, if not you pattern will specif.  Again I will remind you to read every word on you pattern and the directions.


                                                     
                                                            

Press all seams open,after you finish them with a zigzag stitch to keep them from raveling out.

Turn under at the top a 1/4 inch hem and then the amount specified on the pattern, leaving an opening to run your elastic through.  Joe put our elastic in our skirts for us a big help.  Cut the elastic 1 or 2 inches smaller than the waist measurement, if the elastic is a soft elastic.  A firm elastic cut 1 to 2 inches longer.  Pin a safety pen on both ends on the elastic and run though the the turn down waist band.  Hem the bottom 1/4 inch, I use a zigzag stitch, we turn up what the pattern marked.
 

 
Joe putting elastic in the pants he made.

This is a pants leg, I am marking the wrong side with a piece of chalk after cutting the pants out.
Both sides looked so much alike it was difficult to tell them apart.

Joe sewing up a pair of pants.

I am ripping out a mistake I made.  I sewed the front of the pant together and the backs together that is wrong.  You sew one front and one back together matching notches.  Then slip them down into one another.  Sew from front stride seam to back. Cut seam from notch to notch down to 1/4 and finish with a zigzag stitch.  The rest of the seam leave at 5/8 finish with zigzag stitch and press open.  Finish top with 1/4 inch hem, then turn under the amount specified in the pattern instructions.  Hem to fit person.

 Cut stride seams from notch to notch to 1/4 inch seam. Finish with zigzag stitch.  I like to stitch a bar stitch( a zigzag stitch set on 0 length) at the top of the seam so it will not come out.  I took a piece of chalk and colored the bar stitch.







 



Joe pressing his pant seam open before sewing across it, very important.

Sadee

Sophee

I think she was a little shy being topless.


                                                               

Joe and Cassondra

 A wonderful time I had and am very proud of these two.  Joe has made a Poncho for the baby girl.  Wonderful job, very proud of him.  Cass made blankets and not the tied kind but the hemmed kind for Christmas presents and pajamas for her nieces for Christmas.  I taught some women years ago how to make under clothes(I order the tricot from a shop in Miss.) they already knew how to sew, however they did no better than Cass and Joe.


Hope you have enjoyed this first blog of learning how to sew with Gerber Daisy.  Hope you will get your scissors and start cutting.  Happy sewing to you  from me, Gerber Daisy.  Next lesson How to make a shirt.