Fuss-free fusing

Fusing can be troublesome, particularly if you have a lot to do and haven't got the luxury of a pressing table for block fusing.  Here's how I coped with fusing interfacing to the linen of my Vogue 8620 Jacket.

1 Be patient!  It can't be rushed. It took me about 3 hours over 2 days preparing my pieces

2 I use 2 pressing cloths made from an old white cotton sheet which I have marked "this side up" on all pieces.  I lay one over the ironing board (I have a nice wide one) to protect it from any sticky residue and use the other to cover the pieces I'm fusing

3  Press the fabric so it's wrinkle-free being careful not to move it off grain.  Lay the interfacing over your fabric - glue side down (ha, made that mistake once and wrote off a new iron!)  On a piece as big as this I place a few pins right through the fabric and ironing board.

4  Cover with second pressing cloth (this side up) and press.  I use a hot iron without steam as my pressing cloth is 100% cotton and I press from the centre out, leaving the iron in place for about 5 to 8 seconds.   Pressing - no ironing!

5  Remove press cloth once cool and trim away an stray pieces of interfacing.

6  Place your pattern pieces back onto the fused fabric in readiness for tailors tacks / marking

Marking up next and then ready to sew.  In the meantime I'm really looking forward to the Jubilee weekend - lots of lovely traditional afternoon tea, great celebrations at home and in London plus an extra sewing day!

More later.

Vogue 8620

Also entitled - where have you been?!

Sorry it's been a while.  I have been sewing, just not blogging - no excuses, life just gets in the way sometimes and I really have not got to grips with my ipad for anything other than listening to music and reading sewing blogs.

So here is my sewing related post of the year.  As I've mainly been sewing work clothes I wanted to make something completely different and, unusually for me, not tailored.  It's Vogue 8620 a Marcy Tilton Jacket. 

 I am using a denim cloured linen with a flowery cotton print for the binding and a chunky contrast zip.  The white interfacing to the right of the photo is to prevent the linen from creasing - as far as possible.  I've used this a lot recently, including a raw silk skirt I wear on a regular basis to work - It really works a treat and doesn't alter the weight or feel of the outer fabric.

Yesterday, in 28 degrees, (that's HOT for the UK) I began cutting and fusing the interfacing.  After around an hour I gave up - it was way too hot in the sewing room.  I had to cool down outside with a medicinal G&T!

Not much further progress this evening - I've been blogging!

And on a parting note, here is a picture of a creative genius and a gentleman.

RIP

Back soon!