Getting to know fabric

[@hazelem1266]

My mum passed away last year in January 2020. She was a dressmaker, and made many many dresses for proms, weddings etc. out of 5 daughters, only one was interested in sewing and she continued my mother’s legacy. I was not interested at all. I started sewing at the age of 63 during the lockdown in Australia. I wish I had watched and listened to my mum. Thank you so much for this video. I have really learned so much and you have taken me back to my childhood.

[@adelechicken6356]

Thank you for teaching me about the marks that show the repeat of the pattern. I've been sewing for 60 years and did not know that. Your videos are so well done and very enjoyable. I have just begun to watch sewing and quilting on you tube, but have been watching and learning from so many teachers on PBS over the years. My mother was an incredible sewing crafter. She could draw her own patterns for many things and remake garments into what ever was needed. Everything from turning my father's heavy uniforms into snowsuits and wool skirts from the thrift store into sheath dresses that lasted for years. She took a piece of beautiful wool fabric and the slip from the prom dress she had made for my older sister and made a baby bunting and lining for her first grandchild. When she no longer felt like sewing, it was my privilege to sew for her and the thing I'm most proud of is that I copied a quilted coat for her, making the pattern using pins thru seams and never took the coat apart. I machine quilted the outer fabric to insulating material and then fully lined it. She was so happy with it as it weighed very little and we had been unable to find a coat that wasn't too weighty for her. She wore it for about 10 years and it still looked new.

[@SewVeryEasy]

It is nice to hear that others did the same thing:)

[@newbeequilter]

I too am thankful for all your mother taught you about fabric and sewing. :-) because I get to learn all these helpful hints and methods from YOU. Hearing the background story of your mother taking you along to the thrift store and allowing you to pick out whatever item you wanted was a sweet memory to hear about. I had a similar experience with my mother who would give me a nickel to spend to buy a piece of clothing at a thrift store or rummage sale & I felt rich and powerful doing it as the few clothes I had were mostly hand-me-downs and few dresses my mother would sew us for Christmas and Easter each year (that was back in the mid-1950's). I came from a large family of 6 children and my fourth grade teacher, seeing our financial situation, gave my mother some nice woolen skirts her daughter had outworn. My mother took one of them apart and made a pencil skirt out of the navy and deep pink wool plaid for my older sister. A few years later when I was a freshman in high school, my mother took out those seams and remade it to fit me as a freshman in high school. To this day I have a hard time giving away a garment with quality fabric that still has a good amount of yardage to salvage and I think about how it could be reconstructed for another use. From your video today, I learned the ways to distinguish the right and wrong side of batik fabric; also: all these years I've never known about the notches or dots on the selvage indicating the repeat. I subscribed to you channel more recently, so now I'm going backwards to catch up and read your earlier postings. Thanks, Laura!

[@SewVeryEasy]

newbeequilter I also come from a family of 6 children...I'm the second child.The first girl. I know how you feel about tossing out good clothing or should say fabric! I will pass your thanks to my mother, she will be happy to hear it. Thank you again. Have a great day

[@barbaraespinosa9820]

You are an awesome teacher! Thanks. I'm so glad I came upon your videos!

[@SewVeryEasy]

Thank you and welcome:)

[@s.velez-lorenzo7895]

Hi Laura. I came across one of your videos explaining about the selveages. I buy at times fabric at the fabric store and I notice that the edges they do have the little holes. However, no printing information as you described. I love your new hair style it looks very beautiful. You look so much younger....:). I love the way you give your quilting & sewing tutorials they are so much informative. I appreciate your time in bringing these tutorials. Wish you the best, GOD bless you,your family & your staff.

[@lyndabaillargeon4955]

Thank you fir the video and I loce the story about you and you're mom. It reminds me when I was a little girls and my mother brought me to a old fabric store. We used to stay there for hours the floor used to crack when we walk. My fun was to touch every fabric and look at the different laces. All good souvenirs.

[@iseeewe5936]

As always Laural, you put out a good informative video. Thank you.

[@sandyaledor]

The color dots on the salvage was what did it for me, and everything else too! Really good information 👍

[@zanderpusward7250]

Excellent as ever, every day a school day with you! BTW my story is the reverse: mum no interest in sewing, daughter no interest in sewing, grandsons absolutely no interest in sewing. But at least no one clocks my mistakes!

[@foxychic208]

Dear Laura Thank you so much for this video it has been really helpful. I just love your tutorials and tips in fact everything I have watched of yours. Dressmaking has been my first love but you have opened up a whole New and wonderful world of sewing in so many different ways. So thank you doesn't really describe my excitement into this new creative world of sewing. So I will definitely be voming back.

[@SewVeryEasy]

Thank you and Welcome:)

[@bonniehinshaw3131]

Love your hair !!! Thanks for the tips on fabrics . I didn't know some of the information you gave .. great video.

[@SewVeryEasy]

thanks for watching

[@unknownperson1619]

Thank you because for Christmas I want to know how to use these fabrics. I love how you explain very detailed. Thanks so much😁😁😁

[@SewVeryEasy]

thanks:)

[@unknownperson1619]

SewVeryEasy You're Welcome

[@wendystewart8066]

Great tips, and your hair cut suits you too.

[@janetehoffman]

So much information in such a short amount of time ❤️❤️❤️✂️✂️✂️

[@debbiebraatz1919]

Great information about fabric! Thank you 😊

[@cindymcfarland4686]

This was so very interesting and informative!

[@EuphemiaGrubb]

I never knew that about the dye colours! Thank you!

[@L.i.s.a....]

Excellent video, I learned a great deal. Thank you! :)

[@DWRead-ms8wi]

The story about you and your mother was charming!

[@SewVeryEasy]

Thank you:)

[@annettefodge8532]

love your new hair style

[@curtriceennis2924]

TYSM for posting this video. If I'd seen it before I made my apron (not actually finished with it yet, though) I wouldn't have left the selvage on some of the fabric pieces I've used to make it. Hopefully it won't shrink too much when I ever wash it. But, about those color "dots" on the selvage edges, I have read how they are also a sort of indicator to the manufacturers who are printing the fabric. They are to allow the manufacturer to determine whether the printing "mechanisms" are printing the fabric correctly, or, if the fabric has somehow shifted, making the print be "off" in some way. ( Is that actually true, though ?) IE: If the colored dots were anywhere outside the cirle/triangle they are printed in, then the pattern of the fabric is not being properly printed ... I forget what site I saw all that on. I appreciate your help and advice, though. I am so glad to finally have an answer to my question about whether or not to sew with the selvage edge on my projects. I will know to cut them off on any future item I'm gonna be sewing. 😉

[@MyChilepepper]

Thank you! Now I have a diploma in textiles. Interesting subject.

[@Rose39M]

Wow Laura! I've never seen this video before where you have short hair! Don't get me wrong, I love your long hair too but this length is beautiful as well! Love all your videos you are a wonderful teacher! I live here in Muskoka and I love watching everything you do! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[@SewVeryEasy]

thank you and Merry Christmas

[@Rose39M]

Merry Christmas to you as well! Ho! Ho! Ho! or Sew!Sew!Sew! Lol

[@treezza2817]

Laura, is there a way to tell the right side of flannel in solid colors?

[@SewVeryEasy]

You often can tell by the selvage edge. If it has any printing on the edge that is the top. Also if the selvage has a little fuzzy running along it The fuzzy usually points up. Hope that helps

[@i_su_hart_su_hart_i]

Nice top❣ Any PDF pattern for it❔

[@mahboobehrezaei1516]

thank you for the good tips

[@SewVeryEasy]

MAHBOOBEH REZAEI your welcome, thanks for watching:)

[@wendyhutchins945]

Thanks, Laura! :)

[@aestheticlife2042]

Thank you!

[@darlenedriedger2549]

U look sooooooo much younger too, without your glasses !!

[@janetehoffman]

Your hair looks so sophisticated in this video, is this when you began letting your hair grow longer? ✂️✂️✂️😘

[@SewVeryEasy]

Yes :)

[@littlebrookreader949]

❤️

[@aminafatah2001]

Thank you

[@SewVeryEasy]

thank you for watching :)

[@beverlyriley9710]

Missouri star attic quilt

[@AlbertoMartinez-ps9bv]

what a BABE!