Sewing studio Archives

How to Get Started Sewing: It’s a Make it Work Moment!

2 April 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hey y’all, Amy here. In these crazy times, we just keep saying how grateful we all are at Closet Core to have a hobby. I’ve found there is only so much news and distracting tv you can engage in before you start to feel a little less than human. Enter: the haptic senses. These are the things you do with your hands and mind that connect you to the physical world (cooking, gardening, woodworking or in our case, sewing) that take you out of the matrix and allow you to focus in on the thing you are working on and your body’s connection to it. This might be all a little woo-woo for you (and that’s ok). As my grandmother used to say, “I can’t just sit there and watch Dallas, I need to keep my hands busy!” That was true for my nanny and it’s true for me. So in that spirit, I wanted to approach sewing less from a this is the best way to do it angle (as is our regular imperative at CCP) and more from a better this way than not at all angle. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so if you are suddenly in need of a hobby and sewing seems like something you might want to do to keep yourself occupied, we’re creating this resource to get you started.

Since there is inevitably a range of budgets and abilities out there, I am going to make it a bit of a choose your own adventure situation or as my Pilates instructor in college used to say, Column A, Column B and Column C. You can pick and choose from these levels of price, commitment and accessibility (a huge factor right now, I know) to put together your sewing space. There are so many ways to engage in this hobby of ours and sometimes the humblest of materials can produce the most beautiful garments. I just keep thinking of all the difficult situations in history that people managed to sew through and it is providing me with a real can-do spirit! Let’s jump in.

YOUR BASIC SET UP

A) In an ideal world, you could make this work table we wrote these DIY instructions for here. For cutting and assembling patterns, it’s the perfect height so your back doesn’t get sore and has lots of storage underneath for all your supplies. This is a pretty huge table but if you have space and really wanna go big or go home, it’s the best.

B) We also rounded up a whole bunch of smaller table ideas and alternatives for cutting and sewing tables here if you want to buy something ready-made or repurpose something you already have.

C) And the MAKE IT WORK alternative is, of course, your dining room table! Putting your sewing machine on a little-used desk! Laying out your pattern on the floor! Down the hallway! Find a flat surface and make it work!

SEWING MACHINE

A) We are sponsored by Pfaff at our studio. We have a whole bunch of top of the line machines and have gotten pretty spoiled with all the bells and whistles. We wrote a post here if you want some eye candy.

B) We also wrote a blog post here on buying your first machine, if you want to take a gander. Heather makes some great suggestions for sourcing a vintage machine and what features to look for. Obviously there aren’t a ton of buying options right now since most thrift stores are probably closed, but check eBay! You may be able to find one locally or arrange to have it shipped.

C) I took a look at what’s available on Amazon if you are looking to get started at this exact moment. These are a few machines that have very accessible price points and depending on where you are in the world might be able to arrive at your doorstep. This Singer machine, this Janome one and this Brother one all have the basic functions you need to get started. Alternatively, you could reach out on any of your regional social networks to see if someone has an unused machine kicking around in their garage or basement. You could maybe swing by and pick it up without having to do any direct contact and leave them some cookies or something. Just a thought…

PRESSING STATION

A) We wrote a blog post on our studio set up for ironing here with our fancy gravity feed iron and big pressing table. A gravity feed is pricey but will last a lifetime.

B) We also wrote a blog post here on how to make a portable ironing board that is bigger than the standard size commercial one and that you can tuck away when not in use. We also love this powerful and precise Rowenta iron which, while it’s not exactly cheap, will last you a long time and gets the job done.

C) Right now my home set up for ironing is an antique wooden ironing board I found in the garbage with a towel on it. Is it Pinterest worthy? Nope. Does it work? Sure does. You can put a couple of blankets on the floor and a towel and iron on that, whatever! It doesn’t need to be fancy. Here is a very reasonably priced iron that for sure would get the job done. You just want to make sure it has some good steam generation, a nice tip for getting into the corners and an auto-off function, especially if you’re a forgetful person!

TOOLBOX

A) We are a huge fan of special sewing tools and there are a million specific little gadgets that one can collect for just about every step of sewing. Every holiday season we make a list of our favourites and you can go and check out all the pretty and special things we loved this past year here.

Our Holiday Gift Guide for Sewists // Closet Core Patterns — 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

B) We also put together a list of the absolute beginner must-haves in this blog post here. If you can’t find some of these things on Amazon you should try Wawak (they still seem to be shipping) and they have anything a sewist could possibly need.

Beginner Books and Tools for Sewing // Closet Core Patterns — 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

C) Ok. So what do you really, really, really need? Not much:

You will need to cut out your fabric. The sharpest scissors in your house or a brand new pair from the pharmacy will probably be good enough.
You will need to measure yourself to determine your size but if you can’t find a flexible tape measure you can use a piece of string and then mark that and hold it up to a rigid tape measure or ruler.
You can find some kind of straight pin in most pharmacies, but you could also use bag clips, or clothes pins or even, dare I say it, a stapler (within your seam allowance) to hold things in place until you sew them.
A pair of nail scissors can work as a seam ripper.
I have used pebbles, canned goods and just about anything else as a pattern weight if you do have a rotary cutter and a mat.
I have used socks stuffed in another sock as a Tailor’s ham in a pinch.
You can use a white pencil crayon as a marker on dark fabrics or a dark one for light fabrics.
Kids washable markers make for a good marking tool as well (test first!)
Fill a well cleaned out spray cleaner bottle full of water to make pressing easier.
Use the tip of your scissors as a point turner.
A chopstick makes a great tube turner.

THIS IS MAKE IT WORK SEWING AT ITS FINEST! We are not going for perfection, we are learning new skills and testing our resourcefulness! Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing more of this “make it work” approach to sewing with you, and we have some fun ideas in the works to share our home sewing experience with you all. I hope you are finding ways of staying creative and optimistic in this trying time. I just keep finding comfort in the fact that we are all in this together, and when we share and connect over our collective passion, we come out better, stronger and more resilient. Sending love.

If any of you experienced sewists have a trick to add to this list, please tell us in the comments!

How to Buy Your First Sewing Machine

23 July 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hi all! Amy Here! As many of you might know, earlier this summer we released a beginner sewing course. It has been so fun and gratifying to see new sewists approach our patterns and use our instructions to make their first garments! Everyone reading this knows how empowering and exciting your first sewing experiences can be and hopefully are merely the start of a lifelong journey of sewing. So in that spirit, we will be spending some time on the blog this summer addressing the beginner sewist, and the tools and tips that some of us might take for granted. I love nothing more than taking it back to basics because often there is a new little nugget of info lurking in there, something maybe you forgot or skipped over that will take your sewing practice to the next level. In this post, we will be looking at equipment, and more importantly, how to buy your first sewing machine.

As you may know, we are a Pfaff-sponsored studio, and we currently have a few of their top-of-the-line machines at our disposal (if you wanna do some ogling we did write a blog post about our new machines here). Obviously, we realize this is not an option for everyone, especially if you are new to sewing and still trying to decide if this is the hobby for you (it is and you are about to become a straight-up addict, you’ve been warned). So with that in mind, we are going to give you the lowdown on buying your first machine: what you should look for, what to avoid and most importantly how to make it easy on yourself so that you love sewing and don’t get frustrated with equipment that seems to hate you. Let’s go shopping!

BUYING A VINTAGE SEWING MACHINE

Most of us here started on an inherited machine. A big heavy clunker from the 70’s that our mom had in the basement and got oiled about as frequently as the Christmas lights came out of the boxes. It probably didn’t have a bunch of fancy features, it probably weighed about as much as the washing machine and if you dropped it off the roof you could still dust it off and rethread it. That’s probably why I’m still sewing on mine. “They don’t make em like they used to” in this case is more than just a cliché. Before the 90’s they made everything with metal, steel usually, which means they tend to last a lot longer than newer machines made primarily of plastic.

Buying a vintage model for your first sewing machine is a great option for a few reasons. One, it’s generally not a big investment. You can find them easily at just about any thrift store, not to mention estate sales, Ebay, Craigslist of Kijiji. A vintage machine generally sells for $50-200, although vintage Berninas tend to go for a bit more. Second, because the features tend to be more basic than a newer machine, they are easier to operate for beginners. Third, almost everything on an old vintage machine can be fixed if you find an experienced repair person – which brings me to my biggest piece of advice.

Before you even start looking for a vintage machine, find out where your nearest experienced sewing machine repair person is located and get in touch. This person will be your gateway to easy/happy sewing. You want to have the machine serviced right away (this will cost $50-100) which will include oiling and a tune-up, just like a vintage bike or car! You will want to have that done yearly or if you encounter any problems as you go. Make friends with this person (usually they are lovely people anyway) and keep the number handy.

HOW TO FIND OLD MANUALS

Often times if you are buying an old machine the manuals were lost at least a generation ago. Worry not, you are not alone, there are lots of resources both free and available for purchase that can be downloaded. Here and here are a couple of places to start if you are looking to replace a manual or spare part; buying a scanned copy of your manual for $10 is worth every penny. It will show you how to properly thread and maintain your machine, and may reveal a few tricks you didn’t even know your machine could do!

BASIC SEWING MACHINE FEATURES

While having a lot of bells and whistles to play with on a machine can be fun, a beginner sewist can get away with some pretty basic features. Whether you are buying vintage or new, the things that you absolutely must have on a machine are few. Some of the best sewists I know sew on Singer Featherweights which is literally the first sewing machine to run on electricity and dates to the 1930’s. The principles of sewing haven’t changed though and so as long as the machine you are looking at has most (or all) of the following capabilities, you should be good to go.

Straight stitch
Zig Zag stitch
Overlocking stitch (this is in order to fake a serger)
Movable needle position (left-right)
Needle up/needle down
Free arm (the tray should be removable so you can sew tight areas like sleeves and hems)
Feed dogs that can be disengaged for sewing buttons or quilting
Reverse button

BUYING A NEW SEWING MACHINE

The advantage of buying new over vintage is pretty simple: features, features, features! Modern machines are the benefit of decades of research and technological advances, which means you can do a LOT more on them. At the bare minimum, you can expect a lot more stitch types. In addition, modern machines tend to be more automatic or intuitive; they may have automatic tension (no more fiddling with the tension dial!), auto threading, needle up/needle down buttons, and auto thread cutting. If it has a big digital component, you can also do a lot of programming, like creating and saving custom stitches and doing embroidery. Again, cars are a great analogy; you can certainly get from A to B in a beautiful vintage manual convertible, but it won’t be as easy to drive as a modern automatic with leather seats and Bluetooth connectivity.

With a new machine, you also benefit from warranties and tech support, especially if you buy your machine from a dealer, which is something we HIGHLY recommend. Test-driving a new machine with the help of an experienced sales person means you’ll get a machine that works for you, in addition to actually learning how to operate the darn thing. Keep in mind, the best quality machines are bought directly from a dealer rather than on Amazon or Walmart. Usually a sewing store will carry a few different brands and be able to tell you what would work best for you and your budget.

BRANDS TO LOOK FOR

If you have decided that sewing is for you are or you’re ready to invest in a new machine here’s the deal: you should be prepared to spend at least $300. Yes, there are cheaper machines on the market, but like anything in this world, you get what you pay for. Anybody that has been sewing their own clothes for a while will tell you, it’s not a cheap hobby. There is a big investment at the beginning to get all the tools and supplies you need, so it can feel a bit overwhelming to commit to buying a fancy new machine. The frustration you will save buying something that will last and not break in the middle of a project is well worth the investment.

Buying a good machine that will last until the next generation will not only make your current sewing experience more enjoyable, but also saves a piece of plastic junk from going in a landfill when it completes its short-lived life cycle. While newer machines tend to be made from more plastic than in days of yore, a good quality new machine should still last for as long as you need it, especially if you get in the habit of servicing and oiling it regularly (not all machines need oiling so make sure you read your manual!) New machines can be fairly basic, or super advanced like our Pfaff Performance Icon which basically sews on its own if we’d let it. It’s important to think about what you want out of your sewing machine, make a list of what you’re looking for and then start shopping with all that in mind.

In terms of brands? Honestly, this is really up to you. Each brand has pros and cons, and honestly, it comes down to what features you want and how it feels to sew on it. This is why we recommend going to a dealer with a few different brands in stock to see what machine feels right for you. In the studio we’ve sewn on all kinds of machines before making the switch to Pfaff because Heather fell in love with how they sew. When in doubt, try before you buy!

FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

Here are some features to look for that will make your sewing life extra-breezy:

Auto-threader (especially great if you have vision issues)
Lockstitch or stitch tie-off (will lock the stitch at the beginning and end so you don’t have to backstitch)
Automatic thread cutter (no manually trimming at the end of each stitch)
Quality light
Automatic tension (most machines will let you adjust it manually as well)
Ability to save or create custom stitches
Automatic buttonholes
Large work area (especially great if you want to make quilts)
Built-in walking foot or dual feed to help feed fabric evenly when sewing knits or matching stripes (this tends to be a feature of high-end machines but the IDT system comes with most standard Pfaff machines)
Optional knee lift (a great feature if you’d like to do more hands-free sewing)
Adjustable presser foot pressure (ideal for sewing slippery knits and thick fabrics)
Start/stop button (lets you sew without the foot pedal)
Variable speed control (lets you slow or speed up stitching)

SEWING MACHINE FEET

Your machine (new or used) might come with some different sewing feet. These are used for doing all kinds of different seam finishes, installing zippers, making buttonholes, embroidery, pleating, ruching, gathering, stretch sewing, quilting… I mean, I could go on forever. If you can do it on a sewing machine, they probably make a foot for it. Do you need every single one of these?? Absolutely not. That said, most feet can be found on Amazon for very little money (this kit costs $24 and has every foot imaginable). Having an invisible zipper foot when you want to install an invisible zipper? Priceless.

Just be aware that there are low shank and high shank machines. Most domestic machines use low shank attachments (except Bernina which uses its own system) so when you are shopping online just make sure to check it works for your machine. These are all the things that “handy sewing machine repair person” will be able to help you with. Now you see why that phone number is handy? Buy this person a Christmas present.

BASIC FEET

Zig zag foot. This foot can be used for all sorts of stitches (straight stitch too!) and just ensures the hole in the needle foot is big enough to accommodate a widely moving needle.
Invisible zipper foot for installing invisible zippers.
Regular zipper foot for installing standard metal coil zippers.
Buttonhole foot – should come with your machine.

FANCY FEET

Edgestitch/stitch in the ditch foot. Includes a guide and lets you sew exactly on top of the seam line.
Piping foot – easily inserts piping.
Button foot – lets you sew a button on by machine.
Walking foot – helps feed fabric evenly on top and bottom. Great for matching stripes/prints and sewing knits.
Blind hem – to sew invisible hems
Hemming foot – helps create hems by machine, available in multiple widths from baby hem to 1/4″.

Just remember that if sewing is going to be your life long hobby there will be lots of time (and birthdays and Christmases) to acquire all of your dream tools and equipment. The important thing in the beginning is to build your skillset and that means practicing and making mistakes! Break a few needles, sort out a few bobbin snarls and do some troubleshooting, and when all else fails….”now where did I put that phone number?”

Do you have any tips for someone buying their first sewing machine?

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How to KonMari your Sewing Space

8 February 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hey guys, Amy here. January is inevitably a time of organization. Tidying, cleaning, resetting bad habits, resolutions! The new year always calls for a fresh start but it seems that with the advent of Marie Kondo’s new show on Netflix, Tidying Up, 2019 is really determined to be the YEAR OF TINY BOXES!! We here in the studio are not immune to the zeitgeist and when Alexis and I did the last major tidy up we were extra diligent in making sure everything had a home it could go back to. While I’m not sure a bunch of needles or stack of measuring tapes fills me with “joy”, it sure makes us joyful to have all this stuff organized.

Enter: Hardware boxes. We have been using these (the brand is Duramax from the dollar store) hardware organizers for a while for other things like snaps and buttons so when we were looking for a solution for sewing machine needles we slapped our foreheads (in unison) and got to work.

There are a few things about this product that we like and that you should look for if you want to get something similar. One, the clear top. The fact that you can see quickly what is inside (especially if you are using multiples) is really efficient. Two, the movable little partitions. I like that you can customize these for just about anything and get real specific with sizing the compartments. Finally, I love that they aren’t too big. I have seen versions of these that are practically furniture, and while it is nice to have everything in one space I love that you can change these out as your collections of notions change and grow. They are also portable and stackable.

OK! So this is the challenge we were faced with when I went on my organziing tear. Yes, we have a lot of machine needles! And they have very tiny numbers that are very hard to read and while we probably don’t NEED all these variations, are we going to be very happy when we have the exact right twin needle for a jersey knit??? You betcha!

Sidenote: we buy most of our needles in major bulk from a wholesaler (we go through a LOT with our hardware kits) but Wawak is our favourite place to buy needles in smaller quantities.

I first grouped all the like things with like things. Once I had my categories, I used our handy label maker to print out labels for type and size of needle.

Once you have all the needles in a spot you like, you can go ahead and stick the labels to the outside of your lid.

Doesn’t that look nice! I can’t tell you how helpful it has been to see what we have in the drawers and to know where everything is, especially with multiple sewists at work at any given time!

And since we are here to look at pretty pictures of very organized little boxes, let’s see what we have in the other ones….

Shirt buttons!

Snaps! And grommets!

More snaps! And snap tools!

Did someone say machine feet!?? Oh yes.

This one was especially handy for me cause lord knows I don’t know what an edge stitch foot looks like off-hand. Since you’re still here, chances are you want to see the drawers I went Koncrazy on, right? Let’s take a peek…

We are still trying to figure out exactly what will be most useful in these drawers (these are the ones next to the main machine) so we wanted to leave room for more toys. But we only used boxes we had and so there is nothing lost if we end up deciding to move everything around in a few months. I think what I like most about the KonMari method is that she recommends using what you have to organize. Not only do you get to look at your cute boxes and dishes you use but there is no excuses for not getting started right away!

How you like to organize all the bits and bobs that make up a sewing practice?

DIY Ironing Board & Mobile Pressing Station

25 January 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hey all, Amy here. So we have been busy, busy, bees around the studio getting everything prepped for our latest sewing workshop video shoot! Last week I was tasked with making another ironing board we could use on camera(Heather made a bigger one using this same technique when they moved into the studio). We thought we would show you the simple steps because having the ability to make an inexpensive, custom size ironing board for whatever your sewing set-up might be is one of those easy things that makes a huge difference. For one thing, you can use an already existing work surface that might serve other purposes (a counter top, desk, etc.) and allows you to free up a ton of floor space an ironing board would otherwise occupy. I also found once I was used to ironing on a larger surface (I have one of these at home as well) I could not go back. A regular ironing board seems mini by comparison! So start with where you think you will most likely use your board, and then measure your wood and fabric. Nothing about this technique is fixed, so this is truly a custom situation.

MATERIALS

3/4″ plywood (you could use thicker but it will be heavier and therefore harder to move).
Fluffy polyester batting, the thicker the better. If you only have a thinner kind, just use two layers. It should be at least 2″ bigger than your board on all sides.
Cotton batting 4″ bigger than board on all sides.
Sturdy woven cotton fabric 4-6″ bigger than board on all sides. Canvas is ideal.
Staple gun
Heavy duty staples
Fabric shears

Harry got pretty curious to know what we were up to and assumed we were making him a bed! He was asleep on here two minutes after I wandered away.

Go ahead and line up the polyester batting with your board. I recommend pulling the extra over to one side so you can cut along the edge of the board by feel. You just want enough of the first layer that when you pull it taut it will just wrap around the corners, but not so much there is a lot of bulk on the wrong side.

Repeat this step with the cotton batting leaving a little more extra than the poly layer. You want to be able to get your staples through this layer.

Alexis was my other set of hands for this project. Particularly for the stapling bit, you want someone to help hold it tight.

Go ahead and put a few staples in your batting layer just to hold it evenly. We will reinforce this later, it’s just to keep things from slipping around.

I included this photo because, “teamwork makes the dream work”.

Here Alexis is showing us a good way to deal with the corners. You want them as flat as possible to get your staples into as much wood as you can. You could cut a corner out of the batting if you have too much bulk.

Next you will fold the cotton fabric over a few times so you are stapling into more than one layer of fabric. This will make the fabric less likely to rip. You want as many staples as possible to disperse the strain. Stop stapling before you get to the corners. Start with whatever side you like and then do the opposite. We did short side, short side, long side, long side. This way you can pull it super tight in between sides and distribute the fabric evenly.

To start the long side, fold the corner and then continue to the other corner.

It was such a busy day, Alexis immediately had to use the board to prep some fabric…multitasking!

Here it is in situ on the set!

So there you have it! Your own custom ironing board! Had we not been making this for a shoot we probably would have chosen some more fun fabric. The great thing about this idea is after you get some marks on your board, or a little tired of it, you can staple on another layer of fabric and it’s good as new! Who doesn’t have fabric in their stash for that??!

Our Pressing Station & the Best Iron for Serious Sewing

9 November 2018 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

We recieve A LOT of questions about our ironing/pressing set-up. I get it… it took me YEARS to figure out the best iron for sewing. In our consumer economy, it seems almost everything these days is designed for planned obsolescence, so even the priciest irons seem to have a two-year lifespan, max. I cannot tell you how often I’ve shaken yet another broken iron at the sky, asking why the sewing gods have forsaken me. That said, I think I’ve cracked the iron code, so today I’m going to tell you about our pressing station and my/our favourite tools for getting the crispest, prettiest seams using the best/most dependable equipment.

PRESSING IS NEXT TO GODLINESS

It’s a sewing truth: no matter how much time you spend cutting and assembling a garment, the finished product succeeds or fails based on your pressing. You can sew the most gorgeous french seams ever, but if you aren’t properly pressing at each stage in the game, your project will inevitably look homemade. Pressing IS sewing, and choosing the right tools will make this stage much less of a chore.

I’ve cycled through quite a few pressing set-ups over the years, and I am super happy with our current configuration. Here is what it looks like:

Our pressing station is set-up in front of the windows, which is a lovely place to work; I have spent a lot of dreamy time staring outside while I should be ironing. After we moved to our new studio space, I abandoned a traditional ironing board. They are so narrow and awkward to work on, and I wanted a big, wide surface that would make it easy to press long lengths of fabric. Our current ironing board is actually an old worktable I found in the garbage years ago (it was my kitchen island up until fairly recently). For its second life, I cut a piece of plywood for a new top (about two by four and a half feet) and covered it with a layer of batting and sturdy canvas fabric.

This pressing station has been a total game changer in the studio. It’s nice and big, making it easy to press large pieces of fabric, while also doubling as another work surface when we need it. The extra storage shelf is also handy for storing larger pressing tools. If you’d like to ditch your ironing board for a stand-alone pressing station like ours, this IKEA workstation would be perfect. Alternatively, you can simply pad a large piece of plywood and use it on your cutting table in lieu of a traditional ironing board.

OUR FAVOURITE IRON: GRAVITY FEED ALL THE WAY

Let’s talk about our beloved, gravity feed iron. As I mentioned, I’ve been through the iron gauntlet and have tried everything in the low to high-end spectrum. In my opinion, the high-end ones are about as durable as the cheapo $20 guys. While a spendy option may make better steam or hold a more consistent temperature, they inevitably seem to stop working after a year, or never recover from an ironing board fall. If you are serious about sewing, I believe the absolute best option is a gravity feed iron. This is what you’ll find in any professional atelier or tailoring shop. They are sturdy and durable (I drop mine frequently and they keep chugging along) provide massive amounts of steam and have no auto shut-off. This might be a negative if you’re absentminded, but nothing irritates me more than an iron turning off when you’re mid-project (our solution for this is to have a small light next to the iron we turn on every time we’re using the gravity feed; when we leave at night the light reminds us to turn everything off).

We use a Sapporo model, but I have also used and enjoyed the Silver Star. Both clock in at under $100 on Amazon, include a bunch of accessories, and will likely last a few years or more. Most gravity feed irons come with a heat-proof silicone mat for it to rest on (they are meant to rest face down, not on their side) so even if you do forget to turn it off, it won’t start a fire unless you have some kind of electrical issue. On that note, it is VERY important that you plug your gravity feed directly into a socket. If you have to use an extension cord (like we do) make sure you use a heavy duty 10 gauge extension cord. Anything less is a serious fire hazard. Other notes:

Gravity feed irons are quite heavy (ours is around 4 pounds). I love the weight since it makes applying interfacing much easier, but if you have wrist issues it might not be the best choice.
The water tank is attached to the iron with a long clear hose and is quite large (4 liters!) which means lots of steam without having to refill it all the time. The tank must be suspended a few feet above your workstation (the water enters by… you got it… gravity) to work properly. We hang ours from an exposed beam, but you’ll need a sturdy ceiling hook at home. Alternatively, you can use an IV stand if you don’t want to make a hole in your ceiling. If it’s suspended from the ceiling, I suggest attaching it to a thin rope secured to a wall hook with a figure 8 knot – that way you can easily raise and lower the tank without climbing on a stool to fill it up (ask me how many times I’ve fallen trying to do that).
To get the most life out of your iron, ensure you use demineralizer beads in the tank and change them regularly (every 3-4 months or so depending on use). Alternatively, you can also use distilled water — just make sure you’re not using water direct from the tap, since the minerals will clog up the gullyworks.
Use a teflon foot on your iron (the irons I linked to include this in the kit)! It helps moderate heat and protect your fabric.

I really can’t sing the praises of a gravity feed iron enough! I teach in a lot of different studios and have used many irons, and the gravity feed is by far my favourite. It does take a bit of getting used to (you’ll learn how to work around the cord) but the results are so much better. The only other iron I’ve liked as much is a steam system with an attached tank like this one, but it is 4 times the cost. Gravity feed baby! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

OUR NEWEST ADDITION: THE STEAM PRESS IRON

This summer I finally caved and got us a Singer steam press iron. I’ve wanted one for a while and don’t for a moment regret the investment (about $180 on Amazon). I would file this item as “lovely to add if you have the space and cash”. The steam press is essentially one giant iron; to use it you lay your fabric on the board and close the press with the handle. You can then optionally hit it with a LOT of steam, making it basically the best tool ever for steam shrinking a few yards of wool, pressing a large piece of fabric, or apply interfacing.

So far I’m super happy with it, and while we don’t use it every day, having it there when we need it is a huge time saver. Same rules apply for a power source: directly into the wall or use with a heavy-duty 10 gauge extension cord. This model does have an auto-off and also has a ten-second timer, very handy for applying interfacing so you don’t have to count in your head! We keep it on top of this Ikea cabinet, which also happens to be the ideal size and depth for storing work in progress projects.

OUR FAVOURITE PRESSING TOOLS

One of my favourite additions to our pressing station was this rolling Ikea caddy. It’s where we keep most of our pressing tools since I love having everything easily at hand. On the top shelf I keep water bottles for misting and smaller tools like a point turner, scissors and seam gauge. Middle shelf is for our pressing aids, and the bottom shelf is for our pressing cloths. This little guy is the best.

Over the years I’ve amassed quite a few pressing tools. You don’t need all of these, but each one does its job well, saving you time or energy. Here’s a list, with a star next to the ones I think are must-haves:

Tailors ham * – This funnily shaped guy is ideal for pressing curved surfaces like darts and collars. The cotton side is for high heat fabrics like linen and cotton; use the plaid side for wool and lower heat fabrics.
Seam roll * – A seam roll is a godsend for pressing seams in hard to reach areas like sleeves or legs. It’s also handy for pressing open seams on responsive fabrics like wool, since the curve of the roll prevents the seam from showing through on the other side.
Sleeve board – A seam roll will work in a pinch, but if you make a lot of shirts, a sleeve board is a great tool for pressing sleeves and pant legs.
Clapper – Do yourself a favour and invest in a clapper (or make one using a piece of sanded hardwood!) I’ve sung their praises many times before, but a clapper really helps to create gorgeous pressed seams. After pressing your seam, you apply the clapper to absorb the heat and moisture. It essentially “locks” the seam in place, and is indispensable for making jeans and tailoring, although I tend to use it almost all the time.
Point presser * – I recently purchased one of these and love love love it. It has a few functions: the bottom part works as a clapper, while the top part is a narrow and pointed pressing surface that lets you get into those itty bitty awkward places like shirt collars. If you can only afford one, I would buy the point presser over the clapper – it’s a little more awkward to use but serves multiple functions.

Pressing tools for sewing - tailors ham and clapper // Our Pressing station at Closet Core Patterns — Clockwise from left: Point presser, tailors ham, seam roll, clapper

Hopefully, this answers any questions you’ve ever had about our pressing set-up, and maybe gives you some ideas about pimping out this area in your sewing space. Investing in the part of your practice that gives you the most professional looking results will never be a bad idea.

What are your pressing secrets? Do you have an iron or tool you really love? Sharing is caring!

Free Pattern Alert! Make our Serger & Sewing Machine Cover

25 April 2018 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hi all! Amy here. I am so excited to share this beautiful studio DIY with you; a custom serger and sewing machine cover using our free pattern! This is a fast and satisfying project, perfect for adding some ‘zazz to your sewing space (not to mention a great stash buster for all those awkward random yards you may have hanging around).

Part of the new studio revamp included a plan for matching dust covers for our machines, and Heather was stoked to finally track down the Instagram famous monstera print from Rifle Paper Co and Cotton & Steel; it matches our studio jungle! It was sold out all over but seems to be restocked at Fabric.com. We drafted two patterns for our machines, and we are super excited to share them with you. The sewing machine cover pattern includes two pockets, ideal for storing a machine foot or table extension. The serger cover pattern is sans pocket, but is angled to neatly encase you serger or coverstitch machine. Both can be downloaded using the link below in copyshop or print at home format; you’ll need to join our our mailing list to get the password to our Sewing Resource Library (ps. our monthly newsletter is super fun and you get first dibs at new patterns and sales).

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MATERIALS NEEDED

Free sewing machinge cover pattern (available in our sewing resource library, get the password when you sign up to our newsletter, see above)
1 yard of a sturdy cotton/denim/canvas for each machine (you can also use a linen/cotton blend like our monstera print or Essex linen)
Piping (1.75 yards for sewing machine, 2 yds for serger)
two small squares of fusible interfacing (sewing machine cover only)
polyester thread
piping foot
snap or button (sewing machine cover only)
snap or button setter (sewing machine cover only)
awl (sewing machine cover only)
hammer (sewing machine cover only)

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Since the process is the exact same for both versions, I am going to walk you through making the sewing machine cover, as it is slightly more complicated with two pockets and a snap. The sewing machine cover will fit a machine with approximate dimensions of 15″ long x 12″ high x 7″ deep, and the serger will fit a machine that is 12” long x 12” high x 14” deep. There is a little wiggle room here so don’t fret if your machine is an inch larger in any direction, but if you want to fit your machine exactly, we include lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern so you can adjust accordingly.

Ok, let’s get started!

First thing you will want to do is make a whole whack of piping using our piping tutorial. I say the more the merrier with piping since it’s almost more annoying to make a small amount, and you can always use it in other projects. We made our piping using our body fabric, but you could also make contrast piping or use the ready-made stuff from the store. No shame in the game! Once that’s done, cut out your pieces and give everything a good press.

Next, press the long sides of the pocket (piece C) down by 5/8″ twice.

Repeat for the other pocket and topstitch both in place.

Lay the main body (the long one) right side up and pin your pockets to either end, lining up the raw edge along the bottom. Baste these pieces together along the raw edges at 3/8″.

Next, you will be creating the double pocket. We have included a notch at the bottom of the pocket piece which is exactly halfway across. If you would like a smaller pocket on one side for your machine foot or stitch guide, simply measure and do your top stitching there. For the middle pocket draw a line from the notch to the top of the pocket piece and topstitch along that line, making sure to backstitch at the top.

If you wanted two double pockets, you could of course repeat this on the other side. We wanted to make a big enough pocket for the machine’s table extension, so we will be just leaving the other side for now.

Time to attach the piping; if that’s a new skill for you, we have an in-depth tutorial here. Pin your piping on to both side pieces (piece B), lining the raw edge up with the outer edge. You may need to notch it in order to help it lay flat.

Using a piping foot, align the needle as far to the right as you can and baste the piping on. I notched the fabric at this point and ironed everything to get it nice and flat.

Next, match the top notch on piece B with the notch on piece A and pin the pieces together. You are lining up a straight line to a curved line so you may need to ease the fabric around the corners. Move your needle back into the middle still using your piping foot and stitch, making sure you are sewing on the inside of the first row of stitching. Repeat on the other side.

Once done you will want to finish those seams. You can do this with a serger by only trimming off loose threads, or zig-zag to finish the raw edges.

Flip the piece inside out and press the seams towards the body.

At this point, try the cover on your machine to ensure your hem is the right length. We folded up the bottom 1/2″ and then 1″. Press using a bunch of steam especially at the corners. Topstitch in place.

If you want to add a snap or button to your large pocket you will need a snap setter, hammer and hard surface to work on.

Once you know where you want your snap to be, iron a small square of interfacing on the wrong side of the fabric where both sides of hardware will be. For details on setting snaps, see our tutorial. You can also replace the snap with a regular ‘ol button.

And that’s it! Don’t forget, if you’re making the serger cover the process is more or less the same, except you’ll be skipping the pockets.

Here are some shots of all the ladies in situe. It’s a jungle in here!

We hope you get some use from our free pattern! It’s one of those projects that doesn’t feel do or die necessary, but they really add a little something to our space, and protect our machines from dust when they’re not in regular use.

Have you glammed up your studio with some sewing machine tuxedoes?

GET FREE SEWING MACHINE COVER PATTERN

Achieving Max-Org: How We Stay Organized in Our Sewing Studio

12 April 2018 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

This week I shared a complete tour of our new studio, and today I want to talk about how everything is organized. Since our pegboard started cropping up on Instagram, I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about sewing studio organization, so I’m hoping this post will be helpful to you if you’re feeling oppressed by the chaos of a messy workspace.

In the dog days of our old studio, I started having borderline erotic fantasies about how I wanted things organized once we had room to do it properly (if you needed help identifying symptoms for Type A syndrome….) There were random boxes and Rubbermaids crammed wherever we could fit them, and it started wearing me down. Once I started planning the new space, I knew that I really wanted to create a peaceful, efficient work environment where everything had a place, and it was easy to keep things as neat as possible day to day. (Note that I am not generally the tidiest person in the world, but I’ve started realizing that as someone who is prone to anxiety and stress, creating order when it’s possible to do so makes me feel much less anxious and stressed in general).

SEWING STATION & PEGBOARD

Our sewing station was my first priority. After sewing at the same cramped desk for four years, I wanted something long and spacious with everything immediately at hand; no more digging through messy drawers and boxes. I also wanted something that could act as a feature and celebrate all the beautiful and useful tools and supplies we get to use every day: a giant pegboard was an obvious choice.

Pegboard is available at any home improvement store in 4′ x 8′ panels (you can also find smaller pre-cut ones like this). We used two side by side; each one was cut about 6′ high. You can paint it, although I wanted it to stay crisp and white like the walls. You also need mounting hardware to create a gap between wall and board so the hooks can fit properly in the holes.

I used a variety of hooks and hardware from Uline, although you can also purchase complete hardware kits from Amazon. Our 6″ hooks are perfect for holding serger thread, and I also like having plastic containers to hold smaller items like chalk and pattern weights. Smaller hooks of various sizes are used for rulers, drafting tools and scissors. I especially like the multi-prong tool holder for things like awls that don’t have holes in the handles. I know Ikea has it’s own version of the pegboard, but traditional hooks aren’t compatible so I would steer clear of it unless you’re okay with only using Ikea designed hardware.

Each desk is anchored with a drawer or cabinet unit; one side stores our extra sewing machine, and the drawer unit holds un-hookable items like pins, measuring tapes and sewing machine feet. Since we have so many cables at this table, I made sure to hide them using this rack; I hate seeing messy wires. We also have a big fabric bucket we use for unusable scraps (you can see it under the desk in the image below). H&M has a fabric recycling program, so every few months I empty this and bring a few bags to a nearby store.

Sidenote, but I feel like I should mention our stereo set-up. We like listening to music and podcasts in the office and I wanted something right next to the sewing machines so it wouldn’t be blaring from my computer 20 feet away. I did a ton of affordable speaker research and absolutely love these bookshelf speakers. The speakers are plugged into an Apple Airport (super easy to find on Craigslist secondhand) to create a wireless network; the sound quality is much better than most Bluetooth speakers, and it costs less than one of those Sonos or Bose units.

FABRIC & SUPPLIES STORAGE

I am in love with our giant fabric and supply cabinets. One side holds our fabric stash, and the other contains all our notions and other supplies. It’s such a relief to keep all this stuff neatly stored away!

The cabinets are the PAX system from Ikea. I was using them for my closet at home and realized they’d be perfect for studio storage since you can completely customize the interior with shelves and drawers. One of our big projects after the move was finally cataloging our stash; we are now using Evernote to do so. We create individual notes for each fabric, including a photograph, category tags, yardage and any relevant notes about what where it came from. It makes it easy to know how much I have of any particular fabric, and hopefully will prevent me from overbuying stuff we already have.

Once it’s been cataloged, it’s folded and stored in the cabinet – I sort everything by fiber on labeled shelves. Slippery fabrics like swim knits and silk are stored in the drawers below. We are already running out of space so I’m trying to just sew from the stash for the next few months to make more room.

Next to the fabric stash is our supplies cabinet. This is where we store all the various odds and ends we use to sew with: interfacing, zippers, elastic, buttons etc. Most everything is kept in clear plastic Ikea bins and is labeled to identify the contents ( I love my label maker). Just to illustrate how full-on storage-dork I went with this project: I drew out this cabinet on gridded paper and then figured out the exact size and quantity of individual bins I would need for each shelf (in case you needed a second symptom to diagnose Type A syndrome).

This cabinet gives me a lot of happiness. Sewing just requires so much stuff and having it neatly organized and easy to find makes my brain happier.

BOOK AND SAMPLE STORAGE

Our main storage area is hidden behind a wall at the back of the space; this is where we keep all our pattern stock, cleaning stuff, extra shipping supplies and large format printer. I also have my pattern collection back there in large plastic bins. While all that stuff is hidden, I did want to put our samples on display. We put so much work into them, it seemed silly to hide them out of sight.

This clothing rack displays our finished samples, along with hanging sewing patterns. The entire rail is suspended from the ceiling using 1″ thick cotton rope, with wooden rods from Home Depot. I kind of made this whole thing up as I went along, so I don’t have very detailed info about this DIY – I just tied the rope in hangman’s knots and Amy and I tinkered with it until everything was more or less even. If you do something similar, note that the middle rope should be a little bit shorter to help prevent the rod from bowing in the middle.

I really love this DIY; it was relatively simple to do but adds a little something-something to what would otherwise be a dead corner.

Kitty corner to our sample wall is our “library”, which is really just a rolling Ikea cabinet with our printers on top. I like this unit because there are optional drawer inserts; we use them to hide our printer ink and paper.

And that’s about it for our storage system! I didn’t really get into our pattern storage because that is Alex’s domain and not necessarily of interest to many people, but hopefully, my manic need to force order on the universe gives you some ideas for your own sewing space. It’s almost physically painful for me to think about what it was like before this; while I am still a somewhat messy person day-to-day (my desk is always a disaster), having this overall structure in place prevents that messiness from spiraling out of control and taking over our studio.

Are you a messy or tidy sewist? Any clever organizational tips you’d like to share?

Our Current Studio Set-up

2 May 2017 by Heather Lou 13 Comments

Growing a business is challenging for a lot of reasons, and one of the things I’ve struggled with the most is the actual space. When is it time to upgrade? Can I afford an independent studio? How long can I mentally survive working out of my home?

I’ve postponed getting a proper workspace for as long as possible, but we’re definitely at a tipping point. Alexis is my studio manager and has been with me for over a year, and we are getting increasingly crushed working out of one room and a small hallway alcove (the rest of my living space is basically filled with boxes 24/7). I knew this year something had to change, and decided when I bought my new apartment (I move in June!) I’d temporarily keep my old place for a studio until we can find something better (ie. with waaaay more natural light and ideally a freight elevator since our delivery guys basically want to murder us whenever they have to carry a massive print run of patterns up two flights of narrow Montreal stairs). My current rent is crazily cheap so I’m confident the business can handle the expense on top of the new, terrifying mortgage I’ll be paying on my own.

It’s not sexy in here right now, but I took some photos recently for a piece I wrote for Mimi G’s new magazine Sew Sew Def, so I thought I’d show your our current set-up. We’ll be re-organizing once I’ve officially moved out, but for now think of this as a snapshot of a growing small business bursting at the seams.

This is sewing central. I moved my sewing machines to this corner last year, so the set-up is a little different than the last studio tour I did (which kind of makes me laugh now since it was so clean and styled and now I’m just fighting for storage in every available corner). We added a cover stitch machine to the party and normally it sits at the back of the table and gets pulled out when needed. I moved all our thread and notions over here too so everything is within arms reach; it’s a very efficient workspace.

My gravity feed iron is one of the best investments I made. It presses better than anything and has survived multiple droppings. I turn on the little red light next to it whenever I use it so I remember to turn it off since there is no auto off. Normally those pocket doors are open to my very messy living room so I can watch Netflix while I’m sewing, but I’ll spare you the disaster that is the rest of my home right now.

I moved my desk across the room from the sewing station. I spend a lot of time here so I invested in a second-hand Aeron chair for my poor back, and I use an ergonomic keyboard tray so my wrists don’t fall off when I’m marathonning at my desk. I’m kind of over the brass birds but I’ve had them here forever so I’ve learned to make peace with them.

On the opposite side of the room is our cutting table (tutorial to make it here), garment rack and fitting dummy. I use the table a lot to shoot things so it takes pride of place by the window. We have very little shelving storage so I try to keep everything we use frequently in storage bins under the tabletop for easy access.

Next to the sewing station is a mirror (great for fittings and #ootd selfies), along with my industry dress form by Alvanon. This was one of the biggest capital investments I made in the past few years but I am so happy I got her; she is a perfect representation of the size 10 we draft for, and has removable arms, a squishy belly, and can be wheeled around and rotated on the rolling rack. Also, plants, because I’m obsessed with green, living things even when we don’t really have space for them.

The space would be fine for just me, but Alexis and I are often working together and it gets pretty cramped, especially when we both need to sew. We’re both really ready to take over the adjoining current living room and have a little more room to move around.

Speaking of Alexis, her workstation is set up in the nook/alcove next to the main studio. She does all of our shipping and customer service, along with a million other things because she’s really smart and organized and good at everything (although a little camera shy ;). We have to do a lot of vertical storage so her workspace isn’t the most zen place ever, but everything she needs is at hand.

Here’s another view of her work area from the hallway…

I’d say we’re working in about 300 square feet, and that’s not counting all the space taken up by boxes in the rest of the apartment or the storage room in the back filled to the ceiling with pattern stock. It’s a little hairy to be perfectly honest. Like, I’m sorry my bras are air drying in the bathroom hairy, and please let me close this door so you don’t see my unmade bed and pile of clothes hairy, and oh, I cooked a huge meal last night and was too tired to clean up hairy. It’s intimate working in someone’s home but thankfully Alexis is a beautiful angel and has handled this transitional time with grace and humour. I promise you Alex, you will have a normal office and workspace so very soon.

Needless to say, I can’t wait to expand and stretch our wings. I recently bought a giant industrial cutting table and industrial sewing machine from a friend which unfortunately we don’t have space to use right now. I’m hoping to give Alex the big table so she has lots of room to pack orders, and I’m going to start playing around with the industrial machine to see how I like it. I’m hoping to be in a completely new space if and when I can find a cool/safe loft or storefront location in the neighborhood. I’m limited geographically since I need to be be close to the dog’s therapy center and my new place, and also because I don’t want to buy a car.

Hope you liked this little sneak peek of where we’re at… I’d love to hear how other people are managing the workspace issue with their own small businesses!

DIY Cutting Table Ideas For Your Sewing Studio

28 January 2015 by Heather Lou 25 Comments

Tilly’s post last week on her McGyvered workstation reminded me of the research I did a few months back on DIY cutting tables. Obviously I am partial to my own whitewashed, castored baby (seriously, I would make out with it every morning if I wasn’t worried about lip splinters) but there are tons of options out there.

Most of us start sewing using whatever is available. I’m sure crawling around on the floor with shears or bogarting the dining room table is a familiar enough activity to most of you. The problem is our uncooperative bodies. I am cursed with lower back issues and it became obvious last year that if I didn’t make a cutting table at a comfortable standing height, I was going to be designing patterns for people in constant back spasms (imagine a big sack that allows you to lie in the fetal position while occasionally lurching into a half-assed yoga pose).

I think the act of making becomes much more enjoyable when you’re not hurting yourself to do it, so I’ve rounded up all the DIY tutorials I could find for crafting/cutting/sewing tables. These range in difficulty from “plop plywood on sawhorse” to “bribe woodworking-adept friend or relative with firstborn naming rights”. Either way, having a place dedicated to your work will make your life (and back) a lot better. Some of these DIYs are actually for regular tables or desks, so keep in mind that you may have to tweak the height. Traditional counter height is 36″ (or .9 meters) which is what I would recommend unless you’re a super shortie or tallie. If working at a typical kitchen counters is comfortable for you, 36″ is the way to go.

FOLDING CUTTING TABLES

If space is an issue for you, consider tables that either fold up or swing down from the wall. Anything wall mounted will obviously have to be properly anchored so having a stud finder would be handy.

DIY folding tables for crafting, sewing and cutting — 1. Foldable table with plans 2. Murphy/Fold-down craft station
3. Pipe and butcher block wall mounted table 4. Murphy table 5. Hinged workstation

TRESTLE TABLES

Trestle tables are great because you can easily make one yourself after a trip to Home Depot or Ikea. If space is an issue, they can also be disassembled when needed.

DIY trestle and sawhorse tables for crafting, sewing and cutting — 1. Trestle table with plans 2. Sawhorse table DIY 3. Trestle table with shelving plans 4. Ikea trestle base 5. Colorful sawhorse desk
6. Jonathan Adler inspired trestle table with plans

IKEA CUTTING TABLE HACKS

I looooove hacking Ikea stuff to make better stuff (I just made a great fauxdenza I’ll be sharing with your shortly). Use cabinets, bookshelves and kitchen islands from their catalog in creative ways and it’s pretty easy to add a workstation and some castors and go on your merry way.

DIY Ikea hack island tables for crafting, sewing & cutting — 1. Expedit cutting table on wheels 2. Expedit rolling table
3. Norden table island hack 4. Expedit rolling counter 5. Lack Island hack
6. Expedit & Linmon island hack

There you have it! Hopefully this post will be useful to you if you’re considering adding a cutting table to your sewing arsenal. Have you DIYed a table for yourself? I’d love to hear about it.

Sewing & Cutting Table DIY for Your Craft or Sewing Studio

5 August 2014 by Heather Lou 112 Comments

Want to take your sewing or craft studio to the next level? Time to make a custom DIY cutting table! Not only will this save your back – no more stooping over a too-short dining table or crawling around on the floor – but it will provide you will lots of storage and give you the perfect surface to make your most beautiful creations. Using supplies you can find at any hardware store, in an afternoon you can create a cutting table that will give you years of loyal use!

This blog post walks you through constructing the cutting table of your dreams, but I’ve also created a free PDF which includes detailed dimensions and plans, 3D drawings, and instructions that you can print out and refer to anywhere. To access it, you’ll have to join our newsletter; in our first email we’ll send you the password to our Sewing Resource Library where you can download the ebook and plans for free!

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If you sew a lot, there are few things in the world more desirable than a sturdy table you can work at without stooping over. I have lower back issues from years of sitting at a desk and postponing yoga, and my dining room table was slowly killing me and my body. A comfortable working height is 36 inches for most people (hence why it’s the standard counter height in kitchens) so that’s what we’re aiming for here, although the shorter or taller among you may want to tweak the height accordingly. Just keep in mind that stools are designed to be used at 36″ and 42″ countertops, so sitting may be awkward if you stray too much from those dimensions.

The great thing about this project is that it requires minimal tools. You will have the bulk of the cutting done at your hardware store, which makes it much easier to get stuff home. This tutorial will provide you with a table that is 3 feet wide by 6 feet long. If you want something smaller, you’ll have to tweak the dimensions.

Here’s what you’ll need:

TOOLS

an electric drill with a drill bit to match your screws (I love this one – cheap enough that it’s worth it just for this project!)
an electric sander (I prefer one like this model – you can just use sheets of sandpaper rather than having to buy special shapes)
a level (I use a level app on my iphone)
measuring tape
a handsaw (something this simple is all you need)

LUMBER

one sheet of 3/4″ plywood for the tabletop cut down to 3 feet by 6 feet. I used spruce. You can also use pine or maple – just make sure you like the grain. Higher grades of wood are more pricey. This tabletop will overlap each side by about 2″.
one sheet of 3/8″ plywood in the same wood as above cut to 67″ x 31″. This will be the bottom level of your table. Make sure to find a sheet that isn’t cupping.
(6 x) 2×4’s that are 8′ long in spruce or pine. You will ask all of them to be cut at 5′-4″ – this will give you 6 pieces to act as your long support posts, and 6 additional pieces at roughly 32″ long. 4 of these will act as your vertical legs – the other 2 pieces should be cut down to 31″ to provide the additional horizontal support for your castors at the very bottom. Make sure your 2 x 4’s are nice and straight – you can eyeball them by looking down each side, or ask someone for help. Bowed 2 x 4’s do not a straight table make.
(1 x) 2×4 that is 10′ long in spruce or pine. Ask for 4 cuts of 24″ each (the saw takes off a little so you want to use a slightly longer piece of wood). These will brace your legs.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES

(4 x) heavy duty castors, 2 of them locking. I bought 3″ castors that had an overall height of almost 4″. This plus your legs and the tabletop will give you a total height of just over 36″. This set includes everything you need.
(8 x) galvanized steel rigid ties exactly like this. You can find them in the hardware section of the Home Depot or buy them online. These are great because they let you join all your 2 x 4’s easily and accurately. I also think they look industrial and awesome.
A large box of #8 1 1/4″ long wood screws. Get at least 200 – each rigid tie takes 20 screws.
A small box of #8 3″ long wood screws, at least 20. You will use these to secure your long and short support posts.
1 can of stain, if you want it. I am in love with Minwax White Wash Pickling Stain– it lets the grain show through while lightening the wood. And it looks Scandinavian and sexy as hell. I don’t suggest paint for this project. It’s not a good finish for tabletops that get a lot of use – it will look terrible within a few months.
1 can of water based polyurethane. I suggest Minwax Polycrylic; it dries totally clear. Most polyurethanes have a yellow tint.
A couple of foam brushes.
3 kinds of sandpaper. At least 3 sheets each of 120, 150 and 180 grit. You will use each one at different times in the sanding/sealing process.
a dust mask
lint free cloths

All in, the supplies will cost around $200, not including any of the tools. I thought this was very reasonable, especially after looking into getting something custom made (OUCH!) It took me a day and a half to complete the project, a worthwhile investment to save my weary back muscles.

ASSEMBLING CUTTING TABLE

Once you get everything home, you’ll need a good place to start sanding. I used my balcony. If you do it inside, try to seal off one room of your house because you will get dust EVERYWHERE! Start with your 2 x 4 pieces. Sand each long side with your 120 grit paper. You may have to work a little harder to sand off any of the markings on the wood. The only bottom and top edges you need to worry about are the ones for the 2 x 31″ pieces. These are the only edges you will see in this project. You basically want to sand off any splinters and rough edges and get a somewhat smooth finish but don’t go crazy. 2 x 4’s are notoriously imperfect.

Finish sanding the 2 x 4’s with your 150 grit paper. This prepares the wood for the stain.

Wipe all your wood down with a barely damp cloth to remove the dust. Once they are dry, use your foam brush to apply stain to all the long sides, rubbing it off with a dry cloth as you go. The only short sides you need to worry about staining are on your 2 x 31″ pieces.

Let your stain dry for a few hours and sand them again, this time with the 180 grit paper. It smooths down the wood that expanded and got rough from the stain.

Wipe with a barely damp cloth again and use a fresh foam brush to apply your sealer. Check when you’re done each piece to smooth out any drips. You’ll want 3 coats total; sand again with the 180 grit after the first and second coats to smooth out any bumps. It seems like a lot of sanding but it actually goes by quite quickly! I wrap my foam brushes in saran wrap in between coats so they don’t dry out. Pro tip: Blare some classic rock and feel like a badass while using your sander.

Closet Core Patterns- Cutting Table DIY — Sanded, stained and sealed 2 x 4’s.

You are going to repeat the exact same sanding process for your two sheets of plywood, but you only have to finish one side of each, since the other will be mostly invisible. Before you sand your 3/8″ plywood, cut each corner so that the plywood will hug your 2 x 4 legs with a handsaw. Be sure to sand the edges of the plywood well, since you don’t want your lovely fabric to catch on snags!
Now that you’ve got everything sanded, stained and sealed, we’re ready for the fun part. ASSEMBLY! Before we get started, you may want to remove the stickers from the rigid ties with some Goo Gone. The Goo Gone will also help remove any grime or oil on the steel – wash them with soap and water and let them dry.

Lay your 24″ pieces on the ground and thread your 32″ legs through the rigid ties. Add two long supports so you can make sure everything lines up.
Start screwing in the 1 1/4″ screws with your power drill. Make sure you go in nice and straight, and back off the drill when they tighten up so you don’t thread your screws. Don’t forget to screw the inside corners too.

Once your legs are screwed in, you’ll want to attach the bottom 2 x 24′ bracings. They should start 6″ from the bottom of your legs. Use a measuring tape, pencil and level to keep everything straight.

Attach the remaining long supports, using your 3″ screws.
Drill your 32″ cross bracing to the inside of each set of legs, making sure your 2×4 is level with the bottom of your legs.
Screw in your castors. In my case, I had one castor edge hanging out, but 3 screws per castor should be plenty if the same thing happens to you.
Flip that baby right side up. Shed a single, proud tear. And then turn up the classic rock.

To get your 3/8″ sheet of plywood in, you’ll have to do some creative angling but don’t worry, it will fit.
Lay your tabletop on the frame. I didn’t want to secure the table in case I wanted to pull it out and create room for my legs when I’m working, and also for ease of dis-assembly if I ever move to a bigger studio. If you’re staying put, you can use construction adhesive to glue it down, but I found using some silicone furniture pads available at the dollar store prevent it from moving around too much.

Finally, you can attach a bar to the sides if you’d like to hang your tools. I got a silver one with some S hooks at Ikea.

And that’s it folks! It’s a few days of work, but I cannot even begin to tell you how much this cutting table has transformed my sewing practice. I don’t dread cutting anymore, and it’s a pleasure to unfold silk and watch it slip around on my beautifully varnished tabletop.

And if your friends and family think you’re a sewing superstar now, wait until you tell them you BUILT this!

Happy making!

The Revamped Closet Core Files Studio

30 July 2014 by Heather Lou 95 Comments

Hey y’all. If you follow me on instagram you probably noticed a flurry of photos last week while I was working on a new home studio. You might remember my old set-up; it was the first thing you saw when you walked into my apartment. Which basically meant I was greeted with a huge mess whenever I came home. I wanted to be able to shut the door on my cats (they live to screw with me when I’m working), isolate my work from the rest of my life, and get a little more sunlight. My living room has a big north facing bay window and it’s nice and bright all day long so I moved next door.

When I was looking for studio inspiration (you can check out my Pinterest board here), I gravitated towards bright, white, Scandinavian-style spaces. White walls help light bounce around and let whatever you’re working on be the focus of attention. I was craving something clean and calm; the sort of room you can spend hours in joyfully.

Being in this room is like taking a Xanax. I’ve never take a Xanax but I imagine it is exactly like being in a room filled with shades of white and weird ceramic monkeys holding radishes. If I’m wrong I don’t wanna be right.

The desks are glossy white tabletops from Ikea with gold spray-painted trestle legs. I whitewashed my old pine shelves and bought a big piece of foamcore to use as an inspiration board over my sewing station. An old frame I found in the street a few years back was the perfect fit for my thread rack. And plants. Lots and lots of plants.

The only thing left to do is to switch out the light fixture for a chandelier I have in the other room so I have more light at night. I also bought a huge sheet of pegboard for my serger thread but I don’t want to take up any more wall space so I currently have a huge bag of spools with no permanent home. Baby steps.

And I built the greatest cutting table of all time. WITH MY BARE HANDS. After years of hunching over my dining table, my number one priority was building something at a comfortable height to cut fabric and draft patterns. It took a few days of sanding and staining, but I now have a huge 3′ by 6′ table on castors that I can move around if I need to. This is a completely affordable DIY project requiring minimal tools and know-how; I’ll be sharing a post about it’s construction next week in case anyone is interested in building their own.

I made sure I left one wall blank if I need to photograph makes in the dead of winter when -30 temperatures make posing outside a challenge. Since my cutting table table is so mobile, this wall doubles as my pressing station.

All the stained glass in apartment makes me feel like I’m in a little jewel box while I’m working. In short, I’m in heaven right now. Ten hour days go by in the blink of an eye. I shoulda done this years ago!

Closet Core Studio

8 May 2013 by Heather Lou 45 Comments

Sweet mercy, the engines on my machines have been OH so busy churning out some lovelies I am not ready to share with you…. yet (but I think everyone who enjoys lakes, pools and beaches will be pretty happy when I do. I’VE SAID TOO MUCH).

Life got infinitely easier when my oldest friend lent me her fierce little serger. I had no idea they actually worked. The one I bought off Craigslist was more temperamental than a spoiled 2 year old after a bag of candy, and using one that actually FUNCTIONS has sort of changed my life.

This experience has only added to the deep, powerful longing for a new sewing machine.Being the classy, champagnes taste kind of lady I am, I’ve decided I can’t settle for anything less than… Bernina. Even her names sounds classy, that Swiss minx. I’m eyeballing Craigslist while socking away my pennies but I haven’t decided if I should go all the way and buy a new one. Anybody have an opinion on this? Listening to Daughter Fish’ podcast Thread Cult with that sewing machine salesman, I became completely sold on new machines, after stubbornly insisting to myself for years that all metal was infinitely better…. Thoughts?

In the meantime, I thought I would show you where I’ve been shackled. I mean sewing.

Tis the sewing space of my dreams. I have so much room to cut and work at the table, and it gets great light during the day. The chandelier is so crazy bright I have no problem working in the evening.

This room was my biggest priority when I moved into the new apartment. I found the oversize B&W photo on the Library of Congress website (seriously, the best source for old photos EVER) and paid them to have the negative rescanned and emailed to me in high-res. I then blew it up and had it printed on a large format photocopier. I was planning on wheat pasting it to the wall, but to avoid hearing my landlord spazz out, I just stapled it for now. Hoping it doesn’t get too distorted in the humidity of Montreal summer….

I’m super pumped about my new rainbow collection of serger thread, a surprise donation from a friend who does the repairs for Lulu Lemon. I practically sang a Broadway tune when she handed them over. The desk is the perfect size, and cost less than $60 at Ikea. Just a white laquer top on metal legs I spray-painted gold (see above, champagne taste). Couldn’t be happier in this room, even when it is for hours and hours and hours while I maniacally test the secret thing I am testing.

Off to San Francisco & Sonoma County for a bonding trip with my mother, one that I hope does not end up resembling the movie Sideways (Mum looooves her vino). Any suggestions for fabric shopping in SF?

YOUR BASIC SET UP

SEWING MACHINE

PRESSING STATION

TOOLBOX

BUYING A VINTAGE SEWING MACHINE

HOW TO FIND OLD MANUALS

BASIC SEWING MACHINE FEATURES

BUYING A NEW SEWING MACHINE

BRANDS TO LOOK FOR

FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

SEWING MACHINE FEET

BASIC FEET

FANCY FEET

MATERIALS

PRESSING IS NEXT TO GODLINESS

OUR FAVOURITE IRON: GRAVITY FEED ALL THE WAY

OUR NEWEST ADDITION: THE STEAM PRESS IRON

OUR FAVOURITE PRESSING TOOLS

How to Access Files

MATERIALS NEEDED

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

SEWING STATION & PEGBOARD

FABRIC & SUPPLIES STORAGE

BOOK AND SAMPLE STORAGE

FOLDING CUTTING TABLES

TRESTLE TABLES

IKEA CUTTING TABLE HACKS

How to Access Files

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ASSEMBLING CUTTING TABLE

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