Need to Know - Sew Magazine

Need to know

1Start by securing the thread on the wrong side of the work. Pull the needle through to the surface on

the base of the outline to be filled. Take the needle to the outline on the opposite side and push the needle back through to form a long, straight stitch.

2Take the needle down next to the end of the first stitch and under the work, bringing it back

through at the start of the previous stitch forming a parallel line of thread. Repeat this process until the desired area is filled.

SATIN STITCH A decorative stitch which requires parallel lines of thread to fill in a design

1 Bring the thread to the surface at the position for the knot. Wrap the thread around the

needle tip twice and take it back through the fabric where it came up.

2 Ease the knot onto the surface of the fabric, holding it steady while pulling the needle

through to the wrong side. Stitch to secure or return to the surface for the next French knot.

1 Working from left to right, bring the needle up to the surface of

the sewing line to start. Take the needle down, a stitch width to the right. Bring it up halfway along and above the previous stitch.

2 Make another stitch to the right, bringing the needle back up

above the previous stitch as before.

3 Continue working in this way along the stitching line.

STEM STITCH Diagonal stitches that create textured outlines

Essential stitches Use these stitches in everyday hand sewing

Smocking grid to save time. Transfer the diagonal lines from the pattern located at www.sew mag.co.uk using an erasable ink pen.

2 Your work will ‘shrink’ when smocked. It’s not an exact science as it depends

on the type of fabric you’re using, but expect the gridded area to reduce in size by approximately half lengthways and a third widthways. Leave a border of around 10cm before smocking.

3 Take a needle and thread through the bottom left corner, at one end of a diagonal

line, and knot your thread securely. Go to the opposite end of the diagonal line and catch a small thread [1]. Then go back to the first

stitch [2]. Pull the thread taught to bring the two ends of the diagonal line together and knot [3].

4 Now take your needle to the next diagonal line and knot, but don’t pull the thread

tight. Then take the needle to the opposite end of the diagonal line, pull the two ends together and knot [4]. As the smocking pleats, you may need to push the fabric from behind so that you can see the lines clearly.

5 After two rows, you will see the shell shapes forming [5]. Repeat with all the

lines until the whole area is smocked. You’ll see pleats forming along the border. Before sewing into a project, pin these neatly, then tack in place [6]. Now you’re ready to cover a cushion or make a bag.

For more from Debbie, visit www.debbieshore.tv

Debbie Shore shows you how...

FRENCH KNOTS Small decorative knots made on the surface of the fabric

English smocking is becoming very popular in clothing, but the Canadian or North American technique is a bit of a hidden art; it was in demand in the ’50s and ’60s for cushion covers, but nowadays it’s difficult to find instructions or patterns. I’ve spent years working out easy techniques for smocking, and the design I’m sharing with you here is quite a simple one, called ‘shells’.

1 Mark an accurate 2.5cm grid on the back of your fabric or use a fusible smocking

1 2 3

4 5 6

Need to Know.indd 2 09/10/2015 16:49

Need to know

1 Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric and bring the needle through to the surface to start

the first stitch. Move a stitch length backwards along the sewing line, take the needle back through the fabric, then bring it to the surface at the end position of this stitch.

2 Moving back along the stitching line, take the needle down through the same hole as the previous thread.

Bring it to the surface for the end position of the stitch. Repeat along the sewing line to create even stitches.

BACK STITCH A continuous single line of stitching

1Start by securing the thread on the wrong side of the work. Pull the needle through to the

surface on the base of the outline to be filled. Take the needle to the outline on the opposite side and push the needle back through to form a long, straight stitch.

2Take the needle down next to the end of the first stitch and under the work, bringing it

back through at the start of the previous stitch forming a parallel line of thread. Repeat this process until the desired area is filled.

1 Working on the fold in the fabric, secure the thread with a double stitch.

2 Pick up two threads of the fabric with the needle tip, then slip the needle through

the fold of the hem. Bring the needle out 5mm along, then pick up two more threads of fabric before returning through the fold of the hem.

3 Pull the thread lightly as you work to tighten the stitches, being careful not to

distort the fabric which makes the stitches

SLIP STITCH Small stitches used for hemming or sewing up projects

Essential stitches Use these stitches in everyday hand sewing

Pleating this measurement, and add a 2.5cm seam allowance.

2 Cut a 317.5cm strip of fabric, 10.2cm wide. You may need to join two or three pieces

together. Sew the ends together with a 1.3cm seam allowance to make a large loop [1]. Fold it in half lengthways, wrong sides together, and press [2].

3 If you’re using a square piece of fabric for your cushion, fold the loop into quarters

and mark four equal points around the edge. For a rectangular cover, measure and mark 91.4cm (twice the width of the fabric) then

66cm (twice the length), then repeat, so that the loop is still divided into four.

4 Pin each marked point on the loop, facing inwards, to each corner of the fabric. Then

pin the middle of the frill to the centre of the fabric. This gives you a smaller area to pleat, which makes it easier to make them even [3].

5 Make a small box pleat in each corner, then in the centre of each side [4]. Fold

the pleats in opposite directions away from the centre of each side, pinning as you go [5]. At this point, the pleats are easy to re pin if they’re not even. When you’re happy with them, sew all the way round [6]. Make up your cushion cover and press.



SATIN STITCH A decorative stitch which requires parallel lines of thread to fill in a design

This technique of adding a frill to a cushion cover or pillow case is great for beginners as it will ensure your pleats are evenly spaced, giving a professional look to your project.

1 Cut fabric for your cushion cover and measure around the outside.

Mine is 33cm x 45.7cm, therefore the outer edge measures 157cm. Double

1 2 3

4 5 6

Need to Know Dec 15.indd 2 02/11/2015 09:40

Need to know

1 Secure the thread and working along the edge, bring the needle to the surface of the fabric.

2 Take the needle through from the back of the fabric to the surface on the stitching line. Loop

the end of the thread under the needle and pull through to adjust so that the stitch lies along the edge of the fabric.

3 Repeat to create evenly spaced stitches along the fabric edge, maintain an even tension to

avoid distorting the fabric.

BLANKET STITCH Used for reinforcing the edges of thick materials

1 Bring the thread to the surface at the position for the knot. Wrap the

thread around the needle tip twice and take the needle back through the fabric where it came up.

2 Ease the knot onto the surface of the fabric, holding it steady while

pulling the needle through to the wrong side. Stitch to secure or return to the surface for the next French knot.

1 Bring the needle to the surface at the start of the sewing line. Take it back down very close to

where it came up, then return it to the surface at the end position of the first stitch.

2 Take the needle back down, close to where it came up through the loop and bring it back up

at the end position of the next stitch.

3 Continue working along the stitching line, repeating the steps to create a chain of links.

Finish by catching the final loop with a small stitch.

CHAIN STITCH Create chain-like stitches to add dimension to an embroidered line

Essential stitches USE THESE STITCHES IN EVERYDAY HAND SEWING

English paper piecing

variety of sizes). Don’t worry about being too precise with your measurements at this point.

2 Fold the fabric around the template, tack and press. You have three options here:

you could sew straight through the template, just tack the fabric without sewing through the paper [1], or use an acid free glue stick, which I prefer to do.

3 Using tiny stitches, carefully whip stitch two hexagons together, just

catching the edge of the fabric but not the template [2]. I’ve used a contrast

coloured thread so you can see the stitches, but would normally use the same colour as my fabric.

4 Continue to sew the pieces together. For this design, join the hexagons to

the centre shape first [3], then sew them together at the side edges [4]. At this point you can remove the centre template as each side of the hexagon has been sewn, and re-use it if you wish [5].

5 Add another row of hexagons if desired [6], then make up a few of

these blocks before joining them all together to create your chosen project.



FRENCH KNOTS Small, decorative knots formed on the surface of the fabric

English paper piecing is an age-old technique for hand sewing quilts by wrapping scraps of fabric around pre-cut paper templates, then joining together a little bit like a jigsaw to create a pattern.

1 Cut your fabric 1.3cm larger than the paper template (these are available in a

1 2 3

4 5 6

Need to Know Jan16.indd 2 04/12/2015 11:09

Need to know

1 Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric and bring the needle through to the surface to

start the first stitch. Move a stitch length backwards along the sewing line, take the needle back through the fabric, then bring it to the surface at the end position of this stitch.

2 Moving back along the stitching line, take the needle down through the same hole as the

previous thread. Bring it to the surface for the end position of the stitch. Repeat along the sewing line.


1 Start by securing the thread on the wrong side of the work. Pull the needle through to the surface on the base

of the outline to be filled. Take the needle to the outline on the opposite side and push the needle back through to form a long, straight stitch.

2 Take the needle down next to the end of the first stitch and under the work, bringing it back through at the

start of the previous stitch forming a parallel line of thread. Repeat this process until the desired area is filled.

CHAIN STITCH Create chain-like stitches to add dimension to an embroidered line


Invisible zips 1 Firstly, open the zip and uncurl the teeth. Iron lightly, pressing them away from the

tape, being careful not to melt the plastic [1].

2 Place the zip over the left-hand piece of fabric, right sides together so that the zip

pull faces the printed side of the fabric, and pin in place [2].

3 Pop an invisible zip foot on your sewing machine, with the teeth sitting under

the left-hand groove of the foot. With the zip

open, sew all the way down to the bottom, and back stitch a couple of stitches [3].

4 Flip the fabric over and pin the remaining side of the zip to the

opposite piece of fabric, again, right sides together [4]. Place the zip teeth under the right-hand groove of the zip foot and sew [5]. Press, then pull the zip closed and it should disappear!

5 Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, and sew the seam from the

bottom up to the point where your seam stitches meet the zip ones, moving the end of the zip out of the way as you sew [6].



SATIN STITCH A decorative stitch which requires parallel lines of thread

Invisible zips are actually the easiest to insert, and although they are primarily used in dressmaking, cushion covers look really neat when you don’t see the zip. All the stitching is behind the seam, so nothing shows from the right side apart from the slider. Insert before you sew the rest of the seam.

1 2 3

4 5 6

1 Bring the needle to the surface at the start of the sewing line.

Take it back down very close to where it came up, then return it to the surface at the end position of the first stitch.

2Take the needle back down, close to where it came up

through the loop and bring it back up at the end position of the next stitch.

3 Continue working along the stitching line, repeating the

steps to create a chain of links. Finish by catching the final loop with a small stitch to secure.

Need to know

SLIP STITCH Small stitches used for hemming or sewing up projects


Mitring a corner1 Open out the bias tape and place right

sides together with the edge of your work. Fold the end of the tape inwards by 1.2cm. Sew along the crease line but stop 1.2cm from the corner and back-tack to stop the stitches from coming undone.

2 Take the tape along the second side, making a triangular pleat in the corner.

Fold the pleat away from your stitch line, and sew straight down the second side.

3 Open up the tape at the corner and you should see a neat mitre forming. As you

fold the tape over, mirror the same mitre on the reverse.

4 Continue in the same way around the next three corners, and when you’re

back to where you started, overlap the end of the tape.

5 Fold the bias tape over the edge of your work, and sew by hand with a slip

stitch, making sure your machine stitch line is covered by the tape.

6 When you’re finished, you’ll have really neat, square corners at the front

and back of your work.For more from Debbie, visit www.debbieshore.tv


Bias binding is one of those products I use such a lot of, whether it's shop-bought or I’ve made it myself. It gives such a neat edge to not only quilts, but oven gloves, table mats, handbags and more! Working around a curve is effective with bias tape, but a neat, mitred corner really gives a professional finish to a project.

1 2 3

4 5 6

1 Start by securing the thread on the wrong side of the work. Pull the needle through to the surface on the base

of the outline to be filled. Take the needle to the outline on the opposite side and push the needle back through to form a long, straight stitch.

2 Take the needle down next to the end of the first stitch and under the work, bringing it back through at the

start of the previous stitch forming a parallel line of thread. Repeat this process until the desired area is filled.

SATIN STITCH A decorative stitch which requires parallel lines of thread

1 Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric and bring the needle through to the surface to

start the first stitch. Move a stitch length backwards along the sewing line, take the needle back through the fabric, then bring it to the surface at the end position of this stitch.

2 Moving back along the stitching line, take the needle down through the same hole as the

previous thread. Bring it to the surface for the end position of the stitch. Repeat along the sewing line.


1 Working on the fold in the fabric, secure the thread with

a double stitch.

2Pick up two threads of the fabric with the needle tip, then

slip the needle through the fold. Bring the needle out 5mm along, then pick up two more threads of fabric before returning through the fold.

3Pull the thread lightly as you work to tighten the

stitches, being careful not to distort the fabric which makes the stitches visible.

Need to Know March16.indd 2 29/01/2016 10:35

Documents

Need to Know - Sew Magazine