Rosebud, a veteran of production sewing, is an educator for Islander Sewing Systems. Our garment was the Islander "City Western Blouse," which we had to have cut, marked, and interfaced before we arrived in Novi. When I prepped my garment pieces, I noted we would be abandoning the usual 5/8" seam allowance that is the standard in typical home sewing patterns. For this project, many of our seam allowances were 3/8", others were even 1/4", and only the side seams (which were flat-felled) were 5/8'. There's no trimming and grading seams in a shop, of course, and no hot pressing or steaming anything.
Oh yeah, no pins, either, of course. Many of our practices in our sewing rooms at home just slow down a production sewist, or "operator." Think of it as the difference between someone who wrenches on his own vehicle at home, and someone who puts cars together in a factory. The process is so different, and so are the results, not to mention the motivations.
"Thumb on the bottom, fingers on top," Rosebud reminded us frequently. If there's anything an average home sewer can incorporate into her habits, it's that. Keeping your hands in this position as the machine grabs the work and pulls it in is one of the hallmarks of faster sewing, and it saves you from getting all kinds of hand problems and pains. Here's how: Hold the work just like the photo above. Sew until your fingers get close to the presser foot and you can't see what you're doing. Stop sewing for a second and re-grasp and reposition the work, and repeat the process until you've completed the seam. This is really different from putting in pieces that are pinned together and sort of "feeding" the machine with fabric — which is certainly my own tendency.
I enjoyed your post about Islander and Rosebud. I am a certified Islander teacher and I was taught by Rosebud and Janet Pray about five years ago. Rosebud knows her stuff and is an excellent teacher; two qualities that make for an enjoyable class where you come away having learned some pretty amazing stuff. By the way, I almost never use pins any more.
ReplyDeleteRoseane, Thanks SEW much for the great write up and pics! Remember: hold fabric with right thumb underneath, right fingers on top, guide fabric with left fingers . . . It is SEW much easier to SEW w/o pins or basting!
ReplyDeleteThere are several more classes that I offer in sewing, drafting and fitting and I am only an email away, rosebud49301@gmail.com.
Sorry, I can't agree that this is an easy way to sew. Pattern was hard to follow, had errors, took much longer and was basically frustrating. I'll stick to the way I learned years ago, and not use an Islander pattern again.
ReplyDeleteThank for your comment. I'm not sure I went away from this workshop thinking I'd found an easier way to sew, and I had my own share of frustrations with the pattern (my alterations are partly to blame for that). But I have to say, I am using fewer pins when I sew now and keeping my thumbs on the bottom and my fingers on top, and I'm not letting the fabric slip through my fingers as it goes into the machine. It makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteI've been sewing for close to 50 years. I became a certified Islander instructor several years ago after seeing an ad for the course, and I can say - if I had learned those methods years ago I would have had even more enjoyment from sewing and been able to make far more garments that meet at the seam edges. I am VERY particular about my finished products, and the Islander techniques make good sense. Thanks Janet and Rosebud!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. This was only my first rodeo with Islander, and I would definitely try it again. Rosebud is so extraordinary, I would try anything she was teaching!
ReplyDeleteIt has been a bit since I stopped in to see how you are doing. Please take a look at my Seam 2 Seam blog, http://seam2seam.blogspot.com/2012/11/sewing-room.html, and I will have to link to yours.
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