November Events

November 3, 2018 By Gala Fabrics Leave a Comment

November’s Sewing Forum will be on Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 11:30am at the store.

Do you like colour but don’t know how to put colours together? Do you know which colours suit you? Did you know your colouring changes as you age?

For our November forum, we welcome guest speaker, Brenda Stengel. Brenda is a mixed media art instructor with a special interest in textiles. With the use of a colour wheel, she will discuss how colours work together and what colours would suit your skin tone. We will get to explore which colours to use as your main colours, neutrals and accent shades, and which to leave out completely.
If you have your own, bring a small colour wheel and grey scale or the store will have them available for purchase.
Brenda will demonstrate and guide you through a new way of developing a personal guide for your wardrobe and accessory choices. You will never look at fabrics quite the same way!

Free event

This will be our last sewing forum for 2018. The next forum will be February 3, 2019.

Our fall sale starts November 4!

Check out our brand new fall items from coloured ponte knits to stretch velvets.
All regular priced fabrics will be 25% to 50% off.
Special sale on our solid coloured Italian light weight wools.
Regular price at $33.90/m.
Sale price $15/m (for 100% wool!!)

For online shopping, use the code November
Sale until November 10, 2018

Out Out Damn Spot!

October 12, 2018 By Gala Fabrics 2 Comments

Ok, I will admit it. I have a bit of an addiction. I have such good intentions when I acquire ANOTHER piece of fabric but somehow life gets in the way, so that new piece gets added to the pile. I was digging around in said pile looking for something (I can’t remember what now!) and found this 3m piece of grey 4 ply silk crepe.

I can’t remember how long it had been aging in my stash but I do remember envisioning a pair of pants from this silk, just not a tailored pair. I wanted a softer silhouette to take advantage of the drape. After drooling over it for a while, I realized there should be enough to make the Marcy Tilton pants (V9193). But life is never that easy. In fondling the fabric, I discovered what looked like grease marks scattered over the yardage (and not it wasn’t my drool!). I then remembered that was why it was cut off the roll and stashed away.

Can I try washing the fabric to see if I can remove the stains?

Some silks should always be dry cleaned. Silk doupioni, taffeta, peau de soie and brocade are some examples of fabrics that should be dry cleaned. Washing will change the texture and hand of the fabric. Also silk garments with embellishments, linings or detailed construction (boning, shoulder pads etc) should also be dry cleaned. Very dark or brightly coloured silks should also be dry cleaned to keep the intensity of colour. Washing will likely lighten the colour. (black will become grey …)

However, if you are like me, and have a skin sensitivity to dry cleaning chemicals, silk can be cold water hand washed or delicate machine cycle, but care must be taken as silk fibre becomes weak when wet. Hence do not wring the fabric. Wrap the fabric in a towel, squeeze the moisture out and hang to dry. Do not dry in direct sunlight as this will cause fading. If I’m washing more than one garment in the machine, I like to put the silk fabric/garment in a garment bag. This way it is not likely to tangle up with the other garments in the wash. Like my silk undies, silk slips, silk nighties, silk blouses … (yeah, right!)

Because silk is a protein fibre (like wool and your hair), use a suitable laundry soap such as Eucalan, Woolite Extra Delicate Care or Persil Silk & Wool. You can even try using a mild shampoo like Ivory. Soaps with harsh chemicals such as bleach or optical whiteners will damage the silk.

Also check for colourfastness. To do this, cut a small fabric sample and wet it with cold water. Place the wet piece on a some white fabric and press with a warm iron. If there is little to no colour transfer onto the white fabric, your fabric is colourfast. If there is colour bleed, dry cleaning is recommended.

So I tried to wash my fabric to see if I could remove the stains. No such luck. But my fabric washing resulted in a suede appearance in the fabric. (The colour difference is not significant as these are from different dye lots, but note the surface difference between the fabric still on the bolt – top left – and my washed 4 ply silk fabric – bottom right)

Then I spent a good 30 minutes laying out the pattern pieces so as to avoid as many spots as possible. I was mostly successful with that. There were a few spots in some seam allowances, a couple spots on a pocket bag and one spot on the inside crotch curve, but I figure no one is going to see that!

Now I have a comfortable AND luxurious pair of pants. My problem now is that everyone wants to touch them!

Here are some handy links if you want more information about caring for your silks.

The Silk Association of Great Britain

Essential Tips on Caring for Silk Clothing at Home

Fillmore Duster

September 21, 2018 By Gala Fabrics 4 Comments

Do you have any patterns that you are interested in making but cannot decide what fabric to use? I usually have the opposite problem, where I love the fabric (afterall, what’s not to love), but cannot decide which pattern to use!

I fell in love with the Sewing Workshop’s Fillmore Duster when a friend, Marilyn Carter, had a trunk show at our local sewing and craft show back in the spring. I found it to be an interesting silhouette and Marilyn presented a variety of options on how to wear it. The Sewing Workshop website also has a gallery of pictures showing this garment in a variety of different fabrics as well as colour blocking suggestions. The pattern description is:

“Knee-length, button-front duster with circular pockets, winding seamlines and strategic tucks. Soft, fold- down mitered collar and extended shoulders. Narrow stitched hems and armhole binding. Wrong side of fabric shows.”

But I couldn’t decide what fabric to use! Should I use something with a bit more body to emphasize the shape of the garment, such as a taffeta or doupioni? Should I use a print such as the striped fabric in the illustration? If I use a solid colour, would the design lines show?

After much debate, another friend suggested the tencel denim because

it would present a sleeker silhouette, especially since I’m not that tall (5’4″ or 162.5cm height)
it has an interesting weave and sheen that would show up in the bias cut pieces
it has an obvious right side/wrong side which would show up at the collar
and being grey, it would go with all the black in my wardrobe!

As with previous Sewing Workshop patterns, I chose to make the small, even though with my 40″ bust, the suggested size is a medium. Everything was coming together nicely as the instructions are well written. Even though it was optional, I did add interfacing to the front facings as I found the front edges would ripple. The bust fit nicely. The mitered corners on the collar worked out well. Then I put the bias binding on to finish the armholes and found the armholes too tight!

Note how the shoulder seam extends past the edge of the shoulder. Maybe because I have broad shoulders, this style didn’t physically work for me. After unpicking the bias tape, local sewing guru, Fern McDonald at Sawyer’s Sewing Center, helped me reshape the armhole. Starting about armpit level, we redrew the curve so that it measured 1.75″ or 4.5cm in from the edge of the shoulder seam. See below for the piece we removed.

Here is a picture of the new armhole.

Another lesson I learned from this armhole episode, is make the bias binding fit the shape not the other way around. Since bias binding has inherent stretch, I have a tendency of stretching the bias tape as I sew which results in shrinking the armhole shape. If you look at the second picture of the tight armhole, you can see the gathering of the vest body under the arm. This was because my bias tape was stretched too tight.

Once this hiccup was fixed, I had a fun conversation garment piece. Other women have stopped me on the street to compliment me on this garment. When they ask where I got this, I proudly say, “I made it!”

When is it too late for Linen?

September 3, 2018 By Gala Fabrics 2 Comments

Here we are at the beginning of September already! I guess we are truly in the dog days of summer since Fall officially starts September 22 this year. The store received some gorgeous digitally printed linens that I simply couldn’t resist!

I had a bit of an internal debate as to if it was too late to make another linen outfit for this year but decided that making an easy project that I could complete in a day would mean I still have ALMOST one month to wear it. (no twisting my rubber arm on this decision!)

Having done the Pia dress numerous times already, I decided this would be a good pairing for one of the larger printed linens as this design has few seams to break up the print. And it is a quick pattern to put together. Bonus!

The only adjustment I did was to drop the front neckline by 1″.

Do you know what went through my head once I finished the dress and put it on?

“I feel pretty, I feel pretty ….” If you have no idea of what I’m talking about, it is a song from the iconic movie/play, West Side Story. Now if only I could dance.

Here is the full version of the song.

No need to thank me for the ear worm you now have 🙂

The Humble Beginnings

August 24, 2018 By Gala Fabrics 2 Comments

In my last post, I mentioned making a simple white T-shirt to be worn with the Marcy Tilton V9193 pants. Little did I know what rabbit hole I would fall into! After searching in all the pattern books we carry, I could not find what I would classify as a t-shirt. There were lots of knit tops but not the fitted T-shirt I was envisioning. I even searched some online stores hoping for a better selection. To no avail! But in all the online searching, I discovered some interesting history of the T-shirt.

Did you know that many think that the ubiquitous T-shirt (in RTW anyways) evolved from the basic union suit? The union suit was a one piece underwear garment for men in the 19^th century. While it was great to wear for warmth, it was too hot for summer or labourers so the garment was cut in half into what is now commonly known as long johns. With some experimentation, companies began making these garments with knit fabrics eliminating the need for buttons.

It wasn’t until 1904 that this piece of underwear truly caught the attention of the public. Cooper Underwear Company (later known as Jockey) published an advertisement marketing the undershirt to sewing-challenged bachelors. No buttons to fall off meant no sewing! And what institution had the greatest number of bachelors in their ranks at this time? The US Navy! About 1 year after the advertisement ran, the US Navy incorporated the white undershirt as part of the uniform. This was later adopted into the US Army uniform.

The undershirt only became popular as an over shirt after World War 2, when soldiers returning home made this garment part of their casual wardrobe. Then, of course, there was the release of A Street Car Named Desire (both movie and play) where Hollywood hottie, Marlon Brando, played Stanley Kowalski. Brando’s Oscar nominating performance in a tightly fitted t-shirt caused a spike in sales which put the t-shirt on the landscape as a sexy, outer wear garment.

So what did I end up using? I paired this new burn out knit with McCall’s dress pattern M6886, cutting it short, about ½” below the lengthen/shorten hip line. I liked the V neck detail so cut out the size 16 (the largest in the size range I picked). It is classed as an easy pattern, but maybe it was the instructions or maybe it was the smoke filled air (remnants of large forest fires in the British Columbia Interior) but I COULD NOT figure how to attach the neckband! I went on Youtube and found a few tutorials on sewing the V point but mine ended up a big mess! Instead, I got my French curve out, cut off the V-neck and made it into a U-neck.

I had to cut another neckband but that was easy. To measure the neckband size, lay out flat your T-shirt. With a flexible ruler or measuring tape, measure your neckline. Depending on how much stretch your fabric has, cut your neckband anywhere from 2 – 3” shorter. The less stretch, the less difference. Because my fabric is very stretchy, the neckband I cut was 3” shorter than the neckline measurement. Make sure you mark the center back and center front points. Pin to the matching points on your t-shirt. Measure the distance from the CB to a shoulder seam on the garment. Measure the same on the neckband but decrease by ¾”. Pin. You will need to stretch the neckband to fit the garment but to do so evenly, you anchor it at the center points and shoulder points.

I know many sewists have issues with hemming knits. One issue is the curling of the cut edge of the fabric. Even pressing doesn’t flatten it! I use the “magical” basting tape which holds everything in place then dissolves when washed.

Another hemming issue is when using a twin needle, the fabric peaks between the 2 lines of stitching or what is labelled as tunneling. This is because the bobbin thread that zig zags between the 2 needles is too tight and gathers up the fabric. One way to solve this is to use a narrower twin needle. The lighter the fabric, the narrower the space between the 2 needles. You can also try wooly nylon in the bobbin thread as this has some stretch. You can also try using strips of tear away or rinse away stabilizer to support the stitching area.

If the hem is rippling, it means the fabric is stretching as you sew. Try sewing with a walking foot. The walking foot is an even feed foot so there is no pressure or stretching of the fabric as it is sewn. Also try the stabilizer which will support the fabric as it’s fed under the needle.

As always, try these suggestions on a sample first to see what gives you the best result. Not all machines sew the same!

If you have issues with the needle threads tangling, try putting your spools so the thread is coming off in opposite directions. Check out Nancy Zieman’s article.

If you would like to read more about the history of the t-shirt, here are some interesting articles.

How the t-shirt was invented

History of the t-shirt

Who made that T-shirt?

And here is my white, tight t-shirt with the Marcy Tilton’s pants. Its debut was at a local fibre art festival, Fibrations. And I think it got a standing applause from the audience!

Too much of a good thing?

August 10, 2018 By Gala Fabrics Leave a Comment

Are you a linen lover? From my experience with selling the fabric, it seems to be one of those fabrics that people either love or hate. The haters are mainly concerned with the wrinkling aspect of the fabric. But those who love linen, call them status wrinkles!

I’m an all natural girl, so while admittedly, I don’t have a lot of linen outfits in my wardrobe, I’m not one to turn down the fabric if something exciting crosses my path! When this fabric arrived in store (it comes in black and dark navy), I immediately took home a piece of the dark navy (too much black in my closet) wondering what design I could use to showcase the two sides of this fantastic fabric.

I had the “ah ha” moment at one of the Sunday forums when one of the ladies (Thanks Marian!) showed her cotton top using Marcy Tilton’s Vogue 9193 pattern.

I liked the idea of split top where I could use the light side of the fabric on the top half of the garment, and the darker side for the bottom part. It also had an interesting in seam pocket detail. I chose to do the sleeveless top because it would be cooler to wear during the summer, and, quite frankly, because I didn’t have enough fabric for sleeves!

I also searched around for some fabric for the pants as the pants looked interesting with the repeating pocket detail. Unfortunately we didn’t have a dark enough navy in the linen, but I did discover the dark navy narrow silk noile worked well with the linen.

The entire project was easy to put together. The only thing I would suggest regarding the construction of the top, is to use a small piece of light weight fusible interfacing (I used sewer’s dream) to reinforce the “clip to stitching line” turn point of the pocket. It is not suggested in the pattern instructions, but I like to use it to prevent future fraying in that area.

So why the title of this post? Too much of a good thing? I like the top. It has an interesting design feature. I like the pants since they have the same design feature.

However, I don’t really like the two garments together. I felt there was too much fabric around the middle. And who needs extra bulk there? I could better see the top being worn with a simple pull on, narrower cut pant. Also, the length of the top hides the design feature of the pants. Or I could see the pants being worn with a fitted t-shirt or blouse. Either of which would take away the volume of puff from around the middle.

So now I’m off to make a simple white t-shirt because apparently my current wardrobe is lacking such a basic. Who’da thought!

Summer Sale

July 20, 2018 By Gala Fabrics Leave a Comment

Are you looking to escape the summer heat with some indoor sewing? Want to squeeze in some more summer outfits before the start of fall? Take advantage of our store wide sale to score some great fabric deals.

25% to 50% off regularly priced fabric

70% off printed canvases

Sewaholic, Victory and Colette Patterns all on for $10 each

Remnants are Buy One, Get One Free (of equal or lesser value)

Sale prices are available in store and on the web store with the coupon code SUNNY. Starts July 21 to July 29, 2018

Sunny Days, My Friend

July 11, 2018 By Gala Fabrics Leave a Comment

It is finally here. Summer! With sunshine and heat. Woohoo!

For a while there, although the calendar said summer, it seemed that the weather gods hadn’t gotten the message. But being forever hopeful, I got some summer sewing done so I would have something to wear on those balmy summer days on the beach.

One pattern that caught my eye was McCall’s 7562.

It is a loose fitting, pullover shift dress with the option of exposed shoulder ‘sleeves’ which is very on-trend this season. This pattern also offers different hem variations. I decided to try option C because of the open shoulder ‘sleeve’ feature. Suggested fabrics were something with a bit of body (chambray, denim, cotton blends) but I wanted something with a little more drape so I chose one of the new rayon prints we got in.

Then came the age old dilemma – what size to pick? My measurements (B=38″, H=41″) suggested I should make the L. But in checking out the finished measurements of the garment, I decided that M would be big enough without being too roomy.

This picture shows the bust finished measurement depending on size.

Here it shows the hip finished measurement based on size.

The actual construction of this garment is easy. The only part that may take some time is the front notched neckline. It’s not difficult, it just needs concentration 🙂

One thing I added when constructing the front notched neckline was some light weight fusible interfacing. Anytime a pattern asks to reinforce an area because you will be clipping it, I like to add some light weight fusible interfacing. I just find it helps with supporting that area. My interfacing of choice is the sewer’s dream since it is a non-woven and will not fray around the cut edges. I usually cut a piece a little bit bigger than the area being reinforced.

I also used the sewer’s dream interfacing for the curved hem facing. Since the rayon is a soft drapey fabric, I didn’t want to add any stiffness. It was just used to stabilize the shaping.

I didn’t adjust the length so I must be shorter than the McCall’s model since the length of her dress hits mid thigh.

This would be a great addition to your summer holiday wardrobe. Wear it while shopping in the outdoor markets of Mexico. Or when lounging on the beaches of Hawaii. It would also be great as a beach cover up.

Now excuse me while I go and catch some rays!

Going Plastic Free

June 28, 2018 By Gala Fabrics Leave a Comment

In case you haven’t heard, the City of Victoria is banning single use plastic bags starting July 1, 2018. (As a side note, since the store will be closed Sunday, July 1 for Canada Day, our sewing forum will be postponed to the next Sunday, July 8)

This means, if you go shopping at your favourite retailer in Victoria, be prepared to buy a paper bag or reusable bag or you will need to remember to bring your own shopping bag. We have made arrangements to be able to provide handled paper bags for purchase. Or we do have staff made fabric bags available by donation (suggested donation of $10) where 100% of the monies will go to a local animal rescue.

But, if you are like me, you have a stash of fabric which you could plumb for bag making candidates. Depending on how complicated and detailed a bag you like, you could make a bag in anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple hours.

Here is a previous blog post for a quickie bag option.

Grocery Bag, Book Bag or All Round Tote Bag

Here are some links to some free bag patterns of varied complexity.

Mixed-Up-Market-Bag

Renegade Tote Bag

Quick Fix Grocery Bag

A Handibag from a Pillowcase

(this also has a small pocket that the bag can fold up into!)

Cargo Duffle Bag

Shirt and Tie Tote

Do you have a favourite tote bag pattern? Share please!

Row By Row 2018 – The Creative Process

June 16, 2018 By Gala Fabrics 6 Comments

If you are a quilter, you may know of the international shop hop called Row By Row. Many quilt and fabric stores across North America (and even Europe and Australia!) have registered to participate by designing a quilt block based on a theme. This year’s theme is “Sew Musical”. Any sewer can participate as one of the really fun parts of this activity is travelling to all the stores to pick up their free block pattern or purchasing their fabric kit for the block. You only have to pick up eight different blocks, put them together in to a quilt, show the quilt to your nearest participating store to enter to win a prize! What a fun way to be a tourist in your home town or as you travel across the country!

This is our second year participating since we got to visit with many tourists from across Canada as well as the US and Europe. When the theme announcement was made, all the store staff brainstormed ideas as to what our block could be. And, of course we involved our very talented local textile artist and quilt designer, Susan Teece. How could we combine Victoria and music pictorially in a fabric block? We thought of the different music festivals happening in Victoria such as the Jazz fest, Ska fest or Rifflandia but how would we differentiate them from music festivals going on in other cities? Then we thought to try depicting the music used in native ceremonies such as the drums and rattles but all the native artists we asked were not comfortable designing something for quilting as their background was in fashion.

Then there was a news article about a local orca pod having a new baby resident. This was big news in the city as the Southern Resident Orca pod is considered endangered with only 76 whales. With all the news coverage of these animals, we decided to use their sounds as our music theme.