Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous
Expressing yourself with fabric is one of the hallmarks of sewing. Whether it’s dramatic, casual, modern, or sophisticated, you can easily combine fabrics and techniques that showcase your sense of style. Lorraine Torrence is today’s Sewing With Nancy guest on the all-new Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous Part One TV Show. Watch as Lorraine shares her knack for making a statement through sewing.
On Sewing With Nancy, we’ll show how innovative sewing can be, using a basic tunic pattern. To show style changes, Lorraine and I use a classic tunic pattern called the Town & Country. Anytime there is an area like a front panel to fill, use that space to show your style! See how easy it is on part one of this new series, Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous.
If you missed the episode, you can always catch up online at NancyZieman.com or watch the Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous DVD from Nancy’s Notions.
Hip to Be Square
Gather small strips of fabric that portray your sense of fashion, stitch into strip sets, and cut into squares. Fill the center panel of this tunic with small quilt squares or blocks that contrast with the basic tunic color. Like the song says, “It’s hip to be square.”
Color Take Away
Turn a plain fabric into something fabulous with a stamp, stencil, or paintbrush. Rather than adding color, learn how to take color away from a natural fabric such as cotton, linen, or silk. Use a de-colorant gel—one of Lorraine’s artsy techniques. This method creates quite a unique garment, as you’ll see on Sewing With Nancy.
Bias Influences
Reflect your sense of style by adding artistic touches of fabric trim. Lorraine’s next tunic features complimentary and contrasting colors of squares and bias strips of fabric randomly stitched to the panel. The result—a fashion technique we call Bias Influences. It’s both a clever and tasteful fashion accent. Personalize your wardrobe with tips from today’s episode.
The Magic of Texture
What was once ordinary can easily become dimensional! Through the magic of stitching and steaming, this one time perfectly flat layer of silk fabric is now completely textured—a stitching technique that adds character! It’s magical how simple steps can make such a dramatic difference. Watch the transformation on Sewing With Nancy.
Watch Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous on Sewing With Nancy online.
For a chance to win a copy of Fashion Sewing: Plain to Fabulous DVD from Nancy’s Notions, please leave a comment sharing which tunic style is your favorite.
The winner of a copy of Every Last Piece by Lynn Harris from F+W Media is Cheryl.
Her comment was, “Paris on a Shoestring…what a great way to use scraps and a favorite fabric.”
Bye for now,
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Shelia Ward
I’m sorry because I know you asked for a favorite, but with all these beautiful fabrics and designs, it is just ttttoooo hard to pick just one. My vote, ALL OF THEM!!!!!!
Ennis A
Love, love all the tunics!!!! But my favorite is the one using Bias Influences. All of them are so nice!!
Linda Rupe
The Town and Country tunic is my favorite. It is so versatile. I can imagine it in luscious, dressy fabrics or comfy lounging fabrics.
A. Smith
All of them are wonderful! If I had to pick just one….. I think I would pick the color take away.
Florence Dupuis
Can’t choose just one. Different occasions call for different styles. Like them all.
Linda
I love tunics and wearable art and these ideas combine them beautifully! They’re all fabulous but I like the “artsy” flavor of the Bias Influence the best. There are limitless possiblities…..
Sara Byman
Oh, I like the Hip to be Square tunic! I like the possibilities of using bright colors to offset the black. What a great use of my scrap fabric! I also like the versatility of the length of the pattern.
Cara Tanaka
Too hard to decide. Love them ALL !!! But if I had to choose just one I would pick “Hip to be Square”
Linda E in AZ
I like the Bias Influences tunic – it looks active enough to attract the eye (instead of it looking at my width across the beam!).
Thanks for the neat ideas.
CES
HIP TO BE SQUARE.. will deffinately make this outfit.
very chic…
Dianna Kelly
Love all the lengths but especially the longer tunic.
Carol Burns
I love them all but I have to say the Hip to be Square really hit home with me. I love the dark with the bright burst of color that says, look at me.
Sarah Domster
I love the color take away style.
Simone P
Magic of Texture–love the length and I’m already thinking about all the ways I can use the silk in my stash!
DIANA MILLER
What a great pattern…..I like the quilt square….want to try that one.
Very versatile pattern thank you for sharing.
BevM
I think the longer tunics are more flattering. What a cute way to show off unusual fabrics.
Dorothy
I love the bias tunic. I have a 13 yr old granddaughter that I can see making these for her. Also like the longer tunics for myself. So many possibilities.
Cande Gordon
Love the Hip To Be Square! The possibilities are endless. You can make it Bright and Fun or Tone on Tone for a subtle color play. Great stash buster.
Margaret Newey
Being fairly tall, the Colour take away would be fabulous with it’s longer length and flattering flare.
Joyce
Hip to Be Square. Love this idea!
Bonnye
What a nice basic pattern. I think all the styles are great but I especially like “Hip to be square”. I like wearing my quilting.
Bertha Wallace
I really like all the tunics, Hip to be Square intrigues me. I have to say that the Town and Country Tunic is my favorite. Imagine turning something plain and simple into something so beautiful and show off your style.
Marilyn Garcia
I love the magic of texture tunic using the town and country tunic pattern.
Kay Laing
Without a doubt, It’s Hip to be Square, because I love quilting. I can’t wait to make this!
Karen A
I like the longer tunic style and the Bias Influences design.
Sharon P
Love the textured one, but I must admit they are all wonderful.
Mary Furber
i like the “Hip to be Square” version of the tunic. Piecing the front panel allows you to add your own style to it. The length is flattering as well.
Lynn M Kuitems
The fashion tunic idea is ingenious. I have orphan blocks saved up and want to make some tops with those. I also love adding lace and think this would be superb for my wardrobe. I work in a farming community and need to be neat, trendy but not over the top. The longer tunic is my favorite since I don’t ever like to show my tummy. I hope to make several new tops. What great ideas!
Deborah Herold
The tan print is my favorite, but the quilty & pink & green run a close 2nd, 3rd & 4th!!!!!!!! Can you tell I like all of them?
Bobbie Blake
The tunic pattern is great for all figures. You can use your imagination and fabric in your stash to compliment and create wonderful designs. It is a fabulous sit design pattern.
Clovis
The tunics are lovely. I like the Color Take Away. It looks like African print. I think I have some left over fabric that would go good with black.
Jill Werschin
The bias influence tunic was so inspiring. Can’t wait to make my own.
Linda Ronczka
Even though I loved them all I think that the textured one is the one I’ll have to try.
Shirley W
I like Hip to be Square. As I love bright colors. this would be a great place to showcase them.
Susan
I just love the Plain to Fabulous tunic. I love the longer length which is more flattering to my figure and the insert in front can be made in so many ways to accent or diminish areas. I am anxious to try this!
PamB
I like the magic of texture!
Christy
I loved the bias tunic and hip to be square!
Virginia French
As a fiber artist who make her own cloth- I love this pattern!!! I can use the center panel to showcase all kinds of fabrics I have woven or ecoprinted or Felted! And I do love wearing tunics!
Cassy L.
Oh, I like the longer tunic and that fun space to play with texture and embelishment.
Joyce
What a beautiful way to have a canvas to do some of the painting or artistic designs without overdoing the look. Always like to make something interesting and unique
Arlene Aughey
I just love the Color Takeaway! It is a nice longer length, and i also like the 3.4 sleeves.
Carol
I love them all and have used bias to redo large tee shirts I have purchased on sale to “makeover”. I think now I will also start from scratch and include a middle panel. I may have a new favorite on the horizon!
Karen Christensen
My favorite technique is the bias.
Kathy B
I like the color take-away tunic; the beautiful front panel immediately caught my attention!
Diane S.
I like “Bias Influences.”
Nancy Toney
I loved all of them!! However I think my favorite is the one using quilt squares, there are so many options.
Jeri
I like them all, but think Bias Influences is my favorite.
Christina Gingerich
I liked a couple but the Biased influences really caught my eye! Would love to have this book! Thanks
Carolyn Balmanno
I love to create texture in my projects….bias allows a person to create curved lines with easy flow…..piecing appeals to my desire to quilt….and finally, there are some fabulous fabric panels which can be showcased…….adding beading to embellish. Oh my, how does a person pick a favorite? I am going to love this project.
Susan T
Color Take Away for me. Fab!
Mary Th
I don’t enjoy dressing like anyone else. With these techniques, I can be sure to be different. I am really intrigued with the discolorent techniques.
Jan F.
This is a great pattern! I like the bias top as it has so many possibilities. I can also see this made up in summer weight fabric with a lace overlay in the center.
Virginia
So glad you chose Lorraine to show off some of her wonderful ideas in clothing design. She continues to be an inspiration.
Martha
So many different ideas for the bias influences – think that is my first choice-
Gail Beam
All of the tunic styles exhibit such unique and different ideas, but I think my favorite is the bias influence technique.
Patricia Duke
I particularly like the design that looks like Chinese calligraphy, though I do not remember that design being taught in the program. All but the quilt-piecing ideas are appealing, though. (The quilt piecing idea looks too complicated to me; you can tell I am not a quilter.(
Karri H
What a great idea! It’s a perfect way to reflect YOU and standout from the crowd.
Susan Spiers
Love the Hip To Be Square-very nice-great idea!
Tina
I like the first tunic with a contrasting center panel. This looks like a great project.
Patricia Burke
I love the black tunic with the color takeaway panel. It is elegant and original.
michelle
That’s tough to pick just one…I think it would be Nancy’s take on the bias strips in a geometric spin. But the paint on decolorant had my mind racing too!
Sandra Bailey
I love them all . If I have to have a favorite it would be the black , but really I want to make them all .
Barbara Lussier
I love this pattern! I like the design on the Bias Influence. It reminded me of a set of embroidery designs that I own. I would love to add embroidery to the center panel.
Maureen S
What a great way to use the so many techniques we want to try. I love the one with the color take away.
Jeanne Kelly
What a great idea! I like the color takeaway the best!
MonicaAD
Hip to be Square is what to wear … FIESTA 🙂
Dean56
Basic influences!!!
Cathie Paski
My favorite is the bias influences. I love the tunic that Nancy was wearing. Such great ideas.
Debe
I like color take away. That is a neat technique.
Shirley Wilson
I am drawn to Bias Influences. I think it could be casual and wonderful to enjoy but, also, with the right colors it would be very elegant.
Althea Klosterman
I think the longer tunic would be elegant. As short as I am, I should be wearing a short tunic but I like a little bit of something flashy. To own the Tunic Fashion I am sure it will help me decide which is best for me. Thank you Nancy.
Helena C Villa
I love Plain to Fabulous. I can’t wait to try a new top for pants. Thanks for all the ideas.
mary m young
Ten or more years ago I was looking for a tunic pattern and they were hard to come by. Now they are everywhere, thank goodness! This winter I have made four in fleece and was thinking that something interesting could be done with the front panel. Thank you Nancy for giving me the perfect inspiration to go forward. I was also thinking that you could repurpose fabric that you already have in another garment.
Jennifer Shirley
I like the Magic of Texture variation of the tunic. I wear solid colors the majority of the time and this would be a great way to add some interest to my wardrobe.
Mary Ellen
Bias Influences is the one for me. It’s amazing how many choices that are provided. Thank you for the video.
Becky Canuteson
I would choose Hip to be Square colors on a long tunic. Bold and bright colors are my favorite choice for quilting.
Jean K.
I really like the multi-colored squares on point, but I love the idea of painting on the de-colorant to obtain many lighter shades of the background fabric. The grid backing that is sewn and steamed for a shrunken texture is pretty and a great effect also. I have an Accu-quilt Go machine so I am imagining using it to make bias tape and cut-out designs.
Michelle Lynch
Longer length tunic, 3/4 sleeve would probably be the 1st choice for me. I am especially intrigued by the discharge/colorant technique.
Bobbi Beharrell
I love the bias trim design, but would make it in the longer version.
Sandy Davis
The one shown with jeans is so cute & creative. What a great way to show off our sewing skills! Thank you!
Vicky K.
I like all of them but I think I would make the longer tunic first!
Anne Z.
I love the bias influence. It just gets my creative juices flowing. The otions are limitless.
Lynn Again
When I saw the Bias Influences top I thought it was a great way to introduce coordinating colors in the design. Applique, felting and couching are some of my favorite techniques!
kathy
What a great idea! I especially love the bias idea. A way to use a forgotten machine foot.
Michelle Hall
I really like the Hip to be Square Tunic but I think the magic of texture could be very cool too
Laurie Ladd
I really love the color take away, I can see using blue fabric and having a little bit of white showing. That’s if that is what will happen
Lori E
Wow ~ so many great ideas! It’s hard to choose a favorite but guess I’d go with the bias strip one. I can think of so many variations using just that technique.
Chrissie Griffith
I love the Bias Influence and have panels all ready to use! The tunic style is such a flattering style too!
Janet Weirauch
always love something I can decorate myself. Thx.
Tammie
I have seen that you use cutouts on to pieces of paper! What kind of paper do you use and what measurements do you use? I’m a want a be beginner so all the help I can get will be appreciated! Thanks for your help and your time!
Nancy Zieman
Tammie, could you give me a little more detail? I’m not clear what you’re asking. Which fashion are you referring to? Please email us at [email protected] and we’ll answer your question.
Tammie
When you sew blouses and pant suit’s! Sometimes the patterns cost so much that when I get the material and everything else that I would need it cost the same as it would if I would pay for the outfit! That’s why I would like to know about the paper cutouts!