Year 10 Summer Exams Guide to revision!

Today we will be looking at… 1. The sewing machine and considerations 2. Construction processes 3. Fabric construction /embellishment 4. Protective clothing

Sewing with a machine

Things to look for -  Look for a machine with several basic stitches and ease of use. Straight, zigzag, decorative  Choose one that is easy to use (if you are a beginner but can help to progress your skills in the future by offering specific functions – advanced embroidery techniques etc  Enables you to sew button holes (comes with the appropriate accessories to do so)  Easy to maintain and look after  Reasonable cost (between £120 - &180 if you are starting out)  Weight – will you be able to put it away easily, think about where you’ll be using it!  Think about the types of projects you’ll be doing – if you do a lot of embroidery then a CAD/CAM sewing machine would be of greater use to you (although these are still very expensive to buy!)

Health and Safety!  Always ensure that the presser foot is down to protect fingers getting trapped under the needle  Keep fingers to the side of the foot out of the path of the fabric to be sewn  Concentration is everything – this is a machine remember!  Ensure the cable/lead of the foot control to the sewing machine is not buckles/knotted etc  No eating/drinking around the sewing machines Can you think of any more?

Fabric construction  Straight seam (running stitch). A simple way of joining 2 pieces of fabric together with a single row of stitches.

 French seam. A self neatening seam that is usually used to join sheer fabrics where no stitches show on the right side.

 Tacking stitch. This is used to hold the fabric in position while it is being permanently stitched. Similar to running stitch but with longer stitches. Also known as Basting.

Other finishes that can be achieved by a sewing machine:  Closed seam – raw edges are finished with a zigzag stitch or turned over and neatened with a straight running stitch * think back to your trials at the start of the year!  Creating button holes  Inserting zips  Free embroidery – to create free hand effects on the machine!  Over lockers ( a machine that provides a professional finish) can be used to neaten seams and are widely used in industry!

How can you enhance textiles? Many methods have evolved to enhance textiles as we know. Some effects add more properties to the fabric, helping to enhance its function. Others add a decorative finish to the overall outcome…… here are some examples!

Quilting Specifically, a needlework process in which layers of a quilt are attached to each other with continuous stitches, either by hand or with a sewing machine. More generally, the term refers to the entire process of making a quilt.

Patchwork Patchwork is a form of needlework or craft that involves sewing together small pieces of fabric and stitching them together into a larger design, which is then usually quilted, or else tied together with pieces of yarn at regular intervals, a practice known as tying. Patchwork is traditionally 'pieced' by hand, but modern quiltmakers often use a sewing machine instead.

A motif or design made separately, then sewn or otherwise affixed to a cloth or garment. Appliqué

Batik An Indonesian method of printing textile. A design is made on the fabric by coating it with wax to repel dye. The cloth is then dipped in dye after which the wax is removed so the design appears in the original colour of the cloth. Often, this process is repeated for a number of colours to complete the desired design.

Silk Screen Printing A printing process in which the ink or paint is forced through a fine screen onto the surface below. A coating on the screen allows colour to pass through in some places but not others.

One of the elements to your design paper focuses upon Protective outdoor clothing. Using books, magazines and the internet research what’s on the market in terms of this. Look at materials, products and their uses. What makes them suitable for their job and what features do they have? Draw up a table to present your findings to help you revise!