Certain fabrics will be a greater challenge to cut than others. Leather, suede and fur are three of these. You will also need to know how to mark the pattern pieces when making your dress designs.
LEATHER AND SUEDE
Leather and suede present special problems to the designer. To smooth out wrinkles, creases, and stretched out bumps - use a lukewarm iron (dry iron) on the wrong side and keep on pressing and gliding iron over it until the leather lies smooth. These materials have to be sewn with a larger stitch than usual. All the seams should be stay-stitched with tape to prevent pulling and cutting through the skin.
Both leather and suede come in the shape and size of the animal from which it is obtained. For full size garments larger sections have to be pieced, therefore your design will have to be well worked out in advance to take this into consideration and to have the lines of patching form an integral part of the design.
IMPORTANT - DO NOT PIN LEATHER OR SUEDE - Cut and fit your entire pattern accurately in muslin and after all alterations and fittings are as good as can be - use this muslin for your pattern in cutting out the suede or leather. Once your material is cut out - this is it - no changes can be made.
Lay your pattern pieces on the wrong side of the material, DO NOT PIN. Weight it down to keep it in place. Outline and put in all marks with tailor's chalk. Cut. Seam allowances need not exceed 1/4 inch but neckline and arms have to be stay stitched with tape to reinforce all points of possible strain and tearing.
In working with leather or suede - THE FIRST SEWING HAS TO BE THE FINAL SEWING. If stitching has to be removed and done over, the material will be weakened and cut by the needle, and unsightly markings will be produced.
FURS
Cutting of furs is very exacting, and delicate, and difficult, but if your dress designs call for fur trimming you will want to know how it's done. Follow the same procedure for marking as you have done with your leather and suede. Place the fur side down and do all your marking on the skin side. With a sharp razor blade cut into the hide - but be careful not to cut into the fur itself. After you have finished this cutting procedure grasp the fur with both hands and firmly pull apart on each side of the cut
MARKING THE PATTERN PIECES
CHALK MARKING
Carefully lift pattern from cutting table to chalk board with muslin side up. With your tracing wheel trace over every marking, all sewing lines, and every cross mark. Use short firm strokes and lift wheel at each stroke so that material is not pushed out of place.
Remove from chalk board and check that all markings are clear. Remove muslin pattern, but don't unfold material. Place the opposite side on the chalk board and proceed to mark this side by tracing over the first chalked lines. Again check that all markings are clear and that you haven't forgotten any.
Don't knot the thread. Leave a tail piece and secure your thread with one or two back stitches. End your line of marking stitches in the same manner. Do not knot. Never knot your marking or basting threads. You will run into less trouble this way when pulling them out later.
Begin and end each straight line of stitching in the same manner. Do not turn corners with a continuous thread. Break off your thread each time direction changes and start anew.
Cross marks take the place of notches. In making cross marks use a double thread, no knots, and no back stitches. Start with a tail, taking small running stitches, and end with a tail.
PIN MARKING
On light materials when chalk marks will not show up very well pin marking is used. For very delicate materials on which pins will leave permanent marks use needles instead.
Cut and mark carefully and you will get pleasing results in your dress designs.
Learn How To Become An Expert At Cutting And Marking Dress Fabric
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