John-John or Jon-Jon? Tutorial on the Snap Tab

Spiritual -  Only the Holy Spirit can teach you to pray.  That gift is there for the asking.  I often use the expression, "Fake it till you make it!".  That works for almost everything I try from doing daily tasks cheerfully, accepting suffering, practicing forgiveness, and praying.  It is hard with all the "things" we have to do and the "stuff" that is on our minds to get away to a quiet spot and be alone with our Lord.  But, without prayer, we will not progress in our relationship with our Maker and with Charity.

 

Sewing -  I remember John F. Kennedy, Jr. standing at the side of his mother and sister saluting his father at the funeral of JFK.  He was wearing a John-John or Jon-Jon or jumper.  I thought he was dressed "just right" and have always spelled it as John-John since.   I made many of these darling little outfits for Liam.  My favorite go to pattern is "Holly & Hunter" by Bonnie Blue Designs.  This pattern contains sizes 6-24 months and 3-6 years.  The pattern is for a lined jumper and a jumpsuit in short and long versions.  It is a very versatile pattern.  The instructions are good and it has a very unique way of completing the lining process which makes lining the garment, IMHO, easy.   

 

Most patterns for jump suits for boys and girls instruct the sewer to make completed crotch snap tabs  before attaching them to the garment.  I  have never found that the finished crotch length and the snap tabs were the same lengths  when I tried to attach them.   Gggrrr!  So, this is what I do instead.  I hope you find it easier, too! 

 

1. Prepare crotch tab strips - Measure finished crotch length (CL).  Cut 2 strips of fabric   according to the following formula: 

CL + 2 "   X   2x   Snap Tape Width (STW) + 1/2".   

Ex.  CL = 4",  STW = 3/4", then strips would be  6" X 2/ 1/4"

 

 

2.  Adding Snap Tape -  Press each strip lengthwise in half to mark center.  On the right side of each strip, mark a line 1/4" from each long edge with a water soluble pen.  Cut a male & female piece of snap tape 1" longer than the finished crotch length.  Place a piece of snap tape on the right side of each tab strip between the halfway crease and the 1/4" mark.  One of these will be for the front and one of these will be for the back.  They must be complimentary.  

3. Front tab - Place the front tab strip to the crotch right sides together.  **Notice that the snap tape is on the lower side of the tab strip.  Sew a 1/4" seam.

 

4. Back tab - Place the back tab strip to the crotch right sides together.  **Notice that the snap tape is on the upper side of the tab strip.  Sew a 1/4" seam.

5. On the right side of each tab, mark a sewing line "one needle width" from the crotch edge. Mark another line 1/4" from that line and trim the remainder of fabric off.

 6.  One the wrong side of each tab, fold over 1/4" from the edge and press.

 

7. Turn the garment to the right side. Fold over tab at half way crease right sides together.  Stitch through all thicknesses 1/4" from both edges on sewing line,making sure to sew in a straight line.  Do this on both front and back.  Trim just short  of 1/8". 

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8. Turn tabs inside out.  Press.  Stitch in place.  Press.

Back tab on wrong side

 

Back tab on right side

Front tab front right side

Copyright protected, 2011

Gigi's New Car Coat

Spiritual - "If God had not decreed that the Incarnation of His Son should take place in the womb of a virgin, we should never have had that masterpiece of grace and loveliness, the Most Blessed Virgin; we should never have had her smile or her maternal caresses.  Therefore, we love and honor Mary because she is the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus;  and loving her in her relations to God, our devotion to her only makes our love for God, for Jesus, deeper and more tender."  Divine Intimacy


Sewing -  Gigi has a new car coat.  I got this fabric from Heirloom Creations last year.  I am smocking a bishop in a coordinating fabric and will be posting about that soon.  This fabric is a two sided quilted fabric. During construction of the coat, I carefully separated the two fabrics to the seam lines, sewed the right sides together (choosing the animal print as right side).  Then I turned under the seam allowance under on the geometric side and hand stitched it closed.  I did this with all internal seams, including the hood.  This made the entire coat reversible.  I added a bias trim on the outside edges to complete the little coat.  I used Children's Corner pattern "Casey".  I first saw this coat in Heirloom Creations as a sample made by Babs Martin.  It was so cute I knew Gigi had to have one. I couldn't remember the technique Babs used in constructing the seams, but I like what I did.  Thanks, Babs for the idea!

Martha's Windowpane Shirt

 Spiritual -  Divine wisdom, perfect knowledge of God, is also perfect knowledge of all that exists and all that will ever exist - there is no error in it because it is eternal and immutable truth.  Therefore, God knows  everything about us, the most secret movements of our hearts.  "Let us ask Him for the grace to know ourselves in His light, in His eternal truth."  Divine Mercy

Sewing - I saw this jacket on one of my instructors while taking a certification course at Martha Pullen's in Huntsville, Ala.  I knew I'd be making one.  This project begins with one of her windowpane shirts.  I chose several designs from the Baby Vintage II collection of embroidery designs to machine embroidery in some of the "windowpane" squares. and on the yoke back.  The rounded tail is cut off and about 6 inches of the cuff is cut off.  The edges of the newly squared bottom and three-quarter cuff are serged and a lace is sewn on.  The lace is 1 1/2 inches wide.

I have windowpane shirts  in several colors and the lace in the shop. This is a quick and fun project.  Martha has a summer one in which she embroider stick figures and embroidered her grandchildrens' names on each square - darling!