"Sew invisibly" ?

[rebecnik]

I'm working on a super elegant, gorgeous dress that I will absolutely post when finished. There are adorable bows that go on the shoulders, and that's where I am now. The problem is that it's telling me to "sew invisibly" on a couple of the lines. The only way I know to do this is by hand, picking up just a few threads at a time on the side that will be seen. I would like to avoid this, because I don't have much time left to finish this. That's also just really a lot of effort. All I can find online is for stitching a blind hem, which I'm pretty sure is not what this wants me to do. For reference, I've included an image of this page of the pattern below. Any suggestions? Thanks for looking!

[alwaysinmyroom]

It looks like they want you to be sure to keep the interfacing from shifting so that the bow will hold its shape.  Depending on your fabric, I would totally skip that step and just use iron on interfacing.   Check your pattern--what type of interfacing did they recommend?  There are so many types now, even for the finest of fabrics likes silks and velvets, etc.

The hand sewing would be just catching one stitch of the fabric---a tiny little prick stitch.  Yes,  it would be a bit time-consuming.

I used to do a lot more hand sewing but now I try to so as many shortcuts as I can since in reality, people don't keep their clothes that long due to fashion changes and not using super expensive fabrics.

I am sure the dress is going to be gorgeous--can't wait to see it!

[rebecnik]

Hm, that all makes sense. It did recommend using sew-in interfacing, but the shantung is thick, so it can't be that big of a deal to use iron-in, right? I hope to get to the point that I can take short-cuts. This is only my third commercial pattern, so I'm still learning what's necessary (not to mention all the vocabulary)!

Now, what do you think about using invisible thread and a long stitch?

Thank you so much for your advice!

[alwaysinmyroom]

The shantung is going to be beautiful!  The fabric is stiff enough to make those lovely bows!  The only problem that I see in using invisible thread is that it is a stiff thread..shantung  generally has a pronounced weave and shine...any shine on fabric shows every stitch clearly..however, the instructions show that the stitching will be on the fold so it should be easily hidden...I would test it on a scrap to see if you mind the small indentations that the stitches will create.  I say do it!  Each item you sew will be a learning experience...even mistakes teach...and I bet no one will even notice because the the outfit usually shows off a lovely fabric...Fit is probably more important than a few stitches showing!

I would highly recommend the Vogue Sewing Book...it is a basic guide but it is also for people who want to do fine tailoring and sewing...

[rebecnik]

Thanks a million for the advice! I did end up testing the invisible thread on some scrap shantung, and as you said, it did show the indentations. I had just enough iron-in interfacing to replace the sew-in stuff, and that seemed to do the trick. It stiffens the bows even more, so there's an added bonus. I actually don't think I'm done with the bows, though. They're *gigantic,* and I'm actually thinking about folding the top and bottom parts (from the last step in the scanned image) in half. Then, they'll be a cute, non-overwhelming size. Thank you SO much for the sewing book recommendation! I will look into that. I am so shocked at all the terminology that I keep encountering. I never expected sewing to be such a "complicated" art.

[alwaysinmyroom]

I started sewing when I about 11--I didn't even bother learning the terms until I hit college and took Home Economics...I probably would not have sewn if I had learned them earlier--they can be intimidating and too much info!

I am glad now, but even then, sewing should be a labor of love, not a chore...take chances and do it your way...like your bows!

[rebecnik]

Good words. Thank you so much!