Chopping

So the other day I said I would explain the chopping part.

I am using these scissors because they have a sharpener.

You store them in the sharpener, every time you slide them in and out they get sharpened! So, I am using them because I am cutting the mull into the planned shapes - cutting the fabric at the same time as the paper. And using these scissors will mean that any dullness caused by the paper will be sorted.

And here is the start of the chopping.

I mentioned the other day about the darts being left out when you cut the princess line; you can see it here. Cutting on either side of the dart and then I carried on down the princess style line. Not pictured, but you can imagine, I also cut on both sides of the waist shaping fisheye dart. The fabric from the dart is discarded.

In this case, I am not using seam allowances because I am going to use each piece I have chopped in an individual treatment. If I were doing a princess line dress altogether, I would cut the pattern first and then add seam allowances alongside the cut line - the paper in the dart area discarded.

You will begin to see how I am working with the chopped pieces tomorrow.

I will add that after using a rotary cutter for cutting garment pieces, I am finding in using the scissors the reasons I prefer the rotary cutter! You have to lift the fabric at least a bit in order to put the blade under the fabric and then cut. In some places this is quite distorting...and these scissors are designed for the bottom to lay against the surface with the handle angled up for cutting. It is still not easy. And when you take the scissors away, you find there are bits that need shaved away with the rotary cutter to make them just right.

Again, I wouldn't be so worried, but because I am using each piece in its nett state - without seam allowance - I need the pieces to be accurate so I can fit them back together.

All very technical!