Since this is all about sewing clothing , does anyone know how to get sewing lines to disappear out of velvet? I altered DGD choir dress last year and she has grown so I let it out. Lines show on the breast and where I had reset the zipper. Do you think dampening the fabric and brushing it would work?

The easiest way to get a pattern to fit you is to measure a garment like it that fits you the way you like. I measured around the bottom of a jacket, its length and the sleeve length. Now I make all my jackets to that measurement. Don't use the measurements on the envelope as you don't know how much ease to use. Measure the pattern pieces inside the seam lines to get the finished size. There are tables of how much ease, but primarily for anything but coats and baggy clothes, it is 2 inches more than your actual body measurement.

Give it a try but you may need to take it to a cleaners and get their advice. Velvet is fussy and not always washable so check the label before wetting. Good Luck!

'Fit for Real People' is by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto ( a Palmer/Pletsch publication). I am currently going through it for hints on fitting. It also has info on the history of patterns, etc. Good resource if you are serious about sewing clothes, for you or any one else.

There is a velvet pressing pad. It looks like a pad with pins in it. I've had mine for so many years that I could not tell you where to buy one.

I think I've seen one in the Clothilde catalog before.

Good news. A friend of mine from a coffee group suggested steaming it. I held the steam iron about 1/4 inch above it and then brushed with an old toothbrush. And the lines are gone. DGD had a very sad look on her face when I told her about the lines, but was happy when she saw the dress with no evidence of having been altered.

If you follow the pattern directions, and use the 5/8 inch seam allowances, there is a lot more room for error that won't show in garments like it does on a quilt. You can do it easy, just jump right in there