How To Sew A Face...It's Not What You Think

I am still a novice sewer, I admit. I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE a "sewing 101 tutorial" on great blogs like Shwin&Schwin. You can't go wrong with "refreshing" your sewing skills even if you think you know EVERYTHING about sewing. This is because, like most everything else, we start to fall into a rut of bad habits and sewing is no different. We tailors/seamstress usually have an epiphany somewhere around 2 a.m (at least that's how it works for me!) and wonder why the hell we make the same mistakes over and over or do quirky sewing habits that don't lend to convenience and logic.

The following come from Schwin&Schwin blog. FABULOUS blog....you must visit them! I am crediting the following pictures and verbiage to this post she made of "sewing 101 facing". (hence the reason for my title of this post! haha. Got you interested!). To show you I actually know how to write (I have been a professional/compensated writer in the near past...), I am going to paraphrase them too.

Grab you bodice pattern. It can be any shape, size and outfit type. This doesn't have to be just for men or children, etc.

courtesy of Schwin&Schwin

Depending on your preferences in length of facing, make a curved line below the bodice's neck. (a bodice is the front top part of an outfit by the way!). Your curved line can be as short as 2 or 3 inches or much more....again, your preference.

That's how you make a simple facing.

Now, when you become more confident of your sewing skills, you will likely want to make a combination facing. This will encompass not only the neck area of your bodice, but the arm hole area too. This can be especially nice if your outfit will not have any sleeves. Otherwise, I wouldn't see any need to do a combo facing! See below....

courtesy of Schwin&Schwin

This is where you may wonder if I have actually performed the skills in this tutorial. Yes, I have.However, I no longer have a working sewing machine. I have begged my husband for another one but he wants me to save up money for it. :(

Anyway.....

This is what a simple and combo facing looks like if you do the aforementioned steps.....

courtesy of Schwin&Schwin

But, what if you have a pattern where there is a slit so one can get in and out of the neck hole more easily? Schwin&Schwin addresses that too. 

Check out their full tutorial here!

SEWING 101: FACING.