Mrs Bowden’s top tip – right side, wrong side

Mrs Bowden’s top tip – right side, wrong side

We wish to avoid this!

Right side, wrong side; essential to know when cutting and working with fabric for dressmaking – as we would aspire to avoid a ‘two left feet’ situation when constructing our garments by accidentally switching around the sides of our fabric.

Here is a battered and much loved tea tin from the 1930’s in which I store my tailor’s chalks, of which I have a variety of colours.

My beloved tea caddy

Save yourself the anguish of getting confused when working with a fabric that doesn’t have a clear right side and wrong side.   Here is an example of a pesky blighter fabric with a difficult to tell right/wrong side.  I happen to be making a 1940s style tea dress in it.

The answer is more than simple.  Prepare and cut your fabric as you do.  Turn all the pieces over to make matching pairs with the wrong side facing you then mark a cross with tailor’s chalk.  When you come to construct your garment you can check which is the wrong side safe in the knowledge you have a matching pair already marked.  The tailor’s chalk comes out very easily with brushing or by normal washing.  You can purchase tailor’s chalk in a number of colours and formats (as a triangle/pen/square) meaning you can use it on lots of different coloured fabric.  Of course a temporary fabric pen can also be used.   A cross on the wrong side

I do hope you find this a useful tip and I look forward to corresponding with you again shortly. In stitches, Amanda xx