Technique Tuesday: Hong Kong Seams

September 28, 2010

photo credit 

I'm having a bad morning. One word. Cramps. Have any good remedies? They are pretty painful. I don't understand why this happens sometimes? What's so different?

Anyway....Hong Kong seams. They are pretty rad. If you are making anything with exposed seams, Hong Kong is the way to go. You can play them up with a contrasting color or pattern.

I've seen these a lot in hand bags and unlined jackets. Sometimes, when the colors are just right I think they look prettier than lining.

They are more work than not doing anything at all but like I said, if you're making a jacket, these are the way to go. Hey! They might even look kind of neat if you made some kind of "inside-out" frock. Maybe?

And I think you will be happy to discover that I am using a tripod in this video. Hooray!

27 {comments}:

Lynne said... Best Blogger Tips

I've had killer cramps since I was young. The I-think-I'm-gonna-die kind of cramps. I finally figured out why... lack of calcium. Yup, that simple. I never used to drink milk. As long as I drink 2 glasses a day, no more cramps. If only I had known earlier. I hope you feel better!

Missy Shay said... Best Blogger Tips

For cramps, I use Aleve and I have one of those neck thingies with corn in it that you heat up in the microwave, it is perfect for wrapping around where the cramps are, but any heating pad will do. It's days like this where you crawl in bed with the heating pad and a good book and let your husband cook supper for the one day a month it hurts the worst.

Marie said... Best Blogger Tips

For me an alieve and a walk helps. The alieve dulls the pain a bit and the walk works it out (though getting started is awful).

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Lynne,
You may be onto something. I never drink milk except A LOT of half and half in my morning coffee and I didn't have any yesterday because I had to take Lily to the doctor early.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I do this on some of my boys dress up clothes. My youngest loves to change things up and wear pants inside out, all because its cool.

About those cramps, I suffer badly from them too. I start taking tylonol right before I start (even if I'm not suffering yet) and lay off of all things caffenated. My gyno says that the tylonol is a anti inflamotory and it works the best. When I am really suffering I take a long hot bath and just relax.

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

Cramps... yikes, I get them too... calcium, yes and keeping well hydrated with water as well... ibuprophen works best for me... I've also heard you should lay off the caffeine and alcohol around this time... I'm caffeine-free so I guess my problem is more of a hydration thing... hope you can find something that works well for you :)

Great hong kong tutorial... looks so pretty...

Georgianna said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm not a fan of pain killers since it does nothing to help, its just a mask for a few hours.
So I prefer natural remedies. I have a book "The most effective natural cures on earth" that recommends a cocktail of supplements:

vit b6: 50mg twice a day
magnesium: 400 mg twice a day
evening primrose oil: 1000 mg twice a day

highly recommended:
melatonin 1-3 mg at night
Neptune Krill oil 3 g
taurine(if bloating is an issue) 1000 mg (all dosages are daily dosages and in pill or capsule form unless otherwise noted).

I haven't used this cocktail yet, but I have tried other remedies in the book, and I have been very happy I did. It helps!!

Anna Depew said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm a professional barista when I'm not making any clothes and these ladies are right about the milk and the caffeine. Drinking a latte a day really helps!
The best remedy:
A Mocha, which has milk, caffeine, and chocolate, the three things you need most! If you add a bit of baily's to that Mocha, you're set sweetie!
Also, rubbing peppermint essential oil on your tummy greatly helps as well.

Kitty said... Best Blogger Tips

Milk, bananas and cantaloupe! And no SALT!

Popbabe7 said... Best Blogger Tips

Schweppes works for me- it contains quinine which is meant to be good against cramps!

Emily said... Best Blogger Tips

Ugh my cramps are awful! I'm so sorry. I have to take tylenol (I'm allergic to ibuprofen boo) and lay under a heating pad. I've also used those one time use heating pads that stick to your clothes and they work pretty well for me. If the cramps aren't immobilizing, a little exercise helps. If I can't get out of bed, then exercise doesn't help. ha. Good luck and I hope they pass soon!

Kristina said... Best Blogger Tips

The caffein definitely is a no-no for me if I want to avoid cramps. In fact, I've decided to go caffein free again. I'm starting today, and I have to say that I'm not going to be happy about it.

Steph said... Best Blogger Tips

cool technique!
I've had bad cramps off and on since I was a teenager--but of course being on the pill reduces the issues. However, every once in a while my body rebels and I get really bad lower-back cramping around the time of my period. In this situation, I've found that a strong tea of black cohosh root (available at many places where bulk herbs are sold, and sometimes even in tea bag form) sweetened with honey works really well. Even better than Tylenol or Ibuprofin. It's traditionally been used by American Indians to ease the pain of childbirth and menstruation.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Cramps can be helped a ton with a good vitamin on a regular basis. ;) I also recommend watching the timing. If it's about time for the cramps to start, make an extra effort to eat healthy. I know it's harder then, but unhealthy/snack foods make your body weak and sluggish. Not just in the way you feel, but those foods also make it harder for your body to heal, recooperate, etc. And then you can always try the heat/cold/meds route for extra help. Good luck!

And thanks for this tutorial! I am so new to sewing for "real" and your blog makes such a huge difference! ;)

Lindsay @ 402CenterStreet.blogspot.com said... Best Blogger Tips

No caffeine and lots of water helps me when I have those all I want to do is crawl up in bed and die cramps. I don't do milk either so I'll be trying out that calcium trick! Hope you feel better soon!

Ana said... Best Blogger Tips

I get really bad cramps too. I usually use Advil and drink chamomile tea. But reading Lynne's post is interesting, as I don't like to drink milk and don't take calcium...which I'm going to start to though.

Great technique Tuesday...thank you!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

I have no help on the cramps front, but I did honk-kong bindings on my kids' jean jackets this summer, and they really look smart! Great technique :)

Moran Family said... Best Blogger Tips

If you can find a Jamaican Store, get some ginger tea, or some Ginger Beer. I make the ginger beer flat (it is a soda not alcohol) and sip it. I have killer cramps. I take the Depo shot so I can actually function (my insides are literally in the wrong place and twisted) oh joy!

Elizabeth said... Best Blogger Tips

I have one question on the seam. If you add 3/8 more to the seam, won't it make your garment potentially not fit? Or could you do the 5/8 seam and just use smaller bias tape? I'm getting ready to do an unlined coat, so your tutorial was timely and well done, thanks for sharing.

Lisa said... Best Blogger Tips

Yeah that to the calcium... I also eat a ton of blueberries. Fresh or dried. It's like my own miracle little blue pill.

mindy said... Best Blogger Tips

not sure if i ever commented on here before. but LOVE your stuff.

cramps... man, my 3 sisters and i have the pleasure of dealing with this. HEATING PAD = best friend. can't be attached to an outlet? ThermaCare makes MENSTRUAL 8 hr. heating pads. oh yeah. best thing ever. & then PERCOGESIC. can be found next to midol (i found it at CVS and not at walgreens) my sisters dr recommended it for her & it works wonders. :)

Samantha said... Best Blogger Tips

I didn't know that type of seam was called a Hong Kong seam...thanks for the tutorial!

I always get cramps too, so I've read a lot about different methods that are supposed to get rid of them. The only thing that has really worked for me is taking ibuprofen (apparently ibuprofen blocks the production of prostaglandin which is a hormone that causes inflammation) and exercising more on a regular basis. Taking 1200mg of Calcium per day is supposed to help as well...so those glasses of milk should be helpful...and Omega 3 is supposed to help with inflammation too. I got this information from Dr. Weil's site a few months ago. I hope you find something that works for you!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Here is Canada Aleve (Naproxen) was only available by prescription until very recently. I would stock up when I visited the US. It was the only thing that helped me with cramps.
Thanks for the great tutorial!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

steamy bath with one of these:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46684445/suck-it-cramps-bath-not-bomb

!

The Sew Convert said... Best Blogger Tips

Taking more calcium, bananas (vitamin k) and warm water helps. I have never heard of HK seams, thanks for this!

Deanna said... Best Blogger Tips

I had bad cramps as a young girl - my mother's doctor told her to start giving me calcium supplements, and they helped immensely.

Koustubh Ramakrishnan said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks a lot for the superb video on hongkong seam.....helped a great deal for my daughter's fashion studies project...

 
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