Disclaimer: I took these photos after work tonight, when the sun was descending and shining into the room and hitting the mirror in that way that makes annoying shimmery lights show up in photos. My options were to have everything look yellowish in indoor lighting, or to make it look like a bag of flour recently exploded on me. I went with the floured look, because what is life without whimsy?
This is KwikSew 4160. It has a cute collar option I was considering making, but I left it off as I could see it being super hot (just as it's been here lately in Philly) and me getting very annoyed by it, so I went with the basic faced v-neck.
Those gathers drove me insane. I feel like gathers in knits are ridiculously tricky, and this is a thin rayon knit that was quite slippery, so my temper flared more than once, that's for sure. I wasn't sure if I wanted that tab on the front or just the gathers, but I went with the band. Somehow, though it looked perfectly straight, it got twisted in the wash, so I had to pick the stitches out and restitch it. That band is now necessary because the fabric is so fine that I knicked a wee hole in it that the band is now covering. So shhhhh--don't tell anybody, m'kay?
One little mental issue I have with this shirt is that I feel like all that fabric in the front makes me look pregnant. It's a comfortable shirt--very soft, just the right kind of roomy--and not terribly unflattering. I guess it's just a style I'm not used to.
I suppose it's a good thing that nobody asked if I was indeed pregnant. Anyway--I do have a question for those of you experienced with sewing knits. Every time I sew a hem on knits, it looks terrible. I've tried different needles, stitch lengths, and tension settings, and I get the same results--
This drives me bonkers. What am I missing? Any advice?
Cute top! I love the gathers--and I don't think it looks like a pregnancy shirt!
ReplyDeleteThat is really cute! Hems... just lettuce-edge them! ;-) But for regular hems, here are a few things that have helped me: Use a stretch needle. Reduce the presser foot pressure, if you can. Use woolly nylon in the bobbin. And most importantly, stabilize! Spray starch works okay as a stabilizer, but there's also fusible hem tape made just for knits. I usually use Heat and Bond lite cut into strips, because I happen to have some and don't use it for anything else. ;-) It also conveniently removes the need for pins. You can also try using tissue paper on top of the knit, but then you have to pick bits of it out of the stitching and that's no fun. A walking foot is also worth trying.
ReplyDeleteLettuce hem?? What is that? Can I eat it? Use it? Is it hard?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, GREAT top! LOOOOVE the colour, and yes.... the shape does raise *that* question to a girl of a certain age (esp, like me when you've been married for quite a while with nooooo kiddie in the stars). However. SOD IT the top looks great, you have the figure to pull it off, so now it's just a matter of dance dance dance.
Wow, thanks!! It does have a nice little twirl to it ;)
DeleteA machine blind hem stitch sometimes works well.of course it is a real bother to set it up. My machine will do one that also overcasts the edge.
ReplyDeleteI love the colour of the fabric
When doing hems on knit fabric I always use a twin needle, either Schmetz Stretch Twin 4.0 and polyester thread or Schmetz Universal 6.0 Twin needles. My preference is the Universal 6.0 because I like the look better than the 4.0. The Sewing Police may come to get me because only Stretch or Ballpoint needles are supposed to be used with knits. I never had a problem using the Twin Universal Needles with knits.
ReplyDeleteThe top is darling on your cute figure!!!! I have a special stitch for knits. Your machine may too?
ReplyDeleteXO Kris
Aw, thanks! And you know what? I have no idea!! I might have a knit stitch on either this or my smaller machine. I'll have to look!
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