I went fabric shopping in Paris. Enough blogs have listed how to do this so I won't unnecessarily repeat. I also happily got all the patterns on my list without having to order online, hurrah! I found the fabric shop employees generally helpful and willing to speak English if one asked politely.
So after about two days of total sewing-planning-washing overload, I settled down to sew some easy projects.
A few Ondees! First in truly amazing, luxurious navy sweatshirting. So fuzzy. So soft. I cut a 38. No changes. I read the instructions and then put them away. This is an easy project. My only gripe is that the neck binding has to be really tight - using self-fabric it was being pulled as tight as it could go. I needed a center front snip. I have added that to my pattern pieces now, but I think it should have been marked on the pattern. The bottom binding is also that tight, which I am a bit self conscious about. Do note: this sweatshirt hits at exactly the bottom of my ribs, about 1.5" above my waist, so in normal-length torso people it will barely cover the rib cage. I love this sweatshirt but I think something this short has truly limited utility in my life. Despite that I notice that I pull it on every day after work because it's so soft and amazing.
Version 2: stripes. This is double knit but is still pretty light compared to the sweatshirting. I added six big stripes in length (about 2") and widened the bottom band so it wouldn't be tight but would function like a shirt extension. I went crazy with the doubleness of the knit but hesitated before alternating the bottom bands - I think it would actually have looked great. As for the length, I'm on the fence! I was so sure I wanted it longer but I think it becomes a bit more boring, like just any old knitwear. Also it's really obvious I need to get on with that swayback fix.
Tissue Jersey Renfrew:
The rules with such fine jersey seem to be to touch it as little as possible. I might note here that, contrary to mainstream and despite various knit issues with my new Pfaff and its IDT, I have always sewn my knits with a straight stitch, and finished them with a zig zag. I still find this to work out fine, even on this jersey. On some machines (the cheap Singer) it didn't go so well but most of the time my stitches don't strain or break. I use a microtex stretch needle. So for this Renfrew I didn't sew on a bottom or sleeve bindings. I also didn't measure the length very closely so it's not the same but I reckon for a distressed look item it doesn't matter. I will cut it at least even soon!
And to round out the knit craze, I pulled out the Undercover Hood and made another one. The fabric is a nubbly outside and sweatshirt inside, super lush and warm - about 1 meter, the last piece from the Berlin market. I cut a S, removed 1" from center front on the fold, 1cm from center back on the fold, and shortened it 2". I put all the bindings on, and then put the sweatshirt on and chalked myself a new, lower neckline. Once I was convinced I made a binding almost exactly the length of the neck, because I didn't want it to pull very much. No Hood in this Undercover Hood : ) It is clearly much nicer than the blue version I made earlier this year but I still struggle to turn it into the magic perfect sweatshirt. It's luckily perfect for Francesca though.
So after about two days of total sewing-planning-washing overload, I settled down to sew some easy projects.
A few Ondees! First in truly amazing, luxurious navy sweatshirting. So fuzzy. So soft. I cut a 38. No changes. I read the instructions and then put them away. This is an easy project. My only gripe is that the neck binding has to be really tight - using self-fabric it was being pulled as tight as it could go. I needed a center front snip. I have added that to my pattern pieces now, but I think it should have been marked on the pattern. The bottom binding is also that tight, which I am a bit self conscious about. Do note: this sweatshirt hits at exactly the bottom of my ribs, about 1.5" above my waist, so in normal-length torso people it will barely cover the rib cage. I love this sweatshirt but I think something this short has truly limited utility in my life. Despite that I notice that I pull it on every day after work because it's so soft and amazing.
Version 2: stripes. This is double knit but is still pretty light compared to the sweatshirting. I added six big stripes in length (about 2") and widened the bottom band so it wouldn't be tight but would function like a shirt extension. I went crazy with the doubleness of the knit but hesitated before alternating the bottom bands - I think it would actually have looked great. As for the length, I'm on the fence! I was so sure I wanted it longer but I think it becomes a bit more boring, like just any old knitwear. Also it's really obvious I need to get on with that swayback fix.
 |
| You can see how the stretchier stripes made a much looser top |
Tissue Jersey Renfrew:
The rules with such fine jersey seem to be to touch it as little as possible. I might note here that, contrary to mainstream and despite various knit issues with my new Pfaff and its IDT, I have always sewn my knits with a straight stitch, and finished them with a zig zag. I still find this to work out fine, even on this jersey. On some machines (the cheap Singer) it didn't go so well but most of the time my stitches don't strain or break. I use a microtex stretch needle. So for this Renfrew I didn't sew on a bottom or sleeve bindings. I also didn't measure the length very closely so it's not the same but I reckon for a distressed look item it doesn't matter. I will cut it at least even soon!
And to round out the knit craze, I pulled out the Undercover Hood and made another one. The fabric is a nubbly outside and sweatshirt inside, super lush and warm - about 1 meter, the last piece from the Berlin market. I cut a S, removed 1" from center front on the fold, 1cm from center back on the fold, and shortened it 2". I put all the bindings on, and then put the sweatshirt on and chalked myself a new, lower neckline. Once I was convinced I made a binding almost exactly the length of the neck, because I didn't want it to pull very much. No Hood in this Undercover Hood : ) It is clearly much nicer than the blue version I made earlier this year but I still struggle to turn it into the magic perfect sweatshirt. It's luckily perfect for Francesca though.
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