My Strained Relationship with Knit Fabric

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I have gotten better sewing knit fabrics but I still struggle.  One day I will actually read the books that I have bought to help me with this issue. I did manage to avoid stretching my fabric this time.

Lekala 4608

Lekala 4608


How I did It


Everything came from my stash - ya.  I am patiently waiting until I can buy new garment fabric.  I used 3 different fabrics on this one - a scuba knit (print), ponte knit (black), and a light weight corduroy (orange).

Sewing knit scares me because in the past I would always stretch the neckline and hem.  In the past I never pinned the fabric pieces together but this time I did and I went a little overboard with the pins but it help to prevent the stretching.

Neckline with One Should Seam Sewn

Bias Binding Strip for Neckline

Bias Binding Pinned to Neckline

Bias Binding Stitched and Turn to Inside

Adding the binding with only one should seam sewn made it super easy to put it in but the remaining shoulder seam is not cleanly finished like the other and it doesn't lay as flat.  I did grade the seam before turning to the inside.

The bias binding for the armhole was the same way.  It was really easy to put it in but there was some puckering around the armhole seam.  Initially I thought it was me but I went to the Lekala site and there was a project posting for the same pattern and I noticed the same puckering in the same area so maybe its the pattern.  In any case it is not a huge issue for me.

Also, like the neckline, the armhole seam isn't cleanly finished and doesn't lay as flat.  Once again the abundance of pins saved me from stretching the fabric.

Armhole with Bias Binding Pinned to it

More pictures of the complete blouse.






Conclusion


This top was really easy to put together and sew.  I believe the next time I make it I will apply the binding to the neckline and armhole after I sew the all the seams to get a cleaner finish.  The other change that I will make is using a solid fabric for the piece that has the pleats.  One of the things that drew me to this pattern was the side pleats.  With the print they disappear and the print looks kind of crazy going sideways.  On well - lesson learned.

The blouse on the mannequin doesn't look so great and when I first tried it on I did not like it on me. I think part of my dislike has to do with using the print fabric in the wrong place.  I know me so I waited a day and tried it on again and decided that I like it.

What's Next


I have two patterns I want to complete.  One is a skirt that I have already made but want to make another so I can play with fabric paint.

Lekala S3023

The other pattern is a pants pattern.  I need pants that fit properly bad!

Lekala 5126











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