SarahLizSewStyle

I just want to post a quick thank you note to all of you who have been so helpful recently with all your tips about sewing knits.  I can't say that I have always enjoyed learning to handle knits, but I'm a great believer in jumping in and learning how textiles work - and then I go and read what to do next.  It might sound back to front, but it works for me.  I would never start anything if I tried to do everything right from the word go - I think I would just be overwhelmed :). So thank you for telling me about seam stabilisers, needles, and how to do hems.  Some of the products you mention are not available easily where I live, but they can go on my shopping list for when I place orders "elsewhere". I've also ordered a book on how to sew knits - I can see there is a whole world of knit garments and fabrics to be explored.  I have ordered this: Nancy Zieman - Sew Knits with Confidence.  It will take a couple of weeks to arrive - I've cut out a cou

I was in two minds about this contest until I visited www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/45-iconic-fashion-films .  This site was listed on the contest discussion as a place to find ideas.  I decided I would enter this contest after seeing this image of Jean Seberg - from the French Neo Realist Film "Breathless". from: www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/45-iconic-fashion-films. Now Jean Seberg circa 1960s gamim I am not: I do find that classic black and white tees very handy though.  And as some of you know, I am trying to learn to sew with knits at the moment.  They all seem to handle so differently.  So this contest seemed an ideal opportunity to stretch my knowledge, and the inspiration to make up a piece of black and white knit in my stash was too hard to resist. I used Kwik Sew3766: I cut size small (and yes, I did make a muslin first - I always check a new pattern with a muslin): The muslin was a cheap polyester knit- there were wrinkles radiating down from

Yes, I have been busy, not so much with sewing but with a lot going on in my other life.  The first part of moving the practice has occurred - still lots to sort out, but we are there.  So I haven't had much time to sew, nor have I had the right sort of mindset - I have been distracted and this is when I tend to make sewing mistakes.  What I do in these sorts of situations is continue sewing, but usually I work on muslins for the next set of plans. ***** Before I show you the recent muslin attempts, I will show you what I made in January.   I am a novice when it comes to sewing knits - I know that they are supposed to be easy, but I think learning to sew anything new does require a learning curve. And these certainly did. I had a piece of very lightweight white cotton jersey in my stash and thought this would be ideal to make a cool summer t-shirt.  I used New Look 6216.   I decided to make version B with the little arm bands - it is otherwise exactly

I entered the Little White Dress contest on Pattern Review.  The pictures of my Little White Dress were posted yesterday and can be found  here . I'll also post one here for those of you that have either seen yesterday's post or are only interested in construction methods for this dress.  I used a see through crinkly embroidered cotton  cheesecloth with a voile lining.  I used New Look 6095: I have made this dress before, so it was a simple matter of just working out how to seam this fabric.  I decided on french seams for both shells, with an invisible zip in the centre back and french seams underneath. I also decided to use a cotton facing (interfaced)  over the voile lining to add more stability.  The sleeves were bagged out and a binding used to finish the armscye seam. First I constructed the shells of outer dress and inner lining.  The back seam was left open: Then I constructed the sleeves: Before inserting the zip, I decided to sample the in