This
season I plan to keep a full wardrobe in Mondo, all washed, dried and
pressed, ready to go. This will free me to focus on the food and last
minute items the day before departure. We normally set out very early in
the morning and I would not have to rush about like a headless chicken
right before we leave. While I more or less have always done this, ( as
evidenced by me wearing the same clothes in all the photo's!) I am
trying to make the pieces more interchangeable. Of course, a collection
of white T shirts in several sleeve lengths and neckline styles are
essential.
I
have done little garment sewing recently and I feel that my "serger
skills" have suffered terribly. Baby Lock Ovation is a great and
versatile machine but as with all machines, a steady hand is required.
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| This waffle-knit fabric is about 20 years old. From stash. |
So
today I decided to make a pair of travel PJ's to work on serging
straight lines and curves on a stretchy knit fabric. Nothing fancy here.
I have several tops in the queue for the "Wardrobe" but I don't want to
cut into the fabric yet. I might have serger-phobia.
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| Stitch testing on this fabric. I am slipping off the curve here. |
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I
chose this simple Butterick pattern # 5829. The top has a scooped bound
neckline and I chose short sleeves since my travel is in warm weather
mostly. It also has one of those handkerchief hemlines that I am still
not sure that I like but it's PJ's, no big deal.
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| This
is how I solved my "slipping-on-the-curve" problem. First, I made
better use of my left hand guiding the fabric and second "DUH" I put on
the Curve Foot. I bought this a long time ago and forgot about it. See
how much shorter it is? It makes much better sight lines on curves but
it does not hold the fabric as well as the traditional basic serger
foot. For this purpose, it worked great. |
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The
fabric is from stash, a waffle-weave pink knit with about 10% stretch
on the cross wise grain. I bought this probably twenty years ago. There
was a lot of it and I made night gowns for my Mother at the time.
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| The neckline band was folded in half, serged to the neckline and top-stitched. We have a wobble at the center back seam where the binding attaches, need to trim that back I think. That is why I am practicing. A lot. |
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| I
do not assemble pants per the instructions. I sew the front center seam
joining the two front pieces, then the back the same way. I then do the
outside leg seams before joining the inside leg seams. |
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| I
prefer an attached elastic waistband vs. a casing style. I find the
"elastic roll" after washing and wearing intolerable. Sometimes I will
use the casing style if it is attached and secured at all seams but for
this pair of bottoms, attached all the way. | |
There is still some left over even after cutting the top and pants but not enough to do much with, maybe trim or contrasts.
I always test stitch.
Using a scrap of the same fabric I sew a straight and a curved line,
this one a 4 thread safety stitch with the differential feed at "N."
Stitch settings: w=3.5 L=3.0.
I
did not follow the construction order from the pattern. I chose to join
the shoulders first, apply the neck binding second, then the sleeves.
The side seams are still open that way I can work mostly flat. I top
stitched the neck binding on Destiny, using a simple straight stitch.
This secured the serged edge on the inside. I doubled the neck binding.
- Some
time ago I took a Margret Islander course and bought all the tapes she
had at the time. The skills focused on industry-style sewing methods.
This is why I changed the suggested assembly method.
- This is a test pattern. I have several more to audition. I am looking for The One that I can use as a TNT, a versatile but well drafted pattern.
- Modesty in sleepwear is essential for me, at home and in the RV. An unexpected knock at the door will not rattle me.
- While this item is not Red as planned it is pink. Works for me 💓
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| Crappy photo of finished top. Tooooooo big in the shoulders. I cut a line between med and large but this line tends to run big in the shoulder, I forgot that. Will adjust for the next one. The handkerchief hem line is OK, not my favorite but OK. The plan for this project was to play with the serger and that I did! |
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| Pants, simple, straight forward. Fit well, a wee bit long but easy to fix. Plan to cut another from this pattern over the weekend. |
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