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Posted by Kate Dicey on January 4, 2006, 3:24 am
small change wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> Karstens Rage wrote:
>
>>I really want to learn to sew. Im a cyclist and I would love to be
>>able
>>to sew my own shorts and jackets and maybe even jersey's. My wife has
>>a sewing machine but I gather I need a serger to do the fancy stuff.
>><snip> Any suggestions?
>>k
>
>
>
> I make about 90% of my cycling gear. Everything but the socks. I've even
> made winter booties. Any machine that has a three step zig zag and a few
> stretch stitches will do almost anything a serger can do.
> For cycle gear, you'll want to get comfortable handling knits and fabrics
> that have some lycra in them. Mostly, it's just practice and knowing a few
> techniques.
> The Singer books on Sewing Essentials and Sewing Activewear are excellent;
> check your library.
> I'd stay away from modifying until you have some good skills. Start with
> some simple projects like stuff sacks etc just to get comfortable with
> handling fabric. You could do a simple knit t-shirt. Someone mentioned
> Green Pepper, personally I think their sizing is really screwed up but you
> can try if you want. Thier shorts pattern is OK, but careful with the
> jersey pattern, the neck is way too small. I would suggest looking at the
> Kwik Sew offerings. Many of their patterns are suitable for basic knit tops,
> and then you can move on to cycle specific patterns. The Jalie jersey
> pattern is excellent, and has really good but very simple instructions,
> probably not a good first knit project.
>
> Take a look at my tips page
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/tips.asp
> I've got links to fabric sources, pattern suggestions, how to for many
> projects, links to outdoor specific sewing discussion, home made cycle
> clothing galleries and more.
> just for grins, here's the direct link to the jerseys:
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/pgallery.asp
>
> Penny S
Pay attention to Penny - she knows! :)
And no, you don't NEED a serger for these projects. Later, if you like
sewing, a serger will make neater looking seams, and the projects will
go a LOT faster, but for straight forward seams on non-fray knits, a
small zigzag is good. It's perfectly possible (I know - I've done it!)
to sew Lycra knits on an ancient Singer hand-crank: you just need the
right needles, thread, and technique.
As for getting seams straight: hmph! Just practice - and don't sweat if
they still get a wiggle now and again. Even after 40+ years of sewing,
I still get a wiggle here and there! Straight is over-rated! ;)
Parallel to the cut edge, or exactly where it should be is what to aim for!
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
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Posted by joy beeson on January 5, 2006, 11:02 am
On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 08:24:04 +0000, Kate Dicey
show/hide quoted text
> for straight forward seams on non-fray knits, a
> small zigzag is good.
I use straight stitch. I also use *very* good thread --
reeled silk for wool, #100 DMC Cordonnette crochet cotton
for cotton -- and stretch the knit a little while sewing it.
(The usual "taut sewing" tension, NOT a mighty yank.)
The stitch must be a bit long, or the stretch will be
stitched in and the seams will pucker. Think of it as
leaving the stitches room to shrink when the tension is off.
Joy Beeson
--
http://home.earthlink.net/~joybeeson/ -- needlework
http://home.earthlink.net/~dbeeson594/ROUGHSEW/ROUGH.HTM
http://home.earthlink.net/~beeson_n3f/ -- Writers' Exchange
joy beeson at earthlink dot net
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Posted by BEI Design on January 4, 2006, 4:03 am
small change wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> Take a look at my tips page
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/tips.asp
> I've got links to fabric sources, pattern suggestions, how to
> for many projects, links to outdoor specific sewing discussion,
> home made cycle clothing galleries and more.
> just for grins, here's the direct link to the jerseys:
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/pgallery.asp
Hi Penny, you should probably update your copyright notices.
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Posted by Karstens Rage on January 5, 2006, 11:54 am
small change wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> The Jalie jersey
> pattern is excellent, and has really good but very simple instructions,
> probably not a good first knit project.
Did you mean NOT a good first knit project or "probably a good first
knit project?"
k
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Posted by small change on January 5, 2006, 12:23 pm
Karstens Rage wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> small change wrote:
>> The Jalie jersey
>> pattern is excellent, and has really good but very simple
>> instructions, probably not a good first knit project.
> Did you mean NOT a good first knit project or "probably a good first
> knit project?"
> k
not until you've got a few other projects under your belt, I'd think. (?)
~P.
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>
>>I really want to learn to sew. Im a cyclist and I would love to be
>>able
>>to sew my own shorts and jackets and maybe even jersey's. My wife has
>>a sewing machine but I gather I need a serger to do the fancy stuff.
>><snip> Any suggestions?
>>k
>
>
>
> I make about 90% of my cycling gear. Everything but the socks. I've even
> made winter booties. Any machine that has a three step zig zag and a few
> stretch stitches will do almost anything a serger can do.
> For cycle gear, you'll want to get comfortable handling knits and fabrics
> that have some lycra in them. Mostly, it's just practice and knowing a few
> techniques.
> The Singer books on Sewing Essentials and Sewing Activewear are excellent;
> check your library.
> I'd stay away from modifying until you have some good skills. Start with
> some simple projects like stuff sacks etc just to get comfortable with
> handling fabric. You could do a simple knit t-shirt. Someone mentioned
> Green Pepper, personally I think their sizing is really screwed up but you
> can try if you want. Thier shorts pattern is OK, but careful with the
> jersey pattern, the neck is way too small. I would suggest looking at the
> Kwik Sew offerings. Many of their patterns are suitable for basic knit tops,
> and then you can move on to cycle specific patterns. The Jalie jersey
> pattern is excellent, and has really good but very simple instructions,
> probably not a good first knit project.
>
> Take a look at my tips page
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/tips.asp
> I've got links to fabric sources, pattern suggestions, how to for many
> projects, links to outdoor specific sewing discussion, home made cycle
> clothing galleries and more.
> just for grins, here's the direct link to the jerseys:
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/pgallery.asp
>
> Penny S