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Sewing Textiles - Sewing: clothes, furnishings, costumes, etc.
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Posted by S on June 8, 2006, 11:54 am
I'm working on a couple of different things right now, and on both I
have questions.
One thing I'm making is tank tops from cotton rib knit. I've been
playing around with one out of fabric I don't like before I start on
the good stuff. I don't have any problems with basic
construction--the serger does just fine. When it come to hemming,
though, I'm stumped. Do I need to use a double needle on the sewing
machine, or get a walking foot, or use some sort of stabilizer or
something? It just keeps puckering and looks awful.
The other I'm just about to do a muslin of is a, hopefully, fitted
dress shirt for my better half. I'm working on getting the pattern
right, but I think I can manage that. I have to lengthen everything,
since he's pretty tall. My question though, is about interfacing.
What type of interfacing works best for the collar and cuffs of a
dress shirt? Also, when cutting interfacing, should I be cutting
slightly INSIDE the seam allowance such that the interfacing doesn't
end up in the seam?
I really appreciate all the help y'all have given me on various
projects! If I keep this up, one of these days I'll actually know how
to sew!
Thanks!
Sue
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Posted by Olwyn Mary on June 8, 2006, 1:01 pm
S wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> I'm working on a couple of different things right now, and on both I
> have questions.
>
> One thing I'm making is tank tops from cotton rib knit. I've been
> playing around with one out of fabric I don't like before I start on
> the good stuff. I don't have any problems with basic
> construction--the serger does just fine. When it come to hemming,
> though, I'm stumped. Do I need to use a double needle on the sewing
> machine, or get a walking foot, or use some sort of stabilizer or
> something? It just keeps puckering and looks awful.
The roller foot on my sewing machine works just fine. Play with it on
some scraps, experimenting with different needles, tensions and
pressures until you get what you want. I learned about this years ago
when I took a "Sewing With Knits" course before sergers became affordable.
show/hide quoted text
>
> The other I'm just about to do a muslin of is a, hopefully, fitted
> dress shirt for my better half.
I'll let Teri answer this one, she is our resident expert on shirts.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Posted by on June 8, 2006, 2:53 pm
Dear Sue,
Interfacing on shirts. I do something very different than most, but it
works. I saw this done in the factory, and have had good luck. I use
a very lightweight interfacing, and put it on BOTH sides of the collar
and stand. I cut it from the same patterns that I use for the collar,
and don't trim it out. I then grade the seams before turning them.
Grading is essential to eliminate bulk. Oh, and I cut the collar and
stand from the lengthwise direction, and if necessary, make whole
patterns instead of the commercial ones that say "cut on fold." My
interfacing of choice is Fusi-Knit. It's good in many areas. I NEVER
use pellon-type interfacings; they tend to bubble and come loose after
just a few washings.
And your knit hems. You do need to use a twin needle for best results,
and it should be a twin needle meant for knits. Sew from the right
side, don't stretch, and if there is a bit of rippling, press it.
Don't go across the hem; press with the grain of the knit, and use lots
of steam. It does wonders to eliminate ripples.
Teri
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Posted by Phaedrine on June 8, 2006, 4:10 pm
wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> One thing I'm making is tank tops from cotton rib knit. I've been
> playing around with one out of fabric I don't like before I start on
> the good stuff. I don't have any problems with basic
> construction--the serger does just fine. When it come to hemming,
> though, I'm stumped. Do I need to use a double needle on the sewing
> machine, or get a walking foot, or use some sort of stabilizer or
> something? It just keeps puckering and looks awful.
Like Mary said, you need to experiment on fabric scraps because it all
depends on your machine and the fabric. I assume your serger does not
have a coverstitch. First, I recommend that you get a little spiral
notebook and keep it by your machine. Mark one page "Knits" and use it
to make notes about what works with what. For instance, after playing
with some scraps, you might make an entry something like this:
6 oz, 100% cotton rib knit, 80/12 ballpoint, 2.5/75 stretch twin, med wt
tear away stabilizer, foot pressure -1
You could also cut a small piece of the fabric and pin it to the page.
Some machines require a reduction of the foot pressure to sew knits
without puckers and stretching. If your machine does not have that
adjustment, you can try to compensate for that by gently pushing the
fabric instead of pulling on it whilst you are sewing. You could also
try a strip of tear-away stabilizer on the bottom. Some machines don't
require that. I sew a lot of knits and I often use a twin stretch or
ballpoint for the hem because it looks so nice. On my newer machine, I
have to adjust the foot pressure for knits. On the older one, I don't
have to do anything and it comes out perfect. On yet another machine, I
have to play with the foot pressure, thread tension and use a
stabilizer. You can easily see which machine I prefer to use for knits.
show/hide quoted text
> The other I'm just about to do a muslin of is a, hopefully, fitted
> dress shirt for my better half. I'm working on getting the pattern
> right, but I think I can manage that. I have to lengthen everything,
> since he's pretty tall. My question though, is about interfacing.
> What type of interfacing works best for the collar and cuffs of a
> dress shirt? Also, when cutting interfacing, should I be cutting
> slightly INSIDE the seam allowance such that the interfacing doesn't
> end up in the seam?
Yes, except for the collar points, the interfacing is sewn in the seam.
Personally, I never use fusibles on men's shirts unless I am using a
double layer of interfacing to achieve an especially stiff collar. For
that (and *only* that) I'd cut the fusible ever-so-slighty smaller than
the size of the finished collar (you will need to trace a pattern for
that) and fuse that to a nice crisp sew-in before cutting the pattern on
the sew-in. That way, you will achieve a crisper edge w/o the double
thickness of interfacing. I always cut the collar interfacing the same
size as the collar, snip the interfacing collar points just inside the
collar point, and then trim very close to the stitching lines after I've
sewn it in. That is so you can get a nice crisp point. I'm still using
a bolt of Shirtmaker I bought ages ago. I interface the front band, the
collar and the cuffs.
The reason I never use fusibles in men's shirts is that I have yet to
find one adequate to the task that does not (1) eventually fall apart or
rip; (2) shrink; (3) pill and wrinkle on the inside; or (4) bleed the
fusing to outside of the shirt.
For the collar stand (all men's shirts must have a stand or they look
like hell), I usually use one layer of sew-in interfacing. And, of
course, the collar underside on men's shirts needs to be a two or
three-piece affair to accommodate the stays. You will also need two
flat-fell hemmer feet--- a wide one for the armhole seams and a narrower
one for the side seams. Some people say they do flat-fell seams w/o the
feet but you cannot achieve a professional look without the feet unless
you spend an inordinate amount of time. You also need a rolled hemmer
for the bottom. I mention all this because, in my opinion, there is no
reason to spend time making something the man will never wear because it
looks like a homemade woman's blouse.
My recommendation is to start with a short-sleeved *sport* shirt with a
stand collar and a contoured bottom. Serge both the armhole and
side/sleeve seams and then topstitch evenly, catching that serged seam,
to fake the look of a flat-felled seam. Then do the bottom either by
hand or with a rolled hemmer foot.
Phae
--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake,
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI, Shakespeare)
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Posted by S on August 4, 2006, 9:42 am
Just thought I'd give you all an update on my most recent projects,
since it's with your help that they've progressed at all! The
suggestions for the tank tops worked wonderfully and I'm wearing one
of them even now!
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view, I was
contemplating the dress shirt for my husband when I got pregnant (we'd
been trying for a year and a half). So...I've been feeling too sick
to do ANY sewing. I'm hoping that by the end of the month, I'll have
passed the "morning" sickness phase and can get back to doing things
that require sitting up and mental concentration and other such
things.... *sigh* At that point, I may well have more questions too.
I'm also going to try making myself some little bra-let/sports bra
type things. I'm a cheapskate, have never previously had to wear
bras, and find myself resenting the prices they ask for things which
aren't even fitted!!! That too will have to wait, though I may try
getting started on those on one of my good days, since they're a tad
more necessary than my husband's dress shirt.
Sue, feeling ill in Phoenix
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> have questions.
>
> One thing I'm making is tank tops from cotton rib knit. I've been
> playing around with one out of fabric I don't like before I start on
> the good stuff. I don't have any problems with basic
> construction--the serger does just fine. When it come to hemming,
> though, I'm stumped. Do I need to use a double needle on the sewing
> machine, or get a walking foot, or use some sort of stabilizer or
> something? It just keeps puckering and looks awful.