I feel like nearly every time I make a list of things I intend to knit and/or sew, I’m almost guaranteed to make one or fewer of those things. Since the list I set out for myself last month, I added the possibility of a blanket/shawl for my niece, and in the interim I have worked on only one thing: the shawl-collar smock-vest situation above. Somehow it’s taken me a month to knit those three plain little pieces of fabric, but now the fun part starts!
I’ve had this idea before (for my vanilla cardigan) but am saying it out loud this time: I’m considering sewing canvas pockets onto this garment instead of knitted ones. I really like that combination and decided against it for the cardigan partly because it would have been too bulky to get under the foot of my machine. But it might work here …
Meanwhile, swatching for the prospective navy pullover.
I’ve also never really actively participated in Me Made May before, and probably won’t this year in any traditional sense (maybe the occasional mirror selfie on IG, dunno) but it seems like as good an excuse as any to dust off my sewing machine, which hasn’t been touched since last summer. So that’s my pledge: By this time next month, there will have been sewing. In addition to the patterns mentioned last month, I bought the new Wiksten Shift, so who knows what my Garment of Return will be. But I’ll be sure to tell you about it when it happens!
(Cocoknits Knitters Block kit and removable stitch markers from Fringe Supply Co.)
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PREVIOUSLY in Queue Check: March 2019, a whole new queue
Is this your vest pattern? I’m thinking I need a vest (or two) for spring in Minnesota ☺️
This one I’m currently making up — the shape is a bit different from my Anna Vest, but Anna is always a gem. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/anna-vest
I just finished an Anna, it IS a gem. Love the sewn on buttonband, and the pockets!
I tried sewing cloth pockets onto a sweater. I was very careful and did it all correctly (sort of a miracle for me because I hate sewing) but I didn’t like the look.
What was it you wound up not liking about it?
Consider hand sewing them on a la Alabama Chanin. Your style is much simpler. So do a plain mattress or cross stitch.
I’d be going for more of a utility wear look, so definitely machine sewn. I’m also not practiced enough at hand stitching anymore to get good enough results for this, as I was made well aware when sewing the ribbons onto that little yellow cardigan! Really rough.
Would you kindly share the name/source of pattern J502 which is on the top right?
That’s the Assembly Line https://www.theassemblylineshop.com/all-paper-patterns/kimono-jacket-sewing-pattern
Welp, I got sidetracked by Hatdana, so I’m not about to try to plan any sewing other than finishing the Tendril Dress (by AVFKW). Hatdana’s addictive!
I am, however, also in the process of dismantling various garments that I don’t wear to make use of the fabric. I have a feeling that my rest-of-the-year sewing will be determined by how badly I want to reduce the collection of garment fabrics and how desperate I get for a particular garment. (Really, I absolutely need to sew a new winter coat, and all I’ve managed to do so far is modify a couple of pattern pieces for it.)
I have a stack of things, similarly, that are like “shorten; cut up for fabric; trace for a pattern …” — it would really be good to do some of that before cutting anything new!
Yes!
I think that if I at least do the prep on all (or most) of it, I might actually be inspired to put down the knitting needles for a bit and fire up the sewing machine. But I learned a big lesson about scheduling my wardrobe-making last year, which was that over-committing myself to making when I KNEW I didn’t have time meant over-scheduling and falling behind. So I’m giving myself a break by not planning much of anything at all.
I’m curious… when sewing on woven pockets, how would you handle the knitted fabric to keep it from stretching/ slipping? In my head i’m picturing using like a water soluble sheet to keep the sweater “in place” but honestly have no idea!
I honestly don’t know! I’m thinking low presser-foot pressure, lotsa pins, slow and steady … ?
Hmm- well it would be so interesting to hear how you faired! Best of luck!! 🙏🏻
In answer to sewing on the woven pocket would a “walking foot” help here. It tends to make sure the feed is even for both top and bottom layers of fabric. I use it for sewing knits and have found it works well. It is an alternate accessory that I have found a good investment.
So excited about this vest! Can’t wait to see it finished.
Would you consider sewing the pocket on by hand but with a small backstitch? I’ve done that before when I wanted the close machine-stitched look but didn’t want to wrestle with the machine itself; plus, it’s nice and strong.
It should be easy to hanhandd sew the pockets using the knit stitches as a stitch guide. Going through one column of stitches would keep your hand stitched row straight. However stitching canvas which is inherently non stretch, to a knit fabric which is inherently stretchy, seems like an opportunity for disaster. That’s why manufactured sweaters usually use a pocket made on both sides of fabric, and use a chain of thread to tack the corners down. I would think twice about this plan
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