So Sorry! I disappeared for a while there! I wrote this weeks ago and didn't have it quite finished so here it is at last.
These past weeks, I talked about pressing tools and how to use them. Needless to say, a good steam iron is the most important pressing tool you can own. Mine is the Olysso Pro and gives off lots of steam. I love it. An iron cleaner is a necessity as well. I use Rowenta and it works great for me.
PRESS CLOTHS...I try never to press directly on the right side of fabrics unless I test for results first. I use silk organza because you can see right through to your seams. They work great.
THE CLAPPER...This tool is almost always on my ironing board. It's used to get a nice crisp seam and is usually used in conjunction with steam, The idea is to steam the seam ,them clap down on it holding the clapper down firmly for a few seconds before moving on.
THE TAYLOR BOARD... is a tool I use especially when pressing the seams of collars, lapels, or for any seam that might show an imprint on the right side if pressed flat against the ironing board. I also have a homemade SEAM BOARD for the latter that is especially useful for pant leg seams.
PRESSING or TAILOR`S HAM...is used to shape collars, to press curved seams such as at the hip area, bust darts, princess seams, etc. I have a FOOTBALL STAND to hold my ham up when I need it to stand upright.
SLEEVE BOARD...This is probably the most used of my pressing tools besides my iron . I use it to press sleeve caps ,underarm seams , pant and sleeve hems, cuffs , curved waistbands, and any number of other things. I could not do without this one.
SLEEVE ROLL...Can be used like a sleeve board but not as easily. It`s good for sleeve seams . I have one but admit it is not used often.
SEAM ROLL... Mine is a homemade tool used to iron seams in pant legs or sleeves. It's rounded so the imprint of the seam won't show on the right side. ( My husband used two lengths of rounded trim which he glued together and I covered in layers of cotton flannel. )
And finally my HAMMER used mostly for denim but it's also handy for bulky collar points . or any bulky areas . I do suggest you use a cloth to cover more delicate fabrics.
Working With Knits...Part 1
When you want to sew a garment using a knit fabric, here are some of the guidelines I use:
1. Choose a pattern that is especially for knits. That info will be on the back of the pattern
2. Also on the back of the pattern ,you will see a gauge which will tell you to use a 4 inch double layer piece of your knit fabric. If it is suitable, you should be able to stretch it at least to the end of the gauge . If not , your garment will probably end up being too snug. You can try using a larger size but a muslin is a good idea in this situation.
3. As usual, prewash your fabric. If you're going to put your finished garment in the dryer, then you must dry the fabric in the same way. I never put made-by-me garments in the dryer so I hang my fabrics to dry.
4. Polyester thread is strong and a good choice for knit garments.
5. As for sewing machine needles, it may be necessary to try different types on a particular knit fabric. I start with Universal 70/10 or 80/12. If that doesn't work, I try Ball point, Stretch or Jersey needles.
6. What type of stitch to use ! A good question and you may want to experiment according to the knit fabric you are using.
I've gone from using a small zig zag stitch of 1.5 width and 2.5 length as suggested by Sandra Betzina to a 2.8 length straight stitch ,as suggested by Peggy Sagers.
The reason for this is that a zig zag stitch is so hard to unpick if I make a mistake.
Peggy worked in Ready To Wear and a straight stitch is what is used there . I don't experience "popped " stitches with a straight stitch so that's what I've settled on.
7. BUT, for hems, to be sure not to get those popped stitches I use a twin needle. For tips on using a twin needle, please click here as I've covered that topic before.
8. ALWAYS baste your side seams rather than using a regular stitch , try your garment on and tweak the fit . This will save you a lot of grief!
9. If your fabric is very stretchy, you may want to stabilize your shoulder seams. to do this, I use clear elastic. Click here for a brief lesson on using clear elastic.
That's all I can think of for now. If anyone out there can add to these, please leave me a comment and I'll be happy to edit this post. I would be most grateful.
Happy Sewing from
