Tag: Coverstitch Binder

Lemon slub knit top with shirt tail hem

On By Sharon5 Comments

This is another version of KS 3740 in a lemon slub knit that was in the stash.

I would also like to introduce you to Katniss our new family member.  This is why Tomba is in nearly every photo as he is busy trying to find out where she is in the hedge.

Now to change up a plain t-shirt I decided to use the downloaded shirt-tail hem extension from Christine Jonson Patterns that I had downloaded sometime last year that has been sitting in my KS3740 pattern folder waiting for me to remember to use it.

So finally I got to play with it.

My t-shirt length is long meaning I usually cut off around 7cm depending on the fabric drape, so I already had some length built into my pattern to play with.

You make your t-shirt as normal until the side seams, so I used the binder on my Coverstitch for the neckband,

and then used the chain stitch on my Coverstitch to baste the side seams together so I could work out the length of my top and the point I wanted the split to occur.

I then machine stitched my side seams, stopping 6cm from the hem, where I pressed open the seam allowances and then had Mark level the front and back hems.

Once this was done, I pressed the hems and then used the shirt-tail hem extension to draw in the shaped hem with a FriXion pen.

Then with some 6mm Steam A Seam I finger pressed this around right at the outside edge the hem allowance,

and then trimmed the fabric back so I only had a 6mm hem allowance.

which I then carefully removed the backing tape from the Steam A Seam and finger pressed the hem in place

so it was ready to be taken over to the Coverstitch to finish the body and sleeve hems.

Front view minus Katniss

Side view

Back view

This is my 2nd piece for SWAP 2019.

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2019 Stash Out: 2.3 m
2019 Stash In: 0 m

Taupe knit top – V8572

On By Sharon4 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen this back in October 2017, it had just been finished but as it was a winter top, it went straight into the wardrobe to wait for the weather to get cool enough to wear.

Fast forward to last weekend, the weather had turned nice and chilly and my top had it’s first outing at the Annual Australian Sewing Guild Rhodes Fashion Sewers Sewing Retreat at The Tops Conference Centre at Stanwell Tops.

This fabric was purchased in the USA in 2011 from the same shop the fabric for my Skewed Cowl Collared Top but this one was a very stable knit.

Working with my V8572 my TNT Woven top I:

*  Bound the neckline with the A Binder on my Coverstitch

* split the side seam 12cm above the pattern hem, also offsetting the front and back hems by 1.5cm.

* used my Coverstitch again to do the hems, and when I came to the corners I raised the needles, keeping the longer needle just in the fabric, pulling some thread forward, turning the fabric and started sewing again, this kept it all very even.

Now to work out what other garments this top goes with in my wardrobe.

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2018 Stash Out: 1.5m
2018 Stash In: 0m

A striped top

On By Sharon7 Comments

This is the 3rd top that I made during our weekend away along with the skewed cowl and cream top back in May.

I originally purchased this fabric from The Remnant Warehouse for a shingle dress, Vogue 8904 and no matter how I tried I just couldn’t get it to sit right at my swayback even taking notice of all the very helpful blog reviews.

So this fabric has been marinating in my stash since then, still in pieces, so after seeing so many striped tops this year I decided it was the year to finally do something with the fabric.

Once again I have used KS 3740 as my base.

Michelle showed me a great trip for matching the stripes, using Steam-A-Seam you finger press this onto the right side of your fabric at the seam line and then slowly remove the tape and finger press your stripes together,

it worked a treat

The back has a seam as this works better for my sway back

I also used my A Binder on the Coverstitch to finish the neckline

This top also got a lot of wear during Winter and I have found more striped fabric in my stash so there could be another one appearing at some time.

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2017 Stash Out: 21.9 m
2017 Stash In: 14.6 m

T-Shirt with a Twist

On By Sharon11 Comments

This is a top that I finished in October last year and it has been worn quite a lot during the warmer months.

This is the result of the sew-along with the Australian Sewing Guild, T-Shirt with a Twist which was for ASG Members only back in May last year, but as we were experiencing Winter at that time, I decided to make it a summer top and leave it for a few more months.

I used KS 3740 as my base pattern and followed the instructions, but this is where I ran into trouble, 45 degree angles can be found both on the short length and long length of the quilting ruler I used, and I managed to use the wrong one.

Thankfully I made this at my ASG Sewing Guild Group at The Remnant Warehouse and Alison was very helpful in setting me in the right direction and also guiding all of the overs/unders for the lattice stripes.

Here are the lattice pieces in place.

Now this then leaves you a gap in the back neckline, so I used some Solvy  to create a false back neckline so I could used the B Binder on my Coverstitch to finish the back neckline

and continue around the plain front neckline.

Then at another ASG meeting another sewing friend, Wendy, kindly pinned the back hem for me,

which I finished with my Coverstitch.

I like that this top is plain in the front so I can wear a number of different necklaces with it,

and then there is all the fun in the back.

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2017 Stash Out: 21.9
2017 Stash In: 14.6 m

Activewear – Sports Top

On By Sharon5 Comments

Now for the 4th piece in my Activewear Mini Wardrobe.

Back in December, Sandra (Dilliander) one of my sewing buddies introduced a few of us to the Lekala Patterns as she had their Sports Vest with her at our sewing day and was very kind in letting quite a few of us try it on.

The interesting thing about these patterns is that you input your own measurements into the order form and for $2.50 + 50c for the addition of seam allowances you have a pattern that uses your measurements, even some of your basic adjustments i.e. high waist can be specified.

Needless to say that I soon visited the site and downloaded my own Sports Vest to see how it compared to the BWOF or even the Big 4 patterns.

Again, it is another downloadable pattern.  Once I had taped it together and traced off the pattern I did do my standard sway back adjustment.

The fabric for this top is again a combination of the brown Stella Cotton Elastomeric from Standard Knits that I have used for the other pieces for the main front and back panels and the navy Supplex that Sandra and I purchased from Metro Fabrics earlier this year for the side panels and the two yoke pieces.  I have again used the leftover fabric from this top for the neck and armhole bindings.

I had fun again with my Coverstitch Machine:

*  Used the knitbinder to attach the neckline and armhole bindings.

* Put the variegated thread in the looper for the two princess seams.
* Back to brown thread in the looper for the reminder of the hem.

and now some more yoga

I am very happy with how this pattern has turned out, it is hard to tell in most of the above photos, but the top one does show the fit and maybe a small FBA will get rid of those wrinkles, but pretty good straight off the PC.

Today’s photo shoot had hubby cut my legs of for most of the photos, so back to the drawing board and the digital remote tomorrow for the final garment.

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2014 Stash Out: 22.2 m
2014 Stash In: 45.75 m

Blue and Gold swirls

On By Sharon12 Comments

I have a new top and have again used Kwik Sew 3740 view A without the cowl and raised the neckline by 3cm.

The fabric is called “Sandra Printed Knit” from Knitwit which I purchased in June 2012, I am loving the gold looking swirls.

My purls are making the neckline stick out!

I cut this top out on Anzac Day and took it to my ASG meeting on Saturday along with my Coverpro machine and knit binders as I wanted to try to do the neckline binding.

Here are some not so clear iPhone pictures more for my reference for future.

Neck binding has been threaded through and under the needles
Here the neckline is being fed into the binder

Maybe it was because I was jet lagged but with Alison’s reminders about setting it up, I was rather surprised when it worked first time, even calling the rest of the group over to have a look which was probably why I ran off the neckline at the very end, but thankfully Coverstitch is very easy to pull out.

It did take a few more goes to get the binding on, I also spray starched the neckband once which seemed to make a difference.

Here is a close-up of the bound neckline and I still have some work to do to get the stitching to sit correctly on the back of the binding.

You will see a lot more of this top during May worn with various skirts and jeans!

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2014 Stash Out: 8.95 m
2014 Stash In:  40.75m

Yellow Blouse – April Garment a Month – completed

On By Sharon9 Comments

Back in January Alison and I joined the ladies at the ASG Frocks Group at Bateau Bay to attend a Confident Coverstitch – Techniques and Attachments Workshop run by Baby Lock.

The workshop book is based on the Baby Lock Coverstitch models, however there were quite a few of us with the Janome Coverstitch and our teacher, Michelle was very knowledgeable about both brands of machines.

I love my Coverstitch and do use it for all my knit hems but I wanted to learn how to use it better as well as getting to understand the knit and woven binders I had purchased previously from Sharp Sewing Supplies.

As you all know I love my TNT top pattern and had purchased the 3/4″ woven binder (finished width) particularly for this blouse.

It did take me a little while to get it working and I was very lucky that Alison had taken her Coverstitch to our ASG Group at The Remnant Warehouse the other Saturday and I was able to play with the binder with some scraps of fabric on her binder whilst I was sewing the blouse together.

Once I got back home, I settled down with my machine to finish the construction of the blouse as follows:

–  Sew the darts and press.

–  Sew the right shoulder seam and press (leaving the left shoulder seam open).
–  Edge stitched the blouse neckline.
–  Cut a 4cm bias strip which I then pressed in half as my binder is a A binder (raw edge) and I didn’t want that sort of finish for this fabric.

–  Attached my Janome extension table.
–  Tightened the foot pressure knob to a height of 1cm.
–  Threaded the Coverstitch for a chain stitch e.g. single needle.
–  Set up my binder and fed the bias strip through and under the needle and did a few stitches.

I still had the 2 needles in at this stage.

–  Then I set up my fabric so that it fed half way up the binder, this worked best for me.

–  Sew the left shoulder seam and pressed, and then hand stitched the binding edges down at the shoulder seam as the binding ended up quite thick.

–  Put in the invisible zip in the left side seam, sewed the right side seam, put in the sleeves and did the hems.

    Debbie Cook has some fantastic information about Coverstitch machines on her blog.

    I have also managed to sew something that fits with the Stashbusting theme this month, COLOUR!

    Note: I have managed to get a photo of the neck binding for those interested.

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    2014 Stash Out: 7.6 m
    2014 Stash In: 31.75 m