Tag: Juki

Skewed Cowl Collared top

On By Sharon6 Comments

The other weekend I want away for a 3 day sewing retreat with the Australian Sewing Guild at The Tops Conference Centre.

I had taken a top that was cut out which I wanted some help with fitting and then fabric for another 3 tops.

On the 2nd evening I pulled out this camel coloured knit which I purchased during my US trip back in 2011 and had plans to make the cowl neck version of KS 3740 my TNT knit top. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough fabric for the cowl from the pattern, but as this fabric had fantastic drape I really wanted a cowl neck of some sort.

You can see the fabric on the table.

Thankfully one of the ladies in the group had brought along her copy of Knits for Real People by Palmer Pletsch (my copy was in my bookcase at home) and I found the instructions on how to draft a skewed cowl collar (wow I just found this link) which as long as I didn’t want it as deep and happy for an extra seam it worked perfectly for the amount of fabric I had.

The best bit I was finished by lunchtime the next day, very happy indeed.

How I wore it to work the other week.

Now to get photos of the other two tops I made prior to this one!

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2017 Stash Out: 6.1 m
2017 Stash In: 4 m

Getting to know my Juki

On By Sharon8 Comments

As you saw here I am the proud owner of Juki MO-1000 which has a few more features than my old 4 thread Singer Ultralock 14u 34, so when in2Mode offered the Taming your overlocker workshop I signed up as I thought this would be worthwhile.

It was held over 2 Sundays and by the end of the 2nd week we had a cover for our overlockers, showing all the wrong and correct ways to use it, making it an easy reference guide.

We had 8 squares of fabric with 2 curved end pieces, so on each square a different technique was tried e.g. flat locking, pin tucks, rolled hems.

After all the blocks were completed then 4 where joined together for a front and back and then we were supplied with white cotton and bamboo wadding to complete the cover.

Front

Back

Side without pocket

I was quite impressed with my Juki, when I came to put in the end piece there was 2 layers of bamboo wadding as well as the front and back pieces with their lining to stitch through and she didn’t miss a beat.

One things the teacher did realise is that the Juki is quite a bit higher and wider than any of the other overlockers in the course so mine is a bit snug.

There were 6 of us in the workshop a which was a very good size and a diverse group of sewers.

Watermelon frill

On By Sharon12 Comments

When I first received this Spy polyester rayon fabric from Kerryn’s Fabric World, I had planned and had nearly finished another version of Vogue 8572 (OOP).  It was a disaster!

Now I had purchased 1.5 metres of both a salmon and watermelon colour so I had just wasted .8 of the salmon and was at a loss of what to do with the rest of the fabric.

I emailed Kerryn Swan with my query and this is her reply:

“Hi Sharon,
Because you are a fine build and the fabric is soft you need a garment that adds some soft bulk. If the garment is simple, plain it will be too flat on you.
A peasant style for example would be perfect.
Look at New Look 6179, 6599, 6891, View D, 6895 View D 6781 and 6104.
Cheers
Kerryn Swan”

From Kerryn’s suggestions I really liked New Look 6895, View D and was very fortunate that my sister had it in her stash as it was discontinued and she kindly gifted it to me.

I cut out a size 8 and then did the following adjustments:

  • 1cm front neckline gaposis

  • Round shoulder (both front and back)
  • 1.5cm round back adjustment
  • 1.5cm sway back adjustment

  • Moved the sleeve cap for the round shoulder adjustment

  • Raised the back opening by 2cm as it was showing my bra strap.

Once this was all cut out, I started to try to figure out how I was going to finish the ruffle.  My trusty Singer Overlocker does do a rolled hem, but I have to pretty much rebuild it do achieve it.

So this is where going to the Quilting and Craft Fair with your sewing buddies is quite dangerous.  At my ASG Group the day before, Renata told me that Juki was at the fair and she had a couple of brochures on overlockers with her.

Now I didn’t go with the intention to purchase but after sitting with my sewing buddies and giving the pros/cons of a new overlocker, I took home with me

I took this to my next ASG meeting and much to the amazement of my sewing buddies they couldn’t believe I hadn’t touched it until then and they couldn’t wait to see what it could do.

It did take me some time work out the tension and this is where Alison, the Overlocker Whisperer was so generous.

Once Alison sorted out the tension for me, it was so lovely to push one control and you are all set up for a rolled hem.

It was also at this meeting that I was having issues with the neckline gathers and keeping them in place and again Alison suggested to use Solvy to keep them in place.

There are lots of advantages of sewing with your friends.

Now I did manage to get this top finished for our holiday to Hamilton Island back in July, but we had very unseasonal weather with low cloud and flights cancelled and this top stayed in my suitcase.

It wasn’t until last week that we had a warm enough day (41c) to wear it.

This top is another item completed from my “To Sew, Knit or Purchase” list.

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2015 Stash Out: 15.15 m
2015 Stash In: 18 m