Tag: Kwik.Sew 3740

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

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

Cream top and other news

On By Sharon10 Comments

When I showed you my Skewed Cowl top, I mentioned that I had made 2 other tops prior to this one during our weekend away.

This is the first top that I had partly made but needed some fitting help with.

Now I’m not too sure why it has taken me quite so long to replace my cream knit top I made back in 2014 as this top is proving invaluable in my current winter wardrobe.

Again I have used KS 3740 with a further two adjustments:

  • a centre back seam to try and remove some of the excess fabric in the middle of my back, sometimes I think it works others not so sure.
  • forward shoulder adjustment that I have been doing to my TNT woven blouse pattern.

I did use my Coverstitch binder for the neck band.

Twisted sleeve – what now!

Now you may have noticed my accessory on my right hand, it is an Exos splint to keep my wrist and thumb still as I have de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis which is a result of all the fine handsewing I did back in February.  This has only been on for 2 weeks (I do remove it 4 times a day to do exercises and shower) but I’m not sure how much longer it will take to reduce the inflammation.

So not much sewing, knitting or jewellery making is happening here at the moment but I do have a few more blog posts to catch up on.

On a much brighter note, please meet Tomba who joined our family at 11 weeks of age and is now 19 weeks old.  We are off to his 2nd dog obedience class tomorrow.

Our household was just too quite after Roscoe left us and Tomba (who will be a very similar size to Roscoe) is making our life very interesting.

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2017 Stash Out: 7.6 m
2017 Stash In: 4 m

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

Cold Shoulder Top

On By Sharon9 Comments

Back in December during my first lot of toile preparation for Susan Khalje’s classes I decided to make myself a new top for summer.

To start with I pulled out my TNT knit pattern, KS 3740 and then thought I would add the cowl from the ASG Cowl Neck Knit Top Sew-along, so I traced of a new pattern and followed the great instructions and had a new front pattern.

Then I dug out this fuchsia knit that I had purchased at The Remnant Warehouse that worked with this skirt that is an orphan in my wardrobe now that the knitted top no longer fits.

I merrily cut out my top, stitched the shoulders and overlocked the side seams and tried it on!

Did you notice above the words “no longer fits”, well it was a complete disaster, partly due to the fact that I have gained some centimetres and the stretch of the knit wasn’t what I thought it would be.  The top has now had its side seams unpicked and I am trying to work out a way to salvage it.

However I was determined that I would have a new top by the end of the year!

Back to the drawing board, this time I pulled out some Coral Cotton Knit that I purchased from Pitt Trading back in 2015.

First I checked the amount of stretch and it was better than the fuchsia knit, so I went ahead and cut out and sewed another top but this time I only basted the side seams before I tried it on.  A bit snug but wearable so the sleeves were basted in.

Looking in the mirror it was very apparent that I hadn’t made the forward shoulder adjustment to my knit TNT pattern, and with the knit being rather thin it was really noticeable.

It took me a few days and then it dawned on me, what about a cold shoulder top!

I undid the top of the sleeve and then put it on, turning down what I thought looked good, pinned in it place and then took the sleeves out, stitching the new top hems on my coverstitch and then trimming the seam.

I hemmed the sleeves and then stitched the sleeves back into the armholes.  I added Lite Steam-A-Seam2 to the remainder of the armsyce

turned it under and coverstitched it in place.

After a few washes

Back to the sleeve pattern, I pinned what I had cut off and it was 6cm.  So for the next version I will create a new pattern and straighten the curve at the top 1cm of the sleeve so that I when I turn it to hem there is solid fabric all the way across.

The back view

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2017 Stash Out: 1 m
2017 Stash In: 4 m

Pleather and knit top

On By Sharon4 Comments

We are going to have to do something about the lemon tree!

The inspiration for this top came from this top pinned that I pinned 2 years ago from Lafayette 148 New York and have been meaning to make it for ever.

Kerryn’s Fabric World sent me some swatches back in 2012 and they had this Polyester Spandex that has a leather look to it that just had to be added to my stash.

It has a knit backing but has no stretch to it at all.

Then when I made my Drapey cardigan back in January, I realised that the merino wool looked pretty good next to the Pleather.  So with some very careful cutting out I managed to get the cardigan as well as the back and sleeves for this top using KS 3740.

As the Pleather is essentially a woven fabric, I used Vogue 8572 my TNT woven blouse for the front, but wanted to add princess seams to it as well.

This was the 2nd item that I packed to work on during the Sewing Weekend in Brisbane and after I finished my cardigan I then started work on this top.

First up I traced off the front of V8572 and then proceeded to add armhole princes seams + 6mm seam allowance (so I wouldn’t get confused between the two patterns).

Original front pattern

Armhole Princess Seams added

I cut out the front and then basted the front and back together to check the fit.

There was quite a bit of excess fabric above the apex curve and as I could see this myself I didn’t take any measurements to put back on the pattern so I am not sure how much we ended taking out or how much we smoothed out the curve 😦

The back was a different matter,

So I took out a 1,5cm dart at the neckline down 8cm and then took a 2mm seam all the way down the centre back so from the right side it looks like I have a centre back seam

The rest of the top went together very well, I added a knit neckband to the neckline and then used my Coverstitch to finish of the neck edge.

As well as all the hems

Of course I have finished this right as the weather is starting to warm up but the top had its first outing to the ASG Industry Day at Simplicity Patterns yesterday which is in a big tin shed and this top kept me very comfortable.

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2016 Stash Out: 13.7 m
2016 Stash In: 18 m

#OWOP – Kwik.Sew 3740

On By Sharon6 Comments

It is on again this year and is being hosted by Hannah from Cinderellis Sews from Saturday 10 September to Friday 16 September 2016,

and it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who knows me that I have chosen Kwik.Sew 3740 as my pattern.

This is my go to TNT knit top, and I have made numerous versions, some of which have worn out completely.

Here is the week’s worth, not necessarily in the right date order.

Coffee/grey/cream
This is as per the pattern, no changes made.

Orange Swirls
This is as per the pattern, no changes made.

Lemon T-Shirt and Cardigan
The lemon t-shirt has had the neckline raised by 2cm.
The cardigan is my t-shirt pattern with the front pattern not cut on the fold and the edges turned under 1cm.

Chartreuse, grey and ink navy
This top has had the neckline raised by 2cm.

Blue and Gold Swirls
This top has had the neckline raised by 3cm.

Orange arrow
This top has had the neckline raised by 4cm.

Red, Coffee, cream cowl top
This is as per the pattern, no changes made.

I have got a few more versions that I want to play with for summer so expect to see a lot more of this pattern.

Hannah also organised some fantastic prizes for this week and I found out on the 2nd day that I had won a Colette pattern, now to make a decision.

#SewingDares – Cardigan

On By Sharon12 Comments

It must be the weather, but when I read Gillian’s post  on #SewingDares – Its’ back! I thought why not and it might just be what I need to get my sewing mojo back.

I did wonder what Gillian would come up with for me and I must say I was very happy with the dare that Gillian has given me:

You mentioned needing more layering pieces in your wardrobe, so I dare you to sew a drapey cardigan and/or long-sleeved tee!

The best part of the dare is that there is no time frame but I did want some winter layers/tops so that did make me focus on it a lot quicker.

I do have a drapey cardigan that I sewed back in January and at this stage I don’t need another one, but after seeing all the long cardigans about this year, I thought this would be an excellent alternative.
 
I purchased this fabric back in 2004 at Martin and Savage Textiles during an ASG Industry Day and it has been quietly maturing in my stash.

What I wanted was:

  • Cardigan to be open e.g. no closures
  • Length to fingertips

I then figured out that my TNT t-shirt pattern KS 3740 would be perfect with some length added.

Pattern changes:

  • added 18cm in length
  • full bicep adjustment on sleeves of 1.5cm (eventually)
The rib in this fabric is quite distinctive so I cut it in single layers to make sure they were straight.

I did wonder how I was going to finish the edges as I didn’t want a band as the fabric was too thick for that option.

This fabric looks brown, but when I auditioned various bias tapes, it looked a lot happier with olive.
Now this cardigan was started back in May and was up to the binding, but the sleeves were too tight, as I hadn’t done the Full Bicep Adjustment then 😦 and they were 4 thread overlocked in place, and it has been sitting in the too hard corner since then.
Thankfully I had enough fabric to re-cut the sleeves so that was a relief.
Then last weekend a group of us from Pattern Review got together in Brisbane for a weekend of sewing and this cardigan was one of the items I worked on.
Luckily for me, my sister has much better eyesight and very generously unpicked the 4 thread overlock so I could add my new sleeves.
Then I started to scratch my head about the bindings when Skye, who was sitting next to me, suggested I just turn the edges under and Coverstitch!  Why do I over think things!  
To finish the edges for the Coverstitch I added some interfacing:

  • Neck edge – Formband  colour charcoal
  • Front edges – Edge Tape colour charcoal which I cut into 1cm strips.

I am very happy with the result as this cardigan tends to float about as I walk and the bound edge would have been a lot more noticeable.

I did add some bias for the sleeve hems.

Here is how I wore it to work last Friday.

I think it will be a great layering piece until the weather warms up.

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2016 Stash Out: 10.2 m
2016 Stash In: 18 m

Lemon T-shirt

On By Sharon15 Comments

One thing I did notice during the “Starting from Scratch” analysis was that the tops that I was missing in my final list were all “summer”.

Then Pattern Review decided to hold their Fabric Stash Contest and we had also decided to head north for a holiday so the decision to make this top was easy.

I’m trying not to turn blue -10C

Again I have used Kwik.Sew 3740, my TNT t-shirt pattern and this time I have:

  • Raised the neckline by 2cm
  • Added short sleeves
  • Added a 2.5cm cuff to the sleeves
  • Used my Janome Coverstitch binder to do a 3/8″ bound neckline

This is one of the ways I will wear it during our holiday up north

and I will remember to make sure the back hem is not turned under next time!

This t-shirt has turned out exactly as I had imagined and now to make some bright necklaces to go with it.

Another item from my “To Sew, Knit or Purchase” is completed.

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2015 Stash Out: 5.85 m
2015 Stash In: 16.5 m