One of the pieces of fabric I'd bought in November was this purple jersey knit. I thought it would serve as the perfect Endless Combinations piece 3. See, the rules say that the 3rd piece must go with piece 1 and 2. (Or so I think I read.) Well, since piece 1 was a top, and piece 2 was a skirt, piece 3 would have to be either a jacket or a cardigan, or some form of cover-up.
I am trying to make a jacket right now, but honestly, its so above my sewing skills that it just might be a total disaster. And I love twin-sets, I really do! They fall under mindless dressing for me - easy to wear, goes with anything, and costs a ton of money in stores! (Why? I've never understood it. Is it because only working women wear twinsets, and the assumption is that they have plenty of money to buy them?)
I digress. Back to the cardigan. I didn't measure (serves me right) but I assumed I'd be a small at the top, and a medium at the hip. Nope - this cardigan HANGS off me. I went back and took some volume off the side seams at the hip, but still too loose.
I could live with the fitting issues, since they aren't really that bad, if it wasn't for the one major flaw - the hem! The stretching! Aaargh. Totally my fault, of course, strategic use of interfacing, the right needle, the right tension, all might have solved this. But no, I boldly dove into this, using no interfacing, a heavy-weight needle (what was I thinking?????) and with nary an adjustment to any tension.
Let's put it this way. This cardigan isn't a complete disaster, and it will get worn. But it is so flawed! I can't fix this, but I will re-try this pattern very soon, because I insist on learning how to do a knit hem without the stretch.
(Incidentally, I bought a meter and a half, and had I bought another 1/2 a meter, I'd have enough for both the shell and the cardigan. I'm just short of fabric by the tiniest amount! Good to know!)
Is this Endless Combinations piece 3? Dunno. Maybe. Depends on whether I can make another in time, I think.
2 comments:
I think that color is most flattering on you! I'm sorry for the problems on making this one. Hemming knits is always hard if you don't own a serger with diferential feed to compensate for the stretch factor. A twin needle also works, but as you said, the tension and the needle size also matter (the presser foot pressure is also a factior but not every machine has this adjustment available).
Well, at least you learned something from the experience! If nothing else you have a little sweater to wear around the house.
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