What Kind Of Knits To Use

She's A Lightning Bolt
Notes On Knits
Notes On Knits

I had this idea that maybe if I post this little explanation about knits and it helped just one person, it would be worth it. It’s sort of a follow up to the Real Sewing With Knits blurb.

This is a photo of 6 different knits used in the same pattern, the Crafterhours Racerback Dress (and matching shorts.) I’m hoping this will help take some of the anxiety about knits away. I used the same pattern with 5 different knits, with very different ranges of stretch, weight and stretch-memory and sleeves/armholes bound with different combinations of contrast knits. They’re shown rolled up here so that you can see how much structure each has compared to others. This will help you with “hand” or drape as you go shopping on your own.

She's A Lightning Bolt
She’s A Lightning Bolt

1. This first one was a pink lightning bolt knit from girlcharlee.com bound with a Joann Fabrics “Sew Classics” knit in black – I think they were labeling it a double knit or an interlock, now I’m not sure if they’re still calling it the interlock or the ponte. It’s NOT as heavy as the girlcharlee.com ponte (#3.) I think of this as T-shirt fabric. If you were to buy a Hanes T-shirt, this is about what you’d get. Maybe even with slightly less stretch than the Hanes. Jersey knit is what some would call it, but I find that is a loaded word…as you’ll see when we get to #5.

Ponte next to Cotton/Lycra
Ponte next to Cotton/Lycra

2. I love this stuff. This is in the cotton/lycra blend section at girlcharlee.com. It’s really fluid, thin and stretchy. This is not something you’d want to wear if you wanted structure or if you didn’t want anyone to see what was going on underneath. Hazel wears a sports bra or a cami under hers. I’d wear a cami under it if I made something in it for me. While the fluid drapey is great, and it’s light and thin…it is clingy and I’m not in my 20s anymore. It’s bound its own fabric, so nothing really to report there – it has great stretch and stretch memory in that arena. I could see in a dress where its own weight would make it more droopy than drapey after a day of wear.

red ponte
red ponte

3. This is a nice Ponte de Roma cotton from girlcharlee.com as well. Soft, has weight – love it. Bound in same, just different color. Where #2 makes the outfit swishy and light, this Ponte makes the outfit Scooter Mod Girl. She needs a paperboy hat and a poster of The Who. It’s thick enough that it will transition well into fall and winter with some longer leggings or tights and a thin long sleeve t-shirt underneath. Love it. It doesn’t have a ton of stretch – but the shorts are ok and still give the toddler lots of diaper room and room for movement. No climbing on the sofa restrictiveness.

Zoe and the concrete ball
Zoe and the concrete ball

4. This is another what I call the t-shirt knit, also from girlcharlee.com. I have a lot of this fabric in various patterns. It’s lightweight, sturdy. However, note that this stuff has a fraction of the stretch of the others. NOT for leggings or anything fitted that needs a lot of movement. This was bound in the Sew Classic cotton knit from Joann’s, which was probably the best choice I could have made as the Sew Classic knit gives it enough stretch to go over Zoe’s head. Her pants, on the other hand, are pretty restrictive. They’re too tight across the butt and don’t leave room for climbing on the sofa very well. I made a maxi skirt in the chevron version of this fabric with the black Sew Classic knit as a waist band and I love it. I’ve also made the boy big, roomy pj pants in the fabric that work great. So – use patterns that would almost work for a woven with stretch. It’s about like that. Nothing snug or formfitting.

slub knit
slub knit

5. This is categorized as a “Sew Classics Slub Knit Jersey” at Joann’s. I originally bought it for workout clothes for me…but it’s pretty bright and, well, see through. I still have plenty left to play with if I’m feeling like I need to look like a neon jawbreaker, but I think I’ll leave it for the kids. It’s pretty see through too. It has good stretch and flex – not as much as the cotton/lycra blends, but it’s alright. I made the mistake of binding it with #4 – see how the arm holes are stiff – and they have hardly any stretch. It barely makes it over Zoe’s head. It’s not a loss by any means, but I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

cotton/lycra
cotton/lycra

6. I love this “Kauai” print in girlcharlee.com’s cotton/lycra. It’s a little tiki without looking like a creepy bar, it’s a little loud, it’s a lotta fun. Same section as the #2, a little less sheer. Same properties overall. The only difference is I bound (and back yoke) in the Sew Classics knit from Joann’s which worked great. It’s not too much more structured that it ruins the drape – if anything, it helps. I wouldn’t wear it – again, I’m not in my 20s – it’s a bit too thin/clingy for my lady lumps. I think. I don’t know. I could see a bandeau top with a drapey bottom….yeah, maybe the right pattern. It would hold the “ladies” in place pretty well – it has good strong stretch. I dunno. I just know I like it. It’s more slinky to work with than other knits, but it didn’t cause me any problems.

Zoe Bench Racerback
Zoe Bench Racerback

7. This one didn’t make the pile. This is yet another girlcharlee.com purchase. When I go shopping, I like to GO SHOPPING. It’s bound in a solid also bought at girlcharlee.com. I don’t recall the content of the material – something of a cotton/lycra I think – the orange stripes have a bit of metallic in them…I don’t recall. It feels and works like the neon slub knit, just a bit thicker and not sheer. Doesn’t say much other than it’s really hard to go wrong with knits.

And that’s really the moral of the story. Much like I said here, sewing with knits shouldn’t be scary. I’ve proven that it’s inexpensive. If I can sew up the same pattern in very different fabrics, and have them all work – then there’s no reason to wonder if you’re doing something wrong. There is no wrong.

Is Making Your Own Clothes Cost Effective?

in the genes
in the genes
in the genes

I like to quasi track how much I’m spending per item – I’ve been tracking it more or less for a few years now – I’ve done lots of posts about it. During the ginormous kids clothes sewing weekend, I made a LOT – there were also a few pairs of pj pants for the 8 year old boy in knit, etc. I had 2 very large purchases from girlcharlee.com that totaled around $200. These included large grab-bag remnant/seconds purchases that I’m still making items out of and includes a ton of swimsuit material, etc.

Zoe Bench Racerback
Zoe Bench Racerback and Blue Chalk

However, even with the 18 or so items I’ve made out of those large purchases, that puts me $11 per item, and anything I’d make from here on out would be gravy. I have a grip of yardage left to hoard play with, and I’m pretty sure it all justifies me buying more fabric being smug proud about not supporting sweat shops by buying fast fashion.

Baby Dress
Baby Dress

Sure, it might take few years to get to the point in your sewing skill-set to be able to whip up as much and as fast as I do, and, yeah, the serger is a nice perk, no doubt. But with kids’ clothes in particular, the fitting curve is a LOT looser, pun aside. An elastic waistband is acceptable. Ease is synonymous with “room to grow.” Not to mention, I can get a few items out of little yardage for kids…something for me often starts at a 2 yard commitment. Not that sewing for me isn’t worth it, it’s just a larger fabric and time commitment (I made 4 muslins before finally sewing up a pair of Colette Clover pants!)

seekatesew
seekatesew

I probably spend the bulk of my pattern money on patterns for me…my Colette stash, Papercut, etc. is mostly all for my wardrobe. I have 8 or so Ottobre issues, which is all anyone really needs, I’ve got some indie kids patterns from seekatesew.com as well – which are super cost effective and easy to use. And lately, there is a mother-lovin’ GRIP of free patterns out there by the ever generous  blog queens of domestic loveliness. The racerback dress was free. FREE. The Sorbetto, FREE. My kids’ staples, even though I’ve spend a small community college tuition on patterns, my staples are mostly free patterns!

Monkey Bar Test 1
Colette Laurel

I also have been breeding a small army. If I end up with a lot more fabric than I need for one kid, I can use it for another. I don’t really run the risk of a kid having their entire wardrobe made of a single fabric….although those sales on seconds at girlcharlee.com may be challenging me on that front. And back to the patterns, Zoe is using Hazel’s old patterns, I have graded a few patterns I’ve gotten for me to use for Hazel, not just the Sorbetto.

Sorbetto
Sorbetto

Anywho, my point is, there is at no point where you can’t make it more cost effective than buying clothes. If I bought every single piece of fabric for my kids to destroy in the yard from Mood Fabrics or a quilting boutique,** yeah, I’d be bankrupt. But I hunt sales, coupons, factory seconds, buy enough for free shipping, etc. My machines are paid for, my dearest husband keeps me in wi-fi and technology (see free patterns, above), and my mom still spoils me with fabric gifts, funky garage sale patterns and will often drop off a few fat eighths as she’s a quilting junky too.

Glimpse of Mom's Sewing Room
Glimpse of My Mom’s Sewing Room

**I make a note here regarding quilting fabric. Quilts are meant to last AND be abused loved. Buying cheap quilting fabrics is a big old storm of disappointment. Cheap quilting cottons and linens will shrink all kinds of crazy in the wash, it feels like sandpaper, it wears out, you think making points match is hard?? Try it with fabric printed OFF GRAIN and suddenly you have a partial bias cut on a straight edge…yeah. ALL THE SWEAR WORDS happen. I have some Balkan Puzzle Squares that I keep in a very dark place in my wounded soul. Don’t do it.

Buy the BEST quilting fabric. No, not best as you can afford. I won’t give you that excuse like some will. It’s like grandma used to say, “I’m too poor to buy cheap stuff.” Meaning, if you have to replace something because it was cheap, then it’s not really less expensive, is it? When quilting, pony up.

Cuddles
Quilt Abuser Lover

Sewing for Teens / Tweens – Knit Fabric Colette Sorbetto

Knit Colette Sorbetto
Knit Colette Sorbetto

My darling oldest girl is in Junior sizes. Tall and large enough to need a women’s size small, but still girl enough to not have the curves for it. Lucky for me, she’s also of girl-fashion-mind. Something like Punky Brewster meets a bag of Sour Patch Kids.

There are lots of tutorials on how to remove a bust dart, so I’ll just leave it at, I graded out the bust dart on Hazel’s Sorbetto long ago, and removed the center front pleat.

Hazel Ape
Hazel Ape
Hazel Colette Zoo
Hazel Colette Zoo
Hazel's Knit Colette Sorbetto
Hazel’s Knit Colette Sorbetto

I used 2 inch strips of the knit, folded in half and serged to the neck and arm holes for binding. In fact, I serged the whole thing together – never touched my sewing machine for these easy, fast, cheap summer shirts.

3 knit colette sorbettos

I left 2 with raw bottom edges, and used the fabric strips to edge the bottom of the striped version. I made these during the same weekend-without-husband-sewing-frenzy that I made the shorts and racerback dresses (pattern here.) Easy, cheap, quick kids clothes!

Flat Iron Cozy

'burberry'

Sometimes I get a bug up my ass and want to make something, perfect it, and that will be that.

I decided that I wanted to make a flat iron cozy so I could throw my flat iron back in my gym bag without melting my yoga pants. But I needed to practice and figure it out. I wasn’t thrilled with the options on Pinterest, nor did I find any real google epiphanies, so I just decided to wing it. I asked around my Corporate Soul Sucking Job if the ladies would be interested in being guinea pigs as I worked out the pattern…I’d include a matching zip pouches (using seemingly discontinued Elizabeth Hartman pattern.) The girls were all good sports, told me their color/style preference and off to work I went.

cozy cozy
cozy cozy

I measured the length of my flat iron, and the circumference around it (thickness.) I added seam allowances plus an inch for batting and the iron-safe insulating fabric. The measurements for the inside fabric and batting, I dropped a 1/4″ to allow for thickness. That inch of ease I added proved to be way too much (see top photo with huge Burberry-esque version.) I dropped it down to just 3/8″ plus seam allowance and that seemed to be better. The length goes past the flat iron, and the ties, about 7 inches long, tie the cord to the outside safely while also cinching up the bag, as it were. Easy peasy.

flat iron cozies
flat iron cozies

I kept a few for me and sent the rest out to coworkers and their daughters. Overall, I’m really happy with it. Easy use of scrap fabric and scrap batting – bonus! Plus, how cute is that Riley Blake neon fabric with the Essex linen? I kept the purple 80’s paint splatter versions for myself – I picked it up in Ballard at Dry Goods and it’s MINE ALL MINE cuz I’m totally in love with Ballard and I’m going to move in to Dry Goods. They’ll never notice.

Plus, Bonus! No melted yoga pants!

sewn friends presents
sewn friends presents

Crafterhours Racerback Dress x 6

feathers
feathers

As much as I don’t like it when my dearest travels, it gives me full reign to stay up too late sewing, eat like crap (after making the kids eat well of course), and completely take over all surfaced with fabric. There is no sarcasm or superfluous language in that statement. Proof:

Becky Production Haus
Becky Production Haus

Sometimes I like to do the “one project at a time; from start to finish” but most times I like “full-on production shop” mode. I’m a binger. I like to binge. This is my man’s office covered in all manner of knit fabric for little girls.

Colette and Crafterhours
Colette and Crafterhours

I went for a production run of the Crafterhours Racerback Dress. You can’t beat the price, and it’s reeeaaallly easy. I also did some modified Colette Sorbettos, but I’ll save that for later. I also modified a leggings pattern for shorts – just some hacked Ottobre pattern – nothing unique.

pattern sizing
pattern sizing
Racerback Pattern
Racerback Pattern

The pattern was a breeze. I cut out the 2 year old size…and I really should have gone up. Zoe is only 2, she’s tall and skinny…but there was not enough room to fit her melon through the neck hole, nor could I do the front gathers. I’m not sure if that’s a pattern issue or what, but I just scrapped the front gathers, and cut the neck hole even deeper. Problem solved. See what I meant the other day about knits being EASY? Seriously. Find a flaw? Adjust midstream. No problem.

racerback alterations
racerback alterations

I used my machine to make even-ish gathers, and then I used the serger for all the rest of the construction. Here’s a close up of the serged inside.

Mod Dress Inside
Mod Dress Inside

Yes, I’m lazy with kids clothes. No changing thread color, no hemming…just quick, fun play clothes.

Here’s a close up of the back gathers from the right side and on zee model.

Back Gathers
Back Gathers

The pattern overall fit very well – so, in that regard, I’m glad I didn’t go up a size. She moves around easily, plays, gets sidewalk chalk all over herself…

Zoe Bench Racerback
Zoe Bench Racerback
Racerback dress at barnes and noble
Racerback dress at barnes and noble
Zoe and the concrete ball
Zoe and the concrete ball
Racerback to the library
Racerback to the library

As you can see…I made these early in the summer and they have been well tested!

And I made a LOT.

racerback dresses x 6
racerback dresses x 6

With matching shorts…

Matching Shorts x 6
Matching Shorts x 6

90% of the fabric used were whimsical buys from the Girl Charlee site. Great prices, fast shipping…it makes it a little less scary to buy what you can’t feel, but an adventure is always a good thing. Knits run the spectrum, so…yeah. Adventure! I’ll delve more into the different knits and what that means in construction, but it’s not anything to stress about if you’re looking to make this pattern. I highly recommend it. After all was said and done, I’d guesstimate each item cost me <$5 to make. Probably less actually. Well worth not having to buy McFashion.