So kinda funny story. Yesterday while working on a quilt I decided that I just had to make a skirt. I have this one knit skirt that I just LOVE. I'd wear it everyday in the summer if my kid didn't render that impossible within the first five minutes of the day. So I decided I need to make more. The picture in my head goes something like this...nice simple black knit circle skirt with appliqued red flowers. Well as you can see from the picture (don't look to close, it's really not that flattering) there are no flowers; and here's why. I've never made a skirt in my life, nor have I ever worked with knits before. What made me think I could do this I don't know, probably insanity. It started out okay. I pulled out my favorite skirt (or as I like to call it, my lollipop skirt), used it as a pattern and just started cutting and sewing. Well, it doesn't fit quite right, due to a cutting error, but I at least know how to fix that part, and I wished every other minute that I had a serger, but what gets me is that I couldn't for the life of my hem the darn thing. Is there some secret chant you need to know in order to hem knit? At first I thought that it was the curve of the bottom that was giving me problems. After unpicking the hem twice I decided to just cut it off and have a straight hem. Well I couldn't hem that either, not to mention the fact that apparently I can't cut straight and the hem had a couple "peaks" to it. (Luckily that doesn't show too much.) So way too many hours later, most of which was spent unpicking, which is probably my least favorite activity in the world, I had a skirt that I couldn't hem, didn't fit right and really is basically see through. Sigh. I tried. My dear husband made it a little better with his suggestion of lining it with a fun color and then making those "peaks" more prominent, so it looks like it's on purpose. Which is a great idea, if only I knew how to line things. So really the up shot of all this is 1) I need serious help in the knit department. 2) I should think before I cut. 3) That picture is one I'll stash away and never show anyone ever again. And.. 4) This would be a lot easier if I had a serger. Anybody know where I can find a cheap one, or someone want to donate to my pathetic cause?PS. Sorry for the long, rambling post. As you can see I have yet to make peace with the skirt. Maybe tomorrow.
I'm not very good at sewing; hemming jeans and making curtains is about the extent of my skill. But it makes me happy that I'm not the only person who has a hard time sewing knit material. We had a YW activity the other week, and I brought my machine to help the girls sew pajama pants. Mary Hendricks brought a knit material though, and we had the hardest time trying to avoid peaks in the material. She had to take a half-finished project home because we didn't have time to rip out the seams and try again.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever learn a secret for hemming knit material, let me know.
P.S. The skirt looks comfy, though! :)
I will totally pass on the "Knit Secret" if I can ever find it. I'm hoping my magic favorite auntie, who knows all, will know this too.
ReplyDeleteamen to that, sister. Knit is ridiculous and should only be sewn in factories!
ReplyDeleteFrom here, on the other side of the computer screen, I think the skirt looks great! And if you don't figure out how to line it, try an old fashioned slip.
ReplyDeleteAnd why does Ben make wearing a skirt difficult?
I agree with Annie that a slip can do wonders. However, if you're hoping to replace the beloved Lollipop skirt, have you thought of knitting one? You could probaly take your skirt to a good local yarn store and they could help you draw up a pattern for it and everything. Sewing can be fun, but I'm much more enthusiatice about knitting:consumes less space while making a project, you get to cutomize, etc.
ReplyDeleteOr you could wait until Katey comes down this summer and get her to duplicate the skirt! (Have you seen Katey's post on knitting, she is a knitting maven!) :-)
ReplyDeleteI love, love, loved this post!! My projects ALWAYS end up like that. Great idea in my head with a million glitches in the production. But your skirt looks great to me! keep trying -if anyone can figure it out, you can!
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