Assignment 2: The machine conquered

See how long it takes me to get up the oomph to get at the sewing machine? Mum had some black knit fabric that I cadged for the purpose of this assignment. There was plenty of galoon left. A week or two ago I got out the sewing machine and put it up on the dining room table. I looked for my T-shirt patterns. Alas, in a fit of tidying, I think I had thrown them out. In digging very deep into the recesses of the linen cupboard I found some old paperwork that had been very carefully filed in order and put into a box. This, of course, led to a fit of shredding and throwing out. Sewing-machine avoidance tactics, of course. I'd had a fit of tidying and shredding a while ago, but this small, select cache predated even that. I had American Expresss statements back to 1985. I had tax returns back to 1979. There were group certificates and pay slips back to the seventies. Of course this was a bit of a trip down memory lane and no sewing got done that weekend.

Yesterday was planned to be a Beach Day. Saturday had been lovely, and I predicted more of the same for Sunday. The iGod said it was going to be 27, so I was sure it would be lovely. It wasn't. It was warm, but cloudy. I like sunshine at the beach. What should I do? Yes, sewing.

I have some old stretch knit patterns my mum gave me, including one for T-shirts. BevKnits Family t-shirt patterns. These are from the seventies, but they work a treat. I traced a pattern from this (and double checked against a couple of my favourite t-shirts) onto greaseproof paper (my usual modus operandi), and proceeded to cut out the black knit fabric. I knew when my mother got the knives out that sewing was going to happen, and I am the same. Who needs pins when you have a drawer full of knives? Pictured are the BevKnits pattern, the BevKnits instruction book, my paperback copy of Thérèse, the greaseproof-paper pattern and fabric, and the knives.



Stretch knit sewing is easy, and by the afternoon I had it done. I didn't have any trouble with the machine so I don't know whay I always have such angst about it. I decided that the galoon was going to be sufficient embellishment for this t-shirt, so used the machine plus some hand-hemming to attach it to the neckline and the sleeves. Seeing as how I was going high-tech I used some of that glue thread to iron up the hem.

It turned out very well, I am very happy with it, and am wearing it now.





There is some fabric left over. As it made up very nicely and feels good on, I am thinking about what to make with it. Right now, I am inspired by all Thérèse's talk of underwear trimming, so am thinking about a camisole with yoke tatted in beautiful black Godebrod silk my daughter gave me a while ago.

Will I do that today while the machine is still up, or wait until Thérèse's tatting chapter? Perhaps.