Made By A Fabricista: Back In The Saddle

If you don’t know in October my beloved Bernina sewing machine blew a fuse and started smoking while I was using it. She went to the shop for repairs, and then I moved. So it’s been a bit since I’ve sewed last and I’ve had trouble getting back into it. I knew I needed a simpler project to get me going again. Julie sewed up a Jarrah sweater recently (restock coming soon!) and gushed about how simple and rewarding a project it was.

Then we got in this beautiful wool/cashmere sweater knit from England.

I was seeing lighthouse keeper, sheep herder in the highlands. I knew it had to be my Jarrah sweater.

I did lengthen the bodice by 3 inches. I actually sewed up a mock up with the curved hemline, but decided that wasn’t for me and went with the straight hem. Of course I took zero photos of said mock up. Oops. Otherwise I sewed it up in a size 6 as is.

Using the serger this really does sew up quickly. The dropped shoulder creates clean, simple lines that make it easy to sew up a professional looking garment. The only thing I didn’t sew on the serger was the hem.

The hem was a big deal for me. When my Bernina originally “caught fire” I was sewing the hem of a knit dress using a twin needle. I was anxious using it again. But I really like using a twin needle for knit hems. It allows for some stretch and keeps the raw edge tucked close. It can cause bubbling between the two needles. You can use stay tape to help eliminate that. The bubbling on this sweater wasn’t too bad so I skipped this. And no smoke from my machine! Success!

I’m glad I was able to get back on the horse and start sewing again. I definitely missed it! And of course, I’ll leave you with some kitties. Until next time!