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The Sew What’s New Archive
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From: DorothyL
Date: 02-17-2006, 11:57 AM (1 of 24)
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I thought I'd toss this one out in case someone has an idea I haven't thought of. I bought this fantastic fabric that is a like reversible blackwork. It is black fabric with a pattern on one side stitched on in red and gold thread as if it was embroidered. On the other side it is the same threads in another pattern (just squares). I wanted to make a light reversible jacket out of it. I'll do flat fell seams to keep the patterns to their own sides. I thought I would finish the edges with the serger -- no buttons. What do you think? I'd like to put pockets on but I'm not sure how to do it without the stitching sewing over the pattern on the other side. Maybe if I am really careful by hand. One side I think I can work around the pattern even with the sewing machine but not the other. If I put a pocket in the same place on both the inside and the outside it might be too heavy on one side. Any thoughts? Do you think the serged edge will hold up or should I bind it? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 02-17-2006, 01:29 PM (2 of 24)
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What type of fabric is it and is it fine, thick???
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 02-17-2006, 02:36 PM (3 of 24)
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It's a medium weight. Looks and feels like wool but I think it's 100 percent polyester. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 02-17-2006, 05:00 PM (4 of 24)
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You could make a square of the fabric and serge the edges, then wash it and dry it a few times, rough it up a bit and see how it holds. What about serging it and also doing a zigzag under the serged edge for a bit extra hold? Are you going to use wooly nylon for the serged thread????? This sounds like it's going to be really nice Dorothy!
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-17-2006, 06:47 PM (5 of 24)
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Laura, I've never used wooly nylon. Would it be heavier than regular thread? That would look really good. I did serge the fabric ends before I prewashed and it looked pretty good, but something a little heavier would add a lot. I'd like to do the serged edges in red. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: luv2sew
Date: 02-17-2006, 06:58 PM (6 of 24)
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Hi Dorothy, Sounds very nice and I was thinking wooly nylon or perle cotton which is a little heavier. Please post a picture when finished and share your handy work. Luv2sew
An act of kindness is never wasted!! |
User: luv2sew
Member since: 05-21-2004 Total posts: 174 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 02-18-2006, 03:59 AM (7 of 24)
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Wooly nylon isn't really heavier, but thicker, its a stretchy kind of soft nylon thread that looks quite thick until you stretch it. It's used lots on knits and gives a thicker finish, but its still soft. You have to really adjust your serger tensions, I change mine from a 4-4-4-4- to a 4-4-1-8- with the wooly on the upper looper (tension 1) and the bottom looper really tight (8). Unfortunately you can't just get a little spool like sewing thread, it's a larger spool, but does come in tons of colors. I really like using it on the inside of kids clothes, makes for a softer seam.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-18-2006, 08:13 AM (8 of 24)
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Looser tension on the upper looper and tighter on the lower? Got it. I'm going to drive into town and get some when the snow lets up -- if the snow lets up. I've never used any thing but regular serger thread on my serger but I do want to try new things. It is snowing so hard I can hardly see the neighbor across the street shoveling when I look out the window of my sewing room/office. You know, I love Canadian Beer. Hockey is the only sport I enjoy watching. The best vacation I ever had was in Montreal for the jazz fest. But I do wish you people would keep your rotten weather to yourselves. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 02-18-2006, 09:37 AM (9 of 24)
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Dorothy, what about putting a patch pocket on one side and then a welt on the other side you won't have the extra weight of two pockets? Play with the wooly nylon, it can be frustrating but once you get the tensions right it looks great. sounds nice, pictures later? and yes, our weather sucks! (my fingers are still frozen from an 8:30am hockey game in an unheated rink and a windchill of -14C outside!) Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: SummersEchos
Date: 02-18-2006, 09:50 AM (10 of 24)
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I saw where they put the pocket in the side seam. Then depending on which pattern they wanted to wear the pocket just got pushed to the otherside. I am probably not explaining this right but it was just an idea.
Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-18-2006, 10:00 AM (11 of 24)
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How would you put in a welt pocket without it showing on the other side? The patch pockets would be serged around the edges, like the jacket. They would be the contrasting side out then I'm going to turn one corner down to show the back side of the fabric. And I have some great antique buttons to hold the corners down. The buttons are brass and similar but not the same. I think with the pockets I will play around to see if the stitching shows too bad on the other side. If it does then I will see how the weight is with them back to back. If I have to, I will just put a pocket on the side that I know I can fit it on and the stitching won't show on the other side. Well, I won't be going to get my wooly nylon today. I'll just finish covering cushions on the chairs in the sewing room/office. Phooey on winter. This sucks. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-18-2006, 03:29 PM (12 of 24)
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It stopped snowing, the sun came out and when I looked out there wasn't really that much to scrape off the car. So off I go to get my wooly nylon. When I get there there are 3 reds. One is too dark. One is two light. And one is just right. Except the one that is just right -- only one spool left. So I get the one that is a bit dark. And I got some more stuff to stuff my pillows. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 02-19-2006, 03:48 AM (13 of 24)
OK Dorothy, its not my weather that ends up in NY!  I have perfectly nice weather that we try to send across the country, but somehow, over the mountains, it seems to turn to ice and snow - actually I think that Alaska, which if memory serves me, is in USA, and THAT is the culprit for the cold weather that heads east!! Us Wet Coast people, just send the wet to the mountains. And besides that I thought that all those people out East in Toronto, Ottawa area were all full of hot air (being the political banana belt of Canada)(OK, just kidding to all you Easteners - now I'd better quit before I get into trouble!) Don't mind me, take one long night at work, add a couple hours overtime, plus dead computers at the hospital, add a glass of wine, and voila - 
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-19-2006, 08:44 AM (14 of 24)
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Laura -- Well, since the weather seems to be, once again, taking a turn for the better I won't complain too much. But whenever we have a storm coming the weatherman always says it's coming out of Canada. Now, what am I supposed to think? You know how the weatherman is always right!! A man who has an insurance agency here in the village sponsored the weather report on the radio for a while. He finally quit. People would stop him on the street and yell at him all the time because after the weather report they would say "The weather is brought to you by Kilborne Insurance in Moravia." It's nice when you can blame someone. I think I'll just blame Mary!! Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MotherInLaw
Date: 02-20-2006, 12:21 AM (15 of 24)
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Dorothy the jacket sounds wonderful. Please send us a pic when it's finished if you can. Our weather is bad here also. One day it's in the 70's and windy, really windy and the next day it's yucky cold and wet. I sure wish spring was here at least the rain would be making the new grass grow in the front yard instead of the mud we have. I'm regressing back into my youth, I just have to figure out how I'm going to convience my body to come along with me.
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User: MotherInLaw
Member since: 06-25-2005 Total posts: 1118 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 02-20-2006, 12:58 AM (16 of 24)
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I'd hate to be a weatherman!! They get blamed for everything. But then again, I did forget about those Alberta clippers that hit the US! I did realize tonight I have a reversible silk housecoat that has pockets sewn on both sides, and it's not too heavy looking, though your fabric is definitely heavier. But it looks like one pocket was sewn on then the other carefully sewn on the other side exactly in the same place. I don't think I could do that in a million years, but maybe you can. Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-20-2006, 09:04 AM (17 of 24)
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I'll send you a photo, Susie. I'm ready to try and thread the wooly nylon today. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Sparky
Date: 02-20-2006, 10:30 AM (18 of 24)
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I'm pretty sure I had a (commercially made) reversible jacket, once upon a time, with pockets. I think there was a patch pocket, probably with a flap over the top, on one side, and a slit, finished like a bound buttonhole, on the other. On one side, you could just reach into the pocket, and on the other, you reached through the jacket, into the pocket. The flap over the pocket covered the "buttonhole" slit on the side with the patch pocket. In fact, there may have been flaps on both sides, come to think of it. So the pocket would look like a man's suit-coat pocket on one side, and a patch pocket on the other.
Sparky
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User: Sparky
Member since: 03-13-2005 Total posts: 94 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-20-2006, 12:02 PM (19 of 24)
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Sparky, That would work but not the look I'm going for. Actually, it's an interesting idea. Kinda like one pocket with a front and back door, right. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 02-20-2006, 07:53 PM (20 of 24)
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What I meant was make a welt on one side, and place the patch pocket on the other. Then you could access the pouch created by the patch from either side of the jacket. did that make sense?
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838
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From: DorothyL
Date: 02-20-2006, 09:13 PM (21 of 24)
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No welt -- I want the pattern on the patch pocket to show. Otherwise it's an interesting idea. I've about decided on doing them back to back. It wouldn't be heavier than a self lined patch -- right. Either that or sew one on by hand -- picking my way around the pattern on one side of the fabric. It'll be a while now before I get a chance to play around with this thing since my husband was off today and had me running all over the next county with a torn cartilage in my knee and tomorrow I have to stand on it to work. Then I have to spend two days at the computer working. Then I'll have all day to sew if the pain lets up. I hate injury and work's not much better. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-21-2006, 06:46 PM (22 of 24)
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Well, Laura, I think this wooly nylon thing is going to work. It was a bit of a pain but just before I came back here to scream at you I got it threaded. I messed with the tension a little and made the stitch width a lot wider and it looks like it just might work. I'll mess with it a lot more so I have it down before I have a go on the jacket but it looks pretty good on scraps. Thanks for the idea. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 02-21-2006, 11:09 PM (23 of 24)
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You are very welcome, I'm waiting for a pic to see what it turns out like!!
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-22-2006, 07:16 AM (24 of 24)
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Me too. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
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