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From: Dustbunny01
Date: 03-22-2006, 12:27 AM (1 of 12)
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I have a pattern that calls for stretch knits, with a stretch of 4" crosswise I am not crazy about stretch knits for shirts, So I was wondering can I use Poly/Rayons or poly/cotton blends instead If so, what adjustments would I need to make to the pattern the shirt pattern is a simple one, so the adjustments I think would be easy to make DB
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User: Dustbunny01
Member since: 11-11-2005 Total posts: 159 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-22-2006, 06:23 AM (2 of 12)
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The rule of thumb is you can often use knits with a pattern for woven fabrics but not woven fabrics with a pattern for knits. But maybe someone can help you make the necessary changes. If you figure it out be sure to let us know how you did it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-22-2006, 06:34 AM (3 of 12)
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No. You cannot make that shirt and get into it. Not only is it asking for a knit that stretches, it is asking for a knit that stretches ALOT!!! You probably will never get it on over your head but more importantly if you do, you'll more than likely have to cut it to get it off. Those shirts are very small in the neck and closely fitted in the shoulders and arms. Depending upon the pattern, there may not be as much ease in the shirt because often they depend on the fabric to supply the ease. If you add a zipper in the back it may help, but the zipper will probably need to be pretty long. You may also need to add ease.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Dustbunny01
Date: 03-22-2006, 03:43 PM (4 of 12)
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Thanks for the replies, could you not add 4" to the pattern
DB
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User: Dustbunny01
Member since: 11-11-2005 Total posts: 159
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From: paroper
Date: 03-22-2006, 03:50 PM (5 of 12)
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I don't know. I guess if you can figure out where it needs addition, you can add to the pattern, but it will take pretty much an overall and when you finish it won't really be the same pattern. I've enlarged necks, added zippers, added ease, in some cases added length but the pattern as it is was meant to be used as a stretch pattern. The 4" amount is the amount of stretch that the knit needs, not the amount of ease. Some knits stretch only about 2 inches. 4 Inches is a pretty stretchy knit. The amount of stretch probably means that the neck needs to stretch to go over the head. The proportions in the shoulders and sleeves and under arm will be different because rather than using ease to give room to stretch and move, it is using the give of the knit to do that. It probably does not have any darts for fitting either. (You don't often see something knit with darts) but it it were a woven shell it would them.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Sancin
Date: 03-22-2006, 04:22 PM (6 of 12)
In relation to decline in sewing comes the decline in abilility to purchase certain types of fabrics. I find finding knits, with any quality at at any rate, nearly impossible outside very large cities. I am making baby clothes and many, if not most, call for knits. I am prepared to make some of the clothes, like sleeping bags, out of woven flannellette instead of knits. On looking at the patterns I am planning the substitution, I cannot see why knits would need to be used. I plan to make a size or 2 larger than the size in knit. I hope this makes sense. Are you saying Paroper that I should not do this?  None of the things I am planning to make required pulling the garment over the head. *~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: paroper
Date: 03-22-2006, 04:54 PM (7 of 12)
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The knit patterns that specify an amount of stretch are meant specifically for knit fabric and the knit is part of the ease. These patterns have a chart on the back and very specific directions as to how much stretch the fabric needs. The patterns and directions are often much easier because you don't need the fit and finish that you need with woven fabrics. Now, that being said, if you are talking about the little blanket sleepers with zippers and or snaps that children wear to bed? I don't know. They don't necessarily go on over the head. When my three were small I had stretchy sleepers and I had flannel sleepers (both kinds were purchased). I prefered the stretchy sleepers because they were easier to get on and the kids could wear them longer. Believe me, when you have twins wiggling all over the place and are impatient yourself, anything fast is a blessing. The blanket sleepers that zip down one leg though may not be as hard. I've made a lot of those out of fleece. I always liked the ones that didn't have legs because I didn't think they restrained the kids as much as they fit longer. If you are talking about those, I don't know why they would necessarily need to be knit. On the other hand, if the pattern specifies both knits and woven fabrics, I'd use what I could get and not worry about it. THere is more than one reason to specify a knit fabric as a recommended fabric. Often it has to do with the way the pattern will drape. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Sancin
Date: 03-22-2006, 10:56 PM (8 of 12)
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Thanks Pam Apparently the new trend (I am only a grandmother, after all and don't know) is wearing 'sleeping bags' to bed as health Canada suggests no loose bedding in bed for babes to get caught in. But new borns really don't move much! Essentially these sleeping bags are AKA baby buntings which are sleeveless - see Burda 9807. I am going to put sleeves in them as it is crazy trying to put a tshirt on an infant - see Burda 9782. My daughter hasn't even held a newborn before so bases her decisions on conversations with her best friend who lives in London. As the infant will enter the world in August I thought woven cotton may be cooler and I am having difficulty finding knits. No draping concern and no pulling over the head. The big concern will be not having clothing so loose that the clothing can slip and constrict. When my children were in the toddler stage of their life blanket sleepers had just become available and I thought they were wonderful. Europeans apparently have used these sleeping bags vs blanket sleepers - my toddlers would have known how to get them off pretty fast if it kept them from walking. I didn't have twins, but was predicted both pregancies, They were 14 months apart in age which seemed like twins at the time. The other thing I am going to make are cotton shirts that cross over the front in a double breasted manner - pattern is Kwik Sew 2027 which only requires 25% stretch. I have Burda 9735 as well. The Burda patterns don't indicate knits so I will probably make shirts that are a combination of both patterns. I rarely make a pattern as it comes out of the envelope or even as in the diagram. In fact, I am not going to make many infant clothes as it is cheaper to buy them, but I am afraid the babe will not have any clothes the first few days of life, unless someone has a baby shower for my daughter, who lives a continent away. And even then the gifts tend to be larger. I think making quilts and toys are more fun! Now what do you all think about knowing the gender early in the pregancy? *~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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From: bridesmom
Date: 03-23-2006, 01:05 AM (9 of 12)
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I just tried making a tshirt out of a flannel using a pattern that called for a knit - well, I got it on the baby, but try to get her out of it!!!! I almost had to cut her out of it. I tried making it bigger as well, but it just didn't work for me.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-23-2006, 03:54 AM (10 of 12)
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I always just "knew" the gender of our first born I had vivid dreams that she was a girl before I even knew I was pregnant. I never questioned that she was a girl. (I didn't know and still don't know the sex of her twin which we lost about the fourth month.) I had an argument with the doctor about my second (live) pregnancy and he gave me an ultrasound to settle the argument (the date). I also told him that our family was filthy with twins and I wanted to make sure..that was the final straw so he did the ultra sound to prove I was having ONE. Well, he wasn't right! He was very arogant...so that was one humbled doctor! When the did the ultrasound, everything was in plain view and VERY obvious for one of them. All the twins in our family are identical boys so I just assumed the second was a boy too. When the first was born...a boy I said something like "of course", but the second was a real surprise. I know that unless you have an ambio you'd better be careful with banking on the ultrasounds...I've had more than one friend expecting a boy that brought home a lovely little girl who had a great blue bedroom. I loved the blanket sleepers with the zippers and arms too. We lived in an old house heated by wood. There were mornings when we woke up a little chilly. In the summer my babies wore the same type of old-fashioned draw string gown that I probably wore and my mom before me (only theirs may have been elastic, I don't remember).....I thought both of those types of sleepers were great because they couldn't kick them off, they gave the baby room to grow AND room to move too!!!! pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 03-23-2006, 07:34 AM (11 of 12)
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Now what do you all think about knowing the gender early in the pregancy? I have had two nieces become pregnant in the past year. Both asked to know the gender. One niece who gave birth last October was told it was boy. So everything was planned for a boy even the name - Oliver. She was calling him Oliver even before he was born. She had a small baby shower and I was able to make a blue quilt and everyone gave an appropriate variety of outfits for a boy. I thought it was great as she got some really neat outfits for boys of all ages that were not necessarily blue. Now, the other niece is due in May. She was told it will be a girl. In March there was a huge shower for her....and I never thought that many different "pink" outfits existed!!!! She got a few other colours...but pink, pink, pink is what stood out. Thank goodness, I had checked what her favourite colour was and my gifts were NOT pink!!! So in my opinion...it is sometimes good to know and in other cases...it isn't. TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-23-2006, 08:28 AM (12 of 12)
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Like Pam, I just knew my first would be a girl. The second I had no idea. I think the surprise is a fun thing. I wouldn't want to know. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
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