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Knit Tutorial and Tips Round up
I may be at risk of sounding like a total cliché, but I love this time of year. The crisp autumn air renews my love of sewing, and each weekend I find myself getting up a little earlier to pull on my coziest sweater, pour a hot cup of coffee, and settle behind the wheel of my sewing machine.
Knits always seem to be my fabric of choice during cooler months. They layer easily and are incredible versatile. Wren is the perfect dress for getting dressed up without feeling constricted or fussy. Which is perfect for all the pie I am obligated to eat cocktails I definitely need.
Here at Colette HQ we are stitching up Wrens for all occasions. Here is a round up of helpful tutorials and guides to get you started sewing your very own Wren.
Learn the ins and outs of selecting knit fabrics:
- Knit fabric terms: become better acquainted with knit fabric terms.
- What to look for: learn what qualities to look for in knit fabric.
- Notions: learn what notions and tools will enhance your knit projects.
- Visualize your project: understand how fabric translates to garment.
Sewing Knits
- Conquer the coverstitch: learn tricks and tips for mastering this professional finish.
- Imitate the coverstitch using a twin needle: anyone can achieve the appearance of a coverstitch using a twin needle.
- Sew knits on your standard sewing machine: no serger, no problem! You can get beautiful knit garments without this specialized machine.
- Gather and Stabilize: use clear elastic to create gathers and to stabilize your knits.
Customize and Alter
- Fix armhole gape: learn three techniques for fixing armhole gape.
- Alternative armhole finishes: practice four technique for binding knit edges.
- Customize your fabric: create a personalized polkadot design using this tutorial.
Comments
raquel from JC
November 4, 2015 #
I like this pattern, but I don’t like the big 2 horizontal wrinkles next to the bust area (armscye gap?) I always have this problem, how would you fix it?
Thanks!
Haley
November 4, 2015 #
Try using one of the techniques in this tutorial to combat armhole gape.
raquel from JC
November 5, 2015 #
Thank you!
Sylvia
November 4, 2015 #
Thank you thank you thank you for pictures of the lovely grey haired model you featured. Beautiful pictures in this months Seamwork edition too. She’s so elegant and its VERY inspirational for me :)! We grey haired ladies are encouraged to give the dress a try and its kind of nice to see which colors look good with our ‘ crown of wisdom’ :).
Haley
November 6, 2015 #
Isn’t she so lovely? Our Art Director, Christine did a great job of choosing colors that showcase the models natural beauty.
Katie Emma
November 5, 2015 #
I made a muslin of the Wren bodice and it fits pretty well! The bottom edge of the bodice hits above my natural waist, but is lower than a traditional empire waist. From some of the modeled pictures (especially the gored skirt) it seems like the waist seam should hit above the natural waist. Is that how it’s drafted? Or should it hit my natural waist, and should I lengthen the bodice? Thanks!
Jessie
November 19, 2015 #
Hi! I recently made my first version of the Wren Dress (version 2 with the gathered skirt) and while it mostly fits well, I had some issues with a pretty wavy/bumpy waist seam where the wrapped portion of the bodice meets the skirt. Can you provide any tips on how to make sure that this seam doesn’t turn out wavy? I’ve seen comments about this in other places as well. Thanks!
Haley
November 20, 2015 #
This can be caused by a few things. If the length of the band is too long or short on your body, the waistline can pull or sag. You can also try using a shorter length of elastic to gather your skirt. This will create more horizontal tension preventing the seam from being wavy.