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Does anyone sew sweaters together? On a machine?
biochemistress   Advanced VA USA Member since 11/8/05 Posts: 271	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 2/16/13 8:40 AM I'm just wondering, does anyone use their sewing machine to put sweaters together? I've used mine mostly to set in sleeves. I reeeeeeeally like it. It makes things so much easier! I use a long stretch stitch. I do not fear the Knitting Police! I have some pics in my album of a sweater I just finished. The sleeves were sewn in with the machine. It made it so much easier to match the stripes.
Unityrobb Member since 1/3/10 Posts: 5	Login to reply to this post 3 members like this. Date: 2/16/13 9:35 AM YES! I do use my sewing machine to assemble both hand and machine knit sweaters. It allows me to knit pieces to shape (as opposed to knitting fabric and serging, although I do that, too, depending) and obtain a flat, invisible finish. I tape the shoulders, and sometimes the side seams, particularly if the yarn is soft and I think the sewing thread may wear through the knitted stitches. The sewing machine is also very useful for attaching knitted pieces of different gauges (like hand and machine) along with fabric inserts of smocking, machine embroidery, pin tucking, candlewicking, quilting, pin weaving, hand painting, cut work, hand wovens, and beading. Thinking outside the box can transform two or three cast offs and a sample of some technique into a one of a kind garment.
lisalu Advanced Beginner GA USA Member since 10/5/08 Posts: 1810	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 2/16/13 10:56 AM I actually tried this for the first time recently. I machine sewed the seams on a hand knit. It worked! I didn't use a stretch stitch, but rather a fairly long stitch so there wouldn't be any puckering. If there is anything I hate about knitting, it is the seaming, so I'm cautiously optimistic that I can use this to eliminate a lot of tedious seaming by hand. The only thing I'd be wary of is getting the yarn caught in the feed dogs. Unless it is a very smooth knitted piece, I'd baste a piece of paper or stabilizer to the bottom before machine stitching. ------ Margaret (Singer 201-2), Betty (Singer 15-91), Bud (Singer 503), Kathy (Singer 221), Liz (Singer 221 Centennial Edition) http://runningstitches-mkb.blogspot.com/
JEF   Intermediate VA USA Member since 7/27/05 Posts: 2461 Board Moderator	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 2/16/13 1:15 PM Fascinating. I never thought to do this! JEF ------ "The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine." --Abraham Lincoln
61sew4fun Expert/Couture WA USA Member since 4/13/12 Posts: 75	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 2/16/13 1:40 PM Back in the 70's I purchased a Knit King with no knowledge of how to use it. I figured out how to make yardage and for years that's all I did, sew around my basted cutting lines and then construct the garments. Finally traded it for a piano for the kids when one of them showed an interest. Went to a very nice lady who was thrilled with it and she was able to do things with it that I was never willing or had time to learn. My DH reminds me of it every time I want to start anything new, like buying hat blocks. Been pondering this for years now since I have such a fat head. ------ 61sew4fun
arianamaniacs   Advanced AUSTRIA Member since 6/11/04 Posts: 958	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 2/17/13 4:55 AM On Etsy there are lots of people that serge old sweaters together to make coats with colored seams on the outside. They are quite artsy some of them.
Diane333   Intermediate USA Member since 7/16/08 Posts: 13	Login to reply to this post In reply to arianamaniacs << Like this post Date: 2/17/13 9:19 AM Do you have a link to this?
Pamela R   Expert/Couture ON CANADA Member since 6/22/07 Posts: 259	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 2/17/13 2:38 PM I used to create all sorts of tops with sweater bodies and a sewing machine. I took classes using Stretch and sew patterns. I have bought mens sweaters and turned them into dresses for little girls and tops for me. We didn't even use stretch stitches.
QuikSew   Intermediate TX USA Member since 5/2/10 Posts: 536	Login to reply to this post In reply to Pamela R << Like this post Date: 2/21/13 9:45 PM Interesting idea. I'm slogging along sewing DD1 a shrug for her first Mother's Day. I don't know why I hate to do it, but the hand stitching really sucks!! It seems slow and tedious. Perhaps, with the next one, I'll give machine sewing a try. What type of thread do you use? Any special adjustments necessary on the sewing machine? ------ 2012 yardage sewn: 102.75 yds Jan 2013 - 3.75 yds Feb 2013 - 5.5 yds Mar 2013 - 16.75 yds Apr 2013 - 5.3 yds 2013 goal - 120 yds Yards to date - 31.3
gramma b Advanced USA Member since 7/25/08 Posts: 2305	Login to reply to this post In reply to Pamela R << Like this post Date: 2/22/13 9:04 AM I'd like to try that too. Many thrifted men's sweaters are barely worn, I know H. gets too hot in them. Give us your tips for pinning and cutting--are you tracing existing sweaters? I've seen tutes on making pullovers into cardigans with ribbon facings but would like others.

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