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Posted on: 8/8/18 10:49 AM ET
I'm putting a keyhole closure on the back of a knit top. My problem is the binding, originally it was too slack, I figured that like a knit neckline, the binding must be cut slightly smaller so that it lays flat around the curve. I did this, and because the binding is stretched to fit it tends to gather and frump, meaning that the binding is too short and needs to be cut longer, however, it doesn't lay flat either way. You can see it overhangs, I can't find a happy medium! How do manufactures bind the keyhole and get it to lay flat? I have a RTW knit dress with this exact keyhole and even its binding looks crappy.
Thanks!



-- Edited on 8/8/18 at 10:51 AM --
  
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Posted on: 8/8/18 11:04 AM ET
What kind of knit are you using? Does it have lycra content? How heavy is it? How wide is the binding? How big is your seam allowance? Did you trim the seam allowance? Have you pressed the finished keyhole?
-- Edited on 8/8/18 at 11:04 AM --
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Debbie
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Posted on: 8/8/18 11:12 AM ET
In reply to Debbie Lancaster
Hello!

It's spandex poly blend knit, like t-shirt material, not quite medium weight. The binding is 1/2" wide, I haven't trimmed the seam allowance in the example because I want to get the fit on the binding right before I go cutting any further into my garment. I haven't pressed it but this fabric is quite finicky with the iron, because it's quite elasticized, too much heat marrs and dulls the fabric, even on the lowest setting it helps reduce wrinkles but not enough to shape the fabric. It likes to roll a lot too. I'm wondering if perhaps the keyhole shape just doesn't agree with this material?
  
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Posted on: 8/8/18 11:18 AM ET
I think I'd be testing scraps before going any further. A 1/4" seam allowance is about right for a keyhole. It looks like there's too much bulk in your sample. Make samples, grade the seam allowances, then steam and press the heck out of the finished sample. Sometimes after cooling a poly/spandex fabric will return to its normal appearance.

It looks like you topstitched the binding? Did you press it before topstitching? Is the binding folded over on the inside too? I will often leave the inside of the binding raw, stitch in the ditch to secure it, then trim the inside raw edge.
-- Edited on 8/8/18 at 11:22 AM --
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Debbie
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Posted on: 8/8/18 11:32 AM ET
In reply to Debbie Lancaster
Thank you, I will try a smaller binding, and yes the binding in my sample is folded under, I usually leave it raw when I'm doing necklines, it certainly can reduce bulk so I'll have to try it. The top stitching I did in the photo was just to keep the binding from rolling open, on the final binding I'll be using a twin needle to finish it - not sure if that'll make much of a difference. I'll have to do some tests.
  
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Posted on: 8/8/18 9:34 PM ET
The keyhole looks out of proportion to me, short. Is it cut with a curve or did you do it with a slit? I use the slit technique a lot as I do lots of full skirts on childrens clothing and sometimes my own as well as necklines. I always trim my seam allowances down to an eighth of an inch. I also agree with Debbie about stitching in the ditch to secure.
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Posted on: 8/9/18 1:48 AM ET
Not all knit fabric even makes a good binding. But, I think you need to stretch it a little on the straight of way, and then a whole lot more around the bottom curve maybe. And might be better there not top stitched even. Maybe just stitch it in the ditch there instead, but only after you got it like you want. And raw edged on the back of it, (so less of it and less turns of it, would make it thinner and less bulky too. If it just sticks out a little bit instead when done, on the outer most edge of it, sometimes you can take a round piece of elastic cord, and string it though there and tighten up that also, to take up some slack on the outer most edge of something like that. I do that with some store bought clothes on the neck of them, if I feel the outermost edge of some knit binding is too loose or floppy, as sort of an extra after you buy them them thing even sometimes. And that works pretty good there most times.
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 4:16 AM ET
Is this a four way knit? Usually binding is cut on the bias. With knits that stretch in two directions you would cut in the direction of the stretch. I would not cut the binding down to less than the opening size. I would attach it first and then trim any excess.
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 2:08 PM ET
I have done this, and used fold-over-elastic, which worked really well, in terms of the application being nice and smooth. However, FOE tends to be heavy and can overpower a lightweight knit (I was using rayon jersey), especially if you sew it in 2 passes.

RTW manufacturers use dedicated binding equipment--that's how that teeny-tiny binding is always perfect(ish).

They make binding feet for home sewing machines that can sew binding on in one pass (I have this one, recommended by a blogger I like), but I found that the learning curve was more trouble than it was worth, for me.
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Posted on: 8/9/18 5:18 PM ET
In reply to LadyfairSewing
Another way to look at this - do you need the keyhole at all? Many knits are stretchy enough that you can just slip them over your head.
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