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Member since 12/28/04
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Posted on: 8/8/08 3:21 PM ET
Hot Patterns has 3 patterns that I now own, where they recommend ribbed trim or self fabric trim for knit sweaters Well, be careful here. Aside from the fact that finding nice ribbed trim is impossible, it is not equal in stretch to a cross grain knit and many sweater knits are not all that stretchy. There is no indication of the amount of stretch that the pattern was drafted for. There are pattern pieces for the trim and at least one woman made this pattern and had problems with the bands not being long enough
here

I just got these 2 patterns in the mail and while I haven't looked that closely at them yet, I think that they have the same issue. I am not saying don't make them, but I would cut longer bindings and fit them to the pattern so that you can take into consideration the stretch in your fabric.
herehere
I like all of these patterns and plan on making them but I wish that HP would list the stretch percentage that they drafted for and take into account that rib trim is just not all that available.
-- Edited on 8/8/08 3:21 PM --
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
  
Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 8/8/08 8:41 PM ET
Agreed. Just a few, very few, times in my sewing life have I seen coordinated fabric and rib trim--and that really ceased long ago when the Stretch & Sew franchise bit the dust.

These HP designs have pattern pieces for the trim, huh? Iffy. I have an old Stretch and Sew book in which they give separate, rough estimates of the amount of fabric you will need for self fabric or rib trim, which is a better approach than a fixed pattern piece. But I think the best thing simply to cut the trim, whichever you use, too long, and then try it out a la Sarah Veblen.
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Elona
  
Member since 12/28/04
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Posted on: 8/9/08 11:44 AM ET
In reply to Elona
Exactly what I intend doing. Sarah Veblen's technique is wonderfully versatile. I did take a look at the instructions, which are much better than they used to be, though granted, these are simple designs, and the two newer ones have caveats about stretch.
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
  
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