Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Jalie Shrug Love continues on....

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I love love love the Jalie 3246 shrug pattern.
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This is my 7th shrug sewn from this pattern. Sewed it on Sunday.
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Is this French terry?  It's from Paron, purchased with ATP on 7/31.  I love the texture.
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Here you can see a bit more of the texture.
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The texture reminds me of stuffed animals, like this one.


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It is a fast sew, but it really depends on the stretch factor of your fabric.
My sixth one did not turn out well.  It's below:
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Here you can see a bit of the texture of this sweater knit:
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And when I had the band clipped all around before serging:
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So what's the problem?  The band is not snug against the back.  It's really sticking out.  I tried to redo it  by cutting off the band because hey it's only a quarter inch seam allowance, then tried with a smaller band and it came out worse.  Actually, pressing it with my Elna Press made it even worse. It's the first time I've ever had something turn out worse after pressing.  It's a very light sweater knit and I probably should have pressed the fabric before cutting it out, that might have helped with the second press.  I also think that I have not accounted for how stretchy the fabric actually is.  More stretchy means I can make it in a smaller size.  I'm going to think that one over.   Maybe it can be saved by putting elastic in the bottom band.  Something a la Debbie's Fixing a Gaping Neck After the Fact.

So because I had trouble with the 6th one, I basted the band for the 7th one on and decided to cut the band a little shorter to make it a bit more snug, then serged. Something a la Sarah Veblen and her Threads video on binding necklines because every knit has a different amount of stretch.

Every fabric continues to be its own universe.  Also, if I had used the fabric from the sixth shrug to make my first shrug, it is very unlikely I would have ever made another.  Interesting to think about that.   Through some kind of magic, the combination of fabric and pattern worked on the first attempt and as a result I wear a Jalie shrug every single day at work.     Pattern and fabric, it's a very tight marriage. Both partners must get along, must be suitable for each other.  It's also a lot like the key to enjoying group fitness classes at the gym.  You have to like the class format and the instructor.  Maybe you like one but not the other.  Maybe you like both but not together.   You need to like both together, or it will be very hard to find the motivation to work out (if group fitness is your thing.  Maybe it's not your thing.)
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I took Monday off to have lunch with a friend down the shore.  This is the view from the Sea Girt boardwalk gazebo at the southern end of the boardwalk.
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And here's a bit of the boardwalk and the beach.  But then I had to leave, to make it on time to my favorite group fitness class at the gym.

I love spring and summer.  And it's still summer, at least for this Jersey girl.

Be well!

19 comments:

  1. Love your 7th Jalie shrug. That texture makes it so comfy, warm and cozy. Glad you visited the Jersey shore Monday. It was a beautiful day.

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  2. Accurate words of sewing wisdom. Sewing is an adventure.

    I think we have a boardwalk in Seaside, -- they aren't an Oregon thing. Which is weird because we are such conservationists at heart. I think we just want the sand dunes that change shape every season depending on the storms.

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    1. And we just keep reshaping our sand dunes....

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  3. I love the shrugs! But what do you wear them with? I've never figured that out when I've made some.

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    1. Thanks! I wear them with my sleeveless dresses and sleeveless shirts in the air conditioning at work.

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  4. Cute! I love the terry texture. Good luck on finding a solution to the sweater knit shrug...I would wash and dry first before resewing.

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    1. The terry texture is great! Thanks for the suggestion Mary. I tried washing and drying it and it did not make a difference.

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  5. Kyle that problem is that the sweater is probably 100% acrylic and you accidently "killed" the fabric. You often hear this reference in machine knitting. The iron was too hot, you placed the weight of the iron on the fabric and you used steam. All is not lost. You could cut it apart and re-cut and it would probably come out perfect.

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    1. Thanks KMQ. I did try cutting it apart, cutting a new band and sewing it back on but it didn't help....but I learned a valuable lesson about pressing in any case!!

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    2. Sorry I wasn't specific enough. I meant cut the entire shrug apart and re-cut all the pieces. All of the pieces were killed so you need to re-cut them all accordingly.

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  6. So true about the marriage of fabric and pattern! I may have to buy this pattern! It's one that I guess I've overlooked, but seems to be a real winner for you!

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    1. I really really love this pattern as I don't like cardigans that add a lot of bulk (I'm especially not a fan of waterfall cardis). So the shrug is really "just the arms" and perfect for what I need it for (combating the a/c at work)

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  7. It looks so cozy! You're so right about different knits having their own personalities. Sometimes pattern and fabric just fight, but it's always awesome when you can anticipate the problems or fix them after the fact. Sarah Veblen's trick for determining the length of binding works so well even if it can take some trial and error!

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  8. That is interesting about the difference the fabric makes in the pattern.

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  9. Love the comparison to the bunny! The nubby fabric does look very cuddly. I really like the way the shrugs don't cover up your dresses. It would be a shame to put that much work into a garment and cover it with another. Can't wait to see #8!

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  10. I love Wonder Clips! So glad to see photos using them. I hadn't thought of serging with them!?! Now I will have to try it!

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