Bond Machine Knitting - Cut and Sew
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 21:36:55 -0700
From: "The Boudreau's" (patrick.boudreau@ns.sympatico.ca)
Subject: [BOND] Cut & Sew Techniques
I would like to share the following notes that I took from a course
years ago on knit and sew couture, real fancy words for me eh!
First of all they recommend an iron safe plate, of which I have
purchased inexpensively in a hardware store, the teflon one that comes with
the sprint load on the back so that you can remove it later, unless yours is
teflon coated, but remember never touch an iron to acrylics.
I have found the best way to get practise in this technique is to
purchase a sweatshirt pattern and make sure that it has the pieces in it for
a cut and ribbed neckband, pick one out in a childs size with different
necklines, the smaller the better as youc an always dress a bear for less
than a child. (VBG).
Once you have knit the garment find the centre and run a basting
stitch down to where you want to add the insertion, for example a shawl
collar on a round neckline. You would mark with a basting stitch down to
where you want the piece to end, this eliminates all of the shaping at the
neckline so your peice would be knitted straight. Never fold the piece in
half to find the centre line as the fold causes the stitches to distort, in
fabric there is a normal fold line in knitting one must be formed.
Baste along the edges and never never outline in pencil or pen, as
this may run or show in the end.
Before beginning to stitch on the first drawn line back stitch
straight stitch down to end and backstitch again.
Make sure you feed the knit fabric into the machine and not allow
the machine to pull it from you, a popsicle stick works well for this.
Now remove the basting stitches.ziz zag on top - medium width , stitch length 1 - 2 fairly narrow.
If cutting and sewing a fairisle gament do this twice.
Handgraft the knit edge to the sweater, for example if you have the
neck edge measured in length, subtract 20% from this figure, knit the
ribbing for desired width at normal tension, then knit one row at a tighter
tension for turning, knit the same number of rows again, and I take the
stitches and cast off in waste yarn and backstitch through these stitches
over the cut and sewn edge encasing it for about 1/2 inch.
I start at the wrong side should seams together and sandwich. If
desired you may stitch on with straight machine stitch. I do not like this.
I do not like this technique at all for wearable clothing, my own
personal preference as I cannot bear to cut apart the fabrics and have to
piece them together again, but to let yourself try one, make two squares and
do a v-neck cut and sew, add sleeves and put it on a child or a bear. Also,
remember the coutures who are using these are normally knitting at a very
very small tension., much smaller and with more delicate wools than the ISM.
I have only done this once on a bulky or worsted weight and this was to add
a zipper to a pullover, and loved it. I just single crocheted over the
edges twice, inserted the zipper and voila' , darling sister had her
Newfoundland zippered rather than pullover wool sweater that was hooded.
Friends in Bonding,
Linda
patrick.boudreau@ns.sympatico.ca
North Kentville Knits " Where knitting is still considered an art."
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 16:14:42 -0500
From: Backlund
Subject: [BOND] Cut and Sew
Hello all!
It's really getting cold here in Minnesota! And can you believe it? 70
degrees last week. It's time to get those warm sweaters jumpin' off
those Bonds! There has been a lot of reference lately to cut and sew
techniques and I just had to jump in. I am a total convert to cut and
sew necklines. No more shaping, short-rowing, dropped stitches or
keeping track of one side of a neckline in order to make the opposite
sides match up. I have Ricki Mundstock's Cut and Sew Necklines book and
it has given me a new lease on life. Although it is written for standard
bed machines, the principles were very easy to convert to the Bond. I
always hand-knit my ribbings (I think I can do it faster than the
latching method on the machine). It is especially great when doing fair
isle or tuck as you have no rows to keep track of for shaping - just a
big triangle. I just about hyperventilated the first time - Oh Lord, CUT
my knitting!?!? But I bit the bullet and did it! Now I'll never go back!
I'm free! At the moment, I'm making a hip length jacket from Red Heart
beige tweed - drop shoulder. Knit 2 rectangles for the front and back.
Zig-zag the neckline and down the center. Cut and sew a braided bias
trim around all edges (after rehanging and doing the sleeves, of
course). Frogs for closures down the front. Not even any ribbing on this
one. At the most, a 2 night project. As you can tell, I'm a big fan of
cut and sew. Look at the garments in the stores - they're all cut and
sew. And take a look at an authentic Norwegian sweater. They have so
many color changes - that's why they've done it that way for years. So
don't be afraid to give it a try. And it's a great way to combine the
new polar fleece and our Bond knitting into some fabulous garments. Just
my 2 cents - guess it turned into 2 bucks worth!
Robin in Alexandria, MN
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 1998 09:57:03 -0500
From: Backlund
Subject: [BOND] Cut and Sew info.
> I use contrasting sewing thread and do basting stitches everywhere I
> plan to cut - neckline, center front, etc. Then I use my "old fashioned"
> sewing machine (I don't have one of those new, fancy types!) and
> straight stitch next to my basting - medium length stitch with aslittle
> pressure on the plain old foot as my machine allows. I've never had
> trouble with it stretching if I just guide it and don't try to push it
> along. After that, I use a medium length and width zigzag stitch right
> over the straight stitch. Then another row of zigzag right next to the
> first one. I then cut about 3/8" inside the zigzag line. Steam thisedge
> well and let it cool and dry - only a couple of minutes. If you go down
> the center front, you will have to do two rows of stitching and cut
> between them. I hand-knit my ribbings so I then pick up along the neck
> edge - I eyeball it - very scientific, huh? and finish my ribbing. So in
> answer to your question - no, you don't need any fancy attachment feet
> or other gadgets for your sewing machine to make this look very
> professional. If you are squeamish about trying it, use waste yarn and
> knit a rectangle approximately the width of a sweater front and about
> 8-10" long. You can then try it first and not have any fear. I must
> admit - I didn't do it on a sample first but on an actual sweater I had
> just finished and it worked great. Mine was for a crew neck so I cut a
> template from cardboard - a half circle 7" across and 4" deep.
My methods are probably not the ones one would learn in Cut and Sew 101,
but they work for me. I'm still a newbie, and if I can do it, anyone
can!
Robin in Minnesota
crcjl@rea-alp.com
Author : Steph Thornton.
Last modified on : 8th November 1999.
Back
to the Bond List Hints and Tips Page
