I have lots of swim tee shirts. Lots. I’ve seen some really cute tee-shirt refashions so I decided to give one a try.
I decided to change this:
into this:
Yeah, um, not so much!
Next time, if there is a next time, I’ll choose a shirt where the logo isn’t quite so close to the neck line.
Here’s the refashion I’m trying next week!
So my sewing friends, are you feeling a little more comfortable with your serger? If you’re just joining us, during the last few weeks, I’ve introduced a few tidbits to make your serger a little more user-friendly. Here’s what we’ve covered so far:
Week 1: the parts of your machine and how to thread it
Week 2: Selecting needles and threads for your project
Week 3: Balancing the tension on your machine
And now we serge!
This basic pillowcase is a simple way to use all you’ve learned. (This makes a standard pillowcase.)
1. Cut 2 rectangles:
2. Set your tension dials on your serger to match the settings that work best based on your tension maps.
3. Fold the contrast trim in half, lengthwise and press well.
4. Align the raw edges of the contrast trim and the main fabric, right sides together. Don’t worry if these two pieces of fabric aren’t the same width. You can trim later.
5. Serge across these raw edges.
6. Press open, pressing seam towards main fabric.
7. Fold the pillowcase in half, wrong sides together, aligning raw edges.
Now’s the time to trim up any uneven edges.
8. Serge down the long edge of the pillowcase. Serge from end to end. (You can’t pivot a corner like on a sewing machine.)
9. Serge across the bottom edge of the pillowcase. (Again, you can’t pivot, so after you finish the long edge, take the pillowcase off the machine and replace the short edge.)
10. Turn it right side out and enjoy!
How’s that for a quick and easy project with your serger!
With all those dials and knobs on your serger and all the thread options available, balancing your serger thread tensions can be very intimidating.
Making a tension map can be very helpful. I could show you myself, but why recreate the wheel. Watch this video instead:
Just a few notes of my own:
1. I started with all my dials on a 4. Then I changed the first dial to a 0 and worked my way up. As I found each thread’s ideal tension, I adjusted the dial to that and move one to the next dial on the left.
2. I actually found that I needed to make a second set of tension maps for use when I use woolly nylon in the looper threads. I don’t know if youl’ll need to too.
I saw a shirt the other day that I completely understood. It said, “I’m a goggle-hunting, lane-timing, towel-washing swim mom.” That’s about the sum of it. Except maybe for food. Feeding swimmers can be a challenge. They need healthy and quick and lots of it—at least at a swim meet. Pasta salad is our swim meet go-to meal. Here’s how we do it:
Swim Meet Pasta Salad
You’ll need whole grain pasta (we like macaroni or spirals), diced fire roasted tomatoes, whole olives (drained, but not rinsed), dried basil, and cheese (cubed mozerella or crumbled feta).
Easiest recipe ever: Boil your pasta and drain it. Toss the pasta, tomatoes, olives, and a good pinch of crumbled basil together in a bowl. Once the pasta is cooled toss in the cheese and toss the whole bowl in the ice chest for your swim meet!
Don’t forget bowls and forks for the kids!
The countdown is on at our house! I big news for both my customers and my sewing class students. But first…
The kids have only 10 more school days to fit in 1 final day of book fair, 4 field trips, and 5th grade graduation! It’s going to be a jam-packed 2 weeks to say the least!
Speaking of summer, you can find your 4th of July jon jons in the Personality Children’s Clothes etsy shop. I’ve also got sandcastles and fishing bobbers and sailboats and alligators all ready for summer! Please remember that Friday, May 10 is the last day to ensure delivery by Memorial Day.
Also, the summer sewing classes are filling up quickly! I’ll be at LSUS, BPCC, and Lil’ Miss Priss. I’m most excited about the Summer Kids’ Sewing Series I’ll be teaching at Lil’ Miss Priss. You can learn more on the Needles, Nuts, and Bolts Facebook page. You can find the rest of the summer schedule for 2013 on my sewing class page.