rpcv
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Post by rpcv on Sept 22, 2016 8:57:33 GMT -8
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this shop in any way, other than having bought from them many times over the years and been happy with my orders. If you are handy with a sewing machine, FabricMart is having a sale today (9/22) on wool jersey for $8-$10 a yard. This is a great way to get cheaper wool base layers. It isn't clear to me whether it is merino or not, but I have been happy with the wool jersey I've bought from them in the past. I am guessing, based on the descriptions, that it is relatively thin fabric. In case you aren't familiar with fabric names, stay away from the ones labelled "ponte" or "doubleknit." They are good for other things, but are not really great for baselayers. For yardage reference, I am a women's medium and 5'8" tall and I can usually squeeze a short sleeve top and a tank top out of two yards if I cut carefully. My husband is 6'3" and wears large t-shirts. He takes about 3 yards of fabric for a long-sleeve shirt. |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 26, 2016 8:12:41 GMT -8
I'll toss in that you probably need some skill and the right machine to sew on this fabric, though I've not tried this exact fabric. I have issues with knits, though  |
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rpcv
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Post by rpcv on Sept 27, 2016 5:29:09 GMT -8
Knit fabrics do take some finesse, but with the right needle (stretch or ball point only) and a machine that will zigzag stitch, it isn't too bad. I have a serger now, but I sewed knits for years on a very basic regular sewing machine.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 27, 2016 9:12:53 GMT -8
and a machine that will zigzag stitch, I think that is really key. At the moment, I have only a straight-stitch machine (a Singer Featherweight from the 1950s or earlier; a lovely machine but it does have limits), and knits give me trouble. Of course, finesse has never been my strong point :D |
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Post by autumnmist on Sept 27, 2016 12:27:17 GMT -8
I have a Pfaff, what was a state of the art version back in the early 1980s when I splurged and bought it. Even though it was versatile and I had to use a ball point needle on some fabrics (I don't even remember which ones though), I too found that knit cloth required special care. If I remember, I might have had to baste it first by hand to control the stretching, then sew close to the basting lines.
It took a while just to get accustomed to sewing a slick polyester fabric I used for clothes lining (for work). And with that fabric, every single edge had to be serged first or it ravelled quickly.
The same used to eventually happen with corduroy, when fabrics began coming from China rather than America.
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rpcv
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Post by rpcv on Sept 28, 2016 5:57:41 GMT -8
At the moment, I have only a straight-stitch machine (a Singer Featherweight from the 1950s or earlier; Yeah, that makes it harder. I have my grandmother's Singer 15-91, which is also straight stitch-only (and probably of the same vintage as yours). It is a fabulous machine and it will sew through denim like magic, but it just isn't suited to knits. So, I have another regular sewing machine and a serger. It took a while just to get accustomed to sewing a slick polyester fabric I used for clothes lining (for work). Polyester lining fabric is the worst. It will shift around, fray, and behave badly if you so much as walk near it. Anyway, the fabric came last night (apparently, I ordered enough of the wool jersey and a few other things that they upgraded my shipping...eek). I'm pretty happy with it. It is a little thicker than I was expecting and is perfect for hiking shirts/baselayers. |
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Sept 28, 2016 6:24:27 GMT -8
I don't sew, at all, but I had to cut out a pattern from rip stop nylon for a project someone else ended up doing the sewing on. I used a soldering iron to make the cuts, effectively sealing the edges as I cut. Make sure to have the material on some heat resistant surface, and a long straight edge is helpful.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 28, 2016 7:29:45 GMT -8
I don't sew, at all, but I had to cut out a pattern from rip stop nylon for a project someone else ended up doing the sewing on. I used a soldering iron to make the cuts, effectively sealing the edges as I cut. Make sure to have the material on some heat resistant surface, and a long straight edge is helpful. That's a great idea for some fabrics! Not for wool, but nylon is very subject to fraying and will of course melt nicely with the heat from teh soldering iron. I'll tuck that one away (though I lack the soldering iron...another toy to get?). |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Sept 28, 2016 13:17:21 GMT -8
I don't sew, at all, but I had to cut out a pattern from rip stop nylon for a project someone else ended up doing the sewing on. I used a soldering iron to make the cuts, effectively sealing the edges as I cut. Make sure to have the material on some heat resistant surface, and a long straight edge is helpful. That's a great idea for some fabrics! Not for wool, but nylon is very subject to fraying and will of course melt nicely with the heat from teh soldering iron. I'll tuck that one away (though I lack the soldering iron...another toy to get?). iirc there are actual "Blades" available for hot cutting fabric. Make sure it's a fabric blade not for styrofoam which is very common. But, yes, wool doesn't melt. |
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