SewLibra:
Doing the V-neck this time since it's the only view I haven't made yet. I had short sleeves in but cut them shorter, so a mix of Views C and A (cap sleeve). I'm using a 96% cotton/4% lycra olive knit from my stash.
SewLibra:
I've done knit V-necks on my night shirts and the band stayed in shape better on the one where I used Knit-N-Stable, so doing it again. It does make the seam allowance kind of thick though. I cut the 1" fusible Knit-N-Stable in half lengthwise.
SewLibra:
First step is to press the band lengthwise, right sides out, and stitch the raw edges together just at the V part. I had cut one long strip instead of two, so I have a loop here. It will be cut to fit later. I am NOT using the Jalie instructions.
SewLibra:
I had made marks like this on my night shirts to help with stitching lines and the pivot point, so I did it again. You can see how the tape stabilizes where you cut to the pivot point.
SewLibra:
What I did this time differently than usual, is hand baste the V and two inches up each side with contrasting thread. I'm not an expert on this type of neckline and I don't want to have to dig out machine stitching if possible!
SewLibra:
After basting the V I turned it to the right side to check. No puckers and my band is 1/2" like it should be. All my bands, no matter what kind, are cut at 1.75" wide, sewn with a 3/8" SA, and end up 1/2" finished on the outside.
SewLibra:
Went ahead and machine sewed over my basting. Here at the pivot point make sure there is not any fabric tucked underneath. You don't have to pivot much if you straighted the seam as much as you can.
SewLibra:
Now to determine how much more of my band I need. I use the Sarah Veblen Youtube "A Neckline Binding For Knits" to get the right length for the amount of the fabric's stretch. I'm stretching the band as if I were sewing it on.
SewLibra:
The pin is where the band seam will be. I marked it with a sliver of soap. I've been looking for a white marker that works well on dark knit fabric to no avail. This works great and wipes off with a damp cloth! (Dove for sensitive skin - ha!)
SewLibra:
I transferred the marks to the wrong side of the band, where the seam will be sewn. Afterward press the SA open, put back in the lengthwise position and press.
SewLibra:
I pinned center front and center back of the band to center front and back of the neckline. Then stretched each side as I'm going to sew it and placed more pins.
SewLibra:
Stretching the band (not the neckline!) from pin to pin as I sew. My preference is to place the band on top where I have the best access, instead of reaching underneath to stretch the band. YMMV.
SewLibra:
Serging off the seam allowance using the free arm. Inside of tee after serging. I used olive thread in the left needle and black cones for the other needle and loopers.
SewLibra:
After the band was in and seam allowance serged, I used my edge stitch foot to topstitch about 1/8" below the band.
SewLibra:
My topstitching looked horrible under the V so I unpicked it and drew a stitching line with an air erasable pen. I checked on a scrap first to make sure it would come out with a damp cloth. Too impatient to wait for it to disappear on it's own.
SewLibra:
My last topstitching went well under the V of the neckline, BUT I got off on the side even though using an edge stitch foot. I know what I did, pulled the fabric away from the ditch on one side but not the other. I took it out later.
SewLibra:
After making my next two garments I went back today and unpicked the topstitching under the band. I'm leaving it this way. I had stabilized the front neckline since it's a V-neck so not worried about the SA coming up. Olive is so hard to photograph!
SewLibra:
For the hems I used my Janome 900CPX using the bobbin and spool of olive thread from my sewing machine that I used for the tee construction for the needles and a black cone for the looper.
SewLibra:
Here is a sleeve hem coverstitched. This knit is a cotton lycra and fairly beefy so regular settings worked well with no tunneling.