Serging On

Karen W wrote - I just purchased my first serger. It is still in the box. I notice that you serge the seams almost immediately. Is it that you have done it so long that you are confident enough to do this or is it normal procedure to do this type of finishing so soon in the process? Thanks for the advice in advance.

LOL - it's not extreme confidence - more the opposite. I serge the edges as a seam finish and stitch the seam with my regular machine. The serging removes 1/8". The seam is stitched at 1/2". That leaves room for changes. This way of working came about after confidentially - and wrongly - serging seams that then needed to be changed. Back when I was learning to serge, that meant enlarged and there wasn't enough room.

The images you saw of the skirt on Friday were of seams that could not be changed because one section had to fit together with another. The center front seam was serge finished and then stitched to remain the right width for the yoke. The yoke seam was serged because it could not be adjusted or the length of the center piece would change and not fit with the side ones.

I basically decide at each step if this is a permanent seam or one that could be altered. If it's permanent, I might serge right away but not always. If it's up for alteration, I'll serge finish and stitch. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions. Here's the skirt finished along with the Just For Mom cardigan.




It was a REALLY grey day. Even outside we couldn't get good shots. The skirt fabric has fabulous drape. It's very soft and flowing and with that 3% lycra, conforming. I didn't realize the back view was so curvaceous until I saw this image. LOL - Guess that explains why my husband kept going on and on about how much he loved this outfit. Too funny.

The sweater had a serious case of gaposis. I used a running stitch between the edge and the first knit stitch on the right front to baste it together through both layers. I can't wear it open now however, since I couldn't wear it closed before without being cited for indecent exposure, this works.

The skirt is a bit too loose in the waist and needs to be taken in 1/2 more each side or 2" in total. I'm going to start cutting the waist a size smaller than I think because this alteration has been so consistent - on pants and skirts at least.

I'm completely between projects right now. Yesterday, I went through all my knitting books trying to find a garment I wanted to knit that matched the gauge of a yarn I had which turned out to be more difficult than you'd think. I've almost decided. More later. I also tell you about the great closet clean. It looks FABULOUS.

Look what Howard brought home Saturday night - buttery flavoured spread. He drove two hours round trip across downtown Detroit to buy me this. What a sweetheart. Unfortunately, what we didn't read online that it does say on the label is that the natural flavours are derived from corn. DARN. I felt bad about that but he said he didn't mind because it might have worked. Maybe when the naturopath starts trying to add things back to my diet, I'll be able to eat this.




This morning, I was up at 5:00 to drive Howard out to where the bus was parked. They're off. Gord and him are each driving a bus to Calgary (Alberta, Canada) tonight where they are meeting our daughter and son-in-law for dinner, will overnight, and then travel on to Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan, Canada) tomorrow. They'll stay overnight there, meet up with two other guys, and Tuesday morning begin the drive straight down to the tip of Texas (United States) before crossing over into Mexico and then down and across into Guatemala - about ten days driving time.




Howard and I have two sponsor children in Guatemala - Victor and Evelyn - and our son Kyle has one sponsor child - Roni. Last Wednesday, Kyle and I went shopping and got them each a backpack, sweatshirt, candy, and school supplies. I really admire how responsible Kyle is being. He takes his commitment to Roni quite seriously.

Howard will deliver the backpacks in person and get hugs and pictures. We don't know if the kids know that he's coming yet. The mission might be waiting to tell them until closer to the time because it's so exciting - for them, their families, and us. It's wonderful to be able to do something that you know makes a tremendous difference in their lives. In the first picture Kyle has of Roni, he is quite skinny and in the picture he got at Christmas, he has visibly filled out. The two pictures illustrate quite clearly to Kyle and us what his financial contribution is doing for Roni.

Meanwhile - back at home - I'm serging on, trying to decide on my next project. I want to sew a blouse to go with the skirts I've already made. I currently don't own a blouse and I'm so used to wearing knit garments that follow my figure more closely that I'm not sure about which style to choose. Here are the top three.



New Look 6563 has been a favourite for a LONG time. I would make the version bottom right with the long sleeves. I like how the peplum hugs the garment in at the waist. I think this forms a nice transition over a bottom garment. With a matching skirt, it would look like a dress.




I just bought New Look 6831 last week. If I sew this one, I'd want the neckline to be slightly higher than the photographed one shown but not prissy looking like the much higher one. I'd go for the three quarter sleeves. In fact, I might add those to the other pattern.




I made Vogue 8598 before Christmas. It's a nice, basic, shirt. I like the shoulder princess lines for fitting. The plus is that the pattern has already been tested. The minus is that it feels quite prissy and tight on. It's quite a jump to go from always wearing knits to a completely buttoned up woven. I think one of the other two might be a better merger. New Look 6563 would look great in the indigo I bought last week. Which one do you like?

I'll decide this afternoon after lunch with a friend. It was her birthday on Saturday and since I can't go out, I invited her over although it turns out that she can't go out either. She went for testing on Friday and is on a 28 day program for dealing with similar but not as serious food issues. The main allergens are quite repetitive, especially wheat and corn, because they are in so many products. Others are individual. She can have onions and garlic but not tomatoes or peppers. I can have tomatoes but not onion, garlic, or peppers. Darn. I really like onions and garlic. Oh well. We're having a spinach salad with red grapes, sunflower seeds, avocado, salmon, lemon, and black pepper along with mint tea and rice crackers. Yummy.

Have a great day - Myrna

Grateful: for such a wonderful husband, wishing him safe travel and a really fun time