Hi Everyone, I was super busy this past weekend teaching “Round Out Your Wardrobe with a Skort” for Stitches Events… And preparing for my upcoming zoom class with Pattern Review tomorrow. I had a lot of fun doing both things. I ended up with a new skort to add to my collection & I freshened up my PR Class with a new technique! Here’s what my skort looks like. I lengthened my swim skirt into a knee length skirt and cut it out of a soft floral print. If you’d like to make this summer essential, I do have a few “kits” left that include both the swim skirt and 6-gore skirt patterns to pair with the shorts. It’s like getting two patterns in one!
If you do have plans to make one in your near future, may I suggest a soft bamboo knit for the shorts. I can’t get over how comfortable this fabric is. The cream color was the only one available in my local shop. I don’t love this color on the public side of things, but it feels buttery soft and silky smooth under the skirt! Unfortunately, I purchased this knit at a local fabric store that doesn’t have an online shop… but I found an ETSY Shop that has really nice selection of bamboo knits. The cool thing is that if you’re making shorts.. you can get two pairs from one yard! I can literally see the silky nature of this fabric in the photo!!
If you’d like a quick hem finish… try the Triple (or 3-Step) Zig-Zag to topstitch the hem allowance. I treated the hem to some double fusible tape to support it before folding it into position. Then it was just a quick go around with this miracle stitch. Did you know that this zig-zag stretches out with the fabric if you stretch it out… no popped stitches!
Here’s a nice segue to my next topic… My Zoom Class with Pattern Review tomorrow at 5:00 pm edt. I’m teaching 3-Thread Serger Stitches. This class focuses on all the things you can do with them. I decided to pull out my metallic Woolly Nylon and stick in in the needle to create this decorative reverse flatlock stitch to sew the side seams of the skirt!
The 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch
In addition to the planned content I have for this class, I’m adding another strong construction stitch that falls into the 3-Thread category. The 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch was introduced to me when I was filming my Bernina L460 Serger series on my YouTube Channel. (If you’re looking for a great 4-Thread Serger, I loved working with the Bernina L460 and can’t recommend it enough!!). Traditionally, when you sew a knit garment that has negative ease, the 4-Thread Stretch Stitch is the go to. What makes this stitch so much stronger than a 3-Thread Wide or Narrow Stitch is that it uses both needles to secure the looper threads.
But, what if you only have three cones of thread to match your fabric? …Or what if you want to try something new? Here comes the 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch! I took a super close up of the top side of these two stitches so you can see how they look. Above the 4-Thread Stitch is pictured on top and the 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch is on the bottom. Notice they both make use of two needles (red & green threads)!
Here’s a peek at the bottom of the stitches. Looking at them super up-close, I think the Upper Looper (Yellow) should be a little tighter on the 4-Thread Stitch… and the Left Needle (Red) should be a little tighter on the 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch The big difference is that the 3-Thread Super Stretch Stitch only uses the Lower Looper (Blue). The stitch is formed by the lower loop thread wrapping around front to back instead of joining with the upper looper thread in the case of the 4-Thread Stitch.
So get your Subsidiary Looper out (the little attachment that closes the hole in the Upper Looper) and give it a try! Pictured above is the Subsidiary Looper engaged on my Baby Lock Ovation Serger (It’s the black piece of metal attached to the upper looper). Check your instruction manual to see how to attach yours. It may be a separate piece that you have to clip on the looper.
This stitch is super strong and super stretchy as the name suggests!! In addition to this fun stitch, I’ll be sharing all sorts of things you can do with 3 Threads! If you’d like to join me, here’s a link to sign up for this 1 1/2 hour Zoom Class.
I’m apologizing ahead of time for typos or other boo boos in this post, I’m a little crushed for time this week because I’m leaving Thursday to Teach a Jean Fit Workshop with the Central PA ASG this weekend! We also received a notice from our cable company today… There is a “planned outage” for internet service on Wednesday… If you don’t see Subscriber Q&A pop up at 1:00 pm edt, I don’t have internet. At this point, they are not giving a time for this 4 hour outage!
