Has anyone else made their inauguration outfit yet? Twice in recent years, I’ve traveled to Washington DC for presidential inaugurations – once to celebrate and once to protest (any guesses which is which ?). Because of the ongoing pandemic, I’m choosing to celebrate at home. Nothing says home like cozy sweats! Using royal blue Lady McElroy Tubular Textured knit fabric provided by Minerva, I made Seamwork’s Rudy hooded sweatshirt and Mel joggers. For the drawstring, I used wax print binding tape that I made from scraps. Rudy features a generous hoodie and a large front pocket, because everything needs more pockets. Mel are joggers with a combo elastic/drawstring waistband and nice-sized pockets. I’ve been hesitant to try joggers because they always look like regular sweatpants on me, and well, these look like regular sweatpants on me. They’re super comfortable though! Both pieces were easy to make and were started and completed in one weekend. Once the weather changes, I think I want to sew up these patterns again – only this time with a cropped Rudy and Mel shorts.
This Tubular fabric from Minerva is so cool! Every time I say tubular, I totally get an 80s Valley Girl accent. Does anyone else do that? Am I the only old person here? Anyway, this was my first time working with tubular fabric and was surprised to learn that instead of coming in large sheets like regular fabric, it comes in a large tube. This means you’ve got twice as much “fabric real-estate” to cut your fabric pieces on the folds. This was perfect for these two Seamwork patterns and it also allows you to use less fabric. For my inauguration outfit, for obvious reasons I chose a royal blue fabric. The color has really held up to multiple washings and it’s still just as vibrant as it was when I first got it. I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t seem to pill like other knit fabrics have a tendency to. When working with this fabric, be sure to use a brand-new ballpoint needle. I know I have a tendency to just use whatever needle is in my machine, but it’s really important to use a ballpoint needle for this knit. I was having trouble at first sewing stitches into this fabric but then when I switched my needle, it was smooth sailing from then out. can’t stress the importance of using the right tools for the right project. If you’re ever struggling with fabric, take a moment to evaluate if you’ve got the right needles, the right thread (not just the color but the right material and/or type), the right tension. Taking the time to check these little things can make a world of difference. You know what else can make a world of difference? Voting. I’m looking at you, Georgia.
