Sewing Clothes For A Cruise

I am finishing up a pair of cotton blend pants. My question is what kind of hem stitch do you use when sewing. I think I will just use a straight stitch. In the past I have used a blind hem stitch. I like the look of the blind hem, but it is a pain to take out later if I want to lengthen the pants in a year or two. What stitch to you like to use?

It depends on the style of the pants. Either straight or blind hem are my go to stitches for most wovens. I’m sure, at some point in time, I might even have sewn them by hand! I’ll use zig zag, double needle or ******ing for knits. I have yet to have a need for the blind hem knit stitch. I look forward to the future when I can invest in a cover stitch machine.

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It depends on the style of the pants. Either straight or blind hem are my go to stitches for most wovens. I’m sure, at some point in time, I might even have sewn them by hand! I’ll use zig zag, double needle or ******ing for knits. I have yet to have a need for the blind hem knit stitch. I look forward to the future when I can invest in a cover stitch machine.

 

 

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I can’t believe my response was censored! I guess another, but less accurate, term might be “smocking” for fagoting stitch.

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It depends on the style of the pants. Either straight or blind hem are my go to stitches for most wovens. I’m sure, at some point in time, I might even have sewn them by hand! I’ll use zig zag, double needle or ******ing for knits. I have yet to have a need for the blind hem knit stitch. I look forward to the future when I can invest in a cover stitch machine.

 

 

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Thanks for the info. I guess thee must be some sort of auto censoring on CC. Because I think if it was done by a person they could have Goggled the term and found out it is a sewing term.

I took some time off from sewing due to my parents moving from Texas to Tennessee. They wanted to live near Walt and me, so the last 6 months have been a little crazy between selling the house, finding senior living here, doctors, etc. Now that they are all settled in, I can get back to my sewing.

The project that I am starting this weekend is SWIMWEAR!!! After years of frustration searching for swimwear and rash guards that work for me, I decided I am better off making my own. LA Finch Fabrics had 3 swim prints on their end of bolt sale, so I was able to buy 4 yards of each at $20 per cut. Patterns are from Patterns for Pirates (online pdf): Siren Swim Top, Hello Sailor Swim Bottoms, and Slim Fit Raglan for the rash guard. I like bikinis, so this works for me and I love the idea of a matching rash guard. 4 yards is way more fabric than I need, but the end of bolt is pre-determined yardage, so i will find something to do with the excess.

This weekend will be a bunch of taping the pages together and then cutting out patterns. I have excess spandex from other projects, so will make a test one out of that stuff. I learned a long time ago, do not use the fabric you love on a new pattern. Figure out the fit and sizing, then use the good stuff.

Our cruise is not until December, so I have plenty of time to make all of this. :)

Lisa

WooHoo! Good for you, Lisa. I am having the worst time with fit right now and not sure how to approach my learning curve, so I admire your ambitions! Please share your experiences along the way.

~Pam

WooHoo! Good for you, Lisa. I am having the worst time with fit right now and not sure how to approach my learning curve, so I admire your ambitions! Please share your experiences along the way.

 

~Pam

I learned a bunch from YouTube on fit and grading patterns. The swim bottoms I had to grade out for the leg opening and it is pretty simple once you know how. I have big thighs from rowing, so I was not surprised that my thigh measurement is a size bigger than my waist and hips. The biggest thing for fit is to make sure you are properly measuring yourself and then measure again and again. I measure myself before every project just in case something has changed.

Other ways to ensure fit is to lengthen or shorten a pattern. I am 5'11", so I have to lengthen every pattern. On the swimwear project I will be lengthening something on every piece. Bottoms will receive and additional inch to the rise, bikini top will have longer straps, and the rash guard will receive additional length in the torso and sleeves. The pattern is a starting point, and from there everything can be adjusted.

Most of all, just have fun with sewing. Start with simple patterns and build up from there. There is a learning curve and I am still learning. I tend to stick with easy to medium skill level patterns in order to keep my sanity.

Lisa

Lisa, Happy to see you back on this thread and back to sewing. Glad to see that you got your parent settled in by you. It is easier to have them live close to you that for you having to travel to them when help is needed.

I have never made swimwear. So I have to ask, what is a rash guard on a swim suit?

Right now I am making pants. I wear pants a lot on a cruise. But I plant to branch out and try to make some simple dresses.

WooHoo! Good for you, Lisa. I am having the worst time with fit right now and not sure how to approach my learning curve, so I admire your ambitions! Please share your experiences along the way.

 

~Pam

Have you looked at http://www.patternreview.com

Lisa, Happy to see you back on this thread and back to sewing. Glad to see that you got your parent settled in by you. It is easier to have them live close to you that for you having to travel to them when help is needed.

 

I have never made swimwear. So I have to ask, what is a rash guard on a swim suit?

 

Right now I am making pants. I wear pants a lot on a cruise. But I plant to branch out and try to make some simple dresses.

A rash guard is a swim shirt to wear over your bathing suit. I burn easily, so I wear one when snorkeling. They can be short sleeve or long sleeve. I have seen some that are cropped and show the mid drift, but I don’t understand the point of that.

Lisa

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A rash guard is a swim shirt to wear over your bathing suit. I burn easily, so I wear one when snorkeling. They can be short sleeve or long sleeve. I have seen some that are cropped and show the mid drift, but I don’t understand the point of that.

 

Lisa

 

 

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Thanks Lisa. I have seen shirts that have a uv protection in them. It is a good idea to wear s rash guard while in the water.

A rash guard is a swim shirt to wear over your bathing suit. I burn easily, so I wear one when snorkeling. They can be short sleeve or long sleeve. I have seen some that are cropped and show the mid drift, but I don’t understand the point of that.

 

Lisa

 

 

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I love my rash guard. I could maybe see a cropped rash guard for pregnant moms that are wearing a full torso coverage suit but still want arm/shoulder coverage. Otherwise I'm with you:confused:

Our school got a deal on black swim fabric years ago and use it to cover folding tables for events. Depending on how much you have left over that might be an option.

Thanks Lisa. I have seen shirts that have a uv protection in them. It is a good idea to wear s rash guard while in the water.

It is a good idea to wear a rash guard but it is also fine to just wear a swim shirt. If you are shopping online...watch the terminology as this MIGHT help give a clue as to the fit of the top.

A rash guard is called a rash guard because the idea originated with surfers. Laying on a surf board to paddle out can be a major skin irritant, so the idea came to wear a shirt that would function as a rash guard. The shirt idea was improved upon to be made out of stretch swim suit fabric (like women's suits rather than men's swim trunks) that would hug the body and not interfere with performance while actually surfing. So rash guards are technically made to be fitted to the body just like a swim suit, tight but responsive to movement.

The idea that a shirt made out of swim suit fabric could be used as SPF protection started to gain popularity as people became aware of the idea. I recall how hard a time I have had finding rash guards for DS when he was young (he's now 17) and I remember many, many times when he was the only little boy with one on and the other kids would be like, why are you wearing that shirt? And he would say, so I don't have to wear so much sun lotion! (which was a dreaded thing to have to put on for whatever reason).

Anyway...the idea of rash guards has birthed the idea of a swim shirt...which is like a rash guard but looser in the fit. While a rash guard is intended to be tight enough to not ride up during normal surfing motions and activity, a swim shirt can be much looser and more comfortable...intended to only function as SPF for normal swim activity. A swim shirt is still usually made from typical swim suit fabric.

Since rash guards first came into being to protect exposed stomachs, it's pretty odd to me to hear about crop rash guards.

I am starting to make a pair of wide leg pants for our next cruise. This time instead of just taking a spool of all purpose thread out and sewing, I decided to find out more about thread. I found two sites that gave me some good advice on thread. I decided to us a all purpose polyester thread. My fabric has a little stretch in it , so I think this thread will work. I never really gave thread much thought before. But I am trying to improve my skills. Next I am going to check out the sewing needles. Below are the links to the thread web sites.

https://www.superiorthreads.com/education-thread-characteristics

https://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Sewing-Thread

Today I am sewing! Other than running out to lunch, all I am doing today is sewing swimwear!

Lining for the bottoms is done and they fit!!!

Lisa

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Lisa,

It is great to hear that you are sewing today. I can't wait to see your swimsuit. I am still working on the wide leg pants. I got the front pieces cut. I just take too long on matching up the print. (Plus I was under the weather too). Today I will cut out the rest. To match my seam (especially the side seam, if a straight on) I use this method. http://sewaholic.net/how-to-match-prints-along-seams/

One question for you. To post pictures, what photo web site do you use?

Lisa,

 

It is great to hear that you are sewing today. I can't wait to see your swimsuit. I am still working on the wide leg pants. I got the front pieces cut. I just take too long on matching up the print. (Plus I was under the weather too). Today I will cut out the rest. To match my seam (especially the side seam, if a straight on) I use this method. http://sewaholic.net/how-to-match-prints-along-seams/

 

One question for you. To post pictures, what photo web site do you use?

I am taking pictures with my iPhone and then posting the pictures by using the cruise critic app. I found that it is easier to post pictures this way than dealing with a 3rd party site.

I finished the tester bottoms and it's a great fit for the most part. I need to use a little more elastic for the leg holes, but other than that it's perfect. I learned a bunch about sewing in a lining. Next time I will baste it to the outer layer before adding the elastic. Swim fabric is slippery.

Lisa

Good for you two ladies! I have spent this long weekend finally completing some mending and re-working tasks so I'll feel like sewing again. I now have 8 or 9 items that are wearable once more and I'm excited to be back at the machine!

Good for you two ladies! I have spent this long weekend finally completing some mending and re-working tasks so I'll feel like sewing again. I now have 8 or 9 items that are wearable once more and I'm excited to be back at the machine!

Re-working garments is a way to give you a new look. Lisa (RedHeadTexan) has done that in the past with bargain finds. They really came out great.

I started working on the bikini top today. It is coming along, but I may need to bring the neckline up a bit and go up a cup size for the next one. I will make those decisions when this one is done.

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I started working on the bikini top today. It is coming along, but I may need to bring the neckline up a bit and go up a cup size for the next one. I will make those decisions when this one is done.

 

 

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YOu are moving right along with your sewing. I like the little clips that you are using.

I have one more piece of the pants to cut out. I got very behind.

Last week I was sitting at the computer and got up, that was the end of my foot. I had to be wheeled into ER. Don't know what happened, but all is fine now. They gave me a boot, but could not touch my foot to the floor. By the A.M. I could walk with out the boot with some pain. Just crazy! Foot still a little swollen. This got me behind in every thing.

The clips are awesome and so much easier than dealing with pins. No more stabbing my fingers. :)

Lisa

I recently started using those clips. They are a game changer. Makes alterations so much easier especially when taking the garment off. I’ve been seeing more than 40 years and these are the best tool ever! Under $10 for 100 on Amazon.

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I made some more progress this afternoon...

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I made some more progress this afternoon...

 

 

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You are really making progress. Looks very nice, can't wait to see the finish project.

I am learning a bunch working on swimwear. I didn't understand the instructions for attaching the lining, but just thought it out and did it. I should be able to finish the top today and then I am cutting another bottom and practicing the leg elastic one more time. After that, I will make pattern adjustments to the top. The fit is good, but I want more coverage since I am an F cup...more coverage is always better. I think by tomorrow I can start on the prototype of the swim top/rash guard.

Walt's impressed, but is wondering if I will get all the swimwear made by our cruise. We leave December 7th, so I am pretty sure I can get this done. :)

Lisa