Kwik Sew 2881 - 6th time's a charm...

Thanks so much to everyone for your sweet comments about my dress and for all of the congratulations.  It was such a departure from my usual mommy wardrobe and what I usually sew.  I really enjoyed making and wearing it.  I'm glad that all of you liked it, too!

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Really, I have made these shorts 6 times, and Mitch loves everything about them, so I'm pretty sure there will be more.

Here are the 5 that he can still wear.  The first pair was a muslin of sorts, since I had never sewn anything like this before.  I used cheap spandex and whatever elastic I had lying around.  Despite that, Mitch wore them so much that he put holes in them.  Literal holes in the fabric.  So, I bought better spandex, nice elastic and made some more.  This post is mostly to document what I have learned as I've made them, so that I can remember for the next pair(s).  But if you skim down to the end, I'm adding a photo tutorial for attaching gripper elastic, so hey, it's not all about me.
So, first of all, I really love the instructions in this pattern, and I follow them.  There are a few places I deviate, and that is all I'm documenting here.
Supplies: Kwik Sew 2881
Heavyweight, slick spandex.  I like the Moleskin Matte from Spandex World.  It is an 8 oz. weight and has a nice feel.
Poly thread.  I use Mettler Metrosene.
Stretch 70/10 needles.  Jersey needles will work in a pinch, but I get a more consistent seam with stretch.
3/4 inch knitted elastic for the waistband
gripper elastic for the legs
Machine settings:
For seams: triple stretch stitch
For attaching elastic and topstitching: triple zigzag

Here is Janome, showing you her triple stretch stitch (15).  Next to it (16) is the triple zigzag.  Of note, since these stitches are self-locking, you don't have to backstitch, which is nice, since 1/4 inch seam allowances+slippery fabric=a meal for your feed dogs.
Construction notes:
Be sure to double check each seam as you go to make sure that the fabric didn't slip.  Just stretch the seam open and look for gaps in the seamline.
These work up quickly, but the inner leg panel is tricky to attach.  Here's what worked best for me:

Pin the CF/CB notches first, then stretch out the pieces together and pin 1 inch on either side.  Be sure to sew with the panel facing down so that you can see the CB/CF panel as you sew, as that side has the sharpest curve, and you want to keep an eye on it as you sew it.  Go slow and readjust at each pin.
For the waistband, I like to give myself about a 1/8 inch "header" over the top of the elastic,

then sew it with an overcast foot.

The foot turns under the "header" and gives a really nice finish to the waistband with no elastic showing.

(This picture is before I turned under the waistband the second time.  In the finished product, the elastic doesn't show at all.)

OK, now on the the Gripper Elastic Tutorial...  The pattern calls for a traditional elastic finish on the legs, but that tends to ride up, so I used gripper elastic instead, which is what you'll find on RTW biking shorts.  Installing it isn't hard, but I've picked up a few tricks along the way that have made it easier for me.  Here is how I do it.

First, construct your garment.  Installing the elastic will be in the round and should be pretty much your last step.  Now, you need to decide how much elastic you need.  Gripper elastic is very "stretchy" and doesn't have quite the same recovery as regular knitted elastic, so you want to use a slightly shorter piece, as it will stretch out a little as you sew it.  Pull it quite snugly around the body part it will eventually be on, and don't allow for any overlap.  To join the ends of the elastic, I found that it was more comfortable to seam it, rather than overlapping and stitching.

Here you can see the elastic for the waistband (on the left) which has been overlapped and zigzagged together, and the gripper elastic on the right, which was seamed (you're looking at the right side, with the seam allowances behind the elastic).  This way once the elastic is installed there is no raw edge to rub.
Once you have a loop of elastic, place it wrong side down on the right side of your garment.

The edge of the elastic should land at the "hemline" ie wherever you want your garment to end.  You'll be flipping it under in a bit and so that line will be the bottom, finished edge of your garment.  Now, using the triple zigzag, you want to stitch the elastic to the garment along that "hemline".

I like to sew it with the elastic up so that I can stitch right along the edge of the elastic, which gives it a very clean finish.  Stitch it around, then flip the elastic to the wrong side of the garment, so the the elastic and the garment are now wrong sides together.  If there is any fabric sticking out below the elastic, trim it off.  You want to encase the raw edge with the elastic.

Like so.  Pull it taut and pin around the circumference.  I like to pin at each seam and then again anywhere there is a longish gap.  Lots of pins are really helpful at this point, since you don't want this to end up baggy.  Notice I didn't do any sort of seam finish.  We found that this was the most comfortable, as it had the least bulk and was the least likely to chafe while Mitch ran.  I do try to sew the seams open, although this can be tricky with a narrow SA like this.  OK, next stitch along the unsewn edge of the elastic.

Try to keep the fabric as tight against the elastic as possible to get as smooth a finish as you can.  Again, I like the triple zigzag for this, but it does show on the outside, so if you want a very RTW look, the triple straight stitch or a coverstitch would work.  I wouldn't use a twin needle, as I don't think it would stretch enough.
And that is it!  No riding up for you!

Kwik Sew 2881

Mitch has been doing a lot of running lately, and has been getting a ton of use out of the shorts that I have made him from this pattern.  He's been running in tee shirts, but they get really hot here in the great state of Texas, so I got him some wicking jersey from Rockywoods Outdoor Fabrics to make him some cooler running gear.  I used the same Kwik Sew pattern as for his shorts (linked above).
I didn't want to use my fancy fabric on an untested pattern, particularly as all this running has had the side effect of significant weight loss, so I started with some cotton lycra interlock from the stash.

It's a  nice design, with a little extra length in the back for biking, a panel under the arms so that that aren't any seams where they might rub and a mock turtle neck to protect the neck from the sun.

Unfortunately, it turned out a bit snug...

In fact, he popped out the hem trying to get into it.  You have no idea how much fast talking I had to do to get these pictures!!
Anyway, back to the drawing board.  Well, tracing anyway.  The pattern mostly got the thumbs up.  I just have to make it in a larger size, and the turtleneck was nixed so I'll make a standard neckband instead.

But hey, it fits me!

Kwik Sew 2881

The fancy new elastics came in from Sew Sassy, so it was time to try them out on a second pair of running shorts for Mitch.  He loves this pattern, and we have refined the fit so it was time to use the nice Spandex!

I know - I still can't convince him to model them.  Anyway, I really like this Spandex!  It is the Matte Moleskin from Spandex World.  It is an 8 oz. weight, so it a smidge heftier than the average stuff, but still breathes really nicely.  It is actually more slick than the shiny stuff, which is what Mitch was looking for, but it wasn't any more difficult to sew.  It is a winner!  And since I can easily get two pair of shorts out a yard, it is a ridiculous bargain.

Here is a closeup of the fancy gripper elastic in the legs.  Mitch really likes this.  He tells me that you can't find unpadded shorts with grippers, so score one for home sewing!  I asked him how much he would expect to pay for shorts of this quality and he laughed.  He tells me that he generally pays 30-40 dollars for his shorts, but that they are not this nice (ie don't fit him as well, are of cheaper material and don't have the gripper elastic).  These were less than 10 bucks to make (for materials - the pattern was on sale for $8, but I've already used it twice...), so score two for home sewing!!

In case you are wondering, I am working hard on the Myrtlewood.  I've never sewn anything with quite this many pattern pieces before, and I made it worse by adding lining pieces.  It's moving along, though.  I'm still very much in the prepwork stage - interfacing, sewing darts, constructing the collar.  Oh, that collar is beautiful!!  It is cut on the bias and seamed at CB, so my herringbone fabric makes a lovely chevron effect.

See what I mean.  I'm so excited about this dress!!

Kwik Sew 2881

We're starting 2010 off with a bang by using a new fabric (Spandex!) with a new pattern.  I've only sewn one Kwik Sew prior to this and it was vintage, so this is my first modern Kwik Sew.  I have to start by saying that I hate that "Kwik" is spelled incorrectly.  It hurts me to type it.  So, going forward I will abbreviate it as KS so as not to further injure my spelling sensibilities (and because I love abbreviations!)

Despite the poor spelling of the brand name, this is a fabulous pattern.  Mitch has had problems finding running shorts that don't abrade certain delicate areas.  Generally the problem is seams at center front and in the crotch.  This pattern has no seam at CF (it's cut on the fold - that is one weird looking pattern piece!) and has a single panel that runs from hemline to hemline at the crotch, so no seams!  It was also a really quick sew.  There are only 4 pattern pieces, although they are assembled in sort of a strange way.  The KS directions are excellent.  No troubles there.  Sewing with Spandex was new to me, as well.  I hauled out Sandra Betzina's More Fabric Savvy and followed her directions for needle type, thread and stitch type, which means that rather than using a zigzag as recommended by KS, I sewed with a triple stretch stitch.  It looks good and it will hold up to all sorts of stress!  For the waistband and leg bands, I used the triple zigzag to attach the elastic and sew down the casing.  These are some sturdy shorts!

Front view

Mitch declined to model these for you, although he looks pretty darn awesome in them, if I do say so myself.  We did have to make some fit adjustments, but they are adjustments that I typically make for pants for him, so no shockers there.  The length was good, which is a bit surprising, since I generally have to shorten his pants, but I did take 4 1/2 inches off of the top of the pant at center front (Mitch likes to wear his pants on his hips), so I think that may have affected the length.

Rear View

He wore them running already and has declared that they are "perfect".  I am a little bit more picky, but the only thing I plan to change for the next pair is to use actual swim elastic in the waistband and gripper elastic in the legs.  This pair was my "muslin", since I used the cheap Spandex and regular elastic on them.  My sister recommended Spandex World's Moleskin which is quite lovely and what I'll be using for the next pair.  I'll get going on those once the elastic arrives from Sew Sassy.