I did it! My first project of the year is done! I always like to start with something easy after the holiday season. Often I’ll make a t-shirt or something like that. This year I decided to make myself a pair of fun pajamas. I’ve had this fabric (bought at JoAnn Fabrics) for a few years now. The knit fabric for the top was also purchased at JoAnn’s but I don’t remember exactly what it is.
The Top
For the top, I used one of my tried-and-true patterns . The Angela Wolf Ruched-T pattern is one I have made many times. I’ve never used it for a pj top before. For this version of the top, I made it with long sleeves and the regular neckline.
The Pants
For the pj pants, I used the Sewing And The City Lexington pattern. I have made the night dress before and the short set, but this was the first time using the pattern for the long pants. The only thing I did differently on this pattern was to eliminate the elastic at the hem of the legs.
First Project Of The Year Is Done!
Both of these patterns are easy to sew and relatively quick to make. For me, the point of starting with something easy is to get my sew-jo going. Since I start with something easy, I believe it sets me up in the right way for the year.
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that a new year is upon us. It seems like 2022 flew by. Every year I like to set some goals for myself, so here are my 2023 sewing goals and plans. As always, things can change so I always leave room for some flexibility.
The Sewing Room
I would like to rearrange or reorganize my sewing room. As you may know, I sew in my basement, so there are some things in my sewing room that don’t have another place to go in the house. But I’m thinking that if I can at least reorganize, I could freshen up the space and maybe make it work better. I always like an organized room because it just helps me think better.
Stash Busting
This year (more than previous years) I want to intentionally and purposefully use my fabric AND pattern stash. There have been times when I didn’t want to take the time to go into the fabric bins to find a perfectly good and suitable piece of fabric for a project. That is something I definitely need to change this year. Not only is there a lot of fabric, but I have some really nice pieces that I want to use and have plans for.
As far as the pattern stash is concerned, I have some terrific patterns that I have never used. Most of the patterns I buy are more classic styles, so they don’t really go out of style so easily. Once you determine your own style, trends become less important anyway.
Currently Working On
I always like to start the new year off with an easy project. This year I am making myself a pajama set. I’m combining two different patterns for this. For the pants I’m using the Lexington loungewear set from Sewing And The City patterns.
I’ve made the short pj set from this pattern before. And as you can see, I’m using donut fabric. I bought this at JoAnn Fabrics a few years ago. This is a woven fabric. I have a piece of solid blue knit fabric that I’ll use for the top. I haven’t quite made a final decision on what pattern I’ll use for that.
Clean Machines
Here’s a reminder for you sewists out there. If you haven’t cleaned your sewing machines and sergers recently, now is a good time to do it. I started the year by cleaning and oiling my serger and sewing machine. I also changed the needles in both. No one wants to stop sewing or damage their sewing machine because of a broken needle or accumulated lint.
Conclusion
Any ideas that you might have for what you’d like to see in video or on the blog, please let me know in the comments. I have some ideas, but I’d like to hear from you as well.
So those are my 2023 sewing goals and plans at least for now. I would like to get back into lingerie sewing as well this year. I have quite a supply of materials for that as well. And there are some new patterns I have that I’d like to try.
Not too long ago, I did a YouTube video on this process, but I also wanted to write a blog post. I want to give you readers some twin needle stitching tips. These are things I do myself that really help. Using a twin needle in your regular sewing machine can give a nice professional looking finish. I don’t have a coverstitch machine, so that is the reason I like this technique.
Twin Needles I Use
More often than not, I use the first twin needle pictured. I like the spacing of the needles and how the finish looks. I also get less tunneling (I’ll explain later).
When To Use Twin Needles
I use the twin needles for hemming knits and for stitching around necklines on knit tops. These tops were finished with a twin needle at the sleeve hems, bottom hem and around the neckline. It’s something I do for t-shirts especially. This is a way to get a nice looking finish on your knit projects.
Machine Settings
Some sewing machines will have special setting for using a twin needle. I have a Brother sewing machine that you must make sure to choose the twin needle, rather than single needle. If your sewing machine is like this (you can check your manual if you aren’t sure), be sure to make that change. You will also need to make sure that your stitch plate is not for a straight stitch only (it usually has only one narrow hole). Most regular needle plates have a wide opening that is good for straight, zigzag and twin needle stitching.
Stitching
Once everything is set, it’s time to sew! This is the fun part. You’ll need two spools of thread to thread the needles. If you don’t have two spools of the same color and you are trying to match your fabric, you can wind an extra bobbin. That bobbin can be your second spool. It’s important to note that all stitching is done from the right side of the fabric.
Here is an example I made using the two twin needles showing how the widths look compared to one another.
For most of my sewing, I prefer the narrower needle. It’s just a personal preference but I think it looks good for most fabrics and projects. The tunneling I mentioned earlier is when a raised area (ridge) forms in between the two needles.
Trimming
After you’ve sewn your hem, there may be excess fabric on the wrong side. I usually fold up my hem and sew within that in order to make sure I’ve caught all the fabric (remember, stitching from the right side). I trim off the excess fabric using either duckbill scissors or curved scissors.
Here is a link to my YouTube video where I show the processI use for sewing and trimming when I use a twin needle.
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This is a process that will give you some really nice, professional looking results. It may take a bit of time and practice, but it’s an easy process.
