I'm Done with the Tangerine Top

I look so happy in the photo. But, folks, I'm acting.

Never has something so simple taken so long to create. If you read this blog regularly, you know of my equipment troubles. If you read my Twitter feed, you know of other issues that came up. At this point, I'm not sure I'll even do one of my regular "Further Notes on the..." posts.

Perhaps one day I'll recover and can look back on this top without emotion.... I did work out a couple of new (to me) techniques. In fact, aside from the things that went wrong, this top was one of the easiest things I've sewn. Even the asymmetrical hemline and neckline were easy.

Though I feared working with 100% bamboo (I thought it would be slippery.), this embossed rib Clementina behaved itself marvelously.

And it's done. Maybe that's why I'm really smiling in the top photo.

And though I'm often more into process than product, sometimes done is better than... undone.

See Further Notes on the Tangerine Top posted 3 August 2013.

O!
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Shared on Kollabora, Make It Wear It, and Saturday Show-Off 
Edited 10Aug2013

The Helpful Serger

As I've stated before, a serger isn't mandatory for cutting and sewing sweater knit fabrics, but it certainly is helpful and efficient. It trims an edge and immediately finishes it; two tasks are completed at virtually the same time. While my serger is out being serviced, I got to thinking about the history of the overlock machine in general and my history with it in particular.

My machine, with handy threading diagrams

When I first started making fully fashioned sweaters, the very thought of using a serger on my knitting seemed odd and unnecessary. I, as well as other machine knitters, already had the skills and tools to shape our garments, thank you. I more recently have come to appreciate the serger as a tool that can make crafting a beautiful sweater fun, easy and accessible to those who don't knit or crochet, as long as the crafter has basic sewing skills and access to beautiful knit fabric. ;)

As the people over at Merrow Sewing Machine Company tell it, the first Merrow Crochet Machine was invented in 1868 by Joseph Millard Merrow to finish the top edges of men's socks knitted at their Merrow Mills of Hartford Connecticut. The history is fascinating, if you enjoy that type of thing, and you can read about it here. After more than a century of development of this technology, the company, now called The Merrow Sewing Machine Company, is run by the great-grandnephews of inventor Joseph Millard Merrow.

Today, of course, there are many fine manufacturers of machines that do overedge stitching and trimming for both the industrial and domestic markets. Hopefully, my machine will be back and doing my bidding really soon.

O!

When Bad Things Happen to Good Machines

Egads!! Did you hear that loud "Clunk" sound at about noon? That was my serger. :(

I was almost finished with the Tangerine Top when it happened. Hard to believe that it was only yesterday when I was engaging in lively Twitter banter with my clever tweeps regarding said serger.

RT @ojollyknits Can one be addicted to one's serger?/ Of course. And it's okay until you start cheating with someone else's.
— Brooke Bovard (@SchoolmarmDE) July 4, 2013

@ojollyknits Yes! And it's not cheating, even if you use your standard sewing machine.
— Paula Dennis (@lahondaknitter) July 4, 2013

My Tangerine Top was coming along nicely. I'd finished the asymmetrical neckline.

In the middle of sewing a sideseam, (which I had originally planned to sew with my sewing machine,) that sound happened. Alas, my serger has seized up. I'm unable to advance the machine with the handwheel. I had to remove the needles to get the Tangerine Top off the machine.

And my dealer is taking the long holiday weekend.

O!
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Update: Please read my post on Needles and Knits to read what may have caused this problem.