Nighty Night

I promised someone that I would make an infant sleep sack.  I was admonished to avoid pink and purple.  So I chose lavender.  That's not exactly true.  I didn't choose lavender purposefully.  I chose it because it was handy.  The fabric, which was a tube, not a piece with selvages and all, was part of a stash I brought home from Mom's last summer. 

"Well, that's the way it is made, you know.  In a circle. "  Mom declared.  "I had forgotten all about that fabric."

"I have never seen fabric come like this before.  I have some knit, but it isn't a tube.  It's just like all the other fabric I have."

"Oh, I suppose it is more convenient for home sewers to purchase fabric in a piece, not as a tube." My mother said with authority, as if she were anything but a home sewer.

"I don't know, Mom.  I sort of wish my other jersey knit had come as a tube. "

Betsy had loaned me a pattern.  McCall's.  I traced size medium onto some scrap packing paper and cut out the pieces.  The pattern directed you to sew the shoulder seams together first.  Not me.  I sewed in the zipper, first thing.  My mother taught me to do it that way.  It makes sense.  Why have all that bulk?

I have NO EXPERIENCE sewing with knits.  I have three, count them, three ball point needles.  I have three, count them, three boxes of Schmetz bulk microtex (100 each) needles for sewing cotton. I do have some universal needles, which I understand can be used on knits.  However, I have been told  that ball point needles are the way to go. The ball point needle pushes the fabric threads aside, rather than piercing them. 

I was doing pretty well until I bent the needle when I sewed across the zipper.  I thought I was sewing into the teeth of the nylon zipper.  Nope, I hit metal.  Now I am down to two ball point needles.

I successfully sewed in the zipper .  I then tried the serger for the shoulder seams.  It worked but the fabric stretched out at the end of the seam.  I decided to go back to the Kenmore.

Now, this Kenmore is a very nice 158.1931.  I switched it out for my 1760 which was relegated to the "studio" as a bobbin winder for the quilt frame.  It winds the best bobbins.  I had been having tension trouble with the 1931 but it was OK for utility sewing.  I had messed with that tension assy to no avail and had given up a few weeks ago.  Today, when I was clearing off the work table in the shop I found a brand new Kenmore tension assy.  It came with the South River parts.  I put it in the 1931 and with no other adjustment, perfect stitches. 

Some day I may tell you about the 90 minutes I spent farting around with the assy that I replaced.  Not now.

I had such success with that 1931 on that Jersey !  No problems at all.  I sewed the side seams together.  No stretching, skipped stitches or tension problems.  I didn't even have to pin!

I am used to a flat bed machine.  Remember, I have been treadling almost exclusively every time I sew these days.  Even though I pulled the bed off and exposed the open arm, I still sewed as if I were on a flat bed machine.

Does that fabric look pink?  Oh dear. 

Of course I realized it half way through the arm hole hem.  Second hem, proper use of machine.

This sleep sack is huge.  I thought it would be a good summer garment.  Maybe it will still be hot enough by the time the child fits it.  Sigh.

Sleep sack with Binkie snap

I attached the Binkie Snap to hide a hole in the fabric.   I have no idea if it will fit a binkie but it's the thought that counts.

I found a darling little size 3-6 mos sleeper at the thrift store. I think I can use it for a pattern for an appropriate sized sleep sack. 

Or I can go back to the McCall's pattern and trace a size small. (Boring)

 I have more lavender fabric.  I know that I  should honor the request to avoid pink or purple.  What does that leave?  Blue?  Green?  Brown?  Red?  Yellow?  Black?  Gray?  I do have some black, blue and gray in my fabric stash.  Not really good colors for this application.  Oh darn, I guess I will have to go fabric shopping.