I did a little sample stitching with the spool of Gutermann stretch thread I got with my last Wawak order. It's just weird! It has enough tension that it doesn't exactly feel like elastic but it doesn't snap when you pull it.
The label says it is 100% PBT. I wasn't sure what that is, so I did a search and found out it's a special type of polyester called "polybutylene terephthalate." It's mostly used as an electrical insulator in power cords/connectors and electronic equipment. But "PBT can also be made into yarn. This has a natural stretch similar to Lycra and can be incorporated into sports wear. Due to its chlorine resistance it is commonly found in swimwear." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybutylene_terephthalate
Video of my stitch sample on a scrap of 95% cotton 5% spandex fabric. Pink stitching is stretch thread and green is regular 100% polyester all purpose thread. This would definitely allow for sewing knits with a straight stitch in a regular sewing machine as long as you're not making something with excessive negative ease.
I think Coats brand Eloflex might also be PBT, but I couldn't confirm that from the photos of the labels on the internet. I need to buy a spool of Eloflex at some point to compare with the Gutermann.
#thread
I spent the day priming things for paint and then I remembered to shoot a quick video. #SewingStudioBuild
I started cutting all the edges while Janet was away yesterday morning. When she got back after lunch, she pulled out a roller and started filling in. I'll put a pic below in the comments. #SewingStudioBuild
We broke for lunch and then came back with a portal ac unit plugged in to an extention cord from the house. Can't wait until they finished hooking up all the electrical and we have the mini split cooling the room for us - it was stupid humid today! #SewingStudioBuild
Merry Christmas, everyone!
If you're looking for something Christmasy to listen to/watch over the next few days, here's the most recent episode of my favorite podcast Blurry Creatures. It's a really fascinating (and nerdy) deep dive into the Biblical story of the Magi.
Two days after my son turned in his last paper for his bachelor's degree, I finished my shirt sewing project. Eight shirts, made to measure. Most of the fabrics are linen. Yes, regrettably you can tell exactly when I got my sewing machine repaired... but I hope these help him as he moves through his master's program and in life.
We had a very quiet Thanksgiving, and I'm doing palate cleansers between the shirts in my shirt gift project, so I ran through the scrap pile and made myself an apron.
Aprons, IME, should be made of thicker fabrics in order to actually prevent splashes and stains from getting to your real clothes. Both of these were skirt leftover bits :)
