It’s taken me awhile to sit and write the review of the Swimstyle Billow Sleeve Knit* because I was tempted to start sewing another one straight away. However, the weather is warming up, so I’ll give it a break before making another version. I really admire the very organised sewists that plan their sewing according to the seasons. I can’t seem to keep up and it ends up frustrating me, so I don’t even try!
The sleeves are what drew me to this pattern. I decided on the cropped version with the regular neckline. There is also a longer version which I think would suit a lighter knit. I managed to score this dusky rose ribbed knit from my local fabric store. It is the perfect match for this pattern. It’s very soft and cozy to wear.
As with my other Swimstyle makes, I chose to sew the size L for my measurements of 38-inch bust and 33-inch waist. The sizing has been impressively consistent, so I didn’t bother with a toile. This saves me so much in fabric. It’s great to have a pattern that is so reliable.
Knit fabric has been a challenge that I wanted to try and master this year. I had some issues with my hem. It’s always the smallest things that give the biggest, unexpected challenge in a project. I had to reach out to the sewing community online and as usual, everyone was so generous with their advice. The first time I tried to sew my hem, it became wavy and looked awful.
The tips that were given to me included:
- Use a ball point needle and use a zig zag stitch (2 Length: 2.5 Width), which I did.
- I found the fabric pieces slipped a bit so I’m hoping to invest in a walking foot next time.
- Someone suggested that I stabilise the hems and shoulder seams with clear elastic or knit interfacing. I think I’ve seen something on the True Bias Website which might help.
- Another tip I learnt from someone was that if the serger is stretching the fabric out, you can turn the differential feed higher to avoid that (to avoid that wavy hem).
To resolve the issue, I unpicked my hem and resewed it with a twin needle. It needed a bit of steam and a press to regain its shape.
So glad that I’m part of a generous community and it’s made it so much easier for me to progress my sewing.
Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
X Em
*Gifted as part of the Swimstyle Ambassador Program but all opinions remain my own.
Em Sew Happy Blog 