I tried making a couple garments with woven cotton in the past, but nothing came out well enough for me to actually wear.
I finally bought the Sewing With Knits class on Craftsy with Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated, and it. Is. Awesome! She dispelled all my fear of working with knit fabrics, and the patterns for the class are simple, staple items that are perfect for garment beginners like me.
So far I've made three of her Surplice Empire-Waist Dresses and one V-neck T-shirt. No picture of the T-shirt I'm afraid, but it turned out nice.
This first dress I made is great, but I really needed to lengthen the bodice (top portion), so I added an inch for the second dress.
It fit much better, but before I made the third dress, I added another 1/2". The third one is perfect. I also made long sleeves, since it gets a little chilly in Wisconsin over the winter. 😉
I already have fabric and plans for two more of these dresses. They're so comfortable. Paired with leggings, they are perfect for around the house or running out for errands. My son loves to tug the hem when he wants something. 😉
Meg's class is great if you want to start sewing with knits. She teaches the tricks for using your regular domestic sewing machine. You don't need a serger! All you need is a zig-zag stitch. I only had to purchase three inexpensive items to go with my fabric for this class. The dresses and shirt have all worn and washed (a few times already) beautifully. Give it a shot!
