Pleating Fabric (another link to Spitalfields Life)

I'm going to repeat myself, you need to read this blog

Spitalfields Life is a treat you give yourself

and sometimes there is sewing content, in this case

PLEATING

https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/01/27/kyriacos-hadjikyriacou-pleater-i/

Go already!
 

ReNecking

 I have a fat neck. I don't have a problem with that, I'm turning 65.

I do have a problem with collars pinching me, so there's been some renecking.

For the Uniqlo sweater (the one with the squirrels), the turtle neck was a size small on an extra large knit sweater. A style choice I am sure, but I removed the original neck (it was knit on after the sweater was constructed) picked up stitches with some reasonably similar yarn and did a single knit roll edge. 

Not entirely perfect, but acceptable for the moment. It will get redone, with a proper count of stitches to be picked up.

The uniqlo turtle neck had same issues. I cut off the turtle just above the seam (to keep the neckline from stretching out a million miles, I want it to be a turtle, not a cowl)

Then I take that tall turtle piece and slice it up and sew it to be a longer shorter one.

I hope this makes sense

And then I took the bit I trimmed off the bottom and added it to the sleeves (after I cut off the ribbing cuffs - those pieces were too small to work with)

Pocket Zippers Need Tabs. They Just Do

 I've done this before, but let's see the new ones I made and didn't use!

This is one of the interior pocket zippers. They're the plastic toothed ones.

Interior pockets need tabs. For grabbing, for not snagging on your sweater, to keep the assembly from disassembling.  I like to put the novelty ribbons to work on this, but this ribbon is getting some use in other parts of the coat so let's use it like a grace note and repeat it just enough.

I do most of this by hand, because zippers are squirrely and like to scramble away from the presser foot.

There was a zipper pull emergency once, and someone had to give up their pull.

I have replacement ones now, I can make a quick one with Sugru (or a two part epoxy, or a big glob of hot glue) wrapped around a paperclip) when I finally use this one.

Gets a little machine sewing. It makes tinier stitches than I can.

Mark it to match the first one for length.

I am pointing to where I did not sew through the teeth. That does not work.

I cut out the teeth and glued the stub

and this shows you how the tape goes past the teeth on the wrapping tape

GLUE

Hello Twins (fraternal not identical)

Hand basting into the pocket opening

Ready for my closeup

Okay, there is puckering (at the top)

All this and - I switched the exterior fabric up and did't use them!