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Hopeful for a new cardi and avoiding some tension problems …

Linda of Lányos Handmade / Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!

A while ago I purchased two fabrics – both 85% polyester and 15% rayon knits – a Chevron pattern, one a Hunter Green and one a Red.  Just on a whim.  These fabrics spread out are a bit overwhelming for my taste – but they were too beautiful to resist.  I had to figure out what I was going to make with them.

I thought I would make a cardigan with one, perhaps the darker one, and a skirt … or culottes … or a skirt … or culottes … with the brighter one.

My favourite cardigan pattern is Butterick B5789.  I’ve made my red one successfully before here.  Now just to be brave and try new things, this time, I thought I would try making a cardigan that was reversible.  The green Chevron pattern on one side and a white linen look on the other.  That way if I didn’t feel bold I could wear the Chevron fabric on the inside, just peeking out, and if I was feeling BOLD then I could wear the Chevron fabric on the outside.  I thank my friend, Nadine, for giving me the white linen looking fabric (and quite a few others!).

I wasn’t too sure how I wanted to cut out the Chevron fabric, but I assumed that it would be similar to matching stripes.  So after laying the fabric out on the floor – with the Chevron stripes perfectly straight – I lay my two pieces on top again being careful to make them perfectly straight.

Carefully placed.
Carefully cut.

Then I flipped my cut pattern pieces so they were right sides together with my fabric, matched them up with the fabric underneath, and cut out my second pattern pieces.

Almost invisible!

Cutting out the white linen look fabric was business as usual.  This body piece is huge!

Next comes the fun part … the sewing!  Will I be successful?  Can I make a reversible cardigan out of these two fabrics?  Have you made a reversible garment before?

I promised a couple of posts ago when I introduced you to Amber – my 1954 Singer Slant-o-matic Convertible, model 421G, that I would give you the details on how to disassemble/reassemble the upper tension.  I’m not an expert so I took step-by-step photos and I referred to The Archaic and the Arcane‘s Youtube which I have attached at the end of this post.  I am glad I did take the photos and follow the Youtube because there was an extra piece in this assembly that I wasn’t familiar with.  I was happy to refer to the helpful YouTube video from The Archaic and the Arcane.

Most of my upper tension assembly pieces are removed.  My tension stud looks crooked.
I can loosen this small screw inside to remove my tension stud and tension release pin.

 

Tension stud and tension release pin removed too.
Now to place them back in, make sure your presser foot is up, push in the tension stud and push in the tension release pin all the way.  Position the tension stud so it is horizontal and then tighten the small screw inside.

 

That’s better!
Next pieces – the three tension disks and the plate are sandwiched between the take up spring.
The little post is upright and slipped in the hole and the take up spring hook is in the tension stud slot and the take up spring curve is in the bottom position.
The take up spring is pulled up so it catches on the hook of the plate.
Next comes the plus/minus dial and the beehive spring.
The washer, with its little finger up.
Here’s the confusion.  Last time I assembled an upper tension, I had only two pieces left – the numbered collar and the screw on knob.  Amber has the numbered collar and three silver pieces that make up the screw on knob … or does she?
This machine is different!  This flange collar goes on next …
and is screwed on until it is flush with the tension stud.
Next the numbered collar is placed on and held at position “8”.
Almost to the end now, we can spin on the other part of the knob making sure we hold the numbered collar at position “8” …
and the final piece is placed on.
Still holding at position “8” the set screw is tightened.   This little screw is used to loosen the knob up to make fine adjustments to your tension assembly later.

I have taken these photos to remind myself how it all goes together as I’m not an expert at this yet.  I’ve also saved the Youtube that helped me out.  Let’s hear how it’s done from a professional!

Do you use Youtube as a sewing resource?  What was the last helpful one you found? 

To finish off, let me just say “Thank you” to The Archaic and the Arcane for helping me out with Amber!

Happy Sewing!

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