I've never been one to do last minute sewing before I intend to wear it and I nearly threw this one to the wind because I was so close to the deadline and thought I would not finish it. My flight to PRW 2019 (in Portland, OR this year) was at 11:30 am Thu and I had work from 6:00-8:30 am before heading to the airport, so when I was still sewing on those metallic accents at 10pm on Wed, I decided I might just leave it. But I didn't.
Ruska is a pattern from Named's book Breaking the Pattern. It is a very interesting collection, such a mix of minimalist and streamlined items (inspired by classic shapes), usually featuring some sort of quirky or distinct characteristic -- comfortable but fresh. There is nothing terribly complicated, just good clean lines surrounding a little challenge. Before the Ruska, I had only worked with knits 1 time before and I didn't really know what I was doing. However, with the the Ruska, I took the time to make a plan, which is a little earth-shattering for me. I found out about the miracle called the triple stretch stitch and I learned about the importance of the weight of the knit.
I added a silver stem stitch around all exposed hem seams on the front of the garment. I did the hem of the upper front (the bow piece) first and it was a nightmare to sew with the metallic thread. I started waxing the thread after that, which made it easier, but I found that stabilizing the thread between my finger anywhere between the needle and the thread's exit point from the last stitch helped prevent knots and uneven tension.
I experienced some rolling around the hem of upper front piece, which tells me that I either stretched the fabric and it's not going to go back to it's original shape, or I just need to use a heavier weight knit. Overall, I'm pleased with it and would like to make another. It was super easy and I gained such good experience with knits, which I had a unspoken fear of since I typically just go with wovens.
Happy Sewing!
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