Progress on maintenance

Hello, everyone. The holes in the previous post are almost done. All they need is to have the Fabri-solvy to be soaked off and a bit of Fray check to discourage the bits of yarn from making runners.

The front and back work on shirt 1. I got a really good color match on this one. The front work is close to where the backpack strap goes. There will probably be test fit later. 🤞

Commencing on shirt 2.

The damage is more structural with this one, the one hole is at the shoulder and cuts 2 seam lines. The ball point pins came out because getting the shoulder to lie flat in the embroidery hoop was going poorly. And keeping the strain on the knit fabric as even and gentle as possible matters. This cut crosses over where the backpack strap will lie, making it even more important. 

There are 3 different threads in use for basting: the remnants of the earlier work at the neck, a darker shade, and the darkest, which looks like the best match: "Tree Bark" polyester thread. I basted the shoulder seam line straight before beginning to stabilizer the rest. Then I basted down the point of the cut to nest into itself.

The cut line is not only long, it also curves. At the end I will remove all of the basting that is not covered by the repair stitches.

Hiking also means gear maintenance

Hello, everyone.  To day I will talk over with y'all the latest gear maintenance project, a part of preparation for walking the Camino again.

This shirt encountered an accident. I contacted the maker, VOORMI, and sought advice. They were super supportive and recommended me to use a whip stitch, fine needle, and very fine thread. About in the 80 to 100 weight thread, actually, in polyester. 

I had some 80 weight Aurifil cotton in the house but I don't think mixing cotton and the wool will be a super good plan. I do know that the spiffy fine cotton thread, with the right (wrong) encouragement, will break. So I ordered new thread spools from Red Rock Threads and Ripstop By The Roll. 

I'm about to set up my embroidery hoop for floating the shirt on top of a light water soluble stabilizer. Probably the heavier one of my 2 Sulky wash away ones. (The lighter one, Solky Solvy, probably can't handle being the support layer on the bottom.)

I'm thinking the DMC size 28 tapestry needle will be the way to go. 2nd choice, the Bohin size 26, a tiny bit thicker, and with that amazing Bohin polished surface. Third, a new packet of needles I found at Walmart, branded Singer a mix of sizes 24 and 26, also tapestry tips. The tapestry tip needle is the hand sewing version of the "stretch" needles sold for machine sewing. It will work it's way between the strands instead of piercing them. And gently does it is the theme for this extra fine Merino wool shirt.

I will use tacking stitches to hold the knit steady while I work on the tiny, tiny whip stitches. That is why I called this floating,  it's the equivalent to floating projects on the embroidery machine.