I think that is a brilliant way to choose a colour. :-) It is a very good colour on you as well. I recently purchased a yellow jeresey in hopes of being seen (and not hit) easier.Quote:
Originally Posted by mary9761
Printable View
I think that is a brilliant way to choose a colour. :-) It is a very good colour on you as well. I recently purchased a yellow jeresey in hopes of being seen (and not hit) easier.Quote:
Originally Posted by mary9761
Quote:
Originally Posted by mary9761
That particular outfit has a bit of a funny story to how I ended up with specifically THAT fabric. I was at JoAnnes and had that color and another with reds and looked straight at a woman in the opposite aisle and asked her, "If you were coming up to someone on a bike, which would you be less likely to hit?" She said the blue to which I responded, "Blue it is then" LOL...
I think that is a brilliant way to choose a colour. :-) It is a very good colour on you as well. I recently purchased a yellow jeresey in hopes of being seen (and not hit) easier.
Apropos of colour as opposed to outfit itself: I always buy jerseys with 'being seen not hit' as THE criterion. There are obviously others (fit, fabric, appropriate season etc) but if it's only available in "girlie" colours like soft pink, lavender, sky blue, lemon etc., I don't bother with the other criteria. If I can't be seen from at least 100 metres away (about 350 feet) then I'm not being seen. The reaction time while driving a car requires at least that. This, to me, seems like common sense and I must add, I don't see many blokes riding around wearing innocuous colours. So why is it that so many manufacturers only offer a 'women's fit' (ie allow for the fact that we have waists and breasts) in colours that render us almost almost invisible to the average motorist? Do they think we only ride on cycle paths? Or that fashion dictates function? Give me bright orange! Red! Yellow! What do you mean, it doesn't match my hair? Give a #$@%!
Many a manufacturer has lost a sale from me because of this penchant; I wear lots of my SO's clothing (much to his dismay) because it's bright (it SO doesn't fit) but I'd rather be visible than become a victim of SMIDSY (don't know if this is used anywhere else, but in Australia the acronym means - as espoused by motorists - Sorry Mate I Didn't See You).
Oops, that was a bit of a rant, but I've just spent a couple of days looking for a sleeveless women's top that looks like a traffic light and also acknowledges women's physiology - I understand that pretty is pretty but if most of your riding occurs within urban parameters, pastels/paisleys/butterflies just don't cut it. To manufacturers out there (mary9761 you are SO not included here - if I could sew more than a button, I'd... but that's another story) I'M JUST SAYIN', YOU KNOW?
Boy you said it!! light pink? white? pastels? I want bright colors too.Quote:
Originally Posted by arnaew
Mary, you've inpired me to get out my sewing machine. I love to sew, but somehow other things have taken over. My trusty 1952 Singer still rocks!
I have not worked with lycra and other stretchy materials. What stitch have you found best that minimizes puckering and pulling? I don't have a fancy sewing machine, but I can pull a zigzag.
Yes, shorts are expensive, but once you find ones that fit and are comfortable, it's worth it. I only buy Pearl Izumi Attack shorts (Ultrasensor are just too expensive), and I buy one pair per year. As they wear out, I can still wear them under hiking shorts because the chamois is still good but the lycra is a bit too transparent.
www.alertshirt.comQuote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
I found the idea of sewing shorts or jerseys or anything else interesting. I've been thinking about it for winter gear. I've googled for patterns and info:
http://www.thegreenpepper.com/adults.html
http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/jersey.html
http://www.rockywoods.com/patterns_main.htm
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-...patternid=2375
http://www.seattlefabrics.com/dk.html
You'll need to scroll on some of these.
I use a standard stitch, just use a quality thread and try not to PULL the fabric as it will cause the fabric to pucker. I recently purchased a stretch needle but haven't had the opportunity to see if it helps keep some of the pulling of the threads later. I've been told it's best to use this needle for lycra etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
I recommend taking a couple pieces of the scrap lycra and practice sewing with it to experiment with which stitch will work best for you. I also sew a double seam stitch one butted against the other especially in areas that might get extra pull and possibly pop a seam.
The pattern I use doesn't include a chamois so I ride without a chamois basically. It helps that I have a comfort seat, but I've ridden over 5000 miles (indoor and out) 4000+ outdoors in the past year without a chamois and have survived. One thing I do though especially for the crotch area is cut out a second layer of those pattern pieces then when I assemble the shorts, I lay those pieces with the inner crotch seams facing each other. That keeps me from having seam allowances in sensitive areas AND gives an extra layer of protection from fabric that may end up being too transparent AND if I end up with a seam that blows on me then I'm still covered.
I'm in no way a professional. I'm still working out the bugs and finding better ways to do things each time I sew a new pair of shorts or jersey. One thing I will suggest if you purchase ANY pattern, trace it onto freezer paper then you have a the original to continue to retrace when needed. Most patterns are printed with ALL the sizes on them and you'd need to cut some of the pattern off to get the size you need. You iron the pattern that you've traced onto your fabric then peel it off once you have cut the pattern from the fabric. You can reuse this pattern many times without damaging the original.
The Jalie pattern I purchased I got through patternreview.com
Mary