Revisiting Knitwit (9200)

When I was about 6 years old, my mother tried sewing knits, which were still novel to the home seamstress at the time. She went to a Knitwit class, with Knitwit labelled name tags, which she mistakenly wore home afterwards. My Dad did not stop teasing her about admitting she was a knitwit until he died, 18 years later.




I have never understood the name of this company, but they are good patterns. I was happy to pick up this pattern at a charity second hand book sale last year. It was published in 1976.

I got it out after the May Burda deceived me. I had skimmed through it and thought the family holiday section included holiday polo shirts for the whole family (as advertised in the text). Obviously to Burda the whole family means Mum and the kids. The poor Dad has to wear a business shirt on holiday to the beach. Not in our family! The Burda polo shirt has waist and bust shaping, so I might make it for myself later.

I made the first Knitwit 9200 version from wicking polyester (on a roll here). My husband needs quicky dry travel clothing too. I had narrowed the collar by 50%, thinking that a 70's collar was not really appropriate on a current conservative polo shirt, but unfortunately the collar was still too wide, and I had forgotten that the plackets in the 70's were also very wide by current standards.

I cut off the oversized collar, and then sneakily cut off the collar from an old painting shirt polo. I used the painting shirt collar as a new pattern, and turned back the edges of the placket about 7mm and topstitched them as a placket narrowing slapdash save.

I was allowed two photographs modelled,one each front and back (with the usual headless stipulation). They are not a very good photograhs. There is a Quasimodo effect that is not the usual look. I was quite pleased with the fit, as my husband is generally too busy to be measured or have fitting sessions during the construction stage.





The shirt was approved, but I was asked to add a chest pocket with a zipper, allegedly for delaying pickpockets in Montemarte. Obviously my husband will be so enthralled with the fabric shops that he will not be on the look out for pickpockets.

I used Kenneth King's Cool Couture book again, this time adding the zipper to the ribbon welt pockets. I used quilting cotton for the welts, and polycotton batiste for the pocket bags.
I approached this with some trepidation - welt pockets on an un-ironable knit! However, stabilizing with knit interfacing (Proweft Tricot, Pam's Sewing Supplies) worked like a dream, and because of the stretch of the knit, the welts can be wriggled about to sit very nicely.It looks almost as if I can sew in a straight line (although I can't take a photograph in a straight line).Just don't look at the coverstitched hem.



I made another 2 shirts.



I am nearly tired of wicking polyester. Especially as I also made a turtleneck pink top for my daughter to wear to free dress day at school yesterday.