Can a cashmere cover only be 1 layer?

[lhowlett]

I have some wonderfully soft cashmere sweaters I'm going to make into longies and maybe wraps to sell, but it is thin. Not like worn down thin, just thin to begin with. I am unfarmiliar with cashmere, is it as absorbant as like a thick lambswool? I'd prefer to only use 1 layer, but I don't want a bad product if it needs two. Thanks!

[newlywaaz]

I wouldn't make wraps out of cashmere, because they are so thin and will leak if compressed (like where the tabs are, or under clothing). You can make longies for sure though, either one layer or with another layer in the wet zone if you want to get fancy. If you're just going for simple, make sure you say daytime longies, not suitable for overnight use, and that should cover your bases. I have a pair of cashmere longies that I really like, and they work great during the day. HTH.

[lhowlett]

Thanks!
Just curious, how do you add an extra layer to the wet zone but hide the seams. In my mind it looks like you'd have seams in the middle of the pants, kinda like bike shorts with a pad in them if that helps

[newlywaaz]

um... never actually done it, so no real tips. Your idea would work, as well as somehow combining a soaker pattern with a pants pattern... Worth experimenting with using cheap fleece. I've heard of it being done, so I'm sure someone will have good advice.

[lhowlett]

Sewing cashmere

So hopefully someone sees this. I decided not to post it as a new thread because I feel bad sometimes for the number of threads I alone start

Anyway, is there ever a time it is better to serge any kind of wool than sew it? The lambwool and merino I've sewn has just been a basic small straight stitch and has done fine. Would serging it make the seams stronger or possibly be too agressive for more fragile wools?
I noticed on the inside of my DS's longies the other day that the seam allowence fabric has layed flat. Pretty cool in my mind, it only makes the pants less bulky. Would serging make the seam poke out at all? If you can tell I don't serge, just have acess to it.

[lhowlett]

Anyone?

[Kari_mom]

Me again! I like longies better sewn than serged. I think the serging can be scratchy. But if I had trouble with the knit stretchy out and getting all wavy, I would serge in a heartbeat. I would crank up the differential and load the loopers with wooly nylon for softness.

It's a preference thing, no question. But I would go ahead and sew them on your sewing machine. I haven't had a problem with any of the 30+ pants I've made, 4 of them cashmere.

[lhowlett]

Good to see you again! (uh, kind of see I guess) ha ha
Anyway, well that's good to hear about the sewing not serging thing. I don't have a serger so I'd have to go over to my mom's and be haggled about why I'm cutting up a perfectly good sweater even if it was $4 at the thrift store and 2 sizes too big for me
I haven't had any issues with mine being sewed and not serged, I've just never sewn with cashmere so don't really know how to handle it.

When you sew any sweater, but particularly a looser weave, do you do anything but a straight stitch like a zig zag?

[Kari_mom]

I just use a straight stitch. What I have found is that as I've become pickier about the wool I use, the fiber is finer which makes a finer yarn which means a smaller gauge with a tighter knit. I haven't really sewn pants with a looser knit for quite a while, and if I did buy a sweater like that, I would probably felt it a little to make it more dense.