The sewing thread

[Deleted User]
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edited 9 December 2016 at 10:17PM in Old style MoneySaving
We have an active knitters thread on the os board, I always felt that we should have a sewers thread here too, in visible sight. Many many people sew and there are also many learners. I made my first skirt on a treadle singer machine at age 10, many of us oldies were taught sewing at a very early age. The craft died down for many years when cheap clothing shops flooded the high streets but there is a re-awakening and I have grandchildren who are desperate to learn how to sew. I believe that a sewers thread should take equal place with the knitters thread and on this board

I am still an active sewer, using three machines, overlocker, sewing machine and coverstitch. Even sewing a plain hemmed tablecloth for all day coverage to keep the table nice, using good quality fabric, takes less than two hours and gets lots of good comments, also very practical and made in a light fabric, it brightens that corner of the room

I am about to teach my 8 year old grand daughter, who is getting a future-proofed real janome sewing machine for christmas. She will obviously have to start with pedal control, forward and backward etc but I can see her making an apron for her mum after half an hour of basics. I have a simple paper pattern ready, the fabric and the notions. We will do simple cutting out of two fabrics, then will sew back to back, pulling the fabric through, there will be no seam edges, or finishing or hems.

Let`s get this thread going. Join us if you sew, if you want to sew, if you have queries and questions :D
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  • VJsmum
    VJsmum Posts: 6,940
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    I read that as sewers as in drains :p

    I am a bit of a sewer - and have aspirations for quilting. My daughter wanted to borrow my sewing machine but, when i spent a happy evening making some mini christmas stockings the other day, I realised i don't want her to have it as i doubt i'll get it back.

    I have decided to buy her a machine for christmas - there is a nice Brother one, with good reviews for £65 in Hobby craft that I think I'll get her.
    I wanna be in the room where it happens
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492
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    lol, vsmum, I should have said sewing, oh well, I don`t think I can change it

    We seem to have missed a generation wrt sewing. I have two grown up daughters, one had no interest in sewing and the other has made cushions and bunting. It was quite frustrating not being able to pass skills on but the new generation seem to want to learn, my three grandchildren do want to learn crafts.

    I have never done machine quilting or machine embroidery, so I am open to learning from anyone. I did some hand quilting many years ago with cardboard templates but took me too long
  • jackyann
    jackyann Posts: 3,433 Forumite
    Thank you!
    I have been a 'sewer' all my life - we used to say 'dressmaking' but that limits it and 'needlework' implies hand sewing only. A lady near here calls herself a 'sewist' - I say that I make things!
    I helped to make my clothes from an early age, and like your lucky grand daughter, made an apron at about 8.
    The summer holiday just before I turned 11, my mother said I should make clothes completely and supervised a smart skirt & 'weskit' outfit (early 60s!. She then said that I should have a 'clothing allowance' and my goodness I learned to stretch it!
    I struggle a bit nowadays with fitting, but have found Michelle Pye's courses (English Couture Company, Leicester) very helpful, and they make a lovely day out.

    Enjoy teaching your grand daughter, and may this be the beginning of a lifetime's sewing!
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,539
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    kittie wrote: »
    We have an active knitters thread on the os board, I always felt that we should have a sewers thread here too, in visible sight. Many many people sew and there are also many learners. I made my first skirt on a treadle singer machine at age 10, many of us oldies were taught sewing at a very early age. The craft died down for many years when cheap clothing shops flooded the high streets but there is a re-awakening and I have grandchildren who are desperate to learn how to sew. I believe that a sewers thread should take equal place with the knitters thread and on this board

    I am still an active sewer, using three machines, overlocker, sewing machine and coverstitch. Even sewing a plain hemmed tablecloth for all day coverage to keep the table nice, using good quality fabric, takes less than two hours and gets lots of good comments, also very practical and made in a light fabric, it brightens that corner of the room

    I am about to teach my 8 year old grand daughter, who is getting a future-proofed real janome sewing machine for christmas. She will obviously have to start with pedal control, forward and backward etc but I can see her making an apron for her mum after half an hour of basics. I have a simple paper pattern ready, the fabric and the notions. We will do simple cutting out of two fabrics, then will sew back to back, pulling the fabric through, there will be no seam edges, or finishing or hems.

    Let`s get this thread going. Join us if you sew, if you want to sew, if you have queries and questions :D
    It's a great skill to have, Kittie.

    My Nan taught me to sew on her old treadle machine and I made all my own clothes probably from the age of 15.
    We used to have wonderful fabric stalls on our market but they have sadly disappeared.
    My friend is also a sewist - the first thing we do when out shopping is feel the fabric of a dress, skirt or top then scrunch it to see if it creases.

    I made my first wedding dress, not a traditional one but my own style, and bridesmaid dresses.

    As you say, with the coming of cheap shops and also charity shops, I've not done much sewing for a lot of years but being able to sew means I can buy something from a charity shop and not worry about the length.
    I had my machine out yesterday to shorten some white linen M&S trousers that I bought for £1 from a charity shop.
  • kathrynha
    kathrynha Posts: 2,469
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    I sew a little. Not great at it but can do it.

    I learnt hand sewing at about 4, and first used a machine at about 10.
    I'm not a natural sewer, and but I like to try. I have made cushions and curtains successfully. Would love to be able to make clothes, but have so far only made dress-up costumes for my daughter. Made her a lovely Elsa (from Frozen) dress a few years back.

    For making clothes for me I don't really know how to start. I'm a plus size, so patterns are very limited, and as I vary by 4 dress sizes between my chest, waist and hips, a pattern wouldn't fit all over. When I make for my daughter I put it on her and pin it to her shape, and I think the ability to do that is the key to successful dressmaking, so I feel I need a tailors dummy, but to get one to suit my body shape is stupidly expensive :(
    Zebras rock
  • [Deleted User]
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    edited 9 December 2016 at 9:43AM
    we are off!! up and running!!

    I am a plus size too kathrynha and used to be 5`, now shorter and everything has gone south. Shop bought clothes just do not fit. I had a model and kept it under the stairs for mny years, then I realised that I could make it my shape. I got wadding and a stretchy tube type interlock fabric. Carefully took my measurements and started padding, a bit at a time, used a curved needle and strong thread.. Put my bra on her and stuffed that, not perky unfortunately but realistic. This was a very slow process and not one that invited me to carry on but carry on I did. I pretty well got me and then made a slip over stretchy interlock top and put a zip in the back, ok the body does change, hence the zip. Put black tape around to mark waist, hips and bust and covered the lot in a loose pillow case. It works when I am making something that I need to fit against me, especially shoulder width etc and is very good when knitting a top down fitted shaped jumper

    ten years ago I made a lovely buttoned blouse, put it on and realised that the darts finished way up too high. There are ways and means of getting around bust problems, starting with simple darts at the shoulder and waist but you can get a pattern to fit properly by doing a full bust adjustment. I had never heard of this until ten years ago, never having needed to allow for my age. There is a lot of advice on line and especially via craftsy online classes and I bought many classes when on special offer. I also have a lot of american patterns, which are especially drafted for the shorter fuller figure

    This is a fab american sewing forum, which helped to get me going again after a long gap
    http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php
  • fuddle
    fuddle Posts: 6,823 Forumite
    Perfect timing Kittie.

    I'm about to embark on row 3 of my first patch work quilt. I have put off doing it for years but I'm surprised at how well I'm managing.

    I have stumbled upon a problem though. I'm still on the John Lewis basic mini machine and I don't think I can actually quilt the quilt so will have to ask around to use a full size machine when I'm ready and look to invest in a proper machine for the future.

    My girls both have an interest in sewing. My 8 year old has cut up a jumper of hers to make her teddy a jumper for Christmas. Every time I get my machine out I inspire one of the kiddlers to have a go.

    Going forward I intend to make my own clothes and did try following a skirt pattern in the summer but I failed. I'm very much at the beginner stage and have been for years. :rotfl::o

    Do you have your machines out on show all the time and if not where do you store them?

    You can change the title kittie. I think it will show up if you go to edit the first post... I think
  • As Fuddle has said, perfect timing.

    I learnt to sew from an early age, making myself a lined quilted anorak when about 12. At school we had to make a hideous blouse and dress, in fabric chosen by our mums which could have put me off for life.

    I made several really gorgeous party-type dresses for my daughter over the years and a lot of basic trousers, etc. but for many years the sewing machine has sat unloved under a bed in the spare room. I have recently been planning to transfer all my sewing equipment into my study where I currently work. State retirement age looms close now in November and I haven't exactly decided when the day will finally come, but I will have the choice at least to stop working in just a few months.

    I used to go to day classes run by the local Adult Education Authority but these long ago got either cut completely or became so expensive that only people on benefit could afford to go! It was a shame as they ran a pattern-making class which would benefit all of us who are not a perfect proportioned size. Added to the fact that fabric shops are like hens' teeth and clothes in general have been up to now ridiculously cheap, it's not been worthwhile making items. In fact I think being able to alter clothes is probably more pertinent for me and being able to make soft furnishings as well.

    I look forward to reading all the exciting projects from all you sewistas until I finally get the time to start my own.
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  • srn
    srn Posts: 114
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    Hi,

    Great new thread.
    I too learned to sew as a child, made all of my own clothes in my teens, but stopped as clothes became cheaper and life, marriage and children got in the way. I have always had a sewing machine for simple things like hems, curtains, cushion covers etc. However when I retired I decided to take up quilting but my husband persuaded me to buy a hugely expensive sewing machine that embroiders as well - WOW. I have a new hobby, it is wonderful, I can even quilt on it! I have attached a couple of photos (hopefully) of two quilts I have just finished, made from the bunting I made for my son's wedding in July. The photos of them are of them not finished, but I finished them both with some deep purple binding and I am quite proud of them.
    http://s591.photobucket.com/user/srnorth1/library/Quilting?sort=3&page=1
    I am now working on some Christmas wall hangings.
  • kathrynha
    kathrynha Posts: 2,469
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    kittie wrote: »
    I am a plus size too kathrynha and used to be 5`, now shorter and everything has gone south. Shop bought clothes just do not fit. I had a model and kept it under the stairs for mny years, then I realised that I could make it my shape. I got wadding and a stretchy tube type interlock fabric. Carefully took my measurements and started padding, a bit at a time, used a curved needle and strong thread.. Put my bra on her and stuffed that, not perky unfortunately but realistic. This was a very slow process and not one that invited me to carry on but carry on I did. I pretty well got me and then made a slip over stretchy interlock top and put a zip in the back, ok the body does change, hence the zip. Put black tape around to mark waist, hips and bust and covered the lot in a loose pillow case. It works when I am making something that I need to fit against me, especially shoulder width etc and is very good when knitting a top down fitted shaped jumper

    Thanks Kittie, that's really helpful. I will have to see if I can manage to make something similar
    Zebras rock
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