The sewing thread

[Deleted User] · 3 July 2017 at 3:51PM

Yes, I was right about the aubergine, aches have gone, Phew, I would have hated sewing to have been the cause

Today I sat and unpicked the first skirt I started with this sewing session. I had made it badly ie bunged elastic on the waist sides because it was too big, I even made darts. Took the waistband, darts and zip right off. Pressed very well and cut off the tiny bit at the top. Pressed in a half inch all around at the waist. Got my waist size (minus 5 inches for me) of very old soft woven elastic on a reel, lol older than you fuddle. Sewed this at the elastic top just below the top of the skirt, hiding the pressed edge, on the inside of the skirt. Used a special stretch stitch, number 21 on bernina, having marked halves and quarters. Stretched the elastic as I sewed. Looked fine so I did one more row at the bottom of the elastic. Excellent and very quick result, very much nicer skirt, now hanging up

Got the bug and thought I would make another very quick skirt. Got a stash linen, this time a 56 inch french linen from croft about 14 years ago, very excellent quality for furnishings and have in the past made small curtains and a tablecloth but kept the rest all this time. Was expensive but a fraction of the original cost. It`s heavy and an olive/coffee background with printed purples and white flowers. I had about a yard.

Sewed side to side, no finishing needed. Tried that sewn in elastic but was rubbish, stretched too much and lost elasticity. Cut if off, pressed the edge and used the elastic width to estimate the elastic width plus 1/8 inch. Was going to make a casing but hate threading elastic. Did what I have done before and made the loop. Pulled the skirt top through it and very carefully sewing right on the edge, sewed with the elastic inside. That makes a lovely neat casing. Now the hem. I held it in front of me but upside down. like you are measuring a flower for a vase. Then used my wonderful hem french ruler, up on the sides and cut the hem doubled. A quick pressed and sewn hem and that was it. A new winter skirt, will be perfect with warm tights and a jumper

Learnt these elastic waists from craftsy and also how quick you can make a skirt. I have been buying from croft for forty years and in the beginning years they sold industrial things like the elastic on a big roll. They used to send out written and copied paper leaftlets with the descriptions and no pictures. Their descriptions were always funny and got them a loyal following

I have some liberty tana lawn and needlecords hanging in my cupboard but will ignore them for now. One more skirt and that is it, the stylearc one. I have to sit on my hands after that, until I clear some more wardrobe space

[Deleted User] · 4 July 2017 at 7:19AM

The price of a nice dress and why it is definitely worth sewing with a good fabric
http://www.kjslaundry.com/samantha-sung/

Just musing while I wake up, looking at Kirst Alsop type styles again, just for ideas. I have been buying what I would call more expensive fabrics lately, including some japanese made but the max I have paid for a dress length is £72. Make that dress carefully after checking measurements and you have a quality frock that no-one else has for a 1/6 of the retail price

The right neckline makes a top or dress for me, not just the colour as in `colour me beautiful` but the neckline which frames your face
https://blog.stitchfix.com/fashion-tips/a-guide-to-necklines/
For me button up, heart, v and a small scoop that makes my neck look longer. I see that the above site has mostly button ups, makes sense, always nice but much more work

I had a play at making another serged zipped bag last night and got into a pickle.Needle threads kept breaking, after I had sewn and unpicked twice. I have made eight of these bags in the distant past and they are perfect for presents but I had to re-learn. Ok I made my sample and will make more but honestly quilting cottons are best, not the hotch potch that I used. Must look at getting top notch threads, am getting worried as I see fuzziness along the thread strand and don`t want my looper clogging again. My black cones are getting thinner, so black will be first. Today I am sorting out the overlocking threads and I have lots, luckily many are good mettler threads. Its the others I am concerned about

I made such a mess while making that bag, unpicked threads all over the place and bits of fabric. Time for me to do a clearout of remnants and bits, unless it is a good cotton

edit: well my thread idea has gone out of the window. I have dozens of overlocking threads, they look fine but time will tell. I have many decorative threads, woolly nylon metallic etc. I think I just need to tidy the assorted cones amd reels into bags of four, ones that roughly match for overlocking. Then I need to put them into a more accessible place. I won`t need to buy more, ever

PollyWollyDoodle · 4 July 2017 at 9:25AM

Thanks for those links, some interesting reading there.

Kittie can you explain Did what I have done before and made the loop.. Sorry if I'm being dim and it's something obvious, I have read and re-read your post but can't picture it.

I'm so chuffed with what I achieved last week, not in quality but in quantity - I love sewing but since I gave up full time work I have hardly done any. I decided I just need to do it, not think about it - so in the last ten days I've made a top, two more mini hats and a beanbag for my friend's son. I'm also using up scraps to make little bags which will be pattern weights. My next project is to get out my overlocker and use it. I did a course a few months ago which was great but I need to use it now - a lot - to feel confident with it.

silvasava · 4 July 2017 at 10:11AM

Morning all - can I join in please? I've just found this thread via a post of PollyWollyies!
My history of sewing goes back to helping my Mum sewing sheets sides to middle on a Frister & Rossman hand machine with a shuttle bobbin when I was about five. I dabbled with my dolls clothes - sewing and knitting. At school at 11 we had to make our Domestic Science aprons bordered with gingham in our house colours and our aertex gym shirts (what a PITA they were)
As I am tall and clothes were expensive my mum made a lot of my dresses growing up - just simple sleeveless with a dirndl skirt. I started on my own clothes at about 14. I still favour simple shift style as it suits me but have used vogue patterns for evening wear and usually Butterick for daywear ( their factory is close to where I live)
In the past I've made shirts and trousers for my boys, curtains, cushion covers, reupholstered the seats in my old Austin A40 and in recent years recovered my boat cushions. Most of my sewing lately seems to be shortening the overlong tops that seem to be the fashion now - only by about 2inches though to take them to just above my hip flexor. I have a Husqvarna - straight & zigzag and an old heavy duty Singer that's the same.
I've never tried patchwork but someone on one of the threads mentioned they'd made one out of T-shirts for their daughter. I'd like to do one for my son out of his collection so will be asking for advice!
Apologies for the long post!!

[Deleted User] · 4 July 2017 at 10:59AM

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Thanks for those links, some interesting reading there.

Kittie can you explain Did what I have done before and made the loop.. Sorry if I'm being dim and it's something obvious, I have read and re-read your post but can't picture it.

Yes so sorry, I sometimes write in a hurry. The loop is that loop of elastic, the ends joined together, so it is a circle. Then I put the skirt through inside out, so I could easily place the loop of elastic just over the pressed bit at the top skirt edge, ready to sew and under the machine foot, sewing on the inside of the skirt, leaving a tiny neat top edge. It really did give me a lovely finish. I am loving those skirts. It is as if the elastic is also the facing

silvasaver, welcome to this busy and positive thread. All experienced and new sewers are welcomed with open arms and arty where are you? I know we enjoy your arty crafty ways. Quilters where are you too? So many people love quilting, its not all about sewing for clothes. Yes stash busting is a biggie but not the be all and end all

Must go, need to put a finger splint on, all that unpicking last night was hard on my right index finger

srn · 4 July 2017 at 12:04PM

Hi, I do all kinds of sewing, but at the moment seem to be quilting more than anything else. I did try to ressurect the quilting thread, but it came to nothing.

It may have been me that made the quilt out of old teeshirts, although I have seen that other people have made them on the OS thread, I made one in a film strip design for one of my children who couldn't seem to part with his old teeshirts and he loves films.

I have just finished three cushion covers with the fronts quilted in the cathedral windows design and the 'window' bit made from a spray of flowers embroidered curtesy of my sewing machine. When I bought my all singing and dancing sewing machine I didn't think I would use the embroidery function much but it has turned out to be invaluable, especially for Christmas stuff and bunting for weddings.

I love this thread and always read it, I am a lurker usually. I like all crafts and am in the process of making a rag rug out of all my scraps while I watch TV on a night, it's going well but I didn't realise how many bits I would need, hope I have enough to finish it, if not it will just be a bit smaller.

I have also had to shorten a lot of tee shirts, I am tall as well and it is unusual for me to have this problem.

Artytarty · 4 July 2017 at 1:32PM

Over the weekend I made a Vogue V1482 dress for the first time.
If you look it up the fabric on the cover isn't so hideous it put me off for ages.
It's a verynloose batwing style dress ,no darts.
I made it in a very fine fuchsia nd black wool, not wooly as such, smooth.
I did the top half of the front on the bias for more interest.
I think this is a pattern I will return to again and again.
Hides a multitude of sins, easy to make, lovely big pocket and can be made tunic length for heavy winter leggings and ankle boots.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vogue+v1482&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=ismvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiKlM-l0e_UAhWBZlAKHcv1AjMQ_AUICSgB&biw=768&bih=905

purpleivy · 4 July 2017 at 1:38PM

Hi Kittie, which Babylock overlocker do you have? I've been so pleased with mine, so easy to use in comparison with the others I have used. Where are you? If you are local I could give you a hand! I'm in North Cheshire

PollyWollyDoodle · 4 July 2017 at 3:22PM

Oh Kittie, thanks for that - it's all clear now. I'm going to try this I think!

Silvasava, I still have - and use - my mum's Frister & Rossman hand crank, with the bobbin in a silver case like a bullet. It can cope with things my modern machine won't tackle.

Artytarty, I'm amazed you could see past that fabric - it looks like a lovely style but I'd never have got that far!

Srn, a rag rug is one of my UFOs - seems to have taken forever and I've lost enthusiasm for it. It was using up old tshirts, but I'm not convinced I will love it enough to keep it.

[Deleted User] · 4 July 2017 at 4:08PM

polly, you can also stretch and sew as you go, if you are accurate enough. The circle of elastic is great to fit into a casing too but with the casing folded over and only sewing on the very edge when the elastic is in there, so the elastic remains unattached but fills the casing so it cannot twist

Its fantastic to see you back arty, I love your young modern free-spirit ways and srn it would b lovely to see the quilters come on here to join you. There is room for all

Thanks for the offer purpleivy, very kind. I have an evolve but the problem was when I was making the bag and I had to sew through two fabric layers, and thick wadding plus a zip. It went fine when I turned the wheel by hand. Its a pity you can`t slow these machines down to walking pace, I think that is why they scare a lot of people. I have just been checking my needles, I put two new ones in, the correct ones 90 EL 705cf. I bought them in bulk, again a long time ago, from allbrands. I got very good value for money in those days, even with tax

I had a package from the states today, from islander sewing systems. I wanted the measuring made easy package
http://stores.islandersewing.com/measuring/
I was expecting to be hit by customs tax plus the £8 that is always charged by royal mail, so I thought I would get the islander sewing systems file at the same time. Postage was about$13 dollars and they arrived today, a week after ordering and no tax :j
I am having an easy day today, not doing anything but a bit of washing, it happens from time to time, my body says to slow down so I do

There is a lady called Janet Spink, who used to work for babylock. She produced some marvellous downloads of methods etc. I bought them 11 years ago. Then I saw her spiral bound printed notes and bought them as hard copy. These are some of my most precious sewing items. Everything is in them. She used to produce a simple make with every lesson. They were monthly downloads. I only see the babylock accessory book on the net now, its a shame, the other one was and is invaluable

A very good pattern arty, I like it

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

The sewing thread

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free