Oh my! Sewing machine won't stitch and my dress is needed for Friday! Please help!

angelpye

Hi all, I completed the dress last night and although its not prefect (due to problems with stitches and lack of skill/practice) I am very pleased with it! Thank you for all your advice, I have really enjoyed posting this thread and found the feedback useful - its like going to a coffee morning! (Not that I get time for those moments of pure chatter now I am working lone parent)

Mrs F I am such a novice that although I knew there would be different needles for the different thickness of fabrics - I didnt realise there was needles for stretch and non stretch fabrics! This dress is a 1990's cocktail dress made from stretch fabrics and yes I used a needle that worked perfectly last time I made cushion covers and an apron out of cotton for my daughter! :rolleyes: Thank you - little things = big problems!

angelpye

MrsFraggle wrote: »

I only said it was my personal opinion

All opinions welcome!

I think you're probably like me - dont replace unless you must!:D

MrsFraggle

That sounds lovely Angelpye!
You've inspired me to get back into sewing although I mostly make clothes for my daughter, very rarely make anyything for me although I have found a pattern for a skirt I might have a go at

angelpye

Justamum wrote: »

I recently did a sewing course, and the tutor used to be a professional seamstress. She said she can tell just by listening to a sewing machine whether or not it has an old needle in it!

Gosh! I can't imagine I will ever be like that but I would love to do a course! I just can't even get a sitter regular enough just to do an excercise class never mind a course! I would like to do a course just covering the basics, and maybe some pattern making. Also I saw on another thread someone did a course where they made a coat/jacket - that would be lush! Did you enjoy your course? Was it adult ed through a colllege or one of these new sewing group places I am seeing spring up everywhere?

angelpye

Mrs Fraggle - yes I am pleased, although a little shorter than I was expecting but looks great. Glad I inspired you! I have a pattern for a pencil skirt and thinking I will do that next. I have started putting the feelers out for people that can loan me patterns and hope eventually to have the courage to perhaps mix and match. I used to make my daughter a few bits and now I have made this she wants me to make her something too! i think this is my long lost hobby coming back!

Rikki

There is a sewing thread running in old style which is full of useful information. CLICK HERE

angelpye

Rikki wrote: »

There is a sewing thread running in old style which is full of useful information. CLICK HERE

I have now suscribed to that thread, thank you, am sure that is the one I came across before. Just opened this thread for advice on a specific problem as new to this and not really sure how it all works yet!:rolleyes:

Mrs_Flittersnoop

angelpye wrote: »

Mrs F I am such a novice that although I knew there would be different needles for the different thickness of fabrics - I didnt realise there was needles for stretch and non stretch fabrics! This dress is a 1990's cocktail dress made from stretch fabrics and yes I used a needle that worked perfectly last time I made cushion covers and an apron out of cotton for my daughter! :rolleyes: Thank you - little things = big problems!

Ha, I thought that might be the case, it's worth buying a few ballpoint/jersey needles for that kind of fabric, hopefully that will cure the skipping stitches.

Just to add fuel to the flames I change my needles regularly but not every time I start something new. As with lots of other things in life, I think 'it depends' on how much sewing has actually taken place in creating the garment/whatever. I'm making a knit top at the moment which only has seams, hems and neckline finishes so the needle I'm using has already been used for another knit top. I'll probably chuck it when I've done this one.

I keep lightly used needles in one of those strawberry shaped pincushions, which I've marked in permanent pen in each section 70 Uni, 70 BP (ballpoint), 80 Uni, Micro, etc etc for easy identification. I usually use one needle for two projects before throwing it out. However, if the garment has buttonholes or lots of seam finishing, I'll only use a brand new needle, and even then use another new one as well if I want an exceptionally fine finish.

Angelpye, come and join us on the other thread if you have any other questions, there's a lot of experienced sewers on there who would be happy to help you in the future.

HTH
Mrs F x

angelpye

Hi, thanks Mrs Flittersnoop, all your advice is so very welcome. I will be on there very soon - just need to decide on my next project! The dress came out lovely in the end and I felt fab in it on friday - no one else had one! But definately need to get a better finish!

Chat to you all soon!

Justamum

I made my DD1 a lunchbag yesterday, and I'm going to make one for my DS, DH and DD2 for when she starts school in September. It's from an old edition of Sewing World. I might just adjust the size for the next ones - slightly wider and shorter. It came out well though! The beauty of it is that it's washable - I find the lunchbags you can buy very irritating because they are so difficult to clean.