The Sewing Room

Savvy_sewing

When I first started to sew, we would lay out the pattern pieces on the fabric, and play around at fitting them in, as long as the straight of grain was adhered too, and anything on a fold. However if you really want to work it out before you have to buy the material, then the best way, is to lay the pattern pieces onto a piece of paper, that you have marked into the metreage.
So if your usual fabric is 45" wide, then you have a piece of paper that is 22!/2 " wide, with the word fold down one side.
Then you mark off every half metre(or Yard sorry I tend to work in inches, but we have to buy in metres!). Then you can position your pattern pieces along your paper, and see what the best layout will be for the fabric you need to buy.
I hope that that helps, and you understand what i mean.
You then just keep your paper, ready for any future makes.
This will also help you with the working out of costings if you are selling yourstuff and want to start making a costings for a profit eventually.
So if you lay out your tissue box pattern on to it, you can work out how much fabric it takes, and then with the future makes you can not only work out the fabric, you can work out the costs.

I have been away at the BF's and so the only sewing I have done is to add some patches to my hand stitched work. Not sure what I am making, just using up small scraps at the moment. See if I can get a picture sorted out tomorrow. Its too dark in my house now. These bulbs are useless! Makes the house very gloomy if you ask me. But I suppose energy saving is the key.
Oh heck, talking of key, I forgot to top up the electric, I better go and see what its on!

nykied

PootleFlump wrote: »

Free Cath Kidston booklets this weekend!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/promotions/8798882/Two-exclusive-Cath-Kidston-booklets-free-inside-The-Telegraph-this-weekend.html

p.s Really liking all the makes people have posted since Ive been AWOL. Sorry I havent replied to each one. Things are ever so slightly manic at this end. Hope you are all well. x

pogie2 wrote: »

Hi guys. I got the cath kidson supplement today. What does everyone else think. I wasnt that impressed. Not sure whether to get tomorrows.

I totally agree - I bought both papers and my thoughts were that I was glad I hadn't bought the books if they were favourite projects out of them. I certainly won't be doing any that were in the magazines.

avstar

Pollyskettle - the tissue holder is lovely, and your aprons are gorgeous! I'm got the fabric to make a couple of aprons but I'm scared! :rotfl:

Hmo - your tissue cover is great too, and is that a matching doorstop?

Here's some bias binding I made to go on a shower cap I'm making.



There's a tutorial on my blog.
Will post the shower cap when I complete version 2....version 1 was enormous!

hmo

avstar wrote: »

Pollyskettle - the tissue holder is lovely, and your aprons are gorgeous! I'm got the fabric to make a couple of aprons but I'm scared! :rotfl:

Hmo - your tissue cover is great too, and is that a matching doorstop?

Here's some bias binding I made to go on a shower cap I'm making.



There's a tutorial on my blog.
Will post the shower cap when I complete version 2....version 1 was enormous!

hi yes i made the door stop to match.

great bias binding love the colours

pogie2

Thanks very much for the instructions, i'll have to have a go when i have finished all my xmas stockings. Finished another bag last night. Picture on my homepage. Hope everyone is well and is enjoying their sewing. x

jennyjelly

Doh, you've started me off now Avstar with that great tute, now i have to go and buy a gizmo. As if I haven't got enough to do!

annem38

:jhello:j
been lurking for a week or so and am now ready to come out of the woodwork! am sooooo impressed by all the lovely stuff that you do that i thought it was time that i also dusted off my old sewing maching and try a few basic projects......anyhoo......machine is now 30 years old and looking ( and worryingly sounding) the worse for wear so thought i would invest in a new one, didn't want to spend too much and had been looking at the john lewis ones ( admit i was slightly swayed as they come in funky colours) and thought they were fine for the 100 quid BUT they also do a mini one which WAS priced at £59 but is now reduced to an unbelievable £29.50:T

anyone have any experience of it or of any mini machine??

either way, am looking forward to it being me posting pictures of my own work

thanks

anne

hmo

annem38 wrote: »

:jhello:j
been lurking for a week or so and am now ready to come out of the woodwork! am sooooo impressed by all the lovely stuff that you do that i thought it was time that i also dusted off my old sewing maching and try a few basic projects......anyhoo......machine is now 30 years old and looking ( and worryingly sounding) the worse for wear so thought i would invest in a new one, didn't want to spend too much and had been looking at the john lewis ones ( admit i was slightly swayed as they come in funky colours) and thought they were fine for the 100 quid BUT they also do a mini one which WAS priced at £59 but is now reduced to an unbelievable £29.50:T

anyone have any experience of it or of any mini machine??

either way, am looking forward to it being me posting pictures of my own work

thanks

anne

I have the Janome sew mini for my dd9 and its the same machine as far as i can see as the JL one,

its a good little machine but not what i would say is for an adult.

i would get the best one you can for your budget, there are loads of free tutorials and patterns for all sorts of things on the net that you would probably out grow the mini very quickly.

think what you want from a machine and find one that fits your requirements and budget.

example i wanted a needle threader, a one step button hole (in stead of a 4 step) and i didnt want to have to use a foot pedal, so i found a machine that did all that.

hope that helps

Tamster150

annem38 wrote: »

:jhello:j
been lurking for a week or so and am now ready to come out of the woodwork! am sooooo impressed by all the lovely stuff that you do that i thought it was time that i also dusted off my old sewing maching and try a few basic projects......anyhoo......machine is now 30 years old and looking ( and worryingly sounding) the worse for wear so thought i would invest in a new one, didn't want to spend too much and had been looking at the john lewis ones ( admit i was slightly swayed as they come in funky colours) and thought they were fine for the 100 quid BUT they also do a mini one which WAS priced at £59 but is now reduced to an unbelievable £29.50:T

anyone have any experience of it or of any mini machine??

either way, am looking forward to it being me posting pictures of my own work

thanks

anne

Lidl do a cheap machine (around £60) that seems to get very good reviews, although not sure when it will be back in stock. (if you do a search in the forums it is mentioned frequently) Your machine might just need a good service. (although that costs as much as a new machine)

idlesaver

Hello all, sorry I don't post on this thread but have subscribed to this and do appreciate your conributions!!!!

Your creations are really fantastic.

I just popped here today to share this deal at play.com, Might help someone for yourself or as a christmas gift
Sew by Kath Kidson for £5.89 delivered......
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/10474837/Sew-/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=sew&urlrefer=search

Thanks...