The Sewing Room

annie-c

poppy-glos wrote: »

hello

may i join too? i have just bought dd a machine for xmas (when she is back at school will get it out to check it works etc ready for xmas day).

I have also bought her a project book of projects (clothes bags etc) to make with a metre of fabric.

Can anyone please advise me the best places to buy felt and pretty fabric metres? i'm on the gloucestershire/wiltshire border so happy to shop as well as online.

Also, having had a read i've been looking for the sewing no chat mentioned and the facebook which is mentioned, but can't find either, some pointers would be lovely please.

thanks in advance

update: i have found and am reading the no chat thread, a mine of information

i would still love to know about the facebook page (ie name or how to access please). I tried The Sewing Room but it did not look right...

thesewingforum.co.uk is also a mine of information and is full of very friendly people fro all over the world

annie-c

miklbikl wrote: »

My daughter has just bought a sewing machine from this company. After she ordered it she came across some really bad comments about Coopers which frightened her. She need not have worried, each person she communicated with was very pleasant and helpful. The machine arrived a couple days after the appointed time, which was probably a bit optimistic. It was well packed and works perfectly. I wonder about the veracity of the comments on some of the so-called consumer websites, especially when the owners of the site are not contactable.

I think that on websites like these, it is a VERY good idea to look at the context in which a comment is posted. I tend to place more emphasis on the views of established commenters who have shared views on a range of subjects. Unfortunately it is all too common for companies themselves to pose as customers and rave about the services they have received. These unscrupulous company posters usually have a low post count and seem to pop up just to defend a company and then disappear soon after. Google is always your friend in these situations! There is plenty of information out there....

I am glad your daughter's experience was positive but personally, I dodged a bullet with Coopers because their appallingly rude staff showed their true colours when I asked 'too many' questions prior to purchase. They did me a huge favour though, as a Google search not only led me to a more reputable supplier, it also led me to discover thesewingforum.co.uk which is a fabulous resource for all sorts of sewing related info - and it has a very long thread on Coopers which does indeed contain a few success stories... in amongst pages and pages of horror.

annie-c

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!

Thank you so much for the bias binding tutorial and your lovely blog! I was directed to you from another forum and just came by to say 'thank you'.

annie-c

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

Tamster150 wrote: »

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)

Lidl used to do fab machines that were branded 'Lervia'. My dad bought one for £39 and it is still going strong 8 years on. Recently they have started selling Singer machines at (relatively) much higher prices, which is a shame because the new Singers (since the company changed hands a few years back) are not what they used to be.

I am generally annoyed with Lidl - I loved it when they used to sell good quality German food and household stuff. Now they are getting to be like a mini Tesco!

Anne: the JL mini sewing machines at £59 are made by Janome and they are good quality for what they are - a friend has one and it is small, lightweight and good for light-medium fabrics, crafting, clothes repairs etc. I know of lots of people who have bought them for children as a very very good alternative to a toy machine, and they are then 'borrowable' by their parents as well as being a good gift for the child. It is a very different machine to the very small 'mini' machines that you can hold in the palm of one hand, that I think other posters might be referring to.

If you can get one for £29 (they are still £59 online at JL) then I would say you are getting a bargain!

If you think you might want to develop your skills later, then you could probably do better by getting a more sturdy machine second hand. But yeah: £29 of funky-coloured fun sounds like a very good deal!

Horseunderwater

If it's Ok, I'd like to join in on this forum/thread/room.

I now have an E & R classic woolies sewing machine, which does all I need it to. Cost me £49.00 5 years or so ago. Hardly used it at first, but I am now gaining the upper hand with it. My daughter also likes it as does her mate. Both consult me for help, even though I am not that knowledgeble. But my Mother when she was alive did loads of sewing, so I gleaned some of her skills and tips. I even mend my OH's work trousers with the darning foot, can turn them up with the free arm, so that they are easier to move and sew. I made an outfit for my daughter to wear to an Anime Expo in May 2 years ago, all by her showing me a picture and making up something that worked. She got compliments for it, and people asked her where she got it, so she said mum made it. So I guess I am fairly competent, but I find that stuff and skills come back all the time. So hopefully I will be able to help now and again.

avstar

annie-c wrote: »

Thank you so much for the bias binding tutorial and your lovely blog! I was directed to you from another forum and just came by to say 'thank you'.

Oh my thank you so much annie-c! Can't believe I've been mentioned on another forum :rotfl:

Hope the bias tape tutorial was useful, I need to make some more as I wasted most of the tape in that pic on the shower cap that went wrong

Artytarty

Hi, I dont usually post in here but I'm sure you dont mind!
I just love that bias binding and I remember that I bought a gadget to help make some years ago. still got it somewhere but I think I found it too fiddly.
Avstar could you please direct me to your blog/website?
Thanks.

Savvy_sewing

Artytarty wrote: »

Hi, I dont usually post in here but I'm sure you dont mind!
I just love that bias binding and I remember that I bought a gadget to help make some years ago. still got it somewhere but I think I found it too fiddly.
Avstar could you please direct me to your blog/website?
Thanks.

If you click on Avstar's name you will get a drop down menu where it will say go to her homepage. Thats where you will find any of us that have web blogs etc.

avstar

Thanks Mooloo

Hi Artytarty, Ta for wanting to visit my blog! Yes lots of us have blogs, have a look round, there's some amazing talent on here n we're quite a varied bunch of sewing lovers, crafts, quits, bag makers n dressmakers all welcome! X

rufusdog52

Afternoon all

Its quiet on here lately, wonder if everyone is busy sewing? I have started embroidering some more sayings for some new cushions. I havent thought what to put on the cushions yet but will make it up as I go along.