The Sewing Room

Tamster150

tirlittan wrote: »

Ordered some fabric and fabric bundles from FabricRehab as found on Tamster's blog. Nice fabrics!

Thanks for reading :j I am very good at keeping my blog up-to-date but very glad I am not just talking to myself :rotfl:

Georgiabay

It's just taken me a while to catch up, the thread's been moving pretty quickly in the last few days.

Welcome to all the newbies, it'll be nice to see the things you make.

I've been busy making things for a Pay-it-forward on my blog, but I can't put any photos on there because it's a surprise.
Some of the things I've made are these patchwork needle cases


Some drawstring bags


and these thumb pin cushions which I think would be good to make for any craft fair stalls

avstar

Oh Georgiabay your makes are lovely! :T

rufusdog52

Lovely makes Georgia, beautiful colours.

I had a go at making the clutch bag last night. Its turned out ok, not as good an I had hoped. I wanted to put some think foam in between the outer and the lining but couldnt think how to do it so I stuck the lining to the outer fabric. I left about 1cm around the outside of the fabric free to sew it up but when I went to sew it on my machine it wouldnt sew through with the foam one side. Thinking this morning, I should have tried using the zipper foot but I didnt think of that last night so I ended up bringing it down and sewing by hand. I just wanted like an DL envelope sort of thing with the flap being deeper than an envelope but I should have cut some slits in the foam where the purse was going to bend so that it folded up neatly. As it was it kept wanting to spring back open again once I had finished it. I put a single magnet in the front, again on hindsight I should have put two, one each side. But all in all it is usable and looks pretty. I am still waiting for the self covering buttons to come and I will sew one on the front for decoration then I can add some photos to my blog.

I want to make a button hole on the jacket I am making. I know what I want, its one of those ones that are made from thread where you do buttonhole stitch around it but I dont know what they are called. I was hoping to have a look online for some tips before starting it (cant do it anyway until the buttons turn up) so I dont go and mess it all up being right on the front. Do any of you know what they are called or may be some we pages with tips on it or know of any tips yourself please?

Savvy_sewing

Rufusdog, do you mean handsewing buttonhole stitches? Like doing blanket stitch around them. I do all my machine stithes on the normal button holes, but have oversewed when wanting to use a contrasting thread as detailing.? Sorry havent any blogs to point you at. I just do trial and error on scraps.

I have been given a huge amount of fabrics from another crafts person. Eldest daughters BF's mum. She mostly knits really but has sewn too. She has all the expensive equipment and doesnt use it much, (so frustrating would love to borrow it!). anyway she was clearing out her loft and gave my daughter two large bags (binbag size) of fabrics to use, form curtaining to net for veil type stuff. So I was having a good route around in the bags and thinking of only I had the time I could make this or that???
This morning I have borrowed a sewing machine foot for embroidery from my mothers elna. I am hoping that I can get it to work on my Viscount and see if i can do a bit of the free embroidery sewing that Kirsty was doing on Channel 4 this week.

rufusdog52

Mooloo, its not the buttonholes that you sew into the fabric its the loopy kind that you make with the threads and then buttonhole stitich over the thread loop at the edge of a garment. I have found one or two bits online about it, enough to do a plain one, I was hoping I might find out how to do a more decorative one.

Savvy_sewing

Oh I think i know what you mean. I did them when I used to do the wedding dresses. But no idea what they are called. I did that sort of cast on effect a bit like knitting over mine. Did them for eyes too when I only had hooks. The other things I did were to make what we called "frogs" out of cording, mmm I shall have to rake my memory banks for things more often.!

Errata

I've always called them 'thread eyes' if I'm thinking of what Rufusdog wants - info http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/hookandeyeclosures_4.htm

Tamster150

for those that want to free-motion embroidery like Kirsty, I borrowed a great book from the library by Poppy Treffry and she uses an old singer with NO sewing foot! It was a really good book with lots of tips (have borrowed it twice now lol)

I did some free motion applique last week (some little Ballerinas) will try & upload photos over the weekend. I set my stitch to zero, dropped feed dogs & used darning foot as suggested. However my stitches are so miniscule! supposedly, the faster you sew, the bigger the stitch but I think I need to play around & set my stitch length at 1 or 2 as I just cant go any faster AND keep control lol!

t'was fun & although the ballerinas are not perfect I am pleased with my first attempt.

pollyskettle

I bet it's lovely tamster, I'm always a bit afraid of doing things like that, but I'm not really sure why - what's the worst that can happen?!

Lovely makes Georgiabay xx

Still haven't finished the buttons on my shirt, but I did finish both footstools for my mother and the large seat cushion I've been promising her so she can take it all tonight and I shall get some space back! I've found lots of lovely new fabric on eBay for my next shirt, and jersey dress, and jersey top, and stockings for the kids, and 50s dress, and ...................... I could go on forever!