The Sewing Room

Keiss_21

Florenceem wrote: »

I went to see Peter Skellern and Richard Stilgoe years ago - they did a great show. One of their songs was - Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory!

Lol..would be funnier if it wasn't so depressing!!

I saw Richard Stilgoe years ago and I think I vaguely remember that song...England (and Scotland) are past masters at this in numerous sports!

Up too late again...need to get to bed soon, as want to get up early to watch the Australian Open Final...still no Andy...but so close this time...one day!!!

Thanks about the jewellery pouches avstar..will have a hunt through my fabrics later on in the week. Planning on making a purse tomorrow, made my first one today: a small coin purse that came free with M@llie Make$. I added a lining and backed it with different material...was a bit fiddly, but not too bad. The glue was pongy though! Will try my own design tomorrow, as well as finishing my fabric bowl...the one I started in November, but had to stop as I'd run out of thread!

Right, off to bed, night, night x

midge61

Thanks dolly pop, I have spoken with them and got a load of old carp from them so it has been escalated to a claim via PayPal. They have been really difficult, just wanted my fabric or refund and they can't seem to do either!

Keiss_21

Good luck with getting your fabric/money back midge61.

No sewing today in the end, made the little purse yesterday. Have also torn up some white cotton to do some dyeing later on in the week, looking forward to it!

I did make mega-inroads on the ironing mountain while watching the tennis this morning. Also made some bread, as well as curry for tea - used Jamie's recipes for orange and ginger salad as well as lemon pickle...so yummmy. Caught the meals in minutes program on TV this afternoon while ironing (again!). Couldn't believe I had all the ingredients for the salad and pickle. There's a bit left over, so I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!

Have a good week everyone x

formaldehyde_perfume

May I join?

Although I have no real sewing skill (was put off when, at 18 months old, I tried to help mum with the sewing and got a machine needle straight through my thumb!) I would really like to get in to it. I am quite crafty and my mum is brilliant as she had to make all my clothes as a baby/toddler.

Has anyone made anything fairly simple recently that they could share with me? I have mountains of fabric and no real knowledge of where to start.

Moobear

morning FP l am a lurker here and planning to have a go myself when l find a spare half hour. I am a procastinator and nothing gets done propely as l flit about.
I would love to be able to sew and have my Mums machine but it gathers dust at the moment. I lurk on the fly lady thread too. Too much lurking and not enough doing. Look forward to seeing your crafting x Moo

sarah3891

Hello,

I'm new to this thread but you ladies all seem so knowledgeable I really hope someone can help me!

I am getting married this year, and have a load of little projects to do for the wedding, one of which is monogramming some napkins with a little monogram logo for example for our wedding reception, and the easiest way would be to use a computerised embroidery machine to save (time and frustration!).

However, we of course can't afford to pay for this to be done professionally (I was quoted £3 per napkin!!) so I wondered if anyone knew of somewhere that I could hire/access a computerised sewing machine in the South West which we can upload the logo to?

Any thoughts?

Thanks so much in advance!

S xxx

ChocolateIsLife

Hi all,
Haven't been posting on here recently but have lurked as much as I can, been a lot going on here. But I have been doing a bit of sewing, honest! Did a few bits to go with Christmas gifts and did an upcycled t-shirt bag as requested by a friend of mine. Yesterday I made a couple of felt hearts out of Kirstie Allsopps book - they were quick and simple and look pretty! Am planning on some cushion covers next, going to attempt patchwork to use up some of the material I have stashed. There is a shop near Bexleyheath train station that was selling rolls of fabric for £1 / £2 / metre - I only bought £2 worth to be the back of cushion covers and had to get out the shop quick before spending too much!
Happy sewing and thanks for all your inspiration

rufusdog52

ChocolateIsLife wrote: »

Hi all,
Haven't been posting on here recently but have lurked as much as I can, been a lot going on here. But I have been doing a bit of sewing, honest! Did a few bits to go with Christmas gifts and did an upcycled t-shirt bag as requested by a friend of mine. Yesterday I made a couple of felt hearts out of Kirstie Allsopps book - they were quick and simple and look pretty! Am planning on some cushion covers next, going to attempt patchwork to use up some of the material I have stashed. There is a shop near Bexleyheath train station that was selling rolls of fabric for £1 / £2 / metre - I only bought £2 worth to be the back of cushion covers and had to get out the shop quick before spending too much!
Happy sewing and thanks for all your inspiration

Chocolate, I will have to get OH to take me to Bexleyheath to have a look for the shop lol. Do you know what it is called?

ChocolateIsLife

I can't remember what it was called but it is right next to the station on Pickford Lane. The sale rolls which were £1 / £2 were in the window, plain colours mainly probably more upholstery type weights.

Kay_Peel

Bobbykins wrote: »

I cut out the bodice for the dress yesterday. I had taken a rough measurement of the paper pattern, allowed for the seams and reckoned it would just about fit, with a bit of "easing" in the seams. Hahaha, I must have got my maths wrong somewhere. I cut it and basted it together and :eek::eek::eek:. I know it was based on a "b" cup, and I know I am [STRIKE]hugely[/STRIKE] err, slightly better endowed than that, but I reckon I'll have to add about 5 inches to the front!!! It's a good job I got plenty of that cheap fabric.:rotfl::rotfl:



ETA, medsdemon, I meant to ask, what is the Collette book? Can you recommend it? I was thinking of buying the "Fit for real people" book if I decide to continue with attempting to dress-make but am not sure just yet - will be awaiting the outcome of the current experiment first!

In the short time that I've been dressmaking (6 months) I've learnt that commercial patterns from the likes of McCalls, Simplicity, Vogue and Butterick are less than useless for a figure like mine (32H, narrow shoulders, long frame, 41" hips but with a thick middle aged waist and full mummy-tummy). If you are going to make your own clothes then you really must find a way of shaping the bodice to fit your full or flat bust, full stop.

Here's two links that I found mind-boggling at first, but which came up with the right result:

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/18704/simple-bust-enlargement/page/all

http://www.icouldmakethat.org/post/8645132572/full-bust-adjustment-on-sorbetto

I bought 'Fit For Real People' which is very comprehensive in showing you how to completely re-draft and re-shape a commercial pattern. But who the heck wants to do that????? Not me. The authors also swear by tissue fitting the paper pattern and making adjustments using loads of paper and cellotape, so it's all very daunting for a newbie. I tried it and it just didn't work for me.

I've got two Colette patterns and they are drafted for a C Cup. I like the vintage styling but I'm still burdened with having to make adjustments. However, it's not a problem because the instructions are first class. The company has a huge fan-base and there are plenty of tutorials, tips and sew-alongs to help me through.


Now, I avoid the Big Four American pattern companies like the plague. I go for basic simple patterns from European companies like Burda (lots of free downloads on their site but the paper patterns are a good for basics) and magazines like Ottobre Woman (Finland) and Burda (Germany) again. I'm always on the hunt for 'independents' too.

Once you work on a good skirt, trouser and bodice pattern to fit you it's so much easier to assess what patterns will work and what patterns are going to take a LOT of work before they fit.