The Sewing Room

hmo

shipr!!!95 wrote: »

I bought some navy blue lace from Leicester Market on Saturday (£6pm). Using a easy Burda pattern I made a lace top. I customised the pattern slightly. The fabric was a bit of a pain to work with though. I had to tack all seams with a double row of stitches before machining.

I think it looks fab.

it looks lovely well done

Savvy_sewing

looks really good.
So far my sewing has been mending things all week. Riped jeans, holes in jumpers, skirts, unravelled seams in trousers, replacement zip in jeans and shortening crop trousers. followed by unpicking two pairs of curtains ready to shorten them. would have been finished but family c r a p, has got in the way.

stormbreaker

I have two weddings coming up where the couples have both had flats for a long time and both are going to America on their honeymoons, so I have decided to give them dollars. But that goes against the grain a bit as I don't like giving money so.... I picked up cheap luggage scales and decided to make a sort of travel bag and fill with adapters and the like.
I was thinking I could make eye mask things but wondered if someone could suggest a suitable material and filling, please?

hannahsmamma

whitesatin wrote: »

Just wondered if anyone has used a bias tape maker. I am about to make some piped cushions for the first time since I was at college in the 70s. Then I made my bias tape by hand but wondered if a gadget would be an advantage these days. Thanks.

I have just used a bias binding machine this week at my craft club and I love it!
It's made by 'S' and comes with a 'tip' for making 1" binding. Other sizes are available as extras. I would consider getting one myself if I didn't have access to one at the craft club but I think it's a bit expensive. If it cost £20-£25 I would buy it. It was easy to use as well as long as you press down the top. I found if I followed the printed instructions the material didn't go through but some demo's on you-tube said to hold down the top. It worked best on cotton and when your fabric strips are cut neatly. The same company also make a rotary cutter machine for cutting strips of fabric but I found it difficult to use, it has mixed reviews on t'interweb.

trix-a-belle

stormbreaker wrote: »

I have two weddings coming up where the couples have both had flats for a long time and both are going to America on their honeymoons, so I have decided to give them dollars. But that goes against the grain a bit as I don't like giving money so.... I picked up cheap luggage scales and decided to make a sort of travel bag and fill with adapters and the like.
I was thinking I could make eye mask things but wondered if someone could suggest a suitable material and filling, please?

Are you thinking for warming & cooling stormbreaker? Ie like a wheat bag? I did some wrist 'wheat' bags for christmas presents & used long grain rice as it was more flexible due to having smaller grains & mixed in a small amount of lavender.
Great present idea too

stormbreaker

trix-a-belle wrote: »

Are you thinking for warming & cooling stormbreaker? Ie like a wheat bag? I did some wrist 'wheat' bags for christmas presents & used long grain rice as it was more flexible due to having smaller grains & mixed in a small amount of lavender.
Great present idea too

Neither cold or hot. Just like the ones you used to get ( many years ago) on night flights to help block out the light to sleep. Thanks.

trix-a-belle

Probably just quilt wadding then or maybe felt if you want them dense but thin

hmo

cushion made today for daughters room details on my blog but this is a close up.

stormbreaker

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-mini-colour-block-sewing-machine/p352047?colour=Purple

Does anyone have this? Someone just posted it on a FB page and I am blown away by the price and wondered if it would just be good for small projects. I was also wondering how often the price comes down. If its a special for the weekend as they are having a match the competitors weekend.

Do you think you could say make curtains on it or would it be too smal?

ScarlettOHara_2

stormbreaker wrote: »

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-mini-colour-block-sewing-machine/p352047?colour=Purple

Does anyone have this? Someone just posted it on a FB page and I am blown away by the price and wondered if it would just be good for small projects. I was also wondering how often the price comes down. If its a special for the weekend as they are having a match the competitors weekend.

Do you think you could say make curtains on it or would it be too smal?

I dont have it but i have made curtains before. I think you would find it tricky to make curtains with that machine as its quite small and curtains are heavy/bulky. I'd be concerned about it staying upright and having the horsepower to get through all the layers when you get to putting header tape on.

That said its well worth the investment in making your own curtains - for good quality curtains the cost savings are phenomenal. I managed to get some John Lewis fabric on clearance and spent about £150 on curtains that would have cost the best part of £1k to buy if I'd commissioned them!

You might be able to get a similar cost full sized machine on ebay if you dont mind second hand (or a relative who no longer uses theres) or for a good quality new one Argos have a Brother machine at £79 that would be fine.