The Sewing Room

Dorastar

Please can I sign up for this thread. Have just got sewing maching back from repair man - dh had managed to get it covered in green flock (green fluff that you stick on models to make them look like they have got grass on - he is soooooo sad) and all the workings were coated and everything jammed up.

Have got it back all shiny, clean and working. Have got to sew dd's dancing outfits - 1x Charleston dress, 1x gathered skirt, tiger cuffs, legwarmers and tail! and a pair of baggy pants for me to dance in a Bollywood J'ai Ho kind of way!

Thanks to whoever posted the easy peasy skirt cos that has got one thing covered and the charleston dress is just a tube with straps. Anyone got a good pattern/link for doing the baggy pants cos not sure where to start.

Am hoping to revive sewing machine as a cool tool and would love to do quilting and bags at some point in life - is a pity work keeps happening to spoil the fun!

nuttywoman

i`ve decided that buying a quilters ruler is maybe a good idea .Can you point me to a good buy please?

xxvickixx

Genieuk, that dress is realy pretty. Well Done.

I've been away for 4 days, just me and DS and (shhhh, don't tell DH) I missed my sewing machine more than him!

danables

jcr16 wrote: »

Danables your blog is very insipring. i love the little girls dresses you made. do you have a pattern for these please?

great door stop i've mentioned before i was gonna make one so i enjoyed reading about yours.

Thanks jcr thats lovely to hear- I have popped some tutorials on there for you so pop over and have a look.

danables

jasmine_lotus_flower wrote: »

Always on Martins site but found these threads by chance. I have made my own clothes for 50 years on and off, [now 59] as well as my childrens clothes.
I worked my way back to page 129 and will continue later. Could you i have a link for the door stop please as i would like a go at making it. Joined some-ones blob and hope to make friends on their can't remember whose. Flat on back at the moment, as i bent down and back gave way, third time since Xmas, oh the joys of being old. Be a day or so getting up and about, so having to balance computer on my chest at a very parculiar anle so please excuse spelling.
This site is brilliant.

There is a tutorial for the doorstep on my blog, so pop by and say hi xx

Genieuk loving that dress, and the handbag too!
Great hearts dizzytina
nuttywoman: I got my quilters ruler from cotton patch (online) but you can get them from hobbycraft too.
xxxvickixxx you make me laugh- but Im sure I'd be the same!!!

kiely124

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the right place to be posting this and I am sorry if someone has already answered my questions but there are 154 pages and it would take me a very long time to get through all of them. So please be gentle with me if I should have put this somewhere else, I've only ever been on the comp boards before.

Ok here goes, I got a sewing machine for my 21st birthday, I am now 24 and am ashamed to say all I have managed to do on it is make 4 pillow cases smaller so they are cushion covers! I was so pleased with myself when I had finished them and as long as you don't inspect them too closely they lines are almost straight hehehe!!
So a couple of weeks ago I dug out some of the gorgeous fabric I had bought and the zips to match and decided I would make a purse, it was all going swimmingly until I realised I didn't know how to put the other half of the zip in!! They purse got pulled apart and the idea was abandoned! However I have decided I will not be beaten and I will learn how to sew properly.
I am considering buying a book with tips and instructions on things like zips and seams and hems but there are hundreds of titles out there and I haven't got a clue where to start so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book that is good for a beginner who is desperate to be able to just get out the sewing machine and whip something up!! Or if there is a website(s) that I can get such information from!
I am also considering getting the Cath Kidson SEW! book with the bag and I saw on the first page that several of you had it! How did the bag turnout? Was it fairly easy to do!!
I've seen some of the pictures you guys have posted and I am very jealous of your skills so I thought it couldn't hurt to ask for your help!!

Thanks so much everyone
Jo
x

Bunny200

kiely124 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the right place to be posting this and I am sorry if someone has already answered my questions but there are 154 pages and it would take me a very long time to get through all of them. So please be gentle with me if I should have put this somewhere else, I've only ever been on the comp boards before.

Ok here goes, I got a sewing machine for my 21st birthday, I am now 24 and am ashamed to say all I have managed to do on it is make 4 pillow cases smaller so they are cushion covers! I was so pleased with myself when I had finished them and as long as you don't inspect them too closely they lines are almost straight hehehe!!
So a couple of weeks ago I dug out some of the gorgeous fabric I had bought and the zips to match and decided I would make a purse, it was all going swimmingly until I realised I didn't know how to put the other half of the zip in!! They purse got pulled apart and the idea was abandoned! However I have decided I will not be beaten and I will learn how to sew properly.
I am considering buying a book with tips and instructions on things like zips and seams and hems but there are hundreds of titles out there and I haven't got a clue where to start so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book that is good for a beginner who is desperate to be able to just get out the sewing machine and whip something up!! Or if there is a website(s) that I can get such information from!
I am also considering getting the Cath Kidson SEW! book with the bag and I saw on the first page that several of you had it! How did the bag turnout? Was it fairly easy to do!!
I've seen some of the pictures you guys have posted and I am very jealous of your skills so I thought it couldn't hurt to ask for your help!!

Thanks so much everyone
Jo
x

Here are a few links which might help

http://sewing.about.com/od/beginner1/bb/sewing101.htm

http://sewingsupport.com/learn-to-sew.html

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2009/08/sew-basic.html

I personally have bought this sewing book but I'm not convinced its the best, I think the Readers Digest one is supposed to be good, there's always Sewing For Dummies best thing to do is borrow a couple from the library and see which ones suits your style.

specifically doing the zip... there are loads of tutorials etc out there although quickly this is the one I found, http://noodleheads.blogspot.com/2009/10/tutorial-lil-cutie-pouches.html


hope it helps and stick with it, you will find that your seam ripper will be your best sewing tool! I'm looking forward to the day I don't need to use mine!

flossie217

kiely124 wrote: »

Hi everyone,


I am considering buying a book with tips and instructions on things like zips and seams and hems but there are hundreds of titles out there and I haven't got a clue where to start so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book that is good for a beginner who is desperate to be able to just get out the sewing machine and whip something up!! Or if there is a website(s) that I can get such information from!
I am also considering getting the Cath Kidson SEW! book with the bag and I saw on the first page that several of you had it! How did the bag turnout? Was it fairly easy to do!!
I've seen some of the pictures you guys have posted and I am very jealous of your skills so I thought it couldn't hurt to ask for your help!!

Thanks so much everyone
Jo
x

Hi Jo. Do you have a library within a reasonable distance? I borrow lots of books and can order any book from my county libraries for 25p. I often request a title for purchase and so far have been accepted for each of them. I usually have a look on Amazon for books I'd like then go on the county libraries website to see if they are available.
Free videos can be found on youtube and ehow, like this - http://www.ehow.com/video_4429783_all-sewing-zippers.html
or this - http://www.ehow.com/video_4438349_getting-started-making-tote-bag.html
Hope this helps.

Bunny200

Does anyone know the legal implications of selling things you've made, i.e. fabric composition, wash care labels etc?
I've tried looking all over and get to dead ends, thought Trading Standards website would be a good place but don't seem able to find them, also spent ages looking on the Sewing Forum but no definative answer there either.....


Thanks for the help!

kiely124

Bunny200 and flossie217 thank you so much for your help!!! I hadn't even thought of going to the library, hahaha!!!

I'll take a look at the websites in the next couple of days!!

I really want to be able to make things as presents for people but at the moment I don't think anyone would want anything I make hehehe!!

Thanks again so much for your help!! I'll keep coming back here and checking for tips and hints as well and so I can be nosy at the pictures people post!! Hopefully one day fairly soon I'll be able to post something myself!!

Love
Jo
xxx