The Sewing Room

PootleFlump_3

craftygranny wrote: »

i'm more of a lurker than a poster but i bought this today in my asda and it's fab . i've just bought a new machine after doing no sewing for years. Thought i'd start simple and some great makes in it. I'll crawl back in my corner now. lol.

Thanks craftygranny. Ive never seen this one before but will go and have a look for it today (I love buying sewing mags!)

tellmeitsfriday

Hi Danemi,

The one you picked is nice. To be honest though, I think you're paying a premium of about £50-60 for the brand.

My mum has a Pfaff machine at home and when I went to buy mine, I was determined to get the same, because "I know what I'm doing", but the lady in the shop made me have a try on the others.

I had a go at the Singer, the Brother, a Janome and a couple of others... you have to beleive me because I can't prove it, but they are all the same.

You're gonna need to do an analysis of what you think you're gonna use it for, and then weigh up the relative benefits of the different machines in the same range.

For the record, I chose a Brother in the end. To help you compare - this was a mid range baby - and the prices for the different brands went from £120 - £240. The one I picked was £160. It has a little computer display thingie rather than a dial. All puff really. (Link: http://www.sewingmachinediscount.co.uk/special-offers/brother/xr6600/8781-c60-v0.htm)

I really don't think it matters what brand you get is what I am trying to say - look at the features you need, look at the warranty, listen to it in use at full speed if you can - some of them are quieter than others (some whine!), look at the "freebies" you get with it.. there's so much competition that you should get a good deal

H x

jcr16

i made my dd a gorgeous lilac fur cushion on monday. She loves it and has now requested a pink one, plus a fairy one ,lol. ( yah for poundland selling cushions , so i can make the covers to cover them, alot cheaper than buying proper cushion pad's.)

anyway my little old singer really struggled with the fur material. Do i need a special type of needed ? i've got a big old jones machine which is fab but it's having a service at the moment, would this be a better machine to use. as i don't want to break my singer.

alys_fowler

jcr16 wrote: »

i made my dd a gorgeous lilac fur cushion on monday. She loves it and has now requested a pink one, plus a fairy one ,lol. ( yah for poundland selling cushions , so i can make the covers to cover them, alot cheaper than buying proper cushion pad's.)

anyway my little old singer really struggled with the fur material. Do i need a special type of needed ? i've got a big old jones machine which is fab but it's having a service at the moment, would this be a better machine to use. as i don't want to break my singer.

hi sorry i cant help too much as i am only a beginner but do you have any instructions or tutorial of how you whip up these cushions please as i seem to remember you posting a piccie of one further back in the thread, i may have been wrong it may not have been you

jcr16

i do it very simply, two sqaures of material inside out. sew around the edge leaving about 1 cm from edge ( i always do a bit of a reverse stitch at the start and finish just to make sure it secure. i then leave one side only half sewn. Cut the corners at an angle so they lie flat when turned inside out. then turn cushion cover out, squeeze the padding in and sew up the gap with neat stitches. Takes about 10 mins max , start to finish.

if the cushion pad is say 14 inches make the cover no bigger than say a 12 inch. as then it will make it nice and full looking.

yes i have posted my patchwork cushions. they take slightly longer to make, maybe about an hour. as i sew all the 16 squares together first, and have to also iron the seams. but as i found out when being lazy you don't have to do this and can therefore make a patchwork cushion in about half hour.

alys_fowler

thankyou jcr16

jcr16

no prob's. i kinda just winged it. i don't do tutorials as i like to find my own way, really.

i'm just gonna make my dd fairy one , so when thats done i'll post a pic of the two cushions.

alys_fowler

that would be lovely give me a bit of inspiration lol

Sarahjovi

genieuk wrote: »

What do you think. I attempted a crayon roll this morning using this tute for the pocket.

http://uklassinus.blogspot.com/2008/09/lazy-crayon-roll-tutorial.html and this tute for the rest.

http://chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com/2008/04/crayon-roll-tutorial.html. But I am not sure how its turned out.

Admittedly I did forget to add some interfacing but then I think the bunching would have been worse. Do they not lie nice and flat when they have crayons in .

Thanks for posting this, it inspired me to have a go. Something I've been meaning to do for ages....

So heres mine



I agree about them not lying flat, but thats the way it is! More details on my blog...

Cheers
Sarah:D

jcr16

ok, heres the fur one i made on monday



todays creation, took a bit longer than normal as i had a two yr old helping me,lol.



and the pair on my dd bed, ready for when she comes home. hope she likes the new one.