The Sewing Room

Rikki

esmy wrote: »

Hello
I'm a bit of a lurker but I would love some advice from experienced sewers/dressmakers. I bought a beautiful wool and cashmere camel coat in a charity shop yesterday - it fits beautifully but is about 4'' too long. It's fully lined with a vent at the back and there are facings at the front that seem to be piped?? I can sew (machine and hand) but I'm not sure whether to tackle this myself or take it to a seamstress/tailor to alter. I'm struggling to work out how best to go about it if I attempt it and I'm worried about ruining the coat. Any thoughts/tips/ideas would be much appreciated.

I suggest you join The Sewing Forum there are experienced sewers and professional dressmakers on there and some of us here are members

They are very helpful and friendly crowd UK based but members from all over the world. All happy to help and offer advise.

rufusdog52

Tamster150 wrote: »

The quilts were all made from the lintott Jelly roll quilts book.

For the bottom one, you had to sew 4 strips together, fold in half then cut with a triangle ruler. However all the blocks came out wonky. I wasnt sure if this was my cutting, or sewing.

I mentioned this when I took the quilt with me to my local quilt shop to buy the quilting thread and she reckoned there was an error with that pattern as she had had the same problem and so too did lots of other customers. So in the end I just cut a square out of cardboard and used that to square off my blocks.

I have since seen tutorials for similar quilts - try googling string quilts

Thanks Tamster - I had a look at some of the pages on google, it looks really easy to do so I might have a go at some when I have finisehd off my other projects, Rufus xx

Sallys_Savings

Thank you to everyone who posts on this thread....the work is all beautiful.

I have a question for the quilters out there.
I am looking at wadding and not sure which to buy.....the fabric i'm using is all cotton mixes. Do i need to use the cotton wadding (which is more expensive) or can i use the cheaper polyester wadding? ....also do most people find ebay the cheapest place to buy from?.... and lol sorry which weight do people generally use?

Thank you

bexterwho

Hello

I think this is my first post on this thread, but long time lurker!
I'm after some help with a tutu that I've made for my daughter. It's gone a bit wrong and I really want to salvage it as the material wasn't cheap, and now she's seen it she desperately wants it for her ballet classes, but at the moment it looks like she's wearing a lampshade!

I think what I need to do is unpick the seam and shape it from the waist band. I've attached a couple of pics of it on, and one of it laid out with the elastic loosened so you can see the shape of it. Should I just unpick the seam and taper it up to the waist, or would it be better if I made another seam on the other side and sloped them both up? Or is there something else completely I should be doing?

Any advice would be great as I was so proud of myself for making it until I put it on her and it looks ridiculous!!


DSCF0536 by bexterwho, on Flickr


DSCF0537 by bexterwho, on Flickr

DSCF0538 by bexterwho, on Flickr

rufusdog52

Sallys_Savings wrote: »

Thank you to everyone who posts on this thread....the work is all beautiful.

I have a question for the quilters out there.
I am looking at wadding and not sure which to buy.....the fabric i'm using is all cotton mixes. Do i need to use the cotton wadding (which is more expensive) or can i use the cheaper polyester wadding? ....also do most people find ebay the cheapest place to buy from?.... and lol sorry which weight do people generally use?

Thank you

I just use polyester in my quilts sally, but its really up to you. I buy mine from Dunelm Mill and its only 99p a metre and its wide enough to do a single bed quilt.

hmo

bexterwho wrote: »

Hello

I think this is my first post on this thread, but long time lurker!
I'm after some help with a tutu that I've made for my daughter. It's gone a bit wrong and I really want to salvage it as the material wasn't cheap, and now she's seen it she desperately wants it for her ballet classes, but at the moment it looks like she's wearing a lampshade!

I think what I need to do is unpick the seam and shape it from the waist band. I've attached a couple of pics of it on, and one of it laid out with the elastic loosened so you can see the shape of it. Should I just unpick the seam and taper it up to the waist, or would it be better if I made another seam on the other side and sloped them both up? Or is there something else completely I should be doing?

Any advice would be great as I was so proud of myself for making it until I put it on her and it looks ridiculous!!


DSCF0536 by bexterwho, on Flickr


DSCF0537 by bexterwho, on Flickr

DSCF0538 by bexterwho, on Flickr

hi
i dont sew clothes so no real help but just did a quick google and found this

http://kitschycoo.blogspot.com/2010/05/tutorial-how-to-make-tutu-pettiskirt.html

dont know if its any help.

i would also try looking on youtube videos there may be something on there that may help

rufusdog52

bexterwho wrote: »

Hello

I think this is my first post on this thread, but long time lurker!
I'm after some help with a tutu that I've made for my daughter. It's gone a bit wrong and I really want to salvage it as the material wasn't cheap, and now she's seen it she desperately wants it for her ballet classes, but at the moment it looks like she's wearing a lampshade!

I think what I need to do is unpick the seam and shape it from the waist band. I've attached a couple of pics of it on, and one of it laid out with the elastic loosened so you can see the shape of it. Should I just unpick the seam and taper it up to the waist, or would it be better if I made another seam on the other side and sloped them both up? Or is there something else completely I should be doing?

Any advice would be great as I was so proud of myself for making it until I put it on her and it looks ridiculous!!


DSCF0536 by bexterwho, on Flickr


DSCF0537 by bexterwho, on Flickr

DSCF0538 by bexterwho, on Flickr

Not sure how you did the layers but I was in our fabric shop the other day and lady was showing someone how to do a similar thing, she had like a petticoat half slip with elastic round the waist then sewed one frill onto the bottom and another a bit higher up so it came over the top of the bottom one then the next over the top of that if you know what i mean, each layer would have been gathered separately then sewn onto the half slip. Not sure if this is how you meant it to look or not xx

sethsgran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKUxblXHWD8&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBaOKfXXN5Q&feature=related do these help for future reference

Sallys_Savings

rufusd!!!2 wrote: »

I just use polyester in my quilts sally, but its really up to you. I buy mine from Dunelm Mill and its only 99p a metre and its wide enough to do a single bed quilt.

Thank you...that was the answer I was hoping to hear

shirlgirl2004

Laura_D wrote: »

Haven't been on for the past week and just catching up on all your gorgeous makes they are fabulous :j

Well thought I'd give making a portable herbal tea bag holder a whirl. Couldn't find a pattern so made my own up, I think I'll have to make another as I wanted a tiered approach to the slots. Really should learn that if I'm making up a pattern to think it up properly beforehand as currently I seem to go for it and end up sewing it all together inside out or something equally silly :rotfl:



At least I managed my first successful bit of blind sewing :T:T

I used these instructions to make one and it turned out well. No pics as I made it as a git and forgot to take pics.