The Sewing Room

hart44

annie-c wrote: »

Hello

I am a relatively novice sewer and would like to try to make some simple alterations to some A-line skirts that are too big for me.

Can anyone please recommend any books or online tutorials where I can get a good how-to guide with diagrams etc?

Many thanks

Hi annie Im not very good with clothes but I had a look on Google and found this http://swn-archive.sew-whats-up.com/archive/t-16786.html

I sure one of the ladies who make their clothes will be here to help soon

Savvy_sewing

annie-c wrote: »

Hello

I am a relatively novice sewer and would like to try to make some simple alterations to some A-line skirts that are too big for me.

Can anyone please recommend any books or online tutorials where I can get a good how-to guide with diagrams etc?

Many thanks

If you take in a skirt, you first need to establish if it has a removable waist band.
Take the amount of surplus fabric into the sideseams and or any darts, evenly distributed. You dont need to unpick these, you just taper them to the required fit. (try it on inside out, and get someone to pin it for you if you can). Alternatively measure your waist and hips, then measure the skirt. And do the maths.
So if you need to take it in by 2" you will take in 1/2" on each side seam, and 1/2 divided by any darts.
If there are no darts, you should be able to do it on the side seams.

Then you reduce the size of the waistband accordingly and resew it on.
If the skirt doesnt have a waist band and just a fabric facing, then I just unpick the areas that are needed to be altered, and individually alter each part, skirt, then facing, to line up with each other.
Then sew them back together, removing the excess fabric in the facing especially.
Hope that that makes sense. I dont know of any tutorials, but hope it helps.
(I have altered hundreds, and I mean hundreds of clothes over the years, used to be part of my job for a dry cleaners in days gone by!):D

Kaz2904

I wanted a top like the one Gok Wan showed on his capsule wardrobe thing last year (or the year before) which is a bit gypsy style but with big reverse batwing sleeves (IYKWIM?) I may try to make one of those for myself if I ever get round to it, after I have finished all my other projects..... What's that? I'm never going to come to the end of projects, I'll always just add another one? Oh. Right.

kings981

My nearest dress fabric shop is 20 miles away and I can't go often enough! Any recommendations of online suppliers would be great.

jennynoo

Hello, novice sewer here, been sewing by hand for most my life and only basic things - nappy bag, peg bag etc. but would like to buy a sewing machine so I can make said nappy bag and peg bag for my family and hopefully progress to other things. Can anyone recommend a sewing machine that will fit my needs (also smaller is better as I live in a tiny flat). If this has been discussed before please can someone direct me to the discussion. I don't mind second hand, would prefer £100 or less. Thanks!

Savvy_sewing

kings981 wrote: »

My nearest dress fabric shop is 20 miles away and I can't go often enough! Any recommendations of online suppliers would be great.

There are so many sites about these days.
I use Croft Mills, but there are links all through. There is a well known site on here, www.abakhan.co.uk
#then there is www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk but they are mid price range.
Then www.fabricland.co.uk

there are a few for you to take a look at.
Most of my links have gone as my laptop had to be wiped and cleared, so i would need to trawl the threads for any of the others.

hope it helps.

Savvy_sewing

jennynoo wrote: »

Hello, novice sewer here, been sewing by hand for most my life and only basic things - nappy bag, peg bag etc. but would like to buy a sewing machine so I can make said nappy bag and peg bag for my family and hopefully progress to other things. Can anyone recommend a sewing machine that will fit my needs (also smaller is better as I live in a tiny flat). If this has been discussed before please can someone direct me to the discussion. I don't mind second hand, would prefer £100 or less. Thanks!

Mine are so ancient its hard to tell, but there was a write up about some machines in the SEW mag in February.
They recommend the Singer 1507, for absolute beginners.
It does all the basics, buttonhole, 7 stitches, etc with convertable free arm. Its £99.
www.singerco.co.uk 0207 336 7986
My first machines were singers. Then I went on to New Homes/Combi's and Janome is part of them now.
I have a Silver Viscount now. Silver are a good one.
They are based in Kettering. *(They actually service my machines, even those that are not thier own). My spare is at my BF's so I can sew where ever I am).
www.silverviscount.co.uk 01933 311888
But they are pricier machines now I think.

I am sure there will be others around.
Best thing is to go into the shops and get a demonstration of them in progress, and see if you can have a go too.
Good luck
Mooloo:D

pennib

Jennynoo; I have just a basic Tesco sewing machine and have made loads of things on it. I think it was around the £80 mark and does buttonholes and has a few embroidery stitches. It's average size. Ooh.. just had a thought. If you've got Tesco vouchers arn't they doing £20 for a £10 voucher on electricals at the moment? Very MSE:T

Here is a label that I've made to go on my quilt which at the mo I'm hand quilting all over. I ran out of thread so made this in the meanwhile.

clairewop

I was wondering if someone would point me in the right direction for a childrens apron pattern? and bandanas please. I need to raise £2000 to be able to have a new boiler, I do the farmers market every month and sell handcrafted jewellery and as the jewellery selling is slow at the moment, I would like to put my sewing machine to use and make some other stuff to sell, so any ideas would be gratefully received

Savvy_sewing

clairewop wrote: »

I was wondering if someone would point me in the right direction for a childrens apron pattern? and bandanas please. I need to raise £2000 to be able to have a new boiler, I do the farmers market every month and sell handcrafted jewellery and as the jewellery selling is slow at the moment, I would like to put my sewing machine to use and make some other stuff to sell, so any ideas would be gratefully received

Dont know of a free one, but they do them on
www.youcanmakethis.com as I downloaded a bandanna from there. Ithink I bought it at the time.

To make a childrens apron you dont really need a pattern.
You can just drawer it out on the fabric. And then add the tapes to it. I line mine with shower curtain.:D


If the economic climate is dictating things will not sell, then you need to do things that are only a few pounds. Like tissue covers, and glasses cases, small items. Gift bags, that sort of thing may be better to make. Nearer September then shoe bags and halloween bunting etc. Birthday bunting is big business these days. Hope that will help you.