The Sewing Annexe

jpscloud

How exciting MandM90! I have decided to allow myself to use mine before Christmas day, but only after the house is tidy! Operation Christmas Tidy gets properly underway tomorrow. I can't wait to get practising with all the different stitches and so on.

MandM90

jpscloud wrote: »

How exciting MandM90! I have decided to allow myself to use mine before Christmas day, but only after the house is tidy! Operation Christmas Tidy gets properly underway tomorrow. I can't wait to get practising with all the different stitches and so on.

My mums buying mine, so no access til Xmas day; I've already been bookmarking projects and collecting scraps

sb88; definitely your best project so far! I love it!

SpikyHedgehog

DS1 plays minecraft, and I found instructions for making a creeper soft toy, so am making that with a deadline that it's part of his Christmas present this year & he doesn't know about it - nothing like pressure! Sewing by hand, because I can't be bothered to re-thread the machine for the short seams, plus I can hide it better like this! Currently residing in a carrier bag in the shopping trolley - he'll never look in there!

thriftwizard

Mmmsnow, one of my three main machines (did I mention I have a bit of an addiction to sewing machines?!) is an elderly Jones 565, which is not unlike yours. First off, it's a lot older than they think - late 1970s, most likely. They often have quite powerful motors, which can a) stop analogue TVs nearby working properly (they interfere with the signal) and b) shake parts like the needle clamp or presser feet loose, if they're not really tightly done up. So it might just be that you need to check that everything's tightly attached. Also, you should use a fresh needle, if you weren't already; over the years, needles exposed to the air will rust, slightly, but enough for it not to sew smoothly. It would probably benefit from some fresh oil too, but this may cause old oil inside to go sticky, which it would have done soon anyway; some patient turning by hand (the wheel goes forwards!) usually allows the new oil to work its way through, though sometimes I have to resort to using bike spray (basically kerosene) which dissolves the oil, then oil it all over again.
Hope that's not too much information! They are good old machines & given a bit of TLC most of them will go properly again & give years of service. I use mine on a treadle now. The chap who services the electric machines in my workshop says he quite often has to write off new machines that are misbehaving, but less than 1% of the old ones (pre-1985) that come to him for mending, although they do quite often need a new motor or pedal.

hulda

Hi everyone
New sewer here...haven't done any machine sewing since Home ec at school aged 12(and I seem to recall lots of wonky seams and measurements that I SWEAR were right when I cut). I can hand sew, but hemming is soooo tedious by hand, and I'm so petite that all my trousers and skirts have to be taken up dramatically, so I have to learn to machine sew at some point. I've bought an ancient Singer 401a, with everything that it originally came with(even including the embroidery 'cogs' and all the fancywork feet -and most importantly- the manual). It sews a dream, and is known for being indestructible. Now I just need to learn how to do more than straight lines. Be prepared for tales of woe in the coming months! Any words of wisdom gratefully received:)

Hardup_Hester

I made a peg bag, it only took about an hour, someone at work wanted one, I'll leave it on her desk this morning, I hope she likes it. There are pics on my blog.
Hester

jpscloud

Love the peg bag and especially those rag wreaths, Hester!

valk_scot

jpscloud wrote: »

Do I need to buy special thread bobbins for it or will the different sized (lots of small) ones I have work on it?

Bobbins are the round thread holders that go under the machine which you have to load up yourself and yes, you need to use the ones that came with the machine, though you'll be able to buy more.

I think though your question refers to the top threads, which are normally called reels? Yes, you can use any reel of thread as your main supply. I urge you though to buy good quality branded threads, not cheap rough threads which are weak, easily broken and clog up your machine with fluff. If your machine came supplied with cheap thread, save it for tacking.

Also if you're a novice you may not know yet about needle sizes and the relationship of these with threads and fabrics. You need fine needles for fine fabric, thicker needles for heavier fabrics, a ball point needle for jersey and knitted fabric and for jeans/denim you can get denim weight needles. Most standard thread will fit any needle but for thick topstitching thread you need the thicker needles as they have bigger eyes. For very fine fabrics a fine polyester thread such as Gutermann is best.

Also needles wear out and blunt quickly. Sewing with a blunt or bent needle is the quick way to frustration and disaster so the rule of thumb is new project, new needle. This gives you the chance to select the most appropriate needle weight too. Most modern domestic machines use the same type of needle but check in the instruction book. And don't buy cheap brand needles either. Go to a proper haberdashery shop for needles and threads and buy branded.

Finally, your machine will need to be kept dust and lint free and most of the time will need oiled regularly. check your instruction book for cleaning and oiling and use sewing machine oil for this, or at a pinch 3-in-1. (Which stinks, but your machine won't mind.) Oil before you start using a new machine (oil dries up in storage) then regularly if you're using it a lot, or if you've not used it for a while.

miffy257

Have had my sewing machine out again and have made a little writing folder for my neice and 2 little bags to hold drawing books and coloured pencils for a 2 and 3 year old. Not sure how to put photos on here so any advice would be welcome. Happy Sewing and for all those waiting for their machines......not long now:j

budgetboo

OOh so glad I found this thread!

I got the reduced argos value machine for my birthday last month and sewing is myy "to learn for 2012 skill".

So far it's already helping the old cash saving

e.g - nice fleece dog cushion from scrap fleece and old pillow - free to me as opposed to over £20 for less cosy one in pets at home etc. Content dog and purse can't be bad.

Lots of sock monkeys/elephants etc - DS wanted one as they sell at £15 a time at a local market and then do did his friends. At £2.50 for 6 stripey socks from primark and a bag of kapok stuffng for £3.50 these have made a very popular Xmas gift. These were handsewn.

Napkins - old sheet became a set of decent quality proper white cotton napkins for the Xmas table - again would have cost me over £20 for the same quality bought new in a shop. I'm old school enough to like proper napkins as i think they add a lil civility to proceedings & my old set had worn out. Great for me to practice the basics of hemming before trying out posh curtains as a beginner too!

Cotton aprons - the nice retro ones cost upwards of £15 yet can be made in pretty fabrics for approx £3 and go down well as pressies. Again a good beginner project for us noobies. Aprons do protect clothing so are worth having for us old stylers, make some tabards for the kids too!

A tip for anyone who hasn't a stash of saved buttons or without a nice charity shop nearby to get some. Craftycrocodile do a mixed pot for craft projects for £3.50 to get you started. Do save your buttons/zips/trimmings/ribbons when sorting out old clothes as the cost of trimmings can add to the cost of a project considerably & it can be amazing how replacing the buttons on primarni's best cardies can make them look far more designer than bargain basement iykwim.