The Sewing Annexe

medsdemon

Hello. Hope you don't mind if I join you. I am now sewing for my job in a soft furnishing shop and since I know feel much more confident in myself am planning lots of sewing at home so have dug out my little machine and just started my first patchwork quilt. I'm doing it the easy way from a jelly roll though.

Other plans for 2012 are to start making clothes again. I am finding it impossible to find the style of skirt that I like that fit me perfectly and I refuse to buy one unless it does so as I'm doing the Crazy Clothes Challenge I thought I would use my sewing to make me some skirts that fit ME and try and use up some of my bits of vintage fabric I have in the cupboard as well as reworking some of my clothing that now doesn't fit/I don't wear, thus not spending vast amounts in the shops:T. I am now trying to find the perfect pattern to treat myself to but getting so tempted by other patterns too. I'm loving the Colette patterns on Fancy Moon

sammy_kaye18

Can anyone recommend a decent budget sewing machine.

Got to admit I have been itching to get sewing / attempt knitting / cross stitching again since Ive watched Kirsty allsopp but the last decent machine I had blew up and I got a cheap replacement one that didnt work from the get go so I got rid of it.

Sewing I love! - I did A Level textiles in which I had to make a fully boned corset and made all three of my best friends bridesmaid dresses for her wedding.

Would be landed to get back in the swing of it again!

Trow

Hi there. I posted this on the other sewing thread (boom boom!) but thought you might be interested too. Someone in freebies posted a year-long free online tutorial to make a quilt by december. One technique and two squares per month to make a 20 square quilt. Original post is here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3704009

stitching_witch

I've finished this just in time to wear on New Years Eve. It's not often I make things for myself these days so doubly pleased with it.





And today I'm putting customer orders aside to cut out 700+ pieces to make myself a patchwork quilt. A day in the sewing room awaits......

stitchy x

ragz_2

Stitching Witch - That top is gorgeous! Well done you.
Sammy_Kaye18 - I got myself the Tesco cheapest one for Christmas (with clubcard vouchers). It had great reviews and seems good, though I have only sewed a square shape on a random bit of fabric so far!

I have a lot of flanelette sheets. Can I do anything with them? They make great cloths when cut up but I'd like to sew them somehow... I have so many that aren't used...
I need to get to a sewing shop and buy all the extras like pins, chalk etc so make up a sewing box. Any suggestions for much have items?

thriftwizard

...just started my first patchwork quilt. I'm doing it the easy way from a jelly roll though.

Gotta love jelly rolls! At first I thought, what a waste of money! £20+ for those tiny little strips... but then I came across a couple of online tutorials for easy jellyroll quilts (there's something similar here) made my first one with a sale roll from an Ebay seller bought with Christmas "treat yourself" money, used old sleeping bag innards as batting & some inexpensive indian cotton as backing, and now I have a lovely warm quilt to wrap around myself (or more usually, for DD1 to wrap around herself) snuggled on the sofa of an evening. Might just treat myself to another roll when I've finished all my UFOs.

I have a lot of flanelette sheets. Can I do anything with them? They make great cloths when cut up but I'd like to sew them somehow...

...funny you should mention that - after doing my first jelly roll quilt, it occurred to me that I could use torn flannelette strips (which I also have a lot of) to make a DIY jelly roll "raggy" quilt. I did the same as above with 3" strips torn from sheets and old seersucker tablecloths, but with a half-inch seam on the outside, then snipped down to the seams at quarter-inch intervals. When you wash it, the seams fray beautifully & become soft & fuzzy. I've made several cot-sized quilts now & sold most of them; flannelette's just the best stuff ever for fraying. This idea also works well with squares or rectangles.

medsdemon

thriftwizard wrote: »

Gotta love jelly rolls! At first I thought, what a waste of money! £20+ for those tiny little strips... but then I came across a couple of online tutorials for easy jellyroll quilts (there's something similar here) made my first one with a sale roll from an Ebay seller bought with Christmas "treat yourself" money, used old sleeping bag innards as batting & some inexpensive indian cotton as backing, and now I have a lovely warm quilt to wrap around myself (or more usually, for DD1 to wrap around herself) snuggled on the sofa of an evening. Might just treat myself to another roll when I've finished all my UFOs.


Go, treat yourself:D.
I just ordered the Colette Sewing Handbook. It has 5 patterns one a simple skirt that I will definitely use and 3 dresses, that I may try and make too. It had great reviews and the same price as one of the Colette patterns I was ogling. I will review it when it arrives.

mary1

I used to sew years ago and have two very old singer and jones sewing machines. I cannot seen to get the tension correct on the singer machine as this is the only one working.
I saw a new singer sewing machine at aldi and would appreciate your thoughts on this machine is it a bargain or not. Seriously thinking about sewing again.

miffy257

[QUOTE=mary1;
I saw a new singer sewing machine at aldi and would appreciate your thoughts on this machine is it a bargain or not. Seriously thinking about sewing again.[/QUOTE]
Hi there Mary re : the sewing machine, if you know the model number or name you could google it and add the word review, you might find some online reviews. Lidl did have a Silvercrest machine for sale just before Christmas that was supposed to be very good, not sure if any stores have any left. Good luck with your search for a new machine.:)

tooties

thanks TROW
i have signed up for that
wont get started until the men folk have gone back to work
regards