The Sewing Annexe

prudent_princess

I have a basket full of scrap material. A sewing basket (bought from a bootsale for £1.50) full of bits n bobs - braiding, velcro, spare bobbins, spare needles, cotton reels, chalk etc. I have a smaller basket with buttons in....100's of them!

My scissors sit in a pot on the side.
My sewing machine manual lives in the draw of my sewing table...

God its not until I wrote this I realised that I have so much sewing stuff!!

I ought to start using it!! LOL!

lori64

:T Thankyou to everyone for the sewing machine advice!

I did think about the tiny machine, only because I thought if I didnt really enjoy sewing, then I hadnt wasted too much money. But, I think going down the second hand route would probably be the best way to go if I want to buy a bigger machine.

Thanks again!

spendingmad

Morning All!

I would like a bit of advice on sewing and thought I would ask on here rather than start a new thread.

I have a Jones sewing machine I aquired for my DGM (she was going to throw it out!!) which I have made a couple of sock monkeys with but not alot else.

We are now about to start decorating my DD's bedroom and she needs new curtains. I have seen the fabric but I need to know - how hard is it to make curtains??

I believe (as a rough guess) 1 width of fabric would by enough (doesnt need to be overly gathered) and I already have black out fabric.

Can I use the black out lining to line the curtains? - currently they are hooked to her existing curtains. and would it just be a matter of hemming the fabric, stictching on lining, then adding curtain header tape?

Any help and advice would be much appreicated!

Thanks

tigerfeet2006

I have this in my favourites
http://annasnest.com/article/how-to-make-lined-curtains

I saved it as I am redoing the kids room sometime this year and will need to make curtains.

prudent_princess

spendingmad wrote: »

Morning All!

I would like a bit of advice on sewing and thought I would ask on here rather than start a new thread.

I have a Jones sewing machine I aquired for my DGM (she was going to throw it out!!) which I have made a couple of sock monkeys with but not alot else.

We are now about to start decorating my DD's bedroom and she needs new curtains. I have seen the fabric but I need to know - how hard is it to make curtains??

I believe (as a rough guess) 1 width of fabric would by enough (doesnt need to be overly gathered) and I already have black out fabric.

Can I use the black out lining to line the curtains? - currently they are hooked to her existing curtains. and would it just be a matter of hemming the fabric, stictching on lining, then adding curtain header tape?

Any help and advice would be much appreicated!

Thanks

Well I am no expert spendingmad, but that sounds about right.

mummybearx

Does anyone have any links to easy simple projects that I can try, either hand sewing or machine sewing (need to find somewhere to get the machine out though.....)

And what type of needles should I use for hand sewing? I'm a bit of a novice..

prudent_princess

Zepsgal, try this: http://www.sewing4dummies.com/index.html

ragz_2

This was posted on the Sewing Room no chat thraed, thought I;d share it here in case anyone didn't see it.

A sewing tutorial on a blog http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/learn-to-sew.html

prudent_princess

ragz wrote: »

This was posted on the Sewing Room no chat thraed, thought I;d share it here in case anyone didn't see it.

A sewing tutorial on a blog http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/learn-to-sew.html

Thanks for that Ragz!
I hadn't seen it on the other thread, so glad you posted it here!

medsdemon

spendingmad wrote: »

Morning All!

I would like a bit of advice on sewing and thought I would ask on here rather than start a new thread.

I have a Jones sewing machine I aquired for my DGM (she was going to throw it out!!) which I have made a couple of sock monkeys with but not alot else.

We are now about to start decorating my DD's bedroom and she needs new curtains. I have seen the fabric but I need to know - how hard is it to make curtains??

I believe (as a rough guess) 1 width of fabric would by enough (doesnt need to be overly gathered) and I already have black out fabric.

Can I use the black out lining to line the curtains? - currently they are hooked to her existing curtains. and would it just be a matter of hemming the fabric, stictching on lining, then adding curtain header tape?

Any help and advice would be much appreicated!

Thanks

Hi there. I''ll try and write an explanation

Make sure the width will be wide enough to close still with a bit of gather. If not you'd prob best to make them a width and a half. ( Lay your 3 lengths folded on the selvedge and straighten the hem end first so they will make an even straight hem them cut up the middle peice to make it in to 2 - sew each one to a whole piece) Nows the time to hem the curtain and lining. Usually allow about 7ins doubled over and 4 ins on the lining. Then attach the lining to the curtain along the full width side. Lay out on a table so the lining lies flat across the main fabric and then make the lining width 6 ins less than the fabric. Sew the remaining seam turn right side out, press the seams with the blackout lining seam inwards to block the light then pin the hem at the right place so it doesn't drop when you move the curtain to sew on heading tape. If you have space lay out the curtain and measure up from bottom of hem to work out the correct drop and mark with pins. At the pin line fold the fabric to the wrong side and press flat. This is your curtain top. Sew on heading tape.

Gosh hope that all makes sense. I work in a soft furnishing shop so do this as a job but I'm not sure if that's enough info to work from. If you have a plastic foot for your machine sometimes that helps when sewing with blackout lining, but I manage without. Good luck I'm sure you'll manage fine.

I might attempt a little more of my quilt tonight ( well the cutting out). I'd better damn well like the end result else I'll be well put out after all this work.

A question for all you knowledgable people- I have a supercheapie Argos machine. Will I be able to get different feet for it ??