make do and mend for tougher times

Molly41

recoverydust wrote: »

Google is my friend
http://www.clothkits.co.uk/
alive and kicking
xxx

Quite lovely but very expensive :eek:

westcoastscot

Yes clothkits is expensive these days - Kittie I have garments made for my children which are still listed - the quality is fantastic.

I have a pair of trousers and a wrap skirt which I purchased recently from them - have traced the pattern and used it many times, so well worth the money imo. I love the bustle skirts, and am planning on making something similar for a wedding i'm going to in the winter. I have some vintage woollen fabric with knitting yarn to match, so planning a cardigan or twin-set if i've enough yarn (it's 3/4ply) and then line the skirt with the woollen skirt length

recoverydust

prepareathome wrote: »

Malfiore,



Its like they say you never forget how to ride a bike. Once health got bad I found I could no longer ride one, just couldn't get balance right so had to give up and give it away about 15 years ago used to enjoy it.....its like I need to relearn everything which some things I have managed to do, others I find if don't do daily then when I go to use it have to relearn so annoying and frustrating.

hugs and lovexxx

I rode a bike for about 3 minutes, lost my balance, fell and broke my wrist, I felt very stupid till I read your post - of course its my balance...DOH!!!! thank you for the blinding flash of the obvious
xx

valk_scot

prepareathome wrote: »

Malfiore,

Please don't take this the wrong way but knowing someone else out there who cannot get on with their sewing machine makes me feel better, but considering I used to use the treadle for years really it is shameful that I cannot......

I've said it before but these old black Singers are still x100 times better quality than most modern sewing machines and are easier to adjust and use. I take it you can't use a treadle machine any more due to health issues? How about a hand crank one then, or get a modern motor with safe wiring fitted to a good older model with straight and reverse stitch? If you can't use a modern machine despite being an experienced sewer on a treadle themn it's most likely to be the machine that's at fault rather than you tbh.

I've got two modern machines that I never use and a clutch of old Singers picked up in charity shops for on average £10. I have the best of these set up as a treadle, a 1950's automatic Singer for embroidery and three set up as handcranks for my DD (aged 10) and her friends to use. (And a few others but they're just for playing with and restoring.) I'm on a mission to get people to use these old, high quality machines from Granny's attic rather than think they have to buy a modern machine to be able to sew. The old machines are a lot better behaved tbh.

recoverydust

westcoastscot wrote: »

Yes clothkits is expensive these days - Kittie I have garments made for my children which are still listed - the quality is fantastic.

I have a pair of trousers and a wrap skirt which I purchased recently from them - have traced the pattern and used it many times, so well worth the money imo. I love the bustle skirts, and am planning on making something similar for a wedding i'm going to in the winter. I have some vintage woollen fabric with knitting yarn to match, so planning a cardigan or twin-set if i've enough yarn (it's 3/4ply) and then line the skirt with the woollen skirt length

If you are not sure whether you have enough yarn knit the front/s and the back/s - then knit the sleeves from the shoulder down, with a twin set the underneath can have short sleeves or be vest style and the cardigan have three quarter or short sleeves....

sounds yummy, I love vintage wool - nah!!! thats not exactly true - I live wool any kind, and all stringy yarny stuff and most fabrics.... oh dear ....M u s t n o t s p e n d m o n e y

xxxx

Cheapskate

Afternoon all

fuddle - cross stitch is much easier than it looks. Try http://www.mouseloft.co.uk/ for ideas - you can buy their kits in decent craft shops as a taster to save you spending more money on something you may decide you don't like. You can always build up a stash of patterns, magazines, fabric etc - after nearly 20 of cross stitch I have serious hoarding issues with my stash! I can post you a few old mags for ideas if you like, PM me. I cross stitch for one of the mags, so nice to be the first to have a new pattern, and then to see my work in the magazine months later!

I'm on my second sewing machine, fairly basic one, but even so it's not as good as my first - really wish mum hadn't got rid of her old treadle Singer a few years ago; none of knew she'd chucked it and sis and I were gutted!

http://www.sewdirect.com/ - lots of cheap sewing patterns and other stuff here. You can pay to join their club, not much, then buy patterns at a hefty discount. I'm joining this week, got some nice kids' patterns!

A xo

prepareathome

valk_scot wrote: »

I've said it before but these old black Singers are still x100 times better quality than most modern sewing machines and are easier to adjust and use. I take it you can't use a treadle machine any more due to health issues? How about a hand crank one then, or get a modern motor with safe wiring fitted to a good older model with straight and reverse stitch? If you can't use a modern machine despite being an experienced sewer on a treadle themn it's most likely to be the machine that's at fault rather than you tbh.

I've got two modern machines that I never use and a clutch of old Singers picked up in charity shops for on average £10. I have the best of these set up as a treadle, a 1950's automatic Singer for embroidery and three set up as handcranks for my DD (aged 10) and her friends to use. (And a few others but they're just for playing with and restoring.) I'm on a mission to get people to use these old, high quality machines from Granny's attic rather than think they have to buy a modern machine to be able to sew. The old machines are a lot better behaved tbh.

I have wondered if I could get the singer fitted with a motor, its circa 1920 something, the instruction booklet is date 1922 or 1923 just cannot remember at the moment. Just cannot get the treadle to move evenly now, not treadles fault mine.

Electric machine I picked up last year in Argos for £42 on sale, not a known make. It was cheaper than their own value one and has the light and more stitches so felt it was enough for what I would want as felt if I found I was ok with that then could invest in a better one. Its just the tension - underneath stitches either don't appear or I get one then long piece of thread then another one right along, top stitches are fine. I have tried every setting but am not sure if its me maybe not moving the material along smoothly. So far all I have made is a draught excluder as I could get away with going back and forth. Just checked they still sell it but not on sale just now This one It came with carry case and a good sewing kit with decent thread and bobbles that match (32 it says in the info) and spare needles, plus some buttons and other bits and bobs.

I had not done any sewing with the treadle for about 10 years or more but nothing will get me to get rid of it, its the type that has the table which it goes down under and I last had it serviced about then but is still in great condition.

fuddle

Thanks for the info about cross stitching. It's ok pooky but thank you for the offer... I have too many crafts on the go right now, I dare not start another one lol

clothkits are adorable and the womens skirts are my kind of skirts but well out of my price league. I thank you for mentioning them though as I will be using their ideas and fabric colour combinations but on sewdirect patterns.

I'm going to hunt through my wardrobe and look for anything on it's last legs, put it in a bag and use it to make the kids some tops, trousers.

I will be ogling that site often though Heck if I could afford those I could afford to shop at Boden lol

Took the girls and Alfie to a woodland park on their bikes. Such fun and freeeeeeeeeeee

Time for DH's birthday tea and the cake I made yesterday.

Possession

yay for Andy Murray!!! Just got back in time to see him receive his Gold medal. Have been to the Black Country Museum today with clubcard vouchers - pretty good fun, and heaps of OS-ness going on there!

stiltwalker

Cheapskate - you beat me to it - I was going to suggest that site, someone posted it on here a while back and I've had some really good bargains off it including the pattern for my wedding dress and DD's bridesmaid dress as the freebies when I joined up.

This site http://www.sewingsupport.com/sewing-how-to/free-patterns-and-projects/title-page.html also has the most amazing amount of free patterns and tutorials for all sorts of items including baby and kids clothes. I came across this site looking for free bag patterns and it can keep me quiet for hours looking at it!

Had a lovely day out with the kids - taken them to a local farm park to see the animals. DD loves animals, today she had petted the ginge pe (guinea pigs) fed the cow cows (a calf called Jenny) and stroked the donkeys. We also spent a good half hour in the sandpit. DS showed an interest in the animals too for the first time - amazing what a few short weeks will do, the last time we went - a mere 3 weeks ago - he wasn't in the slightest bit interested in them, today he was fascinated. Today they had the most gorgeous 8 day old kune kune piglets! Jiggered now as DD used her walker (with my help) all the way round so will be having a good soak in the bath later.