The sewing thread

mrssnowy_2

Bumblebear wrote: »

Lovely bag by the way, mrsssnowy!

Thank you,but I didn't make that one.
It was a picture put on by katkin and I have used that pattern.
It has a double layer on the bottom so feels very sturdy and doesn't need lining.
mrss

[Deleted User]

ponte is one of the easiest stretchies for t shirts and in the thicker quality for trousers

PollyWollyDoodle

Thank you for the pattern links above, and the recommendation for Ottobre magazine - they look pricy but I can see that there are lots of patterns in each one. I need to finish some UFOs before I tackle anything new, but I'm going to have a look at the Craftsy class on serging that someone recommended because I either need to use the overlocker or get rid of it.

I'm hoping it'll be a bit like my pressure cooker - scared to use it at first and now I wouldn't be without it and use it all the time! :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I am going to keep an eye on the styles in this link, for ideas, for the curvies amomgst us
http://www.saintbustier.com/shop/celebrity-styles/kirstie-allsopp.html

for when I am deciding what to make. I have various paper patterns in those crossover styles and there are some good ways of covering the tum as well. Sigh, I would love to be slinky but hey ho, got to work with what I am

maryb

some of those styles look really nice.

DigForVictory

Noone's mentioned it on this page, but I find Abakhan a godsend for fabric. Their wool fibre strikes me as nice but pricey but the buying by weight aspect really gouges down the cost as once I know I need X metres/yards, I can see how much I'm saving! One of the serious perks of working in Manchester...

I *love* the idea of half metres of glorious fabrics as brightening patchwork like shepherd pie bulked with lentils!

Emm-in-a-pickle

DFV, I`ve mentioned Abakhan a couple of times on this thread - I go to the Mostyn branch on North Wales coast.
It`d probably be nearer for me to use the Chester branch but I`ve never bothered, I so love the one I go to - my perfect day out, could happily browse all day and have never yet come home without a bargain, even if it wasn`t what I was looking for!

[Deleted User]

Thanks for that linkbumblebeany

Today I am teaching dgd 8 to sew a simple skirt with an elasticated waist. I don`t have a stash of cottons to send home with her so went online to order some yesterday but could not find anything much that she could sew with just one seam. I wonder if it has been a subtle way for the manufacturers to cut costs, most of the lovely fabrics are 112 cm wide. I need 135 cm+ and will just need 1/2 a m at a time (or two fat quarters together), at age 8 definitely not baby prints. I`ll keep looking online later but I do remember, in the past, getting wide widths in quality cotton with bright prints. I have no fabric shops anywhere near me, nor in driving distance

Basically today,I am giving instructions and showing her but will be doing my spinning (on a wheel) so really is going to be her first proper project

PollyWollyDoodle

How did DGD get on with the skirt, Kittie? It sounds like quite a brave project on your part; did it work out?

[Deleted User]

yes polly, it worked really well, she wore it going home and loved it. I did not do any of the machine stitching, not a stitch. She now knows how to thread her machine, wind her bobbin, do backward stitches, change a foot safely, how to sew close to an edge with a different foot, how to set for a stepped zig zag. She is 8, so I was very pleased. Simple style, used tailors chalk to draw it out on the back of fabric. 2 x waist plus length (plus 10 cm), did side seam, did zig zags to hold seam together, ironed by herself. Did hem next, via tacking and ironing. did the elstic casing by stitching very close to the edge with buttonhole foot. Inserted wide elastic with safety pin, then closed casing and stitched elastic in place 3 times. Taught her that tacking is safe but later showed her shortcut of correctly placing pins so needle would be safe stitching over but the iron did the job and she was careful enough and took each pin out as she sewed. Main thing was that she learnt to use the pedal to control her stitch rate

She went home having grown in confidence and with the sewing seeds sown. I pretty well left her to it, once each step was shown and I sat and did my spinning so I could see her. She will be good by the time she is a teenager. Next session will be to find her an easy paper pattern. Maybe a simple shift dress, maybe with a zip

This is exactly how I was taught at the same age, after that it is pretty well down to practise.

I just ordered kwik sew from sew direct as I am a member, also getting a simple toy pattern for her to do at home. She is staying here in 4 weeks so she can start the dress then
https://sewdirect.com/acatalog/Kwik-Sew-3862.html