The sewing thread

elf06

Today went well thanks everyone. Turns out the peg bags I rush made this week were the biggest seller. Who knew?? Sold one pair of the boot thingies too so fingers crossed that will lead to more sales! All in all a decent day

Artytarty

Well done! It's jolly hard work selling at fairs.

[Deleted User]

Good work elf, bet you are feeling tired, being on your feet all day

arty I notch my fabric with it, paper pattern plus fabric at the same time. Works fine. I also worked out how to mark tailors tacks with pins. I put two pins in, each going the opposite way, than after I pull the paper off, I replace that pin and pin the dart straight away, between notches and the pin. I just pull each bit of fabric away, leaving a pin at the dart point

Finished the last of my mix n match garments this morning and have been sorting fabric and patterns ever since. Happy to see spaces in my stash cupboard, now that I am besotted with linden, having cut 2 more earlier. I am going to make sure that all new fabrics are fully washed and dried over the next few days, before I tidy them away

I bought 2 pads from sainsburys today, one is hardback with a ribbon and that will be for all the patterns, measurements and so on. The other is a spiral bound pink pad, that contains small samples and a list, composition and price of the newest fabrics plus a list and measurements of all the older stash. Two on a page and I`ll cross them off when used up

One for the KM thread, I have thrown 24 patterns out

flissh

Kittie, this fabric stash index seems similar to what you are suggesting with your pad
http://www.thelaststitch.com/2015/10/download-my-fabric-stash-organisation/
Like her blog too, I love seeing what other people are making

[Deleted User]

yes, that is just about identical flissh. I like something I can flip through, its like egg and chicken when it comes to making something, pattern or fabric first then match up.

I got busy again last night at 9, I went up at that time to read in bed but got happily side-tracked. Took the neckband off my first linden, the french terry one, which I wore yesterday over a s sleeved shirt. I always cut two neckbands and did a row of basting stitches on the machine, to try to shorten the stretched neckline a bit, I pulled and gathered slightly, then put the new band on. It looked better. The sleeves had come up a bit short, so I put snug bands on them and similar with hem band

My room is very much brighter with a new lampshade from argos, aluminium globe with crystals. Its lovely, uplifting and many times brighter now. I could use the stitch ripper without extra lighting. Sunday is a quiet day here and I know I won`t see a soul but am happy in my own company with the radio, as long as I get engrossed in a hobby. I think I will sew a skirt today and have already cut out the perfect plus flirty, 6 gore, pull on skirt but first will make two square pickle colour pockets and trim with a patterned blue from the mix n match remnants. I`ll put them on the pickle skirt so that every blue top will match. I`ll see how that looks and could make more pockets all with a pickle trim, to go on each mix n match skirt. This plus the scarf will combine colours. I`ll see, its fun doing this

Then there are always the two cut out lindens, for easy brainless sewing and a full hour of the archers. Bliss

PollyWollyDoodle

Artytarty no need to feel foolish - I had assumed exactly the same as you, that it would notch the fabric. I'm confused now too! Kittie, are you able to say which version you have got? I want to put this on my Christmas/birthday list (if I can wait that long!).

I've got a lovely notebook with sewing stuff on the cover that I was given by a friend. I'm using it a bit like a bullet journal, it has lists of projects, measurements, notes of what I'm doing to adjust the current pattern I'm working on and ideas for future things.

I've also got a note on my phone of the fabric needed for the current pattern (the New Look top that I'm trying to make a muslin for) and a dress that I want to try. That way if I'm out and about and see a bargain I'll be able to buy the right amount.

[Deleted User]

polly, my notcher was the cheap one on amazon, several reviews say about its effectiveness on fabric. I use mine every time I cut out

I just finished sewing flirty skirt by perfect plus, took longer to cut out than it took to sew. I used my serger for most of it and learnt a new waistband method, one they use for ready to wear. It worked well. You use 1 inch woven elastic 3-5" smaller that the waist, join together, divide into 8 with pins. Divide the skirt top into 8 with pins. Pin the elastic onto the raw skirt top to the inside. Serge and stretch as you go, keep knife down or zig zag without a serger. Do this at the top edge to hold the two together. Fold over to the inside and stretch as you go, sew about 1/4" up from the bottom edge, with long stitches. Then steam but don`t press. Result was very good, first time ever that way for me and will be repeated. I had just bought some more of that woven elastic as my other roll is fast running out, it doesn`t roll. Very good price, I got 25m of 25mm in white. £4.94 and while there I got some very fine interfacing
http://www.williamgee.co.uk/shop/woven-loom-elastic-25mm/

My third order from them and top marks

The flirty skirt was made from
https://www.croftmill.co.uk/products/fabric-by-width/fabric-by-width-144cm-56-and-above/floral-cotton-elastane-trousering-fabric-product.html
It cost me £24.38 and I had nothing left, non bias skirt would take less fabric. Next one will be in a more liquid jersey
It has a touch of pickle colour in it so I put maddison on for the first time and it was a good combo. I forgot that I had done the FBA for that maddison or I would have tried it on last night. Brilliant around the chest area but I am going to take those two extra inches off the sides from the waist down, ie give it a bit more shaping from waist to hips. The FBA added the 2 inches all the way down. I am doing the last pattern copy this afternoon, then will store the pattern in my `go to` box. I am happy with each variation but there has been a progression, becoming a better fit each time. I am learning on my feet re pattern alterations

[Deleted User]

oh I have been so dozey this afternoon, every time I sat with a book or knitting I dozed off. Allotment etc, it`s so tiring and I was busy this morning, not just sewing. The floor is cleaned upstairs, so now I am going to pack any patterns and destination fabrics together because I do forget what is what over time. I feel that my sewing mojo is fading and I have returned to knitting today. I want to leave my sewing room in good order and will clean my machines, lower the wires on the overlocker and put covers on them. I will continue washing fabrics until they are all done, then they will go away into a cupboard in my desk, ready for another time

PollyWollyDoodle

Kittie, you've been going through your stash like a whirlwind, I'm not surprised you feel as if you need a break. Please don't desert this thread for too long, though - you've really inspired me to try some new things and to take a bit more trouble over what I'm doing.

A quieter week ahead so I'm really hoping to get back to the sewing machine.

[Deleted User]

just sitting and skimmed through an unknown small notebook. omg I just found some fabric notes, not enough detail but where I got them from. Dates are roughly early 2013 to jan 2015 and the £ was buying more than now but tbh these fabrics are fantastic quality. many from germany and some from america. The ones from america, oh how I remember that. I ordered in yards and it arrived at ups. The delivery driver stayed with me while we measured the fabric for customs and then had to convert to metres for customs duty. The fabric was very good but never again, that was from fabric.com
The German one was
https://www.fabrics-hemmers.co.uk/fabrics

I have 5 different orders on their site, still managed to log in. I still look at the fulled lodens in my cupboard and stroke them, got to turn them into stylish jackets but in the meantime, they are still on the roll and there is a moth proofer hanging in with them

Fabrics online in the uk are getting much better but the German one was incredibly reliable

I am just looking at some fabrics equivalent to uk and the ones I am seeing are half price on the stoffe site.