Does anyone else make their own clothes

Mrs_Flittersnoop

lauradora wrote: »

thanks mrs f. Its a simpliciy pattern and I just cant tell wether or not i've got the collar right. It doesn't seem to be matching up to the body :mad:

OK, is it a lapel collar? Can you let us know the pattern number? Must admit I have a love/hate relationship with collars (usually hate). It's really, really important to mark the matching points at the front of the collar, and the notches which match up with the shoulders. Also the neck of the blouse is often a little bit longer than the collar, due to stretching (it's slightly on the bias which opens up the fibres of the fabric and elongates the edges). You can avoid this in future by staystitching (running a line of stitching about 5mm away from the edge) before you start to sew.

If you can pin the opposite edges of the collar to the fronts of the blouse and the notches to the shoulder you will see if the neck has stretched. If so, you can make *small* snips along the edge of the collar from shoulder to shoulder which should make it slightly longer and enable you to pin it to the neck more successfully. This is a bit of a quick fix though and the professionals would probably slap my wrists!

When you stitch the collar to the neckline, you should start in the middle, at the back and sew from middle to outer edges on each side, this will make the collar stretch evenly onto the neckline.

HTH
Mrs Fx

beeka

Hi all, I think this is my first post to here but I've been reading for a long time. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge in such a way, as it's great inspiration to me to start trying things out. I'm very old-style thrifty, mainly down to my grandad's influence, but am now very keen to take on board traditional crafts, especially in terms of make do and mend!
Anyway, it's great to be able to turn to this community so thank you all very much!
:T

Rikki

beeka wrote: »

Hi all, I think this is my first post to here but I've been reading for a long time. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge in such a way, as it's great inspiration to me to start trying things out. I'm very old-style thrifty, mainly down to my grandad's influence, but am now very keen to take on board traditional crafts, especially in terms of make do and mend!
Anyway, it's great to be able to turn to this community so thank you all very much!
:T

:hello: Hello


We look forward to hearing your tips and advise too.

C1aire

Mrs_Flittersnoop wrote: »

Must admit I have a love/hate relationship with collars (usually hate).

Me too. When it gets to the collar part I just try and have faith that doing what the pattern tells me to do will work. It is usually followed by a loud *kerplink* as the penny drops! I think the last collar I attached, I did the opposite to Mrs F, i.e. I pinned the middle so I could see what (if anything) I needed to snip/chop/shuffle/stretch. Hang in there though as there is a peculiar satisfaction to be had in getting it sorted!

Bought my first ever batch of fabric online recently - some cheesecloth for a couple of Summer kaftans. :j OMG, it is addictive. And so cheap! I treated myself to a new pair of scissors, some beads, some daisy-shaped braid stuff... I am in desperate need of a suitable place to keep all these remnants etc. in though - carrier bags under the bed just isn't cutting it anymore! And don't get me started on the sewing pattern collection... :rotfl:

lauradora

Mrs_Flittersnoop wrote: »

Can you let us know the pattern number?
HTH
Mrs Fx

its a new look 6677. and i'm on view A. Mum had a look yesterday and said I had put the collar on upside down! but still really stuck, thanks ever so much x

Olliebeak

Those 'large plasticky/paper type bags' (the ones that come in brightly coloured checks and you get at the sea-side to put extra purchases in when on holiday!) are useful for fabric stashes. They come in various sizes - I've got two that are each the size of a suitcase. Because they are flexible they are really good for fabrics.

I've got my patterns in a couple of very large shoeboxes (men's size 13's boots!) - they work well if you can stand them upright to make them easier to flick through - but you still have to have somewhere to keep them safe. May be worthwhile asking at the pattern store to see if they have any empty boxes that may be suitable for storing patterns in.

Mrs_Flittersnoop

lauradora wrote: »

its a new look 6677. and i'm on view A. Mum had a look yesterday and said I had put the collar on upside down! but still really stuck, thanks ever so much x

Aha, now I see, it's one of those mandarin type collars. OK, are my suggestions not any use to you? Is the collar too long for the neck or vice versa?

I'm forever putting collars on upside down, I have to go and look at one of OH's in the wardrobe every time to check :rolleyes:

Mrs Fx

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Olliebeak wrote: »

Those 'large plasticky/paper type bags' (the ones that come in brightly coloured checks and you get at the sea-side to put extra purchases in when on holiday!) are useful for fabric stashes. They come in various sizes - I've got two that are each the size of a suitcase. Because they are flexible they are really good for fabrics.

I've got my patterns in a couple of very large shoeboxes (men's size 13's boots!) - they work well if you can stand them upright to make them easier to flick through - but you still have to have somewhere to keep them safe. May be worthwhile asking at the pattern store to see if they have any empty boxes that may be suitable for storing patterns in.

OOh I like the big bag idea, thank you! My stash is currently piled up on every available surface and stuffed in every cupboard and drawer

The patterns I keep in those giant clear boxes from Homebase (the very biggest ones, how embarrassing!), I have four of those full at the moment and every month I add to them when I get my Burda magazine and trace off the patterns I want to use. I keep the magazines in those wooden holders you get in IKEA.

It's just as well that OH is a bookaholic so he can't complain really.......:rotfl:

Mrs F x

C1aire

Mrs_Flittersnoop wrote: »

It's just as well that OH is a bookaholic so he can't complain really.......:rotfl:

Mrs F x

As a bookaholic also,I will have problems soon unless I

a) step up my sewing and start using up more fabric
b) stop buying books :eek:

I like the idea of the big bag. Ooooooh! I have a big blue Ikea bag - that might do for the fabric!

>Dives under bed and starts digging through the clutter<

C1aire

Well, all nicely bagged up. It doesn't look like there's so much of it now so have been having a browse on Abakhan's. Is it wrong to want kids just so you can order the cute fleece prints? :rolleyes: