Does anyone else make their own clothes

maryb

Sorry should have read your post better, I didn't realise you already had one daughter already in the system.

Still at least by the time number 3 starts you should be able to pass things on.

I have six years betwen my two (I'd almost given up hope when No 2 arrived) Just as well I am so disorganised I had not yet got around to getting rid of No 1's outgrown uniform!!

ANNEGEDDES

wowee very very helpful thanks ill get on it tommxx

maman

As this is a home-sewing thread, hopefully someone will be able to help me. I have a very basic (bought) black, linen sundress which is showing signs of age. I'm sure I could copy using the original as a pattern but I know it's cut on the bias. I'm finding it hard to get my head around how I lay the original onto fabric to get the bias cut. Hopefully someone out there amongst OS knows what I mean?

Lily-Lu

Curley Girlie - not sure where you are exactly, but there's a list of dressmakers on the Fabricland website www.fabricland.co.uk/

purpleivy

Well..... not been here much over the last few days, won' t be here for the next few either I don't think. Had dd's crowd here to stay last night, they all had a meal and I made mounds of pizza and cakes. Was hoping to spend part of the day sewing, but the cooking took over. My wrinklies are coming today after lunch and staying till Wed, then German friend is visiting Thurs-Mon, so sewing time could be limited.

There were however some sewing activities going on! Thursday I went on one day overlocker course, which I found quite useful.... I ought to get it out and have a play while it's relatively fresh in my mind.

Friday I had to go to Manchester to take the kids to the music shop, so I dumped them there and nipped off to Leon's for half an hour. I have now started a stash of stuff other than leftover furnishing fabric. I have stuff for a top and skirt for dd and some jersey for a couple of tops for me.

essexgal

maman wrote: »

... cut on the bias. I'm finding it hard to get my head around how I lay the original onto fabric to get the bias cut.

Not that I've ever attempted anything on the bias...:o but if you lay the new fabric flat (straight), could you not match up the way the warp and weft run when you lay the original on top - I assume that it would be something like 45 degree angle...... . Not sure but would think you'd need to allow more fabric as it would be 'on the squint'......

:j :j I'VE GOT STASH.......:j :j

Had a good day yesterday - bought some lovely fabrics in summery prints for DDs. Also found a gorgeous double duvet cover yesterday at the car boot in shades of baby pink/cream - (dorma quality) for only £1 - should be enough for a couple of pairs of girls PJs...:D

essexgal

metherer

Evening all.

Finally got round to making a top today - slightly modified a scrubs tob to make it wider at the bottom, and therefore cover my wider bottom..

Question. It has a V neck, which is gaping out. Can't quite work out how to fix it. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Metherer

C1aire

maman wrote: »

As this is a home-sewing thread, hopefully someone will be able to help me. I have a very basic (bought) black, linen sundress which is showing signs of age. I'm sure I could copy using the original as a pattern but I know it's cut on the bias. I'm finding it hard to get my head around how I lay the original onto fabric to get the bias cut. Hopefully someone out there amongst OS knows what I mean?

Can you not lay the pattern/original pieces on the fabric and use the nap as a lengthwise guide to see how they should be positioned?

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Wow, everyone has been really busy (except me:o ) it's so nice to have a resurgence of sewing :T

thriftlady -bad luck, I have been caught every time I've ordered from equilter too. I think you just have to factor in the cost of the VAT when you order and if you're lucky you get away with it. Sometimes that can double the cost of your order, but as you say, the US sites have far more fabric available than the UK ones (the ones that I've found, anyway) and so you have to weigh up the pros and cons of possibly attracting duty.

maryb the pjs sound fab! Hope you can find some pink spotty fabric, that sounds great.

maman copying your bias sundress is perfectly possible but might be tricky. You need to lay out your fabric and fold one of the corners over, lining the edge up with the selvedge edge - this will give you a triangular fold, which is the true bias of the fabric. The grainline of your dress must follow this line. Using bias takes up a lot more fabric than laying it out on the straight grain, you can usually only get one garment piece at a time along the fabric.

If you decide to do this, then when you cut out your dress, use very wide seam allowances. This is because bias stretches out A LOT. Sew the wider allowances, then hang your dress up for a day or so so that the seams can stretch out, before you hem it, otherwise it'll sag and hang out. if you stick to a normal seam allowance you may find your dress fits very snugly.

Good luck!

purpleivy hope you get to sew soon.

essexgal yay! have fun sewing up all those pjs - I could do with some more, if you're offering.....:p

metherer the reason your v neck is gapping is because it has stretched out, the v is on the bias (same problem as I've outlined above). Depending on what your top is made of, you may be able to steam it back into shape (be quite firm with it! if it's cotton) but the chances are it will sag again when washed. A good tip for next time is to stabilise the neckline before you sew it, either with stay stitching (a line of stitching about 5mm away from the edge) or a better way is with a narrow strip of fusible interfacing along the edge (or a fusible tape if you have such a thing). This stabilises the neck edge and you won't have the gapping.

I should take my own advice! I started to make a jersey top today but completely messed up the bias binding round the neck (AFTER I'd topstitched it down, of course) so now have to completely unpick the lot and recut a new binding :rolleyes: . My own fault, of course. I also finished off a straight skirt I've had hanging about in the sewing room for weeks, looks really lovely on the hanger and truly hideous on me:mad:

Mrs F xx

boldaslove

boldaslove wrote: »

i've done an online search but nothing seems to be cropping up.

i'm looking at how to make and attach a jersey waistband, the kind you put on skirts. or where to buy one if possible! i'm in the process of making a handkerchief skirt out of an old blanket. i accidently cut the hole for my waist too big but i'm pretty sure it can be compensated for by making a stretchy waistband (it's an old airline blanket, a midweight knit, fairly stretchy) as it sits lightly on my hips but falls down as soon as i move.

i do actually have a piece of elastic i saved from a tshirt i pulled apart which is the perfect size for my waist, i wonder if this could be used to make the waistband somehow? i'm completely amateur (ie - have only just worked out how to thread the sewing machine!) so 'idiot proof' suggestions would be appreciated!

has anyone made a jersey waistband or found somewhere that sells them? i'm sure i've seen them for sale somewhere but now i need one i can't find them for the life of me!

thanks in advance

just thought i'd add how i resolved this in case it helps anyone else. i ended up finding an old vest in roughly the same colour, that's far too small/short. i basically cut off the neckline and sewed the raw edge of the vest onto the waistband of the skirt, with the vest pulled down over it right side, so that when it's worn the waistband called be pulled up and rolled over. i still need to stick some bias on it to neaten it up but it looks fab!

next stage is getting some poppers sewn on the 'points' and the body of the skirt to hitch it up. i'm getting orders in from friends and family already :rotfl:

ok people on here seem very knowledgable so i thought i'd ask a few more q's -

1. does anyone know where to buy 'snap on crystals' for dressmaking? after much searching i found clear crystals at john lewis but at around £3 for just 12 it's pretty expensive, and there were no colour options. i've looked at prym (the makers) on the net but can't find anything other than sewing supplies.
2. does anyone know a particularly good shop for african/tribal print fabrics? i think i'm being TOO ambitious by wanting fair trade but it's worth a shot! i really love the huge big colourful symetric african designs, they'd look amazing as a big handkerchief skirt (have a look at www.lalesso.com/main.html)

in return here are some cool links -
www.omegadyes.co.uk dyes for all kinds of fabrics including synthetics
www.stitchncraft.co.uk lots of lovely beads and supplies
www.wovenlabelsuk.com create your own labels to sew in your clothes
http://buyfabricsonline.com/index.html lots of alexander henry fabrics to drool over

hope these help someone!