Does anyone else make their own clothes

kw03cd

I have bought patterns from America and it can work out cheaper. They are much cheaper to start with and with the exchange so high makes it even better. The postage is around £4.00. The site I have used
Sewing patterns.com.
If you sign up to their newsletter you will get all the special offers. They have different reductions every weekend so it can pay to wait until the company you want is featured.

Lily-Lu

metherer wrote: »

Not sure about the woolies one - do you know what model it is?
I have a brother LS 2125 which I got for 65, and I love it to bits. Really simple, and the instruction manual is really good.

Metherer

I don't have this machine, but if anyone's thinking of buying it, I saw it reduced price on the TJ Hughes site for £59 (I think) just a couple of nights ago.

top_drawer_2

hi,

I have a really old (like 30 yrs old!!) sewing machine ... and I have been to classes with it and now I just cant master getting the spool that goes inside the machine to not go "spongy" when I wind it ....

Any ideas?

Jen

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Hi all! kittie that's brilliant, the dress sounds wonderful. Good luck with all those buttonholes! :rotfl: By the way I've been getting some of my buttons from www.ascuteasabutton.com - their service is very quick, I know what you mean about the pathetic offerings we can get over here. I'm still drooling over the fabulous range there was in the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, how I wish I'd got my act together and bought some

purpleivyI hope you get your overlocker back soon. I don't have a Bernina (unfortunately) so I'm not au fait with its needle threader, my Elna has a tip forward device so I can thread the needle manually without problems.

Hi kw03d I''m glad you have had success with sewingpatterns.com. I've always found them to be OK but I know poor caleo on here has had problems with their service.

top_drawer I'm sorry, I can't help with your bobbin problem. Did you get any handouts from your classes which might show you which way round the bobbin goes in, or any other potential problems? Could you ring the teacher? or maybe find a sewing machine shop locally who may be able to help? or maybe find a copy of the manual online? Good luck.

Well I still haven't finished that dratted top. DS21 came home yesterday and is off tomorrow on a trip of a lifetime (yet more endless worry for me) so we're pretty busy getting his stuff washed and packed. Have a busy weekend ahead so it's unlikely to get finished then either. Grrr. Still I think I have found a pattern for his graduation, a Burda one that I made up a couple of years ago and which I like, so I'm going to try and find the time to sort that out later today.

Mrs F xx

top_drawer_2

hi Mrs F,

Thanks for the reply, no handout unfortunately ... I have the manual but it isnt even the same picture - I will ask on the market in town to see if the lady who runs it may know ...

Thanks

Jen

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Good luck then, Jen, I hope she can help. What make of machine is it? Sometimes you can Google the machine number and the manuals are available online.

Mrs f x

metherer

Just had to share this. Look at the fabric I just bought:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160243572522&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=006

It arrived this morning, and I adore it. It is a little more greeny than the picture, but its nice and fine, and is going to be a summer top or two I think. Love the fact that eagles is such a random idea for a pattern.

Anyone else delight in random fabrics?

Metherer

[Deleted User]

ooh that is very nice metherer and thank you for the button link mrs F, I`ll explore the site in a mo and will probably be tempted :rolleyes:

I managed to get some decent buttons from an ebay seller but it is very hit and miss and I also got quite a few singles as well. I ordered 100 self cover buttons from sew essential as I was so pleased with the 10 I bought originally.

Dress 2 is finished bar the buttons, hem as well. I have one of those puffers so I can work out the hem length myself. What I am liking about the patterns is their adaptability. I don`t expect that they are going to be difficult to put my own stamp on but all in good time. The pink dress isn`t a fashion statement but will be good for everyday at home and shopping and feels cool to wear so roll on a hot summer. It actually only cost me £1.50 a meter and I used 3 m so a bargain

Heck my dd is overdue by a week now and is expecting her first baby, a girl and I am keeping busy to try and take my mind off it. No phone calls today, which is unusual and I don`t want to hastle them so I have been busy again, cutting out another jacket and skirt in a lightweight, summer fabric. Cost for that is £7.80 not counting buttons

Who says that sewing is not cost effective

galantvr4

Hello

What a great thread!!

I've just been given a Jones 562 sewing machine from my Aunt, it sews like a dream and is so quiet, anyone any ideas how old this model is?

Anyway I have plans to create skirts from trousers and jeans I no longer wear and revamp a blouse I have, I don't have much experience but my mam is a fab seamstress-made wedding dresses for me and my sis- so she'll advise me. This all came about when I ordered 5 pairs of jeans from my catalogue, same size, same length, differing styles-every pair was a completely different fit and length! and nothing was remotely flattering and I sent them all back!!

Reading this thread has given me the encouragement to create something for me, not factory produced in some other country for pittiful wages.

I often wonder how this generation of disposable/throw away/ready meal culture would cope if a WW2 situation were to arise again, sorry bit depressing but it does make you wonder.

Galant

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Ooh metherer that is gorgeous! I love that colour! A few years ago I made DS some boxers with eagles flying all over them on. And some for OH with dogs in astronaut helmets on,so, yes, I like random fabrics too (I figured that no one else would see his doggy pants, but it made me smile every time he wore them).

kittie fingers crossed that your poor DD doesn't have too long to wait now (or you!). I hope things go well for her. I like covered buttons too, but sometimes it's just nice to have unusual buttons on your stuff, isn't it? The little wool shop near me has really nice handmade buttons in occasionally, and ones made from things like pieces of slate which make for interesting closures. I quite like the cute as a button site as well though, I got some very flashy rhinestone buttons from there to put on my black choir blouse to pep it up a bit, they get lots of (favourable) comments.

Hi galantvr4 lucky you, my mum had a hand cranked Jones when I was little and I spent quite a while playing with it and messing up the tensions for her :rotfl: . I hope you get hours of enjoyment from it and a new wardrobe to boot!

I'm too young to remember clothing coupons etc but it would be interesting to see how people coped with that sort of privation these days.

I managed to sew the sleeve seams (all 6 inches of them!) yesterday so am hopeful that I'll actually get the sleeves into my top today, then all it needs is the hems. I'm absolutely shattered though, we spent hours and hours at Heathrow yesterday night seeing DS off and then I was out all day at a rehearsal and a concert so no sewing for me Today isn't much better, another concert later on this afternoon and I have a mountain of ironing to do but I might just get to switch the Bernina on later tonight. Hope so.

Have a great day
Mrs F x