Does anyone else make their own clothes

gillycat

I've just started sewing again as I am finding that clothes in the shops are just horrible recently. I have bought loads of fabric from market stalls, which is usually leftovers from clothing manufacturers and I have sometimes been lucky enough to get some really good quality stuff for as little as £1 a metre.

I also found some video tutorials on YouTube when I couldn't work out how to refill the bobbin on the old machine my aunt gave me.

Patterns tend to be quite expensive, but you can get discounts buying them online, especially from Buttericks & McCall - they frequenty have half price offers. The downside is waiting for them to be posted from the States when you're dying to get stuck in.

Now all I need is some time to actually do the sewing, and somewhere to put the cat whilst I'm cutting out!

nymph_2

Try wandering around a few bootfairs and table-top sales, looking in the library sales sections, there are a lot of sewing and needlework books that get sold off because people get bored of their hobby or the book is a bit dated. As far as using your own machine goes, I would say, get a bit of fabric and play with the stitches, spacing, tension, with a contrasting thread. A good machine manual will recommend the stitches for different types of fabric, try them out. Don't forget that some will require a change of presser feet or needles. The needle is the bit that works the hardest. Use the right gauge for your fabric and remember the needle gets blunt with use.

When you start getting really stuck in, what you really want to get is a book on pattern blocking, once you can do this you can make up your own patterns and adjust as necessary. As far as the ready made patterns are concerned, it is quite easy to adapt them. You will find that you look at the RTW clothing people have one and unpick problem areas in your mind once you have a good understanding of how the clothing is constructed.

If you use the BODEN/BURDA ones, remember that you must trace them, and when you cut out, leave a seam allowance, they don't include it into the pattern.

No matter how many mistakes you might make, a finished piece is very satisfying, even if it's only Christmas stockings for the children, there's a lot to be said for a handmade gift, or treat for yourself! So dont give up, enjoy learning to use your machine.

skintmostofthetime

Hi - I found that if I had a top I really liked but managed to wear out due to over wearing - if you - carefully - take apart, you can reuse to make another - or more. Allow for the seams because sometimes when taking apart you lose these. This is great in the summer when the tops are usually quite thin and small.
Also - remember that if you use a `stretchy' fabric - like t-shirt material you will need to use a different stitch and a different needle - I find it's best to stick to `cottony' style stuff - it sews a dream, always `handles' well - you don't fight with it and have to grip like fury to keep in the machine. oh - and try to get the best BASIC machine you can - if it does too much you'll be terrified of using it and then won't use it cancelling out your good intentions.
Above all - ENJOY IT.

rachd03

A website i like is www.burdastyle.com it has lots of patterns that people have put on there, often with step by step pictures/diagrams. It also has good forums and tips. very good for beginners.

savagelyric

I've got my very old but ace PFAFF 1027 going which was a little gem I got from freecycle before my LO was born...

It took me awhile but with a little help I've learnt how to thread it and almost completed a patchwork throw! Lots of straight lines have helped me familiarise myself with my machine and I officially love it!

So, I've now got some more sewing questions!

1) I'd like to sew myself some nursing tops or alter some existing smock style tops to make them into nursing tops - anyone got any patterns/suggestions/tips?

2) The throw which I have nearly finished is going to have faux fur on one side, but it seems to be too thick for my machine... is there a setting or anything I need to know for sewing thick material? Sorry it's probably obvious!


Thanks
SL

top_drawer_2

hello,

I am struggling with my sewing machine (again). Its very old and each time I try to get it to sew the thread bunches underneath ... I have tried messing with the tension and that doesnt seem to have much effect. I am so frustrated with it as its the first time I have had chance to get some sewing done and I have spent all night getting it threaded and then trying to sort this out and got NOTHING done ... any suggestions?

Jen

Justamum

My daughter is interested in sewing. She's just made a bag out of an old pair of jeans, and is going to make another one as she has another pair which are too small. I'll get her on to some more difficult things once she's got the hang of the machine.

Mrs_Flittersnoop

top_drawer wrote: »

hello,

I am struggling with my sewing machine (again). Its very old and each time I try to get it to sew the thread bunches underneath ... I have tried messing with the tension and that doesnt seem to have much effect. I am so frustrated with it as its the first time I have had chance to get some sewing done and I have spent all night getting it threaded and then trying to sort this out and got NOTHING done ... any suggestions?

Jen

Hi Jen, sorry to hear you're having problems. Have you cleaned and oiled your machine lately? Sometimes little bits of thread get stuck in the bobbin race and clog it up so that the bobbin doesn't work properly. Have you got your manual, it should show you where to oil and just brush out any lint/thread with an old soft paintbrush.

Secondly, are you sure you have the bobbin in the right way round? Again your manual should help - mine has the bobbin wound so the thread runs out in a '9' and not a '6' shape, i.e. from the top round to the right and then I have to pull the loose thread into the tension spring at the top.

When you start to sew, are you holding onto both the top and bottom threads for dear life for the first few stitches? My machine will tangle and snarl up the threads if I don't do that.

What fabric are you trying to sew? Do you have the right needle for the job? If you're trying to sew stretchy fabric, you need a special stretch needle for that. Is the needle pushed all the way into the holder? Have you threaded the top thread correctly?

It's so frustrating when this happens, I hope some of the above might give you a clue what's wrong.

Yay Justamum that's great! I think bags are a great choice for new sew-ers since they are so fashionable at the moment.

Mrs F who is trying to summon up the enthusiasm to finish off a new winter jacket and who keeps being distracted by the computer...... x

Rikki

top_drawer wrote: »

hello,

I am struggling with my sewing machine (again). Its very old and each time I try to get it to sew the thread bunches underneath ... I have tried messing with the tension and that doesnt seem to have much effect. I am so frustrated with it as its the first time I have had chance to get some sewing done and I have spent all night getting it threaded and then trying to sort this out and got NOTHING done ... any suggestions?

Jen

The last time this happened to me I hadn't got the needle thread completely right from reel to needle.:o

Also check you have placed the bobbin in correctly with the thread coming back on itself and into the slot before you pick it up from the top.

It may be as simple as completely just re threading the machine.

mx5driver

Books by Ann Ladbury make life very easy. She used to have BBC TV prog. If out of print try e bay. Local material/habbadash shops carry ads for courses or as is the case with my local shop run them up stairs. WI may hav e someone prepared to offer one to one in exchange for gardening or washing their car etc. Paper patterns for cloths are n ot as good as they6 used to be when it comes to instructions. Charity shops soetimes have old ones.For 50p worth it just to read the instruction pages.I would suggest do not buy new pattern which claims to be easy. The fit is always bad and offtern the pieces do not match. Buy Vogue;I know they are the most expensive but a basic blouse or trouser pattern will last as you will learn to alter it with the fashions. You say you want to start with cushion covers. I am very old,have always made cloths for myself and family but would hesitate to make cushion and shy away from curtains. They are on show,you want they around for a long time,you choose the best material BUT a sharpe corner is the hardes thing to acheive. Enjoy you new amachine. Don't forget the charity shops for size 22 in fab material you can unpick and re- make.That's when the fun and savings start.