Does anyone else make their own clothes

JennyBennyBird

People do make their own clothes these days......I found an old sewing machine (electric) Singer, down the junk yard and flogged it for £17.00. Also one way to save money on fabrics is to go to the local charity shops and get bigger clothes than you need and re-use the material..........in other forms. Why not? Save a few quid.

InkyCats20

ChequeredFlag wrote: »

I think my sewing machine will have to have permanent residence on the kitchen table!

Mine's been out on my table for ages, not that I'm using it every day but it makes all the difference not having pack / unpack it everytime you want to do something & I'm much more inclined to do 10 or 20 mins here & there as its accessible

Savvy_sewing

I have put a small table, infront of the window in the dining room. So my machine stays on there permanantly. Only problem I have is swapping over to the overlockr, as I have to lift the machines, which is difficult.
I then use the diningroom table with a plasticised cloth over it , to cut out, etc.
We tend to eat our meals off of one of those padded lap trays infront of the tv anyway. (I say we, but these days its just me!)

Hardup_Hester

I have an old table & desk in an L shape in my spare room, I have my sewing machine, overlocker & Ironing pad set up on them, I can slide from one to the other on a wheely chair.
Once I start sewing I only resurface for cups of tea.

Savvy_sewing

:rolleyes:

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

I have an old table & desk in an L shape in my spare room, I have my sewing machine, overlocker & Ironing pad set up on them, I can slide from one to the other on a wheely chair.
Once I start sewing I only resurface for cups of tea.

Sound like me about 15 years ago. I converted our "barn",the outhouse, that was off of the back of my kitchen, and had a complete sewing room, with kitchen cupboards, and a work top one end, for cutting out (not Ideal as I couldnt get around it), and two hanging rails for all the wedding dresses etc in thier various stages of construction. Then I have two desks and the office chair.
I also had my rolls of fabric stored in the roof space above the downstairs loo!.
I could just shut the door and get out of there when I was not working. It meant that when mummy went to work, the kids didnt disturb me.
Eventually I had a nanny to help me, as 4 kids were a lot. But we needed the money. Being a single mum by then.!

Certainly brought back some memories of the old sewing room, and the work I did!. I don't know how I managed it. Sewing from 6am- 2 or 3 am the next day, with only a few breaks to take kids to school/nursery, and deliver the alterations to the drycleaners and the wedding shop.!

I dont want to get to that amount of stress sewing again though.
I think that that is why I havent really sewn in years. It got to be a chore and not a joy.!

furndire

Mooloo wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Sound like me about 15 years ago. I converted our "barn",the outhouse, that was off of the back of my kitchen, and had a complete sewing room, with kitchen cupboards, and a work top one end, for cutting out (not Ideal as I couldnt get around it), and two hanging rails for all the wedding dresses etc in thier various stages of construction. Then I have two desks and the office chair.
I also had my rolls of fabric stored in the roof space above the downstairs loo!.
I could just shut the door and get out of there when I was not working. It meant that when mummy went to work, the kids didnt disturb me.
Eventually I had a nanny to help me, as 4 kids were a lot. But we needed the money. Being a single mum by then.!

Certainly brought back some memories of the old sewing room, and the work I did!. I don't know how I managed it. Sewing from 6am- 2 or 3 am the next day, with only a few breaks to take kids to school/nursery, and deliver the alterations to the drycleaners and the wedding shop.!

I dont want to get to that amount of stress sewing again though.
I think that that is why I havent really sewn in years. It got to be a chore and not a joy.!

Funnily that could have been me writing that (minus the nanny) sewing all hours etc. and 4 children. I know what you mean about the stress. I lost my sewing room when we moved about 12 years ago. Never got it back in new house. I still have a ton of fabric, and hundreds of reels of cotton boxed up etc. I was also into machine knitting, so machines are packed up as well. I really need to have a good clear out, but want to get some of the money I spent back. I was hoping that my granddaughter would become interested, but I just haven't got the patience to teach her - she's only 12, so she may still get a bit interested in a year or two.

Savvy_sewing

I only got the nanny after I had a nervous breakdown though! Well actually technically I didnt get the nanny, one of my friends employed her, I "lost" several days of my life, and one day came too to a little welsh girl bringing me some tea!.
Long story. But thank god she was available.

Back to now.
I am pottering with the sewing, but missing so many bits and pieces that I used to be able to put my fingers onto immediately!. So its a little frustrating. Even more so at the moment, as I cannot get out of the village so I cannot even go and buy the things I need or want!!!:D:mad:

Savvy_sewing

Right I am hoping that there is a picture about to appear here, of the baby's trousers that I made on Friday, and the dress from Thursday.

homealone_2

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

I have an old table & desk in an L shape in my spare room, I have my sewing machine, overlocker & Ironing pad set up on them, I can slide from one to the other on a wheely chair.
Once I start sewing I only resurface for cups of tea.

do you have any information about being a chat line operater or was it just a suggestion?

Hardup_Hester

Hi Homealone

It is a job I have done, not at the moment though. I do or have done all the jobs listed in my sig.
Here is a link to an MSE thread about it.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1078573

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.
Hester