OS home sewing

nabowla

Thanks for the cutting tips. I'll have to have another practice today!

I managed to pick up some real fabric bargains on Saturday in the 'bolt ends' baskets at John Lewis and Laura Ashley. I'm going to have a go at cushions but some of the 'scraps' were large enough to make a generous pair of curtains and cost less than £20 - not bad when you consider that it's posh fabric that could easily cost £70 full price or £100+ for ready-made curtains.

I also got rather excited when I discovered that you can actually buy oilcloth for home sewing! I'd been thinking about making some small cosmetic purses/washbags as gifts for friends but wanted them to be waterproof/washable. Oilcloth would be perfect for the job. Must keep my eye open for bargains.

The only downside to this sewing lark seems to be that it's horribly addictive - why didn't anyone warn me?????

apple_mint

I buy oil cloth by the metre to cover my kitchen table. There are some great designs in Dunelm (from about £3.99 metre) and I covered my kitchen table for about £7. I have a cheery red and yellow check covering which goes in really well in my kitchen and it's fantastic to be able to wipe down the table cloth after meals. I regularly bake on the kitchen table and the cloth shows very little wear and tear.

I hadn't thought of making things from it, thanks for the ideas nabowla!

Rebob

You can also make wash bags using a cheap shower curtain. Possibly use a cheap white one to line a bag made from your fabric bargains???

Rikki

Meadowcat my sewing machine is an Elna.

Rebob

Rikki wrote:

Meadowcat my sewing machine is an Elna.

Is it any good? It might be useful to others wanting to buy a machine if we give an opinion to reliability etc.

Rikki

Rikki wrote:

Meadowcat my sewing machine is an Elna.

I have found it very reliable.

It will go through denim when turning up jeans no problem.

I have used the embroidery names on drawstring bags and some PE kit. Very easy to program and two styles to choose from. Plus other embroidery stitches.

It has no problems coping with thick curtain fabric and heading tape and it copes just as well with thin muslim style fabric.

It is nearly ten years old now and is still going well. Its not used nearly enough.
I struggle to find a decent fabric shop where I am and cannot find a shop that sells my favourite Vogue clothes patterns. Not much luck on line either.

It replaced my first machine that was just a basic straight and zigzag machine.

skylight

Okay.

Inspired!!!!

I have a machine, I use occasionally and have just this second ordered the Prima Pattern (subscribing next month on their 3 for £1 offer!) - as the kiddies dress is beautiful.

My biggest problem is being able to sew in a straight line. Regardless of how fast/slow, I can't keep it in a line! Or does practise make perfect?

ivyleaf

My machine is a Pfaff Tiptronic - I upgraded from a Pfaff Tipmatic, (the original push-button machine I think!) to a Husqvarna bottom-of-the-range computerised one, but missed my old Pfaff so much that I part-exchanged it for a new Pfaff. It sews beautifully, and has their "Integrated Dual Feed" which means the bottom layer of fabric keeps pace with the top one even if you don't use pins! But the screen isn't backlit, so I often find it difficult to read what stitch settings I've got it on! It was okay when I got it, about 6 yrs ago, but my eyesight's got worse since then - the joys of middle-age!LOL

The other thing is that as it's electronic rather than computerised and therefore doesn't have a memory, but isn't "mechanical" either, you have to reset your stitch and stitch length/width every time you switch it back on. At least the old one stayed where it was, so to speak!

I've thought of part-exing or selling it and getting a Bernina instead, but decided that at present I don't really sew enough to justify the expense, so I just sigh over the Bernina website instead! :snow_grin

Happy sewing everyone!

Ivyleaf :santa2:

Rebob

charlotte664 wrote:

Okay.



My biggest problem is being able to sew in a straight line. Regardless of how fast/slow, I can't keep it in a line! Or does practise make perfect?

Try putting a piece of masking tape on the machines bed. Just put it the right distance from the needle that is given on the seam allowance as per pattern.

Hope this helps.

ivyleaf

Rats, the computer ate my post! I read Charlotte's post, which crossed with mine. I was also going to suggest using tape, or an "edge guide" which is what I use. You can use a magnetic one and stick it on the footbed (NOT if your machine is computerised though), or some machines like mine have a hole through the shank where you put the end of the edge guide through and tighten a screw to keep it in place.

HTH

ivyleaf xx