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The sewing thread

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  • Thankyou Kittie! It`s really great to see this thread on the OS board - there is another thread tucked away somewhere where nobody seems to find it and post, so I hope the forum team won`t move this.
    WHAT could be more truly OS Moneysaving than folks making something out of something else, altering charity shop bargains to fit, using up fabric remnants to make things, and teaching the youngsters to enjoy sewing, passing on a great life skill!?

    I too learned to sew when i was 10, on an old treadle when my mum had a sore knee and taught me so I could help her with curtains - simple stuff first then anything and everything. I made all mine and the kids clothes, my daughter had a doll that always had clothes to match her new dresses, made from the scraps!
    I lapsed for years when the kids grew up, I was working full time and feeling less creative, but when I semi-retired last year I got back into it and I am just LOVING IT!

    My daughter had no inclination to sew, nor does my eldest granddaughter, but my youngest granddaughters (9 and 10) are eager. They have had a few goes on my machine (Brother Industrial straight-stitch) and made their own pencil cases for September. - this is a great project imho, lots of scope to use small remnants and recycled zips!
    My daughter said they were still very keen so I`ve bought them a new Brother LS14 between them for Christmas. (I have one of these as well now, slower than by big beastie but ideal for starters and it`s portable. VJ` mum, sounds like you`re looking at the same one, I reckon it`s going to be perfect for my girls and it`s a great price too.
    I have some projects lined up to help them with - flannelette remnants for pillowcases, in gorgeous pink and lilac (I remember feeling SO clever getting the envelope bit right!) and linen aprons for their big brother and dad, a couple of nice fabric shopping bags, and some blingy fabric pieces for dressing-up. I`m really exited about it.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    edited 9 December 2016 at 11:50AM
    My grandmother was a tailoress and could make suits etc by just laying out the fabric and chalking it. She worked from home and there were often ladies and gentlemen coming for fittings. She made my uncle a morning suit for his wedding.

    She worked on a treadle machine, my grandfather bought it for her as a wedding present. When they married she gave up her job working for the tailor she had been apprenticed to.

    She made all my clothes including my school uniform, the only things that were bought was my gaberdine raincoat and school hat.

    In later years my mother took up sewing, she did make a couple of outfits, one for my wedding.

    I started sewing myself when my eldest daughter was born, I borrowed my mothers sewing machine to make nighties for her. I also made a christening robe which was worn by her and her brother. That subsequently was lent to someone and it was never returned. I made another robe when I was expecting my youngest daughter and it has done sterling work for my two youngest has been lent out several times, used for my grand daughter, and now resides with my eldest daughter.

    I made lots of clothes for my children and myself, I did make a shirt for my husband, it was ok, but not perfect. I never attempted to make him trousers though.

    Through the years I have always had a sewing machine. Indeed I worked for what is now Janome and bought their first computerised machine. I am still a Janome girl, but no longer make clothes, I am into Patchwork and quilting and have been for the past 25 years. Just now I am making a baby quilt for a great grandchild expected in March

    I have 3 machines, one is a fairly basic Elna which is made by Janome, a computerised Atelier which has a big harp to get a quilt under and a Janome 500 embroidery machine. I have not had a chance to use the embroidery machine much but it will be getting a real work out in the next 12 months.

    I have a sewing room now but have worked in the corners of various bedrooms, on the kitchen table and also in the sitting room.

    There are quite a few sites on the internet that deal with patchwork and quilting. One of the best is MSQC.com Jenny Doan shows a different quilt block every friday. You can also find the videos on You Tube; There is also a useful forum on the site. Craftsy have classes which you can download. There is another site I think its the National Quilting site. Cannot just remember it. I will have a look and post the URL later.

    Thats enough to be going on with. Just as a foot note I won first prize and best in show at our local village show with a quilt I made.

    I have a blog which is based around our village but there is a page on there with a majority of my quilts on. If you PM me I will send you the link.

    Time to go we are off to the over 60's Christmas Lunch.
  • Callie22
    Callie22 Posts: 3,444
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    I love sewing but I'm mainly a hand-sewer - machines have always been a bit of a mystery to me. I've recently been given an old Bernina machine so I'm determined to learn, my local sewing shop runs beginner's machine sewing courses and I'm very tempted to sign up for the one starting in January. They do a dressmaking course too which I'm also thinking about. I'm one of those people that benefits from a bit of tailoring (:)) and it'd be great to learn how to do this properly.
  • jackyann
    jackyann Posts: 3,433 Forumite
    I was wondering about cashmerette patterns,as they seem expensive, but was recommended them, and have found them excellent!
    They also remind me of the old type of patterns that last and last.
  • Great thread :)

    I love sewing. I usually do crafts more than sewing clothes or larger items, but it would be great to learn to sew those things as well. I love the Sewing Bee when it's on (one of the few things that's worth watching on telly!)
    kittie wrote: »
    I am about to teach my 8 year old grand daughter, who is getting a future-proofed real janome sewing machine for christmas.

    My 8 year old nephew has also said he wants to learn to sew. I don't think I learned to use a sewing machine until I was secondary school age but he's quite good with his hands, loves doing 3D puzzles, etc, so maybe he'd get on ok with the machine, supervised of course!
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    I can't sew. I changed schools after 2 years so missed it; first one started it in the 3rd year, second school did it in years 1-2. I then "chose" it in year 4 for O level .... did it for about a term and was then "thrown out" for not having done it before, when everybody else had already done the basics.

    I'd like to be able to sew, but to go from nothing to being able to produce anything worthwhile would be cost prohibitive.

    I'd probably be most likely to use any "skill" to adjust clothing as nothing ever fits me, so I don't buy many clothes as I'm an odd shape/size.
  • What a great thread :-)

    My sewing journey started when I was about 5, my Grandparents bought me a purple suede purse kit to sew for Xmas and that was the start.... I hand stitched all sorts of clothes for my dolls - they probably looked awful but I was proud of them. My Nana and Auntie started to teach me to sew and then when I was 8 I got my first real sewing machine, a Jones hand machine and never looked back. When we started sewing at school I was way ahead and the teacher let me get on with my own thing.

    I call myself a seamstress and I make all sorts from corsets to cushions and everything in between. Some years ago I took a millinery course and so do a bit of that from time to time. There's always more to learn and I'd like to have a go a machine embroidery when I get some time maybe next year.
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  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,581
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    VJsmum wrote: »
    I read that as sewers as in drains :p

    Now you've done it!
    Every time I look at the title of this thread, it makes me smile. ;)

    And I also read it as 'drains' now. :rotfl:
  • t14cy_t
    t14cy_t Posts: 1,317
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    i read it as sewers ie drains too!! xx
  • luxor4t
    luxor4t Posts: 11,125
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    t14cy_t wrote: »
    i read it as sewers ie drains too!! xx

    Snap :D:o

    I sew. Learning was compulsory as the majority of my clothing was home-sewn/ home knitted as a child. My grandmother made all her own dresses and my mother made most of hers.

    As a teenager and into my 20s and 30s I made casual clothing as well as suits and coats for myself and most of what the children wore. I even made DH a couple of shirts in cartoon print cottons.

    These days I make quilts, do crafty stuff and alter shop bought clothing.

    Nothing beats the satisfaction!

    I started an OS sewing thread a l-o-n-g time ago, but it was merged with several others and lost its way - some OS ideas though:http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1664531
    I can cook and sew, make flowers grow.
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