The sewing thread

last week I took two tops out of my wardrobe, never worn and ideal for very hot days but I never liked them on me. Last night I worked out why and they are far too long, show every bump around the tum/hip and does nothing for my short height. I decided to re-do the bottoms and omg are they difficult. The fabric is thin and beyond stretchy , 55%hemp and 45% cotton, they were from orvis quite a long time ago. They have a very deep curve on both sides, so the hem would be very tricky. I cut off 6 inches

Many moons ago, I took out my 25% pension and bought another machine, a babylock cover stitch and I own up to having only tried it once, then I left it alone, it was scary. Today I watched two lessons from my new craftsy class called coverstitch basics and beyond by Yellen. I got part way through lesson 2 and decided to bite the bullet, deciding that I would learn more via mistakes. I used some Nancy Zieman two sided tape for stability, luckily have lots of notions like this in my room. I did it, made a very nice hem, better than the original in fact. I left all the thread ends and will sew them in place later. All this new stuff with these magic machines is so scary. I cut my teeth on simple stuff, trick is to keep using these stretch fabrics and to keep using the machines. I`m someone who doesn`t even have a mobile phone

It started today when I decided to tidy and sort my sewing bits, not fabric or patterns. I have some duplicates, including dedicated scissors and they are in a box for dgd for when she is ready

My amazon order of the two merchant and mills books came today, oh they are delightful, such a vintage look about them and so many patterns. I was going to give the sewing book to dgd and just keep the workbook but no way. They are tactile and gorgeous and will give me many hours of pleasure. They were another hedonistic bargain as a pack of two

If you google nancy zieman tv, you will find many many very good and free tv lessons from Nancy. I watched and watched them years ago, to get up to speed with modern methods and terminology

Sewing for myself is not easy when it comes to fitting, so I have ordered a tilting cheval mirror that I can keep against a wall or pull out, that and another mirror will help me to see my back. Who needs holidays! I would rather get stuff that will help me with my hobbies

The end of another sewing day but also much more. I cleared 11 items out of a wardrobe last night and also took a large object off the floor on one side of wardrobe, so now my dresses are hanging up I have a huge black bag full of clothing

I cleared another stash this morning as I wanted to have a trial run with the six gored skirt. I enjoyed making it, until I came to the facing and realised that I had left a gore out, so some unpicking to do and more overlocking. I am learning to think ahead and am serging hems while leaving one seam open, same with sleeves. Zip went in easily and the whole skirt is neat with not much waist bulk. However I am inclined to elasticated waists these days and will be having a go at a 6 gore pull on, as soon as I have worked out how to do the waistband. The fabric is almost a canvas with a slight stretch in a bright plain turquoise, the lightweight pepleum blouse hanging in the bedroom goes perfectly with it. I was going to dismantle the blouse as it feels a bit big across the shoulders but no-one would know. Its a good outfit for the rest of this summer, then I will see

I have been dithering over the neck on my new cut out dress, squeezed out of 2 metres, stunning fabric but had to be careful to make sure not to get two large round flowers where they shouldn`t be. It was very quick indeed to serge together this afternoon. The fabric could have made a top as there is some stretch and that made me think about the neckline. The facing and interfacing in the dress pattern are just too much for some fabrics. I tried something very different and found some 12mm stay tape with a bit of a stretch along the sides but none in the middle as there is a chain stitch. I think it is that newly discovered vilene stay tape but I bought that messy screwed up bundle 25 years ago and had no inkling how to use it. I crossed my fingers, ironed it on all around the neck, then very carefully coverstitched two rows, using an edge guide as you sew blind. It ended up wonderfully good, so that is my new method for t shirts, so much nicer than bias tape. I was worried and the machine goes so fast. You don`t need a special machine, two rows of stitching and a stretch needle will give good results

The cheapest place I found to get vilene tape is william gee. I ended up using it on the hem and sleeves and have made my best ever dress. The neck lies perfectly flat and no bulk. Fabric was from croft mill five years ago. I have been buying from them since pre-internet days, they get fantastic fabrics, just got to keep looking

I am putting a huge unused quilting bag out tomorrow and have hung all my quilting rulers and french curves on the door instead, so I can see them. Strange isn`t it but I love my sewing room now, its been a long time coming, gradually converting from my husbands study. I don`t quilt but the rulers are wonderful and so is the ambience in that room

Rosie I cut out on my kitchen table and used to sew on there, probably why I never used my overlocker as it is so heavy to move. Since my husband died, I migrated to what was his study upstairs overlooking the front of the house. I use the same desk and cupboard but put my cutting mats on the desk to protect the top because I slide my overlocker for use. I cut and screwed a piece of shelving flat on the back of the desk because it used to be 6 inches away from the wall and that gave me more useable space.

100 stashes, lol. Well done getting through them

I am having a window glass replacement this morning, so will get busy cooking instead of sewing, will make more ready meals for the freezer.

Last night I found a skirt that may well be good for me. Its a stylearc skirt called allison
https://www.stylearc.com/shop/sewing-patterns/allison-skirt/
I opened the packet last night, all heavy paper and no wonder they would rather sell pdf. A massive pattern, just one piece to cut twice plus a waistband for 1 cm elastic. I did the mesurements and it looks to be fine. They designed the godets very carefully and the front and back are each in one wide piece. It needs a fabric with a lot of sideways stretch and I have such a piece. I am going to cut the fabric into two equal lengths to make it easier to handle. I would love to use a rotary cutter on it but that would mean the impossible task of moving the fabric about on smaller cutting boards. I stuck spare paper onto the bottom of the pattern and have increased the skirt length by 4 inches

My fingers and joints have been stiff and sore for a few days, I thought it was the sewing and the rain but now realise that it was aubergine as I have been eating one of my aubergine and lamb ready meals daily because I get so busy sewing. I am never going to use aubergine again. I don`t eat peppers and potatoes and will stay off tomatoes when I can but aubergine gave me really bad inflammations in my joints, even disturbing sleep every night. I don`t think it is down to sewing, just the nightshade family