our sewing forum

Nancy Zeiman was a very prolific American sewing teacher on the PBS (Public Broadcasting System). She did wonderful quilting classes as well as dressmaking. Pattern adjustments using her methods are a snap. She wrote 40 books as well. Sadly, cancer took her from us in her 40's. If you have a relative, etc. in the States they can get her books for you through used book sites....there are often waiting lists. Her show "Sewing with Nancy" runs occasionally on public education stations...I don't know which ones are available in the U.K.. I hope some of you get the chance to enjoy her works.

Craftyone, I would love a real sewing forum. My main passion is hand appliqué and handquilting

we all have knowledge that we can pass on, we never stop learning and new skills are good and hand sewing is a real art and craft

Thank you, my Nancy Zeiman book is a treasured possession

I found a suitable upholstery fabric shop online and have ordered some samples. I really don`t want to make these covers, it will be a challenge because of the box shape, piping and inserted zip but I reckon I can do a good job.

It is good to have challenges right now, it keeps boredom away and is better than talking to the walls if on your own

I am waiting for some things to arrive and cannt progress with my body double so will spend part of today reading my book and drinking tea and knitting. It will be too hot to go out cycling

I have a book I bought online as a reference to different fabrics. It came from the USA and is called fabric sewing guide. I bought it in 2017 and it cost me a total of £6.67. So I am treating myself and have just ordered another book by Nancy, amazon again, pattern fitting with confidence. If there are any tips to make it easier than Nancy would have known.

Craftyone I expect you know this, but if you get cotton piping cord do pre-shrink it in hot water before you use it as it can shrink quite a bit.
My concern at the moment is that I have some really nice fabric (from a charity shop ages ago). It is new quite heavy, probably was curtaining or light upholstery. It has quite a lot of linen in it and would make a nice dress. It doesn't drape very much. I have washed it but it is still rather stiff. I wonder if it would soften with really hot washing and ferocious tumble drying. I don't want to make a dress then have to walk about like I'm in chainmail.

Rubysong, I washed a linen skirt and top yesterday and they dried hard with no drape. I steam ironed them today and they have become very soft and drapey. Worth a try and thanks for the piping tip

I unzipped a seat cushion just now, to work out the construction. Cleverly made cover and the narrowest piece all around is made from 2 pieces, the shortest piece was cut in half along the length and the zip is attached flat and that piece is then joined to the longer piece, What joy. The fabric shop I may use has continuous zip and a video on how to use it, no thick end on the zip

The inside cushion is polyester fill and should be plumped every day ie it must be full of those awful small fluffy bits that I recently had to deal with on a bench seat cushion. I can get foam or hopefully wrapped foam ie foam with wadding around and the shop sells stockinette to go around foam ie to keep it together and enable it to slide into the cover

I am very hopeful now

yay, I am sorted. I have ordered 2 seat cushions, foam core and fibre wrapped. Lovely young man on the phone, asked me some questions to see if the cushion was suitable. Family firm with excellent reviews and should arrive here in 2 weeks. I am very happy and will post a link when they arrive. My sofa will be as new

yay, I am sorted. I have ordered 2 seat cushions, foam core and fibre wrapped. Lovely young man on the phone, asked me some questions to see if the cushion was suitable. Family firm with excellent reviews and should arrive here in 2 weeks. I am very happy and will post a link when they arrive. My sofa will be as new

Fabric samples arrived this morning from myfabrics, very pleased, will order from them for trousers when I have finished my lockdown project, recovering my sofa. It was going really well until I fell and broke my wrist.

That is a project and a half grannysyb, did you have to do any extra padding? Upholstery is quite a skill and thank heavens I only need to do the seats. My sister did a whole 3 piece suite many moons ago, a good job too. I think this is called upcycling in modern terminology. As though upcycling is a new invention

craftyone thanks for the reply. I will be pre treating the pink linen this weekend. If you have 'normal' zips which are longer than you need you can just snip off the bit you don't need to get rid of the thick end. I did this when I made a summer handbag from a charity shop dress.

The zips will need to be 43" each and I need two, I will have to buy them, the upholstery continuous zipping is 95p a metre and comes with 2 pulls per metre, extra pulls are 10 for £3. That is the medium weight, there is also lightweight for cushions at 80p. I think I will get some lightweight in anyway, it might just be perfect for normal sewing and a few m won`t break the bank. They would always be useful for making bags and organisers

Up very early today, the birds woke me and I have taken the opportunity to open all the windows, to cool the house down. 23 in and 12 out right now

I like sewing , I don't go in for intricate patterns, I love 'Tilly and the buttons' patterns, particularly 'cocoa' and 'stevie' tunic top/dress patterns. I have made a few of each in different materials, so easy to follow also made 3 of Tilly's 'romy' dresses. Made them from her new organic jersey material she has out, lovely material, gorgeous patterns and colours...can spend a fortune lol.
During these lockdown times my regular fabric shop does online, such good service .

Crafty one, it's only the top cover as I stripped it down to the frame some years ago and put new foam on and then the calico. I did that at an upholstery class. I'm using the old cover as a pattern and its going quite well. Only 9 days till my plaster cast comes off!

Tilly and the buttons is definitely another supplier who deserves support. I like that she has uncomplicated designs and I do like her organic jersey, medium weight with the right amount of spandex, would make lovely t shirts and lightweight sweatshirts too and the leftovers would make knickers

www.lovesewingmag.co.uk/free-sewing-patterns/item/520-knickers-sewing-pattern/

I have not used this pattern but my home made knickers last much longer than sloggi and they are nicer

You cannot really go wrong with stretch fabrics if you take a few precautions ie polyester thread, a needle for stretch and a stitch with some stretch in it or a narrow zig zag

GREAT thread! (no pun intended).
Please can anyone tell me where I can find fine cotton dress lining fabric? The type used by retailers (e.g.M&S) to line cotton and linen dresses.

The Remnant house has some 100% Cotton Lawn here It would be lovely and soft as a lining.

Croft mill will send samples and you can phone them for their advice. You could do with feeling the texture, it needs to be a bit slippery and quite finely woven

www.croftmill.co.uk/fabrics

I must say that what I am wearing today is so cool, bearing in mind that I am at home and still have jobs to do. One set of my robert kaufman mix and match essex fabrics. I haven`t felt uncomfortable all day, in spite of it being 25 degrees.

The 3 tops are the same, elbow length but loose, round neck, raglan sleeves with a dart on the shoulder and no bust dart. It was all in the cut. The 4 skirts are all A line with elastic waists. No buttons or zips anywhere

I love sewing, my mother taught me and I have always made of my own clothes from the age of about 19. When fleece jackets first came into use they were expensive to buy, so I made my husband one and lined it for extra warmth as he was going to Iceland. I have been through my material stash and have found some lovely cotton material which I intend to make a long tunic top. I also do patchwork but I am a bit slow at that. I usually buy my patterns from John Lewis when they have a sale and just keep them for when ever I might need them. Lovely thread.

I am so glad that you have all joined us, that there are enough to at least start a productive thread with many inputs

I was the oldest of 7 and so I had to learn fast when I was small. I was competent using a singer treadle machine before the age of 9 and could make a skirt from a simple pattern by 10. I remember we had sewing lessons at school when I was 11 and had to make a skirt, I got told off for being too fast.

The cookery class was to make tea and toast, doh I could cook a meal for 9 in a pressure cooker by then and bone and make rolled breast of mutton, using a very sharp knife. I gave domestic science up as soon as I could and went on to do science but was always a teeny bit envious at christmas time when the cookery girls had made their lovely cakes. I also loved the gondola baskets. I use baskets all the time now, I might just make a liner for one, put a bit of elastic at the top, or ties and use it for a waste bin in my sewing room. Waste not want not. I love my practical baskets

Thank-you for starting this thread Craftyone. I am really looking forward to following it. I sew dresses and jumpsuits for my grandaughter and a few items for myself.

Last week I finished and wore my new top that I made from left over skirt making fabric. The fit round the bust area leaves a lot to be desired but the fact that it’s on the loose side makes up in the comfort zone so I’ll not worry about it.

Oh craftyone, those gondola baskets, most of the girls had one. It was my dream to have one for Christmas, I had one eventually but that year I got a hairdryer.

I spent some of a refund I got from a cancelled holiday on a new air threading overlocker. I’d got so frustrated with my old one when doing NHS scrubs as the tension kept going wrong and threads breaking etc. This new one is like a dream. I’ve made over £400 for charity making masks and twisted turban hair bands out of Liberty Tana lawn scraps which a neighbour donated and have proved very popular. Free online patterns.

Hairbands

Surely it should be called The Sewing Thread?!?

I would love to make clothes for DGD and her dolls but she has a professional needlewoman on DiLs side of the family and I am so cack-handed. How can I learn to be more accurate at 65? My knitting is also so uneven I would be ashamed to present anyone with it. Crochet is just about OK. Both my parents were such wonderful crafters but I just can't seem to do it.