our sewing forum

I missed it but Happy Sewing Machine Day yesterday

I get their tracing paper too Craftyone. If you don't want to stick patterns together there are printers who will print them out full size for you. It's not worth it for patterns from this country but may well be for those that come from abroad.

I like Really Useful too although quite a few of my boxes are simple A4 ones - usually sold to paper crafters. They are good for putting small projects in - bags, etc. I made a video of my new sewing room for my granddaughter and on the short run of it managed to say "and they've got labels on, I love labels" three times. I've had to move it round since to accommodate the bigger table I will need for the new machine but I still get pleasure walking in and seeing the labels.

It has been so useful to me being methodical re my stash and also my patterns. First of all I gave away all those that were too old fashioned to ever use (very old)

Then I labelled a box for all my altered and copied patterns, on swedish tracing paper, which is a fine see through fabric. I bought loads at one time because I was so worried that it would disappear as things do. I have rolls of it and obviously it was a good method of saving as it was cheaper then. I cannot remember where I bought it from, this stuff
www.patterntrace.com/product/patterntrace-swedish-tracing-paper/
Each altered pattern is in its own labelled ziplock bag

Other boxes, all really useful 9l boxes, are all marked with a number and I have a book that says what is in each numbereed box eg, skirts and I also used short descriptions and said if I have altered

I was methodical once and put snippets and details of all my fabric stash into a notebook and without looking deeply have found two lengths of a very nice twill, 150 wide perfect for that pattern and 2m cost £14 and the 2.5m cost £17.50. Croftmill, I have used them for yonks and always but always very accurate descriptions and marvellous value

I used to get some pdf patterns from a russian site, you had to put measurements in and they were sent by pdf. They were very cheap. You had to stick them together to make the patterns and add on a seam allowance. Found it
lekala.co/
personally, I didn`t enjoy the patterns, no instructions and then, they were old fashioned. Might be better now

I also used another sytem and you do indeed get well fitting clothes out of it. I still have the kit
lutterloh.com/

their now are
there are now

Until I started getting back into dressmaking about 12 months ago I had no idea how many independent pattern designers their now are - and so much more fashionable - even for 70 year olds. May I suggest that if anyone is wanting to make a particular design put a picture of the dress you like on here and those of us who like a bit of detective work may be able to track an indy pattern down? One of the great things is that you can get the PDF versions (if they do one and many do) from all around the world saving on import taxes and postage.

I have just ordered a new pattern from the assembly line. She makes edgy indie patterns that are very easy to sew. All of them are £21 but I am sure I will make this over and over, I have the fabric in my stash

drapersdaughter.com/collections/patterns/products/the-assembly-line-apron-dress

Ggumteenth, it was a strange start, I kind of slipped into doing it. I can`t tell you how glad I am that it is over. My back is aching now but no overdue sewing jobs left

I am tidy again and no chance of any pillowcase going over her. I forgot to say, gaffer tap over all the gaps, worked a treat

Goodness, that sounds like a good day's work!

body double is completely finished. Lycra cover was messy and I used umpteen pins to hold the side seams. I found a stitch called lycra stitch on my machine, 4 way stretch, it was perfect. Last time I used a stretch jersey tube and that was an utter nightmare, lycra was much better, very forgiving. I took my time and followed the pins

I have not got smooth underneath, never expected to, that would have taken far too long and I was not doing a sewing project for an exam. I checked the measurements and all good. I did a casing at the bottom and had no suitable tape so I stitched narrow bias binding to make thin tape. put the lycra cover on and pulled the tape at the bottom so it is nicely out of sight and tucked under. I popped the rest of the tape around her waist, which is 15.5 cm from the nape of neck

Not something I want to leave bare so I will look for a silk pillowcase that I have somewhere, a popover. I am glad I did it today, it was nagging at me

so I went in to clean and got sidetracked, cleaned my sewing machine and decided to stuff the dressform bra. Big mistake buying a cheap new one, I could not get the measurement. Sigh I fetched my best fitting smooth bra and stuffed that and got the right measurement pdq. Bust point the correct measurement feom the shoulder/neck. Bust points the correct distance apart

That was the start of the roll, ignoring the mess everywhere. The padding in the parcel was just right, bamboo batting and thin cream felt. I made and pinned circumferences on the form, measured my front side to side and to my delight the form back was good without padding but sigh again, all the extra is on my front. Smiles again, so what, most women my age have that

Batting first then felt to finish and I hardly needed to pin, it all stuck together wonderfully. I carried on and all was done as accurate as could be and double quick time. By some miracle I found my curved needle, last used when I slaved away at super thick padding on my thin adjustoform, the one that had lurked under the stairs for 5 years. Some quick stitches to hold it all in place without pins. The hardest was the bulk that had to curve into the under bust

She looks good tbh. Next is the lycra and for that I need a tube, I will try 4" less than hip size, put it on her inside out and pull to shape and pin. Then I will do a final sew, cut the excess off and dress her. I will use my most stretchy stitch and a stretch needle. She will undress easily if I need to change shape in time

Bit tip: if you get a dressform then get one smaller than you are, not much smaller but definitely not bigger. She is going to be tremendously useful for any top down knitting that I do as well as tops, dresses and skirts

The last one took me 2 weeks full on, it was horrible to do

yes I had a go with my bernina threader in the past but never managed it. I have watched a youtube video again and will have another try later. I need to find my mini vac tools and the machine oil. I want to get my sewing room into good order and may need to order some more thread cops for the serger, I keep the spare cops on an artbin cone tray in a cupboard

I have 2 full boxes of mettler threads for the sewing machine, 96 colour coded in each box, I bought the boxes reduced, years ago and just replace what I use. I never need to shop for colour matched threads for the sewing machine

I always use the best quality threads after having gone through the cheap threads/fluff stage in my early years

I might start my body double today, just the top bit to start

So pleased your covers turned out well craftyone, they sound lovely- how about a photo?
I did read how to use the needle threader on my machine, but it was more difficult than Meryl's white paper method!

Woodmouse if you are close to Trago Mills they have a good selection of fabrics and I think they are open, or will be soon. We live 20 minutes from Trago.
Crafty congratulations on finishing your covers. I have a patchwork cushion on the go and understand what a task you took on!

Can anyone recommend a good f abridged marker that fades or washes out?

My daughter bought some recently to mark out fabric for her quilting but they are not effective?

Thanks

Woodmouse49

Online fabric shops - Fabricland.co.uk Has a good online selection at reasonable prices. They also have haberdashery. I went to their shop in Bristol as well.

I live in the NE and BST Fabrics In South Shields also sell online at good prices. I’ve also visited their shop.

Both these shops are very helpful.

Craftyone
I use a threader on my machine: it's called a piece of white paper ? If I have a problem I just pop it behind the needle.

Crafty one I have a Janome machine and I use the needle threader. I press a lever to side of the needle which drops down the feeder and thread is drawn across front of needle. Set needle in highest position first with pressure foot dropped. Hope that makes sense!

Finished and the covers are on my seat cushions. boxed piped seat cushions. I am very happy with the result and the old ones are in the bin, I had to do a small pleat on one back corner on each cover as the middle strip was on top while sewing and it was very hard to ease enough of it under the needle to keep up with the feed dogs. I broke two needles and need to change needles on the serger and sewing machine, as well as give them both a good clean tomorrow

My dress form padding came today, maybe next week for that if I cannot get into the garden

Does anyone have a threader on their sewing machine and do you use it? I have one and have never worked out how it works, I could have done with it today

Thanks for the tip re poplin GGumteeth - I’ll bear that in mind. I did remember to change my needle to a ballpoint for the T-shirt material. I’ll take a look at the fb link you mentioned too - I need all the tips I can get. .

This is last Friday's on YouTube (I find them better). Today's is not up on YouTube yet.

Woodmouse the online sellers are beginning to work on helping you with get what you actually want. If are on Facebook this is an example www.facebook.com/sewmesomethinguk
Jules - who is a pattern designer and fabric seller and many other clever things besides, has two on-line live videos a week. They are Technique Tuesday and Fabric Friday. If you click on the link I've put above and then scroll down you will see today's fabric show on the right-hand side. It always goes on YouTube later so you can subscribe and get them on your feed.

When she is describing the fabric she will often say it is good for a particular pattern. Obviously these are her patterns but, if you have a particular one of your own you want to use look at hers and find something similar and listen out for her mentioning that. She is a brilliant teacher so the Tuesday shows are worth following too.

I think there are other independent pattern makers/fabric sellers doing similar things too.

I'd love to drop in occasionally. I started making my own clothes when I was 14 (1964). Mum had a singer machine. Main reason for this was that I'm tall. 6'1".

My sewing machine now to only come out when a repair is needed or something adjusting.

One reason I stopped was lack of places to buy fabric and 'tall' clothes became a little more available but mainly on line,

Sewing Bee has sparked my interest again and i've found 2 old patterns for skirts.

Problem still is buying fabric. I now live in very rural Cornwall and have only found one place within 20 miles that sells fabric but that's mainly for upholstery.

I'd love to know of good on line places.

NonnaLor poplin can play nasty as it quite a tight weave. My tips would be to make sure you change your needle (we all do that anyway, don't we ) and, if you have one, use a finer needle. I would practice on a spare piece to see what stitch length works best too.