our sewing forum

Oh, it's not upside down! Going to re do the cushion covers next term, we're hoping to start upholstery again in September, we don't all do it, some do knitting, jewellery making etc.

Here is a picture of the sofa which I have finally finished! No idea why it's upside down!

Magnolia62 you beat me to it.

2/3 years ago , I made some 'booster' cushions for our sofas, and ordered all the materials on line, including the endless zips. But, I also ordered lots of the zip pullers.

I learned how to attach the pullers to the zip by looking at YouTube tutorials.
It is actually easy once you get the knack.

@witzend are you aware that you can buy ‘endless zips? ie a length of zip sold by the metre with the pullers dotted along the length. But beware the ones sold with separate pullers, like the one I tried in Dunelm. I told the shop assistant that I had trouble actually threading the pullers onto the zip. She kindly tried but after half an hour was unable to so a sale lost.

my old office desk is upstairs in my sewing room, I added some extra depth to the back with L shaped supports and a cut down bought shelf. I needed the extra space because of having 2 machines on there, I just pull them forward. I managed somehow to remove the keyboard shelf.

I wish it were a lower sytem, it is the typical old desk with metal legs, a cupboard on the right with a drawer above that and a tall thin pc cupboard on the left. I had to buy a taller chair to fit but it is an office chair and cannot tuck in. Wasted space and not very comfortable. It has to be in my future alteration planning, I cannot sat there for long

(grin) been there, done that

New iron came today and I am more than pleased. I needed some overlocker thread and have ordered some I also added to my stash, I mean, it is sensible to do a toile. 25m of thin calico is ordered. I want to fiddle with the new pattern and after all that is what my body double is for. I won`t be toiling everything, just the top bit down to the middle of the pockets. I needed fasteners, good old stash, I have some

That quilt is gorgeous, lovebeigecardigans! Must have taken forever.

I haven’t done much sewing for a while, but the other day I remembered an instance of my (occasional) extreme daftness with practical things.

I was making two enormous cushions for some seating between two raised beds in a dd’s garden. Fiddled out how to do it with help from YouTube, no problem until I came to the zips, so covers could come off for washing.

Looked everywhere for zips that were long enough to go round the ends, not available even online.
Then Dh (civil engineer retired) said, ‘Why don’t you just get two and have them meet in the middle!’
‘Dhurrrr!’
Couldn’t believe I’d been too stupid to think of that myself!

I woke up wanting to start some sewing today, found nice red twill from croft, I keep an inventory, it cost me £14, 2 m. It smelt new so I have washed it and it is drying outside. It is fairly sturdy, ideal for trousers and skirts but I want to do a practice run with the apron dress. The pattern suggests various fabrics and thing this will be ok

I was up early and have finished the paper pattern alterations, it would be so easy without having to do this. I left the bib top alone and have added a little from the waist down. The design looks nice, the lower back flips over to the front towards the lower half and the back of the back is fastened via a pleat and fastener at the waist ie slip on

My problem is short top and wider hips and waist. I never cut out the curved bits that cross over different sizes,( I might be slim one day). The facing for the top curves around into the waist so I had to remember to add the extra to that bit too

It will need overlocking, it frays a bit and just saying that I would never manage without the sewing curves, some of mine are old and the oldest ones are the most sturdy

This was a very considered purchase, still cheaper than a steam generator iron. I took a chance and bought one from empress mills, knowing that they would send it immediately it came in. I did that 2 weeks ago and they have just sent it. They are unobtainable in the uk, as soon as they come in, they get snapped up. called oliso pro smart iron

I have no hooks and bars, yikes, so I have ordered some but this time a box of 100 which work out at 30p each. Just the silver ones 12mm which will do for many things. The yikes is because I had a good browse around the site and have ordered more things, overlocking white thread and a snag repair tool and end stoppers for knitting. What I am glad about is that the online site has managed to keep going, even though deliveries are delayed. They seem to have added a lot more stuff

LBC that is very lovely, very well made

Second skirt is finished, did not take me long at all in 3 stages, cutting, overlocking, assembling. I didn`t have a matching zip or thread but I am pretty good at hiding zips, it is bright rust but you would never know. I used a fawn thread and it pretty well disappeared into the mottled fabric. Only took me a few hours in all and it is a nice skirt

I haven't RTFT but I love sewing and decided to use lockdown to try and finish off a few UFOs, patchwork is a great interest of mine, with hand embroidery being my first love.

I have recently finished a 'crazy' patchwork quilt which had shamefully been knocking about for a year or two (or three?) It was thrown on top of a basket in the sewing room and caught my eye every time I entered the room.

It weighs a ton! I will see if I can put a picture on here.

Brainwave!! while replacing things under my dutchers block trolley, after cleaning and oiling last night. My magimix processor accessories box, full of blades and things, never pretty and a dust catcher. I rescued the fabric number one bits, fortunately neatly rolled and on top of dry things.

Worked out that all I needed was 2 end pieces and a long rectangle. Joined 2 strips lengthwise for the rectangle, made a pattern from paper for the sides, added SA, serged all sides and adding the sides to rectangle was exactly like putting sleeve caps in ie bend fabric over finger to ease and then pin

All done and a perfect tidy fit, same as a toaster cover, could also do similar for food mixer, except I have a cover and will not be covering the toaster. I have used that fabric to the max ie large cushion cover, a good skirt, a tablecloth for the dining area and now an accessory box cover, literally now only scraps left

My iron: I have earmarked my fab philips steam generator iron for dd and she is delighted, I hardly used it, it is a family iron and I ordered it for my husband to use as he did all the ironing and it arrived after he died. I have ordered a rather special sewing iron and meanwhile bought a reduced russell hobbs for £14, it was ok this morning. Ironing while sewing makes all the difference to the finish. I also use overhead steam to gently pat hand knits after knitting. The generator was not right for that

That 2 piece sounds lovely fennel, you obviously took care when you made it and quality shows

I want to be ina sewing mood tomorrow but there are thousands of baby weeds to be dealt with, blueberries to pick and more compost to be made. I ignore housework, that can wait

So interesting Crafty. I still haven't got going.
I agree with you about hem facing. I have a skirt, well, a 2 piece, which I made a few years ago and finished off the hem of the skirt with facing. And for the top a hem of matching velvet ribbon as I'd run out of cloth.
I sometimes used to have a train trip into London and always went round Liberty's fabric dept. Beautiful fabrics but expensive.
This 2 piece is made of a lightweight woollen cloth, rusty brown with scattered florals of orange green and yellow.
I still wear it occasionally.

essex linen in rust in my stash , 2m and another skirt cut out with 5mm to spare. It is 110 wide so no pattern piece fits next to another. It is lovely, just cut out and neatly folded with the pattern pieces pinned on. I ironed it first. I could not have done it with less than 2m. Easy today, my table is well protected so I pinned and cut with scissors without the cutting mat

It took me just half an hour to do the skirt hem this morning, I have never ever done a hem facing and the result was astonishingly professional and smart and made the skirt hang perfectly. I feel like making another skirt in the same pattern, I must browse my stash later, some denim-type fabric would be perfect. If I haven`t got any then I will buy some, it will be worth it. Its a marvellous skirt for cooler weather in these fabrics, some tights and a nice jumper

oh wow, what a difference a cloth makes, the corner is gorgeous and the big orchid pot looks fab on top. It is slightly oversized but that will allow for any possible future shrinkage. The edge was easy to do, 3 thread overlock all around with the knife down. A good hem press up, then 2 neat rows of stictching all around the single hem, using the edge as a guide and keeping the distance with the needle on the right and then on the left using the dial to set the width. A further press and done. So very quick to make a cloth

I am also prepped for cushion zips, no piping, this continuous zip is very useful and no adding to stash today

always nice to have aims, to wake up every day with something to do on that important list and I say that as a widow, living on my own. It makes the day cheery. I have sewing on my list today and paperwork still to do but always having another job or craft in the background means that no day becomes depressing

Having my aeropress break right now and I have cut out the coffee-table cloth and 2 cushion covers, one is a rectangle 54 x 32. They are just lightly folded and will not be handled until I overlock each side,

I think that fabric has rayon in it, it feels like it. I had a hm red cloth on that low table for christmas and it certainly `lifts` that corner of the room. Bit by bit I am co-ordinating the room

I was thinking that sewing bee should at least have some sewing for the home, I don`t see the point of the transformations, afterwards they should do simple lessons on some of the techniques. Many people would love to sew and have no-one to teach them

I have just finished what I thought would be my last batch of scrubs for a London hospital. The ScrubHub organiser has just said they are still getting orders and many of the volunteer sewers have gone back to work so there are still cut scrubs waiting to be sewn up. So that’s next weeks sewing taken care of.

I was on a roll yesterday, must have been the grey weather. I made a 60 x 60 zipped and piped cushion cover and then I got on and have almost finished a skirt. I used the assembly line pattern, she constructs a bit differently to what I am used to so I went my own way for most of it.

I did start by overlocking all exposed edges, it was much easier that way. She said tacks on the pocket top and bottom but I did my usual strong tiny triangles. She has hem facings, I have never done those but will be doing them today, just got to add a hook and bar to secure the waistband and voila I have a very useable autumn skirt. I found a suitable zip in my stash

I have a different cotton curtain fabric, there must be some polyester in it because it is drapey and it washed very well and it frays easily. I am going to turn this firstly into a circular to floor tablecloth for a skandi round coffee table, black with 3 chunky beech legs, plus I will make a cushion cover or two depends on what is over. I don`t want to stash this fabric. It is a perfect match for my pale multi coloured rug. I need to cut that circle today, use the whole 140cm width. I will have to fold the fabric and make a device to support a piece of string to make a semi-circle. I am hoping I have some cream for overlocking, I will do an overlock then just a neat sewn single hem. I have faux orchids in a very large shiny gold/bronze bowl (peony flowers) it is lovely and that and the cloth will definitely brighten up a corner

It looks like a very dull day ahead, grey outside, sewing will brighten things

It also looks to me as if at least some of the "names", who used to do workshops and courses, have started to put those on line, either on subscription or individually. It has to bring them a bigger audience and a more continuous one and makes the courses available wherever you live.

I don't think I would buy a subscription
Me neither. Why would someone whose main interest is sewing want instructional videos for machine knitting or cake decorating? It was much more sensible the way it was under Craftsy, where you could buy individual courses.

It doesn't matter how it works as long a it does 8fevertree* - brilliant.

Thanks GG, my bought classes will be preserved, that is good

I enjoyed cutting out skirt number 1, no made triangles this time, the fabric is robust so I will use my notcher. There are only 3 tailors tacks and a few notches. I used old fashioned pins and good dressmaking scissors. I still have to do the interfacing, I hav interfacing stash going back well more than 20 years, I am sure I will find a suitable type and will iron on with a cloth on top after dabbing it down eith the iron to secure it

I just realised that I could store my thin cutting out mats under my rug , only me would comprehend the very tiny bump