Sewing, the craft, fabrics, patterns, problems

A fabric recommendation, I received 4 lengths this morning and they are awesome prints and wonderful quality. The cotton/jersey is so like fabric used in expensive bought tops and has very good recovery and feel. Silky soft and a very good weight. Same for the french terry, fabulous print and fabric, being washed now.

I am going to make a style arc fenix sweatshirt next, I did a forward shoulder but tbh it was not necessary in the ottoman rib that I have just used for my toile. I have enough fabric left for more cuffs, so have cut another 1" off the sleeves, making them 3" shorter in total. I did the neck in a 12, graded down to 14 for armscye and from there out to 16. I need to do the cuffs again and may well decide to trim the grading from 14 to 16, to just a 14

The new fabrics are from www.jellyfabrics.co.uk/

I also want to explore fabrics from empress mills, I also rate that online shop, their fabrics also seem excellent and they have the best prices on viseline and they sell excellent thread

@karmalady - I bought some fabric from Higgs & Higgs and then found that Pound Fabrics were selling the same fabric but cheaper. I have bought from them since and am pleased with the fabric and the service. I’ve also bought from Croft Mill but they have become more expensive than when they had the shop in Foulridge. I’ve also used Empress Mills but the service can be a bit haphazard at times.

Susie, I have had to stop buying fabrics, my stash is growing again and not an inch of space left. Fabrics from minerva was my last buy, 40% off sweatshirt fabrics and I bought two really nice loopback french terry, enough for tunics and worked out at a bargain £21 each. Cheap at the price considering the pleasure I get from the sewing

My craft club membership of higgs and higgs runs out next week, I am not going to be renewing, it was good while it lasted but I had to `fight` to get them to not auto-renew. At least with minerva it is just a year at a time. Their patterns are overly expensive but I have had some really good bargains in fabric

My sewing mojo is put to one side for now and I have thoroughly cleaned sewing room and machines. I am very happy at myself getting 7 boxes of `kits` ready for the odd moment I might get a sewing urge but from now I am concentrating on being cosy ie spinning and knitting

Croft mill has been going a long time, I started with them ages ago when the fabric was described on a hand written posted newsletter and I was a young mum. I think an AC has taken it on and yes it has become expensive

Had cataract done and now cannot see to thread sewing machine needle. Tried reading glasses, some magnifiers to no avail. Any suggestions? Better magnifier? Help.

I sort of learnt to sew in secondary school and I hated it! We had to make a yellow gingham cookery apron; I never finished it. A pyjama case; never finished it. A nightdress; I don't think I even actually started to sew the pieces together
I've been a knitter and crochetier, since I was 5 and sewing just wasn't for me, but, I stopped growing at age 12 and only 4' 6" tall
After I left school and started going out with friends I realised I needed 'grown-up' clothes, so I taught myself to sew my own clothes. I didn't have a sewing machine, so everything was sewn by hand and, do you know what? I loved it and still do
Knitting, crocheting and sewing every stitch by hand is so therapeutic

Midell

Had cataract done and now cannot see to thread sewing machine needle. Tried reading glasses, some magnifiers to no avail. Any suggestions? Better magnifier? Help.

There are lots of gadgets about like these.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OByhzii01aI

But what a lot of people find easier is to put a small piece of paper behind the needle.

When did you have your cataracts removed? I thought surgery was supposed to help you to see. Have you had your eyes tested since your operation? You may need new glasses. Maybe try the Mighty Sight light up magnifier glasses from JML

I am slowly gathering the bits together, to make two coats, one is a maroon parka coat, I have made one years ago but donated it a few months ago as it is now too big on me, it was my all-time favourite coat. Lined and from a 2013 ottobre magazine.

mariawishes.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/parka-1-b.jpg

I finished copying the 17 pattern pieces and have bought the fabric, 3m of minerva core range twill in burgundy and it is beautiful quality. I will be putting the bits I need together on the spare bed and can take my time as this is a coat for spring. Cost is around £40 as I have cotton poplin for lining and a zip from stash

The second coat is a warmer jacket the pattern is itch to stitch andes jacket and the fabric came yesterday,

itch-to-stitch.com/product/andes-jacket-digital-sewing-pattern-pdf/?doing_wp_cron=1699774300.5002551078796386718750

I needed fleece backed soft shell with a slight stretch, softshell with a bit of stretch is difficult to find butI got just what I wanted again from minerva 2.2m of core range stretch woven, fleece backed softshell coating, in purple. It is absolutely beautiful and superb quality. The fleece is the same colour as the shell. That cost me £41 and again, I can source cotton lining and a zip from stash.

I will be making that one first. The AO pattern is on its way after being printed at foldline. I can do a straight cut with no alterations apart from sleeve shortening. Looking at the finished measurements, a size14 c cup will give me enough ease, a 12 would be a bit skimpy over my hips

I am definitely looking forward to these makes. I need to gently pre-wash both these fabrics and then I will cut both out, so I have the complete kits ready to sew, depending on my mojo

I haven`t got the correct zip for andes, have found it on empress mills, bought 3 different sizes as none was the absolute right length ie 31" and I can always use long zips. I could cut a 32" but in case of messing it up I would use 30" with an inch gap at the bottom

I also needed more woven lightweight interfacing and have ordered G710

I don`t have 7" zips in black either and they were hard to find but ebay seller had them

All in all, haberdashery is expensive