Sewing, the craft, fabrics, patterns, problems

karmalady - thanks for your recommendations!

There are some very knowledgeable people on here and it is great to know what you are making. Perhaps more photographs?

My sewing machine is currently put away as I have been concentrating on writing a book but having re-read this thread, and with summer coming on, I think it will be coming out again soon. I'm thinking padded jacket........

I do miss sewing, but old age has made me lose manual dexterity - I can't even thread the needle on my basic modern Singer.
I prefer "real " fabrics - I'm still wearing pure wool tweed skirts that I made ?10+ years ago. One is shades of blue, one beige and one dark red.
When we came back from Singapore in 1968 I made coats for the children with Harris tweed - it costs a fortune now.
I made a mini coat for daughter's pet lamb (stuffed!) - still wearing it.
Real fabrics are easier to sew - they are more "obedient" and go the way you want under the needle. Pure cotton is the same.
Never sewed silk.

Here are the 2 chef's hat's i made, going to my 2 granddaughters abroad.

When I was a small child my grandmother taught me to knit, crochet and embroider. We also made "rag rugs" from any odd bits of leftover fabric.

I have gone back to sewing sporadically over the years because I find it so relaxing. Also you can take bits of embroidery anywhere. Ive sat on a plane or at an airport doing patchwork and embroidery, to the fascination of my fellow passengers. I taught myself English patchwork and then Indian (as in Asian) crazy patchwork from books. I love it because you can use up the most tiny scraps along with beads, sequins and embellishments.

Its good to see a resurgence of crafts among younger people. Some of my grand nieces hardly know how to hold a needle, let alone use one.

I hadn't realised that viscose is a natural fabric. Please, what is it made of?

giulia

I hadn't realised that viscose is a natural fabric. Please, what is it made of?

wood pulp from renewable trees

Callistemon, are you sure you are securing the bobbin in properly?

Also buy a good magnet? they are good for getting bits of needle out etc

Serendipity, I love all your projects btw!

I've had a go at making a loose-ish cover for a wingback chair, just recently @fairfraise and I've just about regained my sanity. It's not perfect but is better than the last effort so it'll have to do, I realised I'd bitten off more than I could chew but I never learn!

Here is my 1,00000000000000th drawstring bag (hahaha)

I don't use my sewing machine much only to put together my cross stitch creations if needed. I sit at the table on a comfy chair but always end up with back ache. Sewed a cushion and height chart yesterday. Have been awake most of the night with my back. Any tips for experienced users of sewing machines?

Then about 10 years ago DD turned the saying 'if a things worth doing it is worth doing well' completely on its head and said 'if a thing is worth doing it is worth doing badly' meaning if it is worth doing, it is worth doing even if you cannot achieve perfection.

I learnt the same lesson from my GCs M0nica. I was showing my DD and DDiL my latest make and was just about to point out the "not completely perfect" bits. I must have said something self-critical when my GD piped up "but is that your 'personal best' Granny (they are very into sport . My answer "Do you know, I think it is" changed my whole outlook. I wonder who made us think we had to get everything perfect straight away?

There is so much help on the internet these days. I subscribe to a couple of Youtubers and learn something from each of their demonstrations. My latest learning has been that you don't need to make a complete toile for a garment. My very favourite "O" level was History of Costume and Dress Design. We had to make toile - we didn't actually make the garments! This demonstrator was saying to look at the pattern and decide which bits you think will be tricky. Then just do a test run on those. So, so much more sense.

I dislike generic fabric so I favour online shop, Spoonflower because they do eco printing and have such an amazing range of fabric.

At the moment my sewing machine is put away, but I'm starting to get impatient as I'm seeing projects online that I want to make!! I really want to try Sashiko embroidery as well. It would be my best goal to make a top from lovely fabric and embroider the neckline.

It is nice to see that the sewing thread is still fairly active. I don`t know if I said but I use natural fabrics these days, cottons, linen, viscose and mixes of eg linen/viscose which gives a lovely flowy fabric

Today after 5, I can at long last, start to get my sewing room in order, the painter will finish by 5. I can start with re-screwing a shelf extension that I added to the back of an ordinary, old-style heavy desk, oak. I already took the keyboard shelf out and just a few months ago, lay the desk on its back and cut 2" off each little leg. I tested the height with my usual folding sewing seat and I am going to be much more comfortable as well as tucked under. I did have a big rolling office chair in that room, thankfully transferred to dd

No sewing done at all for 6 months, such a long time for me, I have had the whole house interior painted in the same warm white, mineral paint. It looks very cosy now that my pictures are up. I have my drill driver ready, my box of screws and cannot wait to start on my sewing room. Desk extension and then the big pegboards tonight The pegboards were expensive but one of my best buys ever, I have one on each side of my window and a wider narrow one over the desk. I made more dowels and hang overlocking cones, scissors etc on them, Tubs of needles, clips etc on the shelves.

kreisdesign.com/collections/peg-boards

I bought these as a moving-house present to myself, better for me and cheaper, than a holiday

Oooh how fabulous Karmalady I love those peg boards
Yes I am a huge fan of natural fabrics and eco fabrics from the shop I mentioned, but I don't know when I'll get my sewing machine out. It usually happens around Easter that I start wanting to sew summer things. Last year I managed to finish a dress for the summer, but I seem to do less each year.

Hoping my sewing superiors can help me out...

Due to having new DG window fitted, I’ve just washed a small decorative swag from my bathroom window which has an Egyptian theme - feature tiles, vase etc. The white material had silver hieroglyphics printed on it which haven’t survived the wash!

Anyone have a remnant approx 1200 x 500 similar? Any colour would do as long as the hieroglyphics are visible?

Pantglas, a lot came up when I googled `egyptian themed fabrics` some lovely fabrics

I am needing a break, such a palaver trying to neatly fit a quart into a pint pot, in my sewing room. Almost there, I usually overlock ends, wash and catalogue fabrics, otherwise they would be hard to find. Trouble is that minerva had a sale and also me being in their club, I got extra money off. I have had my eye on expensive fabrics, on sale at good prices. Several weeks ago I bought loads and have had to dedicate a full shelf inside a solid cupboard, to unwashed and uncatalogued fabrics. I also had guthrie and ghanie and vintage sweetheart fabrics to put on that shelf. Hah, at least I won`t have to spend money on fabrics for years to come and they are inflation-proofed, better than savings right now

I like to prep lots of garments at once, the patterns, cut out the fabrics to fit and then box. I have 12 of these boxes plus 3 sinclair bondi t, made one last year and lovely fit. Forget me not, sabrina skirt, ready to sew, I made one last summer and I have never had such a well fitting straight skirt, curvy short me. One ready in a medium denim mix. I need to work through summer stuff next.

It is a full 6 months since the painting started and I have not sewn since, I hope I haven`t forgotten how to use my overlocker. Tweaking what is where will come in due course.

Onward, I remember making my own longer dowels, so that big overlocker cones hang safely.

serendipity, beautiful things

lovebeige, wow, wing backed chair, awesome that you have had a go and even more awesome that it fits well enough

I found organising my sewing room a quart and pint pot situation too karmalady. Rather like your pegboards, I found going up on the walls the answer. One of my best investments has been tilt bins. These are from Deflecto and I built them up over time.

Currently, I am looking at accessible storage for threads. I have a lot! I don't like the boards with wooden pegs. I feel sure I would break the odd peg off so I am looking at the sort of herb storage rack that is intended for the back of kitchen doors. Has anyone tried these?

I find that I can get a lot more fabric in a space if I roll them, they don`t really crease either and I can see what I have

Sewing room is pretty well finished and I have started on my wood carving gouges. I have a few big insulated pizza containers, ebay or amazon, like big zipped cubes. Best of all, they fit under a spare bed, my gouges have gone into two of them as well as other carving stuff. I don`t feel like carving any more but nor do I want to lose loads by selling on ebay. Out of sight, out of mind. The children can deal with them in due course. They were in a sewing room cupboard

I have to keep going while on a roll and next job today is to make sence of the spinning fibres and all my knitting paraphernalia in another bedroom cupboard. At least tomorrow I can wake up knowing that, at long last, I have no mess to deal with, its been a long six months.

about those pizza bags, they stored a lot of my fabrics while the house was being done, absolutely perfect for that job

About 45 years ago I made dolls, mostly for friends and relatives of my Mums, made so many I ended up hating it, the kind that was a posh doll, but if you flipped it upside down there was a maid or some such underneath.

Recently MissOops asked if I could make her one, not sure what happened to hers, anyway……..

Obviously I didnt remember how I did it, it was so easy so long ago, this time round I’ve had to sew and then unpick it all, all the way!

At least I’m not using kapok this time around, horrid stuff, I used to sit with a hanky over my face to stop breathing the bits in.

I’ve had to send off for wool for the hair, so I’m a bit stuck, but I can start to bejewel the ‘posh lady’ from my stash of vintage bits and bobs. It’s been sitting partly made in a box under the bed in the spare room for over 2 years so I’d better get on with it.

I envy you your craft rooms, we have 2 spare bedrooms but they are for the GCs when they come to stay, so everything is either in boxes stacked in a corner or under the bed in crates.

The bedrooms are under the eaves , so no room for cupboards.
Sigh…………

MORE bags !!!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-991032-screenshot-20220331-174726-gallery.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-476147-img-20220331-154834-859.jpg

..... and MORE !!!

you busy bee serendipity, you make lovely things

Well I just had an e mail from lady Mcelroy fabrics and they are putting their prices up. Here we go