Sewing, the craft, fabrics, patterns, problems

karmalady Sat 05-Feb-22 07:46:01

I have been sewing since age 6, started on an ancient singer treadle and have sewn now for 68 years. I did have a gap, like many people, clothes were so cheap at one time, it was not worth the sewing effort. I did the clothkits range, the children and I wore clothkits, lovely kits, rugged fabric and everything provided

I went back into sewing properly about 25 years ago, learning a lot of new stuff from craftsy, learnt about lots of new gadgets, many very helpful. Such a change from basic sewing, back and forth, basic zig zag but that was the kind of sewing that tought us very much and gave us a very good basis

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karmalady Tue 10-May-22 10:58:01

serendipity, I see that you are keeping the thread going, smile your work is indeed very lovely

I started my pyjamas, traced my size and did a quick toile with old bed sheet. It was fine, top is now made, it only took a few hours. Free pattern and nice enough to make as a quick top from very little fabric, it has a facing but you could easily use bias binding. It has a button loop at the back, not needed, very easy to put on without it. Just have to subtract 1.5cm from the cb back pattern and cut that on the fold. Open the fabric fully, flip one end over for front and the other side over for the back. The most economical way to do it

Free pattern
www.theavidseamstress.co.uk/search?q=drop+shoulder

I shall be tackling the bottoms later today

I went through my wardrobe yesterday, got rid of some wearable toiles and stuff that I bought and cannot alter to fit., lands end type stuff. The toiles were well fitting and I have made notes. I wore my hand made parka again today, it was a pattern in ottobre magazine, made 2013. Loved it to bits, burgundy with a hood and a cotton lining but I admit now that it is now far too big on me. Too complicated a constuction to try and take in. It has to go

www.ottobredesign.com/retail/img/browse/2013_5/all_designs.pdf

I now know what I need to make over the next year or so. A coat for spring weather, 3 woollen winter skirts, a dressing gown for spring to summer. A cycling envigado. Some more pyjamas for next winter. The wools all came, 1.5m each, machine washed on wool wash, gorgeous soft quality. I have the bright yellow drill for my cycle vest, awaiting cones of thread,

Programme now is pj bottoms next, then dressing gown. I ordered art gallery reduced cotton jersey, pima cotton ie quality, from minerva and it was reduced. Pattern is butterick 5963 view B. I already have that pattern. It will cost me roughly half that of similar from David Nieper

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Serendipity22 Mon 09-May-22 19:53:19

The word is patience, something that seems to emerge once I sit infront of my sewing machine, hahaha.

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Germanshepherdsmum Mon 09-May-22 18:05:40

How on earth did you do that? Brilliant!

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Serendipity22 Mon 09-May-22 17:50:46

Well it started it life as a boring blouse and now ☆☆☆☆

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Germanshepherdsmum Thu 05-May-22 17:53:42

That's incredible. I really don't know how you do it. Amazing.

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Serendipity22 Thu 05-May-22 17:12:23

Thè recent product from my kitchen table.

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Serendipity22 Tue 03-May-22 21:09:16

AreWeThereYet I googled how to make a chefs hat. Made it and off it went abroad. Sooooooo simple to make.... ?

GSM thats brilliant haha kitchen table business.

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AreWeThereYet Tue 03-May-22 19:38:48

I remember your chef hat Serendipity22 ? Do you make these from kits or dream them up yourself? Either way I bet the GC love them.

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Germanshepherdsmum Tue 03-May-22 18:36:53

How amazing! You could have a real kitchen table business there!

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Serendipity22 Tue 03-May-22 18:35:37

My son said "No more!" Hahahaha.

I made aprons for my GD, chef hat, bags ( not drawstring ) my kitchen resembled a sweat shop !!!!! Hahaha

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Serendipity22 Tue 03-May-22 18:33:04

In the 1st lockdown I made endless confectionery out of felt and shipped them all off to my GD who lives abroad.

The lady who works in the post office stopped asking me what my parcels contained hahaha.

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AreWeThereYet Tue 03-May-22 17:34:40

karmalady you may feel like you're talking to yourself sometimes but I read this thread often, even if I don't post. Probably others do too. I was intrigued with the envigado vest, something I've never heard of, so looked up the pattern. Really nice, something I would certainly wear. Waiting to see it finished.

I love to see all the things everyone is making, sadly there only seems to be you and Serendipity with her beautiful bags and stick handles at the moment.

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karmalady Tue 03-May-22 17:15:30

online classes and courses

www.thestitchsisters.co.uk/

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karmalady Tue 03-May-22 16:26:43

My etsy kkc poppers are in the country and will be delivered soon, I can`t wait. I don`t think I will ever need to buy any more and am looking forward to finishing the envigado, which looks exactly like the pattern but in black. The zip is in and is perfect. I am being very methodical, the instructions are excellent with not one wasted word

Oh black, it is so hard to see, I need to constantly take my glasses off and had to do any seam grading and basting under a bright reading light.

The bemberg lining has arrived, I got two lots, fawn and beige. I will overlock the ends and put them in a wool wash tomorrow. The colours will go with anything and I need a half slip, perfect for that too. I am just waiting for the wool skirt lengths and drill lengths for cycling tops to arrive. I have plenty of sewing to get on with this summer

I am making a point of limiting myself on how much I do at a time, a couple of hours perhaps, max. It means that I am concentrating fully

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Germanshepherdsmum Mon 02-May-22 19:25:19

Brilliant!

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Serendipity22 Mon 02-May-22 18:53:35

Thank you soooo much GSM karmalady.

I'm going to fill the bag with all kinds of goodies with a black & gold theme.

I have kept the black & gold theme for her birthday card.

smile

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Germanshepherdsmum Mon 02-May-22 17:42:37

That bag is beautiful Serendipity. Your friend is one lucky lady. You’re incredibly clever and creative.

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karmalady Mon 02-May-22 17:39:56

Beautiful present for your friend, she will love it serendipity

This is a lovely useful free pattern for a tank. I will be making several as they are a summer staple

itch-to-stitch.com/product/lago-tank-digital-sewing-pattern-pdf/

and this is a fantasic sewalong, for that pattern excellent and easy to follow by beyond the pink door

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka5rwjX5P9c

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Serendipity22 Mon 02-May-22 16:18:12

My friend will be 60 I wanted to make her something, soooo here's my drawribbon bag

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karmalady Sun 01-May-22 09:24:57

I have just stocked up with good twill/drill fabrics, zips etc, I am very much liking the envigado vest and can see me wearing a vest like this a lot. I also want to make a couple for cycling and have chosen visible lime green and a yellow for that

I bought one new pattern that I have had my eye on for a while, the chalk and notch fringe top and dress, I shall make the dress for this summer and put waist ties on. I like that it does not have a back fastening. Paper pattern prices have increased hugely, it must be the cost of paper and ink. I do like indie patterns, generally a bit different and very well written and this is a well tested pattern

The envigado zip has arrived and I am inserting that today, perhaps the pockets too. I am waiting for the silver coloured poppers to arrive before I can finish

I took advantage of the 20% off from minerva.

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karmalady Sat 30-Apr-22 06:39:42

william gee, 10% off everything until 10pm tonight, 30th. Code is NEWSITE10

They are very good, sell items that are hard to fine

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karmalady Fri 29-Apr-22 09:18:21

Time to think ahead to the next cold season, while fabrics are still available at good prices. I definitely need some warm winter skirts to wear with warm tights. I am going to make hand wash woollen skirts, my machine has a hand wash programme. I want a fit and flare skirt as fit and flare is very flattering. I am going to make three, all from the same pattern and will most definitely make a wearable toile first. I feel that this will be a very worthwhile project from september onwards

The pattern I have chosen is one I already have, pdf form. It seems as though I will be looking to make 12 at the waist tapering to 14 or even 16, hence the well fitted toilefirst. Itch to stitch seville. I shall be lining them with bemburg anti static lining which will last as long as the wool

I have ordered the three woollen fabrics from croft mill, all made in Yorkshire and all 150 wide and suitable for skirts. I also ordered anti static bemburg lining, all one colour because that is the most economical. That was from calico lane. The finished skirts will not be cheap but far far cheaper than buying a top quality skirt from a high end store and they will last me a very long time. Moths will not get to the fabric because I will pre-wash and then pack in zip lock bags

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Serendipity22 Thu 28-Apr-22 16:22:40

Merci beaucoup GSM, much appreciated.
smile

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Germanshepherdsmum Wed 27-Apr-22 11:19:28

What a clever lady you are Serendipity. Beautiful bags and brilliant straps for your sticks. All so professional. I don't know how you do it. Well done.

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Serendipity22 Tue 26-Apr-22 20:17:25