Is anyone else still sewing?

I’ve gone back to it recently. Do you think I can remember how to thread up my overlocker? No, driving me nuts and the Utube videos aren’t helping.

The coat was a kind of toile. I had the correct fabric from minerva and it has turned out beautifully. Not much ease in the coat as it is really a jacket-type

It turned out exactly like this

itch-to-stitch.com/product/andes-jacket-digital-sewing-pattern-pdf/

I also made the stanton hoody with a zip and that is gorgeous.

www.cashmerette.com/collections/size-0-16-patterns/products/stanton-hoodie-0-16-pdf-pattern

I used a fabric from pound fabrics and the quality is far above anything I was expecting. It is a beautiful warm and handy top

poundfabrics.co.uk/collections/sweatshirt-fabric/products/plain-sweatshirt-fabric-1?variant=40735232327703

The fabric is so wide that there will be ample bits left to make a colourblocked sweatshirt. I bought grey, burgundy and denim colours. Made the burgundy and have cut the grey for another stanton. It was a slow zen sew, very satisfying and the machine loved the fabric

I made pyjamas last week, nice baggy pants that don`t strangle my derriere when I curl up to sleep. I used a cheap linen/viscose from stash, from rainbow fabrics

Yesterday I succumbed to buying fabric remnants from minerva, I am in craft club and paid £9 for a mix of 5m in total. Very pot luck. I bought a summer pack and a winter pack. Fingers crossed for that

nanna8

I’ve gone back to it recently. Do you think I can remember how to thread up my overlocker? No, driving me nuts and the Utube videos aren’t helping.

oh no, that would drive me potty. Good luck to you nanna8

what make is the overlocker? perhaps someone here can help

Mine is a babylock and is easy to thread

Various things need doing, but my ancient Elna is playing up - thread stuck in the bobbin thing and I can’t free it. Must find a repair shop! Just haven’t got around to it.

Can’t complain, though - I’ve had it since the early 80s and it’s never let me down before.

I sew most days. Enjoy both machine and hand sewing.

My twin and I both love to sew garments (mostly) and always have something on the go. My wardrobes are fit to burst with me-made clothes. Trouble is, the clothes never really wear out and I make patterns that suit me rather than the current fashion so getting rid of them is unlikely.
I'm just about to make my first Pattern Emporium pattern - a basic t-shirt as a toile. The pattern has enough neck and sleeve variations that I wont need to buy another ever!
I also cross-stitch, embroider and knit in the evenings and am thinking of getting my watercolour kit out again. I love to be creative.

I sew, but rarely make clothes. I'm not in need of anything, what I have is enough for me. Besides, I have very little wardrobe space in my tiney flat!
I make patchworks, and other useless things like totes, tble runners and cushion covers...
I do knit and crochet too

I'm still sewing most days. I too have made far too many things for myself, but with the spring/summer weather hopefully coming along soon I will resurrect my first efforts of 5 years ago and probably replace them with new. Lots of tops, floaty trousers and jumpsuits made for my holiday last year, the first one for four years!

One thing I wanted to ask, when any of you are using very large patterns (for a coat, for instance), where do you do your cutting! I have collapsible trestle-type table in my very small sewing room, but anything wider than normal, like a pattern I have for a cocoon-type coat, just defeats me! I tend to use a roller and mats for most of my cutting, by the way, as I've never been very good with larger scissors.

I’m currently copying a jacket of my DGS as it has fallen apart. It was second hand and made of silk. He just loved it. It’s a slow business! I have to make two slash pockets at the front and only having done them once before, I’m a bit nervous. Sewing silk is not my favourite go to thing.

Recently my Bernina wouldn’t work so I replaced it with the last mechanical machine made in the 1990s. It goes like a dream but cost a massive £750! I took the other one to a Bernina dealer and they managed to fix it, so now I have two working machines. The overlocker I have is a pain to thread but works ok most of the time.

My biggest problem is having to pack everything up after a sewing session as we live in a small flat. It’s quite frustrating

I have started sewing again because the lovely trousers I used to buy from Marks and Spencer have been discontinued. I purchased identical material in different colours, used the old trousers as a pattern and made my own. I only wear elasticated waist trousers as I absolutely detest skirts and trousers with zips as I always find they show bulky under tops.

Ayse - I dare not mention what my Bernina 740 cost, or my Babylock Gloria and Euphoria. They're my dream machines and will be my forever machines. Folk spend money on memberships of golf clubs and suchlike each year, so I think this is an investment in myself.

I like to have small projects to keep my sewing machine ticking over usually repairs or shortening hems as I am 5' 2" . Like a car, I dont like to have it sitting unused. I made a load of masks and other things in covid and that was great for familiarise self with a newly purchased machine.

I like sewing but I don't make things any more, not even curtains. But I alter and mend things a lot, and do a bit of embroidery now and then.

I sew a lot- just made 2 summer dresses from a Stylearc pattern which is super easy. Trousers next and granddaughter's summer dresses from my stash of vintage Liberty Tana lawn.

I am envious of anyone who can make clothes. My sewing skills go as far as patchwork quilts and embroidery. Knitting is my first love, then crochet, then watercolour painting.

I have a lovely machine and just use it for turning things up, and making small items like curtains for the summerhouse.

I am no expert by any means and I only get a little enjoyment from using it but I would love to make clothes for myself. I did when I was much younger. I made summer trousers, dresses etc but never felt they were professional enough.

I am amazed at the price of patterns now. Some are £10. I am glad I kept a lot of my old ones to restyle

twinnytwin

Ayse - I dare not mention what my Bernina 740 cost, or my Babylock Gloria and Euphoria. They're my dream machines and will be my forever machines. Folk spend money on memberships of golf clubs and suchlike each year, so I think this is an investment in myself.

I’ve only had Bernina for sewing. The repaired one was the second so they last very well. The one I bought was 2nd hand but it was recommended to me by at least one repairer. Both my older daughters have the same Bernina 1008. One DD lives in NZ can’t get her’s repaired there but I’ve suggested she keeps it until she can bring it here as I know it’s repairable. I was actually staggered that a 25 yr old manual machine cost rather a lot to buy but I’m sure it will be worth it.

twinnytwin

Ayse - I dare not mention what my Bernina 740 cost, or my Babylock Gloria and Euphoria. They're my dream machines and will be my forever machines. Folk spend money on memberships of golf clubs and suchlike each year, so I think this is an investment in myself.

exactly this twinnytwin. My machines cost me a lot but not nearly as much as membership of golf clubs plus fees plus equipment

My babylock evolve is 16 years old, my bernina 380 is 12 years old my babylock acclaim is 2 years old, I was going to give my evolve away to a dgd but her interest waned and I was never going to sell it, so I use both overlockers. I have a babylock coverstitch and my latest is my precious fully serviced and bits replaced bernina record 930. I got that from the sewing box and it is my pride and joy

Moving here was the first time in my life when I made sure I have a dedicated sewing room but the record 930 is downstairs in my living room, it is in a horn cub plus cabinet, very mollycoddled. The cabinet is brilliant

AskAlice, you mentioned cutting out, for many years I used a good cardboard folding cutting mat, only suitable for scissors.

Like this, I keep mine in my kitchen and use it on the dining table

www.sewessential.co.uk/sewing-tools-and-gadgets/pattern-drafting/pattern-cutting-board

For rotary cutting I use two self heal cutting mats which clip together, also on my dining table, which flips to become a larger table

I have seen joining clips in packs, to join several mats together but they are make specific

These mats need to be kept flat, so I store mine under my sofa.

whoops I bought the record 930 machine from sewing machine box, he did a fab service job on it. I had to have it sent as I don`t live near

Lilypops

I am amazed at the price of patterns now. Some are £10. I am glad I kept a lot of my old ones to restyle

If only I had! Although having 'grown' a lot since my dressmaking heyday they'd need far too much enlarging. Many of the independent designer patterns are £17- £20 which is a lot of money if you only make it once.

Primrose53 I am no expert by any means and I only get a little enjoyment from using it but I would love to make clothes for myself. I did when I was much younger. I made summer trousers, dresses etc but never felt they were professional enough. this is something many feel, we're our own worst enemies. There are those smug in their superior prowess but there are quite a few sewing vloggers on YouTube who readily admit to accepting 'good enough' over perfect. I'm sure your efforts were much better than you acknowledged, have you looked at the finishing and pattern matching with many commercial offerings? Even sometimes slapdash me wouldn't find them acceptable Perhaps time to start again with a very simple tshirt top or wide legged elasticated waist trousers?

I have a wonderful Elna sewing machine (my second one). I used to make everything - coats, jeans, evening dresses. But I really don’t see well enough to sew to the standard that I used to achieve so these days I stick to the Sewing Bee’s make over challenge and cut up jackets (and the odd bedspread ) to make bags.

I’m a quilter, both hand and machine, but I’d love to find a simple pattern for an A-line skirt with no pockets, no embellishments, just plain!

Lilypops, my biggest regret was throwing out the sewing patterns my mum had accumulated over the years. She was a professional Court dressmaker, apprenticed at 14 and not only had hundreds of vintage patterns but also many of her own self-drafted pattern blocks, with alterations notes and lines for various sizes. At the time we were clearing the house after she died and my dad had to move nearer to us, I hadn't sewn for years and wasn't really interested.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I still cringe every time I buy a pattern as even the main commercial ones are very expensive.

My OH did comment a couple of years ago when I was enthusing about how much money I was saving by making our DGC dresses, shirts, trousers, shorts etc. His word were, "But how much did the sewing machine cost?!" He got very short shrift when I replied that it cost about a quarter of his football season ticket which only lasts a year! And the pleasure I get is worth a fortune...