Is anyone else still sewing?

Karmalady - thank you for your review on Minerva packs. In the past I've bought quite a bit from them and still love the items I made. I'm just about to join the Minerva club to get 10% off purchases. As if I need any encouragement to buy fabric!
Suzie42 - I absolutely love StyleArc patterns and have over 70 (eek). I bought another in their sale last week and, with the free monthly pattern), the two cost me £8. I love putting together pdf patterns. I find them very well designed and a size 12 fits me without any alteration.
Louella - I taught myself to do simple embroidery over the Covid lockdown and have fun adding designs to my me-made clothes.

I know I'm not an accomplished sewer but I enjoy it all the same, so today I'm making myself a pinny with a bib from the remnants of the American oilcloths which have covered my craft tables at various times. I've used one type for the bottom part and a different pattern for the bib because there isn't enough of any pattern to make a whole pinny. I'll add a pocket across the front in the same pattern as the bib, so there's some continuity. The colours are dark blue and orange.

conclusion on the remnant packs. I bought summer and winter at £9 each. Both were very good value and I could certainly get at least two tops of some sort out of each. Yesterday I made a nice cover for my juicer, love that fabric which is lightweight `japanese style `cotton in spring colours. Today I am going to sew two scarves with rolled edges. Two more pieces used. I have my beady on on a gorgeous japanese piece of double gauze and will hem it for a potential tea towel later today, however it is so nice that I will probably just use it as decor in my kitchen. There is a lot that will be tremendously useful for hood and pockets, facings, bias etc

The winter pack also contained a 1.5 x 1.5 piece of quality non stretch and backed animal print in a fleece, destined for a warm overtop sometime in the future. Perhaps tessuti amara vest. I am only going to be using patterns I already own. There was also a 1.5 x 1.7 pice of heavyish, black jerset stretch, ideal for a cardigan or a warm layering top. The pack had more smaller pieces, none will be wasted

I did treat myself to the designer remnant pack at around £26. Also very worth the cost. A 2.3 x 150 length of viscose challis, that will make a cool summer caftan dress, bright pastels, big abstract pattern. Also a 1.5 x 1.5 beautiful denim/chambray with a fabulous print, destined for a skirt, it will be perfect with slight gathers and pockets. A beautiful cotton/viscose lawn, dark moss green and enough for a floaty top. A decent piece of a black linen plus more bits. Everything washed beautifully

The main conclusion is that these packs are perfect if you have the patience and nouse and patterns, very good value indeed. However not so if they will be added to stash and stuffed in a cupboard because of not knowing what to do ith them

I finished a dress this week with fabric I bought ages ago. I am pleased with how it turned out as I am a perfectionist if making something for my grandchildren but tend to rush things when sewing for myself and do make mistakes.

Thank you, Mizuna, I shall 😊

Louella12

I don't sew . But I used to embroider with my beloved grandmother.

Do people still embroider these days? I'm tempted to have a go

Isn't embroidery a type of sewing? Have a go, anyway!!!

Feedback on the minerva remnant packs. So far I have overlocked all the pieces in the summer pack and have washed them, all 8 pieces are hanging out. Bearing in mind that they cost me £9. I can use each piece, 2 are large enough for tops with short or 3/4 sleeves.

The fabrics range from a beautiful intarsia in pinks, mossy greens and cream, it is thicker and will make a beautiful cover to go on my large cushions plus a smaller cushion cover, or even a waistcoat. Japanese multi coloured double gauze, atellier brunette chiffon, cotton lawn, cotton poplin and more

Ideas that I will definitely act on in the next few months:
cover for my kitchen juicer
t towel
pocket and hood linings
some pieces will go well in a colour blocked garment
scarf
camisoles
Bias binding

I have just overlocked the winter fabrics. Summer/winter seem to be defined by colour. I`ll describe the winter pack later, these are darker and some are heavier but others lighter weight. I see more as I am hanging them out. So far nothing is for the scrap bin

Ayes, I have a Bernina 1008, bought after my previous Bernina’s foot pedal broke and could not be replaced. I had that machine from new for 35 years and I was so disappointed I had to lose it as it was working perfectly. I have had the 1008 for about five years but I think they no longer make them. It does all I need it to and is truly a workhorse. I don’t need embroidery stitches. I use it for minor alterations and making curtains, though I feel my days of crawling around on the floor to do tops and hems are now over! I have got back into making dresses for my granddaughter and my daughter’s friend’s children which I really enjoy, and also little quilted changing mats. I bought a walking foot which makes quilting easier but doubt I will attempt anything bigger.

Sadly, my little sewing room is also my granddaughter’s play room so my sewing has to be on days when I don’t mind her. I do wish I had a bigger dining table for cutting out.

I recently traded in an old annoying overlocker that I was given for a new Bernette b68 airlock overlocker/cover stitch machine which I am delighted with. Especially as when I got it home the shop refunded me £350 as it was on special offer and they forgot when I paid for it. That was along with the £50 trade in they allowed me. I have had a good play with it and can do most things, but I can have two hours 1 to 1 tuition within the next year so will use those sessions to discuss needles and adjusting the tensions along with things like adjusting the cutting blades. I find overlocking raw edges so quick and east compared to other ways of neatening. Being an air lock, threading the loopers is so quick and easy.

I can now do hems on stretch fabrics with an overlock stitch and a cover stitch all in one go, though I haven’t done a lot on stretch fabrics. It looks very professional.

I am always interested in what others are sewing and impressed by what a variety of things people enjoy making.

Happy sewing everyone.

I don't sew . But I used to embroider with my beloved grandmother.

Do people still embroider these days? I'm tempted to have a go

My sewing has been extremely sporadic :

I used to sew for my children . I was just getting into it when they said that they preferred T-shirts and jeans - so I stopped and made things for myself .
Years later , one of them struggled to make herself a prom dress and I had to remake it myself .
Sewing became a thing of the past until I made fairy dresses for a granddaughter .
I made a lot of dance wear for myself .
Then , stitched things for my father as he needed ot wanted things .

Now , I far prefer embroidery and happily make my own designs .

I'm also really fascinated by the way clothes were made years ago and without sewing machines .
Buying fabric was an investment and women were often left in a will - a gown unstitched or unmade .
Nothing was wasted .

Every time I complain about nothing to wear my OH says why is £** of sewing machines (computerised sewing machine, overlocker, and coverstitcher plus an elderly Singer for back up) sitting there not being used,

I don't tell him how much is in the fabric stash. I agree that the indie patterns are expensive and very often badly drafted, I like Style Arc as they seem to be very close to RTW and they fit me well.

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 know! Was looking at overlockers at the Sewing Exhibition last week!

Tricia2, I resolved not to buy any new clothes for a year, hence this project. Regarding other sewing I'm about to add extra fabric all around the edge of my fitted sheets, which have shrunk slightly in the wash and keep creeping off my mattress. Not the most complicated of tasks, but I foresee a lot of fabric-wrangling so I've been putting it off. 😁

Mizuna, I like your idea of buying from the charity shops to repurpose items. Maybe I’ll try that.

I was in a sewing frenzy last fall and made 7 lap quilts for friends and family for Christmas. Haven’t sewn since!

I've still got my grandmother's Singer sewing machine and it still works.

My sewing is limited to sewing on buttons, if absolutely unavoidable. I was forced to do a certain amount of needlework at school, and always found it paralysingly boring. My mother was very good at it, though.

I have a simple Singer machine which is adequate for me. I don't use patterns but buy clothes from charity shops with the aim of repurposing them, along with my huge collection of denim jeans, again from charity shops. I've made a lot of denim items for my home: throws, cushions, pouffes, a pillow sham etc and am experimenting with making sheets paper from denim, which I'll sew together somehow. I'm going to spend a few months creating wearable items from my newly purchased charity shop items. I only use basic straight and zig zag stitches on my machine, and do a fair amount of hand sewing. I'm interested in the gentle art of patching too.

Primrose53, I agree with Rosie. I can often be over-critical of my own work but I have learnt to sleep on it and then re-assess. If it is a glaringly obvious mistake (for instance a badly set-in sleeve with tucks and puckers where they shouldn't be) or an obviously wonky hem, then I will unpick and re-do. But if it is something that is only superficial (a side-seam where the pattern is maybe very slightly out) then I will just ignore it. After all, most other people won't even notice when I'm moving about and my arms are covering it!

And as Rosie said, a lot of clothes on sale are not perfect either, even the more expensive ones - my worst nightmare was going clothes shopping with my Mum when she would turn all the clothes inside out and say in a very loud voice, "Look at the bad finish on that, I wouldn't have it if they gave it away for free!"

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...

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!

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.

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?

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

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.