Is anyone sewing?

Last post for a while now, my mojo is running out of steam and it took me two weeks to finish the latest dress.

A red cotton toile for next summer, the kelly dress by forget me not. Thoughts: it is very flattering, almost vintage-like, it is a very precise sew. It has adjustability in all the side seams to allow for the attractive fitted bodice. It will teach, or remind, of more advanced sewing skills

12 buttons and again, precision is needed as either side of the bodice must match. I did the frill as a test for the toile. It was complicated to insert but I love it. I had to undo a bit of the collar because the match to the other side was not spot-on once the buttons were on. It was fine to adjust that collar

The pattern was best as printed via A4 sheets, using the layering option. I only printed my size, the sheets were easy to put together. I would make it again but in the longer sleeve and in a warmer fabric for cooler weather. No way would I make it if pattern-matching was needed. Instructions were some of the best-ever. I also liked the bust options, I chose medium

Today I am making knickers, as I did yesterday, having gone down a size and using up pretty nighties. The knickers are very pretty and I use an old kwik sew pattern that I trace, it is precious as it always gives me the best fit for my shape. I use picot edgings, bought 2 years from etsy and on 100m reels

During my no-mojo time I will be sifting through my patterns, getting rid of some I will never use, the `dowdy` ones. I am liking to keep up with modern trends, age does not matter and toast online is my new inspirational guide but not my only one

I really hope you can keep the thread going but we could have a new thread for 2025 anyway

Grammaretto

I have recently begun sewing, dressmaking, again after a very long gap. Here are me and DD. I finished knitting the sweater for her and the dress for me yesterday! We were at a family party.
It's very satisfying and empowering, I find but can also be slow and frustrating.

My mother knitted a cardigan for my daughter in the wool when she was little.
Daughter is now a mum of 4, from 16 years down to nigh on 2 years.
The cardi lasted well!
Beautiful colours.

I have been comparing my makes with toast makes, very many are similar and so many more could be similar, with a change of fabric. I will be bearing that in mind as I change from wearable toiles to final versions

I did start the forget me not kelly dress, it was raining and I wanted something to do. A wearable toile, after a quick bodice mock-up. Red dashwood poplin, not too crispy and only the short sleeved version with the frill as I wanted to see the frill on me and see how difficult it was to insert

The frill is definitely not beginner but will stretch anyone with experience. So far so good, it is a slow make, lots of interfacing etc. For next summer and fingers crossed that the fit is good, I want to make it in a nice fabric for winter this year

I browsed the foldline and was late to the party but snaffled 3 simplicity patterns at a a bargain £6.50 each. Plus I bought the merchant and mills paynter jacket pattern.

Seeing the toast makes has given me a very real boost, comparing styles and the cost of the ready mades with hand mades

Sewing is a lovely hobby for the hibernating months. I also love knitting but sewing is kinder on my finger joints and I move and stand much more when sewing. I have a big wide ironing board, strong enough for my steam generator iron, I often stand by that when fiddling with sewing

Hope some of you are making enjoyable progress

Off out soon but just to say that I traced the kelly bodice.

There are so many lines on the AO copyshop that it is nigh on impossible to be accurate. I did a very quick muslin of the bodice and it appears to be a good and lovely fit. Now I am printing A4 of the whole dress in the size I have settled at which is 42. I can allow less side seam at the waist when sewing

For that pattern I would recommend pdf. All I have now are the single lines at size 42 and they will be very easy to match when I join the A4 sheets. If this dress is good then size42 in forget me not patterns will be my go-to without alterations. The bust darts are fine

Bodice really is lovely, looks like one of these modern corset tops

I got aching thumb joints from small-needle circular knitting yesterday, socks. I always end up with sore thumbs because I like to knit. So annoying and the same when I spin yarn. I know I should only do this for short times. Sewing break has been cancelled

I never get aches from sewing and I need a knitting break. My years-old red boiled wool from Germany is in a sealed bag and on a bed. I need to tackle that, it is scary thought. It has to make a coat of some sort and I don`t want to line it. It has to be a simple style. I have sewn boiled wool in the past, the tessuti amara jacket, which I will make if there is some red left over

I have several coat patterns but none suitable and I am about to buy this pattern

thefoldline.com/products/schnittchen-patterns-lenja-coat

I have never used schnittchen patterns, I have no idea how they fit so I definitely have to make a quick calico muslin first. I am getting PDF plus an AO copyshop printout. I would put the button on the coat

Tbh it will be a big relief to finally use up the red boiled wool. Fingers crossed

Lisa, some of the pattern makers have extremely good instructions, esp good for the less confident. Tilly and the buttons are a fine example. The more you do the better you get. If I could say anything, it is to always look at finished measurements. They have to allow for ease but eg the hinterland dress finished hip was 60" the bust was skimpier re ease so I needed to go by my bust size

Indie patterns are expensive but many have several variations such as necklines. sleeves etc and are mostly on thicker stronger paper so can be used over and over

Gosh, what a lot of talent on here. On the rare occasion I get my machine out I never feel very confident.

well I just saw the toast catalogue for the first time. Someone was asking about nightwear. Identical clothing is easily available via the indie patterns (foldline) Much of my wardrobe happens to contain toast look-alikes. I never knew how fashionable I am

I do like one toast flannel layering top. I am going to hunt for something similar before I give up sewing for knitting as I do in autumn. It is £225 and so easy to make.

Witzend

Last thing I made was a roll for my knitting needles, from some fabric left over from cushion covers.

It doesn’t work as it’s supposed to, though - needles are mostly loose inside! But at least they’re all together…

DH's Gran had one of those made of a thick chintz fabric, unfortunately it was so well worn I had to dispose of it.

I've got a tall quilted bag made by a friend but it doesn't have sections.

I love that needle roll Witzend, very much

I am going to be taking a break from sewing after I have again cleaned my machines and sewing room

I have finished sleeveless hinterland, which fits really well as a pinafore layering piece for this winter, with warm tights

I am so glad I catalogued all my stash with a good size piece of fabric, it was easy to find a fabric I wanted to use. I would say it is about 60% linen and 40% cotton. Perfect texture, weight and drape. I had pre-washed it but no overlocking on the edges, so this fabric was years and years old. It is labelled along the self-edge, Anna Graham for Robert Kaufman and is fantastic quality. Only 110 cm wide, I had 2.8m and after cutting, which included fabric-hungry bias, I had only scraps left

Sizing, I wanted bigger bodice for layering, so one size bigger bodice pattern ie 16, I used 3/8 side and placket seams instead of 5/8 and the placket also gave an an extra inch in front. Skirt is size 14. I love that pattern, after almost chucking it away, donkey`s years ago

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-594887-img-1385.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-7559-img-1386.jpeg

Last thing I made was a roll for my knitting needles, from some fabric left over from cushion covers.

It doesn’t work as it’s supposed to, though - needles are mostly loose inside! But at least they’re all together…

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Hinterland, wearable toile

what pdf A4 prints look like, cut and stuck. I would never use for anything big, like dress or coat

I can recommend sew liberated hinterland dress as very easy to sew, it has excellent clear instructions and is an easy-fit. I finished my wearable toile last night, just need to do a quick hem. I will take a photo when it is light

I made a 14, used their 5/8 seams and ended up undoing the whole bodice as it was too snug on me. I re-did the bodice with 3/8 seams and it is good, looks lovely. I did the waist ties too

The fabric was cheap, bumpy with all the broderie patterning. The background fabric is fine indian cotton and not hard-wearing so will not last longer than a couple of years at most but it does look lovely and drapes well

The raised neckline is wonderful and the next size I will make is 16 bodice and 14 skirt. Probably with the 3/8 seams again, I did the front placket from waist up, had to lengthen that for the raised front neck.

I have bought the pdf now, used layers and printed off A4 sheets to stick together for a new bodice. Sleeveless version is next, no ties, a very useful layering pinafore dress to make asap, I will keep the original lower neck for that pinafore. Plus I want to make a warmer 3/4 sleeved dress, 16 bodice, 14 skirt, identical to the toile

I loved sewing that dress

I was at a loose end this evening so hinterland is cut out. I remember making it very many years ago 2 sizes bigger than now and it was too big so I abandoned it. This time I cut the actual pattern, could not be bothered tracing it

I lowered the dart by an inch, it is a very easy alteration, just a rectangle cut out around the dart and the space above filled in. I remember that the neck was too low ie a summer neckline, so I altered the front neckline 3" higher

I then worried that it would not easily go over my head, so extended the bodice placket by 3". No more alterations. It was very easy to cut out and will be very nice to sew. My next project. If it is good then the lower neck, sleeveless version will be lovely as a pinafore dress

I have finished the maison fauve pilar jacket. It was a horribly difficult sew, made worse because I used a corduroy that had deep pile and had stretch. I would definitely make it again but in a nice red denim.

My first time to make a French pattern, french on the left side and English on the right. Sparse instructions but very do-able by someone with some experience. I used my stitch ripper more than I have ever done. I never fastened the buttons up in the photo. They are jeans buttons which have to be inserted by using a hammer

I still have the mojo, so am going to make the 3/4 sleeved hinterland dress. I will be using the pistachio green broderie anglais fabric from rainbow, bought last week, 3m for £13.50. Nice and soft and a medium weight warm cotton with a matt face and a lovely colour

The mojo will go, it always stays for a bit then vanishes, I hope I keep it for a while longer

AskAlice, your post reminds me so much of when I made a frozen dress for my dgd, it was a terrible battle of net and chiffon and other slippery layers. Worth it though, it is memorable for your dgd, she will never forget it

I didn't do any sewing etc beyond primary school but we did learn the basic stitches plus embroidery, making samplers and weaving.

One DD is good at sewing but makes craft items, quilts for charity and quilted goods but I rarely sew now. The other buys charity shop bargains and might alter them to fit or change them slightly.
I do knit and crochet though.

Snowbell

I loved sewing when I was young, even did O level dressmaking! I do sew nowadays but find it a chore rather than being enjoyable. It's mostly mending things these days. Daughter doesn't sew at all so I get all her family's repairs, as do most of my friends with grandchildren. I don't think it's taught in school any more, which is a shame.

Even when it was taught at school, if my dds are anything to go by, it didn’t count for much. They had to make various things, inc. the usual cookery apron, but still hadn’t a clue about e.g. sewing a button on (properly!) or sewing up a dropped trouser hem - again properly.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon fighting with a satin and chiffon slip dress that I'm making for my GD. She picked the pattern and fabric. The chiffon is for the lining as the satin is quite thin and a little see-through. My goodness, what a battle! I finally found my walking foot, which helped a little, but trying to hem the chiffon was a nightmare - it looks awful but at least it won't show. I was quite pleased with it apart from that. The other difficult bit was sewing the facing, main fabric, lining and straps all together at the top at the same time...I needed at least four hands to keep it from puckering and catching and to keep the straps out of the way!

Now I have to understitch the whole top and armhole facing and hem the satin...another afternoon's work!

interfacing: my go-to nowadays is woven interfacing, it has good adhesion and gives stability to any fabric that might stretch, such as the corduroy I am using. I used a medium weight interfacing

I did 6 buttonholes and here is the low down. Going across the wales or ridges is in the direction of stretch and the buttonholes would have been wavy and awful without the interfacing

Buttonholes need to be 3mm longer than the button diameter so my lengths were exactly 2cm. The buttonholes were positioned towards the `bump` on the edge where the facing was sown. From experience an auto buttonhole does not work without a clear run so all the buttonholes had to be manual.

I needed very clear markers so used white tacking cotton (thicker) top and bottom of 2 cm. leaving tails. The worst bit was making sure the stitching was straight. All finished and knowing that corduroy frays, I ran some fray check along each central area, left it 5 minutes and cut very carefully, using a buttonhole chisel, only then did I remove the markers, it is very easy to cut too far when the thread is buried in the fabric

All is good and yes I was nervous. I won`t position the buttons until I have finished. I have 5 more buttonholes to do

Hope this helps someone

I am going to order a dress pattern, I have made forget -me -not patterns and they have been good I will be using a designer linen with yarn dyed sage green largish squares, it has a nice drape. A special dress and not about to be treated like a toile, so will be making a quick bodice, with one long sleeve, from something woven and cheap. I need to check the bust dart position and waist size as the top is fitted

It will keep me nicely busy over autumn. Slow mo sewing

forgetmenotpatterns.com/collections/dress-patterns/products/kelly

Aldom thank you, I sometimes hesitate to add yet another post. I love my sewing and almost have a completely hand-made wardrobe. I will soon be at the one-in one-out stage but that is ok, there are still many toiles but all are very wearable.

Anyway, I just popped on to say how delighted I am with the rainbow fabrics, really the best excellent value, says she who will spend £80 on a dress length of linen

First of the current haul arrived, they are all good quality

multicoloured gingham, very lovely will make a superb floaty blouse £9 2m

white medium weight finely woven cotton broderie anglais, many peepholes in the lovely design, I will need to line it, I can see a special dress or top for next year 2m £8

I love this, lightweight fine ikat cotton, lovely weave 2m £4, destined for a floaty blouse with bishop sleeves

Last but not least, this one had me gasping with delight, sunlowers, very beautiful colour and fabric, drapey, has body and a beautiful linen weave, viscose/linen 3m for £16.50 destined for a dress, possibly maison fauve atlas as I have the pattern

I have 3 more packages arriving, will overlock, wash and stash in my old pc tower space in my desk.

At the moment, the weather is dreary so I have spent quite some time in my sewing room. I am making a maison fauve pilar jacket in a corduroy, new (french) style of instructions and the fabric is really difficult, a bit stretchy. I will need 10 buttonholes and did a practice one, it was wavy so I went back and unpicked anything that needed a buttonhole and managed to get interfacing in place. The next practice was good.

I am hoping to get out and about on my bike soon, the lanes need to be dry, more cycling=less sewing