Sewing, now and then

How I admire all you gifted needlewomen. I am completely useless with a needle and thread and can barely sew a button on. My mother-in-law was a wonderful dress maker and taylor. She used to make all the clothes for my daughters when they were growing up. She also taught my daughters to sew which has stood them in good stead.

My wardrobe is too full of things which rarely get worn so I am making dozens of cushion covers and using up lace etc made by my MIL I just wish I was more artistic to make more imaginative designs.

I’m using this platform to confess that I put three almost finished meticulously sewn dresses in the charity bag yesterday.
They had been loitering in my WIP for over two years.
I’m also a Bernina devotee

22Quizzer

I always designed and sewed my own clothes in the past. However these days the cost of fabric makes it uneconomic, so I hardly ever do so now

Agree about the cost of fabric against a bought garment but if I really like the fabric I buy it. On the other hand, I also look on the stairs rack at the material rather than the garment and have bought some bargains such as 2 size 20 dresses from Asda dropped down to £6 each. I'm a size 12/14 so will be able to make a few garments from these.

... sales rack ...bit stair rack 😅

again oh no! ...bit should read as not.

The pima cotton I ordered for the bralettes was only available in 4 pieces, needless to say I cancelled that order but I found elsewhere some lovely organic cotton with 5% elastane, gsm is 200. Price ranged from £5/m to £7.50/m. I got 3 x2m lengths to add to my stash, reduced from £15/m. Each length would make a long sleeved top as standby ie if the fabric is not suitably soft for bralettes. I am hoping to get 3+ matching sets of bralette plus knickers from each length, cost would average around £4 per set

The pima cotton was from minerva, sadly this has happened a few times, when they can only provide pieces. I don`t think I will get another craft club membership

I will see what the 3 new lengths are like and if good quality and value then I will post the retailer name on here

I'm also a Minerva craft club member. I usually buy sufficient fabric each year to make the cost worthwhile. I'm awaiting the arrival of one of their Printed On Demand (POD) fabrics which will be for my outfit at my daughter's wedding next May. It was £26.99 per metre so the 10% discount is worth it. I've been waiting a month for it, so I contacted them and they responded staightaway. Good service.
I've finished the one top and skirt that I cut out earlier this week. I go to a U3A sewing group each week and used my time there to clip it together ready for sewing (it's knit). I finished it yesterday afternoon and have just the other matching top to complete - this afternoon hopefully, if I can get off Gransnet!

...have bought some bargains such as 2 size 20 dresses from Asda dropped down to £6 each. I'm a size 12/14 so will be able to make a few garments from these.

I do that too.

I bought some XL long white cotton skirts in Primark for £6 each and made a sleeveless shirt and skirt out of them. I bought a pretty white and blue dress in H&M last year for the Summer but it never really fitted properly so it only got worn once, and it's now on the list to be converted into a long skirt and matching waistcoat for next Summer.

I watched someone on YouTube creating princess seams in a dress to 'narrow' it and realised that that is probably what I need to do to another dress that hangs off my shoulders, rather than reset the sleeves and take the sides in.

I received two lengths of remnant fabric from rainbow fabrics today. I have had many good fabrics from this company, it is pot luck. I had remnant pre-sale notice 2 days ago and jumped in to buy a couple of lengths, the remnant sale items go very quickly

One is a fine linen with a hazy lime pattern on cream, very light and perfect for a summer blouse. That was almost 2m for £7. The other was large, lovely colours, bright blue with turquiose, a nice drapey cotton. 3m x 270 cm. That was £18 and will make a summer dress plus shirt or blouse

I have overlocked the cut edges and they are heaped on my floor waiting to be pre-washed, which I will do when the weather is nice. I kept notes and will finally fold these, catalogue and then stash them

I took up sewing in lockdown. Sewing requires careful precision but unfortunately I am a "that'll do" sort of person so I'm not very good.
I've made some quilts but mostly bags and I'm quite pleased with some of them.
I have sewers block ATM

Interesting reading, thank you.

I'm no seamstress but have had a sewing machine getting our first home in 1957/8.
We had rented a tiny rented cottage, living on a shoe string. Spent 8 months making it liveable prior to our wedding 1958. My dear husband bought me a very ancient singer sewing machine I'd seen in a second hand shop, all of £8. I purchased curtain material from the local market to make all the curtains. No lining, just hem sides top and bottom and used the stretchy curtain wire. I was so proud of my sparkling clean windows and pretty curtains. I went on to make several skirts..simple gathered waist, no pattern.
Drainpipe trousers were the fashion when my son started school. Our financial situation was still dire so I'd dash to town early on market day to buy a few remnants a fine suiting material one lady was selling. A piece big enough to make my little lad a pair of elastic waist trousers. Short in summer long in winter.
Years progressed and so did my handiwork on my trusting £8 machine. That event got upgraded but I can't remember the make.
64 yrs married my machines did all sorts of work be it alterations or my own trousers being what stands out in my mind. I'll be 88 in a few weeks and recently replaced a Brother machine. Nowt fancy but I've a stack of clothes for alteration..having lost 2.5 st to ward off Diabetis, my clothes hang on me.. I'm pretty much housebound, so getting to shops to choose new isn't an option.. I used the 8nternet to send for new smaller clothes when 99% of them have been returned.. I purchased a new machine a month ago...soon I'll have clothes that fit me again..
So unlike many of you that I envy my trusty sewing machines have earned there keep.

The fabrics from Rainbow have washed very well and are nice and soft, they were a good buy

The three cotton/jersey fabric have arrived and will be pre-washed next week. They are all good quality, better than expected and one has the upmarket `poppy` label down the side. They came from pound fabrics and honestly, I have never had a bad fabric from that store

karmalady I have used Pound Fabrics for five years or so and have rarely had an issue with their fabrics or delivery. Only once did an order go "missing" and that was due to the delivery company, not Pound Fabrics. They sent me a replacement, and lo and behold the original order turned up a week later! I did inform them that it had appeared, and they kindly let me keep the original order AND the replacement.

But what do you do with six metres of brown needlecord with space ships all over it?! My grandchildren now all have matching outfits, and I have a pair of space ship dungarees!!

Waves and wild are closing down, their patter ninstructions are superb. Very cheap PDFs available

I bought 8 adult patterns at £2.50 each from the fold line as they keep the backups. I have filed each pattern as AO A4 and instructions and they are all in a new wild and woolly folder on my desktop

Later today I will do line drawings on business cards to file, so I don`t buy duplicates. Later I will add all my patterns on my desktop onto new USB sticks and I have at least 20 folders

Love notions feature friday ie today. Encore skirt is under £5. I have bought it and know this will suit me perfectly

I made clothes for myself and 4 daughters but was never as good as my mother. I haven’t made a garment for 30 years but have made numerous curtains and cushion covers.
What I love doing now is embroidery, including Turkey work, Bargello work and Crewel work items for a historic house.

I am needing a couple of warm sweaters that I can hang up, I have just ordered two lovely lengths from bypd, quite pricey but not unduly so for the good quality. The toaster sweater, which I have made several times previously and I love wearing, the two new fabric lengths are even cosier

Yesterday I actually cut out the LN encore skirt in the A line, midi version, I am short but wanted a longer skirt so only shortened that by 2". I did print the A4 in L and XL combined but the XL waist will give me better ease so XL it is for now. I am 99% certain that the sizing will be good so have cut this in a Merchant and Mills denim from stash.

I need some more warm longer skirts so will see how it goes, if perfect in XL then I will cut the full skirt version as it has a nice fitted waistband and more circumference hip down. Again I am hoping to use fabric from stash, wools and wool blends and some corduroy

Re fabric from stash, I put 5 lengths away yesterday, good bargains from rainbow and Pound. Made sure to pre wash and catalogue them. Overall space is appearing and stash is looking neat. My cheap stash is disappearing, being used for toiles

I've just started a new winter coat - 100% Yorkshire wool tweed from Higgs and Higgs. It's my first time sewing wool but so far so good. I had to buy a clapper for pressing the seams.
Higgs and Higgs aren't far from us and it's a wonderful (tempting) place to visit

Not sure about encore skirt style, not yet, I made A line in denim yesterday and will only have a real opinion after wearing it

Andrea`s fabric has arrived from BPD. It is lovely but needs the prewash before stashing. I tried on the southbank sweater dresses that have been hanging in my wardrobe since last Christmas and they were even easier to wear today. I might have a couple of pairs of leggings somewhere in the house, I do certainly have thick tights and will be comfy in that combo

I may well make southbank sweaters from the new fabric, normal length ie version2. I do like the sleeves and neckline and could add a bottom band. I have 2 m so am versatile in what I can make

I made the toaster sweater 1 this week, used thick brushed-back fabric from jelly fabrics, I think it was 75% cotton and 25% poly. I made it all on the serger, very speedy make and decided my cover stitch would struggle so I used maraflex thread around all the bands. Normal 90 needle but in hindsight I should have used a microtex needle due to the high poly content

I love the pattern, love the fabric design, love the warmth but 25% poly is not for me, ever again. Upside is that using this from stash has released a nice open space on my shelf

eddiecat78

I've just started a new winter coat - 100% Yorkshire wool tweed from Higgs and Higgs. It's my first time sewing wool but so far so good. I had to buy a clapper for pressing the seams.
Higgs and Higgs aren't far from us and it's a wonderful (tempting) place to visit

Wonderful*Eddiecat* just step by step. I cannot ever do without my clapper, on any fabric

Are you lining the coat and what pattern are you using? Higgs and Higgs have some nice fabrics

Thank goodness for toiles. 3 years ago I made the Jennifer Lauren pippi pinafore. Very well drafted and a slow sew. I made my toile in warm, cream cotton twill and it hung in my wardrobe all this time. Nothing quick about making this

I am wearing it today with a rib hepburn grey and fawn animal print underneath, the combo looks good but the waistband- top is not loose enough. Drat, I have moved the buttons and now it is wearable and I will wear it all winter

I used the pdf pattern in a B cup and could do with the 2" wider across the bib. I definitely need a bigger waistband and more ease around my hips. This is only going to fit over the hepburns

I am going to make notes on my pattern envelope, to make a bigger size, that depends on me liking this enough to go through the process. I will need to download and stick pdf A4 sheets again

So this wearable toile was worth making. I can wear it, the fabric not expensive but will I want to go through it all again? definitely not sure

There is no point making a wearable toile unless it is tested, ask me how I know