Anyone else going to join me on the Sewing Bee watch?

[flubba]

A bit excited about it

:o

A quick question regarding the book - I had a look through it last week and was very tempted but how would you enlarge the patterns 500% ? I wondered about photocopying or is there another way ? (Maybe the book will tell you how - I didn't read it in depth as I was browsing in a sewing shop trying not to spend any money).

Went to Hobbycraft yesterday - there was still a variety of £3 per metre fabrics. I had discovered an old £10 voucher lurking in my bag so I had to get some !

If you buy proper pattern paper it has squares on it for enlarging, so you draw (eg) 1cm squares on the small version and transfer each onto a 5cm square for the enlarged, does that make sense?

Or you can photocopy but it depends how big the copier will go to.

And I forgot to add, I got the book from WHSmiths as all their craft books were on bogohalfprice last week, could be worth checking whether that's still on - the book itself was a tenner from them, too.

I'm not sure - but I think if you download the patterns in the book they come out full sized............then you just have to do a jig-saw puzzle with all the A4 pieces and sellotape :)

This thread is lovely.

I was reading someone's sewing blog where she says her hits have had a sharp jump since the Sewing Bee started.

I've just been out and my lovely DH has taken me round all the shops in Oxford buying clothes. Which is nice cos I was feeling fat and frumpy of late and I have indulged my vintage-style clothes fancy again instead of feeling sad nothing in topshop looks right on me any more.

But ... I quite want to make something. Am I being stupid? I would like to make a really simple skirt. The one thing I have gathered from the programme is that if you choose the wrong weight fabric, you're basically fucked. So I suppose I should choose something really heavy like corduroy, but then I found this and fell in love with the colours. Would it be too light, do you think?

www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/sewing-patchwork/fabric/alchemy-gemstones-in-green

It's in a section under sewing and patchwork and someone on here said patchwork fabrics are too light for clothes?

Quilting cotton would be fine for a light summer skirt or dress. It is designed to take a crease when you press it, which is what you want when you are doing patchwork, but it means that it gets crumpled easily, so if you're using it for clothes you have to be happy to iron it before wearing and for the skirt to crease at the back throughout the day as, say, linen would. (In contrast some dress cottons are a lot more forgiving - I have one I made that I hardly ever seem to iron.)

I would go for it. Sewing when you really really love the fabric is just so pleasurable. (I agree, that one is gorgeous. Is the price per metre or for a fat quarter?)

Just check what the pattern says about suitable fabrics. They tell you on the back.

It is a lovely thread.

Someone did a link to U-handbag and I am making this purse today.

That fabric is gorgeous LRD. I think it would look lovely as a midi flowing skirt or a longer length summer dress.

That fabric's lovely

DS1 wants to have a go at sewing so I was thinking smaller size patterns are the best place to start. Don't think he'd be interested in dolls' clothes but he does still have his build-a-bear teddy and DS2 has a couple, so I was thinking he could have a go at making something for them. Does anyone have any links for patterns please?

One of these days I'm going to make myself a Kaffe Fassett skirt.

I have made skirts out of quilting cotton and I had great fun working with it - it's sturdy and I had to unpick the zip millions of times, and went to town using bias on the hem and on the inner waistband and used fusible interlining.
I have a pattern from a German magazine I've been saving for years.
It's a summer skirt, so I'm prepared to wash and iron as needed.

Having said that The Cloth House had a reasonably priced selection of proper dressmaking cottons.
Also Fabrics Galore in Clapham Junction.

Thanks tunip! The price does look to be per fat quarter ... so it's quite expensive. Hmm. Might re-think. But it goes with the colours of the quilt I'm making at the moment, so I quite fancy it. I was thinking of making something really simple like a circle skirt, as those can take a bit of crease (and a bit of clumsy sewing if I'm understanding it right!).

effie I love that purse ... that would be a really nice thing to make, especially with a contrast-y lining.

hoax - oh, that's good, thanks, I reckon quilting cotton it is then. At least I'm used to it so that will help.

Not sure quilting cotton will do for a circle skirt, LRD.
You want something with more drape.
the Village Haberdashery has Voiles, those might be better, but more expensive.

Ah, ok, thank you. I don't really even know what voile is, I need to google everything more!

It's like lawn cotton, the american manufacturers call it voile.
It hangs better,not as stiff as quilting cotton, but a bit of a pain to work with. Slippery.
I would buy a pattern and definite look at the fabric suggestions.

Thank you, will do. And thanks for explaining the terminology.

Thanks for the replies regarding the book patterns - I'll have to check WHSmiths but I really shouldn't be spending any more money.

This is a great thread, I'm picking up lots of usseful tips (and realising what I need/want)

'useful' of course (problems with keyboard)

I made a circle skirt from Fabricland cotton - £3ish a metre and fairly thin so drapes better than quilting cotton.

Wear sunglasses if you go on their website though

Oh, yes, fabricland. I have had the pleasure before.

I think the patterns in the book looked a bit of a pain to sort. I would be tempted to just buy one I liked and make that. It can be nice to make the same pattern in a few styles and fabrics as you build your confidence.

All the random cushion covers, aprons and peg bags type stuff is online for free if you goggle. Also if you have a discount book shop like the works you can pick up big sewing bibles really cheaply.