Any sewing aficionados? I need a stitch and bitch...

[IDontMindMarmite]

Now I know when the Sewing Bee is on, there are loads of super talented ladies who would be a gold mine of information! It'd be great if we could gather. Maybe even have a section to ourselves in "In the club". If this thread doesn't die a death anyway. Please say I if you are in favour!

So over lockdown the sequel, I thought i'd actually get my sewing machine out. I sound like someone who has a clue - I don't. I was gifted a sewing machine years ago. I've made two pairs of curtain tie backs since. I've been to a class or two (made a cushion under supervision! And a canvas bag) but can't say i've truly got the hang. It's getting my head round the machine more than anything. It scares me!

Now though, i've decided to tackle mal fitting clothing. I've put darts in DH's shirts using youtube tutorials. I'd like to adjust some of my tops but would love someone to ask - do you only dart shirts? Youtube tutorials for tops like I have do a different method where you pin and sew a new side seam. Also, can I just use pinking shears to trim the excess fabric instead of doing a final zigzag stitch or is that too lazy?

Any general chat welcomed.

I've got a minerva order in too. A couple of wool blends and some linings

I have a fabworks basket winking at me too. They have some reasonably priced cotton jerseys which I'm ordering for pjs. I like ukstretchfabrics and flamingofabrics for patterned stretch - bit more expensive but I often mix with coordinating plains, and tfg has a good range of plain cotton lycra, French terry and their alpine fleece sweatshirt fabrics are lush.

Congrats on the new machines guys!

I'm going to need to shop for the cord trousers I've been wanting to make, now
Sigh.... It'll be such a chore 😂

Fabric shop, or actual garment shop?

I've actually got some cheap black cord waiting to be made up in to some wide leg trews. Not decided on a pattern yet - possibly the Hannah culottes which are on the fold line website. I need to get to grips with trousers really as it's something I pretty much can't buy as my shape is just all wrong (from a trousers perspective I have wide hips, big bum, matching thighs, about an 18" hip spring, and a low, post 2 c section tummy - it's a bloody disaster!) but it's one of those jobs I'm building up to as I just know there will be 93 toiles required. Give me a full skirt I can hide under any day!

@StatisticallyChallenged

Fabric shop, or actual garment shop?

I've actually got some cheap black cord waiting to be made up in to some wide leg trews. Not decided on a pattern yet - possibly the Hannah culottes which are on the fold line website. I need to get to grips with trousers really as it's something I pretty much can't buy as my shape is just all wrong (from a trousers perspective I have wide hips, big bum, matching thighs, about an 18" hip spring, and a low, post 2 c section tummy - it's a bloody disaster!) but it's one of those jobs I'm building up to as I just know there will be 93 toiles required. Give me a full skirt I can hide under any day!

Honestly, pattern drafting is the way forward. I have a large bum and small hips I need a 14/16 to fit over my arse and then I have enough room to stash a small child between the waistband and my actual waist.

I drafted my own trouser pattern using Winifred Aldrich and have never looked back. I still use patterns for inspiration but use my trouser block to work out where I need to do full bum adjustment in them.

I have the Aldrich books, just one of those urgh jobs. But it is worth it - I (somewhere) have a self drafted pencil skirt block which is like night and day vs shop bought

Ohhhh, fabric shop. Might need to make a few. Will probably use the closet core ginger jeans pattern, though I could use the jeans in the Named pattern book. I'll not use rivet because I'm allergic to the damned things.

I have the opposite problem. Im a bit of a brick at 40-34-40. worse when I'm bloated. I've tried men's jeans that are too curvy. No baggy waistbands for me.

I am a similar shape. I might try to do pattern drafting in the future.

Maybe if we averaged our measurements we'd get a standard shop size pickachew

Looking at most trouser patterns I tend to find that if I go by hips then the waist is 10" too big. Which is indeed small child stashing territory. And not a terribly easy edit either - when I did my skirt block I had to change it to double front darts as there was just too much fabric to lose to get away with single ones. The only non stretch trousers I've had success making are a very wide leg pleated pair. I do prefer skirts in general but variety would be nice

I automatically avoid anything I can't wear with a belt or some sort of waist tie - I need something rigid to grip onto the top of my hips. I've always been quite thick waisted, even as a child and very skinny teen but now I have the joy of lots of loose flesh taking up space.

One of the attractions of the ginger jeans is the pocket stays to hold it all in. curvysewingcollective.com/tutorial-creating-a-pocket-stay/

Funnily I often avoid stuff which can't be belted too, as otherwise I look like I have no middle.

This is one of the nice things about sewing isn't it - being able to make styles that wouldn't work off the peg.

Hello joining the thread! I discovered seeing while hiding out with my parents during lockdown 1 for childcare. My mum is a, ahem, free spirit when it comes to seeing so when I got home and realised you can actually follow patterns it was a further revelation! I have made cushions, jersey shorts and T-shirt’s for the kids, a number of beautiful tops and dresses for my DD from the by Rae geranium pattern (thoroughly recommend this one, it is gorgeous and the instructions utterly a delight). Made myself a wonderful liberty lawn cotton nightie which now has ruined me for anything else ever in the future so am going to invest in about 5 of those.

I do still find patterns quite frustrating as I am smal and busty and so the true measurements are always miles off for me. I am having to get to grips with full bust adjustments and finished measurements very quickly.mint there are some little things which have been a joy to do like some cotton bags to put my veg from my veg box in and doing French seams just because I can. I love French seams.

Currently hacking up some beautiful silk which I probably haven’t done justice to but I figure it’s still cheaper than a night in the pub!

I figure it’s still cheaper than a night in the pub!

@FreeButtonBee that's literally what I say every time I make another fabric purchase.

It's not true of course, I rarely went to the pub anyway and a metre of fabric costs more than a large glass of wine, but it makes me feel better.

Now just need to stop drinking the large glasses of wine whilst sewing though and I might just about break even with ready made clothes.

It's an expensive hobby!

Hello and welcome Bee!

I haven't touched my overlocker yet. It looks like i'll need to buy special spools? Am I right in thinking that you don't need 4 spools of each colour as some will be hidden?

I can’t drink and sew! So that’s a saving. And being short I generally manage to save 20-30cm in length in most patterns!
Plus I live in London. And have a ad black van after 11.30 habit. So you see it’s defo cheaper!

But I have definitely realised that sewing and buying fabric are two different hobbies!

I often have to shorten sleeves and legs but lengthen bodies. Swings and roundabouts when it comes to fabric (or yarn) savings.

I have that first attempt at FBA all planned for, now. I have this pattern, which I love but it doesn't look particularly forgiving on the bust and dropped some cheap cotton voile into a minerva order to try it out - it'll be complicated a little by those pleats but they're fairly central and there's nowt quite like jumping in at the deep end :o merchantandmills.com/store/patterns/paper/the-box-box/

Overlocker cones, buy a silver or grey or rainbow for the loopers. Then buy the colours to match the fabric for the needles. I predominately use navy, white, black, silver, red or rainbow, but that collection has been built up over years!

For fabric, I mainly buy jersey, favourite retailers of mine include flamingo fabrics, jelly fabrics, tfg fabrics, 1st for fabrics, Little darlings and Little Legs. There are more, beware that preorders can take months to fulfil and can face significant delays. Lots of retailers have FB groups, some have faced significant delays due to Covid and Brexit.

Patterns, I like pdfs and then getting them printed in A0. Favourite pattern designers are MBJM, Helen’s Closet, Halla, Twig and Tale, Rebecca Paige, Ellie and MAC, Made for Mermaids, Love Notions and Apostrophe Patterns. Some patterns are free if you join their FB groups.

Sorry, this was spurred on by my experience of overlockers which then grew my sewing,

You want overlocker cones @IDontMindMarmite - only the left hand needle thread is visible when the seam is stretched. I tend to just use black or white/cream for the vast majority of things. I have some rainbow but I haven't even used it yet.

Sometimes for something where I think the stitching might be pulled and could be seen (leggings for example) I'll construct with the overlocker and then do a stretch stitch just to the side of it on my normal machine with a matching thread. Because the overlocker seam is already sewn it's much heavier at that point so rattles through the sewing machine no problem.

I made a toile for the bodice of a coat earlier (the charm patterns princess)- and concluded I just need to go down an entire size in it as it was massive! I'm going to just jump in with my cheap wool from pound a metre for the next version, frankly it's not much more expensive than calico/lining. I'm going to just cut the bodice first though - the pattern can be a cropped jacket, peplum jacket or full coat so I figure if the smaller size is dreadful and I have to make massive changes then I'll just do a jacket instead (i.e. if I wind up wasting the first cut of fabric). It's quite hard to judge a fairly heavy wool coat toile anyway as the fabrics behave so differently.

Just looked up the Princess pattern and the face the model is pulling in the first view looks like she's stepped in something her dog has done :o

I presume this is what you wanted the pink wool for? It'll be pretty fabulous in that.

Yeah the ott vintage poses piss me off - I have a couple of her books and generally liked the patterns and her details tend to be decent. The vintage dresses book pretty much got me in to sewing and the princess seam bodice I tailored from it is my basic building block (princess seams work so much better than darts on me) which can be attached to loads of skirts.

This is the plan for the pink wool, but going for the cheaper green first as I'm slightly terrified of cutting up that much fabric!

Ah you guys are a font of information, thank you. What is the rainbow thread for?

It's a good option for sewing on multicoloured patterns where you can't really match the fabric.

Minor frustration this morning - no interfacing in! Got some ordered but I shan't be sewing nice wools today as the interfacing goes in very early.

This pink coat, when I get to it, is definitely going to be my most expensive sewing project by far. I'm a little scared of it tbh! Anyone else get scared by expensive makes?

Yes, I was a little awestruck by the linen I was working with. It was a nice fabric to take my time with, though, as it was lovely (if a little wayward!) to handle.

My new machine arrived while I was having my breakfast, this morning. Now that is a fast turnaround, since I ordered on Monday evening! The company I used is a fairly local one, in Sunderland and have a good reputation for repairs and maintenance.

I'm looking forward to having a play, this afternoon, when it's warmed through.