Stitch and bitch thread #2. Sewing aficionados gather here!

[IDontMindMarmite]

The previous thread is coming up to capacity and as ever your wisdom, screw ups and accomplishments are appreciated!

Shame it didn't fit at all (I have found that many patterns are oversized, even if they're not a buffet dress which I think always runs the risk of tenting). Having said that - it doesn't look like a toile! Someone'd wear that! I like the colour

I say many, I haven't been sewing long enough to have encountered many of anything

@NutellaEllaElla

Shame it didn't fit at all (I have found that many patterns are oversized, even if they're not a buffet dress which I think always runs the risk of tenting). Having said that - it doesn't look like a toile! Someone'd wear that! I like the colour

You aren’t wrong about the tenting - shame it’s not a waterproof fabric as I could set it up in the back garden for glamping!

I think the hardest thing about sewing (apart from the obvious skills of actual sewing and construction) is trying to make something I actually want to wear and will suit me. I’ve got great wear out of the hoodies and stretchy dresses I’ve made, but want to translate that to more tailored woven fabric now that we out moving out of permanent lounge wear (fingers crossed).

Well no buffet dress is ever gonna look tailored. I've seen some people wear a waist belt with it if that helps?

What kind of garments are you wanting to make?

While i've just finished pj shorts and was planning to go straight on to pj trousers in the same fabric, I might actually begin a wrap top I have been planning instead.

Hmm wrap top sounds good! Am going to cut out the trousers tonight and concentrate on them, as I know I’ll wear them

I’m going to print out all sizes of the Sabrina slims trousers today. They sit at natural waist which I don’t think I’ll like and will cause me any number of fitting issues. Seeing the pattern pieces will help.

I've just sewn some basic tshirts for Mr Kitty and me. I ordered 10m of cheap black tshirt jersey on poundametre.com so he's got a Jalie Nico raglan sleeve and I made a slightly hacked Tilly and the Buttons Coco for myself. Still have about 7.5 m left.

No sewing for me today! I've done some walking and baking and am now too tired to lengthen the wrap top pattern as I plan to do. 🥱😴

I’ve made a first toile of the Sabrina slims in black ponte which is possibly too lightweight for the job. I’ve ended up with some wearable knee length leggings which counts as a result

You are so industrious @Jins! I'm very impressed.

I’m off on ‘holiday’ next weekend @NutellaEllaElla and I’m trying to plug gaps in my wardrobe. 😂. My trusty jeggings aren’t fit to travel and I’ve worn my camping clothes to death over lockdown. I’ve got a list in front of me to get made before Friday.

Sewing the Deer & Doe Myosotis. Thread tension issues sorted (more appropriate needle and shorter stitch length), but then I hit a problem with the collar. I’ve ditched the collar and bias bound the neckline now. Then I wasn’t brave enough to do buttonholes so put snaps on - they don’t line up perfectly 😟.

I’ve moved onto the sleeves now...which are going OK, whilst I debate whether to re-do the snaps (although don’t have a clue how I would get them off).

I find a lot of patterns far too big at the shoulders. Probably partly that I do have a slightly narrow back but, being a UK 14, I think it's partly a grading thing, too - all the plus size ranges have these things graded down but I fall short of those ranges, so have to size down and do a FBA to get a good fit because the 14 equivalent is generally an 8 equivalent just made bigger all over!

Well I’ve had a troublesome day today. I’m sewing a shell top in slippery viscose and I think I’ve had to redo every seam. Even the neck binding has gone wrong and I can do bias binding in my sleep.

I’m blaming the cats. They’ve been working a rota to disturb me every five minutes. The DSs have filled in when the cats got too tired. DS1 especially won’t wait until the machine stops to tell me his important news so I’ve ended up switching it off and leaving the room to drop a hint. He’s not 3 or 7, he’s a full grown adult

Started making a pair of shorts for DD, it is asking me to flatlock some seams which was never successful on my old overlocker so I shall have to look it up for this one.

I cut out the main bits for a toile today but lost motivation to actually stitch them together.

And today my overlocker decided it’s not going to chain. I’ve rethreaded it a million times, changed needles etc but I really think it’s a timing issue beyond my level. Service would be £75. I think I’ll get a new one.

Looking at the brother 2104d. If anyone has any knowledge of it please shout out

Sorry Jins. What a pain.

I have a Janome 8002DG. It's fine, though the threading can reduce me to tears as it's really fiddly.

To be honest I bought it very cheaply -it’s not young and it may have had lots of owners. It was to see if I ‘needed’ one. After throwing the dress together in less than an hour with a smooth neckband I think I do need one. I prefer woven to stretch fabrics so a basic one is fine

God an overlocker just revolutionises making clothes doesn't it? No going back and trimming seam allowances and pinking/zig zagging. Don't get me wrong, when it goes wrong it hurts so much more, but wowser, takes making a pair of woven trousers from a multi-day project to something you can whiz up in a few hours.

It was the neckband that converted me. Once I’d built up confidence to just do it I was blown away with the result. I’ve never achieved a smooth seam on a neckband using my sewing machine and this is just perfect.

I’ve just packed the old one up. I’m sure it just needs servicing but I’ve decided to go for either the brother or the janome. They are both in stock at Jaycotts so I’ll swing by later after dropping DS2 at work.

The pattern review website have a tab for machine review but i couldn't find any for your model of Brother. Might be worth having a look for the Janome. It is a bit more popular among Americans that website though so i don't know if the model numbers will correspond, they don't always.

I’ve been watching the brother on YouTube since I saw it in action last month. It looks slightly easier to thread which is a plus and comes with more accessories than the janome. Jaycotts have them both in stock so I’ll look at them both.

I was told never to use the blade on the over locker because once it's gone you can't undo it etc. I've just used it to finish raw edges, not for sewing pieces together
Soo I'm not sure that I have experienced the revolution really! Should I just be brave and go for it more?

You could try the halfway house until your comfortable on the steering - engage the blade, but still just use it to finish edges. There are still some corners/curves that give me problems on the overlocker, so I just sew those seams on my normal machine and use the overlocker to trim and tidy.

I had to go full revolution as I was sewing lycra on the overlocker first - and there was no bloody way I was going to sew that using either of the normal machine methods, triple straight stitch or zigzag followed by straight on stretched fabric as both of these methods are time consuming and hard to unpick anyway.