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!

This month's Love Sewing is a good one, for anyone who occasionally buys it. A pretty dress pattern included, a set of features on sewing jeans, including a pattern download, plus a couple of wearable tops.

I subscribe to Love Sewing and there have been a couple of patterns recently that are in my to do list.

I’m getting completely fed up with these facings which are done with the burrito method.

That is a pretty dress pattern!

It is. If I did wear dresses, I'd have to avoid it, mind, as I'd have to adjust the proportions so much that it would emphasise how low slung my boobs are!

There's also a simple trouser suit pattern with a jacket that looks dreadful on the sketch but lovely made up.

I quite like this top, too, when I have a working printer again www.lovesewingmag.co.uk/product/bexley-top/

It's so hit and miss. The sweatshirt with the big V shaped insert and massive frill that was in an issue before Christmas and shown made up in hideous colours makes me cringe every time I see it.

I had a subscription to sew magazine for a few years, so I’ve got a huge collection of patterns but I’ve used very few of them, and I found the articles and other projects were often variations on a theme, is Love Sewing any better?
I’ve made some progress on a hungry caterpillar costume for my son today, but I’m still waiting on some yellow fabric for spikes so the dinosaur is on hold.

I took out trial subscriptions to Love Sewing and Simply Sew when I took up dressmaking again - mostly for some free patterns. I’ve kept the subscription to Love Sewing for now and I quite like it. I’ve used a few of the patterns, a vogue tunic dress, some culottes etc. Next on the cutting floor is last months shirt dress. I’ve found the articles quite interesting, especially the couture techniques.

@PickAChew that sweatshirt with v insert was absolutely hideous and I haven’t seen it turn up in the readers pictures yet.

Simply sewing wasn’t aimed at people like me I don’t think. Lots of toy and bag patterns during my trial and not one dress pattern I’d like to make.

I ever found anywhere selling simply sewing so that I could try it out. I found that the only plus to sew magazine was the sheer number of patterns but the instructions were often lacking (eg that dress lining, upthread) and there was a tedious lack of technical articles.

Love sewing probably gets repetitive but there's lots of technique stuff in it eg sewing with particular fabrics and pattern fitting FBA, shopping sleeve gape and so on. There's usually a good value subscription to be had, somewhere, too.

This bugs me. That's a fair whack for a very straightforward pattern with no variation. Then almost as much again for a few different sleeves.

Some patterns seem really expensive for very basic patterns, it gets right up my nose. I don't mind paying a bit more for something good, lots of variations, detail, maybe cup sizing. But for a basic T?

That is expensive for a basic pattern. I’m sure I found a similar free one.

Today I’ve finished the facings and done the final fit. Princess seams perfect, neckline perfect, armholes gaping. Solved it by taking in 3cm each side tapering to nothing at the level of the facing. Seems to hang well now.

All that’s left is hemming, fixing the button band and ten buttonholes which I’m dreading but the practice ones I did today went well enough. This is the problem with my aversion to zips, I end up doing more buttonholes than I’d like to.

My order from poundametre arrived and the chambray effect scrubs material is nicer than I expected so that will make another button up dress but not yet. I need a break from those facings 😂.

Has anyone made a love notions laundry day Tee? www.lovenotions.com/product/laundry-day-tee-xs-xxxl
I’ve got a couple of metres of patterned jersey that would work but if there are any pitfalls it would be good to know

Yeah, I've paid not much more for patterns so detailed that they barely even fit in the envelope - less, if you consider the extra for the sleeve variations. And yes, some patterns come with a range of lengths, different pocket, waistband or sleeve options and even separate pieces with different degrees of FBA. And then there's whole books like the TATB books and the named one (can't remember what it's called but I like to take it out and stroke it and think that it's all too neat and sophisticated for me!) which have a whole wardrobe of patterns in with lots of pictures and great instructions.

Now that is a good value pattern, @Jins! I'd be wary of the v-neck as it looks a bit fiddly - not sure what's going on with the black on blue t-shirt length one but there's a fair bit of puckering close to the point of the V on that.

@jins that looks quite like the Ellie & Mac slow sunday I think. SImilar style.

I think the most expensive one I've bought is the Charm princess coat but given it has 3 different sleeves, 2 collars, 3 length variations (cropped, peplum and coat), and multiple cup sizing there's a lot to it but I still hesitated a lot. Like you I've bought books with several patterns (Gertie sews ones) for about the same price

@PickAChew

That's about as much as I get through in a good 6 weeks, allgirls. My bank balance thanks me for it.

I never said anything about BUYING fabric, that urge hasn’t left me and my fabric mountain is still impressive!

Half term this week and sewjo is more of a sewno- nothing created so far.

@Jins

That is expensive for a basic pattern. I’m sure I found a similar free one.

Today I’ve finished the facings and done the final fit. Princess seams perfect, neckline perfect, armholes gaping. Solved it by taking in 3cm each side tapering to nothing at the level of the facing. Seems to hang well now.

All that’s left is hemming, fixing the button band and ten buttonholes which I’m dreading but the practice ones I did today went well enough. This is the problem with my aversion to zips, I end up doing more buttonholes than I’d like to.

My order from poundametre arrived and the chambray effect scrubs material is nicer than I expected so that will make another button up dress but not yet. I need a break from those facings 😂.

Has anyone made a love notions laundry day Tee? www.lovenotions.com/product/laundry-day-tee-xs-xxxl
I’ve got a couple of metres of patterned jersey that would work but if there are any pitfalls it would be good to know

Love the LDT, made it as a short sleeved summer dress last summer. I find LN patterns to be quite wide in the shoulder and my LDT dresses were better after a narrow shoulder adjustment (which I don’t need for other pattern houses).

Thanks all. I’m pretty wide in the shoulder so that should work for me quite well. I’m looking for something that will disguise what I laughingly call my abs and the dresses seem quite forgiving. I’m not too bad with V necks. It’s my preferred neckline so I’ve had to learn.

The LDT pattern is free with a code from the love notions Facebook page btw

Got Love Sewing in Smith's today, I think I'll use at least one pattern so it's probably worth it!

We only have a tiny Smiths and there's not much else left in our city centre.

I've not done much, this week. Not even dared stitch a straightforward seam as I've been on the edge of a migraine and doing stupid, unfathomable things as a result.

Oh, I spotted that one of this month's patterns has a discount code for Cashmerette. Did anyone get that and doesn't think they'll use it?

@Allgirlskidsanddogs and anyone else, how does the York Pinafore look on people who are a bit busty but not that large overall?
I love the idea but I'm about a UK size 14 and the pictures all are of someone who either IS or LOOKS a good deal larger than me and I don't want to look any larger!

@drspouse the Helen’s Closet York? I’m a UK14 and 32/34 FF and have made a few. I love the pockets and the style but as a short-waisted hourglass I think I need some tweaks for it to fit better. I feel like it’s hanging from my shoulders/boobs and swinging around the rest of me. I might give it one more go and go down a few sizes and see if I’m happier with that. For someone with more pear shaped proportions I think it would be great with no/minor fitting changes.
And a word of warning if you’re on the taller side, I’m 5ft8 and made the shorter version and I can’t bend over in it without flashing people so I’ll definitely lengthen my next version.

@drspouse I won’t use a discount code for Cashmerette. Where would I find it?

@Jins it was on the magazine wrapper in the shop and it said "Inside!"

@SBAM that's exactly my size but I have no hips and I'm 5ft 3 so I might make the hips less swingy.

Of course, I have 100 other things to make first.

I’ll scour the magazine 😂

The York is a lovely pinafore, isn't it. Looking through the pattern reviews, it seems to best suit petite, very slim or pear shapes. The few I saw made by bustier women seemed to fight with the boobage and emphasise any east-west tendencies.

@SBAM I'm a 14 and a 32GG or thereabouts. If I was to make it I'd maybe size it to my large belly because I wouldn't want it to cling there but then widen the front bib, too. That would mean some jiggerey poker was necessary to stop the shoulder straps from being too wide. Maybe some sort of racer back style arrangement?

PM sent @drspouse