Stitch and bitch thread #3 Sewing is harder than it seams

[NutellaEllaElla]

And i'm very glad to have you clever sewists to selvedge what's left of my dignity .

Hi Jins, I've just measured and I'm a B sewing cup size. I got DD to photo the back and it's baggy there too, so I'm going to try a size 10 and have a go at the bust adjustment to give me the extra length. I think the waist may be OK too but I can always do a slightly smaller seam if it's a bit tight (or tone up my stomach muscles )

I have some gorgeous viscose ready to make this dress and I don't want to mess it up! I also have some cotton lawn but that was quite expensive, so I'll do the viscose first, once I've sorted my toile out.

That's a lovely dress Tinuviel and helpful suggestions as well.

Hello hello and welcome. That looks like a lovely dress pattern, would love to see it when you're done.

I have finished my mum's dress. Not sure when i'll see her next to give it to her though. I am nearly done on my dress too, just have the button placket and millions of button holes and buttons to complete. I'm hoping to do something every evening so I can take it on holiday with me. Actually, I just remembered that I screwed up the belt of all things so I have to unpick that, re-jig it and sew it back together even though i've already trimmed and graded the seams 😬

Have cut a size 10, measured, done a FBA and it's far too big! So, third time lucky - hopefully I can find some random bits of fabric in my stash! The 10 definitely fits better everywhere else - I've clearly been over-generous with my FBA. On the plus side, the length was much better.

I really commend you on your perseverance with toiles. I find that I do one then can't be arsed to do a second and just hope for the best on the real garment which is a rubbish way to go about it!

Nearly there by the looks of it. Looks much better

This is not going well! It's still too baggy, has gone back to being a little short (although I made the seam on the shoulder narrower) and looks a little tight across the back. I think I should have shortened the gathers as I didn't move the marks after I'd done the FBA, which might help.
Any more advice, please?

@Tinuviel what changes did you make between the first toile with FBA and the second? Are they the same back bodice pieces or new ones, and does the side seam run straight down the side of your body?

Hi SBAM! I just unpicked the bust panels and cut new ones with a smaller FBA. I think part of the problem was that my gathers were too long because I didn't adjust the marks. So they're quite baggy at the sides. I've now cut out the dress and pinned it. So I'll be sewing tomorrow!

Hello

Delurking, think I commented on the last thread under a different user name.

Can anyone help with my coverstitch please? It’s tunnelling. I understand that the usual fixes are 1) rethread (foot up, tensions on 0, no change) 2) reduce looper tension (can’t it’s already on 0, knob next to it on soft). The jersey I’m using is very light and flowy. Any other suggestions please?

I think the side seams were straight! DD may not have pinned it straight though!
How are you getting on Nutella?

Hi @Datsandcogs - I just had to google Coverstitch machine as I didn't know what it was, sorry I can't be at all helpful!

Thanks for asking @Tinuviel! I've been a busy bee! I'm going on an actual freaking abroad holiday tomorrow! So i've been working hard to finish my shirt dress. I sewed 12 buttonholes after work yesterday! 10 went in fine then two screwed up. I unpicked them TWICE as they screwed up a second time. It turned out to be that the bobbin was threaded funny at some point.

I've done something wrong as my automatic needle threader isn't threading anymore.

Also, I've sewed one sleeve in the wrong way round, so the cuff opens out towards the body rather than to the outside. This does bother me. It's happened because it's plain white fabric and I must not have marked the right and wrong side. I realised after it was in along with the cuff and continuous lap. I'm SO close to finishing and want to take it away with me. I'm taking thread, needle and buttons to sew on the plane (how's that for commitment!). I'm hoping that it will stop bothering me...

You probably won't be allowed a needle on a plane, I know someone had nail clippers confiscated and they're far less "weaponisable".

According to google I should be allowed to take it on board as it's less than 6cm.

Enjoy your holiday and your finishing touches to your dress, Nutella!

Can't help with the Coverstitch, Dats - I've never heard of them before but sounds interesting.

I got through airport security with my needle and thread! They only searched my bag for forgotten about bottles of hand sanitizer.

Yay! Enjoy your airside sewing 😁.

A day of maintenance sewing for me, as MrKitty is in covid isolation in the room where my sewing patterns are stored .

So my plan is to fix a pocket on a tshirt ( I'd used too heavy an elastic on the edge so replacing with FOE), crop a pair of trousers and fix the hem on another pair.

I’m back from hols and can’t start sewing for me until I’ve converted three of mum’s nighties to button fronts. Nearly done - just one buttonhole and three buttons to do.

Next up will probably be the button top summer dress from Prima that I posted a while back but I’m hoping to make it in warmer material and big enough to wear with a shirt underneath. I’ll toile it with some viscose I don’t love as I doubt it’ll get much hot weather wear

Hope mr Kitty is ok.

MrKitty cones out of isolation on Wednesday and so far his symptoms haven't been too bad, just like a really really bad cold.

Enjoy your trip Nutella!
I’m glad MrKitty isn’t suffering too much, hope he’s out of your sewing space soon!
I am impressed with the nightie conversion Jins, I hate alterations.
I finally did some sewing this week 🎉 I made a pair of leggings for a friends baby (who is now a week overdue, hope she’s not been hanging around waiting for her trousers to be ready) . I’ve also made the Waves & Wild summer breeze camisole, but it’s come out really saggy in the armpit. I’m going to try a size smaller, but does anyone have any tips on keeping the facing inside? I staystitched and understitched as instructed but it’s just rolling out.

Nightie conversions complete. I really enjoy the process actually. I managed to make button bands out of hemming offcuts for the button hole side and I found a toning pillowcase for the other side. A couple of them look as if they’ve always been button up ones. One is a bit of a mess but I wasn’t working with a good style to convert.

Flushed with the success of nighties I then tackled DHs fairly expensive shirt with a worn out collar. It’s not very old and hasn’t had much use so rather annoying. Meanwhile the tesco ones keep on going. I’ve trimmed the collar away leaving the stand and I’ve shortened the sleeves. It looks great with shorts in a sort of middle aged casual sort of way 😂. The rest of the shirt is pristine so at least we’ve saved it.

Today my sale patterns from Hobbycraft arrived. Two of them I’d been eyeing for a while and the third looked like my sort of thing so at £12 I snapped them up. It’s thrown my sewing plans into disarray as I now want to start on one of them. I’m going to try to be disciplined and carry on as planned.

Oh I also bought a 90s style dress from Ellie and Mac for $1. I don’t have a suitable knit fabric so it will have to wait but it’s going to fit into my autumn wardrobe

Love the top @SBAM. Fabric, style, everything.

I don’t have much luck with understitching. If it works it works. If not then I topstitch.

Sounds like you're going to be very busy, Jins! I still haven't started sewing my dress but will get started on it this week. I really need to do some work first!