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 .

I really like that camisole SBAM. I think understitching is one of the great lies of sewing, so either topstitch or just put a couple of stitches edge of the facing into seam allowances (where possible).

I did all my maintenance stitching, so I'm project free for a little while. Will have to see if I'm ambushed by any sewing patterns when I can get back into the spare room on Wednesday!

I've got to say, I feel like the bees knees in my shirt dress!! ❤️❤️❤️

That does look Fab!

Great dress, Nutella! Enjoy your holiday!

Fabulous job @NutellaEllaElla. That’s beautiful. Have a great holiday

That looks amazing - what a great photo too - have serious holiday envy!

So, home from holiday, still no sew-jo but glad to be able to sew again if the urge takes me!

Fabulous dress, @NutellaEllaElla - looks great!

I have made my first top in a knit fabric, mostly using my new (to me) overlocker! It is an absolute dog's dinner close up but it is wearable and I am quite pleased. I need more practice with getting seams straight on stretch fabrics and there's a million things I'd do differently next time but I never thought I'd be able to make this sort of thing myself. So yay.

Deary me, that neckband is appalling. Maybe it'll relax after washing?

You might be pleasantly surprised but I've never sewn with stretch fabrics so I'm quaking in my boots a bit after hearing of others experiences

I was full of trepidation but bought loads of remnants and just decided to have a go. It’s not that hard! Famous last words… I think I’ve got the hang of threading the overlocker, it’s just keeping it straight and not blunting the cutter with a hidden pin that I need to work on.

I’m not a big fan of sewing with stretch fabrics although having an overlocker has improved the situation. I’ve only made simple projects in stretch fabric so far - basic tee shirts, tanks, laundry day tee dress etc. I do have a few patterns for more complex projects but I’ve not found the right fabric for most of them. If I like the colour/pattern there’s not enough stretch etc. I guess you pick it up the more you do.

Looking at my shop bought clothes there isn’t much in jersey or stretch there either. It’s crammed full of viscose though 😂

We had an unexpected afternoon off yesterday and headed off down the coast. Couldn’t believe it when DH turned into Abakhan and told me I had half an hour. 😂 I picked up a nice deep blue ditzy floral cotton lawn for another Tempo dress but now I’ve washed it I’m not sure there’ll be enough. I’m hoping that I can be creative with the layout and if I cut facings from another fabric i might just be lucky. I did spend a lot of time searching through the stretch fabrics with my E&M 90s dress in mind but the plain colours were virtually fluorescent and there wasn’t anything suitable in the patterns either. I’m looking for something in a sludgy green with a small print - more autumnal than the current remnant stock. So 2.2m cotton lawn, 2 seam rippers and 4 bobbins for the princely sum of £7.77. Can’t complain

@dubyalass which pattern is that? Looks right up my street.

I'm going to speak up in defense of understitching. There was a load of it on the tea house top I recently made and it really did what it was meant to.

This is conveniently on top of my ironing mountain after washing it, yesterday. Look how that seam sits! It was effortless to press into place.

@Jins I think it was an old Burda magazine one, I'll check.

@jins it's this one from Prima, not Burda. June (?) 2010. Really easy in woven fabrics, less so in a slippery knit

Thanks @dubyalass. I have a similar new look pattern that I haven’t made yet but I do like the look of that prima one. I’ll have to search their archives at some point as it’s only £1 for the paper patterns. Doubt they’ll go back that far

Prima have increased prices for old patterns to £2.99. I’m glad I picked mine up when they were £1

That picture is undeniable! To be fair, my slating of under stitching is because I had trimmed the seam too much so it was my fault it wasn't able to do its job to the fullest.

It's a shame I've already cut it otherwise I'd have traced it and sent you the pattern!

Ah that’s kind but I have something near enough to that style in my pattern stash.

That understitching is fabulous @PickAChew. I suspect my occasional lack of success is down to sloppy workmanship more often than not. It worked really well on my Peppermint button up dress and on a blouse I’ve made but in both case the fabrics had a bit of body to them. I’ve had less joy on viscose but that’s slippery stuff to work with

Thanks, @jins. It was so satisfying to do. My speed slider lives around here for a lot of this stuff, though! I like to take my time because it's so much easier than unpicking!

That's a very pleasing photo of under stitching and I love your pile of co-ordinated fabrics @PickAChew. Good advice about slowing down.

I haven't sewn in ages. I had a knitting project on the go that took longer than anticipated but it's all done now, so I've no excuses. I've also got a pile of autumnal fabrics to work my way through in the coming weeks.

I’m away again in two weeks and I really need to make a couple of things. I need another Tempo dress. I wore it for 3 days out of the 10 we were away and wanted to wear it more. I’m going to see if I can squeeze it into the cotton lawn I just bought. I also need another sleeveless top in patterned viscose. That may be another rhapsody blouse or possibly a new look pattern I just bought but it’ll have to be a wearable toile if I use that pattern.

When I get back I’m hoping to focus on getting my lyric dress to fit. That’s if Mum doesn’t land me with another alteration challenge. She’s already complaining about the button bands on some of her blouses.