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 .

She’s a ringer for my neighbour’s cat who used to make herself at home in my house. Gorgeous .

She only moved away last weekend and I miss her already.

Aww. Beautiful. She’s a blue I think. Slightly darker. We have a blue boy as well. He’s massive

Do you get them from a breeder?

These are from a breeder. They aren’t perfect examples but all the better for it

They are gorgeous

I’m coming to the end of the shorts for DH project using this pattern

wardrobebyme.com/products/mens-summer-pants-sewing-pattern

I solved the problem of them being rather too snug - read seam allowance wrong . They are coming up slightly bigger than his favourites.

Good pattern. Instructions aren’t too bad but the pocket confused me

Ooh, they are nice, @jins. I'm not buying any more patterns for dh until he chooses some bleeding fabric for the All State Shirt, though!

And I'm not buying any pdf patterns until he decides on a printer. The one we have works with one of his laptops so he's in noooo hurry because it doesn't matter that it won't connect to our WiFi any more and my laptop refuses to have anything to do with it at all so I have to ask him whenever I want something printed 😤

I don’t blame you @PickAChew! It took me a while to get DH to try these shorts on once the waist was stabilised because once the waistband is on there’s no possibility of amending it. Luckily they were spot on and the time spent on them has been fully appreciated.

So today I’ll overlock the edge of the waist to tidy it up and finish the waistband. I’m doing it slightly differently as I don’t like using wide elastic then stitching it into place. I’m going to stitch some casings instead so the seam ripped will be out. Then it’s hemming and they are done.

I’ll be using the pattern a lot but he’d prefer a fly for trousers so I’ll have to see if I can adapt it

I've made a couple of toiles for tops this week - they're coming up a bit big around the bust/shoulders despite me going with my measurements on the pattern so I might go for the next size down when I make the actual top. One has a tie front that was too high but I wasn't actually that keen on the tie once I'd tried it on so I might just cut the front as one piece.

I’m so excited! Mum has passed over a virtually unused old Singer 99k that she was given years ago and forgot she had. Some of the accessories are still wrapped in tissue!

Apparently the foot pedal isn’t working properly and it runs at full speed all the time so I’ve ordered a repair kit.

I learned on one of these. They’ll stitch through almost anything.

Oh wow! What great news

Wow Jins! That machine looks super sturdy, like you could stitch 2 bricks together. Or at least sew full weight denim.

Just got my sewing subscription - this month it's this dress www.thepatternsroom.com/product-page/dahlia-dress-digital-pattern-sizes-10-18 which I'll probably make up as a top because I have far too many dresses that I never wear. The dress has a really dispiriting size chart though - I'm not sure which country's 10-18 it covers, but it ain't mine!

Wow @kittykarate that will make a very special top, love it.

I'm having a mare trying to understand the instructions for my toile shirt dress, button placket. As far as I can tell, instruction 13 tells me to fold the raw edge under twice.

Then instruction 38 and 39 tell me to flip it/open it out at the bottom, stitch the bottom of the placket, trim and invert to make a neat corner which then means the rest of the edge of the shirt needs to be folded a third time? Is that right?

Which sewing subscription is that @kittykarate?

I read those instructions the same way as you @NutellaEllaElla. Good job it’s a toile

I meant to get on with the lyric yesterday but only got as far as measuring myself and the toile bodice time and again to work out the way forward. I need to add about 3cm to bodice length and I’m undecided about where to add it. I’ve decided to go down a size which should help with the baggy armhole and shoulder fitting issues and I’ll need to go up a cup size. Possibly two.

I was about to press print then I read my emails to find Love Notions have released a sundress pattern with a shirred back panel. So I bought that instead while it’s a bit cheaper.

@NutellaEllaElla My sewing subscription is the Stretch one from here littlemisssewnsew.co.uk/pages/the-dressmaking-clubs-trial-boxes-subscriptions it's not cheap I admit, but it does push me to try new things. I think the ready to sew boxes are pretty nice.

Thanks Jins. Think i've figured it out and am gingerly moving onto cutting out my precious fabric.

Cool kitty, it's worth it's weight in gold if you love it!

Heh. I'm making a shirt dress that is half a cheap white fabric, and half a black and white map of Paris. That fabric was quite expensive and a smaller size than normal. Anyway, i've cut out the cheap white fabric then chickened out of cutting the map. I needed to do more toile anyway, I realised I didn't know which way was up on the collar as i've never done one before so I won't be able to cut half accurately yet anyway. I've maybe half attached the collar and neckband to the toile and fatigued so went outside to enjoy the sun. I'm really enjoying being knee deep in a new project again. Even if it does give me headaches.

And how do you guys sew so quickly? It takes me a day just to cut fabric 🤣

Tempo sundress bodice complete with wonky top stitching. Too hot for the skirt tiers

Hey, does anyone use the measurement from armpit to armpit to decide your pattern size then use the pivot technique a la Nancy Zieman? I've been in an internet rabbit hole 😁

Nice fit across the bust on that bodice Jins.

@NutellaEllaElla I use high bust measurement to determine size if there is one. If not then I measure armpit to armpit. It’s the only consistent measurement I have.

The fit is down to a design trick - there’s a shirred or elasticated back panel so you have slight negative ease on a woven pattern. It’s an adaptation I’ll use again

Oh I do like shirred material, so comfy! I've never done it myself though.

So I've discovered Sewing with Nancy videos on YouTube and have her book on recommendation. I've only dipped my toe so far but it seems clear and simple which I like. But her method for the armpit to armpit thing makes me a tiny size with inches to add everywhere else. But on the plus side would fit better across the shoulders. I feel like I have so much to learn about fit and have been lucky with my makes so far and I guess I've wondered how much I need to change and how fussy I want to get. But love the idea of my makes fitting beautifully.