Anyone else choose to sew by hand?

[Strawberryhaze]

My sewing machine is a noisy old thing so I’ve taken to sewing by hand so I can watch Netflix at the same time anyone else sew dresses/skirts by hand?

I don't but I'm hoping this turns into a thread of top tips. Particularly interested if anyone has ideas for making alterations by hand rather than machine. At the moment rehemming is about my limit. But hand sewn is couture...

Just us then @Strawberryhaze . Can you say any more about what you've made? What worked well? What would you advise me to avoid?

I do too! I’ve had my sewing machine for about 4 years. I used it a lot at first but when DS arrived I packed it away. DS is 3 now but our living room is quite echoey so can never find the right time to use it without making a racket!

I’ve taken to hand sewing instead as I can sit on the sofa and stop and start it. I did some Christmas fusion covers for DM last year and I’m half way through a quilt for DS for Christmas.

Yes, but only basic stuff like cushion covers. I find sewing machines a bit scary complicated and find hand sewing very relaxing.

Do you set yourself up at a table so it's all nice and flat pinned out? Or literally on the settee? How do you stop yourself going wonky?

Considering this after I used my machine for the first time in rather a long time and it wouldn’t go more than 3 stitches without jamming. But not sure I can do decent enough backstitch by hand to make a good jeans hem.

I have some curtains to take up too and will happily sit on the sofa sewing them by hand and missing the major plot points from a tv drama.

I use my dining table to do the fiddly it’s. So I cut the fabric, then use tailors chalk (cheap ones from Amazon) to mark out all my seam allowances. Then I use clips and pins to piece the fabric.

I tend to clip a bit of paper with row numbers, left to right and other instructions to each section so I know where I am if I have a few week gap between sewing sessions.

Once all that’s done I just camp out on the sofa with my fabric, a reel of thread, little scissors and a pincushion.

My DH did the other day as he'd bought some unhemmed trousers he needed to turn up. He wouldn't know where to start with threading up a sewing machine and he knows better than to ask me to do it for him

I’ve made skirts, dresses by hand as that’s what I mainly wear plus I’ve always found trousers a lot tricker. I’ve also made lots of little projects like a new pin cushion and little things from sewing magazines.

I laze on the sofa and I sit on the floor to prep/iron.

My most recent make is a simple gathered skirt with side zip, it’s for my Halloween party so is very orange. I’ll snap a pic and post.

I have recently taken to using french seams where I can, I think it’s makes the inside look very neat.

I’ve thought of this - much prefer hand sewing - but decided against it when I read that a hand sewn seam would never be as strong as a machine sewn one no matter how small and neat the stitches. I had visions of things falling apart in the wash. Is this fear unfounded?

Yes, do your seams survive the washing machine? I might put time into careful hand sewing (it sounds nice) but there's no hand washing here. Even cashmere has to take its chances.

I’ve never had any damage after a wash, even the first little thing I made by hand has stood the test of time and many a whirl in the washing machine.

Would you be able to post a close up photo of some of your stitches *Strawberry?

Yes, me too! Can't be bothered any more to fiddle with the machine, and I find it very relaxing to hand sew in the evenings when the tv is on. Just hemming and minor alterations to clothes at the moment but during lockdown I hand-sewed full length curtains - hems and side hems, not the rufflette tapes which had to be machined for strength. Really enjoying the hand-sewing.

I hand sewed a pair of linen trousers for myself this summer. They were too big! So I unpicked many stitches and now they fit just right. I even hand embroidered some decorations. I'm overly pleased with myself.

Until about 150 years ago all clothes were hand sewn. They lasted for decades and were handed down. I can’t see how a well sewn backstitch seam is inferior to machining.

Yes, but they were washed by hand too, and presumably far less frequently than nowadays!

I see by hand, as my machine is too difficult for me to thread up and it's loud. When my children are in bed, it would wake them (small flat) or disturb my neighbours.

I tend to make costumes rather than everyday clothes though, so not as much wear and tear.

Seams were sewn several times to make them stronger. Hand stitched then oversewn.

Having said that, l once came across a Victorian costume. Teeny tiny running stitches were how all the seams were sewn.

Anyone willing to share photos?

Yes clothes were washed by hand but they were worn a lot more too. We started using sewing and washing machines for speed/convenience, not necessarily because they do a better job. Anyway not trying to argue but if you hand sew you are in good company with re-enactors and couturiers!
Who knows it might be a good skill in future.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow what do you mean about sewn several times? I can see a seam that takes strain like a waistline might be double stitched.

Interesting here thedreamstress.com/resources/tutorials/

I think they went back and forth. However, the main way l think was to hem the separate pieces of fabric and oversee them together with invisible stitches. In a similar way that hand patch work is done.

When l see them by hand l use back stitch ( small) and double thread.

I would love to find a book on the history of dressmaking and tailoring, what fabrics, stitches, techniques they used. Clothes were more elaborate as well.

Here’s a photo of my most recent skirt it’s a little bright/cheesy and won’t be to everyone’s taste but it’s for my Halloween party.

I’ve tried to take photos of my stitches unfortunately my phone is old and refusing to focus properly but they are quite small and I’m a fan of back stitch.

I'm a hand stitcher because I can't work a sewing machine. But at the moment my skill level is rehemming/hand repairing split seams.
I'm hoping to manage dress/skirt making in the near future so I can add some more pattern variety to my wardrobe.