Stitch and bitch thread #4 I needle the help I can get.

[NutellaEllaElla]

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

Great thread title

I've just started to make a weighted door stop using up (a little bit of) some fabric I was given a while ago. Will post a pic when finished.

Tailor tacking my place.

😂 love the sewing puns!

Placemarking. Far too much life to do, at the moment. I don't even work for a living! I am determined that I'll finish cutting out and start stitching the ginger jeans, though.

@NutellaEllaElla

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

Like that's ever going to happen! While there is the internet and fabric shops, we will always have a stash of fabric!

Thanks @NutellaEllaElla, I'm sew grateful for these threads and it seams others are too .

I got my PJ top cut out yesterday so hope to do a bit of sewing during the week. I really need to get matching thread though so perhaps a trip to the sewing shop is on the cards. Still haven't bought/made bias binding either.

I'm also in the market for a new rotary cutter. My Fiskar one won't unscrew to get the old blade out. I've got a couple of cheaper ones too but they are a bit clunky and one seems to wobble.

The holy grail of toile fabric. I will definitely not wear this
www.poundametre.com/products/3-for-1-embroidery-stripe-dress-crepe-80-wide?_pos=5&_sid=a112c3597&_ss=r

Picked this up and some interfacing and I’ve paid more in postage

Blimey, @Jins. That site looks cheap. Have you ordered from them before? This might be the thing that makes me brave enough to attempt making actual clothes.

Yes I get quite a bit through poundametre and poundfabrics. I’ve been pleased with the viscose, polycotton and cotton lawn that I’ve bought and less pleased with the jersey which is very hit and miss.

Thanks. I’ll give them a go. I’m always scared of cutting into big pieces of fabric, so I end up leaning towards making patchwork and small things like toys, but I really need to get over it and get on with making some clothes.

I've used poundametre - and while I've had a couple of problems recently, they have generally been good so I'd use them again if they had something super bargainous on there. The problems have been with the pick and pack team rather than any financial skulduggery.

I've had sweathshirt, french terry, cotton lawn, some heavy lycra and lots of t shirt jersey from them. Most have been ok, but sometimes their descriptions could do with a bit more detail. Some of the jersey has not been very stretchy or has been quite thin.

Hi all, newbie to the thread here. Current project is making a batch of matching facemasks for a funeral (not me attending, thankfully).

Thanks for the poundametre tip, not used them before, Pound Fabrics is my go to usually, unless I need a specific fabric (as in this case needed some thin tartan so I've ordered from Amazon of all places)

Welcome beep!

@DaisyDozyDee I still have to take a deep breath before cutting. When I returned to sewing I bought a fabric mystery box so I had some long lengths to practice with. I don’t really recommend doing that as out of the 5 lengths 3 were chiffon

If I was starting now I’d just get something easy to work with. I like polycotton or crepe for practice garments and it can be very cheap to buy. Old sheets and duvet covers are great too. It only takes a couple of goes to build your confidence and if you’re making patchwork and small projects you’ll have the skills for a garment.

Good luck. People are always around for advice if you need it

A pair of leggings made in a brushed back jersey. Would make the pattern again but not in bright green!

Nice leggings, @kittykarate. What pattern did you use? I'm still thinking of making my daughter some!

The pattern was Jalie Jessica jalie.com/products/4127-jessica-leggings-with-side-pocket - good range of sizes ( kiddies to adult size UK 20) on their patterns which is nice.

I’ve printed out and stuck together the love notions Ballad blouse pattern ready for another offcut project.
www.lovenotions.com/product/ballad-blouse
I’m going to start with the sleeveless gathered version and see what fabric I’m left with before deciding on sleeves. There’s loads of ease, tempted to go down a size.

I’ve been planning to make a few of these with different sleeve options

That's a lovely pattern, @Jins. It would be good to see the result when you've finished! I've never made a blouse. My 3rd jacket is now finished and goes well with the wraparound skirt I made last year. I won't be sewing with georgette again in a hurry (although I do have some in my stash)! It was a bit chilly wearing it today, so I may now leave it in the wardrobe till it's a bit warmer.

The red fabric for toiles arrived.

It’s definitely not something I’ll wear

It’s a lot of fabric for £1 and despite being see through it’s quite stiff so I have enough toile fabric for a while

Ok masks are done, that was much more painful that I'd expected, I made them all just kind of eying in the fold positions then tried one on and it was ridiculously massive on my face so I had to start again, and I didn't have much elastic to start with so I had to salvage it from the original ones. I also washed them all afterwards and couldn't get them nicely pressed and melted some of the elastic with the iron so they all look a bit crap. I only agreed to do them as a favour to someone I don't really know that well. All in all not much fun :(

On a positive note though, I've decided I need a new machine. I've got a 9 year old Janome J3-24 and the feed dogs are knackered, it won't do a buttonhole anymore, and it rattles about and makes a racket. It has been serviced in the last 12 months but I think it's time to upgrade. Any recommendations with a £500 budget? I would like to possibly make and sell bits on etsy (despite being crap at making masks) so maybe having an embroidery function would be good?

Lovely jacket Tinuviel and great leggings Kitty. The greens of both are super.
Not much sewing for me over the past 2 days. My Heather Blazer is nearly complete but there is a buttonhole to do and I am fearful of it going horribly wrong. A job for the weekend I think.

Weighted doorstop as good as done apart from buying something to fill it with. Will probably pop to a DIY store for some pea shingle.

I think my next project will be the Vera blouse from Forget me not patterns which is a free download. I love the look of the big sleeve although the V neck, in jersey, will be a new challenge for me.
Here's hoping the link to the pattern works...
A while I make that I will try to source some spring/summer fabric for another Heather blazer and some funky lining material for it too.

forgetmenotpatterns.com/products/vera-knit-top

Nice work @kittykarate (I love that green) and @Tinuviel.

What kind of things would you want to see @continuousmonotonousbeep? Not facemasks?! I've made a few but found it a chore. That's a decent budget and much more than my own machine cost. I know embroidery stitches do rack up though.

It will be nice to see your blazer when it's finished @toomuchlikemyusername. Good luck with the buttonholes.

Finally paid a visit to our fabric shop and have supplies to work on my PJ top. I have a free afternoon tomorrow so hoping to plough away on it then and the rest of the weekend.

My ballad blouse has been cut out and interfacing applied. There won’t be any sleeves. There isn’t enough fabric left to make bias binding. I’ll decide on the method of finishing when I get there.

I love the green leggings and the jacket. Great colours