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 minds think alike @kittykarate. I’d just found that one. I think it’s as close as I’ll get

The cover photo doesn’t represent the actual design very well at all does it?

Worst poundametre delivery to date today.

I ordered 3m ivory power mesh with 4 way stretch ready for sports bra and swimwear attempts.

I’ve got some sort of polyester woven with no stretch at all.

Oh dear, how disappointing

@jins

Thread Theory has a good selection of men's pattern, not just their own. I've sewn their Newcastle Cardigan which was nicely drafted

Their Henley might suit your needs:

threadtheory.ca/collections/mens-patterns/products/strathcona-henley-pdf

@ThisNameIsDifferentFromTheLast thanks for that but that’s a knit pattern and I’m after a woven

Another site to bookmark though

Hello, may I join you please?
I'm a big fan of dressmaking, but also love a bit of freehand embroidery. And making stuff for the house.
I have a massive fabric stash and think I need to reduce it by some margin! Probably by making things.

Welcome! Freehand embroidery is something I'd love to learn

@Jins poundametre are very variable! I still have a large amount of 'soft' grey jersey which is anything but soft!

I've just made a jumpsuit, from viscose to a very short time scale. Yesterday at 11.30 it was a piece of fabric and an uncut pattern! DD is very happy with it and has tootled off to the theatre wearing it.

Great jumpsuit. It looks like one on a pattern I bought last year but I bought it for the dresses. www.sewdirect.com/product/new-look-n6373/

I was going to use it the other day but the layout looked appallingly wasteful and I didn’t feel up to Tetris.

It is that one, @Jins. I don't always follow the layout, especially as DD is a size 8, so I could more or less fit the trouser pieces side by side! It was an OK pattern. The instructions for attaching the straps wasn't that clear but I figured it out eventually by looking at the photo on the packet! It's labelled 'Easy', which I felt was underestimating the faffing about with the frill, straps and facings! The understitching didn't really hold things in place at the front either, so I ended up topstitching the bodice/facing under the frill at the front, which helped.

It looks lovely and she's really pleased with it but I'm not keen to make another! (She's wanting the short version as well!) Maybe in an easier fabric.

I thought I recognised it!

I was planning on making view C but the suggested layout put me off. I have barely enough fabric for it and it’s a roll end so I need to avoid a couple of marks. I’ll manage it but I have to be in the mood. I might make the short jumpsuit but I won’t be putting the frill on it

I did a short practice run without the frill just to see how the sizing was. It hung off her at the top! Then this morning I had to fiddle joining the bodice and trousers as the smaller size seemed really short in the bodice (she is very tall). So to make the jumpsuit, I need it in the size 8 but with a longer bodice! Cos I just love fiddling around with patterns!

She looks fab in that jumpsuit. It's very pretty.

I am also a Poundametre and PoundFabrics customer. I have a LOT of fabric that I am not sure what to do with. I made about four shirt dresses last year. This year may be the year of the comfy trousers!

Almost finished my shirt dress, but had to order buttons because despite having inherited many boxes of buttons, I didn't have 15 even vaguely matching ones 🙄. I've enjoyed making it, I think it might work in a jersey too if I can find one that's not too stretchy. Simplicity 8014 in case anyone's after a shirt dress.

Oooh buttons... Where's a good place to get lovely buttons from?

I got mine from 'The Button Company' but there are so many options on Etsy too.

I’ve inherited Mum’s button collection which includes the collections of both my grandmothers, my great aunt and her daughter. I also have that of my stepMIL. It fills a large wicker storage box but luckily Mum did sort into boxes of different colours.

I still have to buy buttons

That sounds wonderful @jins. I've used www.totallybuttons.com in the past and would recommend.

Ah jins a button collection like that sounds like heaven!

Off to browse your suggestions now!

It’s a blessing and a curse. That wicker box is 60x25x30 cm and it’s full.

Shirt pattern for DH arrived. I’ll toile it with my pyjama stripe rayon I think as it’s a big 4 pattern and sizing is usually larger rather than smaller

I love the vintage quality street tin in there - I'm sure my great grandmothers buttons were in that same tin.

It's a different world for sure - they would have worn clothes until they were unwearable, and then rag them and reclaim what they could. Now we buy and dispose.

I'm not sure if it's all Boyes shops but they have Simplicity patterns for half price until Sunday at the moment! As they were half price, I bought 2!!

I’ve given up hope of poundametre putting things right so I’ve bought some powermesh elsewhere. I have a few other things to finish first then I’m going to have a go at the barret bralette and some swimwear of some sort.
DHs shirt toile cut out and ready to go.

Poundametre can sometimes put stuff right, but I imagine they are playing possum because the cost of return/refund is probably so much more for some powermesh. It took about a month to get everything sorted last time they sent me 25m of random viscose, in the end I did it as a paypal chargeback because they were blanking me after I'd returned the incorrect goods.

I'm certain they have one person in pick and pack who doesn't give a bollocks though, I'm sure it's the same name each time when I get wrong contents.

I've also got some swimwear in my queue, I bought the Jalie Claudia bikini pattern jalie.com/products/4136-claudia-bikinis-sewing-pattern and I've got some nice quality lycra in my stash. As I'm not 100% on board with a bikini, I might use the Jalie jalie.com/products/4128-audrey-cropped-workout-top-sewing-pattern to make a tankini top. (best case, I have enough lycra to make it all!)

Thanks for the mention of chargebacks @kittykarate. After sending the emails to PayPal I had my money back in an hour or so. I’ll still use poundametre but I’ll try to remember the powermesh saga when I do.

DH’s shirt is coming along but I’m finding the instructions for the placket vague and the pictures are unclear. Thanks Simplicity 😡. I’ve stretched the fabric too much to get a clean finish so I’ve had to bodge it and will tidy up the reverse with some binding. What’s annoyed me the most is that the neck facings don’t reach to the placket so can’t be caught in it for tidiness. Always possible I’ve made a mistake somewhere along the line but I can’t think where. I’m on the verge of trimming them down to 20mm or so and using binding to tidy up. The facing is clearly visible through the fabric which isn’t a great look so I think it’ll work. It’s also looking a fair bit too big. So all in all I’m glad I did a toile.