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

[NutellaEllaElla]

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

@Jins yes. I have made the v neck top with and without sleeves. I have also made trousers and shorts.

I found the top came up a little bit short for me so extended it by a few centimetres at the bottom. This meant longer side slits which was what I wanted.

@GnomeDePlume you really have got your moneys worth out of that pattern, 12 tops plus trousers and shorts! I like the neckline trim on your last top, really lifts it.

Sadly no sewing today for me. I have a big kallax unit on legs as my sewing storage and it’s bowing in the middle so I’ve had to empty it all so my husband can put a bit more support in it. Maybe this is a a sign I need to reduce my stash?

You've definitely got your money's worth out of that pattern GnomeDePlume!

After a couple of good deliveries from Pound A Metre, my current one has fallen foul of their lazy packer and picker, who instead of sending me 4 x 3 m lumps of material, sent me 3m of floral jersey. Which to be fair is pretty enough, but bloody hell lads, I can see on the label that my order number is 85897 and you've sent me the fabric from order 85894.

How annoying for you @kittykarate . My Poundfabrics double gauze arrived and it's a really nice weight and a good deep black, great value. I've managed to squeeze the top and full length trousers out of 2m, though I've no room for errors. My sewing machine is broken though! I've tried to fix but getting no where. it needs a trip to the shop so I've dug out my 25 year old Janome, with the broken foot pedal so I can get the Suguaro set done this weekend. It's been okay so far.

Making bias tape for the neckline out of the double gauze is frustrating though. It's stretching so much when I press it out of the little bias tape contraption I have and losing a lot of its width and there's barely any seam allowance left. I need to figure out how to stabilise it, or just use normal bias tape.

Happy sewing everyone!

@Ulysses are you using spray starch when making the bias tape? I usually spray both sides until it’s pretty soaked then iron it flat before putting it through the bias tape maker. Sometimes I end up doing it the old fashioned way instead but more frequently i use the bought tape.

Busy day yesterday so no sewing. I hope to make a start today

@Jins that's a great tip for making bias binding. I always struggle a d end up with uneven pieces and burnt fingers. Spray starch it is from now on!

Must get sewjo back. Awaiting new overlocker blades as old ones are damaged and a too chilly sewing space isn't motivating me. Resisting the urge to buy fabric but a focussed plan might inspire me. I'd like a summer friendly Friday Pattern Company Heather blazer.

Good tip but I can't get spray starch anywhere! Tesco used to sell it but I haven't seen it for months there. I've tried making my own with cornflour but it's not nearly as good as the Dylon one.

I got mine in Sainsbury’s but it looks like it could be Amazon in future.

I've succumbed to an Amazon prime delivery of 5m of black cotton bias tape I'm afraid to say. I thought I could just sew the double gauze and deal with the folding later but it's just too unstable. I've got homemade spray starch cooling off but it's looking gungy and the fabric is black so it wouldn't look great. According to google Sainsbury's still sell spray starch @Jins. We don't have one nearby but I think the local sewing shop may sell it. I do intend to take my machine in for repair and a service so will try and remember to pick it up. It's dead handy.

My friend was able to loan me her foot pedal as well so that's a help. I'm going to make a start on the trousers later today. All the faffing about with my machine and bias tape has taken the wind out of my sewing sails today though!

@Ulysses you've succumbed to using ready made bias tape, I've succumbed to buying 5 lots of fabric. However it is now washed and I've already cut out two long sleeve jersey tops and my Friday Pattern Company Heather Blazer. Just need the overlocker blades to show up now.
The rest of the fabric will be 2 long cardigans, possibly also a TATB Bertha cardigan and a blouse of some sort. However all of this involves some pattern tracing prep which I need to be in the mood for.

I’ve managed to avoid succumbing but I’ve failed to start my shorts. It’s been too gloomy to feel like making shorts.

I’ve made a start on another Barrett bralette using black stretch lace and black spotty powermesh which was £3 for 3m from poundametre and is actually powermesh this time. The seams are much flatter with powermesh lining

I've never used powermesh before but I want to. Is it easy to sew with?

I’m finding it easy to sew with @Gizzy93. Having said that, the construction method of this bralette means that I’m not working with powermesh on its own.

You've all been very busy! Well I made the Litmus jacket out of the blue/white striped linen and I can't tell whether I look more like Andy Pandy or the boy in the striped pyjamas! I definitely look as if I'm wearing my PJs, so I think I'll charity shop it.

It's also very big across the shoulders! It's a gender neutral pattern, which seems to mean that it's a pattern for a man's jacket but women can wear it too, provided they have broad shoulders! DD tried it on and it looked better but it's not something she would wear.

I'll keep the pattern and maybe one day I'll make a jacket for DH or DSs. It's annoying as I bought some linen in a lovely heather colour to make another one. I'll have to look around for another jacket pattern - I think something a little more fitted would suit me better.

For now I'll get started tomorrow on a summer maxi dress in a lovely pink and blue viscose ready for my holidays (if it every gets warm enough to wear it!)

@Tinuviel are you able to do a shoulder adjustment? The Litmus looks like it would make a lovely jacket!

Ive seen the unisex Ilford jacket do the rounds - it's got drop shoulders which may be a bit more suitable. If you've already got a pattern though you probably want something totally different for your next jacket venture.

My premade bias tape came - I think it's been steeped in starch as it is very stiff! I've got it on now and need to finish off the waistband for the top and that will be me done.

I’m still rooting through patterns for my denim shorts. I’ve printed off the jeans pattern I bought and I’m going to have to do an awful lot of grading. Then I had what may be a brainwave and I’ve dug out the shorts I made for DH last year. I’m going to do a bit of measuring but I’m pretty sure I can make them work for me with a few adaptations.

The joys of having snake hips and a full tum😥

@Gizzy93 to be honest, I don't think I can be bothered as I think it will still look like PJs! I've started on my maxi dress and had enough fabric left to make an Anita Camisole (well I say enough; I'm going to have to find something for the back facing and I may use ribbon for the straps instead of faffing about turning sewn straps!) I've got all my cutting out done, lots of pinning but now need to do some work, so sewing will have to be tomorrow.

That's a nice jacket, @Ulysses but not quite what I'm looking for. DS2 might like it!

@Tinuviel oh, that's fair enough. The Antia cami looks really nice!

I've printed out my Provence Pea Coat pattern, just waiting for my old woolen blanket to turn up so I can make my coat out of that

Hi all, good to see you’re all busy sewing! I just finished another pair of Morgan jeans and have cut out a trial version of the Chai tee from Liesl & Co as I could do with some summer t-shirts.

I’ve also bought the Lander pants trousers but fancy trying the shorts version first for sizing before committing myself to the full length version. And finally I have a jumpsuit pattern so am working on the sizing to make sure I get the rise right. I made a toile of the Mirri jumpsuit recently and it’s too short in the rise. This one is for jersey so it’s a bit more forgiving but nobody wants a cameltoe.

@dubyalass sounds like you’ve been busy. I’d not heard of the mirri jumpsuit but it’s cute - I’ve been debating getting the Zadie jumpsuit but now I’m not sure which would suit better.

what’s the jersey jumpsuit pattern your using? Most jumpsuits I’ve seen on Instagram seem to be for wovens and aimed at the earth-toned linen brigade, and I’d look like I’d slept in a hedge if I wore beige linen.

my toile of the BHL Jenna has gone well -Time to cut out the real thing, in a lovely cotton sateen that I’ve been hoarding for ages as it’s ‘too nice to use’ - I’ve got to get over that mindset!

@SBAM I feel your beige linen pain.

The stretch jumpsuit is McCall's 7901. Or it might be Butterick. But if you look on the Fold Line, there are lots of options for jersey jumpsuits. I find their search function doesn't always work but you should be able to search by fabric type.

@dubyalass M7910? Foxy!

thanks for the reminder about the foldline, I signed up when they launched then unsubscribed because I got fed up of all the emails. I’ve had a browse and there’s some good looking options.

Yes, that’s the one! I can’t decide whether to go narrow leg or wide. Got some super cheap jersey from Poundametre for toiles. It may make me look like a sack of spuds but hopefully not! Going for view C top.