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

[NutellaEllaElla]

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

Oh how rewarding @dubyalass, well done

Thank you for the advice @Jins, I wish I had more time to get it done by next weekend but i'd have to call in sick from work .

Not that I think it'll take long but I can't start it until i've finished this pencil skirt. Maybe.

Love your Regency dress @Tinuviel, it's fantastic. I've been taking up lined curtains today while watching Emma on Netflix. The costumes are beautiful and I did notice all the trimmings embellishing the basic shape.

I'm quite enjoying doing the curtains but they are 90 inches wide and full length so there's so much fabric to deal. I've ended up hand stitching the hem on the main fabric and machine sewed the rest. Well I've done one curtain, still 3 to go! It's a perfect day for sewing though.

Black trousers finished. I managed to get the top stitching fairly close to the seam.

They are so comfortable. Poppy pants graded 3 sizes down from waist to hips

Sorry meant to post a photo. Looking a bit bleached out in the pic

Looks excellent Jins. And I love the regency dress - so glamorous!

Sorry @Tinuviel, I missed your photo - wow! Very nicely fitting, you must be so proud.

Impeccable top stitching @Jins.

So, my pencil skirt is coming along but the waistband is coming up small, that's not right is it??

It's a woven fabric, not a stretch this one.

Can you take out a dart or adjust them? I may have had to do that recently...

Thing is, the skirt and the waistband fit quite nicely .

Thanks, all. It wasn't nearly as tricky as I expected and a friend has a Regency pattern which includes a jacket, so I may try that at some point.

That is very neat stitching, @Jins!

@NutellaEllaElla do you mean the waistband isn't long enough for the skirt? I may have had that problem last year but my solution was to make a skirt without a waistband! So that isn't going to help you.

Yes, it isn't meeting in the middle at the back of the skirt.

Have you got enough fabric to cut a new waistband?

Probably but I feel like I could make it work? Do you think i could ease it in like you do when you attach a sleeve in the round?

I think I’ve had a similar issue and it was because I didn’t see the cut the pieces out precisely enough and was a bit out either way with my seam allowances when sewing up. I’d compare the pieces to the original pattern as a starting point and redo the sewing if you can and fiddle the allowances. Some times all the inaccuracies add up and it can be maddening trying to work out what’s went wrong.

That's a good idea Ulysses thank you

I hope it's not too hard a fix Nutella.

That top stitching is sublime @Jins. I love that style of trousers too with the flat front and elasticated back. I've still to topstitch the elasticated waistband of my PJ bottoms. I also need to finish the bottom cuffs of them too. More pattern matching though. My head hurts trying to get it all right.

I miss calculated the hem on one of the other set of curtains so I've had to unpick those and do it again. The other one is hanging beautifully if I a say so myself! It's definitely a job worth doing well.

Thank you all for the topstitching compliments. My new machine makes it much easier as it has a clear presser foot and I can use various marks on it as a guide. I do have a 1/4 inch presser foot as well and moving the needle will give me a 2mm topstitching line. I’m trying to train myself to do tidier work.

Hope the waistband issue gets resolved @NutellaEllaElla. It’s so frustrating when things that should line up don’t.

Hi, I've lurked for a little while but love this thread. I wish I had more time for sewing but a nursery age child and a part time job in *wispers, a fabric shop!, means for the first time since last lockdown, I cut out a pattern this evening! Maybe a while till I get sew it but it feels like a big lovely achievement!

Well, my pinafore dress has come out quite nice - I could probably do with taking it in at the sides but I can't be bothered - it's meant to be a loose fit anyway!

A couple of weeks ago I picked up the last 70 cm of a thin denim I'd wanted for a while with no idea of what to do with it. Although I don't have enough to make another pinafore dress, the lovely lady in the fabric shop suggested adding a band at the bottom of a contrasting fabric, so I think I'm going to do that. I'll need to do buttons/buttonholes to fasten the shoulder straps as it's not stretchy but it should be easier to sew than the cable knit jersey!

Hi @Exboltqueen! You lucky, lucky person to work in a fabric shop! Do you get first dibs on new fabric? Lovely pattern and fabric.

Yes we do! And I've been there long enough that work friends msg me things I'd like on delivery days also. I have a huge project pile and stash but you do have become quite ruthless in purchasing else your wages just go back to the shop.

Welcome @Exboltqueen, super cute pattern!

Hi @Exboltqueen. I’m jealous of you working in a fabric store and horrified by the thought of the size of my stash if I did!

I spent most of my time yesterday trying to match fabric to the patterns I really want to make. I’m counting it as a success that I managed one but as it’s a simple summery dress and the weather is hideous I didn’t feel inspired to make a start.

The sea of ditsy floral viscose is frustrating me a bit. They are mostly 3m lengths and I don’t really want to end up with 3 tops in the same fabric but I don’t really want to jeopardise a dress either.

This month’s Prima pattern

Seeing as it needs 3m of lightweight drapey fabric and seeing as I would like a wrap dress that isn’t in a stretch fabric I think it’s going onto the to do pile