Stitch and bitch thread #5 This whole thing is fabricated.

[NutellaEllaElla]

Welcome back seamsters! It is soon to be September and Autumn is on its way.

Thick felt might stabilise it.

Yes! I've seen a few people making these. They stabilise them with heavyweight interfacing and a few of them have really thick french type seams to add a bit more structure.

First curtain is finished and up! Second curtain needs side seam returns pressing in. And then grommet tape and eyelets.

I spent a good hour or so yesterday dithering about the precise approach to take. Really I think it was just panicking about cutting into the fabric.

Also bobbin bother! My new machine has a drop in bobbin and is very picky about how neatly the bobbin has been wound. This is very annoying when the bobbin was wound on the same machine!

Thank you to @InMySpareTime and @Craftybodger for the suggestions for patterns - I've now started my onesie using the Apostrophe pattern. Once I've seen how it all goes together, I might try a self drafted one - I wasn't confident enough this time!

Craftybodger did you finish your world book day costume? If you used the neckband option, did it fit? I found that I had to add 13cm to the length of mine - it seemed like it hadn't updated the size when the rest of the pattern was adjusted.

Having said that, I'm loving the number of options there are with the pattern set up and how easy it is to adapt it to what you want. I'm thinking of using it to make a fleecy onesie with a hood once this one's finished.

Well done on getting your first curtain up Gnome! It must be a nice feeling to be able to look at your own handy work!

I’ve been making some progress on my skirt, but hadn’t fully appreciated how much of a challenge my fabric choice would present. I’m making it out of a chunky cord, which I stupidly assumed must be easy to work with as I’ve seeing a lot of it in ready made fashion...How wrong I was!

It shifts like made when sewing, I have to be ultra careful when pressing it and I can’t use iron on interfacing. Unpicking seams is a nightmare (so much mess!) and don’t get me started on the bulky seams 😣 For the first time ever, I’ve had to attach the even-feed foot. This is getting serious!

Does anyone have experience or opinions on bobbin winders please? I have noticed that my sewing machine's germanic efficiency doesn't extend to bobbin winding.

My bobbin winder is broken so I've been winding them by hand for about a year now

Ugh, bobbin bother! If it’s really unhappy can you wind onto a fresh bobbin? Or use the dodgy one for the top thread?

123XYZ, sorry I’m still on Nativity costumes!! If you’re having problems with the pattern then please contact Apostrophe - they are very responsive and will check your data, you may well have found a glitch.

given it's a new machine have you double checked that there isn't a step you are missing? I upgraded from one brother to another and assumed the bobbin winding was the same but there was a slight difference that I didn't really pick up on until I had similar bobbin issues.

Also... teaching you to suck eggs here but are you definitely using the right bobbins if it's a new machine?

just had a bittersweet email postpone the (children's) sewing classes I was teaching tomorrow, on the one hand I was really looking forward to it but now I have an unexpected half day free to perhaps start a new project.

I have NOT ONE SINGLE W.I.P or U.F.O at the moment which is a very strange place for me to find myself.

@Craftybodger dagnammit! Why didn't I think of that!

@pastabest good point, I will check the instructions. I have now switched over to a metal bobbin as well.

@Craftybodger Thanks - I finished it last evening and found that it was my mistake with the neckband - it's every saggy with the longer very skin I put on. I'll be unpicking and restitching it.

However, DS was so excited by it that he decided to wear it as it was last night, so I'm happy that he's happy with it, even if it's not perfect.

@123ZYX it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s taken care and time, that makes it very special, I’m sure he loves it!

Just noticed my horrendous typing!

"it's every saggy with the longer very skin I put on" should be "it's very saggy with the longer version I put on"!

He has put in an order for 2 more in different colours (and he's been very specific about the snap fastening and cuff colours), so I'll be an expert by the time I'm finished

@123ZYX you’ll be able to make them in your sleep after you’ve finished 3!

@GnomeDePlume i agree with checking the bobbin, my machine is super finicky and will only accept branded replacement bobbins, generic ones that look identical to me result in endless thread tangles.

We’ve agreed presents for the children only this Christmas with my immediate family, but I feel the need to give something since I’m not hosting so I’ve been making felt tree decorations. There’s definitely some questionable embroidery but I think they’ve turned out cute.

@SBAM They’re beautiful! Your guests are very lucky.

Those are so cute @SBAM !

No sewing for me this week so far, been doing a bit of knitting instead.

@SBAM I love those. Are they hand sewn?

I totally lurk on this thread as I just can't keep up with you all. I haven't got a dedicated sewing space, and the effort of getting everything out and clearing the dining table means I just don't bother. Maybe over Christmas - until then I'll just be inspired by everything you're doing!

In the meantime, I'm quilting (or now specifically English Paper Piecing as it's doesn't need the machine). Man, it's slow! This is my current WIP, which is intended to be a Christmas table runner, but runs a real risk of becoming an elongated place mat instead if I don't get a move on.

I do love the process though, so I won't lose any sleep if I don't finish it for this year. It's just much better than faffing on my phone in the evening!

Thanks Crafty and Dubya, I’m pleased with how they’ve turned out. I was intending to just use what I had but I’ve ordered more beads to see if I can make a snowflake.
@123ZYX yes they’re hand sewn, I made a paper template, cut two, decorated the top one then blanket stitched the back and front pieces together with a bit of ribbon sandwiched in the top.

@BookShark that is beautiful! My mum taught me paper piecing with hexagons when I was little, but I’m too impatient to enjoy it. Even if yours gets its debut Xmas 2023 rather than 2022 I think it’ll be worth it, it’s lovely.

That's beautiful @BookShark

I don't have a sewing space - I work from home so use my desk for sewing on and the floor or dining table for cutting out. A space just for sewing would be amazing.

I am lucky to have sewing space. It is also our spare bedroom. It's used as a bedroom when DD2 & DSIL come to stay. So that works as I wouldn't be disappearing to sew anyway.

When I do my lottery fantasy house search one of the first things I look for is where I can have a sewing room!

Not fussed about kitchens and bathrooms. I want somewhere big enough to have a cutting table and a sewing table plus a neat fabric stash.

A dedicated sewing space must be lovely. I sew on my dining table, but I am fortunate that it is quite a large one, so not too hard to shove everything to one side when it needs to be used for something else. I don’t like how messy it looks though. Sewing creates just so much mess 😱

I have a few days off from tomorrow, so am planning a long sewing weekend. I might actually finish something this time!

I use my dining table too.

I've had half a day to sew today and have made several mistakes. Making a jumper dress out of this material which is upside down 😕
DH says it's not noticeable but i'm not sure if i'll get past it. I have also overlocked a catch in the cuff which needs unpicking.

I've received an order of fabric that i'm not loving the colour of and i'm contemplating going fabric shopping tomorrow and starting again on both counts.

Sometimes the best thing to do is bin it/stick it in the cupboard and move on Nutella. Go fabric shopping and enjoy it!

I’ve ordered ribbing online twice now trying to match some sweatshirt fabric and I’ve got one too light and one too dark 🤦🏻‍♀️ the lighter colour should go with another stashed fabric at least.

Im very lucky to have my own sewing room. Now I have children I can’t spend all Saturday sewing like I used to so it’s good to be able to leave things set up and get 15 mins or half an hour here and there. I spend half my time tidying it up though, I’m not a naturally organised person.