Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!

[NutellaEllaElla]

The other thread is so painfully slow so lets hope a shiny new one will run a smoothly as a well behaved sewing machine. Pin your places here my lovely stitchers

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar thanks for that. Looks perfect

I've made some fibremood patterns - sizing is pretty good, but they are 'tall people' patterns, I had to chop loads off the bottom of a dress. It did mean the crop '80s ish sweatshirt was a nice length on me.

They publish the patterns in a magazine https://thefoldline.com/product/fibre-mood-edition-19/ - this one includes the Gabby dress, so if there's something else in there you like the look of, it might be better value buying the magazine, though you do have to trace off the patterns in the magazine as it's multiple things on the same sheet.

That’s a great tip @kittykarate as i’m definitely short of stature at 5’2-3”
I’ve been looking for finished measurements for height as that pattern photo does look like the model is tall. I’ve got enough to be getting on with at the moment anyway

I'm 5'7" and the Gabby dress is a bit long on me, it's ankle length whereas it's low calf on the model, so I'm going to take it up a bit. I think it's a Dutch company, which would explain why it's for tall people.

I've just ordered one of these weird things so I'm going to get a friend to help me get the hem the right length.

Waves & Wild are my main ‘go to’ designer. They got me sewing jersey clothing when they were still Made By Jack’s Mum. They’re not the most cutting edge but they generally work for me!

I’m plus size so some of my choices are biased due to my apple shape. Helen’s Closet are also good for me. Today I’m wearing jersey culottes, made by adapting Staystitch’s Solene shorts/culottes (pattern for woven) and an Olivia top by Rebecca Page.

I went to a sewing social group today and it was lovely. Unfortunately it won't run again so that's a shame. Anyway, the ladies there really helped me.

I finished the Eve dress and it's really lovely. I'll hope to get a pic when i wear it this weekend.

Oh that's a shame, I've had stuff like that happen a couple of times over the years, once it was just that the session moved to one of my work days. Gutted.

You could always start your own? Its something I've considered?

Yeah I will think about it cos there's nothing else in the area as far as I can tell

I'm tall (5'10) and most designers draft for people under 5'7 so I have to add length. I've also got narrow shoulders and wide hips which makes things even harder. Oh and boobs too, although I can usually get away without a FBA.

I've made several Assembly Line patterns and can cut a straight medium with them, so perhaps they're drafted for taller people.

From memory I think Megan Neilsen is drafted for 5'10

Certainly anytime I've used their patterns I've had to lop quite a bit off the length.

Have you seen By Hand London are moving to a draft your own patterns model?

@NutellaEllaElla Do you have a local community Facebook page where you could ask if anyone is interested in helping to set up a sewing group?

I go to a sewing group on a Wednesday afternoon 2 - 5pm, that I started with a couple of other ladies. We’re very lucky in that our venue is perfect. It’s a big modern room in a community run building with windows on two sides so it’s very light and has banks of sockets along the walls. We only pay €2.50 per session each as a room hire charge and we can use the communal kitchen for our tea break.

Its been mainly word of mouth that’s helped the group grow, but we’re still quite small with between 4 - 10 ladies attending regularly. We’ve also made it a Ladies only sewing group so don’t invite any men to join us. It’s really lovely.

@pastabest my favourite jeans pattern is the Megan Nielsen Ash. I still add a couple of inches to the length because my height is in my legs but it's such a great pattern.

Really useful information on here on the kind of shapes that certain designers cut for. I've become quite a pronounced hourglass (previously closer to a pear) so do have an obvious waist but don't like emphasising hips so tend to go for gentle A lines and thus always have to size up to accommodate hips. Happy to have learnt how to grade the first couple of patterns I made, as a total newby. Am all cut out and threaded up ready to start sewing my Stevie top. Have noticed on Insta that a lot of people wear the Stevie back to front with the open or tied neckline front ways. This may well suit me so much better and will try to dress on that way to see.

I've had a couple of pairs of Waves and Wild board shorts cut out for DS for a couple of months now and haven't been in the mood while the weather has been so rubbish. The weather has suddenly changed so now I'm trying to get them finished as fast as I can.

I'm looking forward to sewing bee starting tonight - that always gets me enthusiastic about sewing again

Yes I'm looking forward to the loveliness of the Sewing Bee.

I am in the middle of sewing another Eve dress for my sister, it's been a nightmare because the fabric she chose was too narrow. Luckily the ladies at that sewing group helped me.

I am already looking forward to my next projects! I want to make a couple of water bottle holders, the first time I'll be doing something like that by myself. I did a tote bag in a total beginners class years ago. I have found some tutorials and have ordered an insulating fleece, just need some fabric. Would you use the same fabric for the strap? Or would you look for a more robust, specific kind of material?

Also, DH wants me to make him a jacket. With like, shoulder pads and everything. That would be a massive challenge for me. We need to find the right pattern first I guess..

Thanks for the suggestion @SewinginIreland , I've put some feelers out, find a local quilting group which I thought was rather specific and perhaps not quite right for me.

For the water bottle holder, are yo7 thinking of a shoulder strap?

I would probably choose a contrasting fabric or plain fabric to match a colour in the main fabric if it's patterned to use as binding and for the strap, with some interfacing to make sure it doesn't stretch, but I do tend to go for quite a lot of colour.

Ah, interfacing is a great idea thank you @123ZYX, the tutorials hadn't mentioned it in fact.

If your main fabric is robust you could use the same, with interfacing, or you could try webbing for the strap.

Im really missing sewing whilst my machine is off at the repair place. Really hoping I get the call to collect it soon.

Have you ever tried English paper piecing? Someone mentioned it on here a while ago (maybe around Christmas) and I've enjoyed it as a something I can do in front of the TV as it doesn't use a sewing machine. It's a great way to use up scraps as well

@123ZYX my mum taught me to paper piece with hexagons when I was a child - and sadly my hand sewing still looks like an 8 year old did it!

Im not a big fan of hand sewing, so I’m spending some time getting things cut and prepped before my machine comes back. I’m trying to use up all the leftover half metres that I kept because they’d be big enough for kids clothes before my kids get too big for that to be true.

Has anyone seen a jumpsuit pattern for jersey fabric? Ideally I was something scoop neck, maybe with a button front, short sleeves, some kind of waist cinching, with pockets and straight or wide leg trousers.

SBAM This has tapered legs, but otherwise close to your brief. https://shop.deer-and-doe.fr/en/sewing-patterns/122-sirocco-jumpsuit-pdf.html

Is it necessary to do a toile for a toddler? It's a very loose fit dress with loads of positive ease in it. It's this pattern. https://thefoldline.com/product/childrens-portobello-pocket-dress/?attribute_pa_pattern-format=pdf

I'm going a bit off piste with it anyway as the skirt is made of four panels, and the sides of the pocket are tucked into the seams of the panels for a very neat join. But I want to use a patterned cotton for the skirt so will be cutting it in one piece and putting the pockets on as patch pockets. (Photo, bird fabric for the skirt and probably turquoise for the bodice and pockets.)

If it's a woven pattern, then I'd measure the pattern pieces to check that their supplied 'finished garment' chart is coming up close to the what you'd get by measuring the pattern pieces (subtracting seam allowances). If that's the case (and it isn't always), and you're happy with the finished garment size that is theoretically coming out, then I probably wouldn't bother with a toile.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar looking at the finished measurements I wouldn’t bother with a toile - there’s over 5” of ease in the chest, and from the pictures it looks like it’s supposed to look big. I don’t often bother with proper toiles for kids patterns anyway, just wearable toiles from less- expensive fabric if I’m not sure on the sizing of something.

The Sirocco jumpsuit does look nice, quite dressy/fancy on first look though, I might have to have a good look through Instagram as I think I’m aiming for something more casual. The jersey I have is quite lightweight and I think the sirocco might look better in something that can hold it’s structure.

I think you're both right. In fact there's so much ease around the body that I might put an extra inch onto the hem and it will probably fit her next summer too. She's only turning two in June and her chest measurement is 21". I found with DD that she just got taller between aged two and aged five, her torso size didn't change much.