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

Oooohhh will have a look at that. I work for a company with European offices….

But am going to try the Elisalex dress. Will attempt my first ever FBA adjustment.

Oops. I bought 3 lots of fabric today. All with specific projects in mind! But still that's quite a lot when I have 2 in the pipeline already and at least one other that I bought a year ago and forgot about.

Oooh what did you buy and what are you planning with it?

I maintain that fabric buying is an entirely separate hobby.

I only have two WIPs cut out and ready to go at the moment but I have sooooo many plans for this years sewing that I couldn't even narrow them down to a 'make 9' for insta.

Fabric buying is definitely a separate hobby to sewing!

I tend to cut a project and then sew it. Rarely do I have several cut and waiting. But I have recently bought A3 project bags to keep things separately by project.

Ok so the blue and white stripe is an old one I have to do first, I'm planning on doing a Zoey dress. I have different necklines to choose from and was thinking of a scoop.

The black and yellow is hopefully a wearable toile, was only £2 a metre. New Look 6491 then I have some smart, smooth drapey fabric I want to make it up in but will probably want to reduce the gathered fullness, plus reduce the cleavages and add bra cups if possible.

The other two are for McCall's M8105 however from the reviews it looks like I might regret this pattern.

I really should do what you do @Craftybodger but the fit and cutting is maybe the hardest part for me, it's the bit I avoid the most! Great idea though.

Oh @NutellaEllaElla 6 pieces of fabric is barely a stash! I have 7 cubes of a Kallax unit full - the result of my ambition and time outweighing my skill while living near bargain fabric shopping locations.
I’ve put myself on a buying ban now.
Shopping for fabric (and notions) is definitely a separate hobby to sewing.

I knew I could count on you to reassure me .

I'd just like to say that I hate binding necklines.

A lot.

I particularly hate the double fold kind which most patterns seem to prefer. Is there really any reason why I shouldn't ignore the pattern and just do a single fold?

Another question, should you always stabilise knits? My instructions don't tell me to but it's a dress that hangs off straps and I do wonder if they'll stretch out of shape of I don't do something?

I mainly sew with knits, I don’t stabilise but for straps I probably would.

No idea on the binding, sorry! - I’m not sure I actually know the difference between single and double fold.

For the dress I’m not sure. Which pattern is it?

How would you do that @Craftybodger ?

It's the Zoey,I linked to above.

Fabric buying is definitely a worthy hobby in its own right.

My favourite train journey activity is to do a fantasy trolley dash through one of the online fabric shops.

Latest make is a toile for a dress for DD. Made in calico. Currently looks like something Cinders would wear with unfinished seams and hems. I am quite excited to fit it for her as I have never done proper fitting before.

Going to visit other DD's wedding venue at the weekend. There is already talk of table runners, veil and other sewing projects. Thankfully more than a year away so I have time.

@NutellaEllaElla is the strap just made of the binding or is it a narrow fabric strap with binding over? I can’t work it out from the pictures.

If your fabric has a decent Lycra/elastane component it’ll probably be ok. You could always try a knit interfacing (must be knit and not standard interfacing otherwise it won’t stretch at all) on the binding if you think it’s going to sag but that might affect the stretch of the fabric so I’d maybe interface a test piece and see what that does to the stretch % before you cut your pieces.

January has been almost a sewing free month for me, but that hasn’t stopped me from buying more and more fabric. So I definitely agree that buying fabric is a separate hobby.

I’ve spent the last few weeks looking forward to cutting into the crazy jungle print french terry I bought, but now that I finally have time, I feel a bit paralysed. I was going to turn it into another pair of Hudson joggers, but can’t decide how to get a better fit around the waist. The pattern says that there’s no need to grade between sizes as the waistband is elasticated, but I have 4 inches of excess fabric in the back. A better fit must be possible!

Good luck with the fitting @GnomeDePlume That sounds like an interesting challenge!

I haven’t made straps, so this is guesswork and knowledge from the pattern listing.

Notions are quoted as: Coordinating thread; stretch sewing machine needle // Optional: double-sided fusible knit tape; spray starch. I think they stabilise with the knit tape? The instructions should tell you?

No sewing for me in January either, everything is still in disarray after moving house, but I have now set out my sewing table.

Treated myself to The Assembly Line Box Pleat Dress last night. I love the pattern on its own but I'm hoping to hack it with a shirt dress pattern as well to see if I can recreate a summer dress I saw on a friend's SIL last year. I have several of their patterns and love them all.

I've actually managed quite a bit of sewing this month although I've been a bit of TATB fiend!

Since Christmas I've made a Stella hoodie, a Bibi pinafore dress (although I've cocked up the fit on it but I think from a bit of research it's possibly a common issue with that pattern) and I've just got the waistband to sew onto the Pearl cardigan.

using Maraflex thread has been an absolute game changer!

Er, so the Tessuti Laura pants and the Sew Love Patterns Springe jumpsuit just seem to have found their way into my pattern collection. Whoops😉

No sewing for me in January. The boiler broke last week and was condemned yesterday and it’s been a bit too chilly to stay still 🤣

MIL has been having a clear out so I’ve helped by taking the sewing patterns. A few years ago I wouldn’t have looked twice at them but now I’ve built adaption skills I can see potential in them. There’s a woven raglan top that I’ll have a go at. Raglan works well for me because of my broad shoulders

I love the look of that jumpsuit @dubyalass . I’m really tempted by that one 🤩 Have you bought from that company before?

What’s Maraflex thread @pastabest ? Is it for sewing with jersey?

I’ve temporarily abandoned my joggers and am cutting out another Sewaholic Granville. I’m so not in the mood for working out fit adjustments on the joggers that painstakingly cutting out 15+ pattern pieces seems like more fun. It will be worth it, if it all comes together this time🤞

@CrimsonAlligator no I haven't, will be interesting to see what it's like! I haven't checked what height they draft for - I'm 5'11 so it will likely need a few adjustments. I was coveting Gillian Anderson's jumpsuits in Sex Education so thought I'd give that a try!

Please report back when you do @dubyalass I’m actually the same height as you, so interested to hear if/ how it fits and what alterations you need!

Will do! Need to find some suitably wafty fabric to make it in!

You're quite right, the instructions do advise me to use fusible knit tape. Serves me right for not looking properly.

Tragic accident there @dubyalass, such a shame That is a beautiful jumpsuit pattern. OMG I'm 5'10 so i'm also super interested in how it turns out! I do have a store bought jumpsuit in my wardrobe but it swings around my ankles so I can't wear it sadly.

Ooh @Jins exciting new patterns! I hope your heating gets sorted ASAP, it's miserable being cold.

I usually mix instructions like that too! Much easier to look for detail for someone else. I’m sure the instructions will make it clear too. Good luck - let us know how you get on.