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Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!

932 replies

NutellaEllaElla · 14/01/2023 08:49

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 Smile

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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Jins · 11/06/2023 11:33

Ooh some nice patterns there. Maribel top is shouting my name

CrimsonAlligator · 11/06/2023 11:50

Thanks for sharing that @BlackAmericanoNoSugar. Looks like a useful resource.

I caved in and ordered the Merchant and Mills Quin pattern. I’ve been returning so many shop bought trousers over the last few weeks, that I thought I might as well give sewing a pair of trousers another go.

I’ve made some well fitting toiles in the past, but I’m never 100% happy with the fly, so usually stall at the toile-stage. The Quin doesn’t have a fly! 🥳 I’m sure my perfectionist brain will find something else to get obsessed about, but for now I live in hope of actually being able to sew that one up in proper fabric and wear it.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 11/06/2023 12:43

I think I might have a go at the Basalie flutter sleeve top from that blog, it looks nice and cool for the hot weather and I love a statement sleeve.

GnomeDePlume · 11/06/2023 15:25

Not the world's most complicated make. I had some fabric spare (bought to make a top then I changed my mind). DD liked it so I made her a skirt.

I felt very flighty going off piste and adding a waistband to the skirt pieces of a dress.

The bodkin recommended by a PP on a previous thread was an absolute godsend for getting the elastic through.

GnomeDePlume · 11/06/2023 15:26

Forgot to add the picture

Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!
BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 11/06/2023 15:52

I really like that GnomeDePlume, and it has pockets!

TragicMuse · 11/06/2023 16:59

So pretty!

TragicMuse · 11/06/2023 17:02

I'm looking for a good skirt pattern at the moment. I have the Richmond from Style Arc but I'm not sure if it fulfils the brief.

I'm going to get the Muna and Broad knit skirt at some point but right now I want something for a woven.

I tried the one from Peppermint magazine but from the wrong fabric so the one I made is both huge and very bulky. Think I need to fix it at some point!!

pastabest · 11/06/2023 21:58

TragicMuse · 11/06/2023 17:02

I'm looking for a good skirt pattern at the moment. I have the Richmond from Style Arc but I'm not sure if it fulfils the brief.

I'm going to get the Muna and Broad knit skirt at some point but right now I want something for a woven.

I tried the one from Peppermint magazine but from the wrong fabric so the one I made is both huge and very bulky. Think I need to fix it at some point!!

Have a look at the Brumby from Megan Neilsen.

Massive pockets

Megan Neilsen draft for something ridiculous like 5'10 so I find the shortest version is about knee length on me - I've flannel and corduroy knee length ones I wear with tights in winter and midi length ones in linen and poplin I wear in summer.

Bloody love a Brumby - I resent all my other clothes for not having equally massive pockets.

My only change to the pattern is that I prefer an invisible rather than exposed zip - but all I do is just gather it a little less to make up the difference.

PinkIcedCream · 11/06/2023 22:51

Anyone watching “The Law according to Lidia Poët” on Netflix. It’s an Italian historical drama about a young woman lawyer and loosely based on a true story.

It's quite entertaining as a drama series but the stars of the show are the fabulous costumes. I bet they had fun researching and making them. 🥰

GnomeDePlume · 12/06/2023 06:34

Thank you @BlackAmericanoNoSugar yes, DD does like pockets. I think the fabric has worked much better for a skirt than it would have for a top.

After finishing the skirt I started copying the pattern for a pair of trousers for me. It's another pattern from the Cashmerette fitting book which DD gave me.

For anyone plus size I really recommend this book as it covers a lot of pattern adjustments to get a really nice fit. It also comes with some good patterns which is a win.

TragicMuse · 12/06/2023 16:36

The Brumby is nice but...not what I'm looking for! #picky

I've been looking at Richmond again and I think it will be what I want - it's got the utility vibe and should be midi, both apparently on trend. As to whether it suits me, well, that's a whole other question!

Chewbecca · 12/06/2023 20:40

Hello - 2 questions from me.

Did anyone make the Declic blouse? I'm ready to start a new project & fancy this one.

PDF printing for novices. I have downloaded the Declic pattern. It looks like there are 4 files with many pages, it will end up being about 30 I reckon. I am on the CLC site and it looks like it might be £1.80 per page. Does that sound right? It is going to be more expensive than buying a paper pattern I think? I am fairly sure I am doing something wrong here!

Thanks.

Chewbecca · 12/06/2023 20:45

Oh, hang on, looked at files again. Do I only need to attach the A0 single page file?
The next one is A4 so I reckon I don't need that as well.
The next is instructions - would you usually do that from an iPad and not print?
The final one is called 'projecteur'. Looks v similar to the A0 one, presumably don't need it?

pastabest · 12/06/2023 20:47

Chewbecca · 12/06/2023 20:40

Hello - 2 questions from me.

Did anyone make the Declic blouse? I'm ready to start a new project & fancy this one.

PDF printing for novices. I have downloaded the Declic pattern. It looks like there are 4 files with many pages, it will end up being about 30 I reckon. I am on the CLC site and it looks like it might be £1.80 per page. Does that sound right? It is going to be more expensive than buying a paper pattern I think? I am fairly sure I am doing something wrong here!

Thanks.

No that's not right £1.80 a page is for A0 printing.

most A0 patterns are between 1 - 3 pages

if you have 30 pages you are looking at the A4 printing. See if there is another file which is A0 rather than A4.

if it's only available in A4 the CLC offer a 'stitching' service to convert the A4 pages into A0 for a small extra cost on top of the A0 £1.80 a page cost.

123ZYX · 12/06/2023 20:49

The A0 and A4 are the same - depends if you're printing yourself or getting it printed

The projector is so you can project the pattern from a ceiling mounted projector onto your fabric and not have to print

I use my iPad for instructions

123ZYX · 12/06/2023 20:51

When I say they're the same - I mean the same pattern on each - they're just on different paper sizes

pastabest · 12/06/2023 20:51

I've just checked the pattern you are talking about and it's available in A0 it's - 1 page.

You just need to find the right file to send to CLC for the English A0 pattern and it will cost you £1.80 to print the whole pattern.

The rest of the files will probably be different language versions and the instructions which you only need to print if you want to - I tend to read them from my iPad.

Chewbecca · 12/06/2023 20:56

The projector is so you can project the pattern from a ceiling mounted projector onto your fabric and not have to print

wow! Very clever! No way I would keep it still enough.

ok, I am understanding how to do it now, thanks for so many swift replies! It’s just one page of A0.

Did anyone make this - it was a free pattern linked earlier on this conversation. On reading the instructions, I am doubting myself, even though it says beginner!

SBAM · 12/06/2023 21:50

@Chewbecca glad you’re sorted on the printing - I printed it at home, and it’s about 15 pages of A4 if I remember right.
I never print instructions, just read them on my phone or laptop as I go along.

I haven’t made it yet - I’ve got it printed and your comment gave me a kick up the bum to do a quick fit check (I chose my size using the finished measurements as well as my body measurements, then I’ve pinned the pattern paper together to have a quick check that it’s not miles off - tricky with printer paper but I find it useful)

I must admit to not having read the instructions fully yet - what about it is making you doubt yourself?

Chewbecca · 12/06/2023 22:03

Getting the neckline right looks interesting! I haven't watched the videos yet but the instructions are a bit too brief for me!

Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!
TragicMuse · 14/06/2023 17:51

I wore my Jacqueline Cieslak Woolfork dress today. It's so breezy and easy and was admired by many colleagues!

There are a few minor things I'll alter before making it again, principally:
slightly lowering the dart and pulling the point back a little
increasing the armscye a tiny bit
increasing my forward shoulder adjustment a tiny bit
extending the outer edge of the armscye to improve bra strap coverage

I also want to change the pocket shape a bit - it's rather square and I think would look better if it's a bit rounded, maybe with a pleat added. And some decorative stitching.
And I think I'll use a flat felled seam for a nicer feature

All sounds rather a lot but I think once it's right I'll be so happy!

Then I'm going to make it as a top and maybe add a placket or a false placket!

And maybe experiment with rotating the dart to a Princess seam...

NutellaEllaElla · 14/06/2023 19:59

How did you learn to do all those things @TragicMuse ?

OP posts:
TragicMuse · 14/06/2023 23:03

NutellaEllaElla · 14/06/2023 19:59

How did you learn to do all those things @TragicMuse ?

Good question!

A mixture of watching videos, reading blogs and consulting fitting books. And taking part in Facebook groups.
And doing a couple of fitting courses.

So, I'd really recommend looking at In-House Patterns. Alexandra is really good at explaining how and why you might an alteration. She has many videos to explain certain techniques. She also has a long course and if you can afford it it's very good. I learnt absolutely loads from doing it.

Fitting books such as Real Fit for Real People is good. It might look old-fashioned but the skills are still completely relevant.

Threads Magazine has an archive of articles which are very informative.

A lot of it is understanding your own shape and what fit means for you. So for example, for me, I can see that the darts are just too high. That's a measuring error by me, and I know I need to lower it. And then I also know that darts should end an inch or so from the apex/bust point and this one is a bit too long so I'll relocate the bust point, pull the dart point back and then redraw the dart legs.

Learning about darts is a valuable skill: you can rotate them to almost anywhere from the bust point, you can split them and have more than one, you can turn them into a Princess seam. But unless anyone tells you this and shows you how you're always stuck with something that might not work best for you.

Mostly though, I just read! And pick things up.

TragicMuse · 14/06/2023 23:06

In the end, it's only fabric. Practice on old sheets from the charity shop till you're ore confident.

But mostly, it doesn't matter if you get it wrong! No one will die, and the sky won't fall in! It's absolutely not worth getting worked up about, even when you try and try and want something great and it just isn't! It's still only fabric!

Just keep trying. Learning. Practicing.