Stitch and bitch thread #8. It’s all starting to unravel

[NutellaEllaElla]

Welcome back and welcome for the first time to any newbies. As we go back into autumn/winter mode, sewing days are more and more appealing as the wind gales outside. I enjoyed looking back over the last thread, there were so many beautiful patterns (so little time), such beautiful makes, that thread is an absolute goldmine for inspiration. Also such wisdom from you lovely lot! Thank you. I couldn't do it without you actually as no one around me sews and you have imparted such great advice, hints and tips.

@PickAChew
@kittykarate
@TragicMuse
@SBAM
@pastabest
@Jins
@Blackamericanonosugar
@CrimsonAlligator
@SleepingisanArt
@dubyalass
@Brefugee
@InMySpareTime
@Rosenspants
@rivercobbler
@Karatema
@bookbook
@Sewingdufus
@FletchingStraight
@SideWonder
@CarolynKnappShappy
@Chewbecca
@eldorado02
@PrincessofWellies
@123ZYX
@Storynanny1
@Tinuviel
@Wildernesstips
@Dellabob123
@florentini
@longpathtohappiness
@twobluechickens

Oh God, I had to order a new zip to mend DS cargo trousers, but the basket looked a bit empty so I had to order some viscose fabric too. Still no actual sewing for a while - I need to get my house back in order after Christmas.

arghh melty fabric is The Worst @NutellaEllaElla
in an unexpected turn it's Christmas Eve and i have everything done, nothing to wrap and only to work out, maybe, how to actually hang the stockings somewhere. And maybe recreational sewing.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Do you have any plans for what to make with that @Wildernesstips ? I snapped up some French terry with the same print at the start of the year, but have yet to work out what to do with it as it’s pretty wild on the terry fabric. Still love it though! It looks a touch more muted on the challis.

Merry Christmas everyone!

@CrimsonAlligator I was thinking of making a dress from FibreMood but I need to see how it handles when I get it because it might not be quite right for it.

Anyone get anything sewing related for Christmas?

Merry Christmas all!

I got a new cutting mat (my old one had a big bump in it) and a cute hedgehog pin cushion.

Now all I need is some time to sew!

Merry Christmas! Had a couple of sewing gifts: Prym press stud pliers and some personalised labels.

I am back in my sewing room working on a dress for DD1. I've realised I've made a mistake in the cutting out. The bodice pieces are the wrong way up. It isn't hugely noticeable (fern leaf pattern) but I know.

My own fault. I had got distracted trying to sort out the overlocker and forgot to check.

I gave a couple of sewing gifts to DM which she seemed happy with. A cross back apron and a shirt/jacket. The jacket was my first go at sewing cord. Heavens above it's thick!

Does anyone else have a lottery win fantasy sewing room? A machining bench with sewing machines and overlocker permanently sited, a huge cutting table and lots of storage for fabrics etc. I dream!

When I'm idly browsing on Rightmove, I always make sure I can identify a potential sewing room before I give a fantasy house my approval, @GnomeDePlume as for now I'm stuck with the dining table and machines I'm able to carry around the house, relatively easily.

Must have space for an overlocker, coverstitch and 2 other machines with storage for a couple more and a lot of fabric. Room for my big ironing board and somewhere to pull out a nice, high cutting table. A box room will not be sufficient! Good light is a must.

I’m very lucky to have a sewing room, but it’s the box room. So yes, on rightmove browsing for lottery win purposes I do look for something bigger so I can have a massive cutting table and a separate workbench. And a haberdashery for my stash.
I think I basically want the sewing bee studio.

I have a sewing room, but it's the guest room so my cutting table is a huge whiteboard on the spare bed (which has drawers full of my fabric stash) and means I can't sew if we have guests staying.
Just one more DC to fledge then I can call his room the guest room and keep my sewing room to myself.

Glad to know I'm not alone in having a fantasy sewing room!

It is the permanence which I dont have now. My sewing room doubles as guest room so I lose it when we have visitors. I would justify a dedicated room by making all the soft furnishings.

when first DC moved out, remaining DC moved into their (redecorated) room and i got the Spare (which was also redecorated) for sewing/office. Then when remaining DC moved out i made that room into the spare (sofabed) room/office, and made the other one in to my sewing room. I have a huge IKEA table for a cutting table (it has an A0 cutting mat and space for an ironing mat - made by me from wood, blanket and a cotton covering) i also have a long thin IKEA desk with the overlocker and regular machine, plus billy bookshelves and a big chest of drawers and a tiny wardrobe. I am very spoiled because i can just start cutting, sewing, whatever, whenever i like.

Mine is currently set up in the dining room, but I live alone so I'm only inconveniencing myself by having my machine set up on the table. I am hoping to get a loft conversion done next year, ostensibly to create a third bedroom, but in reality it will be my home office/sewing room with room for a single bed if I choose to add one at any point. The walls will be covered with peg boards for all my equipment, thread etc.

Hello all! Also browsing rightmove for a house with a suitable seeing studio 😂😂😂 but in reality my kids will leave home at some point (right?) and I can annexe their bedrooms then.

I'm currently set up with my sewing machine on a desk at the end of the dining room and the ironing board up next to it. I just got an overlocker for Christmas (yay!). I do have a box room that is my office and I'm toying with the idea of how to set up that space for craft, BUT I am also quite lazy so moving a load of books around sounds boring and unappealing.

also sorry, didn't mean to come over all smug. Rather: this, too, might be yours if you have DCs at home and you will be able to stay in the house.

Previously it was schlepping stuff around, moving everything on and off the dining table, and having to pin and cut really quickly on the living room carpet before the (sadly now deceased) cat jumped all over it.

I’m in half of the room that hasn’t found a purpose since it was a playroom. The other half has a couple of ikea chairs and a tv so I can claim I haven’t taken it all.

Ideally I’d like a garden room for my sewing as I often find ‘stuff’ dumped in my space to be sorted. Makes me annoyed but after all these years it’s unlikely to stop

Just the one sewing gift for me - something called a sewing buddy which is a magnetic seam guide with an extra bit to help feed fabric under the presser foot. Not something I’d have chosen but it’s a very strong magnet and difficult to dislodge so it’ll be used

Out old study / office has been repurposed since I retired but it's not ideally set up so I use it for storing patterns / fabrics / stuff and the desk for my actual sewing but I use the dining table for cutting and laying out etc. I don't have a cutting mat though, just 🤞. Perhaps I need one!

I finished my Pona jacket, I am pleased with it except it is a little short, but so I am! It will need tucked in t shirts under. I hope it will be worn in spring.

Today I have cleared the dining table of all Christmas detritus and am cutting out a McCall's M8199 camisole top. It was a free pattern and I am using a cotton I bought for another project then decided I didn't like it so I don't have much to lose! It's my first McCalls so all good practice. Best case it will be good with shorts over a swimming costume (can't wear a bra with it), worst case it will be a gardening top (the category majority of my makes are in).

I got the itch, yesterday, and have traced off parts of the Cashmerette Creston Jeans pattern to make a toile. I have another pattern for non-stretch that I intend to do the same with. My dodgy eye needs further treatment so the black denim will have to stay in its box but I have some lovely blue twill to play with which shouldn't cause me any problems.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I did manage to complete the cushion cover in time, my first time doing a box cushion, and piping, it had loads of odd cut outs to fit the window seat so it was a massive challenge! But I was really happy with it, it only bloody fit!!

@SBAM I LOVE the sound of your hedgehog pin cushion!

I got given a magnetic bracelet that holds pins on it.

Eugh @GnomeDePlume I feel your pain. I can be very perfectionist and little things like that adding up really grates on me.

My sewing stuff is still stowed away since it lives on the dining table and was tidied for Christmas hosting. I'm not feeling massively motivated to sew today, but I have the rest of the week off and awful weather forecast is pushing in that direction. Obviously after Christmas (and before if i'm honest!) i'm not feeling super trim but I have a stretchy winter dress planned that is full of confusing lines to flatter and divert the eye...

@rivercobbler is that your first overlocker?

I've started rearranging my box room / study to make room for sewing! I will have to use the dining room for cutting out but I'm good with that. And I have bought a little wool ironing pad to hopefully avoid having to get up and move into the dining room all the time. Excited to see if this works!

@rivercobbler I feel my box room is set up pretty well for sewing, though I only have one machine. I have a wool pressing pad, though I prefer my half size ironing board, because I get nervous that pressing on the mat will damage my table/cutting mat (the wool mat can have a bit of a steamy damp patch under if pressing anymore than one quick thing).

I have a sit/stand type adjustable desk so I can crank it up to a comfortable height for cutting (I use a rotary cutter and 60x90cm cutting mat) and lower it for sewing. I have Kallax storage for my fabric and notions, and a pegboard to have my scissors, pattern pieces etc close to hand. I also have a whiteboard which I find handy for noting down measurements, type of needle in my machine, stitch settings if I’m taking a break

Oh, and my Cut price fabrics order arrived today - the suiting feels lovely. Quite lightweight but it’s very soft. Definitely more of a grey than khaki to my eye. I can’t decide between a pinafore (the Mood Gambit dress) or trousers (the Landers I’ve been intending to make since probably last Christmas). Or given I’ve got 3m maybe I try and squeeze both out of it.
The jersey id picked for my Sirocco test run was out of stock, they rang and said they’d send a different one but sadly I don’t like the print so much. It’ll do for a hopefully wearable toile though.

Did anyone do a ‘make nine’ at the start of the year?

My make 9.
1 Wrap dress/2 Oodie style blanket/3 Mile End Sweatshirt
4 cardigan/5 clothing from homemade patchwork/6 fancy dress
7 an item from a Commercial pattern/8 a gift/9 dungarees

I didn’t do very well.
1 wrap dress - no progress / 2 Oodie - cut but not sewn / 3 sweatshirt - have the pattern but no progress.
4 cardigan - made but hate it, wrong fabric choice, sewed through my finger in the process and stopped sewing for a month or more / 5 - patchwork, cut but not sewn, few issues to think through / 6 fancy dress - planned but not progressed, I will be Elmer the elephant!
7 - pattern bought / 8 gift - planned / 9 dungarees - toile made but sooo many issues.

I feel my Make 9 is a bigger challenge for next year than was intended for this year. Definitely hasn’t inspired my sewing! Meanwhile I have made plenty of pinafore dresses, culottes, T-shirts and tops.

I should have a think about my make 9. I don't remember if I specified what I wanted to make at the start of the year but it definitely included the Lander pants and the Assembly Line box pleat dress, plus another pair of Megan Nielsen Ash jeans. The Landers ended up being too small and really didn't suit me, mostly because of the exposed button fly.

I've made lots of other things too, mostly things I've seen people I follow wearing on Instagram. I fell for the Closet Core Mitchell trousers but managed to make them far too small, which was a shame. Might revisit those in the right size because I really like the design. The only new things I'm planning for next year are a coat and a boiled wool jacket/cardigan. Everything else will probably be patterns I've already made and which I wear lots.

@SBAM oooh,thats helpful, thanks! A whiteboard is a good idea. I've made good progress yesterday but lots to be done today. I've got a couple of storage items arriving soon that will help keep things in order. Most excited about putting a comfy chair in the corner for hand-stitching and embroidery / cross-stitch. And reading. I should probably also get a daylight-style lamp one day.

@NutellaEllaElla yes,it is my first overlocker. I'm using an old New Home sewing machine from the 70s (gifted from my MIL years ago) so felt like it was okay to ask for an overlocker for Christmas :)

can anyone recommend one of those magnifying glass/lamp combos? are they better if they're height adjustable so you can move them around? or one that goes on a desk? I'm finally at the point where i admit that i need a) very good light and b) better reading glasses to do any close-work.