Stitch and bitch thread #9. I have pressing concerns

[NutellaEllaElla]

Welcome welcome!

I've not made anything for ages after I screwed up the same thing twice. I'm gonna have another blimmin crack at it though! I've reconnected with another hobby and work is seriously getting in the way of everything I want to do, darn it.

@Daffyyellow
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@Jins
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@PickAChew
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A little more overlock stitch eye candy before it gets sewn on. After starting off with slightly cheaper thread (gutermann toldilock) that frequently snapped and looked a fluffy mess after a few washes, I have moved over to madeira threads. I have selection of neutrals plus 2 each of shades close to those I tend to wear. In this case, the darker plum is in the upper looper and left needle and the lighter shade in the lower looper and right needle.

That’s gorgeous @PickAChew.

Some coverstitch eye candy - 10mm woven elastic, double turned and narrow coverstitched. It’s still a bit uneven but I’m getting there. It’s very fast for topstitching

Viscose rayon challis - can anyone share how this is and what it is good for please?
I have previously only sewn with cottons and linens, partly because I am a sweaty betty and prefer to wear these, plus I was advised they are nice and stable to sew.
I have seen some of the above I like and an wondering if it is time to move on and what sort of clothes the fabric would be good for? Ok for hot holidays?

90% of my sewing is viscose/rayon challis. It drapes beautifully and is very cool and comfortable to wear. It’s a semi natural fabric On the downside it’s not very stable to work with although I’ve got used it it now and find stable wovens weird to work with. Be careful cutting out and use more weights or pins than you think you need. Stay stitch necklines immediately as they can stretch out. If a pattern says to use interfacing it’s not optional with viscose but you need a very light one. I find facings work better than binding, understitch, even if you plan on topstitching and use a new needle.

It is gorgeous for hot holidays. Tops and dresses especially. Trousers need slightly heavier weight like viscose twill can be but most of the flowery summer trousers in the shops over the last few years were viscose

I feel you’re trying to enable me with these lovely pictures @PickAChewThat coverstitch looks good @Jins . I’m trying very hard not to look now that I’ve engaged machine-buying-mode 😂

I would love to go and try out some over lockers in person, but the nearest retailer is more than an hour from where I live and…not open at the weekend 😣

I am heading in the direction of Birmingham in a few weeks, which seems to have lots of sewing machine & fabric retailers. Nothing like the sewing desert I live in

Thanks v much for that Jins, just what I was wondering. I might give it a try for a little top and do lots of tests!

Head for the Fancy Silk Store at the back of the bullring, assuming it's still there. Not for sewing machines but it's filled to the brim with fabrics

Birmingham is very rich pickings with GUR and the Nutts. I tend to get mine from Sunderland as it's easy for me to get to in person (I don't drive) but other than that, it's up to Whitley Bay (no parking near the store) or down the A1 - quite quick to get to in the car but not open Saturdays and the servicing is expensive and gets bad reviews.

The sewing studio have some nice videos of some of the machines they sell so they're useful for machines you can't get to see in person. You are better off buying as locally as possible for support and servicing, though.

I think you have Sew Essential down your way, too.

@CrimsonAlligator as well as Fancy Silks at the back of the bullring there’s also Barry’s a short walk away, and fabric stalls in the rag market too - take a big bag! I’ve had some lovely fabrics from the rag market at very cheap prices.

I got both my overlocker and my sewing machine from Frank Nutt in Kings Heath. They have helped me in person, over the phone and given me parts I thought hadn't come with it but in fact did, I was just blind. In the same area is a fab haberdashery store, tiny but packed to the rafters.

A stones throw from there is Guthrie and Ghani. And yes Barry's is my favourite fabric shop, then the fancy silk store (both are fab to be fair), then the rag market. There's only a few stands mind, both inside and out.

Overlocker is for seams and a coverstitch for hems (as a very quick, not detailed, rule of thumb).

I started with a second hand but hardly used Singer, it took for 7 years to get out of the box!! Overlockers have a bad rep for threading but they’re really not that bad, angled tweezers help hugely! I broke the lower looper during lockdown and ordered a new Brother 4234D, chosen for its needle threader, bought from a local independent retailer who did next day delivery! My ‘new’ overlocker is noisier es a much better result.

Coverstitch I have the Janome 2000cpx. It’s a Marmite machine, I love mine. I bought an ex-demo machine from GUR, which meant any ‘kinks’ had been worked out! Coverstitch machines are simpler to thread than overlockers, I tend to stick to a 3 top thread stitch.

I mainly sew with knits, my overlocker gets the most use, then the coverstitch and the least (apart from sewing for costumes) is my sewing machine. I love all my machines and I think having an overlocker is almost a necessity if you sew enough knits. A coverstitch is a lovely luxury!

also second buying your machine from a local shop/dealer. I got my regular machine and my overlocker from a local place. Each time they didn't let me take it away until they had watched me thread it. Twice.
With the overlocker they took the time to show me how to thread it a few times, then i had a couple of goes, and did some stitching. And they do courses, much cheaper if you bought your machine from them, i haven't managed it, but i have heard they're good.

Anyone know of a good fabric shop (or shops) in or near Sheffield?

@Brefugee you must be near me! The only one I know of is in Hillsborough which is OK but not amazing. And the sewing shop in Penistone sells a few dress making fabrics but I have never bought any. I keep meaning to go up to fabworks sometime to check it out too but haven't made it yet.

thats a seam of beauty PickAChew ( and that coverstitch stiff *Jins)

@GnomeDePlume - well do you know , I have no idea on the floor cushion ! It was gifted to my daughter (from my SIL ) when she left for Uni , nearly 25 years ago , and its still going strong , albeit I have covered it 3 times now 😂 I must ask her !.

i live in Germany but i'm from Sheffield and visit there regularly to see to my mum. The one in Hillsborough is on the side street up from the crossroads? (there's a butcher on the corner?) I only realised it was there on my last visit it was very cramped but better than nothing.

I'll have my car so maybe we'll travel a bit further afield and have a look round.

Sheffield must have some decent fabric shops! I went to uni there many years ago and used to buy my fabric at Cole Brothers.

@bookbook I understand! I thought you were making one from scratch. 25 years with occasional recovering is good going!

it closed. It had the best haberdashery department of any shop anywhere. But it's gone and my sewing heart is broken.

Ah what a shame! I recently made some trousers in a wool fabric I bought from there nearly 30 years ago - even still had the receipt! 1996 it was.

I’m on fire! At 7.30 this was a piece of folded fabric and now I’m ready for breakfast with friends.

Love Notions Forte view B top in some random lowish stretch jersey. Sized down with full bust piece

I brought over (oh about 20 years ago) a load of my mum's sewing supplies. All sorts of haberdashery items - and often still in their original packaging. Lots of things in Coles bags. (some from before it moved to Barker's Pool) but also places like Caley's in Windsor. Where we lived in the mid 70s!

I still have bits of fabric in paper Heelas (JL in Reading) bags, likely from the 70s and 80s, from my mum’s stash, as well as haberdashery from Bromley Army & Navy (grandma’s stash). I love it 😁

I recently used a "dress zipper" to make an old t-shirt into a big cushion cover. It was very long, cotton fabric but tiny metal teeth. All packed in the original cardboard. It feels kind of sacreligious to use it on one hand, but on the other hand - whyever not?

I have a lot of lace she bought over the years in the markets in Sheffield (locals will know how long they've been closed!) and so on.

@Jins I admire your industry! And that is a lovely top.

I think it is lovely to use old fabrics. Especially if the process reminds you of the person who originally bought it.

I found myself on Dalston Mills website this morning. I bought the fabric I will be using to make my top for DD's wedding. Somehow 5 metres of batik cotton also leapt into my basket at checkout. Know idea how that happened😳.