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.

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@GnomeDePlume Somehow 5 metres of batik cotton also leapt into my basket at checkout. Know idea how that happened😳.

I hate it when that happens 😉

@GnomeDePlume I love batik fabric, need to perfect my skills before splashing out on some!

Wondering if anyone has any advice or tutorials on shirring? I love a nice shirred sundress but thinking it's perhaps very optimistic for someone with 2 unwearable tops, one quilt and one dress under her belt.

I'd also be interested in learning shirring. I've tried and failed once but I love the easy, comfortable fit. Have you got any patterns in mind @Allthegoodnamestakken ?

I’ve used this tutorial in the past and had good results - https://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2023/04/how-to-sew-shirring.html I’m definitely not an expert though!

I did a limited amount (bands of 4 or 5 lines ) of shirring on one of the Tilly and the Buttons blouses - it's not 'difficult' but you have to do a lot of jiggling on the settings to get it to be the right tension for your garment. And it's a faff to hand wind the elastic on the bobbin, so doing a sun dress worth would probably drive me nutty! They had a pretty good blog post describing how to do it https://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2023/04/how-to-sew-shirring.html

3/4 of the way through my Style Arc Petra coat. Interesting construction although I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners as the instructions are minimal (worse than big 4 patterns!). I got stuck on clipping the collar corners to be able to sew around the corners but good ol’ YouTube saved the day. Just got sleeves and pockets to do once I’ve mitred the hems. Am doing Hong Kong seams and bias binding the facing edges too which is taking a while but looks great, really glad I bothered.

I had a style arc jersey blazer pattern, I couldn't believe how minimal the instructions were. There were a few lines of text, and a picture of the joining points that looked like it was in an anatomy textbook.

I only buy their simple patterns now, as they do do some nice quirky tshirts.

I've never bought a Stylearc pattern because I've heard so many bad things about the instructions. Even as an experienced sewer I still need decent instructions.

I'm making a Jalie shacket at the moment, out of boiled wool. I'm planning to bind the edges, something I've never done before. I've bound plenty of quilts, never clothes, feeling slightly nervous!

I've heard that Stylearc do some sewalong type videos but they didn't for the pattern I wanted so i've never bought from them.

This was my first time binding too, but it looks so nice when it’s done! Don’t rush is my advice, it’s fiddly but worth the time and effort. Mine is wonky but I’m still very pleased! Also using boiled wool. The binding is a cotton lawn which is really easy to press.

Lovely binding and it does finish the seams beautifully.

Very nice binding, @twobluechickens

I haven't braved shirring yet, but I think there's a lot of useful info (and maybe a video) on the Tilly and the Buttons site.

@twobluechickens that is lovely, I’d be forever showing that off every time I wore it 😂.

I’ve been trying pintucks for the first time, I’m making the maison fauve tilda blouse. They’re very fiddly, but it’s probably my own fault for using a sheer cotton muslin fabric for it.
Does anyone have a good recommendation for interfacing suppliers? I recently ordered some ‘lightweight’ interfacing from Dalston mill and it’s quite crispy and stiff. I had some lovely stuff before, which had much more drape, but I cannot remember where it came from.

I use either fine cotton fusible or, for drapier fabrics, a lightweight stretch interfacing. English Couture Company used to be a great source of high quality interfacing but she shut up shop, last year. I've not needed to look for an alternate supplier, yet, as I stocked up when she made the announcement.

You could sew in an extra layer of your main fabric.

Wait till you see the whole thing, @OperationalSupport - I might just wear it inside out 😂

I made the Tilda in a vintage viscose that was slippery as hell. My pintucks were wonky but it still looked good. Unfortunately the blouse itself didn’t suit me so it’s gone to the chazzer.

Lovely binding @twobluechickens. I do love a bit of binding. You’d never get that on purchased clothes and it’s one of the joys of sewing your own.

Coverstitch practice continues. I decided to use up some Lycra that I thought was swim Lycra but isn’t for a cami top for PJs but it didn’t go well. The overlocker handled it well but I had massive numbers of skipped stitches on the sewing machine and it was determined to get stuck in the feed dogs of the coverstitch. It’s definitely down to the fabric as I ran some scrap cotton Lycra through everything as a test. So seeing as I don’t love the fabric it’s going into the rag collection my neighbour runs.

After a disastrous, non-productive day yesterday I feel I need to sew something straightforward today.

I finished by jersey dress/nightie. I have taken a photo, but the unloved jersey is definitely a bit on the skimpy side, so it's far too nipsy for general consumption. It was the True Bias Zoey Tank/Dress, which was a pretty nice make, though the binding/strap construction phase felt a bit of a faff.

@OperationalSupport this interfacing works well for lightweight fabrics -

https://www.minerva.com/mp/1119394/vilene-vlieseline-f220-light-interfacing-charcoal&variant=1083644

I've been away in Birmingham for work. I'll be arriving home just in time for Sewing Bee. Is it acceptable to just walk in, plonk myself on the sofa and tell everyone to shhh?

Totally acceptable @SewingBees.

Slightly better sewing day for me but all I’ve achieved is a pj top with a twisted shoulder strap that I have decided not to fix as the coverstitching isn’t too bad.

Turns out I couldn’t wait until my trip to Birmingham to buy an overlocker. Am now impatiently waiting for some thread to arrive so that I can try it out!

Ooh exciting! What did brand you go for?

We will need pics, @CrimsonAlligator

How exciting @CrimsonAlligator. You won’t regret it.

I’ve done my kinjarling adjustments and made a wearable toile. What I should have remembered was that my first toile was in cotton and the wearable toile is in viscose so it’s more relaxed in fit and possibly slightly too big. A tie belt will sort it. I’ve not bothered with the pockets and made a skirt out of what fabric was left. Hopefully we’ll have some summer soon to wear it