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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Thanks for all these ideas everyone!

I’ve just measured the holes and they’re 3/8 inch long, alternated with 6/8 inch of fabric. Stupid question perhaps, but is it even possible to sew a stable seam with holes that size (e.g. what happens if the holes end up on top of each other and there’s effectively a 3/8 inch gap in the seam?) Do I need to interline the fabric? Use bias tape on the seams? Safely store the fabric in my stash for eternity? 😂 Didn’t think I’d be this thrown by a fabric!

In other news, I finished my second Arlo! I’d love to make another one in a thicker fabric, but the way the pockets are constructed means that there are a lot of layers in some places. So many in fact that my machine threw up safety errors I’ve never seen before when I was making this one out of a relatively thin French terry, so I think I’m going to have to look into another way to construct the pockets.

I would definitely want to line something with holes that big. I used a fabric with some very translucent patches to make a Tessuti Alice top, last year and underlined and interface the yokes and sleeve caps with cotton voile, in a similar shade, just using it as a free hanging lining in the gathered bit.

The arlo jacket looks great @CrimsonAlligator . Were the warnings just on thick bits or on bits that were both thick and interfaced?

Thanks for confirming my suspicions about needing to use some kind of lining with that fabric @PickAChew

The machine errors happens when I go over the side seams where there are a lot of layers. There’s no interfacing anywhere.

It’s almost as if the foot is knocked off course, which then results in the needle hitting the foot and my machine (understandably) having a major meltdown. I had similar issues on the first Arlo minus the alarm & flashing lights!

Thinking about it, I have noticed that the screw that holds the thing that holds the foot keeps coming loose, so may be there’s a problem there. Off to do some googling!

Thanks @CrimsonAlligator

Hopeful bump for nightdress patterns... anyone?

Are you using a hump jumper, @CrimsonAlligator ?@C@CrimsonAlligator? It doesn't have to be one of the plastic things. A folded up piece of card or sturdy fabric will do.

Just bumping this as I couldn't remember what you were after. Do you want fully sleeveless or a bit over the shoulders?

This might fit the bill.
https://merchantandmills.com/uk/the-lillian-pdf-uk-xs-xxl

Butterwick 6838 looks promising, if you can find it

This folkwear one is cute but I imagine the gathers are uncomfortable to sleep on. https://thefoldline.com/products/folkwear-223-a-ladys-chemise

I like the pleats on this one https://thefoldline.com/products/butterick-nightwear-b5792

Hello all, am busy enjoying sewing. Made a peppermint in the folds peplum top, the peplum is so fiddly but learned new skills including making my own bias binding.
Currently on a Sussex Seamstress wrap skirt.

The little JL mini machine I'm using is great, but I want to be able to do zips and one step buttonholes. Can anyone recommend a machine? Janome seem to be well reviewed and Bernina, but it's getting the right features in the right price range isn't it! I don't need much that is too fancy, it doesn't need to be computerised, non negotiable are a one step buttonhole and ability to put in a zip/invisible zip.

Are there fancy ones that assist with binding/rolling too? Not sure if I'd need this but sounds interesting.

Oh, and at some point in the distant future I'd love to make a coat. So handling thicker material would be helpful. Any advice welcome!

Now I want to make nightdresses!

I’ve not done very well with my planned sewing. It seems it was too boring. On the plus side I’ve reduced the stash a bit by making a LN forte T shirt and a self drafted sleeveless tank out of some jersey that I vacuum packed a while ago. I’ve also been making a pool coverup using a make it up as you go along approach. It’s using up some lightweight crepe that’s been hanging around too long. I’ve got the basic shape sorted and I’ll decide on length and whether to gather the sleeves tomorrow

What would your price range be, @Sewliketosew ?@S@Sewliketosew? (gets me every time that does).

At a bare minimum, if you want to sew a variety of fabrics, you will want variable foot pressure. My janome M50QDC is a nice machine and if I was choosing now with the same sort of budget, I would go for the ones they use on GBSB. They make nice buttonholes in the right hands! https://www.janome.co.uk/model-5060qdc

In older series, they started with the mechanical 725S before having more sophisticated machines for some of the later challenges. https://www.janome.co.uk/sewist-725

All those extra features like zips, rolled hems etc, are down to the presser feet. Here's a good selection of the feet available for the 5060DC (which, being computerised, has speed control which is wonderful for fiddly stuff) https://coulingsewingmachines.co.uk/spares-accessories/janome/feet/category-b-feet/?page=2

My nightwear is mostly old t-shirts and vests paired with old pyjama bottoms. I have never made pyjamas and am not a fan of trad styles, but recently remembered I have the Assembly Line pyjamas (a freebie if you sign up to their newsletter) printed and ready to go. I have some cotton lawn sitting doing nothing so I think I might give them a bash.
https://theassemblylineshop.com/products/free-pyjamas-sewing-pattern

Thanks @PickAChew I was definitely looking at the 725 as I had read it was used previously on gbsb. This could well suit me, though the more expensive one looks fab too. Call me old fashioned, but I'm not sure if I'm put off by the digital machines, just because if something goes wrong it'll be potentially trickier to fix. Whereas mechanics are just mechanics. (I'm like this about cars too) I may be overthinking it though. If I invest I would want it to last donkeys years.

Thanks for the nightwear ideas. None of them are quite what I’m after, which is essentially a loose mini chemise type thing, I think. I might just try extending a vest top pattern.

Hope find what you want. I had fun looking, @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie perhaps the Ogden cami (hacked to make it longer) would fit the bill?

@Sewliketosew this isn’t what I did when I bought my machine, but….it’s worth going to a sewing machine dealer. They can talk you through your options, pros and cons of mechanical vs computerised etc.

My machine is also a Janome (computerised) and apart from the recent blip reported on this thread, has always performed really well. Mine has speed control, which is amazing as it can go really really slowly. My first machine was a mechanical entry level Janome (around £100-£120 if I remember correctly). It was fine, but the speed it would sew at would terrify me as a beginner. Great for things with long straight seams, but not so much for fiddly things.

Mine comes with a huge number of stitches, but I only really use a select few (straight, stretch, automatic button hole). Unless you’re planning to do lots of quilting/ decorative stitches, you don’t need loads.

My machine is an ex-display from a shop that was closing down and came with a bag of unlabelled feet so I have a lot of them! Some are incredibly useful, others I still don’t know what to do with or are just not that useful for the kind of things I make.

i have a Brother Inovis A150 - i used to have an all-singing all-dancing Singer (bought in about... 1992) which also stitched sideways (left and right) which was great for putting patches on jeans. (it wasn't a quilting machine). it has several fancy stitches, including 3 alphabets, 2 needle positions (I'd like more) and variable speed.

When i bought mine (from a local shop) they didn't let me leave until they had explained a few things. They did the same with my overlocker too (made me thread it 3 times)

I can't remember who mentioned Walker Fabrics, last week, but I walked past, this morning, and despite what Google says, it is very much open!

It was me! But I hadn’t been in since June and not local so wouldn’t know recent closure. Glad it’s still there, I can pop in next time I’m up.

I’m still loving my Necchi machine from Aldi although I’m not sure it would handle very heavyweight fabric.

I decided to elasticate some cuffs on my beach coverup. The coverstitch made it a very satisfying job

I’m currently hating my Amberley. The facing doesn’t fit the neck, goodness knows how I’ve managed that and the main dress looks like it will be a huge, shapeless sack of a thing. So glad I used the discounted Abakhan linen!

@Sewliketosew I have the 725s and love it. I went to a shop and explained what I wanted and that was the one they recommended and I got to have a good try out in the shop. I would recommend it

@MorriganManor is it possible that your neckline has stretched? I always stay stitch diagonal or curved edges, even when the instructions don't mention it, as then I can ease it all to fit using the stitching if things don't match. I keep the pattern pieces handy to check before pinning.

That is a lovely finish @Jins

It's possibly slapdash seam allowance @PickAChew tbh. There seems way too much extra in the dress neckfor that though. It wasn't a problem with the 2 Trapezes I've done. I'm going to match the pattern pieces again to check and cobble together a new neck facing if I have to. The linen isn't particularly stretchy. I'll not blame the pattern just yet as I'm too much of a beginner to blame anyone else!