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
@rivercobbler
@bookbook
@FletchingStraight
@Tinuviel
@Karatema
@Brefugee
@kittykarate
@Greaterthanthesumoftheparts
@FriendsDrinkBook
@123ZYX
@SparkleHard
@FarEast
@Dellabob123
@Twobluechickens
@SBAM
@InMySpareTime
@Jins
@CrimsonAlligator
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@Bouncydog
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@GonnaGetGoingReturns
@Subolooo
@SleepingisanArt
@GnomeDePlume
@Chewbecca
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@Cynderella
@PickAChew
@Wildernesstips
@Pastabest
@BlackAmericanoNoSugar
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@WickDittington
@Allthegoodnamestakken
@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie
@SheWasASkaterGirl
@Isabelle70
@Twwodoorsaway
@FloofyBird

Wow, those are BIG! @kittykarate Are you planning to leave them like that, or take them in a bit? They’re very on trend as they are (I think!? I don’t exactly have my finger on the fashion pulse, so could be wrong)

Glad you’re enjoying your 1/4 inch foot @Allthegoodnamestakken. It’s one of my most used feet and I don’t even quilt! I bet it really comes into its own when you’re a quilter.

I’ve been working on fulfilling my dream of owning a pair of pink linen trousers over the weekend. Left it a bit late in the season, but fortunately the fabric I’m using is thicker than I originally had in mind, so should be ok to still wear them in early/mid Autumn.

I’m using the Free Range slacks pattern, with a ton of adjustments. I’m contemplating double welt pockets on the back and have already sewn up the re-engineered front pockets. I spent about three hours on those yesterday. Suddenly I understand the appeal of patch pockets…sadly they just don’t fit my vision for that dream pair of trousers!

Think I’m going to spend a bit of time this week practicing my welt pocket sewing skills and then decide whether to add them or not 🤔

Eeeh, we won’t need any coal this month, there’s plenty of slack in your pants, as my Granny would have said

They have a nice drape and will look stunning with a plain top.

Just seen this @GnomeDePlume ( been a bit busy! ) - just normal pants , but I suspect they will get through a fair few with being twins , so may as well use up small scraps I have . ( mind you , I did make a load of reuseable sanitary towels for my DD's and still have zorb and PUL in my stash I could use .....🤔)

@kittykarate they are fabulously huge! You’ve reminded me that I have stashed scuba to use up.

Yesterday I managed to squeeze an Ogden cami out of the remnant I made some PJ shorts from. In the interest of experimentation I cut the facings out of powermesh and turned them into a shelf bra. Not entirely successful as there’s a bit of pulling here and there but totally fine for sleeping in.

I would probably break my neck in those wide legged pants but at least it would look spectacular 😁

Not getting much sewing done. Roll on term time.

Yesterday I bound 4 pockets and sewed 4 darts, then I sewed the pocket opening shut and decided it was time for bed!

No progress today on the Fairfax Jackets (1 sleeveless) that they will become!

It’s been cutting out day for me today. I’ve managed to get a pair of shorts out of a strange shaped chambray remnant (and there should be enough for a bucket hat but I’m not tempting fate by cutting it out yet). I’ve cut out a hopefully wearable toile for the etty camisole and will work on that tomorrow. If that goes to plan I’ve got a couple of viscose remnants that I’ll make final versions in. I suspect it isn’t as bra friendly as the Ogden though.

I’ll need to rethread the machines tomorrow as I’ve come to the end of the light coloured projects. That won’t help my mood

LOL @Jins I overlocked my recent project (turquoise fabric) in navy thread because I couldn’t face re threading the damn thing. Nobody will know but me so meh 🤷‍♀️

And my advent calendar arrived today!! KATM labels for December.

Anyone else have a sewing advent calendar? I may need a bigger tin to store my labels!!

I sewed a festival wristband onto DH's camp blanket. The blanket is now about half covered with wristbands and fabric patches, but is a lovely record of all the places he's been and things he's seen.

I love the trousers @kittykarate

I am impressed with how quickly some of you get things done. I am still working on the estuary I have finished the waistband (thanks for all the tips on handstitching it really worked) and want to get the buttonholes and hemming done before I go away on Wednesday.

Hello, I've been away so no sewing in the last week or so. Am half way through a sussex seamstress salvington top so I'll crack on with that later. I'm new to this so finding my way. I was thinking that there are plenty of summery things to sew, camis, lightweight dresses etc, but looking ahead to autumn/winter, I'd like to make some things suitable for work. I'm a bit lost. Maybe I'll try a blouse at some point. A basic shell top pattern should be a winner for me. The salvington top is great but possibly a little short. I might need to try and lengthen it a bit. I like a neat fit but don't want any midriff exposed!

Beyond that, maybe a skirt or dress in heavier fabric? Is it going to get a lot trickier? I'm not sure what to look for that will be manageable.

So for autumn / winter you could go for

• your favourite top patterns but long/ 3/4 sleeve (if they have those options). I'm probably going to make more remy raglans with long sleeves, but probably still in viscose/cotton as I can layer over them.
• Cardigans - there are some cute cardigan patterns out there that aren't crazy difficult. Look for edge to edge type styles that don't have any buttonholes to make your life miserable. There's one in the TatB Make it Simple book called Bertha that doesn't have any buttonholes to make it too stressy. I made a Jessie coatigan from Sew Over It and that came out nice without being too stressfull.
• Dresses. You can make up dresses in heavier fabric, so dress styles like Jalie Nicole / TatB Cleo / TatB Billie but in sweatshirt/french terry/ponte roma

When you sew heavier fabrics, the main pain in the ass is when you've got a lot of seam allowances together and it gets thick, and your poor presser foot has a mountain to climb getting over a hump, the dogs can't move the fabric forwards and it gets into a tangle. There are little gadgets like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulky-Seam-Hemline-Machine-Sewing/dp/B07G1JYD7Z that you put under your presser foot to help it over those humps.

I personally find that the biggest difference between my summer and winter wardrobe is the number of layers! So favourite summer tops can still be really useful in winter if they look good under a jacket or a cardigan.

For winter specific garments, my favourite fabrics are things like stable knits (Ponte Roma), twill and corduroy (a bit harder to sew than the other two). All of those are a good weight for a winter skirt/dress.

Speaking of autumn/ winter garments, I just bought myself the Grainline Thayer jacket pattern. I doubt I have the skills to sew it up, but it’s been on my wish list for so long that I think I just need to give it a go! One of the pieces of denim I got in my lucky dip looks like it’s the perfect weight, plus I already have some off grain brushed cotton in my stash that I reckon would make a good lining. Nothing to lose, right?! Just need to work my way through all the other things on my sewing list first..

My summer and winter wardrobe is the same with heavier weight trousers in the winter and the addition of cardigans. I hate to feel bunched up fabric under the arms of a cardigan so my sleeveless tops work well. If I don’t wear a cardigan then I wear a longer sleeved top with a t shirt underneath.

Straightforward top patterns that I’ve made that have sleeve variations are Love Notions Rhapsody (no 1 top for me) and cadence (simpler). The Remy raglan mentioned above is nice. Sinclair have a free cardigan pattern, the Harper, which is straightforward and I have to mention their Poppy pants which are drafted for different heights and not too challenging.

I think they’d all be suitable for work depending on fabrics. I’ve certainly worn them all to work

So I sewed again late last night - 4 pockets, only sewed one seam wrongly!! Then got both the sleeveless and the sleeved jacket clipped at the seams ready to be overlocked. But with all the mistakes I made I decided I’d better go to bed.

Argh. Sewing the facing to my salvington top and my rouleau button hole somehow got chewed up in the seams and disappeared. It's not been an easy one for me for some reason, too short despite measuring and I think it will come out too small.
More browsing and I came across Anne Kerdites patterns, I like her style, feminine and neat without being fussy. Has anyone used any of these?

That is frustrating @Sewliketosew, but not a usual experience for the first few garments I’d think. Is there a way to salvage it? It does look like a shortish top on the SS website.

I’ve not come across Anne Kerdiles patterns, but don’t exactly have my finger on the sewing pulse. All the patterns I have lined up are from the mid 2010’s. Practically retro!

I assume the instructions are in French?

I went into Walthamstow today as I just needed thread.
I came home with the thread, plus 7m of fabric (2x 3m cuts of cotton/linen blend and 1m rainbow ruffled tulle chosen by my 7 year old).
And then when I got home there was 2m of cotton waiting from rainbow fabrics. Except it’s a 100” wide piece so it’s enormous 🤦🏻‍♀️ my self imposed fabric buying ban isn’t going well.

@kittykarate What kind of fabric would you recommend for the Tilly and the Buttons cardigans? I've got the book and also another cardigan pattern from her which I think might be called Nora.

Do you have a plan for the tulle?

I used scuba, as it is my go to fabric for things that need to hold their shape without being a pain to sew. French Terry or a thin sweatshirt would work.

Thank you.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I’ve made both the Bertha and the Nora, Bertha in French Terry and Nora in a double layered knit. I think French Terry is a good choice. I would say pay attention to the finished measurements, mine both turned out too big. They’re fine for slouching around at home but I don’t wear them out.
@123ZYX the tulle is intended to be a skirt for the 7 year old. I’m hoping it won’t need hemming, and I can just gather it onto an elastic waistband.

Im going on holiday in a week though so I want to see if I can make myself a dress or some trousers before I go (or both). Nothing like a made up deadline to get me sewing!

I’ve finished my etty camisole toile and it’s going to need work to get a decent fit. Too loose under the arms and too tight across the bust so size down and FBA needed. I made a decent job of the scalloped neckline but it’s a bit too ‘flappy’.

Can I be bothered with it? Doubt it when I’ve perfected the Ogden. Might have a search through Instagram and YouTube for ideas.

On to the chambray shorts tomorrow and I think I might go mad with topstitching and machine embroidery