Stitch and bitch thread #10. There’s a pattern here

[NutellaEllaElla]

Time for a new thread as the weather starts to turn.
Welcome back oldies and come on in newbies!

@Brefugee
@PickAChew
@BlackAmericanoNoSugar
@Bookbook
@Allthegoodnamestakken
@SewingBees
@Twobluechickens
@kittykarate
@Jins
@Chewbecca
@CrimsonAlligator
@InMySpareTime
@MeAgainAndAgain
@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie
@Rosenspants
@OperationalSupport
@Twobluechickens
@Frumpyunicorn
@Hiddendoor
@PrincessofWells
@Isabelle70
@Daffyyellow
@Sewliketosew
@Lifesingflowers
@123ZYX
@Faffadoodledo
@MorriganManor
@GnomeDePlume
@Isabelle70
@DiggoryVenn
@Wilma55
@ZebraD
@Frankincenseandoranges
@Catnipcupcakes
@Tinuviel
@Karatema
@Nameohnameohname
@Outandabout43
@Thesugarbumfairy
@DuchessNope
@ShoAndSew
@Notthatcatagain
@Spaceman101
@Karatema
@Twwodoorsaway

I have a Chris Wood pattern @ClearHoldBuild it's a bundle with the Envelope, Parasol and Casita dresses. I think I might give either the Parasol or Casita a go. I'm more of a quilter than a sewist so I'm hoping that the more geometric approach that she uses will suit me.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie sadly I can’t claim I invented it!

No sewing here this weekend - been out in the sunshine and feeling much better for it.

I’m still waiting for the orange overlocker thread I need to finish my 1st Donny shirt. While I’m waiting, I’ve made a 2nd one and cut out a 3rd…

I realised last year that I have very little to wear if the weather gets hot. That turned out to be not much of an issue in last year’s Summer, but I’m going on holiday in about two months’ time and it will probably be an issue then.

I need to be fairly covered, as I tend to get sunburnt fast, so am putting together a “uniform” of Donny shirts and Free Range Slacks. When it’s hot, I don’t really care that much about what I look like! I’m also planning to throw in a long sleeve Archer shirt. I’m going to be busy!

I’m not trying to enable anyone, but this is a nice pattern for anyone who prefers to avoid fastenings, but still wants something that looks a bit like a shirt.

That looks good @CrimsonAlligator I have just bought the pattern along with the long sleeve expansion and am planning both top and dress versions

I’m not going to be enabled….

I’m bookmarking it though 😆

I’ve cut out two pairs of Sinclair Kiki briefs in some cotton Lycra that I bought for t shirts, not realising it was pretty see through when stretched. That’s buying in person as well so there’s no excuse. I’m going to use some of it for a lined dress of some sort but I do like sewing underwear and I don’t care if it’s a bit see through.

Have been MIA for ages and not sewn anything lately but lurking here and loving what I see! Huge work project now concluded so have cut out a TATB Stevie in a more eveningy fabric … a gunmetal tencel which has a lovely sheen to it. I have a cruise coming up and keep ordering rtw evening dresses only to return constantly. I’d like to add some decorative trim to the hem and maybe the neckline or sleeve hems. Any ideas? I’ve seen some pretty silvery lace trim to buy online. Can this be machined on or should it be hand sewn?

It is a lovely design, @CrimsonAlligator - I have a donny shirt sitting in my wardrobe unworn. The linen I chose was a bit too coarse and unforgiving and the shoulders sit horribly on me. They just don't work as drop shoulders but are far, far too wide for a set in sleeve. I trawled through reviews and noticed a few others with the same issue.

ooh , that Donny shirt looks good CrimsonAlligator - I tend to wear long collared blouses with three quarter sleeves when I go on holiday ( also due to sunburn issues being a redhead with freckles and moles) . Would the sleeve lengthen easily ?

@bookbook , yes there’s a free tutorial on the Friday Pattern Company’s website on how to lengthen the sleeves and there’s a (paid) expansion for what looks like a slightly more complicated sleeve. I’m planning to draft my own at some point, but for my holiday I’ll be sticking to short sleeve plus a thin linen cardigan to keep my arms covered. Being fair skinned is a bit of a pain, isn’t it?!

Interesting what you’re saying about the shoulders @PickAChew. I haven’t noticed that particular problem myself, but did end up adding a sloped shoulder adjustment for the 2nd one. It’s not an adjustment I’ve had to do before, but my shoulders are definitely more sloped than the pattern is drafted for. The first one is still pretty wearable though. Just a few odd draglines that only a sewist would notice 🙂

@Frumpyunicorn I recommend checking the length of the top. A lot of the reviews I read mentioned the length and I ended up adding almost 4 inches myself. I’m tall, but not particularly long bodied, so that was a lot even for me!

Do you have a link to the trim @Rosenspants ? I’d imagine it can be sewn on by machine, but difficult to say for sure

Gunmetal tencel sounds like n intriguing fabric! Where did you find that?!

Hi @CrimsonAlligator ....something like this https://www.croftmill.co.uk/silver-lurex-trimming-edging-lace-15mm. or this, https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/silver-25mm-metallic-lace-trim-by-the-metre/5689671004.html

The fabric ...well, I hope I remember correctly that it's tencel! I think that's what they said... it's a very dark grey but with a sheen so I called it gunmetal. I'm getting confused on the website as I bought it in person but think it's this...
www.clothkits.co.uk/collections/dressmaking-fabrics/products/remnant-75cm-black-sanded-tencel-lyocell-linen-fabric

I have started cutting out a pattern for a pouffe, based on the Closet Core free pattern. I’ve got lots of leftover fabric from some curtains I had made and thought it would be nice to have a matching pouffe. They suggest stuffing it with all your scraps so that should help reduce scrap mountain somewhat!

@Rosenspants I don’t have much experience working with those kind of trims, but it looks like those could be sewn on with a machine.

Does anyone else on this thread know?

Having lots of fun with this, it’s a really satisfying make. Even made my own piping for the first time! Next up is the zip and then sewing it all together.

Abakhan has some patterns in their 3 for £9 . Some fugly things in there but also some solid basics.

After searching the internet for fusible foam without buying any I was driving past Jaycotts and popped in. Lo and behold they had it!

I keep forgetting they are there but they are tucked away in the industrial estate and not very visible. Lovely people though. Really helpful and friendly

I am trying to decide which ready made curtains I like from John Lewis.. the only issue is I need to get the longest length and then shorten them. What would be the best way when you need 234cm and they are 275cm? My dining room table won't be big enough unless I measure up from the bottom to get the size?

The only way to do it is to clear the floor.

If you're wanting pencil pleat, it's often easier to lop the top off than re-hem them.

Be prepared for them to be sewn about as straight as a twiglet and quite bouncy.

Thank you @PickAChew I don't know if I would ever get all the dog fluff off the floor!
I like the idea of chopping the top off.
One of the pairs I ordered to see what the colour and pattern was like, the most expensive didn't look that good on the finish. It has a straight pattern on the fabric but it looks like it has been pulled out of shape when sewn.

blimey, i managed to delet this thread off the "I'm watching"

i have bought fabric (2 lots of 100% cotton, reduced to EUR 5/ Metre) and ... drumroll please - cut out and started sewing a dress. It is a Toile for a 20s style summer dress.

But. The fabric is all wrong, i don't think it will hang properly. But. I had started making this dress, also a toile, out of lovely swingy viscose 5 years ago - but the fabric frayed too much and i cocked up the (bias facing) v-neck so that has been sitting in a heap. But. The first fabric is really suitable for the dress, and i have enough to recut the pieces i messed up. So. What do i do now? Carry on with the 2nd Toile, or start again with the first dress (which was intended as a toile for some lovely fabric, which i have now realised isn't drapey enough.

Urgh. If you managed that, this should be the dress.

Kleid 04/2015 #105A | BurdaStyle

sorry me again. Supplementary question. What do you do if/when halfway through making something, you realise that you won't wear it for some reason?

It should work, @ShoAndSew but obviously you will get a much fuller skirt. Sometimes it's useful to use a more stable fabric to practice any fiddly bits, anyhow.

I've sent a few unworn things to the charity shop. One just went in the bin.

It really depends on what the reason is - if it doesn’t suit me, I’ll see if there are any changes I can make to make it work better. Sometimes removing a bit of volume or making things a little bit shorter makes a massive difference to the overall look.

If I really don’t like what I’m making and there’s nothing I can learn from continuing, I’ll walk away. Sure, it’s a waste of resources, but my time is valuable too and I don’t want to waste that either.

I tend to spend a lot of time planning my projects and more or less know what shapes work for me, so it’s rare that something turns out to be a complete disaster.

I have however bought plenty of fabric, thinking it would work for something and then changed my mind once I got my hands on it. When that happens, I just add it to my stash. It will come in handy…some day!

my "problem" is that i am not coming to terms with my (menopause related) weight gain and new shape. So it's not really clear to me what will work.

Oh well, every garment we work on gives us practice.

I usually make similar things so there aren’t too many surprises. There are a few items I’ve made that haven’t been worn. Some have gone to the charity shop, some have been made into cami tops etc and some have been binned. The ones that went in the bin were things like a playsuit that made me look like a beach ball.

I’m losing weight at the moment but there hasn’t been much change in my measurements. I may try some more fitted projects when I lose a bit more but they’re likely to end up in the bin as well