Stitch and bitch thread #11. Where the puns are only sew-sew

[NutellaEllaElla]

For sewists old and new. Join the fun, let us know what you're working on.
I apologise for not having been around at all. I've been away all footloose and fancy free but now i'm back and have NO NEED TO BUY NEW FABRIC. I must use what I have.

@PickAChew
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Just reread your post - the Pietra’s are definitely easier than the Mitchells, but the good thing is that both use the same crotch curve. So if you find that the Pietra’s work for you, you wouldn’t need to worry too much about the fit of the Mitchells.

Nothing worse than making a more complicated pattern only to find it doesn’t fit 😣

The pietras are very straightforward - though I have a couple of pairs that I need tighter elastic on and I just keep procrastinating that job 😂

The closet core Sienna pants have a fully elasticated waist but not a baggy fit like the Opal pants and the barrel leg option is quite subtle and slim fitting.

If anyone has missed the update on pattern review, the Big 4 have been saved by an employee buy out, btw, including the printing equipment. Excellent news for anyone who likes their patterns, designers who were publishing through them and the indie designers who used them for their own printed pattern publishing, as well as remaining employees.

That’s great news @PickAChew !

I’d always choose zips over buttonholes, especially jeans buttonholes. I’ve done them by hand in the past because my machine just didn’t want to know.

I’ve just finished a very rough toile of the Victory Patterns Rowena jumpsuit and it needs a lot of tweaks. I’ve already lengthened the bodice and rise based on other people’s comments online, but I’m now thinking I might need to go down a size at the waist. My first attempt at shirring and it went pretty well, although I loosened the thread tension after doing a test run and I think I will put the tension back up for the real thing.

Hello, lurking but wanted to say about Bernina buttonholes - I've got a Bernina 801 from the 80s and when stuff isn't working, I dig out the manual and force myself to follow it... there's a hole in the top of the bobbin case that you need put thread through for buttonholes, and there's also a special buttonhole foot. If I forget these two things, my buttonholes are shit! That and forgetting to use the right size needle for my fabric/changing needle if it's old.

Follow the manual religiously (download a pdf of you don't have it), and practice buttonholes on scraps of the material you're going to be using. I kind of hate following instructions and am amazed that of course my output is miles better when I do!

I'm working up to a pair of jeans too, looking at the Anna Allen Helene ones. Also scared of zips (there's definitely special feet for zips too which I will probably forget to attach!)

Annoyingly I’m pretty good at zips and not great at buttonholes. I can’t bear wearing clothes with zips so it was inevitable.

I’ve reluctantly packed away the summer patterns I didn’t get round to this year and I’m now planning some warmer things. Jeans are on the list now I seem to have stabilised at a size. Just haven’t found any denim I like yet. I didn’t realise that there would be such a variety of blues and that some would be so awful. I need to hunt out some deadstock from a brand I like. I haven’t actually worn jeans for about 10 years so this might end up being wasted time

back in the 70s and 80s when my mum's basic sewing machine didn't have a button hole facility, she made everything with zips or press-studs. When the hammer-in ones became widely available, we had those on everything.

Thank you, I went down a Mitchell Pietra rabbit hole and ended up buying both pdfs... I do like the pietra shorts and if they really are simpler it would be a good place to start.
A PP mentioned that the elastic needs taking in on the pietras, is this easy to access or does mean pulling it all apart? Just wondering if there's a hack for it.
No idea what to make it in. Would a wool type fabric work, or a crepe? Or suiting?

That was me. The end of the fabric is stitched to the side seams and it's all topstitched down, through the elastic, so it's a lot of unpicking!

@Sewliketosew Simplicity 5844 sounds like it might also fit the bill - no zip or button hole, the trousers fasten at the top of the pocket with a hook and eye. No pleats at the front though, and after two toiles I thought that maybe they would not be flattering on the belly. Pics following assuming they get approved.

Hello, I’ve been working my way through all your threads, so lovely to read about sewing! I’m relatively new to dress making (around 2 years) and am totally hooked. And am very excited, because I’m I’m hoping to collect my new sewing machine today! I’ve got a John Lewis one at the moment which has been great, but I’ve found myself wanting to buy things like a walking foot so thought if I was going to upgrade it would be better to bite the bullet rather than spending money on bits and bobs for my current machine. I went to have a play with the new one last week and it’s lovely. I heard somewhere it’s like going from a manual car to an automatic and that was so true!

Then I’m planning to finish my latest Davenport dress (I love that pattern) and make a toile of the Lane Pants - I’ve cut out the pattern pieces according to the size chart but they look pretty big so will definitely need to toile. Hope they live up to the hype…

And then there’s the various winter dresses, and tops, and the three patterns I bought with my machine because they were half price…🫣

So exciting getting a new machine!

New machines are wonderful. Enjoy!

I’m off for some sunshine for a week so this will probably be the last time my summer clothes get an airing. Must get on with some trousers and tops when I get back.

@Sewliketosew , for a first pair I’d go for something like this (available in a few different colours) - https://www.dalstonmillfabrics.co.uk/chino-soft-cotton-twill-navy.html?query=Soft%20twill

Wool is lovely, but can be scratchy so ideally needs to be lined or interlined (or both). I’m not sure how easy it would be to do that for the Pietra pants. It depends on how the waistband is constructed, I.e. would extra layers make the waistband too bulky? how and where would you attach a lining? I find these things a lot easier to work out if I’ve made a pattern once or twice before.

Both lining and interlining are an option for the Mitchell trousers. I made mine from wool suiting, interlined to the knee.

Machine advice please.

My Brother Innovis 955 is about 10 years old and has an intermittent fault (despite several services) of randomly sewing backwards and also the thread cutter is not consistent. Pretty sure it’s time for a replacement. I also have a smaller Brother (something15?) that I use when taking my sewing out. Initially I used the Innovis to embroider as well, but in recent years I used my Cricut Maker more to HTV to add personalisation.

I mainly sew clothing for me and things like bunting. I also have an overlocker and a coverstitch.

My new machine will have to have, a needle threader, variable speed control, thread cutter, foot pedal, top loading bobbin. But do I want a knee lift, capability to embroider, what else?

All guidance and experience greatly appreciated. Please! I will be visiting a local independent dealer to try before I buy!

@WWomble I’m afraid I can’t help with machine suggestions given my current one is a 2005 Elna inherited from my grandma via my mum! I shall watch with interest though. Are you near any of the Knitting and Stitching shows? They always have lots of manufacturers with machines to try out.

I’ve signed up for a dressmaking course and had the first session last night. Really nice group of people, some regulars and some new people. I need to have a think about what to make; perhaps I might work on my Ayora jacket given that I’ve ground to a halt with it over the summer and I’m new to quilting. Plus it doesn’t require an overlocker so no need to haul mine around.

Also @Sewliketosew I echo @CrimsonAlligator ’s fabric suggestion. I have some of that chino fabric and it’s lovely. I’ve also used one of their deadstock cotton twills for some trousers and it was lovely to sew with.

Well my new machine has arrived and I love it! I didn’t realise how much little niggles on my old one bothered me until I got a machine that didn’t have them. @WWomble it’s the Janome 5060QDC and has got all your must have features, no knee lift though and only a few embroidery stitches (I think you can do free motion embroidery). So it might be a good one for you to look at - but I’ll caveat that by saying my old machine was a fairly basic mechanical machine so all these features are brand new and very exciting to me! I haven’t got experience of any other computerised machines to compare to. Janome have got discounts on some machines at the moment including this one, I think the discount runs until around Christmas so plenty of time to go and try them.

How exciting @SheSawSeaShore! I remember the difference going from an entry level machine to something more mid range made. It just makes everything so much easier!

@WWomble, what do you like to sew? That’s the most important thing when choosing a machine. Do you quilt? Do you work with heavy fabrics? Light fiddly ones? Knit fabrics? And will you have it out all the time, or will you need to put it away after sewing? (i.e what weight of machine works best for you?) Do you value precision (ability to change the needle position and a machine that stops exactly where you tell it to stop) or is that something that is not that important to you?

My machine has endless embroidery stitches, but I never use those. Out of your list, only the variable speed control is a must for me (no, I’ve never attached the foot pedal to my machine…I just use the stop/start button. I know that makes me a bad sewist 😂)

I’d put good lighting on my list of must haves.

Ooh, nice @SheSawSeaShore that's the machine they used to use on GBSB so you know it can do lovely stuff in the right hands. I have a similar Janome as my second machine (it's the one I upgraded to when I started sewing again after a long break) and it's a pleasure to use.

Hi, I'm a relative newbe at sewing and I'm currently trying to cut out fabric for the breezy peplum top which was free with the love sewing magazine this month. I'm just wondering how I would know if I need to add an additional 1.5cm seam allowance on this pattern or if it is already included. Grateful for any advice!!

Photos are under review and hopefully will follow...

@Daisiesanddaffodils24 the side seam 1.5cm SA 5/8” is the seam allowance

It should also tell you in the instructions.

One of the first things I do when I plan a new pattern is hunt for the SA and write it down in multiple prominent places.

Thank you @InMySpareTime and @PickAChew does that mean seam allowance is included in the paper pattern or I have to cut out an additional 1.5 cm of material beyond the paper cutout? (Sorry, hope that makes sense) there is nothing on the instructions.