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.

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Seam sealing tape might hold it together. You would need to it iron it on, though. I woumd use the very tip of the iron with a protective layer of greaseproof paper under and over the fabric.

Sewing it together would be stronger but you would still need to seal it.

@EricTheHalfASleeve If you have electrical tape you can just tape over the rip, but if it ripped there once it will keep ripping there so maybe keep tape in the pocket for running repairs. Tape will patch it through the season and I’m assuming as small child size it wouldn’t fit next season anyway.

A tent patching kit? I think that would work.

Or... decide the jacket is over, and use the fabric to make something else like a dog coat , water resistant bucket hat, bag.

@EricTheHalfASleeve - do you think waterproof seam sealer might work ?You can get it to use with a brush , as well as the iron on type . You may need to overlap the edges , do some simple sewing to hold together first , then seam seal

Decathlon sell patches in various colours for downproof coats that would be suitable, although depending on size of the rio several might be required. Similar available on Amazon

For the ripped coat - Tenacious tape. It's made for tent/waterproof repairs. It's a flexible fabric with a very sticky backing.

Thank you for all the sleeve sealing suggestions! Decathlon patches and Tenacious tape sound viable, I will check those out

Happy new year fellow sewists! I’m packing my kit up to move upstairs to my new sewing room in a couple of weeks and I’ve found some treasures I’d forgotten I’d had in my stash. Some absolute junk as well but that’s my own fault for bargain chasing from PAM and the like. I’ve just had a delivery from them which was only 50% correct and that’s pretty good for them! Frustrating though as I’d ordered two lengths of ribbed jersey in grey and sky/white stripes and what arrived was white and sky/black. It’s not what was described in terms of stretch, softness and drape either so I’ve asked to return it. More often than not they refund and don’t want the item back and so I end up with fabric I’m not likely to use taking up space I can’t spare.

Proper sewing is on hold until the move but I’ve planned a couple of long sleeve T-shirts and some underwear as interim projects. I need to measure up for a new superstar bra as well.

I started the new year finishing off a Cleo blouse from SewLala. Really pleased with it and now want to make another. No plans for the weekend so might treat myself to some more sewing!

I have a pair of jogging bottoms in loop back jersey from Rainbow Fabric Kilburn to finish today. Cut out the pattern and fabric yesterday morning, then sewed up everything bar the hem last night. Fastest make ever I think.

Daylight is showing the true horror of the wrong fabric. Honestly - could these look any more different? The blue and black one is weirdly rigid as well.

Happy new year all. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I made a dress for Christmas and learned how the wrong fabric cannot save a pattern even if it’s one that you love and have made numerous times before. It felt like such a waste of the fabric. So I have decided to take another risk…. I’ve cut up the Christmas dress to use the fabric and make the Roberts Wood Drafters Grid Dress. Cutting out the pattern and then the fabric took ages but the dress is coming together nicely. I’ll let you know when it’s finished…..and whether the gamble has paid off.

Half sleeve update - I bought black Tenacious tape and it seems to be holding so far. Tricky to apply it well as the rip went around the sleeve and into the armsycth - I should have done some preliminary basting to get the edges lined up better. Not back at school yet for a full playground test but kid has been to 2 adventure playparks and sleeve still intact. Not that noticeable either (black tape on black coat).

@twobluechickens how are you getting on with the Cleo? I have just bought the pattern.

I am currently working on toiles of the clementine pinafore and Astrid top but sew over it. I think the clementine doesn't need too many alterations but the Astrid needs more work.

I made 2 Ellie and Mac bubble.hemmed tops, one i hacked some sleeves on as its definitely not guns out weather here! Quick sew, and the short sleeve uses less than 1m. Bit of a fanny attaching the elastic to the hem, but thats just me and elastic Cheapo printed jersey from PAM who have been mostly OK for me recently, but they are such a fanny to deal with when it goes wrong.

Picking your brains here everyone: does anyone know of the existence of a pattern to make a slipcover for the IKEA Strandmon chair? the winged backed one.

I don't want to reupholster it, just make a removable, washable, cover. I see they sell them now, so i am assuming that someone somewhere has released one. Only i can't find one.

Any ideas?

Lovely tops @kittykarate I thought I’d turned the corner with PAM recently as I’ve had some gorgeous fabrics but this was a poor order. No reply to my email either so I’m a bit disappointed. If I’ve not heard by the end of the week I’ll dispose of the duds.

My husqvarna is off to the spa tomorrow. I’m trying a new engineer, mainly because he listed husqvarna on his advert. If it goes well I’ll book my others in for later in the year.

@Frumpyunicorn I love it, I’m so pleased with how it turned out. I’m downstairs with the cat on my lap but will try to remember to take a photo before bed.

I made the v-neck version with the button placket and sleeve 1. I didn’t bother with gathering the sleeves into the cuff, I just hemmed the sleeve as it was because I wanted a more floaty look.

I was originally planning to make it according to my upper bust measurement and do a FBA because I have narrow shoulders and an E-cup bust but then thought sod it, I’ll just make it according to my full bust. It fits just fine, thank goodness. Now planning several more!

Pics of the Cleo:

That fabric is a mystery linen/viscose mix picked up at the Stitch festival last year. Really nice drape to it, wish I’d bought more.

That looks really lovely @twobluechickens once I have finished my dress I am going to make one

@Brefugee I’ve enjoyed the challenge but I can’t find a pattern either. I’ve only made slipcovers once and that was years ago so I don’t have my reference guide anymore.

I think this is something I’d probably buy assuming I liked the fabric. There’s one on sale that could be sacrificed to make a pattern
https://applink.ikea.com/tY8M9r9M4w--20575493--gb--en

Or for a completely unscrupulous person like myself the generous 365 day return policy would probably give me time to trace the main pieces of the cover and make notes on construction.

Thanks @Jins i was thinking the same thing, buy one on sale and pick it apart. TBH I'm not really sure I'd want to make too many, though, they would need a bit of stretch to make the arms sit right, and so on. (daughter is having my old one and doesn't like the colour, we are investigating how to change it. I may just get a load of cheap denim and just wing it...)

i’m slowly packing the stash for a move to a new space and discovered a length of viscose jersey that I’d bought years ago and decided it was too cosy for summer. So I’ve made my first ever LN classic tee from it. I made the short sleeve scoop neck version in a M graded to somewhere between S and XS at the hip and the fit is great. Surprisingly flattering for a T-shirt as I tend to look like the bow of a ship in them usually. I think I’ve found another wardrobe staple and I’m going to work on the v neck version next as previous v necks in stretch fabrics haven’t gone well.

News from the sewing machine spa isn’t great. It’s all clean and oiled and running smoothly but the feed dogs aren’t working. The same feed dogs that allowed me to stitch through 10 layers of denim. He’s going to try a few things but prepared me that it may be a write off. 🥲. I’m trying not to think about the fact that I’ll be spending £75 on a machine that cost me £5. I was looking forward to zipping through some heavy duty work with that beast too. Hopefully today will bring better news

I’ve made a start on a pair of Mitchell trousers. Welt pockets done and they look pretty good.