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
@Hiddendoor
@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie
@OperationalSupport
@Daffyyellow
@ShoAndSew
@kittykarate
@RainbowWife
@GnomeDePlume
@Twobluechickens
@123ZYX
@BlackAmericanoNoSugar
@CrimsonAlligator
@Just4thisthreadtoday
@Frumpyunicorn
@Jins
@Lifesingflowers
@Yalz
@sewsewsewyourboat
@bookbook
@YellowAsteroid
@MarmiteWine
@Castlerigg
@IDareSay
@NotMeNoNo
@Toyotatallula
@Crispynoodle
@Hiddendoor
@Rosenspants
@TashaTudor
@InMySpareTime
@Isabelle70
@SpryCat
@Funnelfa
@OperationalSupport
@ChoccyJules
@Mygreyhair
@Marcipex
@DiggoryVenn
@ClearHoldBuild
@50IsTheNew21
@Heavybuthopeful
@HollyBerryz
@Chuchoter
@Placemats
@TorturedParentsDepartment
@PrincessDonut
@Shirtyllama

I love princess seams. Must make another peppermint button up dress this year.

Made a Claudia cubic bag for a friend and it was 3rd time lucky. Much better shape. Still find the final bit of binding on the side panels the worst part of the whole make. I’ve made a note on the pattern pieces to think of ways to improve it next time.

Plans are for a full day of sewing tomorrow. I’ve got some fabric ready to become T-shirts and I want to make another harper cardigan. I’ve picked up knitting again though so I’m not sure how much I’ll achieve

Zip unpicked and it looks like it should be pretty easy to insert the new one and put it all back together. Famous last words…

I fancy a day of sewing tomorrow too, but I’m planning to go out for a long walk to make the most of the weather.

Day of sewing looks unlikely as I’ve woken with a red scratchy sore eye. Waiting for the drops to take effect. I’m only planning a couple of T-shirts and some knickers from the offcuts so nothing too strenuous.

DIY for me today. And then sewing when the football is on (i like football, but i cannot watch my team on TV as it's way too stressful)

It’s done! The outer wool fabric is so thick that I couldn’t press the seams very well, so I did significantly more top stitching than the pattern suggested. Even so, there are some bits I didn’t top stitch, which I wish I had. I don’t know if I’d make it again. Maybe, but I’d make some changes. I don’t know why the band pieces are curved, they would have been fine straight, which would have been less complicated in terms of making sure I was sewing the right edges together, and the herringbone pattern would have stayed straight too.

Unfortunately it’s slightly too big for me, and also looks stupid on me 😂 Oh well, I’m pleased with the result, and someone will get a nice hat.

gosh though it is gorgeous, and the fabric is beautiful. Well done though - I'd probably have consigned that to the UFO pile...

@Castlerigg 👏😄
It looks fabulous! I am very much a hat person, I must start making my own hats 😁

Thank you both 🙂 if it fit (and I didn’t look a tit in it) I’d cover a button for the top, and possibly do some more stitching around the band, but I’m not going to spend any more time on it, it’s finished enough for me.

What a beautiful hat @Castlerigg ! A shame it doesn’t fit, but if you don’t like it on you anyway then perhaps that’s a blessing 😁 I have been into town and bought a few bits and bobs for making a bag, but am going to make the most of the currently dry weather and do some gardening rather than going for a walk. Sewing planned for this evening instead.

Love it!

Fab hat and a gorgeous colour 😍 @Castlerigg

Thank you everyone 🙂 I’m not upset about it not fitting, tbh. I usually choose projects because I think they will be interesting to make, rather than because I want the actual item. In this case I had a sudden notion that I wanted to make a baker boy hat, and I really wanted to use the wool fabric from the local mill, so I’ve achieved my aims. If I come out of it with something I can use myself, that’s a bonus. I’ve been thinking of setting up on Etsy or similar, so maybe I’ll list it and see what happens.

Beautiful hat @Castlerigg

ive got the Winslow culottes on my to-make list too @Frumpyunicorn

Sadly I’m nowhere near as prolific as you all, I’ve not sewn in about 6 months. Though I did get some fabric out the other day with the intention of making an Ashton top.

I made the most of the sunshine by gardening today so perhaps I’ll have an hour in the sewing room tomorrow.

no sun here so stayed in and did some DIY - and then i was hiding from watching my football lot on TV (I hate watching them on TV) so i went in my sewing room and made a little teddy out of a pair of unworn sweatpants (well, from part of one of the leg pieces)

I have been going through my stash and patterns and marrying the two together. I have enough for at least 3 years of projects LMAO.

Like you @Castlerigg I am not too fussed on the outcome of the project ATM as long as I have learned something new. (BTW love the hat.).

I would like to complete the Cashmerette Auburn blazer by December, plenty of time for toiles (multiple probably) and I would like to alter it to be collarless.

I love the Ashton top @OperationalSupport I made a few last summer and will do the same this year. I managed to make a stanway top today from the cashmerette book, I also want to have another go at the sewing over it Astrid top but I had some fit issues with my last toile

The cap looks great @Castlerigg

Like @OnlyTheBravest I have at least 3 years worth of projects covered. I’ve got loads of patterns printed and ready to go yet I tend to go for the same old things time after time. I’m not particularly inspired by cold weather stuff so I tend to work on wardrobe staples and underwear in the winter.

I managed a v neck T-shirt in a striped rib yesterday which came out ok considering my vision wasn't up to the task. I’ll hem the sleeves today.

Getting closer to moving my sewing space upstairs so I’m deliberately not starting anything too complex. Although now I’ve seen the cap @Castlerigg made I’m tempted to try hats.

Zip replaced and I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out. Now to make my own bag!

I've just downloaded Wardrobe By Me's "wardrobe builder" t-shirt pattern. I want to make tops for myself and DD, and as it comes with several necklines, sleeve lengths, and body lengths, in theory I should be able to make us both as many tops as we want. She immediately commandeered the fried egg fabric from my Knighton box, so I'll make a toile to check sizing with some of the less exciting fabric, and then that'll be my next project.

The pattern was £14, but when I added it to my basket it adjusted to £12, and my 10% off first order made it £10.80, so I thought that was great value, considering the number of pattern variations.

I’ve made that in the past. I found the scoop neck a bit high and matronly for my liking so I lowered it a bit. I should give it another try - I could do with a few more tops like that. I can also recommend their Mariniere pattern although the woven bias binding round the neck gave me the rage and I ended up drafting a new facing for the main fabric instead.

Well, I have more sewing machines than I did this time yesterday. Today l bought three vintage sewing machines and a cabinet that one of them lived in, for the sum of £60.

I ended up staying for a cup of tea with the seller. They’d been his wife’s, she’d died three years previously, and he now felt ready to let go of them. The lady who had listed them was their niece, they had raised her from the age of three, when her mother had died. It was lovely chatting to them, and I felt like they were happy that the machines were coming with me.

I haven’t had any of them running yet, but I turned the wheel to raise the needle on one of them, and it turned so smoothly, it was like velvet. It’s clear they’ve been well looked after. I spent the afternoon cleaning the cabinet - which turned out to be a Horn - and sorting through the contents - loads of thread, bits of braid, elastic, several containers of buttons… it was like treasure. So precious and meaningful.

The machines are:
Toyota 8900
Toyota Jeans RS2000
Jones 563

It was the Jones that initially got my attention. It’s a beauty.

it turned so smoothly, it was like velvet. It’s clear they’ve been well looked after
How wonderful @Castlerigg 😁
(and reminds me, I must be more regular with the oiling!)

Gorgeous @Castlerigg. I do love a vintage machine. After my disastrous failure with the husqvarna I’ve been eyeing up heavy duty machines. I couldn’t believe how light the Singer heavy duty machine was.

Well Pound Fabrics sent a very tempting email the other day with a pic of some curtain fabric which looks perfect for replacement curtains in our living room. So 30m are on the way to me at £1 per metre. I’m going to go rogue when I make them and use the old curtains as interlining as they are in good shape but faded. 30m is far more than I need but I’m hoping to have enough for a couple of Roman blinds as well.

What a beauty, @Castlerigg 😍

@JinsI do like my husqvarna, but it’s a bit needy, I sometimes feel it has quite high expectations of me, that I might not necessarily live up to. Sometimes I just want to sew, without being intimidated by all the wondrous features that I don’t really use.

I’ve enjoyed going through the button boxes this morning, containing lots of buttons, but also many things that are definitely not buttons. Assorted keys, a half penny coin, a horseshoe nail, an earring and a ring, a picture hook, a few screws, a wheel from a toy car, and of course, a small red Lego piece. Some things never change! It’s been lovely sifting through, although dusty. It makes me wonder what state my own stash is in, I should probably go through and clean and declutter!

And I agree with @MO0N, I need to up my game with oiling and maintenance. My overlocker is full of fluff, and probably needs a new blade.