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

@Jins does a coverstitch do all an overlocker does (with knife etc) in addition to the hemming thing?

I bought my Juki from a sewing machine shop, they didn't pressure me to buy a more expensive model, but did steer me away from the less robust cheaper ones. And they sat there and took me through threading it, and didn't let me leave until i'd threaded it twice by myself.

@Brefugee - no it doesn’t although you can get machines that convert from coverstitch to overlocker. It’s just the hemming thing and various chain stitches. I use it to machine baste occasionally as the thread whips out in a flash. It doesn’t get a lot of use but I’m glad I got it.

Coverstitch, basic use is hems. Can do much more, lettuce hems, rolled edges.

Overlocker, seams.

Look at a store bought T-shirt, overlocker for the side seams and coverstitch for the hems.

My machines are both set up to use 4 threads but can be used on less. Coverstitch has 3 needles (but can use 2 as wide or narrow hems) and creates 3 lines on the top side with the underside being looped between the rows. Overlocker, 4 threads (but can use less), 2 lines of slicing and 2 looping to enclose the seam.

I’ve done lettuce and rolled hems with my overlocker. The rolled hem was especially good for a shirt with ruffles - made short work of them.

Coverstitch machines appear to be there to punish us. We know they would be useful. We might even be able to find space. We might be able to shrug off the fact that they're so flippin' expensive in relation to what they actually do.

Yet half the time they don't work!

I have too many machines and that has prevented me from caving. I genuinely have nowhere to put one. That's my excuse for not getting rid of the Pfaff I'm quite ambivalent about.

the more i hear about coverstitch machines - even from my friends who have them - the less i want one. Until i want to do a t-shirt hem...

i love using my overlocker for lettuce or rolled hems though - so much better than faffing about with the rolled hem foot.

As an aside about the rolled hem foot with a regular machine: all the tutorials show them being used on a straight piece of fabric - but none show how to do an actual hem. Because my experience (before casting aside and either hand sewing or machining a regular hem) has been they are fine until they get to a side/back seam. Then they go bonkers. Anyone used one successfully?

I always think that I regret buying my coverstitch until I use it. It’s a fussy thing. Everything has to be just right from tension to foot pressure and even if it is there are occasions when it just gives up, snaps the thread and makes an unholy mess with the looper thread.

Then when it works properly I love it. It made short work of the hem on a viscose dress, hemmed some incredibly stretchy viscose jersey perfectly, tidies neck and armbands on T-shirts etc.

If I had to offer up one of my machines as a sacrifice it would probably be the coverstitch though.

edit: no luck with rolled hem foot here. Some success with the very narrow one until it hits a seam but the wider ones are a dark art I have not mastered. I can do a good enough job on a scrap of fabric but never on the real thing

I love my coverstitch. I bought an exdemo Janome 2000CPX from GUR in Birmingham, so all the potential kinks had been worked out. Never had a problem that wasn’t due to user error! Had mine about 6 years and never regretted buying it.

I mainly sew stretch so my overlocker gets the most use, then my sewing machine and my coverstitch the least, but it is still used and appreciated! Much easier to thread than an overlocker too.

What would you call a cotton or linen fabric with a pattern woven into it? It’s not quite jacquard, but if I search for “patterned cotton fabric” I get results with printed fabrics. I’m basically looking for a white cotton/linen that isn’t a plain weave. Not dobby either.

I've been to a Lady McElroy warehouse sale today. I was very good and only bought three fabrics, one of which has already been turned into some Safiya trousers ready for my holiday.

This is lovely!

I think they still lump them altogether under Jacquard, unless it is a specific weave like Basketweave.

I made the Mcalls dress over the weekend. I should have not faffed with it, my faffing didn't improve the fit any. I'm happy with it though, comfy and breezy.

Gorgeous dress @kittykarate. Love the fabric.

I’m tempted to make a third.

I also tried making a bucket hat for Mr Kitty using a freebie pattern... less successful. The pattern definitely came up small. It fits me though.

It still gives me a little thrill when all the clothes I’m wearing are me-made. Got my Phen shirt and Ash jeans on today. I definitely feel more ’put together’ in things I’ve made.

Hello, I dropped in on the threads last year but not sewn anything since. I'm thinking of having a go at something new to keep me busy as it's not been an easy year so far. A project might be good.
Has anyone done the Sauvie sundress? I'm tempted but I'm only 5'3" so not sure if it'll just be too maxi, I prefer a midi length really. I'd like something beginner friendly, decent straps but with a bit of shape at the waist, straight down cuts don't work for me at all, I look like a square! Fba likely needed though I have managed it before.

@Sewliketosew i have done a Sauvie sundress and I’m 5ft 3. I did the short version and it’s just about on my knee. I had to lower the bust dart but I didn’t do the FBA as I’m on the borderline

Did you do the elastic in the waist? The shorter version would be better but iirc no pulled in waist? The whole point is having shape to the waist for me.
Do you think it'd be easy to add a frill to the shorter version or would that be too much?

No elastic for me. Waist definition is pointless as I have no waist.

i regularly add tiers or take them away and I never use the pattern pieces. I’d make the short version, follow the elastic instructions then add a frill if you need to. The correct way of doing it is to measure the length you want and use the lengthen and shorten lines to adjust the pattern but i tend to do my own thing.

Thank you for coming back to me. Can i ask what fabric you used? I tend to think it needs something a tiny bit more structured than say a viscose challis, I can help think that might be too drapey for me. I do like a little structure in fabric. Though I don't want to spend upwards of £50 on a dress that may or may not suit me, and I may mess up!

Hot off the sewing machine, shorts and matching oversized, cropped shirt. Top is the Shoreline from Pattern Emporium and the shorts were from Etsy. First time doing a zipper fly which was a lot easier than I’d led myself to believe, I did have to find a tutorial as the pattern was very light in instructions for this..

I think I have enough left over to make a shirt sleeved shirt for my husband, fairly certain we won’t be wearing them at the same time 😂

@Sewliketosew I used viscose challis 🤣

90% of things I sew are viscose. I did think about using linen but I probably wouldn’t have worn it so stuck with viscose. I thought I had a photo somewhere but can’t find it now.

My toile was made out of an old duvet cover and was more structured. I wasn’t keen but that’s the joy of sewing your own clothes - making them to your own preference

Lovely summery fabric @alianangel. I really like them

Has anyone made an eye mask for sleeping? Do you have a pattern you’d recommend? I keep waking up early despite having blackout blinds and was watching a Michael Moseley programme where he recommended sleep masks.

I’ve not made an eye mask @twobluechickens but as a chronic insomniac I use those sleep headphones which are set in an eye mask and they do make a difference.

I’ve been working through my alterations pile, and my favourite clothes now fit better. There are a few things to go at but I’m a bit bored of it. I’ve also been stash busting and the usable leftovers have now been used up. It’s surprising what you can make out of a metre if you’re creative with pattern Tetris.

I’ve been a bit ruthless with my stash and the stretch fabrics I vacuum packed last year have gone to be ragged. I figured that if I hadn’t looked at them in over a year I wasn’t going to be using them at all. I’ve discovered which stretch fabrics I like wearing and working with now so the rest can go. I’ve also put some of the Abakhan viscose lengths that I’ve never been able to match to a pattern into the toile pile.

Unfortunately there seem to be some good offers around at the moment and I haven’t been able to resist some viscose elastane from Knighton fabrics and poundametre. I do have plans for them though.