Stitch and bitch thread #12. We’re in stitches!

[NutellaEllaElla]

Welcome and welcome back oldies and newbies!

Whatcha doin? What are your plans? I need some inspo. It's been a long time since i've approached my machine for various reasons.My favourite ever make has been a stretch dress, i'd wear it all the time if I could. I live in fear of the day I try to go to Barry's fabrics and it's gone. The Birmingham fabric scene is being decimated. What'll I do?!

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Yeah definite circus vibes there @Isabelle70

@twobluechickens what fabric do you use to toile jeans/ trousers? Or are you a rebel who bypasses that step altogether?

I have some thin fabric I use for that kind of thing, but I’m not sure that with trousers it really gives me that much of an idea of fit as it’s much easier to stretch than a heavier fabric would be.

The Frankie pattern arrived yesterday. I’ve already traced it and made a one-legged toile, but because I used that thin fabric, it’s just not telling me much. I found some stretch denim off cuts, which I’ll try next. I suspect the stretch may complicate matters, but it’s the best thing I’ve got to hand at the moment!

So far nothing has gone straight to dust sheet from my knightons, but I did go 'straight to giftbag' with some birthday themed jersey.

@CrimsonAlligator I tend to use thicker calico for non-stretch jeans but a friend recently gave me loads of old bed linen so I’ve used that for my Coe toile. Stretch jeans I just go for it but the pattern I use (Megan Nielsen Ash) is drafted for 5’8 (might even be 5’10), so I just added a couple of inches to the legs, graded from a 16 waist to 18 hip and make adjustments in the side seams if required depending on the stretch percentage of the fabric. Seems to work pretty well.

@CrimsonAlligator@Jins thank you, everyone says it looks circus themed but I am is a bit rainbow striped. I have a back up plan of a pink and red striped T-shirt so will take both and decide on the night.
I was telling my colleague today that my machine is 33 or 34 years old, never had a service and been oiled once last year! It is a basic Janome and I use 2 stitches and the button hole on it.
I wish it had 2 speeds on the pedal as it’s all a bit all or nothing now, or I wonder if it can have a replacement pedal.

Just wanted to say good luck with the job hu @twobluechickens

I got a job in May after 18 months. In 2026 I sent 272 applications... I'm 62 so had been resigned to never having a job again

272! Good lord. That must have been a hell of a slog. And thanks, I’m just trying for a promotion (civil service) but I think often they already have someone in mind for these roles so it’s a bit of a wasted effort if you’re not that person.

I think the circus themed top looks great!

I have just been cutting out a fringe dress to sew up at the weekend. I really want to make trousers but don't feel confident at all about fitting.

I think the trick is to not set standards too high @Frumpyunicorn. There are so many resources online that talk about ‘the perfect fit’ that it can feel intimidating, but really not every little wrinkle or dragline needs to be sorted out. My motto these days is ‘if I wouldn’t notice it in a pair of shop bought trousers, it’s probably fine!’

Also, companies like Closet Core, have really useful (and free!) online guides for sorting out some of the main issues you could encounter.

Having said all that, my toile for the Frankie trousers came out great, so sometimes you can get lucky with a pattern as well. I just need to make the waistband a little tighter and add some length, but none of that is anything major 😊

Finished the adjustments to the Coe trousers pattern so I’ll do another toile tomorrow. Also cut out another pair of Bob pants as a palate cleanser because they’re so easy and I wear my existing pairs loads. Got enough fabric left over for a matching sleeveless top too.

Thanks @CrimsonAlligator I must give them a go. I have some Barry pants I toiled but haven't been brave enough to cut the fabric yet. I have the cashmerette books which do have good fitting guides, I just don't like their trouser patterns!

I love the idea of a palate cleanser @twobluechickens 😁
As for me I am still engaged in the eternal battle with neckbands; lately I am overlocking one side and handsewing the other. Also the eternal struggle with tension settings on the overlocker!

@CrimsonAlligator FreeSewing has a classic chino pattern https://freesewing.eu/designs/charlie/
You take your own measurements and enter them, then it generates a custom pattern. I’ve not tried it myself but it sounds good.

I love the circus top, reminds me of a pierrot but colourful.

Im going to a Sewcial locally for the first time in a few weeks so ive been cutting out pieces ready. Quite proud of myself for getting one dress and 3 tops out of 2m of double gauze, we shall see how they look once they’re sewn.

I got halfway through my Ashton top and stalled, so I need to go back to that. And I’m eyeing up the True Bias Shelby dress pattern.

I made a start on DP’s shirt today but I think I cocked up the collar. The pattern was worded strangely and the diagrams didn’t help at all. I’m going to cut a new one and try it again.

Today I fixed the waist seam of a dress j sewed last week (i hadn't caught the edge all the way around so big sections weren't actually sewn together. Well done me.) And am wearing another dress i made. I feel quite pleased with that.

Have also cut out the pattern for a bomber jacket. I am going to make it in the same fabric as this:
https://www.endource.com/product/boden-amy-midi-shirt-dress/Zv_cAAiIpAABaXGN

I got the fabric from Rainbow Fabrics a year or so ago, originally bought 2 metres to make a wrap dress, panicked it wouldn't be enough so ordered another 2m, but ended up not needing the extra. It is wonderfully bold. I love the dress and spent ages trying to figure out if I wanted another dress but decided today that the bomber jacket will be the best use.

Haven't made a toile. Just aiming for my usual "ah, it will be fine" approach.

Thanks for that link😄 and it's free!!

It's taken a fair bit of pattern tinkering but I think I've cracked the bodice on the Feel Good Dress.

I've had to lengthen it, do a 2" FBA and then move the whole dart up to my actual apex and redraw the waist dart back to its original size and back out towards the seam.

Toile 3, and I had to lengthen the bust dart and shorten the waist dart.

But I think the fit is pretty good now.

I'm going to try it on again tomorrow and inspect in daylight.

Then I should get to cutting fabric!

I read a post on PatternReview which suggested cutting the sleeves on the bias for better drape and I really like that suggestion.

I also discovered that I own the Style Arc Bob pants pattern, which was a surprise - I have no recollection of buying it! So those might be in my future as well...

@Hiddendoor I was so tempted by that fabric but I didn’t know what to make with it so I left it.

Finished my Bob pants and already worn them! I have made the waistband a bit too big but they’re very comfortable so I’m going to see how they wear. If needs be I’ll redo the waistband.

I’ve been beavering away on the Frankie trousers. I realised too late that I was looking at the yoke pattern piece upside down when making adjustments, so the changes were made in the wrong place. We’re talking less than the seam allowance so hopefully sorting that out won’t be too painful!

I have thought of getting a overlocker for a while, there is the Brother 434d on prime day, I can get it for £166 and a £20 voucher to spend next month. Reviews are reasonable, is it worth getting?

I have the entry level brother overlocker (2104d) and I love it, it does the job and I have found it easy enough to thread after watching a couple of YouTube videos. The only problem I have had was going over seams of thick French terry, that broke a few needles but now I hand crank over that and it's fine

I’ve got the 2104d as well and it’s been brilliant. It looks very similar to the prime day model and that’s a very good price. I had a Lidl rebadged singer before and the brother is so much easier to thread.

I’ve just been looking at prime day deals for a heavy duty or semi industrial machine but so far I’ve not taken the plunge. There’s a brother strong and tough but the stitch speed isn’t much more than my old workhorse Toyota.

A huge parcel of patterns arrived from planprinting24 so I’m now deciding which is first. 😀 I need to make a dent in the latest Knighton stash so will probably try the LN summer basics as a palate cleanser.

I can’t comment on that overlocker @Isabelle70 but can say that for me getting an overlocker has been a real game changer and I was really cynical before I got one.

I love doing French seams, flat felled seams and all those “proper” seam finishes. But sometimes you just want something that does the job! I made three pairs of summer weight trousers in quick succession after I got mine. No way could/would I have done that if I’d have to flat fell every one of those long seams.

And I actually ended up wearing these trousers as they didn’t have lots of loose threads all over the place. I never even realised that seam finishes were holding me back from wearing my home made clothes, but clearly they did.

Oh I love my overlocker! Especially for stretch fabrics.

I had a terrible scare this morning. I was looking in the clothes bags for a dress I’d made - I know it doesn’t fit now but I thought I’d just see. And couldn’t find my bag of own makes. I was sure I hadn’t taken it to the charity shop but then I found a whole load of things I had intended for the charity shop. So then I was really concerned I’d mixed the bags and got rid of the wrong one!

Fortunately not!

They were all jumbled together. So I do still have my own makes to alter. And some more stuff to donate.

It was horrible though. They represent 11 years of sewing, and I want to reuse some of the fabrics and remake some of the clothes.

Shudder!

That’s awful @TragicMuse and how apt your username is.

I’ve taken the plunge and ordered a Brother Strong and Tough at prime day price. £189 with £20 voucher back to spend next month. Plus I took out the amazon barclaycard so the £50 in gift cards I got for doing that has meant that I’m effectively only paying £110. I can live with that