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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Thanks all. I have purchased the overlocked. Looks like it only has one foot but I think I will only use it for the tidy up of seams. I just zig zag at the moment and they don’t always sit nicely.
I better watch some you tube videos!
Do you all have a huge stash of threads for your machines?

I have lots of different coloured thread for my overlocker but you could just buy rainbow thread and have done with it!

Two machine purchases on one day! Exciting stuff @Jins and @Isabelle70 !

I only use one colour thread for my overlocker - a mid grey. I read somewhere that that basically goes with pretty much everything, which is sort of true. Or at least it does not annoy me enough to want to change it!

My overlocker is usually threaded with black but I’ve also got white, cream, baby blue and khaki which seems to cover most scenarios.

I’ve decided to scrap the £5 Husqvarna now there’s a heavy duty machine on the way. It’s not really up to the job but it did show me that I do need something basic to handle thicker fabrics. My Necchi didn’t really enjoy making curtains.

I have 2 each of a variety of shades that I commonly use - I use them in combination so that my humble over locked seams are pretty. I also have full sets of 4 of a range of neutrals and a few variegated threads. The collection has been built up over several years, though.

I made a wearable toile of the LN summer basics dress yesterday using some mystery box fabric. Perfect fit first time! If I was really picky I could probably lengthen the bodice a bit as I have to do with LN patterns every time but it’s hitting at underbust for me and is quite flattering where it is.

It’s a wee bit too hot in my sewing room and I found it quite uncomfortable yesterday so I think I’ll probably be doing more matching patterns to fabrics than actually sewing anything.

Pic to show the summer basics dress with no adjustments. This will be made again as it’s such a useful shape

@Jinsthat looks a really comfortable to wear dress, what sort of fabric do you use? Is it a stretch?

@Isabelle70 yes its stretch fabric. The pattern suggests over 25% and I’ve not actually measured the stretch of this fabric but it’s a bit more than that I guess and it’s a slight 4 way stretch. I’m guessing it’s a poly blend but it’s cool enough to wear today.

I bought it during one of their sales and it was touch and go whether I did because the tester pics aren’t great. I’ve found a page of hacks for it so will explore them

https://www.lovenotions.com/summer-basics

@JinsI am not brave enough for stretch fabrics, maybe once I get to grips with the overlocker.
Talking of overlocker, it has arrived today but too hot to even take a look at it!
I picked up a couple of towels last weekend to make a kaftan for the beach. As a kid and teenager, I always had a wrap, a big tube of towelling with elastic on the neckline, maybe a couple of armholes. Perfect for sitting in when wet and getting changed. I guess the dryrobe of the 70’s.
After checking my stash of Prima patterns and online I finally succumbed and purchased a pattern. So I do need to get onboard with the overlocker sooner rather than later!

Overlockers - best invention since the sewing machine !! 😂

I started with a cheap Singer overlocker and quickly passed it on…☹️
I had the basic Brother one for a few years and it was fine but definitely best for light to medium weight fabrics. Then someone in my sewing group borrowed it to sew up a coat and it never worked as well after that.

I’ve since traded it in and bought a Babylock Victory and IMO, it’s totally worth splashing out on a Babylock machine. Auto threading is a breeze. You don’t have to thread in a particular order so you can easily replace a single cone without having to re-thread it from scratch or tie onto existing threads.

Best thing is the auto tension. You just stick your fabric in and away it sews. Perfectly, every time. I really do love it. I always use it for hemming trousers, dresses etc. You fold the hem as if you’re doing a blind hem and aim the fold between the two needles, so only the left needle sews through three layers of fabric. Then do a top stitch to hold down the serged edge. It looks so neat and professional.

The main reason for posting was to say that I’ve just bought 3 x 3000yard polyester thread cones for under a fiver for 3 in the Amazon Prime Day sales today. They’ll be used in my overlocker. I usually pay around £12 for 4 cones 0f 5000m but this is very good value.

I’ve just ordered an Amazon Prime Day overlocker, inspired by recent posts. Thank you for tempting me, I think!

I’d be grateful for pointers on threads - any brands you would recommend, or any brands to avoid? I’ve seen the cheaper thread spools on Amazon, along with Brothread which has lots of good reviews. Obviously tempting to go for the cheaper ones, but wondering if they’re worth a punt as a novice with a basic machine, or if I’ll end up with breakages and getting frustrated.
Any tips gratefully received!

My overlocker (basic brother model) is not fussy about thread and I use some from an eBay seller which is £8.99 for 4 reels with free postage. I’ve never had a problem with it.
https://ebay.io/m/RNykpq

My overlocker is not fussy either. I use Gutermann Toldi because I wanted a very specific shade of grey as I'm only using one colour. I may have been unlucky but at least one of the spools is a disaster. You can see that the thread changes in thickness and sometimes it becomes so thin it breaks. Based on that, there doesn't seem much point going for an expensive brand. Try something cheap first!

I started off with toldilock as it was the pandemic a d that's what I could get. It's fluffy and deteriorates in the wash. I use madeira, now. Total thread snob, I am. I've never finished a cone yet, so I don't end up buying it often.

I have ordered some of the Brothread in silver, hoping it’s a good choice and the reviews look good.
I am going to take a look at the machine now, not so hot so won’t get all hot/bothered/stressed looking at it.

I use Moon thread in my overlocker and it does the job fine.

Haven’t felt like sewing this week but have been living in my various pairs of Bob pants - perfect for warm weather.

Trying not to look at overlooked- i don't have the space and am happy enough with the sewing machine. But you are all making me curious!

Currently putting the zip into my bomber jacket. Third time so far. I am about half a cm away from getting a seam join to match at the bottom of the zip. I will get it right. I have to.

Also slightly worry the fabric is going to make me look a bit like Su Pollard. But then what do I care, she always looked like she was having fun in her bright clothes so she is a good inspiration really.

Like @Isabelle70 it’s taken me a while to get round to looking at my new heavy duty machine but I have now and I’m quite happy with it. It seems sturdier and heavier than the singer heavy duty that I looked at in hobbycraft. I’ll give it a proper test today.

@JinsI have looked at mine and was about to pull the threads out then thought I have read that you can tie to pull new threads through, phew!!
Do you all stitch your seams on a regular machine with correct thread colour and then overlock to finish the edge?
My first make could be a cover for the machine.
edit for typos

@Isabelle70 it depends what I’m making and which seam it is. I’m quite lazy so if I can get away with just overlocking I will. If the stitches will show up then I’ll stitch first. For stretch fabrics the only place I stitch first nowadays is the neckband but if I’ve got a tricky curve to get round then I’ll stitch it on the sewing machine then tidy up. The inside of some of my everyday things are not something I’m proud of but for the most part they are wearable toiles and the final version is more tidy.

As you don’t sew with stretch fabrics (yet) I’d stitch as normal then use the overlocker to tidy up

My overlocker isn’t too picky. I have a load of old threads that came with the vintage sewing machines I bought, so I’m using those, in “near enough” colours.

I worked on the practice shirt for DP yesterday, finally managed to get the collar on facings done. Really glad I did a practice though!

My overlocker is generally not too picky for threads, usually just buy miscellaneous cones on ebay/amazon. I mainly use white / black, but will try and get the needle threads a colour match if I think it'll look too ghastly. So I have odd cones/large spools of red,blue, pale grey,green, brown.

I've just been using it to prep up a kaftan/dress as I want the insides to look mostly ok. If it's just a simple seam on woven I have been know to just overlock, but this has pockets and all kinds of corners going on, so just going to overlock the edges of everything to stop any fraying, and straight stitch for precision.

Jacket done!
Zip was done three times. Ran out of bobbin thread at 1.30am, finished it off half an hour ago. Love it. Pattern matching could have been better but I love it so much. It's the New Look 6545 bomber jacket.

Oh that’s awesome! It looks fabulous, the swirls are very Pucci!