You have done brilliantly and as others say you are obviously a natural: using a vintage machine for the first time, working out your own pattern pieces and sewing very difficult fabric. Amazing!
Thanks, but while I appreciate the positive comments and they are encouraging, I must point out that it would be a mistake to assume I am some kind of sewing natural who just whizzes this stuff out... it’s all rather tricky, there has been much swearing, many mistakes, and frequent times where the work has required a ‘good hard stare....’
I’ve fitted the wrong zips, sewn bits together the wrong way up, made the machine go bang (still don’t know what that was but nothing seems broken?), melted a foot pedal (the smell of burning plastic was the first clue I had that my foot was shortly going to catch fire) , cut handles too short.... the list goes on, with plenty of sewing debris floating in my wake.
But hey - we learn.
It’s also all taken a lot of hours. Many many hours...
The idea that the noise changes when the bobbin is low on thread is interesting, but I tend to sew while listening to podcasts so I guess that’s why I haven’t noticed.
And as for ‘pulling threads through to the underside to tie off’..... I’ll have to research that as I’m not sure my fingers can cope with trying such tiny knots - I’m used to boat ropes! I need the stitches to be firm because things are going to have to cope with gale force winds, the weight of water etc.....the pressures will be strong at times.
I guess I’ll just need to keep checking, even though that means removing the bobbin case each time to check - or am I missing a trick there too?
Hoping to finish the dinghy cover in the next couple of days, so will add photos when finished. But don’t be surprised if it’s not finished soon - every time it seems to be going well I come across the next unforeseen setback....