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Topics - dafyddcoch

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Technical Help / stretchy and not stretchy together
« on: December 10, 2023, 23:02:43 PM »
Hi. I am making a fox scarf (think 'cute imitation stole'   https://www.prettyprudent.com/diy-fox-scarf-with-free-pattern/  ) for my wife as a Christmas pressie and got her to choose the material. Cream/white for the underside and red/brown for the other. Unfortunately, my wife purchased some cream polyester fleece-type material that has no stretch at all and some weird brown stretchy fleece material that is VERY elastic in one way but less so in the other. Can I stich these two materials together to make one garment or will they 'fight' each other? It isn't a problem if I can't use it as it was a ready made blanket/throw so we can just use it on a bed and I'll purchase some more polyester fleece material but in brown/rust/terracotta.

Thanks/Diolch   

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Alterations Advice Please / shortening shirt sleeves
« on: December 07, 2023, 17:25:41 PM »
Hi all. As a novice machinist, (curtains, bags, towels, mobile phone holders etc. thus-far but seem to be ok at it) is it feasible for me to try and shorten shirt sleeves on a conventional collared shirt for a male? When attending a festival, I came across a patterned shirt that fitted my name, not my body. Being a somewhat rotund sort-of-a-chap, I had to buy one with the arms were too long to get one that was comfortable around my torso. The sleeves are too long and the wrists are also too large. I seem to remember that male shirts are quite complex garments and I don't want to take it apart and not be able to reassemble it.

Thanks muchly/Diolch Mawr

 

3
Patterns Discussion / mix and match info for novice
« on: December 03, 2023, 23:29:32 PM »
Hi everyone. dafyddcoch here. I'm still mainly only sewing curtains and bags etc., but hoping to make a fleece vest from a pattern for a vest and or jacket. I want a very high zip-up collar to keep me warm on my motorbike, but in the pictures online, only the jacket has the very high collar, whilst the vest has a high-ish collar. It it likely that the vest is essentially the jacket without the sleeves and I'll be able to use the jacket collar on the vest?

Apologies if this is a daft question but this 62 yr-old male is not that experienced in his hobby.

Thanks/Diolch

4
Vintage Machines / cotton bunching
« on: January 21, 2023, 18:55:37 PM »
Ho Folks. As a male with 'farmer-hands, small machinery can be a challenge for my engineering skills as I'm used to fixing lorry engines, not sewing machines. I have a Jones C.B. Model D machine that was my mother-in-law's wedding present that I have now fitted to a Singer Treadle base. It works well and for my thus-far simple projects, is a wonderful machine or at least was until recently. I seem to be able to set it up correctly using the manual and it will sew well for a while and then for no reason that I can fathom, the cotton on the underneath of the job becomes badly bunched. I've tried adjusting the thread tensioner to no avail, although the numbers on it seem not to correspond to any tension in the cotton and accept it may well be a case of operator rather than machine error. However, I have used this machine previously with no problems and have several pairs of curtains and a running vest to show for it! lol

Any ideas?? I have tools like a 4-pound lump hammer and a massive adjustable spanner from my toolkit if I need tools!! (only joking, I have other tools a well).   

5
Technical Help / presser foot setting query from novice
« on: June 02, 2020, 02:33:26 AM »
HI everybody, I'm new to machine sewing but love machinery generally and am loving making curtains etc from up-cycled fabric and have made a vest and repaired a few of our towels using an late fifties/early sixties Jones CBD straight-stitch machine. However, I'm trying to finish making a pair of double thick curtains made from an old fancy queen-size duvet cover and when stitching the tape to the top hem, so 4 layers of thin cotton plus the tape, the bottom stitch is often missed with one big bottom stitch and when starting, the bottom cotton is very tangled Also, the material feeds in very jerkily at times. I've not adjusted anything but after looking at the hook timing in the bottom thread it is a smidgen out but equally, it has been working fine and still does so on thinner material. After looking online, I think it may be that I need to adjust the presser foot pressure which is currently set on 3.5, down to 1.00 for the thicker bits and then I need to reset it for the areas with less thickness. Am I wide of the mark? Mad? Deluded?  A danger to sewing machines?

Thanks for reading

6
I've just purchased a Rubylock R-L5 Type 4 strand overloclock attachment for my Jones CBD electric powered machine that I've fitted to an old Singer treadle table/bench. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264739439789  I'm a novice machine user (towels, curtains and repairs thus-far) and about to start making a kimono jacket for my wife), so it'll be likely ages before I am skilled enough to use it but I got it because it does effectively turn a straight stitch machine into an overlocker. It manages this by incorporating the stitch and cotton of the sewing machine with the thread and action of the overlocker.

Does anyone have any experience of such a contraption? Are they any good? I'll only want to use it now and again so the faff of setting it up isn't a problem and whilst I'm guessing it isn't made to be used all day every day, I'm hoping it'll be invaluable when I do need an overlocker.   

Also, how difficult is it to use an overlocker compared to a machine. I'm usually good with machinery generally, be it agricultural, building, engineering etc. and am happy to play for a while with scrap and learn if possible. Or is it as I suspect and I should store it for now and become more proficient with my machine first?

Thanks/diolch
 cadwch yn ddiogel/stay safe


7
In the wardrobe / advice for novice re kimono coat
« on: May 25, 2020, 18:54:56 PM »
HI, I'm new to this sewing shenanigans and the forum (see post in 'HI, I'm new') but have managed to make a pair of curtains from an old duvet cover that came out rather well for a first attempt, I've also made a large shopping bag, a vest, reclaimed a few frayed towels and stitched elastic into the cuffs of my wife's fleece as they kept falling down.

I'd like to make my wife an article of clothing and thought that a simple Kimono coat seemed like a simple pattern and there are tutorials available as well to help me make it. Is this about the most simple of patterns as I think or am I missing something. This will be the first thing I've made where I've laid out for material so I don't want to get it wrong.

Thanks or "Diolch" as we say here in Wales   

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Hi, I'm new... / greeting from the land of dragons
« on: May 25, 2020, 11:46:27 AM »
 Well what brings a chap well past middle-age (unless I live from than 118 years) who can't sew that well to a sewing forum. Well I guess but being a practical sort of a chap, I'm keen to make home furnishings, stitch leather/leatherette for car seats (I'm a classic car bod), fix horse rugs, make simple clothes, maybe for my wife rather than me as men's clothes seem to be quite complex. I've already made a massive solid bottomed shopping bag from an old duvet that actually holds shopping and lots of it. I made that using an old Singer treadle machine and whilst it isn't perfect, it is useful. I've since graduated up to using my late father-in-law's Jones CBD that I've fitted to the Singer treadle bench and it all still folds down neatly and has left me with a very usable unit. Thus far I've made a vest from an old stretchy sheet and some edging, salvaged three frayed towels, modified a top for my wife to stop the sleeves falling down too easily and made a pair of curtains for our bedroom from another old duvet and some recycled curtain tape. I'm particularly chuffed with the curtains which actually look alright, much to my surprise. All this sewing activity in the front-room is reminding me of my mother who used to make clothes and curtains with her treadle machine and later an old electric model,  as well as making loads of stuffed toys, including many many Wombles!

I've joined The Sewing Place because I'm aware of how limited my skills are and want to be able to access the knowledge of people who know so much more than I do about sewing and using a machine. Although I've been a Diversity practitioner for years, I spent many years working with steel and especially sheet steel and have noticed that some of the skills are similar and have a great deal of respect for skilled machinists, tailors and seamstresses who seem to be able to work with such great speed. I'm happy to dawdle but want to be able to produce quality items, so it makes sense to be able to ask skilled people for help. Unfortunately, I don't think I have very much to offer in return as I'm such a beginner even though I'm almost 60.

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