The Sewing Place

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Topics - Elnnina

Pages: [1] 2 3
1
I received my latest Threads magazine yesterday, and in this there were loads of ideas for Christmas gifts, and one in particular is from the UK, and comes under the name of  Jenerates (Jen Hogg) she was in the GBSB of 2019, and has set up her own business and there are some lovely sewing aids, the one shown in Threads was  Seam Circles, these are small different sized wooden circles all different measurements, and you can place these against your pattern edge, put a pencil through the central hole and then run the wooden disc up along your pattern - the discs are from a 1/4" seam allowance to 2" and these discs are available either in metric or imperial.  Jen has also some other little sewing aids available as well as aids for knitting.  Her details are jenhogg.co.uk  (whilst I couldn't get this to work initially I eventually just typed in her name and up came Jenerates Jen Hogg).

I think this is going to solve a problem I have had with my husband asking me what do I want for Christmas   and to be honest I couldn't think of anything, and as I am drafting a lot of my own patterns lately I think I have now found the answer to marking in my seam allowances as I have tended to go down from the usual 5/8" to 3/8" and then overlocked these together and pressed to one side and for what I have been making this smaller seam allowance on my particular rather large size has proved to be beneficial.

2
Fun with Fabric / Fabric for men's PJ's
« on: November 01, 2023, 11:22:15 AM »
Please can anyone suggest where I might go on line (not ebay though) for suitable knit fabric for men's PJ's, but not the very thin curl up at the edges type of knit.  Having spent 10 days in hospital recently my husband now realises that he needs some new PJ's, (I have mended and patched his existing ones), and he refuses to pay M&S £35 or more for new ones. Surely I can make them a lot cheaper and also ones that will not disintegrate in a few months time.  However I am at a loss to know where to go looking for suitable knit fabric preferably here in the UK, and something that is a little more sturdy than the very thin knits.

3
English Couture Company is closing down as of the end of this week as Michelle is retiring as from 1st September.  So sad really but of course she is entitled to retire and it is probably well earned as well.  Sadly she has been let down at least once possibly more than that on trying to sell her business, and she told me that the mail order may still be viable for a short while, so if you are thinking of getting your interfacing or anything else she sells  in then you need to do so quickly.  She also has a book written by her on Tailoring available for sale - traditional tailoring and this was her Covid project.

4
Events / Coronation Tailors
« on: April 25, 2023, 11:17:34 AM »
Next week, Wednesday 03May there is a programme on BBC2 at 9pm hosted by Patrick Grant called  Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King  - taking us behind the scenes of a family business creating thousands of  bespoke ceremonial uniforms for King Charles coronation.

5
The Haberdashery / Pattern Ease tracing material
« on: April 20, 2023, 15:42:45 PM »
I have been messing about with some pattern drafting using Sure-Fit Designs kits which I bought quite a few years ago, and thought it was high time I got to grips with these kits.  In order to aid my thinking I have been watching a fair few of Glenda's (Sure-Fit Designs creator)videos and also some videos by Joy Bernhardt who has used SFD hundreds of times, and Joy in particular once she has traced her Master Blueprint (that is what Glenda calls her initial pattern drafting) you then go on to make yet another copy of your pattern and work with this leaving the Master Blueprint intact.  Joy may at times make more than one tracing of her pattern, it depends whether she has had to make some alterations i.e. broad back, sway back, etc. and then she used something called Pattern Ease which is a non woven material made up of 80% polyester and 20% rayon, apparently you can stitch this together, and it is soft enough to drape around the body so kinder to use than trying to fit a pattern using pins and tissue paper.

At lunch time today I received my package of Pattern Ease so I will try this out.  I have bought mine from a place called Sew Hot (www.sewhot.co.uk) and they are based in Fleetwood, Lancashire, package was posted yesterday afternoon so an excellent service.  This pattern ease is 46" wide and is £2.90 per yard - and yes I know I have said yard, as it is sold by the yard - the lady who owns this business is an American.

I am going to be busy!!!

6
Fun with Fabric / washing and drying scuba fabric
« on: November 20, 2022, 16:47:40 PM »
Please can anyone advise on washing and tumble drying scuba fabric.  I have a fairly new tumble dryer, and oh so many different settings for different fabrics, and I am at a loss as to which is the best one to use (The dryer is a Bosch).

Ideally I need to wash this fabric first before I go cutting out, and I do not have an airer - anyway I think with the weight of this fabric that would mean having lines across the fabric which is not what I want anyway.  At the moment with this seemingly never ending rain, it is impossible to go hanging this length of fabric out on the washing line.

Have never used scuba before so any hints and tips on sewing, laundering would be most welcome - thanks.

7
I have 10 Crompton Sign Lamps 15W bayonet fitting that says on the box suitable for outside festoon lighting.  I had thought they would be suitable for sewing machines but apparently not.  It also says on the box not  suitable for indoor illumination.

This was a mistake online purchase – my husband ordered the wrong sort of small light bulb, and they are just sitting in a cupboard doing nothing.  Has anyone got outside lighting that could use these bulbs?

8
I only managed to catch up with this programme last night and they showed Dominic dealing with the cutest little Wilcox and Gibbs machine - even my husband was amazed - and wondered whether I would like one - now that is unusual for him.  Sadly though these little beauties fetch an eye watering price when they are available.  I must say I was rather taken aback when Dominic actually immersed parts of the machine in a bowl of soapy water - how on earth did he then ensure that these parts were totally dry inside.  Once clean and re assembled the machine did sew although it was only a chain stitch and from what we could see this worked, but I know that chain stitch can easily miss a stitch and thus unravel so very quickly.

For those interested in this programme but didn't see it, it was shown on BBC1  Tuesday 15th September so probably availabe on i-player.

9
Fun with Fabric / Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Interfacing
« on: June 05, 2020, 15:04:47 PM »
Someone recently was bemoaning the fact that Sew Direct’s Website was no longer doing the McCalls Perfect Fuse interfacings.

Well the very latest Sew Today magazine June 2020 has just dropped through my letter box and at the back of this magazine on the shopping pages the first page is devoted to this Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse – there are four types Sheer, Medium, Light and Tailor ultra – all available in the usual two colourways of charcoal black and Ecru white.

10
Please has anyone got Butterick 6208 which is a tuck pleated tunic pattern in the largest sizing.  I rather like the way they have done the neckline and the front opening.  This appears to be an out of print pattern and whilst I have looked on line particularly at the USA sites, this pattern does not appear to be around.  The picture on the pattern envelope shows a peach coloured tunic top.  If anyone can help I would really appreciate this, or if anyone has this pattern and can give me a tracing of the top part of the front with the neck shape and facing this would help.  Thanks

11
Publications / Threads magazine No. 207 February/March 2020
« on: February 24, 2020, 10:59:29 AM »
The latest edition of Threads magazine is now out, I got mine last week.

There is an article showing you how to make Chinese Knots  for a fastening on a jacket.  An article on Focus on the Waist - to improve the fit on trousers, another article on Ponte Knits, and another article on Lining it like a Pro i.e.lining a jacket.

However what really caught my eye this time around was  an article called Tuck-marking trick and this involves using something called Totally Stable  Iron on  Tear Away Stabiliser and this has been used on a Butterick pattern 6208 which is out of print, and has tucks down the front bodice - the front bodice has a button closure and is slightly V neck. 

Sorry Jessie this information on the pleat part is probably too late for you, but this Totally Stable stabiliser product is available here in the UK via Amazon.

12
Vintage Machines / My new treadle machine
« on: January 26, 2020, 11:09:27 AM »
Well at long last have been able to have a closer inspection of this machine, it looks in superb condition, yes it really does, I cannot see any scratches or rubbing of the decals, the chrome is gleaming and the body work is also gleaming.  It does have an electric motor attached to the back with a light on the back as well, but the cable looks slightly dodgy in that some tape has been wound round the part where it plugs into the machine.  The foot control is horrible a huge heavy metal shoe type.  I have yet to try and change the belt over to the treadle.  However it is the treadle part I really want to use.

Anyway I am rather confused, the serial number of EF 758171 says this is a 201K made in 1950.  However there were two photocopies of booklets with this machine one for a 201-2 and the other for a 201K - now are they the same machine, if not what are the differences - you can tell I am new to all of this.

I already had a small Singer booklet produced in 1963 for schools  called 'A Manual of Family Sewing Machines' and this covers many really old machines, how to thread them, how to wind a bobbin,  how to change the stitch length etc.  Then there is a whole section  on all the various feet and attachments and what to do with them.  In addition  I also have an old 201 actual manual but this was for a beige different shape machine altogether.  In the Schools booklet there is a very clear diagram of a Treadle and it names all the parts.  (Yesterday was a very dark and  a particular gloomy day and I really need much better light and more space to be able to see what I am doing with this machine)  The Schools booklet I bought many years ago as a result of being given many old Singer feet and attachments, and this booklet helped me identify and use them on my then old straight stitch machine a Cosson.  I only gave away most of these feet and attachments  may be 20 years ago when I donated  that machine and other items to a charity that sends machines and tools out to East Africa.

So back to the photocopies that were included with the machine, there are pages and pages  33 for the 201-2 and 57 for the 201K.  The manual for the 201-2 machine was originally a small green manual, whereas the manual for the 201K was a much bigger manual.

Right I have tried taking a photos of this machine with the phone and then tried to download to my laptop, somehow I must have pressed the button too hard and have multiple shots of each photo, cannot get to this from where the photos are stored so I have just dragged one of each to the desktop so that I can hopefully attach these to this.  Oh what a steep learning curve I am on.  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

13
Publications / Threads magazine No. 206 December/January
« on: December 15, 2019, 15:11:47 PM »
I received my copy of Threads yesterday, and there is a feature showing the winners of the Make it with Wool competition, some lovely garments and ideas, plus one is a Machine Embroidery winner and this is beautiful yet so simple.  I do love some of the  extras that some of these winners have added to their garments.

There is also a new and different way in fitting called Add a Yoke for Fit by Sarah Veblen she has taken a shoulder dart and turned this into a curved back yoke, and also on another one made a two piece back yoke.

The vintage garment feature is lovely and shows how we can add bias silk or taffeta  bands to tulle to create a stunning evening dress - replicating one from 1929.  I personally think this idea would be so useful for those making full wedding dresses and these bands on tulle would make an excellent underskirt as the edges of the tulle are enclosed by wide bands of the silk or taffeta.

Another article is about lining knit garments  and suitable fabrics for this.

Oh I do love my Threads magazine, there is always something nice that I like in each issue, it is just a shame it is so difficult to get hold of - luckily I have an excellent newsagent in a neighbouring village who gets this for me - I am the only one, and I start chasing him when I think the next one is due, and so far I have not lost out - sometimes it is very late.

14
Sewing Machines / Help I have thread caught in my upper threading
« on: November 09, 2019, 11:29:17 AM »
Please do any of you have a Bernina Artista 200 - and if so have you ever had thread getting caught in the upper threading, particularly where it goes up the left hand side of the take up cover and before it goes into the hook of the take up  lever.

Mine is well and truly caught in something, I cannot get hold of my mechanic, and I am very wary of trying to take the cover off the end of the machine - also I do not have the appropriate sized allen key.

I have secured the loose ends of the thread with some magic tape so that they do not wander or get blown /sucked into the inner workings of the machine, but I am at a loss as to why this has happened and also what to do.  Any help gratefully received.

15
The Haberdashery / Rollbe
« on: October 05, 2019, 10:19:50 AM »
A very long time ago on the old forum I remember Hevsi posting something available from Morplan that you rolled along and it measured curves and that sort of thing - cannot remember exactly what it was called - and it sounded an excellent idea and I wish I had bought it then and there.

Well this week I am in the process of making up four identical tops all cut from my own pattern, first top - sleeves went in with no problem.  Second top the sleeves particularly the sleeve head is coming up too gathered for my liking, and I have ground to a halt.  Then I remembered something Surefit Designs had and were offering a while ago and it is called a Rollbe, it is a natty little hold in your hand wheel (20cm) that you can roll around any curve you like, and it has just arrived in the post this morning - I used Surefit's UK supplier Judith Johnson who is based near Banbury.

So once I have managed to get myself showered and ready to face the day I shall put this through its paces.  Believe it or not I have tried measuring using the tape measure standing on its side, also using a flexible ruler and  I keep on getting different measurements, so I am hoping that this Rollbe will sort that out for me.  Whilst I can afford to lose some surplus fabric in the sleeve head, I really do not want to lose any in the circumference of the body of the sleeve as I have had an enormous amount of trouble to make this sleeve wide enough to go around my arm and then creating a sleeve head that fitted beautifully into an armhole that I also created.  I am putting the difficulties down to my using a thicker cotton fabric than the first top which was a poly cotton, however I have two more poly cottons to set the sleeves in.

If anyone is interested in this Rollbe do go and look this up on Surefit Designs website - and yes having their representative here in the UK is a great help.  I only ordered this on Thursday and Judith said she would put it in the post on Friday so fingers cross it would arrive today which it has - so excellent service.

So my task today is to get on with my six sleeves and get these tops all finished and put away so that I can move on to something else.

Pages: [1] 2 3