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Topics - WildAtlanticWay

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16
Vintage Machines / Novum Mark III sewing machine
« on: August 24, 2020, 21:44:10 PM »
Well, I think that’s what it is, having scoured lots of online pics.

I fitted the new motor, re-wired in the lamp, fitted a new led bulb and oiled it and blow me, it sews!  :loveit:



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Wondering if anyone can advise?

My friend here in Ireland has a Pfaff varimatic 6085 that she’s had a while and uses for basic sewing, curtain, dressmaking etc. She carried it in her car to her sisters and it’s suddenly not working properly. The hand wheel is very stiff and it makes a straining noise.

She’s cleaned around the needle plate and bobbin area with a brush, hoovered it to see if there was any loose fluff and it’s stiff not working properly.  :(

Any suggestions please? 




18
Machine Accessories / Extra narrow presser foot
« on: July 03, 2020, 12:00:20 PM »
I’ve just been watching a YouTube bag making tutorial.
The lady is using an industrial machine and a very narrow presser foot which she can use for the zip and everything else without changing the foot.
It looks like a marvellous Multitasking foot to me.

Can you buy these feet for ordinary low shank domestic machines?

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The Haberdashery / Gütermann Overlocker thread - very fine
« on: March 07, 2020, 12:22:21 PM »
I mentioned this in the Today thread but it will probably get lost in time, so I’m re-posting it here.

I bought 2 mini cones of Gütermann Overlocker thread to try in my fussy Juki sewing machine. There’s 2000mtrs on a cone and it worked out about £6 each with the exchange rate. I’d not seen this thread before, only normal Gütermann all purpose thread and moon thread so I thought I’d give it a try. Maeve (in the fabric store) sells mostly bridal and posh dress type fabrics and said a lot of her customers who make bridal wear use this thread as it’s finer than normal Gütermann thread.

When I got home I wound some thread on the bobbin and then sewed some trial seams.
OMG, what a revelation!!
My Juki sewed it beautifully, and I think I’ve solved my weird tension issues. I didn’t have to change the top tension at all. My Brother machine will sew with any old thread but I was always having to adjust the top tension on the Juki.

This is the thread. The plastic cone it’s on is peach coloured not white as that’s a different Overlocker thread.

Google Gütermann Tera 180 overlock thread

https://consumer.guetermann.com/en/product-finder/tera-180-2

I bought colour 722 as a nude type colour and the white.

Hope this might be of some help to others?

20
The Haberdashery / Aurifil thread
« on: March 01, 2020, 13:23:16 PM »
My Juki machine isn’t fussed with Moon thread. It will sew it but it seems happier with smoother thread like Gütermanns
so I was looking online for some suppliers and came across barnyarns in the U.K.

They sell a brand called Aurifil in larger spools. I’ve seen this brand mentioned elsewhere.

Can anyone advise if this a suitable all purpose type thread for general sewing or is it meant for more specialist sewing machines like embroidery machines?

I’m trying to find a brand of all purpose type Thread that my Juki will love. My Brother machine is a pure floosie and will play with anything very happily but the Juki seems a lot fussier.

Thank you lovelies.

21
Sewing Machines / Old vintage (?) Singer machine - advice please
« on: February 27, 2020, 17:51:58 PM »
Hello lovely experts,

We had a new lady join our sewing group yesterday and she brought along this machine. It was her mum’s and it had been converted to electric from being a hand crank but she was never taught how to use it.

She was asking me about sewing a new zip onto a toddler play suit so I rummaged in the little box at the side and she had a zipper foot. Great, unfortunately, I’ve no idea how to thread the machine so can anyone point me to some instructions please? It works and sews but I’ve not threaded it yet.   [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

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The Haberdashery / Too much choice - thread!
« on: January 03, 2020, 12:15:05 PM »
Are there some basic rules about threads? I’ve tried searching but I think I’m using the wrong terms, possibly?

I’d bought some embroidery threads (pretty colours!) and used them to pep up my basic mug mats etc. that I made for Xmas presents but I found them breaking constantly on my more expensive Juki although they sewed ok on my much cheaper Brother machine. I used the same thread for the bobbin as I used on the top, before anyone asks.  :)

It got me thinking and I wondered if there is a useful guide someone can point me too that explains about different types of threads and their uses?

I was reading some US pages and they included various brandnames of thread (many I’d never heard of) and disparaging Gütermann, which I thought was a top brand, plus used a numbering system that I’ve not seen either

It’s all rather confusing... :S


23
Vintage Machines / Just bought an old-ish sewing machine for €3
« on: October 22, 2019, 16:41:39 PM »
I popped into a charity shop next to the supermarket to browse through the books and a chap was on his way through the shop door with what looked liked an old sewing machine in its case.

I asked him what he’d got and he said he was throwing it out as they’d plugged it in and it wasn’t working. No idea what came over me but I said, I might like to buy that. He lifted the lid and it looked clean and tidy.  Manager (who I know well) said I could have it for €5 to include the 2 books I was holding. I asked the manager to drop it off for me on his way home (he passes my house) as I didn’t have the car with me.

I’m home now and wondering what on earth I’ve bought??
I won’t know until he drops it off later but I remember it was beige coloured, has a black motor with a rubber belt attached to the hand wheel. It had a lever sticking out on the front that went up and down?
When it arrives, I’ll take a photograph and post it to this thread and see if any of you lovely experts can advise me if it’s worth trying to get it fixed.  :vintage:  :)

24
Patterns Discussion / Mary Quant 60’s style Free Patterns
« on: October 20, 2019, 09:53:15 AM »
I spotted these 2 free PDF patterns via the V and A museum website.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/sew-your-own-mary-quant-georgie-dress

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/sew-your-own-mary-quant-style-minidress

I like the look of the Georgie dress myself.

Sorry, if this has already been posted elsewhere, I searched but couldn’t find anything.


25
Patterns Discussion / Vintage Patterns
« on: August 23, 2019, 17:40:28 PM »
I saw this on a Facebook post and it made me giggle.  ;)

Would they get away with saying this nowadays?  :devil:

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Publications / Charity shop find
« on: August 20, 2019, 19:53:13 PM »
I bought a sewing book today for €3 in the charity shop. I picked it up to look at the vintage illustrations.

I can’t seem to post a photo of it but it’s the same edition as this one and in good condition.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Mary%20Brooks%20Picken&bi=h&bx=off&cm_sp=SearchF-_-Advtab1-_-Results&dj=on&ds=30&pn=Mayflower%20books&recentlyadded=all&sortby=1&sts=t&tn=Singer%20Sewing%20book&yrl=1961

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https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Really-Useful-Drawer-Tower-Rainbow/dp/B00AZL79UI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BCP9AZKCVK5&keywords=really+useful+boxes&psr=PDAY&qid=1563261688&s=prime-day&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&sprefix=Really%2Caps%2C1061&sr=1-1


Just bought these stacking colourful storage boxes on Prime. Thought they’d be good for storing fat quarters and offcuts  in according to the fabric colour. At the moment, I tend to store them in a couple of shoe sized boxes but I have to rummage through them to find the colour I want.

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I’m now wondering if I’ve been a tad ambitious.  :|

I ordered the Style Arc Estelle coatigan pattern (it says EASY!) and a pretty blue flower print design in Ponte Roma as that was recommended by the pattern.

However, it’s arrived and is slightly stretchy and I’ve never sewn a stretch knit fabric before.  :S

Please give me your top tips for sewing this type of fabric and...if I made a toile in muslin fabric, would that work because muslin isn’t stretchy...??? Does it need pre-washing?

Also, what’s the sizing like in Style Arc patterns? As it’s a coat style, it is more important to go by the bust size rather than waist and hips because I’m more of an apple shape?

I’m happy to have a go but don’t want to waste decent fabric.

29
Publications / Sewing magazine sold in the U.K.?
« on: June 04, 2019, 14:50:17 PM »
Recommendations please?

My lovely sister is visiting me from the U.K. next month and I’ve asked if she’d bring a few sewing magazines with her.
What titles are generally sold in the U.K. that’s you’d recommend?

I’m interested in sewing both clothes and accessories but not ventured into patchwork and quilting yet. I picked up a copy of love Sewing this month whilst visiting Cork city but haven’t seen anything else.

Someone posted about the Burda magazine previously but I’m not sure if it’s more of a book or what?


30
Fun with Fabric / Interfacing question
« on: May 01, 2019, 17:09:24 PM »
My sewing tutor had recommended using a flexible soft and stretchy cotton interfacing called Stayflex and she gave me some of hers for a project I was doing.

Unfortunately, I’ve no idea where she bought hers from so I’m trying to find it online and Amazon has this:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004BP2OUO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1WUUK7EBFTPLY&psc=1

Do you think it’s the same sort of thing?
The sewing class has finished for the year so I won’t see her again until September.  :(

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