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Messages - Sewingforfun

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31
The Show Must Go On / Re: Halloween hits the ballroom!
« on: October 25, 2019, 16:47:14 PM »
Loving the costumes Jackie but don't understand all the initials? :S ??

Watch with T.4.1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vMsCEWbd-A

32
The Show Must Go On / Re: Halloween hits the ballroom!
« on: October 24, 2019, 15:21:08 PM »
Those are really cute!! You are so clever!

33
In the wardrobe / Re: Alice in Hong Kong coat
« on: October 21, 2019, 16:21:49 PM »
That's amazing! So beautiful. And I also wish you had been my teacher! What lucky kids.

34
Those trousers look nice! Good colour.

When I was a child in America, there was a particular catalogue (L L Bean) that offered things like the "hunting pant" and the "walking shoe". My father always said they'd perfect for a one-legged person. It drives me mad that pant has now entered the vernacular.

But also being American, I'm in a constant muddle about what I'm wearing where. And don't get me started on fannys.

35
The Show Must Go On / Re: Newest dresses
« on: September 22, 2019, 10:24:58 AM »
WoW! Those are gorgeous!

36
Vintage Machines / Re: Buttonholer for a 99K
« on: September 17, 2019, 13:47:12 PM »
For various and complicated reasons I have not one, but two Griest buttonholers (Model 1 - side screw clamping, the most common one, fits most machines) that I'd like to sell!! These take the metal cams.

Between them I have one complete set of all the templates including the extras except the eyelet plus one set of the 5 regular templates. One buttonholer is the older black metal model, the other the blue plastic one. Both have boxes (slightly dented), and there is one manual. I know the blue one works because I've used it, and the black one moves the way its supposed to, so it also ought to work. I've given both an oiling and cleaning.

I'd say £20 plus postage for one (chose your colour) with the complete set of templates, of £15 for one with the 5 templates.

You will need to provide your own thingy to screw it into. I think this was part of the setup of the older machines, on my Bernina 1008 I use a screw on foot attachment.

38
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: We have a winner...
« on: August 18, 2019, 18:30:56 PM »
Well done @Efemera !!! Very nice!

39
Technical Help / Re: Fly front trousers front dart
« on: August 04, 2019, 17:48:35 PM »
I'd probably just straighten up the fronts a smidge, it sounds like you don't need too much extra and I wouldn't be inclined to mess with the pockets/hips if they are fitting nicely.
Is it a curved waistband?

Thanks, and yes, it is a curved waistband, so maybe straighten the end of that a little too?

40
Technical Help / Fly front trousers front dart
« on: August 04, 2019, 11:43:05 AM »
Hello! I have a question about fly fronts and darts. I love my new jeans (see Sewing the Blues competition), but they and I are not quite the same shape at centre front.

The pattern clearly has quite substantial front darts transferred to centre front (see picture), but on me this cuts in a bit at the waist although the waist is overall the right size and they are a nice fit over the hip.
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I realise I could straighten the front a bit and take the same off the side seam, but is there also some clever way to shift the “dart” into the pocket area without altering the side seam? That would preserve my nice side seam.

41
@Sewingforfun
Those jeans look simply amazing. I also love the pretty fabric you’ve used on the inside.
Well fitting jeans are a nightmare to buy so I can’t begin to imagine how hard it must be to produce something that looks so professional. I’m in awe of your talent.  :|

@WildAtlanticWay - thank you, very kind! I made them in a class, which helped, but they weren't nearly as hard as they look (or as I expected). The place I went (The New Craft House) is running another jeans class in October.. I see you are in Ireland, but there were two ladies from Switzerland and one from Denmark on the one I went to, so it might be an excuse for a weekend in London...?? ;)

Closet Case also does a video class, and also has a sew along on its blog.

42
SewingforFun's Blue Jeans!!

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What did you make and what material did you use?
The Closet Case Morgan jeans (non-stretch "boyfriend" style). The main fabric is a 14oz non stretch indigo denim, the pockets and waistband lining are a printed cotton poplin, both from Raystitch in Islington. The antique gold rivets and buttons were a kit from Closet Case supplied in the class, but you can get similar online from them or on ebay.
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Pattern used (commercial or self-drafted, anything goes)
Closet Case Morgan.  I'll definitely make this pattern again. It's a really fun project, and not as hard as it looks if you follow the steps in the correct order. I don't think they look handmade, but the fit is definitely custom.

A short description on how you made it/problems overcome/etc.
 I made them (mostly) in a two day class at The New Craft House in Hackney on the 13th and 14th of July taught by Heather-Lou, the Closet Case designer, with a bit of final topstitching and hemming at home. Before the class, I made two toiles, one muslin, and a second "wearable" one, then the jeans themselves were fitted again in the class.

The pattern was true to shop size (I made, and normally wear, a 12). I scooped the crotch curve both front and back, and tinkered with the back length. We also made some adjustments to the hang of the legs. She recommended a knock-knee adjustment that I'll do next time, and I think a bit more leg tinkering is in order, but overall they fit a zillion times better than any jeans I've ever bought!

The topstitching was fiddly, and took some practice (and unpicking), but my oh my, what fun to do in a jazzy yellow on the dark navy! The wearable toile (as yet not quite finished) has bright orange on mid grey linen....  If you look carefully at the back view, you can see where I chalked a fancy set of initials onto one pocket, then decided my machine embroidery was not up to snuff. Another time.

My biggest issue was the *()&%$£ Pfaff Quilt Ambition 630 machines they have in the studio. I cannot say how much I hated this machine - it had an evil mind of its own, at one point just randomly starting to sew even though I was nowhere near the presser foot (we think I brushed the start button, which I didn't even know it had), and every time it also carried on backstitching even though I had turned off the back stitch. It also struggled with the heavy fabric, jammed constantly, etc etc etc.  :angry: :angry: The difference when I got back to my Bernina 1008 could not have been greater. It just sailed through the denim, even when there were lots of layers, and generally did just what I wanted it to do. Any craving I might have had for an electronic machine is now totally gone! :D

Oh and it's too warm to wear them! I put them on for the photo, and took them straight back off again. This is a problem I think I can live with.

43
@Sewbusy - if you have the newer old style feet (with the narrow prongs), i might be interested in buying a few. I have some, but by no means all. I’m also interested to know how you attach the Greist ruffler. I just bought a Greist buttonholer on fleabay, which hasn't arrived yet. I have a screw on attachment for the 1008. Will that work to attach it? Carolxx

44
Just to be clear: the foot for sale is definitely the NEW style that fits Activa, etc. (even if it doesn't entirely look like it - see below for why this is). And @Gernella OK, I hope you enjoy it now that you know what it looks like!! I've ordered myself another from Frank Nutt that they promise will fit my 1008 for real.

@Sewbusy - thanks for the links, but it is a tad(!!) more complicated than that as I have discovered, not least as the "A" feet are not always labelled as such. I had long discussions about this particular foot with both the nice people at Frank Nutt and the people at Rona, a Bernina dealer in Waltham Cross. Handily it's in its original box, so they were able to look up the part number and tell me which machines it fits. It turns out it's quite unusual.

Broadly speaking there are three styles of Bernina feet, with the fittings changing to prevent you using the feet on an unsuitable machine. These are:

-- old old style with thick prongs (and often the number engraved on the foot) - these are the only feet that fit the really old (pre-1980s) models because these machines have a relatively narrow stitch width. Often seen on ebay.

-- newer old style with thin prongs and usually a stuck on white label - these fit more recent mechanical models like the 1008 and can also be used on the older mechanical models. These are the only "old" style feet you can buy new these days, rarer on ebay.

-- new style which have a notch at the back and a flat front panel, plus a yet wider stitch width. The C and D new style feet have an additional pad at the side of the fitting to take a computer sensor. The front plate means the new style feet will not physically go onto an older mechanical machine like the 830 or the 1008. The labels are generally red, but as you see in the picture, the "A" feet - the one in the middle - doesn't actually necessarily say A on the label.....

These pictures are  from the Bernina website shows them all, with from left to right: Old old, newer old, new, C, and D
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However, it seems that briefly, c.1996 when they first brought out the new style feet, the new style feet did not have the plate at the front, just the notch at the back, and the labels were still white. That's what this foot is - new style but with a white label and without the front plate.

That would have been ok except that they also changed the angle of the shank at the same time so that the actual foot bit of the new style feet projects much further forward than the older styles, meaning that if you put it on a 1008 or similar, the needle comes down on solid metal not into a hole.  You can see this very clearly in the photos below, which are the newer old style number 1 foot from my 1008 and the 10 foot I'm selling. And also why its confusing - the fitting and label are basically the same, the foot itself is decidedly not.
 
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I cannot have been the only person c.1996 who picked up a new foot and assumed it would work on my older machine, only to discover - as broken needle parts flew everywhere - that it didn't! I'm also sure that they added the plate to the new style feet as much to prevent you putting the new feet on older machines as to accommodate the needle threader, which is the usual reason given for the change.

Anyway, long story! There seemingly weren't many made like this because of the problems with people accidentally putting them on the wrong machines, but it definitely is a new style foot for Activa, etc. I'm now thinking of putting it on ebay with a higher price as a collector's item, but will leave it here in case anyone wants it to actually sew with.

45
I've got an Activa 215 and wouldn't mind it but could I check I don't have already.  Is it a No 10 foot.  I'm a bit vague because I bought quite a few feet when I bought  the machine based on whether I thought I'd need them and since it doesn't get used that often I don't know if that is one I bought.  If someone else wants it, let it go.

Yes it's the 10 and of course you can check!!
 :D :D

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