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Messages - HenriettaMaria

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 39
16
Patterns Discussion / Re: upper bust measurement question
« on: February 24, 2024, 10:14:33 AM »
If you are trying to calculate how much of a full bust adjustment you need to make, the upper bust/under arm measurement is taken.  Then the over bust/maximum circumference measurement is taken.  The difference between the two is what defines the cup size.  If you are greater than a B cup then you will have to make a FBA to the pattern.

Personally, I'd say that the upper bust is more useful for defining which size of pattern you need as this is determined by your build - I once bought a (UK) size 16 pattern for the bust size and the shoulders were hanging off me!  There are lots of video tutorials out there showing you how to work this out and how to make a FBA.  I even found one for T-shirt patterns that then 'lost' the adjustment in the side seam and hem (the hem at the front dipped but when worn it looked level).

17
Is City & Guilds still a thing?  Or a BTEC of some description at a local college.  You already have the teaching qualification so it's the formal skills you need to be sure of.  After that I'd think it's just a matter of delivering a curriculum.

18
Your Favourite Suppliers / Re: Online fabric shops new thread for 2024
« on: February 23, 2024, 11:30:16 AM »
I've used this site in the past (although the stash is such that I've not done so in a while).  It has the benefit that they will send you a sizeable swatch (think A4) for a smallish charge so you can feel before you buy.  Then you can convert the swatch into bunting or some such!

https://ukfabricsonline.com/

19
Sewing Machines / Re: Bills New Machine
« on: February 22, 2024, 22:11:44 PM »
I wear Toolstation's yellow foam earplugs at night because DH has a tendancy to snore like a rhino when he first falls asleep.  They're about £2 for five pairs and, although they're described as disposable, I get about a fortnight out of them before they loose their squishiness.  Quite comfortable once you allow your ears to stop noticing them.  However, you might not hear the doorbell or phone.....

20
Sewing Machines / Re: Bills New Machine
« on: February 22, 2024, 12:18:31 PM »
@Bill It occurs to me that you might want to reduce the transmission of vibration from the machine to the fabric of the house.  We had that problem with DS's study desk, which I made out of a sheet of softwood taken out of the kitchen when we upgraded it, and four screw-on legs from B&Q.  Behind the desk we installed some of that shelving system where the verticals are screwed to the walls and the shelf brackets clip in, but we had them already so didn't buy new and they were a bit too long, meaning the desk banged against them when he was hammering away on the keyboard or if he moved stuff around.  We solved the problem by using those felt pads you put on the legs of wooden furniture to stop it marking hard floors, which are available for pennies in all sorts of places.

Maybe putting them on the feet of your desk and, if the furniture vibrates when you're machining at speed, on the sides of the worksurface where it abuts the walls?  I wouldn't put them on the feet of the machine itself as it will 'walk'!

21
The Haberdashery / Re: Digital rolling tape measure
« on: February 22, 2024, 12:11:10 PM »
@Sara-S Who?  Me?   :D

22
Embroidery and Embellishment / Re: Pillowcases for Mom
« on: February 20, 2024, 20:53:48 PM »
No, just A Sara SIlverman.

I did wonder, given your robust response to the Quilt Police!  The other Sara S would have lambasted them too :-)

23
Embroidery and Embellishment / Re: Pillowcases for Mom
« on: February 19, 2024, 19:49:50 PM »
Sara Silverman?  Not THE Sara Silverman, surely!  :laughing:

24
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Warm and Cosy contest - Jan & Feb 2024
« on: February 18, 2024, 19:36:39 PM »
@Starryfish Your offering knocks mine into a cocked hat!  Stunning :-)

25
Wouldn't it be utterly fab if they digitised their entire archive?  Imagine being able to get any design from any period, or a favourite design you bought when you were a misses size 12 and would like to make again but are now a women's size 16?  Or were a standard body length but are now a petite (thanks to osteoarthritis  :rant:)

26
Sewing Machines / Re: Bills New Machine
« on: February 15, 2024, 18:02:18 PM »
@Bill Do not, repeat DO NOT, try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKDSaNmB0rs

Good grief - why???  Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

27
Sewing Machines / Re: Bills New Machine
« on: February 14, 2024, 14:16:12 PM »
If you make a pair of jeans and want to stitch the belt carriers on, you will have:

* two layers plus interfacing for the waistband
* four layers of the belt carrier where the raw edges are turned in before each side of the carrier is top/edge stitched
* another four layers of the belt carrier where you turn the end over before attaching it to the top edge of the waist band.

That makes ten layers and my old Singer 522 struggled with that much fabric.  If Bernie can handle ten layers without complaining, I call that a win  :VV:

28
Sewing Machines / Re: Bills New Machine
« on: February 13, 2024, 21:51:08 PM »
Looking good, @Bill !

My only comment, based on my own tiny sewing corner, is that you might want to swap the trolley to the left of the machine with the drawer unit to the right of your cutting table.  That way, you will have space to support bigger sewing projects without knocking things off the trolley.  Suck it and see, though :)

29
The Haberdashery / Re: Rewinding thread onto old style cotton reels.
« on: February 09, 2024, 13:48:52 PM »
Use the bobbin winder on the machine to load a normal machine bobbin?  Won't hold as much thread as a 100m spool but it will avoid you having to spend money.

Else a cone holder as Deafoldbat suggested, which will sit happily behind your machine.

30
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Warm and Cosy contest - Jan & Feb 2024
« on: February 08, 2024, 14:22:30 PM »
So the hex pullover is done.  Things I learned:

* The idea of this thing is that the armscye measurement determines the length of the hex sides so the deeper the armhole, the longer the sides, but while in the make-a-hexagon stage, no shaping is possible, consequently it is very boxy.

* Having joined the sleeve seam, which runs along the top of the seam from the shoulder, it is possible to add more rows to lengthen the sleeve, at which point the sleeve can be tapered, which is a good thing.

*  Most of the instructions online tell you to add width to the back by adding rows up and down the back edges, which is fine, but also to add width to the front by doing exactly the same, which in my view is not.  To do so gives a simple slash neck and I decided to apply some pattern cutting knowledge to giving the front neck a bit of a scoop.  It worked to my satisfaction.

* The overall width of the garment is determined by whichever of your bust, waist or, if you're making the garment that long, hip measurements is the largest.  Like I said, boxy, and I didn't fancy adding decreases below the bottom of the hex panel   [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  for obvious reasons.

*  I took several goes to invent a neck edge that sat neatly and it's now a crew neck with shaping at the front.  The edges are all done with two rows of double crochet (single crochet in US terms).  There are lots of elaborate edges possible but on this garment I felt they wouldn't be right. 

Anyway, see what you think.

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