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.


Messages - JudyN

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 7
16
The Haberdashery / Re: Special Buttons
« on: August 03, 2020, 13:45:01 PM »
Given that I've lost my whole button box, I don't think I could be trusted with these.

17
Sewing Machines / Re: Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 03, 2020, 11:57:10 AM »
My bobbin winding is working this morning - wearing my glasses while doing it probably helped  :facepalm: Not so the needle threader. I might see if I can find a magnifying glass, or use my camera, later to see if I can see exactly what's going on. At least it didn't take too long for me to find my little wire needle threader! So having sorted that, I started stitching the raw edges on the waistband, unpicked them because though I'd adjusted the stitch width and length for zig-zag I'd forgotten to set the stitch selection, stitched it up again, unpicked a couple of bits as I'd changed my mind about the elastic in the front of the waistband and decided to remove it, and pinned the waistband to the body of the trousers, which took a couple of attempts before I got it the right way round. Though there seemed to be a distinct lack of matching notches - I haven't a clue how that happened!  :| That's my shoulder quota for today, and I'll need to concentrate when sewing them together so I'll think about that tomorrow. It's getting a bit hot for sewing in the conservatory now.

It'll all be so much better when hubby goes back in to work and I get my sewing table back - I won't have to spend ages wandering round looking for threaders, stitch unpickers, markers, pins....

18
Sewing Machines / Re: Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 02, 2020, 18:01:40 PM »
That's interesting @KayK - it's always good to be able to blame the equipment ;)

19
Sewing Machines / Re: Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 02, 2020, 15:22:53 PM »
That's a good idea, @WildAtlanticWay :-) In future I'll probably wind a couple of bobbins rather than one when I start a new reel of thread.

Actually, it would be good to know how many bobbins' worth of thread are on a standard reel because unless you're planning on using different threads top and bottom, you could then do them all in one go rather than faff about whenever one runs out. It'd depend on the thread of course, and the bobbin, and the machine... I've not managed to find an answer on Google, I may have to experiment at some point.

20
Sewing Machines / Re: Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 02, 2020, 13:21:36 PM »
It's a Juki HZL-353z. User error is very much a possibility though, I'm very inexperienced!

I get frustrated because I have fibromyalgia and dodgy shoulders so can only sew/fiddle for a short time, and fiddling around winding bobbins and threading needles with gritted teeth because it's not going well is the very worst for my muscles... so I might leave it till tomorrow to have another go. On the plus side, my first project - Jalie Eleonore trousers - is almost complete and by some miracle seems to fit :o (Despite needing to be unpicked and redone when I realised that the seam allowance was meant to be 3/8" and not 5/8" :| )

21
Sewing Machines / Re: Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 02, 2020, 10:29:17 AM »
Hmmm, I might have wound it round the wrong bit of the tensioner. Problem is once I've sat down sewing I'm too lazy to get up and get my glasses :S Which is also why I'll spend 20 minutes fighting with the needle threader rather than 30 seconds getting the glasses and finding my needle threader thingy.

I suppose I should rewind the bobbin or my next session will be spent dealing with a mighty snarl-up in the bobbin compartment!

22
Sewing Machines / Loosely wound bobbin and needle threader
« on: August 02, 2020, 10:16:05 AM »
I wound a bobbin on my Juki this morning, but it wound loosely, and some of the thread ended up wrapped round the spool rather than the bobbin (which I wound back on by hand). I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my question is, will a loosely wound bobbin work, or should I rewind it?

Also, does anyone else find automatic needle threaders temperamental? It doesn't want to play this morning, despite me fiddling with needle height, foot up and foot down. I'm wondering now if I just wasn't pushing the lever down firmly enough, but are there any other problems worth considering?

23
Patterns Discussion / Re: Jalie Eleonore - fitting advice
« on: June 27, 2020, 07:44:13 AM »
Stretch denim.
My lip reading's not great but I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying.  0_0


24
Patterns Discussion / Re: Jalie Eleonore - fitting advice
« on: June 26, 2020, 18:51:06 PM »
Thank you Vezelay - though the temptation to buy some fabric, dive straight in and make something wearable may be too much. If I can convince myself that it's OK to go to the tiny local fabric shop... I could stand just outside the door and holler 'show me your stretch denim!' :thinking:

25
Patterns Discussion / Re: Jalie Eleonore - fitting advice
« on: June 26, 2020, 16:53:11 PM »
The FB group came up with a good vid :D Though when I cut out the front pattern piece I realised I could segue quite easily from the smaller size up to the hips and then to the larger size so have done that. Though it's just occurred to me that as (I now know) I should only be altering the front leg piece, it might not be enough. Still, if it doesn't work as it is I can then do the proper adjustment.

Next question - the pattern asks for fabric with at least 20% stretch. Is there any point making up a toile in non-stretch fabric? I have an old duvet cover I could cut up but otherwise will have to buy something.

Fibromyalgia is frustrating - for some reason I struggle using scissors so will only be able to cut out one leg a day! Might have to ask OH nicely....

26
Patterns Discussion / Re: Jalie Eleonore - fitting advice
« on: June 25, 2020, 16:44:51 PM »
Thank you @Marniesews - I'll check out that group, and maybe look at the books too :D

27
Patterns Discussion / Jalie Eleonore - fitting advice
« on: June 25, 2020, 16:02:28 PM »
I've just purchased Jalie 3461 (Eleonore pull-on jeans). I was hoping to fins some advice in the pattern or online for adjustment but can't see any, so have a few questions:

My hips are 36" but because I bloat (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) and I have a very sensitive waist so want the jeans to be really loose there (I'll put belt loops on and use a belt so they don't fall down), I measured my waist when I was very relaxed and it was 32" - which is a difference of 5 pattern sizes :scream: I'm also short and small bones and do want them to be fitting (apart from the waist) so the size that corresponds to my waist measurement would look awful. The question is, what pattern lines do I cut on? Do I cut on the size 34, which corresponds to my hip measurement, up as far as the hips and then just try to cut a smooth line going up to the size 40 cutting line (which might get fiddly with the yoke pattern pieces)? Or do I cut on the larger line all round and then aim to take them in considerably? At least if I cut to the larger size I can trim it later...

Then there's rise - I'm short waisted and high waistbands end up arguing with my bra underwires so I'll almost certainly want to reduce that. What's the easiest way? I'm thinking I could measure the rise on some jeans I've already got to get an idea, but not sure how to transfer this to the paper pattern.

And leg length - I imagine I can worry about that after cutting out, but is there a specific place where I should alter the paper pattern rather than just cutting a few inches off the bottom?

I know I'm asking a lot, so please feel free to point me at any online resources you think would help. If I can crack this and end up with a pattern that fits reliably, my life will be complete  :D

28
Sewing Machines / Re: My mum's sewing machine has died...
« on: May 31, 2020, 19:12:30 PM »
Panic over... She took a couple of panels off, fiddled around, put them back on, and it works again :D Thanks for all the great advice though - I've told her that when she's allowed out again she should look round to get a feel for what she'd like when her machine finally dies. Hopefully she won't just assume now that if it's Singer it'd bound to be good.

I also discovered that the few suitable machines Amazon had in stock were grossly overpriced - e.g. up from £80 to £189 ><

29
Sewing Machines / Re: My mum's sewing machine has died...
« on: May 31, 2020, 13:45:13 PM »
The JL one is now out of stock too. She seems to want a Singer as that's what she's always had, and is looking at this one:

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/home-appliances/sewing-machines/sewing-machines/singer-start-1306-sewing-machine-white-10207680-pdt.html

It looks a bit small to me, and maybe 4.3 kg is a bit light? My Juki is 7.1kg.

30
Sewing Machines / Re: My mum's sewing machine has died...
« on: May 31, 2020, 09:55:11 AM »
That's a good idea, @StitchinTime Unfortunately, she's about 2.5 hours' drive away, and the shop's about half an hours' drive from me too. So not being a senior government advisor, that's not something I'd be happy to do right now ;)

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 7