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Messages - Kad

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211
Courses & Classes / Craftcourses.com
« on: February 13, 2022, 14:27:28 PM »
Has anyone used this site to discover a craft course that they've actually partipated in?

Their website states:
"CraftCourses connects people with thousands of artisan makers across the UK. We have a massive choice of in-person workshops, live online classes, online courses, kits, and our brand new handcrafted shop."

They do seem to have a great choice of wormholes down which I could easily disappear

212
Sewing Spaces and Furniture / Re: To Horn cabinet or not
« on: February 10, 2022, 10:34:14 AM »
I too had lusted after one for ages, especially as my sewing room is also the spare bedroom. I tried out various models at every show I went to and refined my list of desired options. I bought one from a sewing friend who was downsizing so got it for a good price.

 Unfortunately, within a couple of months I'd realised that it and I were not a good match - the flat extension piece at the back of the table was far too low to be a cutting table, it was ok when quilting but that's all. The worst thing was that my long legs did not fit under the table - if I had my chair at the correct height I couldn't get my knees under the surface and if I lowered my chair I had nowhere to put my legs  :headbang:
What I'd really advise is ' don't just admire but try and find somewhere/someone who'll let you sit at it and use it for more than 10 minutes.

I've now got 2 Skarsta tables from IKEA - not as pretty but much more user friendly and I sold the Horn in an  e*ay auction at a profit.

213
Sewing Spaces and Furniture / Re: Organising feet, rulers and needles.
« on: February 06, 2022, 13:11:41 PM »
I return previously used needles to their packet threaded with a length of the thread that was last used. I blutack the packet of the current needle to the side of the machine, so I know the needle type.

214
Patterns Discussion / Re: Butterick 6829
« on: January 28, 2022, 19:56:48 PM »
@Suffolkone1
Is it not because you're able to see both sides of the fabric once completed due to the 'drapey' bit at the front neckline? Cutting 2 fronts will prevent the WS of fabric showing.

215
I always take mine to Jaycotts in Chester, not my nearest but very reasonable prices and I get a day out in Chester when dropping off the machine, and a day in Cheshire Oaks or the Zoo when we collect it.  :)

216
@Pearl - I think you're right about choosing scraps very carefully before I begin - I suspect I'll use more new fabric and only some scraps of similar colurs next time.
@Lowena  - yes I think it would have been better with one common colour to give cohesion  :) But I'll live with it, in the car if nothing else, it's just a single  :)

@LeilaMay  I've made a 'truely' scrap quilt using up a lot of patterned scraps and leftover charm squares. I used the Jacob's ladder block, tried to keep to  regular lights/darks placement within each block and tbh  it looked a " right dogs dinner" even up to the stage when I'd pieced most of the quilt top  0_0.
I rescued it by adding a 1 1/2" first border in a mid grassy green  - it didn't appear anywhere else in the quilt but seemed to work magic. The second border consisted of the scraps cut into a piano key border and then bound in the last of the grassy green.
Don't give up on your quilt top yet, you may find just the fabric needed to reduce the chaos into a masterpiece.

217
I could use one of the  FQ's but the lengths would mean a lot of joins.

When I've used a standard wadding ( Hobbs 80/20 ), I cut my binding strips to 1 3/8" - don't bother with a double fold binding.
Yes a fat quarter will mean lots of joins but if you use diagonal joins ( bias ) rather than straight joins they'll not be so visible. Indeed I often make a pieced scrappy binding using leftovers from the body of the quilt, means that I don't have to buy specific binding fabric and I end up with fewer leftovers.

218
Overlockers & Coverstitchers / Re: Janome Finesse 234
« on: January 22, 2022, 10:02:54 AM »
My first, and only, overlocker is a Janome 634D, bought from Hobkirks in the late 80's/ early 90's. It's used a lot more these days than when I first got it, think that more  knit fabrics are available now perhaps. It's still going strong and only requires regular oiling and de-fluffing and very, very occasionally a new knife blade. Unless it goes up in smoke, I don't foresee that I'll have to replace it ever  <3

219
Previous sewalong entries / Re: Small but Useful - January 1 - 31
« on: January 14, 2022, 12:46:01 PM »
Have posted in the Tutorials section
@Bodgeitandscarper
@Sewingsue
@Lachica

220
Previous sewalong entries / Re: Small but Useful - January 1 - 31
« on: January 14, 2022, 09:27:18 AM »
Wow, that's lovely!  @Kad, would you be able to do a thread on just how you created that fabric?  I'm really interested.
@Bodgeitandscarper
I could do a thread that details the methods and 'ingredients' that I use, together with alternatives and options, but as I approach this as a 'play' activity I will/can not give precise instructions how to recreate this exact fabric.

221
Previous sewalong entries / Re: Small but Useful - January 1 - 31
« on: January 13, 2022, 16:18:23 PM »
Kads entry

  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

 DD's best friend has asked if I could make a " small, interesting " frame purse for her to use at her wedding in March. I've been 'playing' with texture for a while now, I already knew the colours for the wedding, and made myself a textured fabric on a cotton base using organza, silver & pink Angelina fibres and flakes. This was embellished with a variety of machine stitches in a pale silvery grey thread and then attacked with a hot air gun. It's definitely ' interesting  :D
I had the frame already in stock so made up a simple purse with a plain white cotton lining. At 6" x 4.5" it's big enough for tissues, lippy and little else but the bride to be likes it and that's what matters.

222
Embroidery Machines / Re: Craving an embroidery machine
« on: January 10, 2022, 15:05:13 PM »
According to Mr google, the first 2 digits of the machine's serial number indicate the year of manufacture. I think that this model was introduced  in the 2000's so is approaching  20 years old.

223
@Celia

When I first stepped over into the dark side many years ago, it was suggested to me that, if you find a fabric that you like the colour scheme of, never mind the pattern, and then choose your fabrics according to the registration marks on the selvedge of that fabric, all the colour matching has been done for you. If you like the initial reference fabric that's a bonus but don't be put off if it's a floral print and you don't like florals, you're only using it as a starting point.

224
Embroidery Machines / Re: Craving an embroidery machine
« on: January 09, 2022, 12:37:38 PM »
@annieeg 
I had the Janome 300e after my Janome 8000 and before the 11000se and the 14000 that I have now, so it's getting on a bit now in terms of technology. It definitely used Janome design cards and also made use of low capacity (256mb ish) Compact Flash cards with an adaptor to store designs from the web.  It's now replaced by the 500e model which uses usb storage and direct connection to a laptop I think.

225
Previous sewalong entries / Re: Small but Useful - January 1 - 31
« on: January 05, 2022, 18:56:06 PM »
 DD's best friend has asked if I could make a " small, interesting " frame purse for her to use at her wedding in March. I'm very fond of this young lady so I've promised to do my best, the only thing is she has a degree in textiles with particular emphasis on embellished fabrics so  it looks like a challenge. Always presuming my efforts pass her high standards I'll enter it into the competition  :thinking:


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