I love my faithful old Bernina 1001. I've had it about 20 years, (I think), from new, and it's worked very hard for me.

A couple of times recently, I thought something smelled a bit 'hot' while I was working. The window was open and I assumed it was a funny smell wafting in from outdoors.
Today I used it just for a couple of minutes and could smell that hot smell again...sniffed closer to the machine and realised it was coming from the little bulb. Reached in and I've (lightly) burned my fingers...I can still feel a bit of a tingle now.

I feel worried and a bit sad. What do you suggest? Is it likely to be really bad? Electrics problem? Am I going to have a small house fire going if I'm not careful?
It's unplugged from the wall at the moment.

It had a pedal problem last year, and it had stopped working the year before that, so had to go to be fixed. I think it's dying. 

Sandra.
xxx

I've been asked if I can replace the cuffs on a casual, sports jacket...but I've never seen anything quite like this before.




This shows the outside of the sleeve...





And this shows it from the inside. The line you can see about half an inch down is where the elastic is double...like fold over elastic, but this then becomes three-quarters of an inch of single elastic. 

The jacket is made of a single layer fabric, and the cuff elastic is split to encase the cut edge. The one cuff has been damaged where he's tried to scrub some paint off it.

I've tried Macculloch and Wallis...they sometimes have some odd items, but with no luck. I'm wondering if simple fold over elastic would do the job, but this will depend upon the sleeves being a good length with three quarters of an inch missing... ...possibly. It's not too much to lose. I'd have to check with him.

I wondered if anyone on here has ever found any of this stuff.

Thanks,
Sandra.
xxx

I had these arrive this week. They're nicer in real life and don't look so plastic-y.

Six tops altogether with various body measurements, pinned to each one.

The main measurements for me was the bust size, and the shoulder to bust length.  Three tops needed to be let out, and one needed to be taken in a smidgen.
Nice, easy work. Indian clothing usually has enormous, generous seam allowances...like a big fat French seam, so it's easy to alter. 




The other two tops were too short, shoulder to bust, and one of these was much too small. 
Really, ever so small. 

The tops were all the same size, coming up at about 36 inch bust....but I needed to get one top to be more like    45ish inch bust 

Yes. Really! 

As I mentioned...there are generous seam allowances in these, so I could get an extra 5 inches there. It still left me with 4+ inches to find/add somehow.

Aaaah...Indian clothing sometimes comes with optional sleeves. 

Hurrah. 




Just the right amount for me to use on these two tops, so I added the pieces in the sides.
(I know.  I put the piping back on too.)




Also, as I mentioned, both of these tops were too short, shoulder to bust, so I added a section at the shoulder. I also dropped the stiff bust cups a bit lower, hoping to gain a bit more there. 




For this top, clearly a larger busted lady, I also moved the cups further apart.

I'm hoping this is going to be wearable. I've done as I was asked as best as I think I can. No chance for a fitting. She lives on a different continent, so any tweaking will have to be done closer to her home. 



Sandra.
xxx

I've mentioned I've been doing this on the 'Today' thread, so I thought I'd better show you what I've been up to.

I bought the download pattern for this off Etsy. It's called 'Fine Lines' by Karen Griska. She's got several other ones I like but I picked this one.

The background fabric is a lovely dark navy...(spraytime)..but it's photographed really badly and it looks washed out.



Thirty blocks with three-quarter inch multi-coloured strips, at whatever angle you fancy. It's been great to use up lots of little strips of fabric.

I added all the sashing between the blocks....then, today I've been making up the outer border.



A bit of a faff, but luckily I was in the mood to get on with it.

   

When the strips were joined together it had to be trimmed down to 1 1/2" sections...then joined into longer strips to fit all around the sides.





Need to think of binding and backing...but for now it can stay as it is.


Sandra.
xxx

I've just had my work delivered from the Dry Cleaner and this skirt was amongst it. It's pale lilac coloured polyester fabric...but look at the mess on the front. 




Why?

Why bother?...what happened?...why haven't you washed it to check the marks will come out before spending the money on the alteration?
The alteration cost is probably between £10 - £15.

The lower marks beneath my pins will be gone, but the main big scribble will still be there. I'm not sure what the mark is. I assume a child has done it but it's not chalk or crayon or felt tip pen.
I'm not messing with it. I'll do the shorten and leave it well alone.

The ticket says....'Lady knows about the marks'.

Er.....O.K.

Sandra
xxx

I have been asked how you shorten the sleeves on a shirt. So I thought I'd show you. 




This is a classic shirt with cuff and placket. It has been pinned for the length by pinching up the amount which needs to come off...in this instance you can see a 1 inch fold pinned around the elbow, so I need to take off 2 inches.

Most shirts have the button placket and I feel it looks much better if I raise it.
It's a much easier job without this if you are able to simply take the cuff off, cut off an inch or so and reattach the cuff, but you're not always so lucky.




Firstly, you need to unpick the cuff and the small button which sits on the placket....then unpick the placket strips. Do one sleeve at a time. You can always refer back to the other one to be sure you're getting it looking right.

Chalk up the amount to come off the sleeve bottom, and chalk up how much you need to raise the placket...in this case 2 inches.




You can see we have a little triangle shape where the top of the original placket sat...I chalk a line up 2 inches with a ruler...mark the top of the triangle with a pin...and draw a new triangle shape down from there.




Aaaand....cut....to the bottom tip of your new triangle...then outwards to make yourself a new triangle which is now exactly 2 inches up from the old one.





Now you can start putting it back together again.  Begin with the underneath facing strip...the one the small button was stitched on to. Tuck the cut edge into the strip getting as close as you can to the top corner point of your triangle. (Don't stress about it too much...it will be hidden beneath the top strip when that's re-attached, but it's nice to catch it in as best you can).




Now you can put the other strip back on....This facing strip piece has been squared off at the back, so you need to tuck this up as snug as you can to the top corner of your triangle. Fold your triangle upwards on the right side of the shirt...as it was originally. It will be neatly covered and hidden when it's all finished.





Pin the strip on, making sure it lines up neatly over the piece you've just stitched on. Make sure that little triangle is pointing upwards and is going to be hidden, so you won't see it on the inside of the shirt sleeve.



Stitch it on...I usually start at the top and work my way down.



And from the back it looks nice and tidy too. 
I give it a press at this point.




Now you can put the cuff back on. You will have more sleeve than cuff because there will have been a pleat in the sleeve....you have shortened the sleeve, so now you will have a bit more fullness due to the sleeve widening. Some shirts have a single tuck of fabric...others have two. I don't think it matters...decide what looks best.
Ensure everything lines up neatly. Fasten the cuff button to make sure you have both sides of the placket the same length.





Stitch it on and all you have left to do it to restitch the little button back on.




Hope this all makes sense? 

Sandra.
xxx

My beloved and trusted Bernina 1001 stopped working last night. 

I'm feeling bereft  and I don't know what to do.

It has power to the machine...the bulb is still lit...but absolutely nothing else. There have been no funny noises or smells. It has been running as good as it always does.
I was whizzing along putting a gathering stitch along the top edge of a skirt, when it suddenly stopped. It is silent when you press the pedal.

I checked the obvious bits....that the lead was securely in the pedal and into the machine, so it's nothing daft like that.

Any ideas what it might be...loose wires somewhere?... and is it something for me to be messing around with?

On a funnier note...I (need to) sew every day and the only other sewing machine in the house is a pale pink, JL Mini sewing machine which was bought for my daughter on her 8th birthday. 
Poor little thing. I'll have the motor burned out of it by teatime.

Sandra.
xxx

The BOM for February is a lovely Star. Lots of HST's giving a very pleasing finished block.

Iminei threw down the gauntlet to make a smaller version, which got me thinking....How small could it comfortably go?

I began by finding some thinner, more finely/tightly woven cotton scraps....the thickness and bulk of the seams are more noticeable and can look a mess on smaller patchwork.




The purple piece is a scrap from a jelly roll which I've had lying around for ages. It's good to be able to use some of this old stuff.


I decided to try cutting these into 2 1/4" squares.  I don't know why? Lets see what happens.



Two of each of the three colours.....( Full instructions to make this block are given in the 'February BOM'. Iminei's much better and clearer with instructions than I am.)

Join them with a quarter inch seam....then cut them diagonally into quarters.




Press them all open...and....Ooooh.    They're quite small.





I decided to square mine up to 1 1/8"  ...I don't know why it made any difference but I felt the extra eighth of an inch would be a good idea.





All trimmed and set to start stitching.


 


Coming together nicely....pressed....


Awwwww  ....That's so cute!





It measures 3 1/4 inch square. 

Sandra.
xxx