The Sewing Place
Reception => Hi, I'm new... => Topic started by: Pikkewyntjie84 on September 03, 2019, 10:03:34 AM
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I am a knitter and crocheter normally but would like to start sewing. Except for sewing at school 20 years ago, I have done a short quilt in a day course recently and fell back in love with it. I am a newbie really (as all my old knowledge from school has been forgotten).
I am interested in quilting as well as making clothes. I am looking to learn from others most specifically on recommending a sewing machine, choosing fabrics and pattern ideas and of course sharing finished projects.
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A very warm welcome from me @Pikkewyntjie84 !
Pull up a seat, grab a brew and a slice of cake, and join in the conversations!
Jessie
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Welcome to TSP
You will get lots of opinions about sewing machines so do tell us as specifically as you can about what you want one to do, and what your budget is, Generally though for a beginner a decent basic machine is what is needed and often pre-used, though not necessarily very vintage, is a good buy.
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Hello Pikke, you are most welcome here. Look forward to hearing how you get on with sewing, whether it’s dressmaking or quilting.
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A warm welcome from me too Pikke - that's quite a user name you've chosen! :D I'm sure some of your old skills will come back to you once you get started.
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Hello and welcome!
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Hi @Pikkewyntjie84 and welcome. :drink:
I look forward to seeing how you get on. I am a darksider (quilter) who wants to learn to make clothes. So far I have made a dress that is too big and two tunics (well, more accurately, the same one twice) that were too small. :S
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Hello @Pikkewyntjie84 Welcome, from a fellow newbie! Do you have a sewing machine yet? If so, what kind? If not, can we help you pick something out?
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Hello and welcome from me too
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Welcome, @Pikkewyntjie84 :flower: :drink:
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Hello and welcome hope you'll enjoy getting into sewing!
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Thank you for all the lovely messages.
@Kenora - The word means 'little Penguin' in Afrikaans. In Afrikaans it has a very sweet/cute meaning. It is kind of pronounced "Picker-vein-key" (that doesn't sound so nice when I put it like that)
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It’s good to get a machine that comes with the feet you will use first, but remember that you can always buy extra feet, as your skills expand. So the fact that a specific foot doesn’t come with your machine isn’t necessarily all that important.
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Welcome @Pikkewyntjie84 from me too :toast: I'm no good at sewing machine advice but hope you find one you love soon :sew:
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Welcome.
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@Pikkewyntjie84 - thanks for the explanation of your user name - it's lovely. :flower: Regarding machines, as I'm sure you know, you really do need to go and try one in person if at all possible. It makes such a difference - no machine feels quite the same, so it's best if you can find one which feels right for you. <3
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no machine yet. I am looking at the moment. I am not sure whether to go for the Janome M200 QDC or the Janome 4300 QDC. They seem very similar so not sure which is best.
I would like to be able to quilt and turn up curtains and things like that so ideally something that can cope with this. Dressmaking will be phase 2... The M200 comes with a ditch quilting foot where as the 4300 comes with an overcast foot. Not sure if that says something about the machines intended use. Both come with a walking foot.
Either of those machines would be suitable for dressmaking.
The Q in a model number generally means that it is optimised for using with the large bulk of a quilt; sometimes a wider harp (the space between the needle and the upright part of the machine) sometimes it means an extension table to the left of the needle, and often includes a walking foot, or a built in system on the high spec machines.
Those three features are desirable for quilting but generally you don't need the fancy stitches - good old straight stitch is enough unless you're doing machine applique or similar. For making clothes a few utility stitches are needed; zig-zag, 3 step zig-zag, triple stretch and overcasting are the most useful, and of course buttonholes, but both of those machines have all that and more.
As Kenora said, if you can buy from a proper bricks and mortar shop where you can try it first.