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Topics - SewRuthieSews

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46
Patchwork & Quilting ... Welcome to the Darkside / Picture Quilts
« on: March 20, 2023, 23:46:04 PM »
In 2015 my Auntie Joy made an art quilt for me of one of the stained glass windows at Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. She worked from photos I sent her of the glass and stonework.



Although Auntie Joy is still with us, she's getting quite frail and has macular degeneration so has lost most of her vision.
I had planned to ask her how she made the quilt today, but she fell asleep and it didn't seem the right time. Maybe we will get that chat one day.

However in the mean time I thought I might be able to learn a bit more on how these types of quilts are made as its very different to the tiled quilts.

1. How do you take a photograph (or design) and enlarge it enough to make pattern pieces for the fabrics?

2. The stained glass panels are made with the stained glass applique method, I can see the strips sewn on. I have descriptions in books that show me how to do that.

3. how might the stone work have been done? Looking closely it seems that they are borders which have been sewn round the stained glass applique panels.

4. Up at the top things get a bit complicated and perhaps several techniques were used there.

Auntie Joy was also a painter, so clearly had the artistic eye, that gene didn't make it to me though! I just got the sewing bug.

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.



47
Overlockers & Coverstitchers / Fixed my Janome 134D Overlocker
« on: March 16, 2023, 13:11:34 PM »
Just writing about tis in case it is useful for anyone else.

I have a New Home MyLock 134D Overlocker, which is what Janome was sold as in the 1990s when I bought the machine.
I had put it away in the cupboard as it wasn't releasing the stitch once it had formed it. And I was having to pull it to release the stitch leaving a big lump of stitches at the start of a seam. It got worse and worse and wouldn't release the stitches at all.

I had originally thought it was the knife, but no that was OK, In fact it was the needle plate, it was scratched and the small wire (looks like a pin shaft) was bent and too far forward. I tried filing the scratches out and then using pliers on the wire, but only made it even worse.

I was able to buy a new JANOME GENUINE OVERLOCKER NEEDLE PLATE MYLOCK, 134D, 304D ,234, 334 etc from Coulsew for £21.95 inc postage. I fitted it today and the machine works properly again.

I also made sure the knife was aligned properly and gave the machine a good clean.

48
Pantone Colour of the Year 2023


Sew, knit, crochet or craft an item based on the Pantone Colour of the Year 2023 - Viva Magenta.
The colour can be interpreted broadly in the pink, burgundy, purple colour family, and can be a colour within a print, or just used as a small accent e.g. topstitching.


1 March - 30 April 2023

Timeframe:
Construction starts on 1st March and the items must be completed by 30th April.

All entries need to be uploaded with the template below and at least one photo by 30th April 2023 

Please submit your entries in this thread using this template:

Details to include:

Your User Name and Entry Number  - 1, 2 etc if entering more than one item
What is it and for whom? (if applicable)
Fabric and Pattern/instructions used  - commercial, frankenpatterns or self-drafted, anything goes
A short description on how you made it  - any problems overcome etc.
1- 4 photos


PLEASE INSERT PICTURES WITHIN YOUR TEXT!

The winning entry will receive an exclusive TSP patch or badge
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

49
In the wardrobe / Blouse Patterns
« on: February 03, 2023, 19:57:27 PM »
I went shopping the other day and did a short browse in a clothing shop.
As well as the usual button front shirts/blouses I noticed various other blouse styles which looked quite simple to sew.
But then going through my sewing patterns (of which I have loads) I couldn't really find anything like them.
I know not all RTW looks have comparable patterns, but thought maybe I'd need to buy some newer ones (shock horror)

Style 1, pulled on over the head, had a V neck with a band which formed a pleat at centre front, variations had a collar or stand up collar.


Style 2, pulled on over the head and had a loose wrap front.


Have you seen any patterns which are similar to these?

50
Sewalongs and Competitions / 2023 Capsule Wardrobe Sewalong
« on: January 30, 2023, 10:04:41 AM »
2023 Capsule Wardrobe Sewalong

Welcome to the Capsule Wardrobe Sewalong, I will provide some guidelines which I've found helpful in my past wardrobe sewing which you can follow if you wish, but as this is a Sewalong and not a competition they are not rules you need to follow if they don't work for you.

I first came across the concept of sewing a co-ordinated wardrobe through the SWAP (Sewing With a Plan) contest which at that time was running on the now defunct Stitchers Guild. In previous years the SWAP contest was on Sewing World and Timmel Fabrics site, but originally stemmed from a series of articles in Australian Stitches. Someone read the article and started chatting about the concept, and the contest was born.

https://swap-sewingwithaplan.blogspot.com/search/label/perfect%20Wardrobe

This year would have been the 20th year of the SWAP contest, but times and styles have changed and the appetite seems to have been somewhat lost for sewing 11 garments. However the idea of being able to mix and match the clothes in your wardrobe is still very relevant (and how I still sew) so here's an opportunity to sew along!

Guidelines
1. Create a plan for your capsule wardrobe. Take into account your lifestyle, weather, preferred styles and colours. Choose 1 or 2 neutrals and one accent colour, choose a maximum of one print which incorporates those colours.
As this is a Sewalong previously sewn or purchased items of clothing can be included.
Decide how many pieces to have in your capsule, 3, 6 or more can work well.
Timeframe: aim to sew the first 3 pieces in February and the second 3 pieces in March, but as this is a sewalong you can be as quick or slow as you wish.
Items can be sewn, knitted, crocheted, upcycled, previously made or purchased (new or thrifted).
You can make any type of garment or accessory you need in your wardrobe.
Be aware of your available sewing time and skill level and choose projects to suit, I always like to push myself enough to have a bit of challenge without getting overwhelmed.

Please discuss your plans, ask questions and share advice. Please be kind and courteous to one another so this is a fun place to be.


Examples

Inspiration: Start with a painting, photo or scarf, which speaks to you. Design a collection which pulls the colours and mood from the inspiration piece.
Lots of ideas for this way of wardrobing on https://www.theviviennefiles.com/

Existing item: You have a pair of purchased trousers in navy with a fine aqua stripe, you sew an aqua top and knit a navy sleeveless sweater. Next you make a denim skirt, an aqua and navy print tee and a navy cardigan. You have a versatile 6 piece collection.

Fabric: You have a print in your stash which would make a great shirt or blouse, so you decide to start with that. Choose the background colour of the print and another colour from the print to get the colour palette for your collection.

With this example print I would have green, white, yellow and coral pink to choose. Perhaps I'd have both a skirt and blouse in this fabric, so a 2 piece dress look. Then add some coral 3/4 length trousers, a purchased white tee, a broderie anglais blouse and a coral wrap cardigan. Oh another 6 piece collection!

Once you've sewn your 6 pieces you can expand it by pulling more co-ordinating pieces from your existing wardrobe or sewing more pieces. Or you can have more pieces on your plan from the start, if that's how you roll.

Q&A

Q: Can we work on a muslin before the SWAP/6PAC starts? A: yes, it starts on 1st Feb, but feel free to do a muslin before then.

Q: How do we handle photos and our plan details? Do we just post in this thread?
A: For interaction with others, its best to post on this thread. If you want to also keep a record of your progress you could start a diary over in Members Diaries. You can upload photos directly to TSP or link from a blog or photo site, either in this thread or your own diary.

Q: can the things made in SWAP also be put into the competitions?
A: yes!


51
Sewing Spaces and Furniture / Sewing room curtains and other things
« on: January 19, 2023, 12:47:20 PM »
In the new house my sewing room didn't have a curtain pole just a net curtain on a wire.
So I bought a push fit pole from Wilkos, and took the only pair of old curtains which had those rings in the top, shortened them to fit and all was fine.

Yesterday I realised the bottom of one curtain had black mould and it was all a bit yukky.  So I washed the net curtain and the curtains (at 30 degrees C gentle cycle) and cleaned the window and windowsill, treating it with an anti mould spray.

The net dried very quickly so I put that back up yesterday. The curtains air dried on the drying racks and I ironed them today and rehung them.
The curtain fronts (cotton) have shrunk slightly in length and width whilst the linings (polyester) have not. And the black mould stain is still slightly visible.

I need the privacy from the neighbours so the curtains are back up with the push fit pole dropped slightly so the curtains are near to the windowsill. Its OK for now.

When it warms up a bit I'll raid the curtains bag in the garage to see what else I have. I have successfully added tabs on the back of a curtain so it can slide along a pole without hooks (across the front door), so would probably do something similar to some plain cream curtains.

My absolute dream would be to find some (second hand) curtains which match the cushions I made for the futon (from a single curtain I had at the landing window in the old house) but that seems fairly unlikely, though I'll keep an eye out in the local charity shops in hope!


52
Sewalongs and Competitions / TSP's Official Stashbusting Thread for 2023
« on: January 18, 2023, 13:08:25 PM »
we have a few members who are Stash busting this year.

here's a thread for you to encourage each other along the way!

53
In the wardrobe / Ways to wear work clothing out of the office
« on: January 16, 2023, 22:35:25 PM »
The pandemic wfh followed by redundancy means I no longer go to work in an office.
Even before the pandemic I had changed jobs within the company to a less suity role.

I had a big clear out of things that didn't fit well before I moved house and I had another go recently when the spare room wardrobe rail fell down with the weight!
I am left with a couple of jackets, a couple of trouser suits and some smart classic trousers all of which fit OK but which were previously office clothes.
I also have some special occasion clothes (dresses, coats etc but they are for weddings, parties etc)

So far I wore one suit jacket with a dress to a funeral, a trouser suit to another funeral and a jacket with jeans out for brunch.
I suppose I could wear the smart trousers for general wear at home once its spring (they are a bit thin in this cold weather).
I seem to have already got rid of the smarter blouses and amalgamated the others into my general wardrobe.

Left to my own devices I just live in casual stuff, so am open to suggestions to integrate some of these other pieces.

54
Sewalongs and Competitions / Weekly Sewing Club Wednesdays 2-4pm
« on: January 04, 2023, 13:12:43 PM »
Welcome to the Official Sewalong for The Sewing Place's 2nd Weekly Sewing Club!
On a Wednesday afternoon, make time in your schedule to sew.
We'd love to see pictures of what you are working on.

55
Sewalongs and Competitions / Weekly Sewing Club Tuesdays 2-4pm
« on: January 03, 2023, 13:42:25 PM »
Welcome to the Official Sewalong for The Sewing Place Weekly Sewing Club!
On a Tuesday afternoon, make time in your schedule to sew.
We'd love to see pictures of what you are working on.

I will normally join in as well but today I'm off to the dentist!

56

Accessories Contest

Sew, knit, crochet or craft (e.g. leather work) an accessory, for example bag, wallet, hat, scarf, gloves etc

1 Jan - 28 Feb 2023


Timeframe:
Construction starts on 1st January and the items must be completed by 28th February

All entries need to be uploaded with the template below and at least one photo by 28th February 2023 

Please submit your entries in this thread using this template:

Details to include:

Your User Name and Entry Number  - 1, 2 etc if entering more than one item
What is it and for whom? (if applicable)
Fabric and Pattern/instructions used  - commercial, frankenpatterns or self-drafted, anything goes
A short description on how you made it  - any problems overcome etc.
1- 4 photos


PLEASE INSERT PICTURES WITHIN YOUR TEXT!

The winning entry will receive an exclusive TSP patch or badge
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

57
Sewalongs and Competitions / Sewalongs and Contests 2023
« on: January 01, 2023, 13:09:44 PM »
Hello everyone. I can't believe its 2023 already!!!

Please don't start a SewAlong yourself. If its a personal challenge of your own, then use theMembers Diary area.
Where several people have expressed an interest in a topic, check with me, @Flobear or @Iminei and if we are happy it has merit we will start the Sewalong here. Thank you


2023 Sewalongs
Our first official Sewalong this year is the Sparkling Stars Sewalong.
For those who don't know this was the 2021 BOM Mystery Quiltalongathon. Some of us were not able to participate at the time, but wanted to make the quilt, so will be sewing along.

2023 Contests
Each of the contests will be 2 months long which should allow more people to join in on each one.

Jan & Feb - Accessories
Sew, knit, crochet or craft (e.g. leather work) an accessory, for example bag, wallet, hat, scarf, gloves etc

Mar & Apr - Pantone Colour of the Year 2023
Sew, knit, crochet or craft an item based on the Pantone Colour of the Year 2023 - Viva Magenta.
The colour can be interpreted broadly in the pink, burgundy, purple colour family, and can be a colour within a print, or just used as a small accent e.g. topstitching.

May & June - UFOs (Un Finished Object)
For this one you need to find a sewing (or other craft) project which you have started but not finished. We can help each other if you've got stuck on how to progress.

July & Aug - Polka Dot Madness
Sew an item which uses fabric which has dots on it, this can be a classic regular Polka dot fabric, or something a bit more abstract. You can use multiple fabrics.

Sep & Oct - Autumn Capsule Wardrobe
Sew 2 or 3 garments which work together to make an outfit

Nov & Dec - Festive Fun
Sew, knit or craft items for festive clothing, decorations or gifts

In parallel with these contests I am hoping we can host the 20th Sewing With A Plan ("SWAP") Contest. This originally ran on Timmel Fabrics/SewingWorld, then moved to Stitchers Guild. As these sites are no longer running we could be the new hosts here at TSP!

Housekeeping Note
To keep things tidy I am moving all of the old topics to Previous Sewalong Entries

58
Tech Know How / Thank you for the new banner
« on: December 22, 2022, 21:04:34 PM »
@Mr Twingo and anyone else involved, thank you for the lovely new banner, its wonderful

59
Welcome to the 2023 Quiltalongathon for the Sparkling Stars Quilt.

This started out as the 2021 BOM Mystery Quiltalongathon, created by Iminei.
Some of us were not able to do the Mystery Quiltalongathon at the time, but have decided to do it now.

The instructions for each block are in 2021 BOM Mystery Quiltalongathon

--------------------

I have been gradually acquiring the bits and pieces I would need to make this quilt and plan to work on it in 2023.
I'm going to follow it in order sticking to @Iminei 's colour way to keep it simple(ish) and allow myself 6 to 8 weeks for each block.
I will try to do my best work, but as its only my 3rd quilt I'm hoping the quilt police will stay locked away and give me a bit of leeway especially on the trickier blocks.

I'll be back in January!

60
Fun with Fabric / Hand sewn items from felt - ideas wanted!
« on: December 18, 2022, 11:51:40 AM »
I'm primarily a machine sewist, I don't knit or crochet, but sometimes I want a hand sewing project.

I've had fun recently making small Christmas decorations both from a kit and simple self cut ones.
I'd like something simple for the new year though, can't be Christmas all year round.

I thought maybe felt slippers or a mug rug, but am open to other ideas!

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