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Messages - Sewbee

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31
The Haberdashery / Re: A cutting board?
« on: February 23, 2020, 09:45:00 AM »
@Sewbee You can get the rolls of non-slip stuff from Wilkinsons (or is it known as Wilko's now?), and I think B&Q, and I think I've also seen it in B&M or HomeBargains.  We use a lot of it for the shelves/cupboards in the motorhome to stop stuff sliding around whilst on the move.
Otherwise, if you have a hot glue gun, try putting a few squiggles on the back of your board.

@Bodgeitandscarper Thank you so much! This will be perfect to stop the cutting board moving around.

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The Haberdashery / Re: A cutting board?
« on: February 23, 2020, 09:10:24 AM »
I never did buy a board. Whilst I was thinking about it I made do with a plasticised cotton tablecloth which has been fine. It's heavy enough to stay put on the table and doesn't slide about and smooth enough to make cutting easy.

I would be lost without that cutting board. I really use the measured grid on it for keeping the grain straight.

33
The Haberdashery / Re: Pattern Weights
« on: February 23, 2020, 09:07:01 AM »
I only use a rotary cutter to cut out ribbing or small items; otherwise a scissors - much more precise.

I have had my pattern weights for about 30 years and love them. They are like giant silver ring washers - well about 4 inches in diameter for the largest, but I have them in various sizes. They have little grips on the bottom to stop them moving. The grips are about four 1/8 inch pin heads sticking out of the bottom. I can’t find any pattern weights with grips these days and I need a few more.

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The Haberdashery / Re: A cutting board?
« on: February 23, 2020, 09:02:31 AM »
Having been in one of my cupboards this afternoon I came across what I use on my cutting out table to stop the fold up cardboard cutting out board from moving.  It is called a Non-Slip Mat – Multi Purpose PVC foam mat, size 30cm x 150cm and came from Coopers of Stortford.

I bought a few mats and cut them up into strips and lay these out on a Horn cutting out table, then put the  cutting out board on top and it certainly stops this from sliding all over the place.

I bought my newish cutting out boards from Sew Direct in Havant, these were featured in the haberdashery items in the Sew Today magazine, a year or so back now.  I bought two boards and whilst they were decently packed in individual cardboard boxes and the two taped together and marked fragile, one board was  badly dented in transit, and Sew Direct immediately replaced this with another one which arrived okay.  I also sew on a Horn cabinet, and often put the machine down into the storage position and use one of these boards on my table top when I am sewing.  I find these boards very useful as I am doing a lot of pattern drafting, tracing my patterns etc.

Resurrecting an old thread, I know, but just casually reading on a Sunday morning.

I have one of those fold-up cardboard cutting boards and was thinking of buying some of that rubbery, holey stuff that you use for shelf liner or carpet grips to put under the cutting board to stop it moving. Only thing is, I don’t know if you can buy it by the yard in the U.K., although Dunelm might have it. I use this rubbery stuff underneath my foot pedals to stop them moving around. I have done this for years and it works a treat!

35
In the wardrobe / Re: I love lace....
« on: February 23, 2020, 08:33:23 AM »
Absolutely love this dress!

36
Patterns Discussion / Re: McCalls 7948 (suitable for FBA?)
« on: February 19, 2020, 16:37:23 PM »
Same advice from here, FBA and bust darts where suitable. You’d only need to muslin the top
My plan is to almost complete the bottom then muslin the top and fit it - with the bottom part tacked on.

I like the idea of only doing a muslin first the top. I mistakenly always assume you have to do it for the entire dress, although it depends on the style.

37
Sewing Machines / Re: What to Trade in for New SM
« on: February 19, 2020, 16:31:52 PM »
Good luck with your purchase @Sewbee . The technical discussion about Berninas is a bit beyond me but people speak so highly of Berninas maybe I need to invest in one!  :devil:

@Tamnymore You should definitely invest in a Bernina! I have used Bernina since 1987 and had the same two machines until five years ago.

Prior to having Berninas, I had a Singer Athena for about two years - purchased brand new - but it was just dreadful. Then I bought a brand new Viking 6570. That was much better and I sewed on it until I took a sewing class learning at an independent store that used Berninas. They had the 830 Record and the 930 Record. I gave the Viking to my mum and bought the 930. That was one of the machines I had until five years ago. The other was a 1260 and between those two had everything in the world I could have wanted.

Those Berninas handled anything you threw at them.

38
Patterns Discussion / Re: McCalls 7948 (suitable for FBA?)
« on: February 19, 2020, 16:18:50 PM »
Yes you can just add the darts!   Bust point should be marked on the pattern.

True. At least then they would be customised to our own measurements.

39
Sewing Machines / Re: What to Trade in for New SM
« on: February 19, 2020, 16:05:25 PM »
Oh @Sewbee, the hunt for me is the best part about it, comparing this and that and then prices, reviews, usually coming back to what I wanted in the first place.

I've never had a trade in, I always sell privately, usually on Preloved (also TSP).

I am definitely enjoying it even though the decision-making is a bit lacking at the moment.

40
Patterns Discussion / Re: McCalls 7948 (suitable for FBA?)
« on: February 19, 2020, 16:03:28 PM »
Thank you to @Manuela for drawing attention to this pattern.
What I really like about it is that its slightly pleated into the yoke, rather than gathered - plus the pockets! 0_0
It doesn't have any bust darts and I'm worried it won't be suitable for a full busted person like me.
I 'd appreciate any advice.  Thanks in advance
Annieeg

Come to think of it I would need an FBA, too.

41
A Good Yarn / Re: Miriam Cardigan (Quince & Co.)
« on: February 19, 2020, 15:54:24 PM »
It is a nice, straightforward but unusual pattern.  Trouble is it doesn't give the weight and/ or length of of the yarn and the one for the pattern - 'gull' is not listed  in the yarns available on that site so it's difficult to know how much extra you would need.
You may also need to find an equivalent yarn as that is an American site and the yarn they use may not be available here.  If you know what weight and yardage you need you may want to look at Drops yarns.  For some reason they seem to be mostly a lot cheaper than many other yarns and it's not because they are lacking in quality.  I have used several and the quality has been excellent

Hi @Ploshkin - I didn’t realise I linked to an American die. I originally found it on the Loop Knitting site at the link below

https://www.loopknittingshop.com/p/4918/Quince-and-Co-Miriam-Cardigan

Funny you should mention Drops yarn. Most of the scarves I knitted were in Drops yarn. I love it!

42
Sewing Machines / Re: What to Trade in for New SM
« on: February 19, 2020, 14:33:50 PM »
@Sewbee - the new Bernina S-570 has the 9.00mm foot which you said you didn't want. It's also only got 8.5" harp space but maybe that doesn't matter to you if you don't do much P&Q. Hope this helps. :)

Oh that’s right @Kenora! I forgot all about the 9 mm. I have a feeling this is what figured into my desire to hold on to my present 570, as well as the CB hook.

43
A Good Yarn / Miriam Cardigan (Quince & Co.)
« on: February 19, 2020, 14:14:21 PM »
I am more a crocheter than a knitter but over the winter I found myself bored while watching TV in the evening, so I started knitting scarves. So far I have made about ten - all garter stitch but really nice. At some point I will set up an Etsy page and sell them.

Well, now I would like to knit something different for a while - a really simple stitch so I don’t have to constantly count stitches. I have been looking for a stocking stitch cardigan pattern that doesn’t look frumpy and found this:

Miriam Cardigan

It looks lovely. It would also be my first garment on a circular needle although I think the pattern allows it to be knitted on two needles.

My question is this: The Cardigan is quite short in length and i would like to bring it down to hip length. Would it be quite easy to change the length? Would it look okay in a longer style and how on earth would i estimate how much extra yarn to buy?

44
Sewing Machines / Re: What to Trade in for New SM
« on: February 19, 2020, 14:04:46 PM »
Hi @Celia and @Gittje -

I could sell privately but it is easier to trade in. In truth, I haven’t really decided whether to sell or trade in yet. I need to decide which machine to get rid of first and that’s difficult. You are right @Gittje, you usually get a better price if you sell privately.

The reason I feel myself wanting to hold on to the 570 is because it is a nice 5.5 mm machine “with the CB hook” where the new 720 has the new Bernina hook. I have about three bobbin boxes full of the silver bobbins, although I think I could use them on the 1008. I seem to remember the local dealer telling me the 1008 takes different bobbins, though, so I bought more. But they look the same as the others to me!

@wrenkins That’s the trouble! There is no machine that I really don’t want.

45
Sewing Machines / Re: What to Trade in for New SM
« on: February 18, 2020, 18:03:08 PM »
@Sewbee - I was like that before I ordered my 720. I actually told the dealer I wanted one, so they put it on order but didn't take delivery from Bernina, and then I dithered so much that Bernina had sold it when I wanted it. It then took me another 6 months before I placed a firm order. Of course, I then had to wait 4 weeks for Bernina to build it, but it was definitely worth it. :) (I could have gone for the 770 or the 790 but I didn't want the wider foot or the dual feed. I'm very happy with the 5.5mm foot and my walking foot.)


I don’t want the 9 mm either. I much prefer  the 5.5 mm.

I honestly think trying to make a decision, first of all, about whether to go ahead and actually buy it, but also which machine if any to trade in, is worse than actually doing it.

I know me, though. I always go through this before an expensive purchase. It usually takes me about three months before I decide what car I want to buy and this is very similar. I have to be absolutely sure it is the right thing to do and also be absolutely sure about which one to trade in, if any, before I will go ahead with it.

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