Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - Ploshkin

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 9

A Good Yarn / Looms and Weaving in General

« on: October 31, 2020, 16:22:21 PM »

Ever since Celia posted a picture of her Inkle weaving loom I have been looking at weaving stuff. I've always wanted to be able to weave but have never had the space for a loom (or so I thought)
I have already discovered that table looms come in many sizes and it is possible to weave some sensible sized stuff without a humongous piece of furniture. I definitely intend starting but it will have to wait until completion of our building works. My sewing room will be the first bit to get painted! In the meantime I can research.

So, apart from @Celia and @BriarRose are there any other closet weavers out there?
How and when did you start weaving, how did you learn, and what do you weave?

Everything I read suggests that a rigid heddle loom is the best thing to start with. I understand that the next thing 'up' from that is a loom with shafts but I can't for the life if me work out which bits 'shafts' refers to or what they do - I know that you can weave patterns if you have shafts.

So, can anyone recommend the best sort and size of loom to start with and the best type of yarn for first attempts. Also what is a good source of instruction.
Do I need an inkle loom to scratch the itch before I can get started?

Your Favourite Suppliers / Ewe and Ply

« on: October 30, 2020, 09:38:18 AM »

I've used Ewe and Ply (online) for knitting wool a few times. If I ever go to Shrewsbury I will seek out their shop. They have a really good selection, fast delivery and the parcel always comes with a cheery hand written note inside. This time there was a message written on the outside of the packaging too. It made me

A Good Yarn / Brioche knitting

« on: October 21, 2020, 17:43:02 PM »

Has anyone done any brioche stitch knitting?
I really fancy giving it a go though I'm still on the second sleeve of a sweater I started ages ago.
I did a one colour swatch and i found it easy but my brain is frying trying to do 2 colour. I have just found some instructions that make a couple of things a bit clearer so I'll have another try.
I'm better with written instructions than video which is probably as well because most of the videos are done by people who knit continental style and the techniue looks very different from how I did it.

Sewing Machines / Pfaff stitch problem

« on: September 06, 2020, 17:16:39 PM »

My neighbour has a problem with her Pfaff Ambition 2.0.
She has been sewing lightweight canvas bags and the issue started on the very last seam.
I spent an hour with her this morning and we've done all the standard things - cleaned between the tension discs and under the needle plate, changed the needle (twice), changed the bobbin, threaded and unthreaded many time, sused different threads etc. I don't think the timing is out because I looked in the bottom while turning the handwheel and it appeared to be picking up ok.

There are no clunks or rattles and the machine is running smoothly and quietly.
The top stitching looks perfect from the top, the bobbin thread is navy and the stitch looks normal.

This is the UNDERSIDE of the stitching and the pink thread is the top thread.
Every 3 or 4 stitches the top thread is pulled through in 2 chained loops the first lying flat and the second sticking up. It is very consistent. It has me completely baffled - I suspect something going wrong in the thread path but why it should suddenly go wrong is beyond me.
Any suggestions or thoughts?
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Vintage Machines / A couple of 221k questions

« on: August 05, 2020, 11:08:10 AM »

This is my first foray into here I think. You may or may not have seen my post in the cafe yesterday about the gorgeous Featherweight that my husband presented me with. It would appear from the exterior condition to have been used very little or by someone who took extreme care.

It was sold as having had a replacement motor (time of replacement unknown) and I can see that all the wiring and possibly the foot pedal are new. I've had a look at the innards that are all clean and fluff and dust free. The belt is new. I have run it just for a couple of short lines of stitching but want to oil it before trying it in earnest. I have the instruction book and can see that there are a zillion places for oil.

I have discovered, thanks to posters here, the Singer Featherweight Shop website and can see that there are tutorials and videos covering just about everything.

I have a couple of questions
Motor The manual says that the motor should have a lubricant down two holes on the top - there is an original, unused tube of lubricant in the box. However, the motor has been replaced and there are no holes for lubricant. DH says that it is a sealed unit that doesn't need lubrication. Does this sound ok?

Thread tension On my stitching sample the top thread tension is too tight. I have checked that I have it correctly threaded through the tension discs. I have read that you should start by getting the bottom tension correct first. When I hold the bobbin thread the bobbin / case drops very fast which would suggest to me that the bobbin tension is too loose. Before I fiddle with bobbin tension, is there any common top tension problem that I may need to fix first?

Needles There are 2 packets of new needles with the machine but they are all size 16. Where can I get needles?

Thread Stand Is it normal on these machines to use a thread stand for cross wound reels of thread?

Tech Know How / HELP forum has gone odd ... And it's suddenly ok

« on: July 16, 2020, 15:08:01 PM »

I thought it was just my new computer but its the same on my Kindle. The forum format has changed ana the print is quite small but everyone's avatars fill the entire screen - Wrenkins gnome is particularly scary!I

Its suddenly gone back to normal and I honestly havent had any

In the wardrobe / Paprika Patterns Opal Cardigan

« on: June 18, 2020, 12:28:35 PM »

First time I've used this pattern - I can't remember who recommended it (probably Vezelay, my pattern guru).
It's very quick to make and I really like it and it's one of those things that I know I will wear out and the pattern will definitely get used again. I'd like to find a nice, sweater knit.
My only criticism of the pattern is the lack of instructions for attaching the front/ neck band. Apart from the centre back neck there are no notches for matching up. The band is quite a bit shorter than the garment edge but you need to put a lot of stretch round the concave neckline, a bit of ease round the convex curve at the base of the V so that it lies flat and just a smidge of stretch down the straight fronts. I have done jersey many times so I was ok but an inexperienced person could end up with a bit of a mess.
I used this fabric which is a bit unuaual. The 3 layers make it a bit thicker than normal jersey, but I think to call it quilted is a bit of an exaggeration. It has a very warm and comfortable feel without being too bulky.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Dolls and Toys / Stegosaurus

« on: May 23, 2020, 10:53:48 AM »

Eons ago I used to make loads of stuffed toys (as teenagers @Flobear and I had a bit of a cottage industry) but it is more than 20 years since I have made anything and I have only ever made things in fur or felt which are very forgiving.

Anyway, my neighbours recently started fostering. Up until now they have just done weekend respite for other foster carers for two 12 year old girls. About a month ago they took in a 4 year old girl on an emergency placement. She came with very little stuff and of course there are no shops open. Neighbours with children rallied round and put together some bits for her and I had some things from when my niece and nephew used to come and stay. they're in their 20s now.
About 3 weeks ago DH told me that the little girl had told him that she wanted a dinosaur so I thought 'no problem'. I found a pattern for cotton fabric and after a bit of searching realised that good old Bumbleberries quilting fabric was a good dinosaur look. All the pieces are backed with fusible woven interfacing for robustness. I was delighted to find a pair of googly eyes in my button box, goodness knows why I had them because I've never used safety eyes for anything before. I washed an old pillow with a polyester filling and it was perfect for stuffing. Just as I started to stuff I realised that one of the eyes had a crack right across the surface. Damn, blast and botheration!
I searched on e bay for some more googly safety eyes that weren't in China or in packs of 500 and found some in London. After receiving an e mail to say they had been posted they arrived 10 days later! It has taken me forever as my hands didn't like using a needle in confined spaces to stitch on the legs so I could only manage one every couple of days.

But, I have finally finished it - the moment has probably now long passed and my neighbour told me yesterday that the girl had just received a box of her things from home.

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Your Favourite Suppliers / Thumbs up for The Sewing Studio

« on: April 29, 2020, 13:08:45 PM »

I've just received some fabric from The Sewing Studio that I ordered yesterday morning. I found a number of online suppliers had messages on their sites stating 7 - 10 days or delays for delivery. They have a message saying that orders are going out as normal. I placed an order and had an e mail less than 2 hours later to say that my order was being packed. It arrived this morning.

Fun with Fabric / Some nice printed cotton jersey

« on: April 16, 2020, 09:38:19 AM »

Somebody lock up @wrenkins .
This isnt my fault, it's the person who put the link to the sewing bee contestants because at the bottom was an ad for Second Star Fabric. In the interests of research I had to have a look. A bit pricy of course but some great designs.
Second Star Fabrics

A bit of a 'do' / Prom Dress for Niece

« on: March 18, 2020, 22:35:17 PM »

For those who think I'm a fraudster, cos I don't do any sewing, I'm about to be shaken out of the doldrums because I've offered to make a prom dress for my niece. The prom will inevitably be cancelled but hopefully it will happen a bit later so I'm going ahead. I'll be doing it remotely because she lives in Dorset.
This is the pattern she has chosen (view A with lace overlay). It's got princess seams which will help hugely with fitting. She has chosen a lovely deep turquoise satin. I have ordered samples of lace fabrics today (neither she nor her mum had thought about the difficulty of matching up colours). You never know how turquoise will be in the flesh, it's so variable. But I've also ordered some black samples and told her that it could look very classy with a black lace bodice overlay - I think she's convinced.
I've traced off the pattern pieces, because I had to do a lot of grading between sizes and made a toile of the bodice to send for my sister to do some fitting. Once I've got that right it should be pretty straightforward - I hope that's not famous last words.

A Good Yarn / Self Patterning Yarns

« on: March 10, 2020, 13:43:49 PM »

I don't really get self patterning yarns - I don't see how the pattern can possibly come out right unless you are knitting a very specific size with the correct tension. Patterns designed for those yarns come in multi sizes but surely if you do a bigger or smaller size the colour pattern won't come out as shown. I had a self patterning yarn for a pair of socks and the dark colour, which was supposed to make diagonal stripes on the light background colour, didn't. It came out as little random blobs.
I find it a bit annoying that most multi coloured yarns available these days are self patterning when I just want something that will give a random variation in colour.

A Good Yarn / Finished a cardigan

« on: February 21, 2020, 10:47:26 AM »

This is a bit outside my comfort zone for style but I think I like it and it is very comfortable I wasn't sure about the double breasted look. The pattern is from Olive Knits and is knitted in one piece - not a seam in sight

The collar looks ok down flat but to have it up I need to put a small hook or something at the neckline.
I used Drops Nepal (Aran weight) and it was easy to knit. I would have preferred better instructions for placing the buttonholes rather than 'every 2 1/2 to 3 inches' Because it is knitted top down I had committed myself before I decided that it was going to make the thing too long if I had 7 buttons or too short with 6. So as it has a deep rib I did the bottom ones closer together to hopefully look deliberate. The pairs of buttons are all carefully measured, it must be the way I'm standing that makes them look out of line!
The colour is actually a nice red leaning very, very slightly towards the rusty end of the spectrum. I had to use a flash in the low light which has made it rather orangey.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

A Good Yarn / Article about Fairisle knitting

« on: February 19, 2020, 09:22:15 AM »

I found this article with lots of pictures of traditional Fairisle knitting.
Here it is

A Good Yarn / Goat socks

« on: February 10, 2020, 11:07:12 AM »

I've just finished these socks, I like to do a bit of sock knitting between bigger things. The yarn is a discontinued Rowan one which is a wool / mohair / polyamide / silk mix. I have 3 pairs of goat socks that I bought years (6, 7, more?) ago from Wiggly Wigglers. WW don't sell them any more but I believe that they are Corrymoor goat socks. They were expensive but I have worn them, in wellies, for years over the top of a pair of cotton socks. They're not thick but are very warm and very hard wearing. I have had to dispose of 2 out of the 6 socks this year so I suspect the others haven't got long left. I set about looking for a goat yarn that was suitable for socks but seemed to be going round in circles. The yarn I used is nothing like my goat socks but hopefully I will get some good wear out of them. I've got another skein of the Rowan yarn in blues.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 9