16
In the wardrobe / ...what to do....?
« on: May 25, 2019, 13:48:07 PM »
Should I fork out the £25 or go the economy route? [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Economy route.
Economy route.
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17
Vintage Machines / Anyone know what this is?
« on: May 22, 2019, 10:09:30 AM »
What is this and should I buy it? 
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18
I saw this & I thought you may be interested! / Someone is destashing!
« on: May 11, 2019, 08:40:45 AM »
Lots of silk, not many pieces larger than a metre but some very pretty pieces.
Here.
Here.
19
Technical Help / Sleevies.
« on: May 10, 2019, 11:18:13 AM »
I've been reading through this pattern and it seems reasonably straightforward, that is until I make my adjustments but we'll get to that later!
In the instructions it tells me to sew up the sleeve seam then insert the sleeve with all the easing and carrying on that follows. I'd be faffing round a tube at that point! Wouldn't it be easier to leave the side and sleeve seams open, sew from under arm seam to dot twice (you know, front and back), do my easing in on the flattish and then sew up my sleeve seam and down my side seam to the hem?
Why would this not be a good idea?
Don't forget, one syllable words only...darksider on the fly...
In the instructions it tells me to sew up the sleeve seam then insert the sleeve with all the easing and carrying on that follows. I'd be faffing round a tube at that point! Wouldn't it be easier to leave the side and sleeve seams open, sew from under arm seam to dot twice (you know, front and back), do my easing in on the flattish and then sew up my sleeve seam and down my side seam to the hem?
Why would this not be a good idea?
Don't forget, one syllable words only...darksider on the fly...
20
Patchwork & Quilting ... Welcome to the Darkside / I'm having a colour crisis!
« on: April 29, 2019, 19:26:09 PM »
I've been merrily beavering away on my PL quilt top and it was all going swimmingly until I assembled all the blocks together.
I have done two sets of blocks and I hate one set. They're just wrong and offend my eyes.
Should I rip them out?
I have done two sets of blocks and I hate one set. They're just wrong and offend my eyes.
Should I rip them out?
21
I saw this & I thought you may be interested! / Calling Northern Ireland
« on: March 20, 2019, 11:07:14 AM »
I saw a van yesterday with "madaboutfabrics" on it and as I didn't recognise the name or the logo I Googled it.
Turns out it's the new (to me) name for the Cotton Print Factory in Dargan Crescent, Belfast
I thought they only did curtains so I stay well away...just in case. Turns out there's a picture on or near their website and they now have a craft section!!!
This afternoon, on my way home, I will take some sandwiches and a flask and, for research purposes only, I will wend my way off the motorway and do a reccy!
If you know already why didn't you say?!?!?! and if you don't know already...I'll tell you!
Turns out it's the new (to me) name for the Cotton Print Factory in Dargan Crescent, Belfast
I thought they only did curtains so I stay well away...just in case.
Turns out there's a picture on or near their website and they now have a craft section!!!This afternoon, on my way home, I will take some sandwiches and a flask and, for research purposes only, I will wend my way off the motorway and do a reccy!
If you know already why didn't you say?!?!?! and if you don't know already...I'll tell you!
22
I saw this & I thought you may be interested! / PATTERN SALE
« on: February 08, 2019, 09:37:32 AM »
Is this any use to anyone? 
23
Tech Know How / Can I save a thread?
« on: February 07, 2019, 10:55:13 AM »
Well can I?
I have downloaded a PDF and remembered that @Francesca had some top tips for sticking it together so off I went to look. Luckily I remembered who it was and that fran did it on her coffee table so I had search clues otherwise I'd never have found it.
Is there a way of putting reference material from a thread to 'my interests' or something. Sometimes there are wee phrases and tips that come up in conversation that don't warrant a full tutorial thread but are worth stashing away for future reference.
ETA at the minute I have the PDF thread marked as unread to keep it handy but every time I open it I have to remember to unread it again. Is there a more reliable way than depending on my dodgy memory?
I have downloaded a PDF and remembered that @Francesca had some top tips for sticking it together so off I went to look. Luckily I remembered who it was and that fran did it on her coffee table so I had search clues otherwise I'd never have found it.
Is there a way of putting reference material from a thread to 'my interests' or something. Sometimes there are wee phrases and tips that come up in conversation that don't warrant a full tutorial thread but are worth stashing away for future reference.
ETA at the minute I have the PDF thread marked as unread to keep it handy but every time I open it I have to remember to unread it again.
Is there a more reliable way than depending on my dodgy memory?
24
Vintage Machines / Tools for Solidarity
« on: February 06, 2019, 08:20:48 AM »
I recently tampered with (broke) my very old Singer and as we are limited to one SM shop in the whole of the Province since the Singer man retired, I went looking for support elsewhere and found these people.
I thought they only dealt with sewing machines but it seems they do all sorts of tools and equipment. Had I not been able to reassemble my stupidity they would have mended my machine for a donation to the charity.
The chap I emailed was lovely and even offered to come and collect my machine!
I've had a look around their website here and they do good work. If anyone has any old unused machines that need a new forever home, there might be similar charities near you.
Check it out. They would be glad of your machines, your money or, better still, your time.
I thought they only dealt with sewing machines but it seems they do all sorts of tools and equipment. Had I not been able to reassemble my stupidity they would have mended my machine for a donation to the charity.
The chap I emailed was lovely and even offered to come and collect my machine!
I've had a look around their website here and they do good work. If anyone has any old unused machines that need a new forever home, there might be similar charities near you.
Check it out. They would be glad of your machines, your money or, better still, your time.
25
Vintage Machines / Well that's torn it...
« on: February 04, 2019, 08:08:10 AM »
My second (never used) SM is a Singer 367. I bought it with my first proper pay packet and it was my only machine until about two years ago, though seldom used.
Last night I decided to be fancy and have both my machines set up so out it came. I threaded it up ready to sew tonight when I get home.
I broke it!
For some reason, known only to the good Lord himself, I pulled the tension knob. Why would you do that? What sort of moron stands and gently pulls a tension knob till it all goes wrong?!?!?!?! Well now it's all on the wonk and I can't thread it and neither can I use it.
I've found a very nice (slow-for-muppets) video on Youtube about the bits so I'm hoping I can bring it in to work tomorrow and put it back in the right order.
Why? Just why?
Last night I decided to be fancy and have both my machines set up so out it came. I threaded it up ready to sew tonight when I get home.
I broke it!
For some reason, known only to the good Lord himself, I pulled the tension knob. Why would you do that? What sort of moron stands and gently pulls a tension knob till it all goes wrong?!?!?!?! Well now it's all on the wonk and I can't thread it and neither can I use it.
I've found a very nice (slow-for-muppets) video on Youtube about the bits so I'm hoping I can bring it in to work tomorrow and put it back in the right order.
Why? Just why?
26
Current Projects / Spinster quilt
« on: February 01, 2019, 10:21:54 AM »
I've done a daft thing. 
My friend was saying recently that as each member of her family married, granny made them a quilt but as she didn't marry, she didn't get one. 'I'll make you one' says I. Ha Ha we laughed...but the seed was sown.
I Pintertested for some ideas and saw stained glass quilts which look lovely. I'll have me some of that I thought. For the past week I have cut out each different sized piece from 11 FQs with scissors. SCISSORS!!! Everything from 2.5"x2.5" to 11"x1.5" No stacking and whacking here m'ladies. Last night I cut 1 statute mile of 1" black "lead" and just before I went completely boggle eyed, I checked the piecing diagrams.
I might need another mile. 
Did you ever think you'd have been better just doing wee squares?!
My friend was saying recently that as each member of her family married, granny made them a quilt but as she didn't marry, she didn't get one. 'I'll make you one' says I. Ha Ha we laughed...but the seed was sown.
I Pintertested for some ideas and saw stained glass quilts which look lovely. I'll have me some of that I thought. For the past week I have cut out each different sized piece from 11 FQs with scissors. SCISSORS!!! Everything from 2.5"x2.5" to 11"x1.5" No stacking and whacking here m'ladies. Last night I cut 1 statute mile of 1" black "lead" and just before I went completely boggle eyed, I checked the piecing diagrams.
I might need another mile. Did you ever think you'd have been better just doing wee squares?!
27
I saw this & I thought you may be interested! / Stitch Fiddle
« on: November 08, 2018, 08:04:38 AM »
I've recently discovered this website and I've been using it to design my patchwork patterns for my Christmas projects.
I usually print off graph paper and colour it in
but this is a nice tidy way of doing and saving it online. You can work from a clear grid and do your own or download a pic.
It seems to be primarily for embroidery/cross stitch but can also be used for knitting and crochet. I pretend I'm doing cross stitch cos a square's a square.
Here.
I usually print off graph paper and colour it in
but this is a nice tidy way of doing and saving it online. You can work from a clear grid and do your own or download a pic.It seems to be primarily for embroidery/cross stitch but can also be used for knitting and crochet. I pretend I'm doing cross stitch cos a square's a square.
Here.
28
Current Projects / Quillow for teenage boys
« on: October 25, 2018, 08:22:08 AM »
I've more or less decided that I'm going to make 'the boys' TV watching cuddle blankies. Of course as they are 14 and 17 the blankies won't be called that... but that's what they are. 
I'm going to make them up as quillows (secret pillows) a la @b15erk.
I'm really struggling to find fabrics that aren't childish. So far I've managed, with the older boy, to find a nice rowing related one here and a couple of football (Man U) ones but the younger boy is proving a bit more of a challenge. He's tractor/farming mad but in a serious grown up way. Not a funny childish cartoon cow kind of way.
Any ideas? I'm going for biggish, straightforward squares and the colour scheme is red, black, white and whatever else I can fit in around their hobbies and pastimes.
If anyone comes across any "big bad wimmin" fabric I may go with that for the 14 year old!!! Just kidding!
I'm going to make them up as quillows (secret pillows) a la @b15erk.I'm really struggling to find fabrics that aren't childish. So far I've managed, with the older boy, to find a nice rowing related one here and a couple of football (Man U) ones but the younger boy is proving a bit more of a challenge. He's tractor/farming mad but in a serious grown up way. Not a funny childish cartoon cow kind of way.
Any ideas? I'm going for biggish, straightforward squares and the colour scheme is red, black, white and whatever else I can fit in around their hobbies and pastimes.
If anyone comes across any "big bad wimmin" fabric I may go with that for the 14 year old!!!
Just kidding!
29
I saw this & I thought you may be interested! / More Lidl stuff
« on: October 09, 2018, 07:56:36 AM »
Whilst in Lidl picking up my overlocker thread, I was tempted to buy a £9.99 hairdryer....like you do. It is fab! Three fooo settings and three heat settings with a cold shot. 2200W with a diffuser and a blade thing.
Gonna go back and get the niece one for her stocking. Rude not to at a tenner! And it's a nice colour. 
Gonna go back and get the niece one for her stocking. Rude not to at a tenner!
And it's a nice colour.
30
Overlockers & Coverstitchers / Do I need an overlocker?
« on: September 21, 2018, 11:45:01 AM »
Well do I?
I know I want one but does that alone make it necessary?
I know I want one but does that alone make it necessary?