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Messages - Elnnina

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16
Sara-S I am not a quilter (but have dabbled a little) but I love your quilt, and I allowed my eyes and brain to just conjour up whatever it saw, so in places there was what you called the hour glass, and in others a windmill sails, I also loved the various colour combinations, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so please stay with us you will be so much better off as TSP is such a lovely forum, in fact it is the best!

17
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Weekly Sewing Club Wednesdays 2-4pm
« on: March 06, 2024, 21:37:13 PM »
Thank you Ouryve, I have only used the coverstitch on  my Bernina in the shop and when I got it home took the conversion part off and put it away, so this really will be an experiment thus my getting something in knit fabric that I can chop up and play with to make sure it is working properly, and I can get used to how it stitches and also to be careful at the  end of a run as if I am not careful the coverstitching will unravel all too quickly.  I do not have spare decent fabric so I need to get this right first time.  Also I normally use a three thread overlock, so going back to a four thread and seeing how that behaves on knit fabric again will be a first, and yes I have a differential setting. 

I am just so lucky in having these two Berninas, the smaller one which I tend to use for day to day stuff I bought three weeks before my daughter's wedding as my then Elna was playing up big time, and I needed everything finished.  I was happy with that machine, and then an elderly friend of mine was rather envious of my new acquisition - she had a very old Bernina square shaped base overlocker and no amount of trying to adjust this would stop it from continuously breaking the thread, so it was dispatched to a place where they refurbish old machines and send them to Africa.  My friend was then left without an overlocker and bless her she thought that her age 80+ she could not justify spending a tidy amount on a new Bernina overlocker, but fate stepped in.  The shop I bought my little overlocker in was selling off the top of the range mighty big Bernina overlocker/coverstitcher it had only be used for demonstrations, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and thus I sold my little overlocker to my friend.  Sadly this friend became terminally ill and she wanted me to have this back, and it wasn't until I picked it up that I realised that she had never used it - such a shame, so that is how I have two machines.  The larger of the two machines does a lot more than just overlocking and coverstitching and of course I have yet to try those out even though I have had this machine for a long time.

Now yesterday whilst in the charity shop there was another elderly lady who mentioned she had a newish Bernina sewing machine, and she was surprised that I wanted some knit fabric to play with on the machine, and I said I always do a test run on seams, buttonholes etc. on  anything I sew, she obviously doesn't.  I learnt the hard way back when I bought my Bernina Artista and did around 21 test buttonholes, - 21 because they were not right, and the reason was because the sensor in the actual machine up by the needle was covered in dust/debris  but I did not know that then.  so now I always make sure when using that machine that it is clean and clear of debris before any buttonhole test is made and then when I am actually sewing the buttonholes.

I am hoping that by using the overlocker to assemble the garment will indeed be much quicker than using the sewing machine - but only time will tell, and also whether I like the finished look, both on the main seams and the coverstitching on the hems.

18
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Weekly Sewing Club Wednesdays 2-4pm
« on: March 06, 2024, 17:58:17 PM »
I have been here as well, now have both overlockers sitting on my cabinet top, now I need to get the box out  containing the conversion of the larger overlocker to coverstitch mode, and of course get the instruction book out.  I have more threads out than I would like, and a pile of knit fabrics just waiting to be experimented with.   I also managed to overlock the cut ends of the lovely soft melange jacquard fabric that I bought recently from Pound Fabrics, really to protect this as it is so fine when it goes in the washing machine.  Think I am going to enjoy the next few days in the sewing room.

19
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Weekly Sewing Club Tuesdays 2-4pm
« on: March 05, 2024, 16:20:44 PM »
I had to go out to a podiatry appointment this afternoon , so whilst out in the village popped into our lovely charity shop and came away with some freebees of knit fabric purely for me to practise sewing this type of fabric on the overlocker and then playing with the other overlocker/coverstitcher - thought it best to have some practice first rather than waste good decent fabric, so that will be a job for tomorrow afternoon.  One of the ladies asked what coverstitching was, so I grabbed a knitted garment and showed her what it looked like, then another lady came up and mentioned that she had a Bernina as well - wasn't expecting that as I really do not know of anyone in my village who sews. 

I have spent a couple of days fiddling around enlarging a pattern so I am ready to start my new venture into today's modern knit fabrics - all my previous sewing on knits was way back in the 1960's early  1970's and back then all I had was a straight stitch machine no ball pointed needle and I just used my ordinary dress patterns for wovens and it worked, but now of course there is a lot of options with the use of the overlockers/coverstitchers, the types of needles even ball pointed pins and hand sewing needles.  Interestingly I have some knit fabric that has no stretch in it at all, so will probably have to result in putting a zip in these fabrics which of course I do not have!!

Hopefully I will be at sewing club tomorrow afternoon.

20
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Weekly Sewing Club Tuesdays 2-4pm
« on: February 27, 2024, 17:19:40 PM »
I was here as well, did a little hand sewing, removed some tacking, and then ironed some pattern pieces ready for the next stage.  About to overlock some fabric prior to washing.

21
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: Warm and Cosy contest - Jan & Feb 2024
« on: February 25, 2024, 10:57:22 AM »
Lovely coat and colour Tamnymore, now enjoy wearing this whilst we are still in the winter months.

22
Sewing Machines / Re: Celia’s new machine
« on: February 24, 2024, 14:55:11 PM »
Well done Celia and I do hope that this machine works for you and is happy in your sewing room.  Now just enjoy playing with her and I am sure she will do all that you want her to do.

23
The Haberdashery / Re: Digital rolling tape measure
« on: February 23, 2024, 17:45:49 PM »
I have only used this Rollbe a few times - quite some time ago as well, and it worked, I was having some difficulty measuring a neckline at the time.

I cannot remember just how long ago I bought this, I first saw this on the Sure-Fit Designs American site, and as of course I live here in the UK I then looked for this on the Sure-fit Designs UK site and bought it from there, also I had the option of having either imperial measurements or metric measurements and chose the metric.  I tend to keep this in a drawer and had really forgotten about this, and I shouldn't have as I have been playing with Sure-fit Designs in the last year.  Just one of those many things we buy and whilst they are useful, if not out and staring you in the face you forget about them.

I am about to venture into adapting a pattern for knit fabrics, and I know I want to adjust the neck, so I am now leaving this out where I can see it - perhaps it will make my life a tad easier. 

To use this gadget as it rolls around from the start point, you just listen out for the click/sound it gives, and count them up in your head, it really is that simple,  however the click/sound is very feint so you do not need music or the TV on whilst you are using this.  The disc as it rolls around from  the start to finish one rotation  is 20cm 

24
The Haberdashery / Re: Digital rolling tape measure
« on: February 23, 2024, 17:08:06 PM »
Just had another thought and dragged my photo of this Rollbe onto my desktop and I hope I have attached it correctly,

25
The Haberdashery / Re: Digital rolling tape measure
« on: February 23, 2024, 16:57:26 PM »
Oh Sara, you are taxing me with getting photos from the phone onto here, I am trying, even involved Twopence over the phone to try and get a photo from phone to here and it just does not want to oblige.

So as you want to see this may I suggest you go onto the Sure-Fit Designs USA site and look for Rollbe there.  I am so sorry about this - it drives me mad.

26
The Haberdashery / Re: Digital rolling tape measure
« on: February 23, 2024, 12:06:53 PM »
Sure-fit Designs do something called 'ROLLBE'  and it comes in  little pouch, and is available here in the UK via surefitdesigns.co.uk  run by Judith Johnson, ideal for measuring around curves.  The actual wheel is 6.5cm across and there is a little hand piece fastened over the wheel  which you hold between finger and thumb allowing the wheel to move freely  and you  roll it along whatever you want to measure.  Cost is £19.85 and mine is metric and I have had it a few years now.






27
Your Favourite Suppliers / Re: Online fabric shops new thread for 2024
« on: February 23, 2024, 11:50:42 AM »
I have recently bought some knitted fabrics from Pound Fabrics in Birmingham, and I am delighted with these, don't be fooled by their title of 'Pound', my fabrics were £9.50 pm, £7.50 pm, and £5.00 pm.  I noticed the £5.00 one in Lamazi at £16.00 pm.  I laid these out on my bed and they look perfect, so fingers crossed I haven't missed any noticeable flaws.  I presume these were end of production runs.  Also I ordered on a Thursday afternoon and received my parcel on Saturday afternoon, so excellent service. 

Like others I do miss being able to go and see and feel fabric, however I have a massive stash, but of course this time I wanted some knit fabrics and I haven't used this type of fabric really since crimplene days i.e. over 50 years ago, so I have taken the plunge and just hope that when this fabric is made up that I am pleased with it  So far I am pleased with this.

Also being new to today's current knit fabrics, Pound Fabrics give a description of the fabric, what sort of stretch it has, and also laundry instructions, and on their invoice there is a small coloured photo alongside the description, yardage and price.

28
Imi if that is a photo of your new sewing room then that is lovely I sort of recognise the quilt hanging above the desk/table at the end.    You won't know yourself having a dedicated place to sew and of course it will keep everything away from curious paws.

29
For Sale, Wanted & Free to a good home / Re: Bernina 570 For Sale SOLD
« on: February 09, 2024, 15:31:00 PM »
Well done Celia, now I sincerely hope that you will soon feel better over this.  Let us hope that the new owner will have lots of fun exploring the Bernina and make some lovely items.  Good luck with your sewing in the future, and just think of the space you have acquired.

30
Overlockers & Coverstitchers / Re: Brother CV3440 coverstitch
« on: February 08, 2024, 13:37:12 PM »
Well done Lilian, now just enjoy using this.

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