ILX Sewing!

Totally going the Community Ed route this spring. They won't try to sell me shit.

I've totally been DIY and managed to make good looking xmas gifts (not without some initial struggle.) maybe get a good book and there's always the net.

this week i've been making my own little pattern, fun!

100 euros is about 120 dollars, but then VAT is very high here so i think it's sort of the same thing in the us (ie 100 dollars). maybe not the cheapest but for starters i'd like something *simple* but not too rickety. :-)

It's old (70s) but is perfect for me as there's no "let's make a Joey Ramone doll out of old bath towels"-type creativity to distract me. It's straight forward and answers any basic question I have. It's always opened up in my sewing room now and is like having my own old lady around to give me advice.

(pls note I don't hate fun but like to build up my skills solidly before I attempt to make Kathleen Hanna dolls out of Snoopy sheets.)

I asked a friend if it's easy to sew if you have the patterns and she was somewhat vague. She claimed, yes, unless you want to adapt the pattern. So is it easy if you have a pattern or still a big hurdle to climb over?

"I feel the need... the need to craft" Nath Cruise ;-)

So to answer your question I don't know that it's hard neccesairly (not anymore than learning any other skill set for the first time) but maybe not as fun for some. I think I'm going to try and build a cutting table this weekend so perhaps working with patterns will become more fun for me. So far I've been doing it all on the floor!

One way to make the satin easier to handle in the sewing process would be to interface it with a sturdier material on the backside -- something that doesn't stretch so much on the bias. If you want to go that route, holler, because I've only used interfacing a couple of times and I find it annoying but would be happy to discuss.

I've used regular sew-in interfacing but bought some fusible for this project. However I couldn't get it to fuse. I tried a lot of scrap fabric, marking the fuse side etc, but still couldn't get it to work. Don't know if I'm just doing it wrong or if it won't stick.

Last night I sewed interfacing to the lining (fleece) and then tried to sew that to the satin outer. big mess. Am going to cut a new piece and try again.

Basting/grid is a good idea, didn't think of that.

Heck, I could ask my friend and/or grandmother to teach me some tricks. :-) (God, that sounds lewd.)

I don't think I'll enroll in a sewing course (yet) as I'm very tempted to take that lacemaking class and who knows next year (and the year after that) might have some changes in the household?

Here's how green I was: Until I got my machine and started figuring out how to thread it, I had no idea that thread came from above and below. duh!

I finally made the second step: buying fabric and some needles and thread.

I had to before my fear turns into a fobia. ;-)

Yay!

I hope to have your giftie in the mail in the next week Nath. I'll stick some sewing goodies in too.

I almost finished my mother's purse this weekend. Except the material is this faux-suede and I kind of jacked up the stitching at the top which means I can't fix it. Because of the little holes. :( I love doing things of my own design but it means I'll usually making it up as I go along and end up having to redo parts.

I think this will be another confrontation with my "two left hands." I felt so stupid in the shop. As they are not extremely friendly and an impatient O was with me, I could not ask for information (re needles and *stuff*). I did notice a pamphlet for sewing classes. I only want to do a few, to get me started. *sigh*

PRESENT? Did you just say PRESENT? WOOHOO! :-D

Urgh, I don't even know how to thread the mothah-frigging machine. I'll ask someone. She has the same machine as I do. Lordie Lord!

Do I need two threads (we call'em under and above thread)? Or can I just do a *main* (above) thread?

You need two. The machine works by interlocking the two threads between the layers of fabric. I forget if you said whether or not you had a manual. This should guide you through it.

I have a manual, just not a brane. :-( I tried with the manual but I cldn't understand what they were on about. Should have taken the advice of the shopkeeper and listened to her explanation. :-(

I attempted to do some stitches and was able to get the fabric stuck. hahahahaha Now I have to learn how to put the "underthread" in again. I have watched YouTube and my fear has developed into a fobia again. I think I'll just be patient and slowly but surely figure it all out. What I *really* would like is some sort of mini course but they don't have it here. :-( I'm not willing to shell out 130 euros (yet). I can't since I do want to do the knitting course and there's a second baby on the way.

GAH!

Be patient and keep trying. You'll get it.

I need some help deciding on an embellished pocket . . .

I'm using this pattern to make the short dress w/ tie sleeves:
http://www.builtbywendy.com/onlineshop/images/BBY-3835_MAIN.jpg
and I'm making it out of this great dark turquoise fabric. I haven't put the pockets on yet in case I wanted to embroider them or something. I can't decide! It definitely needs something to break it up though. Any ideas?

What about a contrasting trim on the hem?

like a different thread color or do you mean like ric-rac or something?

I had thought about doing something more elaborate . . . i saw this photo of a japanese embroidered garden that seems kinda cool. i'll try to find a photo . . .

so kinda like this, i guess:

http://huangfamily.com/craftlog/archives/tinygarden.gif

but i don't think that flowers really fit in with what i like about the look of this dress...

To me the dress looks almost mod/sixties style. So I was just thinking a contrasting color of blanket border or twill tape on the bottom. But that's just my taste.

i'm new to all of this . . . is that like bias tape more or less?

I think you're right though. Less is more with that dress. would it be too much to have a border along the bottom and then maybe trim the top portion of the pocket in the same border?

You could do the ties in a contrasting color, or even polka dotted fabric!

the next dress i'm going to make with this pattern is going to be in houndstooth w/ contrasting ties but the current dress is almost finished already (thus the ties are already turquoise). I'm not that experienced of a sewer, so I wanted to do a practice dress first. but i love the idea of polka dots! i mostly avoid bows & buttons as decor & everything else is game.

is that like bias tape more or less

yes. I almost said contrasting ties too.

for me the embroidery seems too hippieish (and I love embroidering things) but again that's just my taste.

I mainly just sew bags/purses so am not the best reference on clothes styling.

I am the same way. That pattern looks great! I'm still a total novice with the sewing. Was it terribly hard? I bought a pattern a while back from Vogue that looks great, but seems a bit too difficult for me.

I agree that embroidery looks too hippie. I think that's why I was leaning toward the crazier one, but even that would probably clash with the dress.

The next dress I make (with the houndstooth) I'm going to do a contrasting tie but only on the inside so the contrast peeks out at you. That's the dress I'm actually more excited about which is why I'm using this one as a practice round.

As for difficulty, it's surprisingly not too bad! I started with the shirt, actually, and I'm glad I did b/c the dress would've been too much for a first time thing. I also modified the shirt to have longer sleeves (slightly) and no elastic in them. I kept the elastic in the neck though, and it's a great shirt to throw on whenever. I may end up hemming it slightly as I am probably shorter than the anticipated person they made this pattern for. you could totally do it, molly!!

If you get it & have trouble, I would be happy to help out. I don't know where you live but this weekend is a 99 cent sale on simplicity patterns at joanns & this is one of their patterns.

Seriously!? 99 cents! I'm so there! Thanks so much! There's a Joann a couple miles from my house. I've been needing a project to A) increase my skills and B) increase my sewing confidence. I really love the top and the dresses. I made a shirt a while back, and it turned out really terribly. I also used some ugly granny fabric from the clearance rack, so it wasn't too much of a wash.

I love Jo-Ann's but it's kind of far from here. I've done about four purses recently from my own design. they were, eh. I've also done a couple of make-up bags that were passable. I'm about to do a tote for myself lined with some luscious taffeta. after that I'm going to try my hand at a messenger bag. I really need an industrial machine.