General chat thread for BB girls who like sewing

[TeniBear]

C'mon ladies, we need to resurrect this thread!

So, I've got my new machine (sorry everyone who replied to my thread when I was deciding, I ended up with the Brother and manages to pay it off way before I thought I could) and after a few initial problems (the problem occurred between machine and chair ), I LOVE it! I love the decorative stitches, I love the auto-threader, I love the little light... It's awesome. I've already knocked out a dress for DD, tried and failed to make a skirt for myself, and my shutting elastic has decided to play nice and work in this one I'll be making lots of little things for everyone shortly

[HotI]

I have been making heaps of skirts this year. Last few years it was shorts and pants. A tiered skirt can look awesome and is pretty easy to do.

I haven't worked out the perfect system yet. Sometimes i cut out, sew, overlock and finish - whch is good, but i don't think it is very time efficient when i have a big list of things i want to get done. Other times, i cut out lots in one session, and then try to sew more than one thing at a time - time efficient, but sometimes then i have a heap of things half done and it takes awhile to get back to them.

My sewing machine is in the lounge atm. I have a sewing room, but it is too messy for DS to play in, and if the kids are asleep (you can always hope) the sewing room is too close and it might wake them up. I will be moving my sewing stuff soon, combining sewing room and spare room, so that we DS can have a room or move him in with DD and then have a playroom. I am looking forward to it.

I have made a heap of santa sacks for christmas. thiking i might start to make some present bags, and do away with wrapping paper forever! Just have reusable bags in different sizes and designs.

[jackrose]

Hey, Cool, sewing thread just in time as with the change of season and my knitting needles sitting idle and my machine was pulled out of hibernation yesterday!

Teni - I am jealous of your new machine! Sounds like lots of fun. I love the sound a new machine makes… or the lack of sound! All efficient whirring etc. Sounds like your machine is going to get lots of use.

HotI - I am also jealous of you! A sewing room - I can only dream. Mine is in the living room too as we are in a cramped apartment and when I sew I usually try to get a few days done in between everything else so that I don't have to pack up and set up continually. However, the room is a complete mess in the meantime.

I am a bit like you, big list, lots of cutting and sewing at one time. (and lots of begging, just 5 more minutes kids….) I recently organised my sewing supplies and fabric stash again so I was ready for the summer sewing frenzy. First cab off the rank - an octonaut costume for each of my octonaut crazy kids. Two cute blue sailor hats, two collars and a pink skirt for Dashi. DD1 is off to kinder today dressed as Dashi so it was a success.

Next plan, maybe something for me?? Has anyone seen/made the Washi dress from Made by Rae? I think it must be done...

[~Kim~]

Great idea Teni, might get me to finish the shorts for DS that have been sitting on my table half done forever.
My sewing room is half nursery (a huge office just off our room) so I drag my machine out the the toy room, bit of a pain at night cos I never remember everything I need. DD1 also loves to have a crack. Actually even DS will have a go at 'sewing'. He only does lines but he loves it. I have a detachable presser foot and a go/stop button on my machine so he can use that as he can't reach the peddle. I can also slow the machine right down (it has an accelerator lol) so on the slowest speed it's just right for little people.

I love Rae's patterns. I love her blog too. Have lusted over the Washi since she brought it out. I think you might have inspired me Jackrose. How neat does it look in the prints.

I've been thinking about fabric bags for pressies too HotI. Might do me some fabric stash adding today

ETA, I also have a list of things I have fabric to make, but haven't gotten to yet...a cover for the ottoman, recovering my glider cushions, skirts for the girls, embellished t's for the girls....

[Sopdet]

I'm babysitting a friend's machine so am going to pull out my material and start making clothes.

I want to make a pair of shorts to wear to Day on the Green on Saturday, just simple ones with an elastic waist.

[Astrid]

Forgot about this thread. I am sewing again!!!

First finished project - reversable, wrap circle skirt. Not bad, think my fabric choice was not quite right, so it wont be that reversible, one of the fabrics it just a tad too sheer. Don't think DH is that impression
Next project - a line skirt for wear around the house. Have the fabric, washed and ironed. Forgot to buy a zip, but then thankfully found one in the sewing kit just the right colour and length. Oh, worked out the pattern for this one myself from looking at an existing skirt, as well as looking at tutorials for similar skirts online

Future - skirts and dresses for DD2. She is such a girlie girl, loving dresses, but such a tom boy in that she just destroys/dirties everything she wears. So if I can knock her up something from scraps, she gets something new, that I wont mind being a bit trashed!

Have a bit of a pattern stash, plus I can sometimes work out a pattern for myself.

[Sopdet]

one of my mates is coming to stay tonight, he is a gun at hand-stitching (he is a reenactor) so going to get him to help me make something tonight.

[HotI]

i took some time out from my sewing 'list' to make something fun. turtle (800x600).jpg

[Sagres]

I've got into sewing a bit more lately. Recent projects have been a dresses for DD1 and DD2 for their birthday parties - DD1 a colour block June bug (does that make sense to people??) and a basic tunic with a frill for DD2. I've also made a quilt for DD1s big girl bedroom and some other bits and pieces with the same fabric (cushions, hair tie and clip holder thingy). I've made a couple sets of soft blocks for friends who have had babies (different texture material 'sides' and tags) and at the moment I'm doing some very basic pants for the girls for child care - very light cotton so cool on hot days but more sun smart than shorts.
I have a back log of projects - almost all clothes for the girls! Some basic cotton summer dresses and some dresses for Christmas day. More than one Shwin&Shwin pattern is on the list

[TeniBear]

Stuffed up a dress yesterday trying to be fancy. It's now a rather lovely skirt instead

[BrightSparkles]

Where do you girls find kids clothes patterns? I'm thinking about some pants/skirts/dresses etc

Also, do you have to use an over locker? I don't have one.

[Sagres]

Tenibear that sounds like something I would do LOL!

BrightSparkles if you look on pinterest you can find lots of patterns people have pinned. Also Etsy has some good patterns to buy.
Other than that I have a few bloggers that I like and follow them on fb and see when they do a new pattern. At the moment the ones on my list are 'Craftiness is not optional', 'Shwin&Shwin' and 'Sewing in no mans land' (all girl focused). They tend to have a combination of patterns you can buy, some free patterns and free tutorials. Once you get your nose into some of the sewing blogs you tend just find other ones that they link to.

No you don't have to have an overlocker, I don't have one and just use the trusty old zig zag stitch.

[TeniBear]

Where do you girls find kids clothes patterns? I'm thinking about some pants/skirts/dresses etc

Also, do you have to use an over locker? I don't have one.

I've bought a couple of patterns at Spotlight and Lincraft, but I haven't made anything from them yet. If you want, I can PM you the link to the tutorial I've used for Amelia's dresses? Once I had the basic one down, I started playing with it to make it my own The way I make them now only bears a passing resemblance to the ones in the tutorial. I make the skirts more ruffle-y

I find almost all my projects on Pinterest now

[Mrs P]

Teni could you please pm me the link too? I'm a learner but getting into sewing for DD thanks!!

I also look on pinterest a lot. Recently made a dress from a kwiksew pattern and it turned out pretty well but took about 6 hours (well two of my three hour classes I do sporadically!).

[Abigail]

Ive recently gotten back into the sewing side of things.

This is a Christmas dress made for one of our girls. Click here - Free pattern online "The Party Dress" I just didnt do the sash. :P

And a reversable vest - can't wait to do this in pin stripes... Click here - also a free pattern.

[HotI]

i found the party dress, where did you get the vest pattern?

[Mother Goose]

I need sewing lessons. Where did you girls learn to sew? I failed home ec in school... I sew very very very basic quilts at the moment. But I want to be able to do things like skirts and dresses...

[TeniBear]

I'm pretty much self-taught, I read the instructions to my sewing machine thoroughly and look at a lot of tutorials online. If I don't know what a word or phrase means, I just google it.

I've only just started on clothes about a month and a half ago, before that was simple bags which were atrocious in themselves I want to do proper classes.

Just got back from Spotlight. Geez I spend too much money there! I only wanted a couple metres of one cheap fabric and I ended up with ten metres of various different fabrics, as well as some elastic and 50 refills for my glue gun This is why I always ask if DH or my mum want to come with me, I can curb my spending if I have a chaperone!