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Arsenic Lupin posted:That needle has a blue shank, but not a ball point. For sewing knits you want a ball-point (also labeled 'jersey') needle, because a normal sharp needle will pierce the fibers and you want the needle to shove them aside. Buy Schmetz, not Singer; Schmetz needles are much higher quality. The only thing I will mention is that Singer needles are a hair longer than Schmetz. It usually doesn't make a difference but if you can't get nice stiches and you're on a Singer, go back to Singer needles.
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Oct 18, 2021 17:58
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cloudy posted:I definitely learned some things making these shiny joggers, lol. Turns out the printed shiny/iridescent finish was too tough for the stretch/ballpoint needle to get through, so I ended up with tons of skipped stitches. I switched to just the blue-shank needle with the sharp point and things went much better. Also learned that for parts where an overlocking stitch wasn't necessary, a walking foot was really helpful because this material slid everywhere and caused a lot of issues with just a regular presser foot. Walking foot really saved the day in some parts. Just some fun learning experiences for an amateur! That's fantastic! And the walking foot is so important in sewing spandex or slinky knits that I've even had to use it to put in a zipper. Thanks for the needle info - I love the look of that fabric and I'm sure some will end up in my stash at some point.
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Nov 3, 2021 15:51
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If you don't mind getting an industrial machine, even one of the more home-use ones like a Sailright (sold to work on Sailright canvas) will handle lots of thick stuff no problem. I know some quilters like a separate machine too because they are all about that Perfect Straight Stitch and free-motion with a bigger harp. I find any machine that has adjustable tension a d presser foot pressure plus the ability to use a walking foot will do good for knits and fine for quilts. So... What's your priority? And how much of your budget do you want to go where? You could spend it all on a nice Bernina quilter, stalk eBay for a vintage Viking for an all-purpose machine and save up for a special canvas machine, etc.
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Dec 30, 2021 18:39
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Horn of Arby's posted:I haven't done much in the way of quilting, so my priority I suppose would be in the all-purpose with the ability to do some heavy duty. I haven't heard of Sailright - I'll check them out. Would it be too heavy to manage knits as well? I'd like to avoid 3 machines, I can maybe justify 2. Definitely search around for what others are using to sew canvas etc. Some of them may be able to get the right accessories for a better time with some weights of knit. Knits really benefit from a walking foot/dual feed system and changing the presser foot pressure and sometimes some tension adjustment. Other than that they're not much different than wovens, which I also think benefit from all the same stuff knits do. So look for a machine/accessories pack does them and you'll be pretty set! You may also want to look at anything used that your dealers get in. Sorry I can't be more help on specific brands and models.
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Dec 31, 2021 01:12
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cloudy posted:What's everyone's favorite online retailers for fabric? I am having a really hard time finding anything I like... Specifically I guess I am looking for linen or rayon/linen. But I guess I'm just more interested in hearing about peoples favorite places to look for fabric in general! For fashion fabric: Mood Fabric (Big variety, but they remove the brand info from most of their stock and I often find the same fabric on Fabric.com for cheaper with the manufacturer info left intact) Fabric.com (Amazon, for good or for ill) EmmaOneSock (I you want quality linen, she's got nice linens and blends! I'm almost finished with a skirt and blouse out of linen from her, actually. It's been fantastic to work with.) Those three sources are very good about listing fabric content, width, and GSM. I've made a rule for myself that if I don't have those three, I don't waste my money on it. They also do swatches. I haven't bought from here, but a lot of PatternReview people have and seem to like this store for linen and blends in many colors and weights: Fabrics Store
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May 14, 2022 14:51
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NotNut posted:Is it possible to shorten shoelaces by cutting them and getting the new ends into the uh... things at the end of shoelaces Absolutely! They're called aglets. You can get them from specialty lace or sewing supply stores, or even Amazon. They range in quality from clear cheap heat-shrink tubing to crimped metal in a variety of finishes.
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Jun 7, 2022 20:24
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Paul MaudDib posted:what's the buy-once cry-once recommendation for an industrial sewing machine for doing nylon webbing, heavy cordura "pouch" style fabric, leather, etc? I was going to recommend finding a used Juki industrial like the TDC 441 or one of the clones, and that artical discusses the clones! Sounds like a good plan to pick one up.
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Jun 9, 2022 00:34
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Check out 5 out of 4 patterns! Here's their men's t-shirt. They have other options (henley, raglan, hoodies, etc) for men as well and try to be size-inclusive. Your wife still might need to do some height adjustments, but that is going to be par for the course for nearly any pattern for your height! If those don't work, she may consider the Glad Press 'N Seal method to copy a garment. No need to unpick seams! I've done it with some pajama pants I loved and it worked incredibly well.
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Jul 12, 2022 20:05
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StormDrain posted:Hi sewing thread I just wanted to stop by and share my first sewing project which is also an upholstery and woodworking project. I am building a couch! I just finished the second of three sections. All from scratch with no plans other than what I drew and white boarded. Depth of the seat is that of a twin and high of the back is 22", and one portion will pull out to be a queen size bed. That's a huge project! Looks great so far.
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Aug 1, 2022 00:34
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StormDrain posted:Peacock chair. I took for granted how difficult this would be. I need a good piping foot as it's hard to get a nice tight stich. I also traced the old upholstery which gave me an out of round template. I'll probably redo this. 1) Love the fabric choice. 2) I am really amused that your sewing area looks like mine, down to wrapping paper, a pile of muslin, and some free weights for a dumbbell hanging out. I mean, yeah, I do use the weights as intended, but the flat solid iron ones make great pattern weights, too! Here's the best shirt I've ever made, I think. I never wear sleeveless shirts, but we've had 100F + temperatures here for like a month solid and I've given up. I used the Itch to Stitch Bonn shirt as my template, since I've made it several times before and knew the armscyes wouldn't need much adjusting. I took 1.25" off the shoulders and .25" off the rest (the armscye always fit REALLY close) and finished it with single-fold bias tape. Added a little dart at the armscye to control some gaping after I finished (and will just draw it like that next time). I did keep taking width away at the side seams at the bust level to help with the armscye shape, and now it's got, like, .5" of ease there, so I better not change bra sizes! Fabric is 100% linen, about 155gsm, cross-dyed in black & white, from Emma One Sock. 
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Aug 14, 2022 16:38
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Jaded Burnout posted:Here's the tear. Same on the other arm. That rip is too long to repair with a fusible and patched fabric-- it's going to make it very stiff. (For smaller patches you want an iron-on fusible for it, adhesive-wise. Normally with a knit you'd use tricot fusible for stretch.) I'll be honest. I would cut off the sleeves above the rip and sew on new ones out of a similar fabric type. (Colorblocking is in! You can even use the cut-off portion of the lower sleeve as a template. It's fall so you can find lots of french terry/sweatshirt fabric in the northern hemisphere, or take them from a donor garment.) I also might decide to just enjoy my new cut-off jacket. Now, if it absolutely positively had to be repaired, I'd get similar fabric type. I'd trim up the rough ends of the hole so that they're even. Then I'd put the patch fabric on (in a way that hid raw edges of both new and old fabric to the inside) with substantial overlap and sew around the edge to secure those Then I'd re-inforce the overlapped area with lots of stitching-- maybe a pattern, maybe random, but the point is to get more strength there. Use ballpoint needles so that you don't shred the individual yarn making up the fabric loops. It's still going to be stiff but won't be as stiff as if you'd tried to use fusible patching techniques. I might even cut the lower sleeves off, neaten up the remains on both halves, and sew in a gusset/patch between them to join them again. You'd get a complete stripe of fabric all around them. It won't be as stiff, either. But you need to have a lot of good fabric on either side for it.
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Sep 28, 2022 12:27
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Beatmasterj, when the tiles were done There's no way to predict where the plaid will fall! Anyway, this fabric was supposed to be pajama pants and my husband wanted a shirt, so he'll get what he gets as I squeeze out a button-down from this yardage.
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Oct 18, 2022 02:03
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Great job! I love the ears.
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Oct 28, 2022 04:01
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I finished a Thread Theory Fairfield button-up shirt for my husband! I did, in the end, get most of the plaid to match despite the short yardage (the fabric was supposed to be pajama pants, initially). Fabric is Robert Kaufman Mammoth Flannel, colorway medium green buffalo check, yarn-dyed, 100% cotton, and approximately 220gsm. It washes up into a nice thick fabric for cold weather! Should be great for layering. Sewing went pretty well, but I sewed one of the sleeves on inside-out and didn't notice until all the important seems had been flat-felled. Luckily he's OK with it! I hope he wants more of these, because not having to move the waist or adjust darts, etc, was really nice. This pattern has a set of sizes with a full-belly adjustment already done, too, so there was even less to modify.   
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Oct 29, 2022 22:08
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Xiahou Dun posted:gently caress that’s a really nice shirt. What color is it out of curiosity? Thanks! It's hunter green and black buffalo check plaid by Robert Kaufman. Here's the link on Fabric.com, but you'll need to find another source since Amazon shut them down. cloudy posted:I looooove it! You did such a good job. Love that material & the color too! Thank you! It's great fabric.
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Oct 30, 2022 02:57
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StormDrain posted:Wtf why! I bought so much from them just this year. Per this article, it's that Amazon fundamentally does not understand the fabric business and wanted wholesalers to list pre-cut yardage only, with impossible shipping deadlines for fabric. Craft Industry Alliance Article posted:About six months ago, Amazon reached out to Fabric.com vendors to say that all fabric would soon need to be sold directly on Amazon.com. Vendors were told to upload all of their products to Amazon in one, three, or five-yard increments, seemingly with no regard to the fact that fabric manufacturers sell wholesale by the roll or bolt, and not by the yard. “They expect us to cut and ship overnight for free,” this executive said. “They don’t understand fabric at all.” The longtime former employee we spoke with said that over the last few years, management repeatedly asked if selling pre-packed cuts would work. They said no.
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Oct 30, 2022 16:25
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StormDrain posted:Wow. I hate that. Give a look through the comments; there's a bunch of people listing where they buy stuff. I usually do a search on PatternReview to see if anybody has a problem with a new shop before ordering, just in case. I haven't ordered from them but Fashion Wholesale Direct sells a lot of satin types by the yard and bolt. They get some mixed reviews (fabric content wrong, slow customer service response) but for home decor fabric it may be worth a shot.
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Oct 30, 2022 17:10
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Have some flannel! Fabric: Robert Kaufman Durango Flannel, 8.55 oz/sq yd (~290gsm), 100% cotton, colorway Plaid Adventure. Pattern: Itch to Stitch Mila, with a full button band added, tower sleeve plackets added, and widened seam allowances so I could flat-fell everything. It's reversible!  
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Nov 26, 2022 16:44
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:Oh man that looks like a million bucks. I love the colors. Thanks! Lead out in cuffs posted:Yeah and nice use of the diagonal for the button strip/shoulders/plackets. Was that in the pattern or just something you came up with? Thanks! The pattern suggested bias yokes but not the rest. I love tower sleeve plackets now. They take time to set up but look so good from both sides. StormDrain posted:The horizontal pattern is excellent! Great job. Thank you!
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Nov 26, 2022 20:11
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Those are BURGER PLANETS Awesome
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Dec 25, 2022 12:49
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Pasketti posted:Sorry for double posting, but I'm hoping to get some advice on re-sizing just the tops on some dresses I have. (I am jealous of the Pusheen sports bra) You've got the right idea. I'd end up creating a new elastic or drawcord channel, probably. You might also want to remove some fabric if it's too puffy. Have a helper pinch out how much needs to go, and add a few darts (like at the back, front neck, and shoulders).
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Dec 28, 2022 17:06
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Shifty Pony posted:I made a little double sided project bag for my wife to carry her current cross stitch project into work instead of using ziplock bags. I love both projects! Your corners came out well on that bag.
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Dec 29, 2022 18:38
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learnincurve posted:Nobody but me in my real life knows my annoyance over this. The Vietnam run (the past couple of years) of the Heavy Duty machines are honestly quite nice. I think Singer just throws a bunch of stuff at the wall to see what sticks with their models and pricing these days, though.
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Jan 22, 2023 22:56
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The new insulated mittens pattern from Jalie (4343 Mimi mittens) is pretty cool. Just measure your hands during a few different times of the day: I measured only once and apparently my hands are a full size smaller in the morning! Oops. These still fit ok, just a little tight.   The floral cuff pair is mine and the grey cuff pair is my husband's. I used Polartec Neoshell for the teal parts and Toughtek gripper fabric for the black parts. I didn't trim my seams so the Toughtek is making weird shapes. Oops again! I like these a lot, though, it's a pretty good pattern. I want to make a shell for my running gloves with the Neoshell next.
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Jan 25, 2023 01:39
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canyoneer posted:Crossposting from TFR, of all places. Hot drat! Thanks for this.
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Jan 26, 2023 23:25
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Killingyouguy! posted:I successfully hemmed my shower curtain so it doesn't drag a huge pile of fabric along the shower floor  Don't be afraid to stick a guide on your machine's bed next to whatever you're sewing, too. I can only get a perfectly straight line if I stick a magnet next to my presser foot. Some people use a stack of post-it notes, and they sell products for it, too. Yesterday I made some running underwear and was too lazy to use my seam guide. (It's underwear!) The undies came out great but check out the wavy waistband sewing:  And yes, there's fabric marker (washable!) on these because they are made from scraps. (It's underwear!)  DominoKitten posted:Another great beginner project is tote bags! Straight line practice galore and even a crookedly seen one works. learnincurve posted:Hell yeh it is! Next step is table cloths, all you need to do is fold down to hide the raw edges then topstitch your lines all the way round in a colour that blends into the fabric, and you got a table cloth at less cost than in the shops and you don't have to settle on the fabric. Great ideas. If you can find some cheap linen or some cotton woven, making a set of napkins is a great way to practice straight seams, too. (Plus mitered corners!) You get to leave your iron on the hottest setting and spray it/use steam, so the fabric really stays where you put it.
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Jan 29, 2023 18:35
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it's really not a straight line (idk how machine sewing a straight line is so difficult for me) but also it's not really that noticeable.
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Edgar Allan Pwned posted:hello. id like to get into clothes making for myself. i took a class on how to use a sewing machine and theres another class on how to read patterns that i think i will do as well. i was looking at sewing kits to buy, im going to wait on the machine because the library my roommate works at allows people to check out machines. anyways i was looking at kits for everything else and does this seem ok? learnincurve posted:Get a basic how to sew book first, any of the DK books by Alison smith will do, and buy all the things on the list it gives you sticking to frisker scissors. Will come to less than those kits and you'll also have a book. ( Do what learnincurve says. Your roommate can probably even get that book for you through the library, saving you some cash to see if you like it! My very first sewing, other than hemming and making masks, was a dress and a pair of leggings out of compression tricot. It went OK, since I'd picked a very stable knit, but boy howdy did I learn a lot and I had a lot of stops and starts. It would not have gone well at all had I not made several woven masks first. Take a look at this set of free pajama pants patterns. Make yourself pair that fits in some fun woven fabric, then move on to sweatpants. You'll have much more fun with the sweatpants and you won't risk messing up on more expensive fabric!
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Jan 31, 2023 03:04
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learnincurve posted:It turns out you can use pritt stick to baste stuff, it's not amazingly secure but it'll last long enough to hold a patch or a seam in place. That's a glue stick like Elmer's for all us US-ians. Also I love double-sided wash-away tape. Game changer for slippery fabrics.
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Jan 31, 2023 22:17
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My muslin decision guide: 1. Am I familiar with the fabric, or a very similar fabric? 2. Have I made this garment type before? 3. Have I made anything from this designer or pattern company before? 4. Do I see any critical fit issues requiring alterations that I have not done before with a similar garment and fabric? 5. Is a good fit critical for this garment, or is "close enough" ok? 6. Am I sewing for someone else, and did they take their own measurements? 7. Do I have an easy way to check finished garment measurements? (Such as using the measuring tool on a PDF.) 8. Is there a technique I need to practice? If enough of those point to trouble, I make a muslin. But if it's a designer I'm familiar with using fabric I've used before, I might charge ahead without a muslin and just do my "standard" alterations and hope for the best. Especially if the fabric isn't something special. effika fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Feb 14, 2023 |
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Feb 14, 2023 21:33
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I really like putting together PDF patterns. I've got one of those cheapie LED tracing pads from Amazon and use Elmer's Glue, and it goes pretty fast. Rotary cutter makes quick work of the cutting out phase too. Plus this way I don't feel bad cutting up the pattern for alterations. Though I guess it might take just about as long as tracing from the pattern tissue, all told.
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Feb 20, 2023 02:10
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:Back in July I found a Pendleton blanket at the thrift store for $7. It had some little moth holes in it, was covered in hair, and smelled strongly of dog. My cat loved it. Fantastic! The end result looks like it was well worth it.
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Feb 26, 2023 22:18
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Oracle posted:Man been awhile! My kid is a) super skinny and b) in a play set in the 70s, so I of course having not sewn in a few years and then only Halloween costumes mostly decided that of course I should buy some dollar patterns from the actual 70s and make him a dress shirt and jeans because who wouldn’t? Have I ever made a dress shirt or jeans? Hell no but when has that ever stopped me? Looks like you're doing a continuous lap sleeve placket? Here's a few good tutorials for that: Fabrics-store.com tutorial Sewaholic tutorial PDF from U. Kentucky (covers ALL placket types; quite helpful to see how they all work so you can choose the one you like best) And you can turn that slash opening into a tower placket on the fly no problem; I did that to my last flannel shirt when it turned out that the fabric was too thick to look nice. Do a trial with muslin and the origami will start to make sense. I actually prefer tower plackets now!
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Apr 9, 2023 19:33
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Ready to wear does indeed follow those conventions of left and right buttons/etc. I don't think any home sewist puts in two sets of buttons these days unless they're into strict gender presentation via clothing details (and around those who will notice). Myself and many other non-professional garment makers subscribe to the "which side looks better" school of shirt button placket construction.
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Apr 12, 2023 13:17
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Idlewild_ posted:On the flip side, as an afab nonbinary person, sewing shirts with the buttons on the right is giving me a nice hit of very silly gender euphoria. Does any of this matter? No, absolutely not. Am I still gleeful to observe the weird rites of binary gender? I certainly am! Excellent style goal! Love it.
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Apr 15, 2023 23:26
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Pasketti posted:I found some amazing anti-Uv stretchy fabric and made a rad t-shrit dress out of it! Oooh, nice to know the Pop! Kids is decent stuff! That looks great on you. Killingyouguy! posted:In my quest to slowly sew many rectangles I've decided for our new bed I will sew a custom duvet cover to better match our desired colour scheme Maybe fabric bundles are you for you? They coordinate a bunch of fabric together by color so it'll all match. I don't know how much fabric you need or if you have a size you want for your rectangles, but Fat Quarter Shop has various sizes and many good quality fabrics all packaged up together to help end decision paralysis. Here's their category page.
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Jun 6, 2023 17:47
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Killingyouguy! posted:I was thinking just one big rectangle? With some ties inside for attaching the duvet Oh, OK, then. Yes, you can probably go to any fabric store and find something you like. If you stick to quilting cottons, you'll probably find ones that have coordinating prints and solids that can easily be paired together. Thread, I think I am going to put down the sewing today. I somehow decided the interfacing was on the right side of the collar and had to re-do the whole thing. I did briefly think about leaving it as a fashion statement, like the exposed zipper trend, but decided I wasn't that ahead of trends.
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Jun 6, 2023 20:24
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Killingyouguy! posted:Oh also - if I wanted to make matching curtains is quilting cotton suitable for that too? Or do I need a different fabric Absolutely fine. You may find it not opaque enough, but adding a light-blocking liner (whether a total darkness one or just another layer of the same fabric) won't be too difficult. Making the window curtain won't be much different than the shower curtain!
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Jun 7, 2023 14:10
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deety posted:I started quilting with a 40+ year old Viking that I inherited, and it's time to buy a second machine with more modern features. The plan is to go to a local dealer or two and play with some options, but I really want to narrow things down to a few models first. Researching machines has been kind of a pain in the rear end because some of the manufacturer sites are a mess, and some brands list prices that are noticeably higher than what I'm seeing on the dealer sites. I have been looking at the Jukie F600 and DX7 myself! There's a thread on PatternReview specific to Juki that has some good info. You'll need to be logged in to see more than one page, but the discussion starts about here-ish: https://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingDiscussions/Topic/71899/229#3049889 Basically all those machines have fans on PatternReview, so it'll come down to price and if you like the dealer better. The DX7 seems to be preferred over the F600, but if you don't need more motor power either seem to be fine.
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Jul 24, 2023 23:42
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Dealers have their own model numbers to keep them separate from internet sales-- there's a Juki equivalent to both of those with names like 2000QVP or HZL-DX7 or something. They have different accessory packages mainly. I'm surprised the dealer didn't steer you into their versions, instead of a ridiculously not appropriate $4k model! And yeah it sounds like that Pfaff model is probably discontinued, but I wouldn't take it off your search. You might get a good deal on one for that reason!
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Jul 25, 2023 16:52
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Maybe an old darning or free motion foot? The PatternReview forums might know. If no one else has an idea I can try asking there for you (or you can yourself; it's a nice community).
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Sep 30, 2023 01:02
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