General Chat

I once made a dress for my toddler daughter completely by hand ............

we were living in Australia, and she needed a new dress. I had bought several from the local Thrift shop, but then I saw a yard or so of a lovely red material.

I was really proud of how it looked when I finished it!. It had a sleeveless bodice attached to a gathered skirt, and I even managed to put a narrow strip of white lace between the neck binding and the bodice.

My mind went right back to those dressmaking lessons in junior school as I was making it ...... I could still hear that voice "Keep the stitches tiny and neat, Make that a French seam." etc etc :-D :-D :-D

remember my aunt, used to do "outdoor "machining 50 odd years ago......

most times had yards n yards of pieces of garments, all hanging on a single thread, mostly toddlers dresses n stuff.......

Bob

which reminds me of a big "uh oh" that we did.

I don't about you guys, but we used to call all sewing machines "Singer", all vacuum cleaners were "Hoovers", etc

A matter of weeks after arriving up here in Canada, we were walking along the main drag downtown, spotted this shop that sold electrical appliances, so went in and said "We want to buy a Hoover. Do you have any??"


It was the Singer shop ................. which didn't sell Hoovers, as we were somewhat snootily informed :-D :-D

My sewing machine is a Singer electric, bought by OH during our first year in Texas in 1967, in a plastic carrying case. Everything unplugs from the machine so that it was truly portable ........... if a bit heavy!

Two or 3 years later, after moving up here, we bought a wooden cabinet from the Singer shop in town ................. the machine folds down inside it, the top closes over it, but there is space between the legs. It takes about 5 minutes to open it all up, plug everything in, and get ready for sewing. The top folds out to provide a support surface for the material as one sews.

I currently have a pink marble chess board and men sitting on top of the closed cabinet :-D

My computer is on my great grans sewing desk :-D
It is similar to a writing desk.
It wasn't one that 'hid' the machine, but has a lift up top, where material can be stored, two very long narrow drawers, either side, perfect for thread spools, two narrow 'cupboards' below the drawers, and a very short middle drawer.
At the back in the 'leg area', attached to the back, there is what I presume is a pattern holder - it looks like a sheet music holder.
There's no evidence a machine was ever attached to it.
I can't find anything like it online - it's not of the best quality, but I'd like to know how much it's worth - thereby know how much care I need to take of it :-S

I've also got two of the old 'Singer' sewing machines.
One was g grans, the other was my ex's grandmother's.

My sewing machine is a semi-industrial 'Vigorelli', bought for me by my ex as a birthday present, 42 years ago - and still going strong!! :-D (but the plastic 'case' is rubbish) :-(

I learned to use a sewing machine on my mother's 1930's Singer treadle, and that's what I used until I got married and left the UK.

It was in a nice wood cabinet that closed up when the machine was not in use, and was then a nice piece of furniture.

It was sold or something after Dad died ...... I don't think my sis-i-law took it. She had her own electric one by then

I often wish I had brought it with me, or had it shipped over after he died. :-(

And here's me looking for a needle and thread LOL

About eight years ago, when my MIL died, she had two sewing machines
I gave them to the Relate Charity shop.

My sewing machine lives in a cabinet in the spare room..... drawers stuffed with sewing needles, threads, bits of lace & ribbons, buttons etc.......... and in the corner there's a travelling trunk stuffed with sewing & knitting patterns, scraps of materials, lots of things I've forgotten about.... hopefully no moths.

In the corner of the dining room we have "a deadly treadly".... an old Singer.... it's just the right size to keep DH's port barrel on the top.

David, if you do that you will have to reinforce the bottom of the V, as it will be taking all the strain! I think your first idea was better.

Must have been a bit smelly down in them there sewers Amakovid.

In fact, if I cut a V out of the waist band I wouldn't need to sew a patch pocket in. Just sew up each side of the V

Thank you

You could do it by hand - denim is only heavyweight cotton. If the waist-band has stiffening inside it, pull a bit out and cut off about 1/2" each side, so that you don't have to sew through it.

Good luck! :-)

Thank you Andysmum. It's about an inch for comfort.
My concern, if that's the right word is could I sew through two thickneses of denim by hand, or would I have to find some one with a machine ?

I can sew, knit and crochet ( a little). Dont sew very much now but my knitting needles are always on the go. I knit for my 2-1/2 year old twin grandaughters and also for Angels and preemies. I love knitting the tiny things as they are done so fast and are so very much appreciated. :-)

I have knitted and sewed all my life, although I don't do as much as I used to. At the age of 10 I changed schools and the class I went into was making skirts. They were in 6 panels and they all had to be tacked, then back-stitched, then turned the other way over, pressed flat with a finger and back-stitched again, making a French seam!! For someone who had done hardly any sewing before that, it was quite an achievement. My mother couldn't believe it!

In my first year at grammar school, we knitted ourselves school socks, on 4 needles. I think my mum finished mine off during the Christmas holidays. The next time I did any knitting was baby clothes.

Turning up hems is easy - use iron-on hemming fabric.

David, if the extra required is fairly small, you could do what you suggested, but check that the hips will still fit.

Years ago Woolworth used to sell a gadget that clicked buttons on

If i work with stretchy fabric
I put tissue paper between the layers then pull it off after stitching :-D

Bob, you do need special needles to sew stretchy fabric, no LOL about it.
Regular needles make unwanted holes in the fabric.
They are called 'ball point'. Don't do yourself a mischief now ;-) :-D

I've sewed, knitted and crocheted all my life and refuse to sew buttons on for anyone - it's such a basic thing, there's no 'can't' about it, 'won't' is what they mean.

Think I will take this opportunity to ask those who know for some advice. Ive several pairs of denim jeans which I tend to wear casually with a tee shirt.
Since my injury and its attendant immobility my once lithe physique has altered.
The waist has thickened a bit. Rather than buy replacements for those I already have, could I increase the waist by cutting a V shape at the back and maybe sewing in its place one of the back pockets. I did ask a lady on another thread, but did nothing about it. Is it a job that could be done by hand ? Any replies appreciated.

Stray sends all her sewing over here ;-) ;-)