Lets talk sewing

[Salli]

Miserati, that dress and doll are GORGEOUS!

[Maniah]

I'm surprised this thread made it to two pages with no one having answers to your specific questions. is sewing that dead of a hobby?

[Dorriebelle]

I'm surprised this thread made it to two pages with no one having answers to your specific questions. is sewing that dead of a hobby?

Not if the crowds at the cutting table at our local Hobby Lobby and Hancock Fashions are any indication ! I've been behind folks splashing out $600. for fabric alone. Curtains project. Didn't envy her.

I thought we answered most, but maybe I'm getting the two sewing threads tangled.  I use patterns mostly - from online freebies to purchases from Etsy and eBay ( NG Creations is my current fave). I like to recycle as much as I can, so I sew mostly scavenged  cottons and t-shirt weight knits, with the occasional fun fat quarter tossed in for spice. I hem with the machine and a stitched guideline, use yard sale polyester thread, matched to the fabric as best I can with what I got. I have a lot of second-hand thread !

If there's any other questions, I'm sure someone will answer them ! I just didn't see any other queries.

[Maniah]

600? For curtains? O.o clearly I have never had to deal with curtains. That sounds insane! Thanks for the additional info Dorrie. A couple answers did get given but you just hit each one on the head maybe I will be lucky and my brother in law will come through for me with one of his moms old sewing machines.

[Dorriebelle]

600? For curtains? O.o clearly I have never had to deal with curtains. That sounds insane! Thanks for the additional info Dorrie. A couple answers did get given but you just hit each one on the head maybe I will be lucky and my brother in law will come through for me with one of his moms old sewing machines.

Oh, awesome ! I've been hoping you and a sewing machine were destined to soon meet, and fall in sew. Ready and waiting - with camera ! - for more questions !

Here's my thread secrets -

*They say don't buy thread on wooden spools. It's old, it's been rotting for 50 years, etc. Makes perfect sense. Well... I see a lot of it out there, and bought it, dirt cheap, whenever it was in sight. Wooden spools themselves are historic ! I give the thread a couple good, hard, yanking tugs. If it breaks, it becomes 'decor'  , if it stays intact, I sew with it. I have some glorious colors that Coats & Clark don't sell anymore.

*I also use cone thread. This stuff's dirt cheap and often on sale. My last black cone was $2. for 3000 yards. It's great if you go through a lot of black and white thread.  However, because it's designed for sergers, the thread ply is smaller and is thinner. Most pros won't sew with it, but I make doll clothes. I've yet to have anything fall apart at the thread, whether I used stuff from the Stone Age or  a $2. sale cone from Hancock's. So I continue to do so. Since the cone's too big to fit on the thread pin, I either set the cone upright in a drinking glass behind the sewing machine and thread it that way, or wind it onto bobbins, and use them for both the bottom and top threads.

(sometimes I don't know if I'm broke or just cheap !)

[Maniah]

Nothing wrong with being thrifty!

My first attempt at hand seeing went well enough. It's the pattern parts that got me. I'll be trying again though so we'll see how it goes this time! I may wait till after Christmas to purchase one if my brother in law is unable to come through. Maybe I can catch a deal on one someone has returned after Christmas

[NovelNerd]

Oh Mis what a beautiful dress! I love the soft colors with that girl.  Also ray those pants look neat to me especially hand sewn.  I think so far I prefer to sew bare foot. It's easier for me to control the peddle, and I'm not having much of an issue with the peddle slipping. My machine is super old though and the peddle is very small. I can rest my entire foot on it. I will try to post some simple things I'm working on right now later tonight. Maybe get some pointers? A few more questions is there a guide for materials vs. thread tension and stitch type? I'm not really sure when to use which? The patterns you mentioned Dorrie where are they from?

[Dorriebelle]

MadHatterDa, the patterns I like are off eBay, from NG Creations. She makes patterns for dozens of dolls, and has three sets for MH alone. This'll take you to her store, where you can look around a bit. http://stores.ebay.com/NG-CREATIONS-DOLL-PATTERNS?_trksid=p2047675.l2563. This one'll take you right to the MH goodies - http://stores.ebay.com/NG-CREATIONS-DOLL-PATTERNS/Monster-High-Doll-Patterns-/_i.html?_fsub=2867576016&_sid=6929276&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322. Everything of hers I've sewn has fit, looked good, was fairly easy, and was fun to alter.

I like my copy of More Fabric Savvy - you can look up your fabric by type, and it'll give you tips on presser feet, tension, thread length, needle size, etc. to use. Has lots of general sewing tips in the back, too. You can look up most of it online, but I like having a book reference. It's available on Amazon, and is pretty cheap used. If you find Fabric Savvy used, it's the same book, pretty much.

Love to see photos of everyone's efforts !

[bagheera86]

Well I haven't sewn since I was like, in primary school and that was just the running stitch. My first and most resent sewing attempt as an adult was for the mythology swap a while back. It was suppose to be bad ass grecian armour... But it looks more like a frilly frock haha!

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I'd love to improve my sewing/gain some sewing skills, I love outfits that you can take on and off ponies! In fact I prefer them.

[NovelNerd]

Oooh Bag that is pretty neat though! What is the shiny material stuff you used?  I made some Santa hats for my ponies, but that's all I've done so far. >w<

Is this the book you're talking about Dorrie? I might be able to order it actually after I get paid. I have a gift card to Hastings which would make it pretty cheap for me.
http://www.gohastings.com/product/BOOK/More-Fabric-Savvy-A-Quick-Resource-Guide-to-Selecting-and-Sewing-Fabric/sku/166489000.uts

Well let me show you my latest attempt. This is the third time I've used the sewing machine. The good thing is I can at least see that my stitches are getting straighter, and I'm fighting with the machine less. Still some issues though! I used the pants pattern that is posted in the pattern thread, and I didn't modify it very much, but I think now I should have.

Venus with her pants
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Now here are some issues I ran into
At the hip the material started to fray. When I attempted to sew around it I had trouble with it getting stuck on the machine?
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Also, again I pretty much followed the pattern exactly with a few modifications. She ended up having really big hip area and the pants were huge on her. 
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I think I need to change the pattern up or try a different one.

[Dorriebelle]

That's the right book ! I'm glad you'll be able to get it inexpensively - I think you'll find it a great resource.
(I love me some Hastings !)

If that's flannel, it's a challenge. I made some simple pajama bottoms for Elphie (Tonner Wicked Witch) and I
had to wrestle with fraying, and it will stretch as you sew, too. Hardly ever sew with flannel anymore, which is
a shame, it's so cuddly.

When I sew flannel, I have to use a stabilizer and Fray-Check, which you may not want to bug with yet. And I
have to think carefully about how to describe using stabilizer or interfacing. Heck, half the time, especially with doll
clothes, I use old dryer softener sheets to stabilize the fabric. Let me figure out how to describe using the stuff.

Any way you can sew up the side seams and use either elastic or a drawstring closure ? 

[bagheera86]

Oooh Bag that is pretty neat though! What is the shiny material stuff you used?  I made some Santa hats for my ponies, but that's all I've done so far. >w<

Oh, it's called Glo-mesh, it's about $1 a cm. It's like a tinny kind of aluminimum, you can use scissors to cut it, but, it's not very kind to scissors and can blunt them. It's the same thing they use to use on purses and hand bags, it's apparently, going to make a comeback soon.

[Colorscapesart]

An internet search is invaluable!  Here is just one neat site:
http://www.themotherhuddle.com/sewing-tips-directory/

So far it's been a little trial and error and a lot of practice.  I've made probably 15 pieces so far and only shown off a few b/c the rest just aren't there yet   Each piece is a little better, so I'm starting to think there are no easy ways to learn sewing.  I bought a $50 sewing machine and when it does what I want it to do it's a lot faster than handstitching.  I still prefer the control I have with my needle and thread for most unusual projects.

[NovelNerd]

That's the right book ! I'm glad you'll be able to get it inexpensively - I think you'll find it a great resource.
(I love me some Hastings !)

If that's flannel, it's a challenge. I made some simple pajama bottoms for Elphie (Tonner Wicked Witch) and I
had to wrestle with fraying, and it will stretch as you sew, too. Hardly ever sew with flannel anymore, which is
a shame, it's so cuddly.

When I sew flannel, I have to use a stabilizer and Fray-Check, which you may not want to bug with yet. And I
have to think carefully about how to describe using stabilizer or interfacing. Heck, half the time, especially with doll
clothes, I use old dryer softener sheets to stabilize the fabric. Let me figure out how to describe using the stuff.

Any way you can sew up the side seams and use either elastic or a drawstring closure ?

That's a shame about the flannel. It wasn't exactly Venus's color, but it was adorable still! I mostly went searching through remnants and bought some scraps to practice with on my sewing venture. I had hoped the flannel would make soft little pj outfits for them. Ah well back to the drawing board with different stuff! I didn't have a chance to sew tonight just very tired. I actually like the idea of making a drawstring or using elastic I just need to figure out exactly how I'll do it. The hips would be baggy still, but a string would def make the pants wearable at least.

Bag: It sounds really neat, but how in the world did you sew with it? Sounds deadly.

Color: That is a neat looking site I'll check it out. I used to wander around a pattern site forever ago, but that one has some neat little tips that would be useful. Thank you =3

I've only made two pieces so far, but I can see some improvement already. I didn't expect it to be a quick process, but it's always good to ask advice from a more experienced person. I could probably also do well with maybe a newer machine? I know mine has some issues here and there, but I dunno all the machines in my family are so old. There is some odd sentimental value to it. I would possibly have an easier time with a newer machine maybe? My mother has a few nicer ones at home, but they are the expensive ones...she would have a heart attack if I borrowed those.

[bagheera86]

That's the right book ! I'm glad you'll be able to get it inexpensively - I think you'll find it a great resource.
(I love me some Hastings !)

If that's flannel, it's a challenge. I made some simple pajama bottoms for Elphie (Tonner Wicked Witch) and I
had to wrestle with fraying, and it will stretch as you sew, too. Hardly ever sew with flannel anymore, which is
a shame, it's so cuddly.

When I sew flannel, I have to use a stabilizer and Fray-Check, which you may not want to bug with yet. And I
have to think carefully about how to describe using stabilizer or interfacing. Heck, half the time, especially with doll
clothes, I use old dryer softener sheets to stabilize the fabric. Let me figure out how to describe using the stuff.

Any way you can sew up the side seams and use either elastic or a drawstring closure ?

I

Bag: It sounds really neat, but how in the world did you sew with it? Sounds deadly.

Oh, that's easy. Just between the grids, it's quite flexible. Just stupidly expensive.