AilbheWhat if I take apart the tensioning assembly and clean it and reassemble it
Will it ever work again
Cleared a little space
Found a little tool
Unscrew the tight
Get the tension right
Found a little tool
Unscrew the tight
Get the tension right
There were lots of secret places to unhook and unscrew to get the cover off. #sewing #repair #maintenance
I took out the tensioning part and disassembled it, but I couldn't take photos at that point because everything was too filthy for me to touch my phone. This is after I cleaned two disgusting springs and reassembled it. I used cotton buds dipped in surgical spirit/rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol. Then I oiled them again with clean mineral oil from a haberdashery. #sewing #repair #maintenance
Took the rest of the cover off and cleared the dust and fluff from the inside, and oiled everything that looked like it moved against something else. I took a video of all the parts moving as I turned the handle but I don't think I can put that on Mastodon. #sewing #repair #maintenance
This is the tensioning assembly. At the back there's a sort of brace or lever and when I first put it on, it was to the left of a rigid part and the two tensioning plates were pushed together at the back and apart at the front. That seemed incorrect to me so I moved it to the right and now the spring pushes the plates/discs together at the front. #sewing #repair #maintenance
When I last self-serviced this machine it was the motor full of fluff that was the problem and I didn't mess with the tension so that was new and educational. And really filthy. I did it while also doing my Zoom therapy session, because fixing things is therapeutic. We discussed agency and the freedom to effect change.
I tested it and it works! I sewed a couple of metres at various tensions and it was fine! And the sewing isn't covered in oil, either, and I fully expected it would be.
Today I'm altering some pyjamas I made in probably late 2020 -- I took a pattern from my then favourite pyjamas, made some in dark blue brushed cotton flannel, liked it, and made these in really warm brushed cotton in a blue-and-white pattern that makes me think of Asiatic Pheasant type transferware crockery.
The heavier fabric had less stretch/give and they were a tiny bit too tight. This was fine until I got tired of it.
In Spring 2022 when the weather got warmernI took the waistband off and then did nothing until now when it's cold again.
So today I put the waistband over the widest part of my hips and pinned extra fabric in place to fill the gap. Then I added similarly sized triangles to the sides from hip to knee.
Whoops I got tired and had to stop before finishing -- I got hopelessly confused by the thread breaking once and then the bobbin ran out and I thought the thread had broken again and spent Actual Brain Energy trying to work out why.
I rehemmed a couple of teatowels, so they're shorter but have no ragged trailing strings to tangle in things and break stuff.
The red cotton velvet is going in the wash -- I might be able to sew it later today
I'm back at the hassock today. I used bits of a ragged bedsheet to make an interior cushion casing for the stack of quilted pads. The red velvet exterior will be slightly more complicated I think.
Previous hassock mention: https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/109361133167159580
Ailbhe (@[email protected])
Attached: 2 images I need to dismantle my sewing machine to clean fluff out of the tensioning spring I think. But I got a second flat cushion sewn up today and now finally the stack is 15cm high uncompressed and 13cm compressed, which is the required height and so now I can make the exterior of the hassock, which is in theory the easy part. #sewing #recycling
Starting the velvet exterior using bought-new velvet and zipper, but that's the only new bit. The dark zipper should be ok with the dark velvet -- it didn't show up at all until I photographed it against the wrong side of the fabric. Reds seem to be very difficult to photograph. #sewing #recycling
Yesterday I did a bunch of draping and pinning and today I've decided on a plan, I think. I'm measuring a bit, cutting a bit, measuring a bit, cutting a bit. I had to repair my table first and I have to keep lying down but it's all progress.
Ok I've cut cotton velvet, cotton batting, and ragged sheet for lining/backing for the top, bottom, closed side, and three zipper sides of the hassock cover. And two little bits for a carry handle.
I've pinned the first bits to the zipper. I always think I'm going to sew these on the wrong sides. I'll find out when I'm well enough to sit at the machine I guess.
I can tell there's going to be ironing though. Ironing. Again.
I'm sewing! This hassock project has been going since 1 September. https://twitter.com/artbyailbhe/status/1565389820104507392?t=6NDKGfeEstvQo1i6pKtgwA&s=19
The velvet needed cotton batting and solid sheeting behind it to be strong enough so I had to sew the zip in between the layers on each side, making a lined inner. Then I basted the three layers of each piece together before assembling the cube. #sewing
I had to bind the internal edges before I could use the cushion cover because the raw edges of the velvet shed continuously.
But it's done. I'm going to make another cover as soon as possible because this was VERY EDUCATIONAL but it's better than no cover. The handle seems firm. It's about the right size. #sewing
Recycled and washable.
The external velvet, the outermost padding, the thread, and the binding on the internal seams are the only non-recycled parts. The binding is a polycotton because I had some from a remnants bag, but the rest of the new materials are plastic-free. Because it's stuffed with a stack of quilted pads, it can be laundered and line-dried if pets happen to it. I'm tired but pleased. #sewing #recycling
Today I ironed my pyjamas. Ugh. But I needed to fauxverlock the seams and stitch down the facings properly so ironing was non-negotiable. I also discovered that sewing the cotton velvet was EXTREMELY FLUFFY. #sewing @sewing
I later sewed a bit of a wall covering -- there's a patch of our front wall that's definitely losing heat to the outside and I want to give it a quilted jacket. Mockup One is in situ but I was too wrecked by the time it was finished to take a photo or anything.
I think I'm going to make a rectangle with a hole in it for the guitar hanger, maybe a mylar backing, and attach it to the very top of the wall using cable clips like for the phone wires. #mecfs #warmth #sewing
I'm replacing the black straps (as required by the original recipient of the bag) with matching-the-main-fabric straps, so that I can give it to a friend. Today I cut, interfaced, and ironed them into shape. Tomorrow I'll stitch them on. #sewing
Really, really securely. Oh god.
That took just under two hours and I'll definitely need a break before I use my hands for anything else.
Yesterday was too #mecfs for #sewing but today I'm getting the straps on the bag. I semi-basted them on with big machine stitches because it's six layers of canvas and three of interfacing and pins just don't cut the relevant piquant condiment of your choice.
I do keep fabric I'm #recycling and fabric I bought new separate, and use them for different kinds of projects. Most of the stuff we stop using and put in the stash is too worn out to make a new garment from.
Almost all of this is fabric for #recycling too. Why am I doing this? I did #UFYH, I know not to marathon-clean. But I have to tidy this or I can't rest. #sewing
I got it all boxed or bagged. It's almost entirely what Middlest Child says Bernadette Banner calls "cabbage" but I call "really useful". #sewing #ufyh
As a reward for tidying, I cut out the fabric for a pair of toddler leggings halfway through and promised myself the #sewing of them when I finished.
#Sewing the twin-needle topstitching inside the ankle cuffs on toddler leggings is a bit fiddly. It's too small to slip over the machine.
The finished leggings, with a button to show which way round they go, and the waistband edges stitched down inside so they don't tickle -- this is a major reason I use a twin needle, I do all my underpants this way too -- all ready to inflict on a child who didn't even ask and may hate them.
I enjoyed #sewing them ANYWAY though and I'm sure someone will want them.
Middlest Child sewed the button on for me because I avoid handsewing whenever possible. It does not play nicely with my joint issues.
I wanted to do #sewing but it turns out that first I need to do #ironing. I've ironed the paper pattern and cut out the bits I need and folded the rest back into the packet, and I've read the instructions and figured out what fabric I need, and next I need to iron the blasted fabric. This is ridiculous. I don't want an ironing hobby.
I've ordered a bag of crushed walnut shells. And I'm trying to decide what to do about binding. The pattern calls for the edges to be bound, but I'm making this from velvet and it's going to be much thicker than the designers intended. Maybe French seams? French seams conceal a multitude. #sewing
OR I could try to make my own extra wide velvet bias binding, but that's #ironing again.
Ok I'm not going to make a new thing until I work through a pile of #mending. I have sewing and gluing both queueing and it will be much less chaotic if I get them done.
Here's the A1 drawing board I use for my extra table space when I have something bigger than A4 to cut out. It currently also has an ironing mat and a laptop on it. #sewing
When I buy fabric for #sewing I do put it through a hot wash and iron it on high before I put it away, because that works better for me than trying to slot it into the household laundry cycle when I want to actually use it, but it still needs ironing before use because it's folded for storage.
Okay I ironed *just enough* of my brushed cotton flannel to cut out my pattern pieces and I'll tackle the velvet tomorrow. I think for the velvet I'll treat myself to a new blade for the rotary cutter. (The discarded blades for the cloth-cutter are reused on the paper-cutter, but I haven't found a way to dispose of genuinely finished blades yet). #sewing
I cut the velvet and I've laid all the pieces out to check the instructions and add the notches etc. I'm incredibly tired now and my heart rate went up from too much standing. #sewing #mecfs
EDITED TO ADD this is for a heat pack you can warm in the microwave.
EDITED TO ADD this is for a heat pack you can warm in the microwave.
I'm resting now but the next stage is to transfer the marks from the pattern pieces to the sewing pieces, and probably then thread-mark quite a lot. I still haven't decided what to do about the binding the original pattern calls for, because the velvet will give a thicker edge than the dress cotton they intended.
Ok I tried transferring marks. First I clipped the paper pattern back onto the cut piece, then I pricked a pin through each end of the "stitching line" marks, then I chalked over the paper and also used a paintbrush to dust some chalk dust over it, then I removed the clips and the chalk WAS visible on the velvet for JUST long enough to mark it with thread. #sewing
Of course then I had to go back and clip the paper pattern back on because I'd forgotten the notches and dots. I did the dots with a pin and chalk again and it worked fine. #sewing
I think today I'll get to do some of the sewing parts of this sewing.
So when I cut out the brushed cotton to be the interfacing, it was on my A1 size makeshift cutting table, but the bulk of the fabric was spilling off the edge and so it all cut a little wonky. Like the pieces are stretched diagonally when placed on the main pieces.
It's going to be fine, I'll pin the top edges and lift the pieces so the weight falls where it does, then pin the other edges and trim to match. But I'm glad it didn't happen on the main velvet fabric.
I am really tired but the pieces are all basted to the interfacing and I can start assembly tomorrow.
Two days later I think I might be able to sit at the machine and sew. Yesterday was a write-off.
I did a bit of sewing but I'm tired enough to have sewn the collar pieces right sides together instead of wrong sides together so then I did LITERALLY AN HOUR of unpicking.
Violet@artbyailbhe that sounds super helpful! Do you have an easy trick to prevent fraying when you wash it? I feel like it is a lot of work to get it ready for that stage 😝
@MsFairyViolet no, I just accept a bit of fraying (or sometimes use a laundry bag). I also wash everything on hot because if it's going to be destroyed by a hot wash I'd rather it happen before I use my time and energy on it.
@MsFairyViolet If I very seriously cared I might run a row of fine machine stitching around the edges but I haven't cared enough yet.
@artbyailbhe ah oke! I've been a bit scared to see what would happen without stitching it, but I guess it's worth a try! Thanks!
Unfinishedlady@artbyailbhe I just wish I was organized enough to iron post wash. My fabric ends up really wrinkled.
@Unfinishedlady I find thinking of it as stress-testing the fabric works better than thinking of it as smoothing or tidying.
@artbyailbhe I tend to forget to think about it at all.
ChromaticRat@artbyailbhe I feel this so much. Ironing is boring and breaks up the flow of the sewing. I recognize its value but I do not like it. That and having to pre-wash fabric.
Brody Berg@artbyailbhe awesome teamwork