AilbheMended jeans -- belt loop tore a hole in the back so I reinforced both rear side belt loops and reattached the flapping one. #Sewing #Mending
Today I mended a duvet cover using my new vintage sewing machine from 1940 (not to be confused with my old modern machine from 1990-ish) and it was SO EASY. The extra space in what I believe we call the "harp" made a huge huge difference.
#Sewing #Mending #SewingMachine (link to thread with pictures of the vintage machine: https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/110780146951341100)
#Sewing #Mending #SewingMachine (link to thread with pictures of the vintage machine: https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/110780146951341100)
Ailbhe (@[email protected])
Attached: 4 images The case of my 1940 Singer 201K handcranked sewing machine. The way the storage and case works is so, so simple and clever. #SewingMachine #Sewing
Today I tried to fell the seams on the top I'm making and when I was trimming the seam allowance I cut through the actual garment in TWO places, though I'll be able to mend it by sewing it down to the folded seam inside, and then when I tried sewing it I went WILDLY wrong. I think my felling foot can only really handle straight lines and *mild* curves, not the bust on this shirt's princess seams. I mean the princess seams on this shirt's bust. I'm so tired.
Yes, of course I'm basting them *from now on*, I just thought I didn't have to. Pff.
Felling down the curves on princess seams for a bust that is 25% bigger than the underbust is *tricky*. #Sewing
Hemmed it. Only buttons and buttonholes yet to do. Memo to self: sort out hem length on the pattern pieces, they were crenellated like a moderately well-defended English church.
The top fits. I can do my hair while wearing it, which involves a lot of moving my arms right around behind and above my head. I can stand up straight or slouch -- which makes it look slouchy but doesn't make it tight anywhere or seem to strain any of the seams.
So today I'm looking at my chair cover. I bought the fabric AGES ago -- possibly years? -- but I was going to wait until I had rewebbed the seat. I'm not going to do that. The cover I'm replacing was made with a remnant which wasn't quite big enough but it will still give me a good idea of how to start, I'll just have much more in the way of seam allowances so I'll be able to finish it better. I think my mother made it 15 years ago. #Sewing #Mending #Upholstery
Unpicked AND LABELLED the two seat side pieces, both of which were originally pieced because there wasn't enough fabric and my mother wasn't working from a pattern of any kind. I'm too tired to trace them today but I can do it tomorrow perhaps. I notice that they're not identical. #Sewing #mecfs
Today I am mending and altering: first, shortening bra straps 3½"/8.5cm (folded length)
And today I did some hand mending, because this shirt is too feeble to darn with a machine zigzag but not quite destroyed enough to go into the rag bag. When I got it, it was smart enough to wear for parent-teacher meetings. #Mending #Darning #Sewing
So I'm back at the chair cover. I've unpicked all the pieces I think I need to, to make pattern pieces, and I've started tracing around them. But I've realised I need to learn a lot more about inserting a zip, because this looks very neat and I don't know how to do that.
Ailbhe (@[email protected])
Attached: 3 images So today I'm looking at my chair cover. I bought the fabric AGES ago -- possibly years? -- but I was going to wait until I had rewebbed the seat. I'm not going to do that. The cover I'm replacing was made with a remnant which wasn't quite big enough but it will still give me a good idea of how to start, I'll just have much more in the way of seam allowances so I'll be able to finish it better. I think my mother made it 15 years ago. #Sewing #Mending #Upholstery
I have cut out the three pattern pieces for the arms of the chair and only needed to make one change when I draped the paper on the chair, so I'm confident that when I cut the fabric and baste things together it will work ok. I wrote on every paper piece NO SEAM ALLOWANCE so I hope I remember that.
Decided to prewash at 60C, so started the day by putting 400cm x 141cm of fabric in the washing machine. Now I'm back on my bed with coffee, looking at the last pieces of the previous chair cover which I have yet to transfer to paper pattern pieces.
The label on the parcel says 100% cotton but the website info panel says 52% cotton 48% polyester. #FibreContent
My fabric is drying, but not yet dry, because it's folded over. Four metres is a lot. And I finished tracing all my pattern pieces, in spite of getting bored and covering up the unused holes in my pegboard as a break. https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/110837783377549859
Ailbhe (@[email protected])
Attached: 1 image I got tired of transferring chair shapes to pattern paper so I decided to improve my sewing space. This desk is permanently in the room, but when I need to I can clamp an A1 drawing board to a little folding table for a large flat surface. #SewingSpace #Organising
I had to iron and trace around it with chalk in stages, because although the pattern piece fits on my A1 drawing board, that's because it has no seam allowance. So that was a bit fiddly. But once the piece was cut out, I could sit and watch telly while I threadmark it. #Sewing #SewingSpace
My elbow hurts from threadmarking but I've done the back of the back, the front of the back, the seat, the front of the front, and the backs of both wings so far. I've cut out the fronts of the arms but not marked them, and I've yet to cut out the fronts of the wings, the insides and tops of the arms, and the outsides of the arms.
Then I need to make a pattern for the seat cushion, and use that as a practice for making and attaching piping, and fitting a zip.
Then I can assemble the cover.
All the pieces are cut out and only the two smallest have not been threadmarked. Tomorrow I'll make a pattern for the cushion (I bought the foam ages ago, wrapped it in a sheet temporarily, and have been sitting on it ever since) and hopefully cut the cushion pieces.
I will need to teach myself piping. #Sewing
I've cut the pieces for the seat cushion. I think I'm going to make the bottom of the cushion from scraps pieced together. The two pieces for the three long-zipped box sides were as long as the width of the bolt of cloth so what's left is *extremely* tidy and I have lots of interesting scraps for antimacassars and so on.
Having a little rest now and then I'll see about finding my rolls of zippers.
Found a zipper roll and cut a bit of zip long enough to open all three sides of the cushion, then added a second slider in the opposite direction so it opens from the middle to both edges. Hopefully that will make it easier to get the cushion in and out when I wash the cover.
Made the rectangle for the bottom of the cushion using three scraps from cutting the wiggly shapes for the main chair cover. I've run out of ways to procrastinate the piping. Hm. #Sewing
PINS ARE SHARP
*bleeding very slightly*
Basting in the zippered panel for the three sides of the cushion, which is fine until I reach the curved nose. I do not like sewing the curved nose. But I think this is ok?
When I've finished basting the top edge with the curve, I'll do the bottom edge and see if the cushion fits. It *should* but I'd rather find out before I sew a million tiny stitches with a hand cranked machine. #Sewing
Finished the fiddly basting, put the inside-out cover on the cushion and pinned the base in place, and *unzipped the cover* so I could just sew everything.
It's not perfect, and the internal seams are not finished, but it's done. #Sewing
I've started basting and pinning the pieces of the chair cover together. The wings are ok. Both sides of the arms are ok. The front of the arms seems to be too big but it's hard to tell how much right now.
I stitch-marked the original seam lines in light blue, I'm basting in dark blue, and my pinheads are yellow. I'm really glad I stitch-marked because the chalk is almost completely invisible on every fiddly curve after basting. #Sewing
Edited to add: the close-up is a much closer colour.
It's 27C in my room but there's lots of air flow so I don't feel too bad. I've chalked a line 1.5cm away from the first draft (using my NEW TOY prym mouse basically in mid air) and pinned that at the front of the arm, and now I'm having coffee while I recover.
I've started the final basting for several seams - red thread, biggest stitch on the handcranked machine. When these are done I'll apply the piping to the front of the arms and wings and when THAT'S done I'll do the final stitching on all the seams, remove the three colours of working-in-stages thread, and hopefully finish the internal seams. Or at least pink them.
The big working area of the vintage machine makes it much easier for upholstery.
Ok. I'm machine-basting the back together and then I'll machine-baste the zips on and then... Um. I guess I'll have to make the piping.
I'm actually attempting to baste the seat into place. It's extremely gathered so that the seams won't be stressed if someone stands on the chair and all their weight is in the middle.
If I re-webbed the seat of the chair I wouldn't need to do this but that's beyond me at present.
I've placed a zip where the chair-back joins the wing-back and the arm-side, and next I need to sew it in place. But I'm scared I'll ruin it somehow. I guess the answer is Basting Again. It's always Basting Again. #Sewing
This shape is so complicated and the fabric is so heavy that it's EXTREMELY difficult to know what bit I'm attaching to where while I'm actually at the sewing machine.
I'd photograph my progress but it looks like a big pile of crumpled fabric and a headache, so it wouldn't clarify anything.
Fittings are harder on a chair because it can't hold the pins for me while I fix things.
I'm tightening up around the... armscye? where the arms join the body and I will need to figure out how to keep the skirt tugged down firmly.
I've fitted one wing. I'll match the other to it tomorrow, and then start finalising the arms. It is INCREDIBLY hard to get the colour in photos. The camera just leaches all the colour away. It's a greyish-green but it's GREEN, definitely. Augh. #Sewing
Matching the second ear was so easy! I've also updated the pattern for those pieces so that if I have to do this again I'm starting from a better place.
Next I'll join the arms to the wings in that wrinkly corner, then put the piping and fronts on the arms. And then it's hemming. #Sewing
I've put the front on one arm. I haven't trimmed ANY of the seams yet and I'll have to because it's on a lumpy cushion of four layers of its own heavy fabric at the moment, but it's on and the second one will be a million times easier. #Sewing
The world is 86% pins
And this thing I'm sewing is technically a "loose" cover but I've just done up its zips and tugged it into place and it's not loose. It's form-fitting. It's a snug cover.
THAT'S IT
no more until September
I'm declaring Finishing Amnesty. The chair is covered, the ends are hemmed, I'm going to sit in it like this for at least two weeks before I take it off again. It's EXHAUSTING getting it on and off for fitting. #Sewing
So yesterday I darned a shirt and today I patched a top and sewed a bunch of stitch length samples. The chair cover was such a major project that I'm going to need to recover from the physical effort.
I'm hoping to make a crutches holster for my mobility scooter before I next go out. Having somewhere convenient to stash them makes a big difference.
Ok I have a to do list in order of importance:
Crutches caddy
Underwear
Dungarees
Only the dungarees, which are completely unnecessary, have any progress yet. #Sewing
Me in my grey pyjamas trying on my HUGE ORANGE DUNGAREES over the top.
I think I need to do some ironing next to get to the point of attaching the straps. And I think I understand smocking.
Finally made a thingy to stop my crutches jamming into the steering of my scooter when I'm out. And put little sleeves on the arms for amusement.
Underwear fabric and pattern are on the cutting board ready to make tomorrow. I can do this.
Cut out one set of underwear pieces. Need to find more fabric for another.
Today I've started ironing my dungarees. The legs are wider than my ironing board. They are vast and will contain multitudes. I'm taking lots of breaks from standing but ironing is one of those tasks which make a clear and visible difference so it's good for feeling like I'm achieving something. #sewing
I ironed, finished some of the piecing seams, added the straps, and put in buttonholes with my Greist buttonhole maker. Tomorrow I hope to tidy the stray threads, add buttons, and wear it. #Sewing
I think it wants appliqué.
FINISHED. I will probably do nicer seam finishes inside sometime, and it will probably grow appliqué over time, but I'll be wearing these now! #Sewing #dungarees (Yes, I can just about fit in one leg)
I got so bored I made a remote control holder for my freshly-covered armchair. #Sewing
To go with my armchair cover, a desk-chair cover. The red was ok but clashy, and adding the black just made it miserable to look at. So I'm using the last few inches from the roll to make it a matching cover. First pin/clip to get an idea of what shape I'm going to need, then I'll baste, then decide on hems and sew it on the machine. #Sewing
Finished! I don't know why I put in a little pocket, other than that it saved me from having to cut and hem the selvedge? #Sewing
Today's #sewing was ironing. Three metres of cotton shirting in preparation for making another from my McCall's pattern. This one will be longer and have sleeves, but will be of a reasonably civilised fabric, so that's exciting. The first one was made of extreeeeeeeemely slippery linen and was like sewing a teflon-coated octopus.
Today I'm lengthening the shirt pattern - starting with two inches front and back and on each sleeve, and I'll see how that suits my victim.
Cut out the fronts, back, and sleeves. Smaller bits tomorrow. Tired now.
The blue I'm using for this shirt is School Uniform or possibly Nurses Scrubs. But the pleats are in the back and the yoke is on. Attaching the fronts to the shoulders now. #Sewing
I've topstitched the yoke facing into place and it involved more ironing. Next is more basting, then putting away the body of the shirt and starting on the sleeves.
I have read the instructions for the continuous lap next to the cuffs and I strongly suspect them of being very "now draw the rest of the owl."
I'm sewing this at 15 stitches an inch, as a compromise between easy to undo errors and small enough to look ok. I can see myself doing the next one at 20, with 30 for topstitching, if none of this one needs unpicking. #Sewing
EllenInEdmonton 
@artbyailbhe
I went excavating in my stash and was happy to find several sections of very serviceable cottons that I got for $2/metre or less. Will work on shorts/pants for me and the grand over the next few weeks since I have a pattern with 3 views as well as a $1 pattern for the kids that worked well. It's great to start a project when all of the necessary bits are already bought and paid for! #sewing
I went excavating in my stash and was happy to find several sections of very serviceable cottons that I got for $2/metre or less. Will work on shorts/pants for me and the grand over the next few weeks since I have a pattern with 3 views as well as a $1 pattern for the kids that worked well. It's great to start a project when all of the necessary bits are already bought and paid for! #sewing
Chris 🏳️🌈🧵🧝🏼@artbyailbhe Teflon coated octopus! 😂
@elfkin or a toddler, according to contemporaneous notes https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/110628877193436058
Ailbhe (@[email protected])
Oh dear, ironing really does help, I resent this fact so much. I also need to figure out how to baste fabric that's slithering like an overexcited toddler covered in sunscreen they squirted on themselves.
Pau Amma@artbyailbhe Isn't everything better with a pocket?
@pauamma I cannot think of anything that contradicts you!
Sarah E Bourne@artbyailbhe You can keep a long backscratcher in it!
@sbourne I've put a ruler and a sewing machine manual in it for now, because I'm going to FaceTime my mum soon. I expect it will find its Useful Category Of Things soon.
Daisy Doo & TuxieGirl Betty@artbyailbhe
The pocket is BRILLIANT! Please come to my house n make something like this for my sewing room chair! 😍🤩😃
The pocket is BRILLIANT! Please come to my house n make something like this for my sewing room chair! 😍🤩😃
@artbyailbhe I love what you did with the back where the straps meet!!!
@elfkin I got it from a Morgan Donner video -- little bit of smocking, for decoration on hers and for stretch and gathering on mine.
@elfkin I am *very* impressed with the simplicity and functionality of smocking as a concept. Since at least the 1500s people have had stretchy sections in otherwise structured garments, no knitting or elastic needed. It's magic. I had no idea how simple it was until I did this little bit.
@artbyailbhe I’ve never tried the technique and am now intrigued. It’s very visually appealing!
@elfkin this is, like, Huge Smocking for Huge Trousers, because this whole project was absolutely flying by the arse of my pants, but I have since learned that people use Big Smocking on furniture and cushions and things as a decorative effect. I only knew of it for children's clothes, so that they fit for longer, and in museums of agricultural artifacts.
@elfkin A lot of apparently-smocked things nowadays actually have shirring, because that's much easier to do by machine.
@artbyailbhe
Those look fun! For me, I can't wear anything one-piece because my bathroom anxiety becomes extreme. Still, I like the concept!
Those look fun! For me, I can't wear anything one-piece because my bathroom anxiety becomes extreme. Still, I like the concept!
@EllenInEdmonton I can't wear anything I need to unfasten to use the bathroom, so even my jeans etc have to be pullable even if unfastening is more comfortable. The straps will fit over my hips without unbuttoning.