sewing - revisited

[tortoise]

I've never been terribly successful with sewing. I CAN sew - I was a commercial seamstress years ago. I've never had proper tools at home. I've struggled to fit clothes to my non-clothes-size body.

A friend helped me make a dress form of myself. It's actually about 1 size too big because of how it is made. (Boo) I bought a cheap serger today because I couldn't work with stretch fabrics and unfinished seams fray quickly in the wash.

I turned out a choli (a piece of bellydance costume) this afternoon. It turned out good-enough on the first try! They retail $40+ and I need one for a dance class this winter. I forgot how EASY sewing with a serger is.

I have a stack of patterns and some yards of fabric to work on patterns. Need some inspiration and help for frayed nerves, but optimistic about sewing this winter.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I am not a sewer, but plan on learning. Ok, I can sew a bit, and have a nice machine thtat my mil gave to me, but I am not very good at it. What is the difference between a regular machine and a serger? I plan on one day making quilts for my kids. The machine I have now is a Bernina.

 

[snapshot]

I can sew but have found that I seem to enjoy finding and looking at patterns and projects more than actully doing them. LOL Once I get started, I do fine but I can put off a project for weeks - or longer.

 

[MorelCabin]

Miss North, if your Bernina is a newer model it probably has a serging foot with the stitch slection to match. Now this is still not as versatile as a serger, but wil do the job in most cases. I have never operated a serger, but believe it is designed to sew the clothing and seal the edges at the same time...so you don't have to roll hems, etc... but if your bernina has the serge stitch, you can simply buy the foot if it wasn't included, and do the same job. At least my Brother machine does this anyway.

 

[MorelCabin]

I can sew but have found that I seem to enjoy finding and looking at patterns and projects more than actully doing them. LOL Once I get started, I do fine but I can put off a project for weeks - or longer.

Oh me too! LOL!

 

[hwillm1977]

I can sew but have found that I seem to enjoy finding and looking at patterns and projects more than actully doing them. LOL Once I get started, I do fine but I can put off a project for weeks - or longer.

Oh me too! LOL!

Me Three! I probably have 400 sewing patterns (most are gorgeous vintage patterns from the 40's-60's) and have yet to sew any of those... sigh... someday....

 

[snapshot]

So glad to know it is not just me!!!!!! Sewing is practically the only thing I procrastinate with! But I just love it when I complete anything!!!

 

[k15n1]

A friend helped me make a dress form of myself. It's actually about 1 size too big because of how it is made. (Boo)

Did you make the duct-tape t-shirt form?

Also, I've noticed the the worst part of sewing is the part before you realize that patterns don't always make sewing easier. I made some pants for DD and had a terrible time trying to figure out which size to make them. None of the measurements agreed on the same size. After some anguish, I used the hip measurements because I figured those are the hardest to modify later. But the point is, the sewing part was fun and easy. It was whatever came before that was hard.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

I love to sew, I just never quite make the time to sit down and do it....unless out of necessity! Whenever I do make the time, I always seem to have a batch of mending that needs to be done first...or most recently, halloween costumes. Sunday morning, 7am before church, I was at the machine trying to desperately get costumes finished. This year was Batman and Lost in Space.

 

[lee&lyric]

Need some inspiration and help for frayed nerves, but optimistic about sewing this winter.

Lee always says, "How do you eat an elephant?" One bite at a time! You took one bit purchasing the machine. Now, keep it moving. As you continue on the sewing quest your nerves will be less frayed. Oh, and when you get all the comps on your accomplishment (would love a pic of the choli) why that's going to boost your confidence, soothe your nerves and inspire you to know end. You can do it, Tortoise.