My Christmas Present,,, a sewing machine.

[kathy003]

Yup, my mom came by the house today and had my Christmas present, it was a Kenmore sewing machine. Now, how this came about was I wanted to make a quilt for a very good friend of mine. I asked to borrow my mother's machine to sew it. She usually has no problem letting me use something of hers. Well, she put it off and put it off and i found out why today,, she ended up buying a sewing machine for me.

 

I mentioned wanting to make the kids clothes for next summer. Now, I think I got ahead of myself. I read about how so many people on here have such a wide variety of skills and think i can do it too,,, lol. So off to JoAnn fabrics we go and she picked up a pattern for jeans and the material,, probobly because my oldest daugher needs jeans. We brought everything home and I actually made a pair of jeans! They don't look half bad either.

 

My son's winter jacket had a big rip in the seam right under the arm, we noticed it last week. With my mom's help, I fixed the seam and he wore it to school today! Now, i have to tell you, that was pretty rewarding! If it hadn't been for my mom's knowledge, i would have had to buy a new one.

 

I'm amazed at how much money we saved just on these two items. I learned to knit in October - a craft a really enjoy), and now sewing!

 

Just one last question,,, is there a sewing advice forum on here???

 

 

[Deerslayer]

how exciting!!!! I remember when I saved and saved to get my first machine!!! I sewed like a crazy person for months!!! I still sew a lot (mainly quilts and household things like curtains and such) I have just started learning my new serger(which is a whole new experience!!)

Congrats!!!!

 

[Christy]

Dunno if there's a particular sewing advice department here but feel free to ask any question. Many of the women here, including me, are avid sewers and should be able to help you out.

 

I've cut out pattern and fabric for a neat little cape for myself. Had fabric lying around for ages and only needed to get that white nearly-see-through tracing paper.

Cut the fabric and it's now waiting for the sewingmachine.

 

At the retreat I have a sewingmachine that is handcrancked. Harder to operate cos your right hand is constanly turning that wheel. But even with that I've managed curtains and netcurtains pretty alright.

So feel free to ask.

 

[gofish]

I'm so happy for you. Happy sewing! I have 3 one is my Grandma's trendel sewing machine that I learned to sew on.

[MomM]

Congratulations! Sewing is so rewarding! Ask questions, anytime you want. someone should have the answer.

[Cat]

You'll find most of the sewing stuff in "Homemade Memories", but there's more scattered around, like in the holidays and DIY forums. Just ask!

 

CONGRATULATIONS on the new machine!!!

 

 

 

 

[Crazy4Canning]

So make a new thread - Sewing Advice...

 

I've sewn for years myself and would be happy to offer any advice.

 

Congrats on the new machine!

[sassenach]

I have been pretty much out of the loop with sewing too for many years and received a beautiful computerized machine that does embroidery...... Now i have to learn how to use it step by step because its not just a basic sewing machine. I also got the computerized quilt program to design quilts and can get started on my commemorative quilt now too. I am so happy for you!

Sewing skills are so important. I can't wait to make some nice short sleeved blouses too, have been saving material for it and have plenty of shortening of some slacks I got secondhand but in wonderful condition. I just have short legs! Also to shorten some good sturdy but soft long sleeved guy shirts I have had to roll up the sleeves on. I figure I can do some light embroidery to make them more girly in fact, once I figure out how that all works. ( Theres lots of different sewing feet and such too to figure out as I go).

I have to admit, I was afraid to start, but I have to now, time is short and I need all of this done.

So, we can enjoy each other's journey in sewing this year if we like!

There are some real expert sewers in this bunch of ladies on Mrs S. Just keep asking questions. Some of them do period clothing as well and probably know all kinds of tailoring secrets, and can probably talk you through a situation if you come across something you don't understand.

 

Ive also got everything for a nice dress that would be nice for my son's big fancy wedding in April ( He and his wife are married a year now but because of her duties overseas recently and the training beforehand they had no time to do a big wedding so it is planned for April in East Texas. ) I just spent Christmas down there and can't wait to go back for this. My DIL's family are a great, terrific, very active bunch of folks and I was welcomed fully, litterally engulfed as I got off the Trains thruway bus in Houston and as soon as I walked in the house. " I really didn't have to be nervous at all about meeting them, but I was, til I got there". They have claimed that I must make quilts for the granddaughters and grandson/neices and nephews now for next Christmas, so I guess I will have plenty to do all year!

 

So, we both get to get busy! One of the things I have been doing is trying to find new patterns in sizes appropriate for me right now, and have had some luck, including an apron pattern or two.... Aprons keep your clothing nice as you work in the kitchen. Clothing costs, especially quality clothing is expensive or if numerous members in a growing family, well, it adds up... sewing and being able to mend or tailor stuff is very helpful. I find a collection of patterns really helpful over time, and have stuff for men and boys too, as well as my older smaller patterns I used to fit into, so that if I do LOSE the weight, I have the patterns already for slacks and blouses. Simplicity.com has an extraordinary amount of variety when it comes to patterns if you want to look online. I cannot get to a sewing /material store hardly at all now, so thats become a valuable site for me. For quilting, I found a 'quarters' site on Facebook, and to tell you the truth, I do not have space for cutting out material and getting the rolls of strips and packs of squares and such is a big help to me if I want to get into serious quilt making. Ordering the right battings, finding sites that sell materials, Joanne fabrics has plenty to choose from, I was able to find a flannel I liked for the backing and ordered it, often these can be sell items at the moment and you save money. Having it shipped or mailed, though, took 3 weeks to get, from them, so I have to account for how long it might take, in full to coordinate a quilt from start to finish if I am trying to get one done in a timely fashion..... these are things you may find helpful to know?? Or if you have a fabrics store with everything to choose from, I consider that a huge blessing! For me, finding a shop regionally, but that I could take the train and stay overnight at, ( there are outlet stores there too), to go shop at in person, was also something I figured out. Or just call and place an order and wait for it in the mail.... probably the best idea for me, to get the various embroidery cards that go in my sewing machine. ( Like christmas designs for next year. I could make a series of ornaments on some nice material and get tiny frames for them for gifts for next christmas). Also , check singer.com for information and patterns and such for your machine you now have. Have fun !

 

The other thing I found out, that is helpful for anyone to know is that there are different kinds of buttonholes depending on the type of material one uses on a sewing project. My machine had all that in detail and can do like ten different buttonholes automatically..... things like that make a difference in how long an item sewn will last because the wrong type would wear it out faster I figured. This is just one example of how things have changed.

 

Right now I've got to get back to some clutter clearing but I sure wish you good times with your new machine! I do have a huge Singer book that goes into all kinds of practical information my Mom gave me years ago. I am sure it deals with tailoring and things like that.

I would love to make a ducttape form of me so I can make a dressmakers dummy to do my shirts and dresses and such on it. I am sure my friends at mha would get a kick out of helping wrap me with ducttape to make that sometime. I just need to get the ducttape for it and go on an art day, lol. Laughter inducing I am sure. They will have to cut it off me, lol. I hope they do! But thats another idea to go on!

 

[Momo]

That is a great gift!

 

It will keep you busy too.

[edensong]

What a great gift, Kathy. I haven't done much sewing in years, apart from a few repairs here and there, but I did a LOT of sewing when I was a teenager and throughout the early years for my kids. It is so rewarding!