Sewing Lessons & FAQ

[Katinka von K.]

Dear ladies,
I have a rather technical question. All my sewing machine is doing is this:

The yellow one is the upper yarn and the blue is the lower thread.

I got the machine from my m-i-l, it´s from the 60s as far as I could find out and I don´t have the manual for it. Couldn´t even find it on the net. I oiled it, changed the needle size twice and experimented around with yarn tension. Nothing worked. Maybe some of you can tell me what exactly is going wrong here?

 

[Lady Day]

Have you completely rethreaded the machine? Have you rethreaded the bobbin?
Are you using the correct needle length for the type of machine? Some older machines don't play too well with standard needles. You might need one thats either longer or shorter. Are the feed dogs going properly?
You might just have to take it into a repair place.

LD

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Hello ladies. I am about to order some fabric to make myself a pair of pants & I have some questions. First, Does anyone know how much fabris I will need? Also, When I get ready to sew the legs to each other, how would I go about doing that? From what I have read online I put one leg inside the other, outsides facing together & sew from the front to the back, correct? Finally, Does anyone have any tips that might help me out?

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, these are going to be a pair of jeans.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Dear ladies,
I have a rather technical question. All my sewing machine is doing is this...

What I do when my maching starts acting up is take the thread, both in the bobbin & on top off the machine. After that I clean out underneath where the bobbin sits to get rid of any fuzz. Hope this helps.

 

[MissAmelina]

Ugh! Help me please!

I am making a dress for someone and she picked this fabric.....Can I make a buttoned shirtwaist with a diagonal fabric? Do i just need to get creative? Because right now I feel like i am reinventing the wheel. (You can see the selvage on the left side of the photo.)
Thankya kindly!

 

[MissAmelina]

And PS....if not, are there any 40-'s 50's dress pattern suggestions that WOULD work for this fabric? all ideas are appreciated.

 

[Lauren]

Hi!
I think that fabric should work fine! It's not so spread out that you would have to worry about matching patterns or anything, so I wouldn't stress. It will be cute!
I would probably just cut the pieces all in one direction... doubled if you can so cutting would be faster- but what I mean is the bottom of the pieces all going the same way and not flip flopped.

 

[MissAmelina]

Thanks, Lauren....reading that makes me feel better I tried to match along the front center and it is off by a centimeter or so...which I am sure she probably won't notice, but of course drives me crazy. Perfectionism, man. It's a real killer. Cheers! I will post a pic when I am done in the show us whatcha made thread.

 

[Lady Day]

You *can* match it, and I've seen some tutorials out there on how to, but it will be, and I stress will be more trouble than its worth

http://sewingmel.com/wordpress/index.php/category/matched-shirt-front-tutorial/
http://behindtheseams.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/pattern-matching-tutorial/

LD

 

[MissAmelina]

Sweet. Thanks, LD..lovely tutorials for future use....should I choose to accept that mission. Whew!

 

[Lauren]

I remember my mom warning me against prints when I picked up sewing more, because she said you'd have to match them. Honestly, I think most of the time, unless they're really spread out or a plaid or stripe, that you really don't notice. Look at all the ready to wear clothing, and they don't bother matching up. So I say, go for it if you want, but if you don't want to you'll be the only one who notices it doesn't match, and cut yourself some slack I get super nitpicky about my own work, too, so I have to constantly remind myself to let myself off the hook! lol

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Hello, all. I am currently making this pattern:

http://butterick.mccall.com/b5209-products-7476.php?page_id=371

and would really appreciate some advice on it. I have finished the bodice and am preparing to make up the skirt portion. Because it has gathers on the skirt, and I have a small waist compared to my hips, I was worried that this might accentuate my, um, womanly assets . Would pleats or perhaps some other way of making up the skirt be better?

Thank you!

 

[Black Dahlia]

Hi ladies,

I have a repair question. I have two 40s dresses that have torn, but not at the seams. I guess the fabric just gave way over the years and just tore. How does one fix that? If the holes were at the seams, it would be easy.

One hole is at the bottom of this 'card' dress:

Any advice, any online tutorials you could recommend?

Thanks
BD

 

[NicoleAnn]

hello ladies, Ive been having a little problem with the fit of the clothes im making. My hips have gotten slightly bigger since the last time I made clothes so my patterns aren't fitting in the hip. Its hard to find a pattern because my waist is a 24 and my hips are a 36 1/2.
I tried making the New Vintage Repro, Simplicity Trouser Pattern in my size but had to reduce the waist to 24. after making the pants, i find that the hip is much to small and it was too short in the crotch, i increased the dart width on these.
when reducing the waist of a pattern should i do that in the side seams or should i be increasing the dart width. I feel that if i take it in at the sides it doesnt always lay right and it will take away from my hip room. sorry for all the questions, but im a vintage pattern size 12, should i buy a 14 for the bottoms or alter the 12s? help!!

 

[renaissancemedici]

hello ladies, Ive been having a little problem with the fit of the clothes im making. My hips have gotten slightly bigger since the last time I made clothes so my patterns aren't fitting in the hip. Its hard to find a pattern because my waist is a 24 and my hips are a 36 1/2.
I tried making the New Vintage Repro, Simplicity Trouser Pattern in my size but had to reduce the waist to 24. after making the pants, i find that the hip is much to small and it was too short in the crotch, i increased the dart width on these.
when reducing the waist of a pattern should i do that in the side seams or should i be increasing the dart width. I feel that if i take it in at the sides it doesnt always lay right and it will take away from my hip room. sorry for all the questions, but im a vintage pattern size 12, should i buy a 14 for the bottoms or alter the 12s? help!!

Can't you make the alteration on the paper pattern? I mean, see the difference between each size and add it in advance? I have no idea if the pattern you use has only one size in the envelope or more, but if it has more you can certainly do it.

 

[NicoleAnn]

I found a vintage pants sewing book which tells me how to fix my problem. Looks like i have to buy pant patterns which fit my hips and alter the waist to my size. *sigh*

 

[ColeV48]

I'm planning on making something like the suit on the left, amongst many other things, for a cruise next Spring. It all makes sense, except for the darts around the neck. Showing two lines, would they perhaps be facing outward or would it be two separate darts meeting to form the triangle?

 

[I Adore Film Noir]

I'm planning on making something like the suit on the left, amongst many other things, for a cruise next Spring. It all makes sense, except for the darts around the neck. Showing two lines, would they perhaps be facing outward or would it be two separate darts meeting to form the triangle?

To me it looks like six single outside darts and that's a very interesting sleeve treatment!

 

[Lauren]

Very interesting! I agree, looks like outside darts.