January 2024 sewing, craft, knitting, everything creative thread

[Melissa in Australia]

What are you working on this month?

[Melissa in Australia]

Just finished a lap quilt for my brother. My favourite patchwork pattern, bear paw. Hand quilted 

[Jane in NC]

Does anyone have any crafting goals for the year ahead?

I'm always interested in upping my garment sewing game, i.e. learning new skills. 

One of my IRL knitting friends and I had a chat in the autumn, resolving that we should both focus on knitting what makes us happy.  In her case, it's shawls and scarves. In my case, it's socks and colorwork. (I resolve never to knit lace again. 😁)  I'd like to make a Shetland colorwork vest and this should be the year.

There are some planners and dreamers out there.  What are thinking in terms of craft?

[Mona]

33 minutes ago, Jane in NC said:

Does anyone have any crafting goals for the year ahead?

I'm always interested in upping my garment sewing game, i.e. learning new skills. 

One of my IRL knitting friends and I had a chat in the autumn, resolving that we should both focus on knitting what makes us happy.  In her case, it's shawls and scarves. In my case, it's socks and colorwork. (I resolve never to knit lace again. 😁)  I'd like to make a Shetland colorwork vest and this should be the year.

There are some planners and dreamers out there.  What are thinking in terms of craft?

I’ve been thinking about this. Aside from piecing more quilts, I’m hoping to make some of my own clothes. This will be the year! 💃🏻Finishing UFOs doesn’t spark joy, it just makes me tired, so I’m not gonna worry about those. 

Edited January 1 by Mona

[Harriet Vane]

25 minutes ago, Jane in NC said:

Does anyone have any crafting goals for the year ahead?

I'm always interested in upping my garment sewing game, i.e. learning new skills. 

One of my IRL knitting friends and I had a chat in the autumn, resolving that we should both focus on knitting what makes us happy.  In her case, it's shawls and scarves. In my case, it's socks and colorwork. (I resolve never to knit lace again. 😁)  I'd like to make a Shetland colorwork vest and this should be the year.

There are some planners and dreamers out there.  What are thinking in terms of craft?

I have a couple started projects, all derailed due to life intensity. Since we're smack in the middle of intervening with a 17yo special needs foster kid and looking at possible surgery for me in the near future, I'm not sure how much crafting I'll get done but I miss it sorely. I'd like very much to do at least two things this year--ramp up my cross-stitching so it's an enjoyable thing to do throughout the week (as it has been in the past) and also figure out my sewing machine.

On the sewing machine front--during the pandemic the Singer I was working with went kaput. It had a lot of plastic parts and it had just plain gotten utterly worn down from use. It was close to thirty years old when it fizzled out, which is not bad at all for a machine that's mostly plastic parts inside. The guy who diagnosed the trouble sold me an ancient machine that was in good order, all metal working parts, but extremely basic. It seemed like a great deal, only $200 for the machine plus the time he put into diagnosing my old machine and oiling the "new" one. I was able to finish wedding sewing for my daughter's wedding and make zillions of masks and such. To my shame I haven't figured out some of the features on this machine (haven't needed to so far but I'm interested in doing more), haven't searched the internet for a guide for this machine, and now a couple years later it's obviously in need or oiling and basic tuneup. Either I get rid of it and get something modern with more features and up-to-date information on how to operate it, or I get this one actually really figured out for work that's more than straight lines back and forth.

[Jane in NC]

I am a garment sewist who mostly does back and forth, @Harriet Vane. My basic Husqvarna Viking has some knit stitches I use and I love the buttonhole setting, but you can go far on back and forth!

[Harriet Vane]

6 minutes ago, Jane in NC said:

I am a garment sewist who mostly does back and forth, @Harriet Vane. My basic Husqvarna Viking has some knit stitches I use and I love the buttonhole setting, but you can go far on back and forth!

It's astounding what can be done with back and forth and a zigzag stitch, indeed! I've sewn garments and fancy dresses (even wedding dresses) and all sorts of smaller projects. I was just feeling as though, now that my kids are launched I could play with more nifty projects and learn some fun new things. Plus a buttonhole setting is a gift from God. As I said, though, I'm derailed more than a little with our current fostering commitment and the possibility of surgery upcoming.

[Jane in NC]

11 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

It's astounding what can be done with back and forth and a zigzag stitch, indeed! I've sewn garments and fancy dresses (even wedding dresses) and all sorts of smaller projects. I was just feeling as though, now that my kids are launched I could play with more nifty projects and learn some fun new things. Plus a buttonhole setting is a gift from God. As I said, though, I'm derailed more than a little with our current fostering commitment and the possibility of surgery upcoming.

Indeed the buttonhole setting is a gift.

Over the last few years, I have spent a lot of time with my husband in hospital settings.  (Cancer-free but complicated.)  I always carry a portable project to do while waiting for appointments. In my case, socks.  But I would think that cross stitch might also be a soothing way to keep hands occupied, particularly if you are worried.

Sending you good health wishes. And thank you for your foster commitment. That has to be tough.  Hugs.

[Faith-manor]

1 hour ago, Jane in NC said:

Does anyone have any crafting goals for the year ahead?

I'm always interested in upping my garment sewing game, i.e. learning new skills. 

One of my IRL knitting friends and I had a chat in the autumn, resolving that we should both focus on knitting what makes us happy.  In her case, it's shawls and scarves. In my case, it's socks and colorwork. (I resolve never to knit lace again. 😁)  I'd like to make a Shetland colorwork vest and this should be the year.

There are some planners and dreamers out there.  What are thinking in terms of craft?

Yes. I just purchased linen and chambray. I am starting a new exercise program to see if I can lose some pounds, but ultimately by summer, I would like to have a new summer nightgown, linen capri pants, and three chambray tops made for myself.

I also need to make some pot holders for our kitchen, and Dd asked me to make some pull on corduroy pants for all three boys out of vintage corduroy fabric that I found. I did NOT get my Halloween themed quilt done in 2023 so that is on my list. Also, since the flannel scarves were so popular with my adult kiddoes, I want to see if I can collect 100% wool sweaters hopefully with pretty cuffs and hemlines, that I can felt in the washing machine, and then turn into mittens for next Christmas. I will line them with some lining material I found in my old apparel stash.

So I do have a list of things to do. Hopefully, I will get them done!

[Melissa in Australia]

I don't plan as such. I collect fabric based on specials or what I find in the opshop. I then stare at it for a while and think. Then an image forms in my mind of what I want to do with that piece of fabric and I cut it out. 

[Faith-manor]

14 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I don't plan as such. I collect fabric based on specials or what I find in the opshop. I then stare at it for a while and think. Then an image forms in my mind of what I want to do with that piece of fabric and I cut it out. 

Your projects are amazing!

[kbutton]

I need help. I have a quilt not made by me, and all the layers to put it together, but I barely have enough room to lay it out anywhere—not a chance of a table; it’s the floor or the king bed. Then, it doesn’t stay put either. The backing is one solid piece with a stripe to it (kind of a heathered gradient stripe). It’s far too big to even attempt to square it up. The top is a foot smaller in one direction and 18 inches smaller in the other (or thereabouts) than the backing and batting and is probably the size of a queen flat top sheet, maybe slightly smaller. When I look up tutorials online, they are rather unrealistic. The most realistic one I found said to tape my backing to the floor, which at least made me feel seen. Starch is not an option—besides hating starched objects, I literally cannot figure out how to apply it to fabrics—disaster every time.

If I tape it to the floor, then how do I know my stripe is level with the top? I am not the least bit happy with the quilt shop lady who told me it wasn’t going to be a hassle to have a stripe. 🤥 , 🤥 , pants on fire 🔥 is what I want to say to her. The photo is to show the kind of stripe this is.

I can’t believe people did this in pioneer cabins.

Tell me what to do because this is not fun. 

Edited January 3 by kbutton
Spelling

[Miss Tick]

I just finished this warm, squishy scarf.

The yarn was a souvenir from a trip to Spain. I started making a shawl and then ran into trouble and put it aside for many *years*. Sigh. I recently resuscitated it, rediscovered the problem 🤦🏼‍♀️ and then knit it apart into this scarf which I'm going to love.

Edited January 3 by Miss Tick
formatting

[Melissa in Australia]

3 hours ago, kbutton said:

I need help. I have a quilt not made by me, and all the layers to put it together, but I barely have enough room to lay it out anywhere—not a chance of a table; it’s the floor or the king bed. Then, it doesn’t stay put either. The backing is one solid piece with a stripe to it (kind of a heathered gradient stripe). It’s far too big to even attempt to square it up. The top is a foot smaller in one direction and 18 inches smaller in the other (or thereabouts) than the backing and batting and is probably the size of a queen flat top sheet, maybe slightly smaller. When I look up tutorials online, they are rather unrealistic. The most realistic one I found said to tape my backing to the floor, which at least made me feel seen. Starch is not an option—besides hating starched objects, I literally cannot figure out how to apply it to fabrics—disaster every time.

If I tape it to the floor, then how do I know my stripe is level with the top? I am not the least bit happy with the quilt shop lady who told me it wasn’t going to be a hassle to have a stripe. 🤥 , 🤥 , pants on fire 🔥 is what I want to say to her. The photo is to show the kind of stripe this is.

I can’t believe people did this in pioneer cabins.

Tell me what to do because this is not fun. 

I am probably doing it all wrong, but what. I use is the dining room table. I let the backing hang way over all the way to the floor but have 2 edges about 2 inches over the one side, part of the top and the left  side edge then do the same with the wadding. Matching to the same left side edge and top. Then put the patchwork top on top of everything, making sure the top is level with the edge of the table on the left side .so 2 inches in from the edge of the wadding and backing Then I use safety pins, starting from the middle of the table  and working out. And pin all layers that are on the table. 

When that is done I gently pull the whole quilt so the left side is now hanging way down and all the quilt to the right is now on the table. And pin that side

The biggest I have done is a king size

I have a cardboard sewing mat that I put on the table firsts I don't scratch it with the safety pins.

My helpful phone is adding random full stops

Edited January 3 by Melissa in Australia

[Melissa in Australia]

I had this recycled plastic shopping bag, the type the shops were handing out when plastic was banned. It was worn out, the sides were ripping and there was a hole in the bottom

Edited January 3 by Melissa in Australia

[Melissa in Australia]

Well I decided to cover it with scrap fabric

..was so much fun I might do some more re-covering of old shopping bags

Edited January 3 by Melissa in Australia

[kbutton]

10 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I am probably doing it all wrong, but what. I use is the dining room table. I let the backing hang way over all the way to the floor but have 2 edges about 2 inches over the one side, part of the top and the left  side edge then do the same with the wadding. Matching to the same left side edge and top. Then put the patchwork top on top of everything, making sure the top is level with the edge of the table on the left side .so 2 inches in from the edge of the wadding and backing Then I use safety pins, starting from the middle of the table  and working out. And pin all layers that are on the table. 

When that is done I gently pull the whole quilt so the left side is now hanging way down and all the quilt to the right is now on the table. And pin that side

The biggest I have done is a king size

I have a cardboard sewing mat that I put on the table firsts I don't scratch it with the safety pins.

My helpful phone is adding random full stops

My table is round/oval. I might be able to pop up two square folding tables, but they are not large at all. 

It just occurred to me that while nothing was crackling and popping, my efforts might have been hampered by static—it’s a little dry in the house. 

It was quite like wrestling a cat. 

[athena1277]

I had to move my sewing machine to put up the Christmas tree, so I just this week got it back where it’s usable.  I’ve been learning to quilt with some other women at my church.  Last year we made our first large quilt.  This year we are making a sampler quilt.  I have the fabric and the directions for the first square, but haven’t had time yet.  When I was buying fabric for it, dd found a print she really liked and wanted me to make a pillow case with it.  I finished that yesterday.

[KatieJ]

16 hours ago, kbutton said:

 

If I tape it to the floor, then how do I know my stripe is level with the top? I am not the least bit happy with the quilt shop lady who told me it wasn’t going to be a hassle to have a stripe. 🤥 , 🤥 , pants on fire 🔥 is what I want to say to her. The photo is to show the kind of stripe this is.

I can’t believe people did this in pioneer cabins.

Tell me what to do because this is not fun. 

For what it’s worth, Quilting is Not my thing but my good friend has made 100 quilts at least. She uses basting spray.  
Spray the wrong side of the back, lay on the batting and then spray the batting. Now start on Top. With the basting spray you can easily reposition the top as you are working on it. Maybe even use a marker of done kind and draw lines on the batting to match your backing so you have a reference points for your top. 
She often uses tables out together in her church basement. She also does these larger projects with her daughter. 
Back up plan, pay someone to do the quilting. They will do the layering as they quilt it. 
 

Edited January 3 by KatieJ

[kbutton]

59 minutes ago, KatieJ said:

For what it’s worth, Quilting is Not my thing my a good friend has made 100 quilts at least. She uses basting spray.  
Spray the wrong side of the back, lay on the batting and then spray the batting. Now start on Top. With the basting spray you can easily reposition the top as you are working on it. Maybe even use a marker of done kind and draw lines on the batting to match your backing so you have a reference points for your top. 
She often uses tables out together in her church basement. She also does these larger projects with her daughter. 
Back up plan, pay someone to do the quilting. They will do the layering as they quilt it. 
 

I can’t get my fabric in layers at all to spray it. We aren’t to the spray stage at all. My fabric will not just…spread… across the floor. It seems to think we’re filming an episode of I Love Lucy except with perimenopausal hot flashes and zero humor involved. It helps to see her taping method though! The other thing I saw about taping was just written—no video.

Now to figure out if I can get enough floor space for that without having to walk on it. 

[Melissa in Australia]

4 hours ago, kbutton said:

My table is round/oval. I might be able to pop up two square folding tables, but they are not large at all. 

It just occurred to me that while nothing was crackling and popping, my efforts might have been hampered by static—it’s a little dry in the house. 

It was quite like wrestling a cat. 

Could you use cardboard to put on the table and make it more rectangular? or cover a bed with cardboard to make a more solid surface?

 

[Melissa in Australia]

If you spread it all on the floor how will you reach into the middle to baste or pin? 

[kbutton]

57 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Could you use cardboard to put on the table and make it more rectangular? or cover a bed with cardboard to make a more solid surface?

Possibly B. I also realized that there is possibly a room in which I can move furniture without too much frustration.

I think that I also have some low level static that’s giving me trouble between my layers, and I plan to find some way to humidify things first.

55 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

If you spread it all on the floor how will you reach into the middle to baste or pin? 

I assume that like the table method, I will have to work my way across. I can probably carefully fold and weight one edge as I move across. I think the bigger issue really is trying to keep my layers from suctioning together in a clump every time I get them near each other! 

[Lady Florida.]

On 1/1/2024 at 4:55 PM, Jane in NC said:

Does anyone have any crafting goals for the year ahead?

 

I only have two main goals. 

1. Sew a garment with material and a pattern I already have. This requires much self control as I'm always ready to buy a new pattern or lovely material.

2. Finish a crochet project. I have several WIPs and I'd like to finish at least one.

Everything else will be as the mood strikes.

On 1/1/2024 at 5:31 PM, Harriet Vane said:

Either I get rid of it and get something modern with more features and up-to-date information on how to operate it, or I get this one actually really figured out for work that's more than straight lines back and forth.

I also love my Husqvarna Viking sewing machine. I had a Kenmore from the mid 2000s. I stopped sewing about 10 years ago and in the interim forgot why I stopped. When I pulled out my machine I remembered. The bobbin tension was constantly causing problems I couldn't solve. I've been sewing since I was 9, sewing on my own since my early teens. I know my way around a sewing machine and how to troubleshoot but this issue had me stumped. I eventually gave up but never managed to bring it somewhere to have it serviced. Fast forward to 2023. It's a Kenmore. Who even services those anymore? I found out there's one repair guy in a 30 mile radius and he doesn't guarantee anything by Kenmore. It was time for a new machine.

I bought the Jade 20. As one of their more basic machines it has more than enough stitches and quite a few bells and whistles. I've been happy with it so far.

[Miss Tick]

27 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Fast forward to 2023. It's a Kenmore. Who even services those anymore?

I've wondered that too as I ramp up my use of the Kenmore that I've been using off and on over the last 20 years. 🤞

[kbutton]

I finished a Christmas cross-stitch that older DS wanted. It’s ironed but not framed yet. 

[Melissa in Australia]

21 minutes ago, kbutton said:

I finished a Christmas cross-stitch that older DS wanted. It’s ironed but not framed yet. 

Absolutely amazing 

[Rosie_0801]

I am going to get dd to body block me for my birthday, then I will probably stare at it for at least a year trying to psych myself up.

[Miss Tick]

10 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

I am going to get dd to body block me for my birthday, then I will probably stare at it for at least a year trying to psych myself up.

What will you be psyching yourself up *to*? Clothes drafting? I, too, often need to live mentally with big projects before actually starting.

[Rosie_0801]

3 hours ago, Miss Tick said:

What will you be psyching yourself up *to*? Clothes drafting? I, too, often need to live mentally with big projects before actually starting.

Yup.
I'm not actually any good at sewing, having been known to end up with two different sized frocks out of the same measurements. And by different, I mean vastly different. Like size normal person and size pregnant heffalump.

[Miss Tick]

6 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Yup.
I'm not actually any good at sewing, having been known to end up with two different sized frocks out of the same measurements. And by different, I mean vastly different. Like size normal person and size pregnant heffalump.

My first pair of pants came off the machine as an ankle length pencil skirt that went directly into the trash with a scream. The machine didn't see daylight again for quite a while. 😀

[Melissa in Australia]

A little shirt for my  grandson .

 It has sparkles but they don't show in the photo 

Edited January 5 by Melissa in Australia

[kbutton]

This was more of a November project that I didn’t get pictures of at the time. It’s a tree skirt—it has no slit because my non-traditional tree sits on top of it.

It’s a batik print that I picked up at a sewing collaborative sale (they do charitable sewing as well as training people who want to work in the commercial sewing industry). I found a circle skirt tutorial online that showed how to hem with single-width bias tape that you turn to the back. 
 

 

[Miss Tick]

4 minutes ago, kbutton said:

It’s a batik print that I picked up at a sewing collaborative sale

Such lovely fabric!

[Melissa in Australia]

You know it is time to stop sewing for the day when you finish assembling the garment and then notice that every single french seam is backwards. 😱😱😱 How did I manage that feat I don't know. Not even going to post picture. I am not going to unpick. It is a petticoat so no one will see it anyway hopefully.

[kbutton]

56 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

You know it is time to stop sewing for the day when you finish assembling the garment and then notice that every single french seam is backwards. 😱😱😱 How did I manage that feat I don't know. Not even going to post picture. I am not going to unpick. It is a petticoat so no one will see it anyway hopefully.

Sounds like something I would do! Frustrating, but it sounds like a forgiving project.

[Halftime Hope]

On 1/4/2024 at 11:00 PM, Melissa in Australia said:

A little shirt for my  grandson .

 It has sparkles but they don't show in the photo 

Oh, that's adorable!

 

[Halftime Hope]

For Christmas, I made the little baby-doll sized sleep sacks for 5 yo granddaughter, because she is wild about her twin dolls. She and toddler brother both wore sleep sacks overnight, so I thought it would be fun for her to have some for her twin baby-dolls. They weren't completely meticulously made--minky is horribly slippery fabric and I had no pattern--but they were a decent enough representation of the children's minky sleepsacks. When gdd unwrapped them, she AND her mom squealed with delight, and after she unwrapped some other things, gdd put the doll she had brought to our gathering in one of them. (It didn't stay on the babydoll too long, as dolly needed to go in a frontpack baby carrier that another relative had given her, but she did immediately put the dolly in one, and I imagine she'll use it again.)

I also made her the little snowflake tulle tutu with a sparkly elastic waistband; ittook took four adult hands simultaneously to properly stretch and sew the elastic, but it came out better than any waistband elastic I've ever fought with! She liked it enough that she wore it for 4.5 days with every sweater she had with her. I had expected to trim it a bit shorter for her when I checked how long it was on her, but she liked it as is, and it was still above her kneecaps, so I'm betting she'll be able to wear it at least another winter. (It looked very cute with the white leggings I got her to go under it, but she wore it over pink leggings, over a daisy dress, etc. 😄 )  ETA: sorry the photos are so large!

Edited January 7 by Halftime Hope

[Melissa in Australia]

how delightful  I can just visualize a little girl twirling in the tutu

[Faith-manor]

6 hours ago, Halftime Hope said:

For Christmas, I made the little baby-doll sized sleep sacks for 5 yo granddaughter, because she is wild about her twin dolls. She and toddler brother both wore sleep sacks overnight, so I thought it would be fun for her to have some for her twin baby-dolls. They weren't completely meticulously made--minky is horribly slippery fabric and I had no pattern--but they were a decent enough representation of the children's minky sleepsacks. When gdd unwrapped them, she AND her mom squealed with delight, and after she unwrapped some other things, gdd put the doll she had brought to our gathering in one of them. (It didn't stay on the babydoll too long, as dolly needed to go in a frontpack baby carrier that another relative had given her, but she did immediately put the dolly in one, and I imagine she'll use it again.)

I also made her the little snowflake tulle tutu with a sparkly elastic waistband; ittook took four adult hands simultaneously to properly stretch and sew the elastic, but it came out better than any waistband elastic I've ever fought with! She liked it enough that she wore it for 4.5 days with every sweater she had with her. I had expected to trim it a bit shorter for her when I checked how long it was on her, but she liked it as is, and it was still above her kneecaps, so I'm betting she'll be able to wear it at least another winter. (It looked very cute with the white leggings I got her to go under it, but she wore it over pink leggings, over a daisy dress, etc. 😄 )  ETA: sorry the photos are so large!

I am so in love with that darling skirt!!!! 

[Jane in NC]

19 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

You know it is time to stop sewing for the day when you finish assembling the garment and then notice that every single french seam is backwards. 😱😱😱 How did I manage that feat I don't know. Not even going to post picture. I am not going to unpick. It is a petticoat so no one will see it anyway hopefully.

Trend setting! This could be a new fashion statement! 😁

[Melissa in Australia]

A very frustrating top . Just as well I made a mock up. It looked so cute on the pattern. I modified the sleeves 

[Melissa in Australia]

A vest and skirt set. I have decided I don't like it. But will wear it a bit for environmental reasons. The fabric was from the op shop. Cost of fabric $8

[Melissa in Australia]

A 1930s top and skirt. Which means skirt cut on the bias. I remembered while cutting the reason why I don't usually use 1930 skirt patterns is because they are cut on the bias and use so much fabric

The belt is not 1930s style. I thought it might be cute, but are now unsure. What do you think with or without the belt?

Edited January 14 by Melissa in Australia
spelling

[Starr]

3 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

A 1930s top and skirt. Which means skirt cut on the bias. I remembered while cutting the reason why I don't usually use 1930 skirt patterns is because they are cut on the bias and use so much fabric

The belt is not 1930s style. I thought it might be cute, but are now unsure. What do you think with or without the belt?

Do you have a picture without the belt?

[Melissa in Australia]

i will need to wear something at the waist as the skirt doesn't have a waistband, but rather cotton tape on the inside

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe make a belt or sash out of the same fabric?

[Hannah]

30 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

i will need to wear something at the waist as the skirt doesn't have a waistband, but rather cotton tape on the inside

I like the thinner belt. Do you have one in a lighter colour? One of the colours in the dress maybe? The Opshop might surprise you. 

[Hannah]

Just now, Rosie_0801 said:

Maybe make a belt or sash out of the same fabric?

A sash would look lovely.

[Melissa in Australia]

the pattern had a sash. I don't like it. I have made a sash for a different outfit it makes me look very thick waisted. the leather belt in the photo above I wear every day with whatever outfit I have on.