The Itch to Sew

[Float On]

I'm getting the itch to sew. Haven't touched the sewing machine in almost a year for anything other than a quick dog bed or two. Found an old wing back chair on craigslist for $20 that was in great shape except the color so I went shopping for material and will start a slip cover. Book club meets at my house in 2 weeks so that's my deadline. I also want to make some little crazy quilt coasters for the living room (Tired of cleaning water rings off the furniture). Are you working on anything?

[danna]

Been getting back to it myself....some sock monkeys as gifts and a quilt for new Great grand nephew.

Now I just need to keep it up....lol

[pinkytoe]

I love tailoring clothes and have a sack full of thrift store clothes to alter. Having to set up on the dining room table though and then put everything away is a motivation killer lately.

[JaneV2.0]

I've always been fascinated by sewing. Until I actually start trying to make something. I suppose I need (lots) more practice.

[KayLR]

I began sewing again in the last year, esp. since finding an old sewing table/cabinet in a consignment shop. The surface raises and lowers to accommodate access to the bobbin/free arm sewing. It has storage and pegs for thread spools.

The other night I made a pillow for my grandson out of a remnant of minky fabric. He'll love it. I have several crib quilts in differing stages of progress. Ditto for several knit tops for myself. I tend to do that---prep and cut things out, then do all the sewing later.

Also have cut out all the pattern pieces for some small "grabber" type hot pads I'm taking to my daughter in a few weeks when I go to visit.

ETA: Pinkytoe, I wish we were neighbors---I'd have you help me do some tailoring. One byproduct of weight loss is ill-fitting clothes you hate to just throw out.

[Selah]

I am so embarrassed to say that my dear mother has given me not one, but TWO sewing machines in my life, and I never learned how to properly use one either time! Now I just hand-sew things on the VERY rare occasions that I pick up a needle. But I, too, have had the itch to sew and embroider recently, and I have recently hand-sewn my own apron made out of dishtowels and nylon webbing for cord...which I just discovered was meant to be used for rolling shutters!

I finally got the courage to ask the rather forbidding and solemn man who runs the only embroidery/knitting supply store in town the price of an embroidery hoop, so that's my next purchase! Maybe some day I'll learn how to use a machine and get one again, but I'm not counting on it. But my next project will be some embroidery and maybe even one of Danna's sock monkeys!

[Polliwog]

I use to sew a lot when I was a teenager, and some when my sons were little. I would like to start again but I don't have a machine now. What would you recommend as a decent sewing machine to get started again? I don't need all the "bells and whistles."

Linda

[JaneV2.0]

I use to sew a lot when I was a teenager, and some when my sons were little. I would like to start again but I don't have a machine now. What would you recommend as a decent sewing machine to get started again? I don't need all the "bells and whistles." Linda

Look into a Janome. They seem to be pretty reliable and reasonably priced. I have a Bernina, but they've gotten prohibitively expensive over the years--they're excellent machines, though.

[onlinemoniker]

I have a Bernina that is 50-years-old. It's built like a tank. It was my mother's. Look on ebay for a used, aged Bernina. They're expensive to fix but they're great and the old ones don't have those bells and whistles you don't plan on using anyway.

[KayLR]

My 1977-vintage Sears Kenmore is also a boat anchor, but I've never had one problem with it. I just take it to the local vacuum-sewing machine shop up the street every year or two for a tuneup.

Not sure they even make them anymore, and if they did, they're probably plastic made in China. But you may find one on eBay. Mine is very straightforward; the fanciest it gets is a zigzag stitch and a few settings like blind hem and stretch stitch.

[sweetana3]

Best place for a used machine is at a repair/sales shop where they get tradeins. You often have to ask and they even might find or send you to the right place. Not a sewing machine sales only shop like in Joann fabric but a repair and sales shop where they work on machines too.

Or check Craigslist. I have had good dealings when dealing in craft items. Or a garage sale where you can try it out also.

There are a lot of older metal machines out there. A quilt shop may know how to contact the local guild and it is a rare quilt guild that does not have someone with an old machine they want to get rid of because they are upgrading.

[Dhiana]

My current project is fabric art books. Well, my first one at least :)

So far this winter I've used my basic 14 yo Singer 93220 to:

-transform our Ikea pillowcases into curtains for a couple of super small windows
-convert old prong/hook style curtains into ones that can be hung by the spring-loaded curtain rods.
-clothing repair & alterations
-fabric hanging scrolls for my crochet art
-A "stitch-in-public" sewing kit to hold my embroidery and crochet items, paper pattern and even a set or two of interchangeable knitting needles.
-winter cycling shoe covers for my husband
-making a long khaki skirt

It's one of the few skills I keep coming back to over and over. Whether I'm doing something artsy or a necessity like clothing repairs I've never done anything fancy with it. I've only ever used 3 different stitches on the machine; straight, zigzag & one fancy stitch. I may drool over the big, expensive machines when I go to the quilt shows but I simply can't justify the expense. A good basic machine does so much!

[Polliwog]

Thanks to you all for your great ideas for buying a used sewing machine. Gives me a starting point. I will let you all know if I get one.

Linda

[JaneV2.0]

Good grief. I looked mine up on eBay, and it's going for an average of $300 more than I paid for it forty years ago.

[redfox]

My current sewing project is in service to my current weaving project. I'm about to start stitching together the corduroy rag strips I cut, to weave a rag rug for my MIL's kitchen. The header is woven, and I am itching to start the body of the rug.

Years ago, I found the Kenmore model I grew up sewing on, at the local thrift store. It needs servicing, which I hope to do soon, because I remember it as a workhorse! Able to stitch five layers of denim without a hiccup. The cute little portable I got off Craigslist cannot do that. It works fine for my weaving strips, but if I want to do any real sewing, I need to rehab the Kenmore. I think it will cost me around $200, and it just isn't in the priority loop.

[KayLR]

Agree with sweetana's recommendation....the shop I take my machine into for servicing always has used refurbished machines for sale. Some very nice.

[happystuff]

Late to this, but I just finished making some mesh veggie bags to take to the grocery store instead of using plastic ones. I hand-sewed four of them. Felt good!

[Dhiana]

I'm about to start stitching together the corduroy rag strips I cut, to weave a rag rug for my MIL's kitchen. The header is woven, and I am itching to start the body of the rug.


I tried to do a weaving project using corduroy. Thought it would work great for a tree because the corduroy looked like bark. My genius idea wasn't so genius. Those cords have a grain to them and when I had to weave one strip of corduroy against the grain of another strip of corduroy, it was like velcro =0
The corduroy idea was abandoned for that aspect of the project. I hope your project goes much better than mine did :)

[Gardenarian]

Does anyone else find sewing physically difficult? It doesn't seem to be an age thing - sewing has always been hard on my neck and back and hands.

[Aqua Blue]

I basically don't sew anymore for that reason. It used to be one of my favorite pastimes.

[sweetana3]

Does anyone else find sewing physically difficult? It doesn't seem to be an age thing - sewing has always been hard on my neck and back and hands.

It is really important to sew on a machine with a good office chair at the proper level, with proper light, and to vary tasks over time. I have actually hurt myself using the wrong chair at a retreat and even hand sewing for too long. I damaged my thumb joints hand sewing a queen sized paper pieced Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt and they are still painful if I do too much now several years later. It took a week to get over the bad chair. My back and shoulders were incredibly painful. I now shelp my office chair to every retreat.

The same advice given to computer users at work is applicable to sewers. Since I got the adjustable chair, lowered my machine into a table so my arms are relaxed and resting on the chair arms, and get up and down to iron, it is much reduced. I also dont sew for hours and hours at a time anymore.

[awakenedsoul]

Fun thread, floaton. I'm always knitting. I don't sew much on my machine, but I do sew by hand. Right now I'm knitting a pair of alpaca socks for a friend/neighbor. I got the yarn on clearance, and it's gorgeous! Alpaca is softer than cashmere. I've been making socks as gifts and everyone seems to really appreciate them. I'm also knitting a short sleeved lace vintage sweater for the warm weather. I found the pattern on EBay, and got the silk/llama yarn 40% off at our local yarn shop.
I'm going to hand sew some quilt binding along an old set of Laura Ashley bath towels. The center of the towels is still fine, but the ends are fraying. I did this with my other set of bath towels, and they look like new! Both sets are 15 years old. I got the binding 40% off with a coupon at Beverly's. I love this kind of work because it keeps me busy, and helps me repurpose things I have. It's so rewarding.