Monday's Question Of The Day - September 4, 2017

[MoochNNoodles]

Happy Labor Day to those in the US!

I keep starting and stopping creating this post so let me just hurry up and post a question already! I'm trying to get back to sewing new fleece blankets for my kids. DS LOVES raccoons and foxes and I spotted some fleece with raccoons the other day so of course 2 yards had to come home with me. Plus a solid green (his favorite color) for the back and green satin binding. DD's took much more work to pick out! Partially because she was there and had to look at every single bolt of fabric they had. She chose mermaids with a raspberry pink background and purple satin binding.


Can you sew?

I can do enough to do projects like this. What I don't know I look up on YouTube. My Gram taught me to make little doll pillows and things on her very old sewing machine. Then I took some lessons at a local fabric store when I was around 9-10. So I learned to sew from a pattern there but I haven't done one since.

Mostly I do things like curtains or hemming pants occasionally. I learned how to quilt on YouTube to make DD a doll quilt for a wood bed DH built her for Christmas a few years ago. I did a little mattress and pillows with pillow cases too.

I picked up a small piece of My Little Pony fabric while we were there so I can teach DD how to make a pillow. I think shes the age I was when my Gram started teaching me. The hardest part will be that she has to stand up at the machine because we have a pub height table. I knew I shouldn't have gotten rid of my old drafting desk.

 

[LTS3]

Nope See my recent post in the What's On Your Mind thread.

 

[kashmir64]

Not even a button. I keep trying though.

 

[Willowy]

Not anything fancy. But I can use a sewing machine that's working properly (lol, my mom's machine never was) and follow a basic pattern. I used to make doll clothes when I was a kid. Someone taught me to hand-quilt when I was 12 but I'm not sure if I remember the stitches. I can sew on a button and do basic hemming although it doesn't look good on the underside. So. Not great but I can get by.

 

[sivyaleah]

No. Not a single thing. Not even a button very well. This is why there are tailors.

 

[neely]

I can sew by hand but never learned on a machine. I even sew a hem by hand except for denim jeans. When my daughters were in Brownies and Girl Scouts I sewed every single one of their patches by hand. I saved each one of their sashes as a souvenir.

 

[Boris Diamond]

I have sewed many buttons back on, but that is the extent of my expertise. If I tried to hem my trousers it would probably look ragged!

 

[cassiopea]

I used to sew quite frequently - made historical gowns and dresses (18th Century, Tudor, Regency etc) and made sci-fi/anime costumes when I was a convention goer. Been awhile though, due to time/money and the like. Plus while I did enjoy many aspects of it as a hobby, and the final result was thrilling, I wasn't entirely passionate about sewing. It's a lot of hard work, and often taken for granted - For example, I was offered offered to make costumes for a local Shakespearean theater group, but for free : / minus free tickets and the like. But that doesn't pay bills and I don't need to see the same program all summer.

Plus my sewing machine has been on the fritz lately H ave to get a new one.

Although I still enjoy costuming and dressing up! Albeit now happy about simply buying some of the stuff when I want, and not worry about outside people making me feel guilty for not making everything from scratch.

 

[Kat0121]

I'm also one who can sew a button back on but that's about it. I took Home Ec in junior high but was never good at the sewing part.

 

[artiemom]

I had a "Sewing" in Home Economics Class, in my 7th-8th years of school.. I swear that was the last time I sewed anything. I hate sewing....which is a shame because, my mom sewed a lot...

One time, I remember, coming home from the 2nd or 3rd grade, with my good old Barbie Doll, on her stand, on top of the kitchen table, with a new set of clothes, ....mid your the fabric was ugly, but my mom made it all by hand.. I loved it...to this day: blues, skirt, hat, bag...........one of my favorite memories. My mom spent a ton of time doing this, as a complete surprise to me......XXXOOO Mommy..

 

[margd]

I can sew on buttons and do alright with some rips and tears but that really is about it.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Yes, I have known how to sew since high school. They taught a Home Economics course that was cooking and sewing.
I bought small fabric remnants and made sun suits with ruffles on the behind for my daughter. I made her dresses too.
When she was twelve, I bought denim with bicycles and a pattern for jeans. I made them with the two front pockets, back pockets, set in zipper, etc. She adored them and tried to wear them to bed. For myself, I have sewn dresses, coats, pants, shorts and nightgowns. You name it. I have sewn it. I have made draperies with the pinch pleated tops that were popular during the fifties and sixties. I have sewn aprons and numerous other items. One year, I made the little girls in church night gowns. I have made curtains and other household items. Most of it was because of lack of money and necessity. I have also crocheted and done cross stitch. I used to be a lot smarter than I am now.

 

[muffy]

No, I can sew on a button but that is all. I was absolutely horrible at sewing in Home Ec in school. The teacher was also awful.
Muffy

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I don't think they even teach sewing in home ec anymore. They didn't when I was in high school or middle school and that was in the 90s. Kind of a shame isn't it? Fabric is more expensive these days. Sewing your own clothing isn't something you to do to save money now.

I finished DS's blanket earlier and he loves it! I also learned how to disassemble the machine to un-jam it. If I'm really going to take this up as a hobby I think I need a little stronger machine. I'm not sure how old this one is; but it's been good to me. My Gram gave it to me when she was losing some abilities like that. It's the Brother brand; which my BFF recommends. She has her own business designing and sewing custom clothing.

I love that I can pull up coupons for the fabric store on my phone. I wasn't planning to go when I got DD's fabric last week but we were basically right next door so I'm glad we did. It's kind of out of the way from home.

As soon as I finished DS's blanket DD was like "Let me know when you start my blanket so I can sit and watch!" I don't particularly care for having an audience but I also wanted important things like lunch and a nap! Maybe it'll go faster than DS's did but it might have to wait for the weekend.

I used to sew quite frequently - made historical gowns and dresses (18th Century, Tudor, Regency etc) and made sci-fi/anime costumes when I was a convention goer. Been awhile though, due to time/money and the like. Plus while I did enjoy many aspects of it as a hobby, and the final result was thrilling, I wasn't entirely passionate about sewing. It's a lot of hard work, and often taken for granted - For example, I was offered offered to make costumes for a local Shakespearean theater group, but for free : / minus free tickets and the like. But that doesn't pay bills and I don't need to see the same program all summer.

Plus my sewing machine has been on the fritz lately H ave to get a new one.

Although I still enjoy costuming and dressing up! Albeit now happy about simply buying some of the stuff when I want, and not worry about outside people making me feel guilty for not making everything from scratch.

It is expensive to make things like that! And often unappreciated. BFF had a lot of business last year before Halloween making things. She's done a few historical dresses for her DD for school projects. They always look amazing though! One of my cousin's goes to a lot of the Comic Cons and shes always shopping thrift stores for pieces she can alter for new costumes.

 

[Norachan]

Kind of. I can repair things and sew buttons back on. I've made quite a lot of cat beds and cat blankets from fabric I've found in the recycling shop too. Cats aren't fussy if my seems aren't straight.

I don't have a machine, I just stitch everything by hand. It's one way to while away those long winter evenings.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

no, not really. when i sew, it's almost always to mend some clothing of mine. i always feel like The Grinch sewing the santa suit, when i sew --


i've been seriously considering buying a small decent pretty basic sewing machine though. of course, that would still take much time and patience...to learn how to use it.

 

[Mother Dragon]

I can't sew a stitch. I can manage a button or two, but that's it. My daughter doesn't even know how to do that, even though she took sewing in school. My husband, however, sews beautifully. owe loved making clothes for our granddaughter. She loved them until she got to be a teenager. He makes matching shirts for us out of batik and them always draw attention. He's made curtains and a bedspread, too. Every year, for her birthday, he would make a special pillowcase for our granddaughter. He has his own labels and one set said "Made with love by Granddad". Hew would put that in everything he sewed for her, and added two little hearts to the pillowcases. He goes to a sewing group n ow. The teacher is superb. The students take their machines and their projects and she helps where needed. It's also a little social group that are good friends who make newcomers feel welcome.

A couple of years ago, we went to the International Quilt Festival, although he doesn't quilt. His group always gets together and goes. That's an incredible experience that really takes several full days to see properly. He was looking at the Brother sewing machine exhibit. That was what he had and it was very, very good. They're a division of BabyLock, which is the Rolls Royce of sewing machines and sergers. However, DO NOT BUY A BROTHER MACHINE FROM WALMART! THOSE ARE SPECIALLY MADE FOR THEM AND ARE NOT FIT TO BE TRASH. Buy a Brother from a reputable dealer and you'll get an excellent, durable machine. He found one he liked but I talked him into checking out the BabyLock exhibit. He already has a BabyLock serger. Unlike the other brands, which will enrich your vocabulary when you try to thread them, the BabyLock threads itself. He loves his. He wandered through the exhibit until one of the dealers showed him the BabyLock Crescendo. Wow! It has a deep throat, is fully computerized and not only sews in a straight line, but also 90 degrees and diagonals. It does everything but pick out the fabric and cut out the pattern. It even has an onscreen tutorial. They had one that was marked way down, over $800, because it had been used in sewing classes for two days. He pounced on it. He's happy as an oyster at a clambake.

Here are some of the tote bags he's made, front and back. He made a total of 7.






Clothes for our granddaughter when she was small.



A full-size purse he made for our granddaughter. It was lined in a cat-patterned fabric and we found a little mouse head coin purse to go in it. It was for her 15th and last birthday. She didn't like it and gave it back. A friend loved it and we gave it to her.

 

[Draco]

I cant sew on a button without it falling off anyway. lol.

My niece (9) wants to learn to sew. She's huge into fashion design. My sister is in process of trying to find a class for her to take to learn how to use a sewing machine.. only person I know makes quilt.

 

[Winchester]

I took Home Ec (and got a D) when I was in school. Sewing and cooking were certainly nothing I was going to deal with when I got older.

I can sew a button on a shirt. I can hem a pair of pants, if I absolutely have to. About a year ago, I stitched some seams on our kitchen chair pillows that the cats had torn out. That's pretty much it.

I've actually thought about buying a sewing machine, but then common sense prevails. I doubt I'd really use it. Like I said, a D in Home Ec!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I love those cat bags Mother Dragon !! And the purse! I have some really cute fabric I bought to make some tote bags for DD and I but I haven't had the time yet. I still need to finish the curtains for both bathrooms. There is so much pretty fabric out there its hard to resist when I see something really cute! I'm already thinking that I should go back and look for a yard of some My Little Pony fabric for DD to practice on. Or maybe I'll get lucky and find a remnant. I think the fleece might not be the easiest thing to teach her on. There are a few places that give lessons but they seem to start a tad older than she is. There is even a sewing school a bit over an hour away. That's a little too much for me personally.

I have never used a Serger. I should have asked my BFF to show me how they work before she moved.