Buttons and Bobs

It was worth taking the time to watch demonstrations  on YouTube on how to use ribbing fabric for necks and cuffs on Tshirts and sweatshirts. I was really proud of the result and was just adding top stitching when I noticed ........... a HOLE in the ribbing.  The hole was on the fold line. Nowhere near where I had pinned or stitched. How had that happened?!! Unpicking took ages as the cotton matched the ribbing so well it was hard to see.  Well I'll try again tomorrow though my trust in the ribbing fabric is not !00%.

This is my latest favourite gadget.  I bought it months ago and I regret that,  though I have made several items since then,  I have used it for the first time today. It is an adjustable guide sewing machine presser foot. Mine was £2.65 from Amazon UK with free delivery. The description says it fits most machines.Well my Janome and my So Crafty both like it.

A cotton nightie  for a little girl who dislikes polyester as it makes her hot and who likes the colour pink. It is not a sale item. The pattern says it is an easy make but I added a few hours to it by doing french seams and adding decorative machined borders. There are links to Pinterest to lots of free patterns for this peasant style garment but I used Butterick 4910.  I was happily sewing until I read the note in bold on the back of the pattern: NOTE: Garments in this pack are not intended for sleep apparel. The pictures look like sleep apparel to me so I decided to ask about rules and for general advice about sleepwear from members of the Sewing in the UK Facebook group. I received lots of helpful links and opinions. Some people pointed out that : even if it was easier to find fire retardant fabric there is some fear about the chemicals used to make them fire resistant.  most sleepwear in shops is not fire retardant but items car...

I had never considered what the little red ball on the seam ripper is for before I read a tip from Sew-licious. Since then I have saved a lot of time!  Since using the seam ripper as it is designed for instead of picking out stitches and pulling them out gradually along the seam I have have had about 95% success. (On very thin fabric I have sliced a hole a couple of times.) If you have never considered where to place the red tip of a seam ripper please follow this link to Marti at Sew-licious

Brushed cotton pyjamas. I appliqued on the top of pyjama top but it is better without. Awaiting approval from the prospective wearer. She enjoys camping with her family and I am hoping these will keep her cosy. The pattern is New Style 6170. The colour of both the top and the pj pants is a deep rose pink from the same bolt of fabric. The phone camera is playing tricks! Update: Next time I will mix and match the pattern - I like to top a lot but the pants are too long in the body.

I have bought the Crafty sewing machine from Aldi. It is the same as the  TuffSew Platinum Industrial Strength Electronic Sewing Machine and the Necchi MP200 Diary of Use: So far I have only watched the videos linked below, unpacked and threaded the machine. Overview of the machine Fancy stitches Letters, Numbers and Symbols Creating a buttonhole Overlocking stitch for stretch fabrics Threading ( Tim Wappat created this video and posted it in the Facebook group So Crafty (Aldi) Sewing Machine Tips & Advice) Advice (Picked up from friends, sewing groups and someone I met while buying fabric) Threading the needle:  As usual I was slow and awkward threading  - not all down to machines I have used as my eye sight is a problem. Here is the advice I got: Check the needle is completely down and foot up pull down the threader twist the unit so that metal goes around needle and small hook goes through the hole put thread around metal hook near ...

I am always dropping pins and I have eye problems so I don't always find the pins before someone's foot does! This gadget is a magnetic pick up tool .  It is capable of picking up objects up to 2.2 kg though I haven't needed that . It extends from 125 - 605mm so no more bending for me. I bought mine from Amazon and consider it a bargain at only £2.99 thought my son-in-law says he has seen them in shops for less!