Posted on 06/17/2014 12:41:01 PM PDT by Roos_Girl
Welcome to the FR weekly Thread Thread. With a thank you to meowmeow for the suggestion on the catchy name.
As I mentioned to some, I'm really a pre-novice seamstress. I'm even hesitant to use the word seamstress. But, with the little guy growing out of clothes SO quickly I figured I'd put some effort into making some of his play clothes. And with 2 years of being a stay at home mom, after 15 years as a professional civil engineer, my brain is in need of some exercise.
So I thought I'd start out by posting a couple of (bad) pictures of a previous project and then some info on what I'm starting on.
And in taking these pictures I see my son has managed to sneak his black crayon onto the back of this curtain. Sneaky little boys.
Here is a LINK to a free pattern for a simple ladies tank top that I thought I would try for myself.
This is a LINK to a free tutorial and downloadable pattern for purchase that I thought I'd try for Little Britches. I ordered fabric from Denver Fabrics online at $5/yd with 1 pair of shorts taking 3/4 of a yard in his size.
So, welcome to everyone. I'm super impressed and happy we have some men joining in. If anyone wants on or off the Thread Thread ping list just let me know. And please let's see pictures of your works in progress.
I am going to try my “skills” at making a quiver for arrows I made from branches that fell in my yard. I took a gallon jug and cut it down by half and squeezed another jug in there. I figure it’ll hold 50 arrows.
Now I want to cover it in leather and make a sling for it. I’ve also made several bows from larger branches and strung them with Surveyor’s line. I’m going to try a couple with fishing line. Let you know how that works out.
Thanks!
I cannot attest to the sound proofing ability. We live on 5 acres, so our neighbors aren’t very close and the curtains are on windows on the back of the house probably 200’ away from the road.
A gal friend of mine makes quilts. I sent her an e-mail calling her a “quiltest” — she wrote back that some are called quilters but she is just a “sewer.” Which sounds good orally — but not in print.
I had to dig the black out liners out this winter when the hvac wasn’t working properly. They helped a lot. Hubby just slapped them up over the curtains so when kiddo comes in this weekend, I’ll have help getting them down and doing a rush job of remaking the curtains to incorporate the liners properly.
When our kiddos were little, I could have spent $$$$ and hours at the sewing machine but found that garage sales were a wiser use of time and much less costly for their wardrobes. Most items still had tags on them or were barely worn. Our kids were the best dressed on the block for 25 cents to $1 per outfit or a dollar or two for a whole bag of whatever you could stuff into it. Also bought larger sizes and packed them back in size labeled boxes for the future.
When daughter was around 5th grade, I taught her to sew. She picked her own colors from the stacks of fabric (mostly garage sale or given) and entered a tacked nine square quilt at the county fair. She won the crafts division with it!
I was given a huge box of scraps from an uphosterer’s which has been the source for years of Christmas presents, new cushions for the patio chairs, laundry bags and carry alls for graduations. There’s a book of squares with matching large scraps that is begging to be made into a throw for a certain young girl. Lots of fun planning these projects.
I bought some ready to hang black out liners from Sears years ago.
A thread thread is a wonderful idea! Please add me to your ping list. I am retired and have just started to sew again after many years. I’m looking forward to many creative ideas. Many thanks.
Our daughter is a very good seamstress. She made a dress for the Reissuance Festival in Magnolia, Texas in 2002. Unfortunately, she was sick that weekend they had planned to go. So she eventually sold the dress for close to $250 to a girl for a bridesmaids dress.
She started her own business sewing and selling scarves and other accessories online. She is making a lot of extra dollars and sewing only when she has time. My wife cannot sew a button on a shirt. I do all that.
Please add me to the list.
I have been sewing since a pre-teen. I made prom gowns and my own wedding gown. I lovingly made all 3 daughters gowns and the bridesmaids too.
Little girls dresses are much more fun than boys shorts. Fly fronts are “zipper tough” to do...just double the fabric and fake the top stitching and put elastic in the back of the pants, or back and sides only.
Costumes are fun and a challenge. Belle and Florence Nightengale are recent ones, but there have been lots of Ghosts, Cowboys, Indians and even Harry Potter and Darth Vader. Burka’s for Freepers were a challenge.
The comments about not stitching through the blackout fabric are correct...seam with iron on “Stitch Witchery” or sometimes fabric glue!
I have done it all!! I would be glad to help anyone with a question, just ping me!
Library Lady...I read more now than I sew!
You sound like me...the boxes of things “waiting” to be made keep multiplying.
I got in an apron mood last fall and made several masterpieces for Christmas gifts. They said they were afraid to wear them. I often give red, white and blue ones to FRiends for Christmas or even gag gifts. The pillows I made from “O” printed material almost caused a riot. Everyone wanted them for punching bag pillows in front of the TV! Called them “Screen Savers”!
Thank you. Until my craft room is set back up, I’m limited in what I can do.
Saw some really nice ones at Anna’s Linens. :-)
Back in the 70’s, we looked into cutting Homosote to fit the windows with the idea of covering the Homosote with quilted fabric stapled on. It had the bonus of keeping the room completely dark and having a huge insulation factor on the windows of that time. I am thinking of doing that now for the kitchen family room area. You just take them down during the day for light.
I love both!
Ping to comments #10 & #54. You fellas related?
:-D
LOL! I saw your post about making play clothes for the little ones, then you posted curtains, and I flashed back to the Sound of Music when Maria made play clothes out of her old curtain. My first thought was that this was your material for those play clothes!
Sorry....
My mom tried to teach me the arts of sewing and while I can find my way around a sewing machine a little bit, I am afraid it didn’t take, even though she tried her best.
Hilarious on the O pillows!
I thought of Sound of Music, too.
Mother didn’t believe in store bought so I had to learn to sew. We certainly could afford store bought and I still don’t understand the problem. By 7th grade I was making all my clothes and remember taking my life savings and buying a White machine for $45 at Joske’s. It was plain jane with just a straight stitch and zig zag and did button holes. Thank goodness that peasant dresses were in style so easy peasy but had to beg to use Mother’s machine to put fancy stitches on the ruffles. There was also a cool wrap around pants “pattern” that was pretty much nothing but a huge rectangle of fabric and an elastic waistband. You’d put it on at your waist, shove the fabric between your legs and bring it up your backside and then a drawstring to secure at the waist.
Please, add me to the ping list.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.