Hi…
I am a newcomer and have sewed a lot in yrs. past…then slowed down. Now, that I have found some good fabrics…that motivated me to get back in the saddle…I’m now into sewing. My age has slowed me down a bit. I used to teach basic sewing in High School. Now in my area, almost all the schools have eliminated sewing. There aare so many young women that are wanting to learn how, now. I live in so. Oregon…the other end of the state is Patti Palmer Land..(.Marta Alto,there)…Our dear Margaret Islander(dec)used to live 25 miles from me and I was fortunate enough to take classes from her. She developed Industrial Shortcuts. Right now, I’m cutting a Betzina Jacket Pattern on Ultraseude out…Worked the kinks out of pattern..on fitting. What goes on w/you all? Jan
Replies
Hi Jan
Hi
Welcome. I agree with the lack of sewing in High School. My daughter was so rushed she became frustrated and gave up. I sent her to lessons run through my sewing machine dealer and her skill and attitude have improved immensely. I'm a fairly novice sewer--I started about 4 years ago now.
Jane
You stick w/it!!
Hi Jane,
Good for ur dtr. and You! Keep going on learning...it's so rewarding to sew something that you like and wear. I am a Nutritionist , but also can taught sewing(basic)...did that in High School. Now that dept. has been cancelled due to no funding! Wonderful...now we have a whold group of young women who want to sew and there's no classes...They need this as Homemakers...even some guys want to sew!
Hope U have a Happy Fourth! Keep sewing....if U have grdkids...they'll love it...well my oldest 2...and the 2nd grd-dtr. reaped some garments...
Cheers from Quilt Country,
1 Jan
Jan,
Hope you have a Happy Fourth of July. Canada Day was the first of July and I have 5 days off which is nice. My DD has become such a pest that I bought a new sewing machine (Brother NX450) and she can have my Pfaff Hobby 1142. Now how's that for an excuse to buy a new machine with more bells and whistles!?
Take care,
Jane
Good for You!
Hi Jane,
Happy Belated Canada Day to You! Some of my best friends live up there..one is in Powell River..another from Calgary, but lives in Wa. State. We ussually go to Indio, CA..to a RV Park in Winter, and there are so many Canadians, that the Canadian Flag is flown w/ the U.S. and I know your Nat. Anthem. I've heard the Brothers are good machines...I have a Pfaff 1643...and an old Vikingz(6000series) ...all steel. and a White Serger. Is your dtr. taking sewing lessons..?
Hope you are having a nice summer. It was 102 degrees here in Oregon(South)today...What part of Canada do U live in?
Happy Sewing!
Jan
Hi Jan,
I'm about 2 1/2 hours south of Calgary near Waterton Lakes Nat'l Park and about 15 minutes north of Montana. I grew up in Cornwall Ontario, so I've ended up a long way from "home". You can keep the 102 F!!! I'm prefer the cold. We've had the most miserable cold, snowy, wet spring this year, so I'm grateful for the bit of warm we're finally getting now. It'll be 30 C today, which is in the eighties. My poodle came from Clatskanie, OR. I drove down there to pick him up--beautiful country.
My sewing machine dealer in Lethbridge holds classes and one of her staff had a series of lessons for beginners. Each lesson they made something and learned a technique (i.e. a tote with a zipper, a pillow with embellishment and a button). My DD is 16 and rather uncoordinated, so I'm glad she's now comfortable with sewing. They're fearless when they're young--she rammed stuff through that Pfaff at a dizzying speed. It sort of stressed me out, so now that we have separate machines it's less stressful for me.
Well it's off to work I go...
Jane
sounds like a good reason to buy yourself a new machine,hehe let hubby argue that one
Hope you and daughter continue to enjoy sewing together.
Char
Char,
Hey whatever works! I'm quite enjoying the new machine. I haven't got into all the fancy stitches, but it sews like a dream.
Jane
Me too
Hi - I am back at sewing too now that the children are off our hands.....sort of! I am sewing for ME and only others who beg! My daughter asks me on a monday night can I make her something to wear to a fance dress party the next weekend.....I amso over that and my answer now is wear something I have already made you!
I just bought a second hand Husqvana Viking with embroidery attachement which I have to learn how to use....can't wait for that. Not saying I will be good, just looking forward to it.
I sewed at school which was in the 1960's and 70's and when it came time for my daughter to learn there was nothing available at school. I found a local lady but my daughter soon lost interest as the teacher wanted her to sew intricate things from the start. My daughter in law has just been given a machine though and has never learned so there is hope that she will persue it and learn to sew as well as she makes hair bows for our granddaughter. She makes so many that she sells her extras on eBay!
Happy sewing ladaies...good luck with your Betzina Jacket. I would love to know who it goes.
Virginia
Progress so far
Hi Virginia,
It's fun...I thought i had forgotten how to sew jackets...but I'm doing ok...I'm using a Facil Ultraseude Fabric(Sawyer-Brooks)and the directions on this Pattern are super...Not only does she do a good job on walking you thru each sewing sequence...but she has directions on bagging the lining...which Industry does in a snap. So I trudge over to Joann;s ..(the Quilt Shop, I call it)and get my lining and knit interfacing(it's still around!)and follow Sandra's directions...There I am in that store w/all these quilters and pardon me if I step on your toes, but I just can't see cutting up all those little pieces and putting them in a design..I think g arment sewing is much more challenging. My first(suede)suit was made in Margaret Islander;s class...a dear , knowledgable teacher...whose Industrial Shortcuts sell nationally now. She passed on this last Feb. She was great! So I've been fortunate...but I live in Quilt Land.
Happy Sewing!
Jan E.
Oh Jan, how I wish I lived near you! I also prefer to sew garments rather than quilt, but I find fitting and things like lining, padding, etc. very challenging and scary, and that's how I ended up mostly quilting for the past several years. But that's why I'm here -- to find my sewing moxy! :-)
I'm so envious that you were able to take classes from Margaret Islander! I have one of her instructional videos and think it's great -- I want to get more. Maybe one day I'll be as brave as you and try a difficult pattern in a specialty fabric!
--Lin
Sewing Jackets
Hi Lin,
Don't let your fear keep U from seeking out info from...experts on jackets...Betzina and Patti Palmer are great on these. I wouldn't worry about so much padding and lining. Betzina has instructions on her "Fit" patterns on how to "bag" a lining and it's easy!! I have done it a couple of times. Look for books or videos by these ladies...After 15 yrs. I am making a jacket(Facil suede)and trying to alter pattern..before cutting...what a chore...but I'm getting there. Sawyer Brooks was my source for fabric(on line) The fusibles aare great for interfacing..tricot knit is what I am using right now.. I run out of energy...as a grdma..guess that's to be expected.
Happy Sewing!
Jan
Hi Jan, thanks for your encouragement! I am making a dress for my daughter and for the first time I made a muslin of it first to check the fit. Of course, it was too big, so I've taken it apart and will cut down the pieces and try again, and I'm so thankful that I didn't ruin the fashion fabric. I find fitting the most daunting of all, and once I learn it, I can move on to other things, like "bagging a lining." (I have no idea what that means, but I'll learn!!) I have a couple of books by Betzina and Palmer, and even Nancy Ziemann, and I love to read all about altering and fitting -- one of these days all those bits of wisdom will all come together and make perfect sense to me! :-)
I can't wait to hear how your jacket comes out - it sounds amazing!
--Lin
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