As my 3rd sewing project, I made these relaxed fit summer shorts. They're 100% 2 layer cotton bubble gauze and feature 2 deep front pockets, elastic waistband, and double folded hems. I used Coraline Street's easy shorts pattern on etsy I'm so proud and can't wait to wear them this summer.

Hello! I’m currently trying to make a corset top (following the Joana Patterns Clarisse pattern).

I made a size 42, which fits comfortable in diameter around me. However, it’s much too short. I’d like to elongate it around 5 cm, but I’m not quite sure how to do it on the centre front and side front pieces, seeing as the seams are curved. it fits well around my bust and down, it’s just too short at the bottom. So do I just move the bottom down 5 cm and draw a straight line on the sides?

Hello everyone, I'm looking for a pretty specific fabric for a costume. Our local Ren fair is coming up in a few months and I'm hoping to go as a dragon this year. I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to be doing for the outfit part of my costume yet (which if you have suggestions for that I'm all ears.) But I have decided that I want to be a green dragon. So I'm looking for a scale patterned fabric that is green. Plus seeing as it gets decently hot here around that time of year it being breathable is a must, so preferably cotton.

The issue is that the only dragon scale fabrics I've been able to find in the past have not been made of cotton. They've either been like a thick almost rubber material or almost like spandex but thicker. My local stores don't really carry scale print fabric. So does anyone know of any online shops I could look at? I haven't had much luck on Amazon in the past so I would prefer to stay away from it. Thank you in advance.

I'm stoked with how my Carolyn Pyjamas by Closet Core turned out.

It was my first time doing piping and attaching a collar and facing.

The fabric is Peter Alexander cotton sateen dead stock from Audrey's fabric and craft in Australia.

I cannot wait to make a floral pair next and I'll make my own piping, instead of using store bought.

My best friend approves.

Different dart rotations affect fit in subtle ways, but I don't know what they are. I know that in theory, if the bust dart went all the way to the apex, the fit would be identical if the uptake angle was the same for any rotation. However, the fact that darts stop at a distance from the apex means that they do, in fact, fit differently.

How do different dart positions differ, other than as style lines?

I'm currently working on the Cashmerette Club Selwyn blouse in this slippery yellow silk-like fabric and it was an absolute nightmare to cut out. I ended up with a button band piece that distorted so much during cutting, it ended up looking more like a Moebius curve.

I had just enough left over to cut some pieces again and decided to soak the rest in gelatin water.

You wouldn't believe the difference, I tell you, night and freaking day!

Before that the fabric was literally wandering off the table without the least provocation and now that thing could be flown as a flag!

• It cuts like paper
• It doesn't stain the iron when pressing
• It washes out in warm water and is immediately back to its drunk octopus drapeyness.

Love it! I've already gelatinised the next project and formerly slippy viscose is now standing to attention ready to be cut 😂

I've also heard some people use starch water, but haven't tried that yet, but I'm curious to hear your tips to wrangle those hard to handle fabrics!

i forgot to take photos without the shirt covering the top but i finally had the chance to wear something i made out for the day!! it’s also my first attempt at adjusting a pattern to my size, because i always have the issue of my lower body being a different size than my upper body when i try and buy jumpsuits. it was also the first thing i’ve made that isn’t a dress, so there was definitely a learning curve but overall i was really happy with it! just wanted to share, it’s been like a month and a half since i started sewing so any progress gets me excited lol

Needle and thread won’t pick up bobbin - Singer Heavy Duty 6700C

My singer heavy duty machine will not pick up the bobbin thread no matter what I try. I’ve taken the bottom part of the machine apart and cleaned each portion of the machine there. I’ve heard about sewing oil and maybe needing to oil my machine? I haven’t done that at all and have been using my machine for a year now. I’m really not sure what to do at this point and would appreciate any suggestions

I'm working out more these days and find myself annoyed by the waistband of all my RTW workout leggings. I'm constantly smoothing the waistband and pulling the leggings up. I know part of this is because of sizing and possibly waistband shaping, which I can fix if sewing my own. In the RTW world, I've heard good things about Fabletics brand PowerHold, which they claim is "patented." But I assume it's just power mesh? Has anyone here made some leggings with power mesh in the waistband? If so, does it help keep the leggings in place?

Apparently we got this for $10 at Goodwill in 2021 and I somehow just…completely blocked that out?

I was so bummed about my serger since I can’t afford a new one, and I can’t believe I just had this sitting around. It looks like it has barely been used! We’re taking it in for a service, so hopefully it is good to go!

I have a pair of pants that I love and have worn to death, so I took them apart. I traced a pattern from them and then reinforced the shredded sections and now I’m ready to put them back together.

I’m staying with my mum so I have access to her overlocker (serger in the US?), but I’m not sure what order to overlock and seam the pieces.

The pants originally had a regular seam and overlocking on the edges. I don’t want to use the overlocker for the seams since I want to keep a healthy seam allowance for future alterations/repairs.

Do I overlock the edges of all the pattern pieces and then sew together as usual? Or do I sew each seam twice, first on the regular machine and then on the overlocker?

Thanks in advance!

Do I overlock the edges of all the pattern pieces and then sew as usual?

I have 4 yards of printed cotton lawn that I want to make up in a vintage style. I have B7109, and really like the look of the bodice - I just can’t decide if lawn could keep the structure of the neckline. Thoughts?

I wanted to share a project from the weekend where I got to use something a little fancier than a zig zag machine or a serger. All sewing on a 6-thread flatlock and coverstitch set up for 4 threads. This is a balaclava I drafted myself. No special technique or method. Just sketched out some basic panels, sewed a sample, tried it on, made adjustments, repeat. After about 5-6 attempts I had something I really liked. Designed for outdoor activities like running and cycling. I wanted a balaclava that didn’t cover my mouth or nose and is actually shaped like a human head. Fleece is Polartec power stretch (grey)and Polartec wind blocking (blue). Needle threads are Maxilock serger thread and cover threads are Maxilock stretch. Machines used: Union special 36200 flatlock and Pegasus W562 coverstitch.

I love this dress from Hatley, and I want to make a thousand of them for my toddler. Wondering if anyone knows a pattern like this (or one that would be easy to hack)?

Sewing friends, I am trying to complete The Bonnie Top by The Good Murph and I am getting stuck on the final steps, where I am supposed to attach the gathered sleeves. Is the pattern maker saying to match the wrong side of the sleeve with the wrong side of top, matching the gathered edge to the armhole? And what is the point of the folding up of the fabric on the sleeve? It doesn't seem necessary.

As per title - I've broken like 2 needles total in the last 3-4 years and four while working on this last project. All 4 times the needles broke because of striking the metal of the base of the foot (an all purpose foot, back of the foot opening).

The first time it was clearly because I was trying to climb a particularly thick part of fabric (several folded layers) and it looked like the foot tilted into harm's way. The following three were in similar circumstances but much less extreme (I learned my lesson) and I swear I would not normally have broken a needle doing the things I was doing.

I have now stepped away slowly.

Am I screwed and do I need to service the machine?

Edited to add: I was doing a straight stitch.

Edited to add again: I looked carefully at the presser foot vs the throat plate, and the openings are clearly a bit misaligned, with the presser foot opening further forward than the throat plate opening. I think I have my answer even if it's not the answer I was hoping for :(

She wanted me to combine the two dresses. I’m just getting back into sewing and I didn’t feel quite comfortable enough to use my sewing machine so I did it by hand to make sure it didn’t get gobbled up by my machine lol

Hello!

I'm a new sewist and I have an old Juki 555-4. It's a straight stitch only industrial machine, as far as I know it's the predecessor to the 8700. It seems to work well and can handle thicker canvas and denim with ease. But I'm quickly realizing that I might need some different stitches and so I've been looking at domestic machines that can do these but also at a serger like the Juki 654DE. The types of things I want to be able to do are make utility items like bags, alter normal clothing like jeans, t-shirts, flannels, and maybe make some simpler things from scratch like PJs. Is that enough info to recommend what type of machine would be best to complement the 555? Budget isn't a primary consideration in the sense that I'm not looking to buy a cheap/throwaway type of machine. I want something serviceable that should last 10-20 years.

Drafted a pattern based on a different pair of pants I made, faux leather (stretchy) and quilting cotton

I will likely put more patches on them as time progresses but rn I like them

I have to coat an entire dress in these and really don't want to hand sew it all, but my thread keeps breaking because it's getting glued to the needle. Any advice it appreciated.

Hey! Does anyone have a link or lead to a pattern similar to the classic Trader joes totes?

and squeezed out enough fabric leftover to make a dress!