Posted by athena on 2006-12-18 17:49:26
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Becki have you checked with a local quilt/fabric shop? Most independent fabric shops that sell sewing machines give classes also. They might have a class on getting to know your machine or they could maybe refer you to someone who could help.
Posted by textile_fetish on 2006-01-10 12:18:25
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There are inexpensive patterns in any fabric store, usually sold on a spinning display rack. They are called New Look and something else I can't remember. ANYWAY! they are cheap and easy as well.
Stay away from things like zippers and buttons for now. Some easier things to sew include:
pajama pants with elastic in the waist, pillows, pillow covers, things that are made with fleece (since the edges don't fray), consider making cloth napkins (just a square hemmed on all sides - instant gratification!)
You might also want to stick with fabrics that are medium weight (such as cotton woven, aka quilt fabric) as well as materials that do not stretch.
Good luck and know you will get better with practice!
Posted by Jen on 2008-07-10 11:05:32
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These dresses were also popular among college kids in the mid-90's. My friends and I used to make a ton of them. So comfortable! We did them mostly by modifiying sundress patterns. You just follow the pattern, but you make the fabric used for the skirt out of patchwork rectangles or squares. I just dug out some of the old patterns I used and while I'm not sure they are available anymore, here are a couple: McCall's Easy Stitch 'n Save #8201 (I like version A) and Butterick Fast & Easy #4558.
Making your own pattern for this kind of dress is also very simple if you know how to do it. Sundresses are pretty forgiving in terms of fit- so you can usually get a good result making a pattern out of newspaper or brown kraft paper. If you do this, I'd recommend trying it out using some old bedsheets before you start it with the fabric you want to use.
There are lots of places to buy precut squares to make the skirt part of the dress go even faster. My shop sells precut squares and rectangles for quilting- and they would be perfect for a project like this. I also do kits- and this post might be the inspiration for a future kit design. If you are interested, stop on by at www.stitchsimple.com/quilt-fabric-pieces (for squares and rectangles) or for kits: http://www.stitchsimple.com/shopping/shopcontent.asp?type=CYO%20Quilt%20Kit
Posted by sharonius on 2005-01-06 13:32:24
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What about using a small amount of quilt padding? I am experimenting with making sachets using some quilt fabric remnants filled with lavender. That would be nice too and smell good.
Posted by berlinchick on 2005-01-07 15:53:27
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What about using a small amount of quilt padding? I am experimenting with making sachets using some quilt fabric remnants filled with lavender. That would be nice too and smell good.
lavender sounds wonderful..hmmm, i had some growing here....
by the way: found a WONDERFUL tutorial on craftster on how to make sleeping masks
kindarana: doesn't flaxseed turn bad at some point??? i sprinkle the stuff on my yogurt.. :-)
