Posted by KittenHasAWhip on 2004-07-06 16:11:53
Post Subject:
Don't feel bad, I've had a sewing machine for months and the only thing I've created are crooked pillowcases (and no, I wasn't intending for them to be crooked!) Right now I'm working on turning an old work t-shirt into an apron of sorts. I have it cut into the right shape pieces (I think) so if I ever clean my desk off and make room for my sewing project I should be able to finish it (I hope!)
Anyways, my name's Tracey. I usually read the boards more than I post but I've been feeling talkative lately. Welcome :D
Posted by zahmeece on 2005-03-14 15:27:09
Post Subject: Re: Sewing machine
Generally speaking, the sewing machines that work with a computer are for machine embroidery. It sounds to me that you know nothing of sewing. If so, my advice is to take a sewing class or find a friend who will teach you. Kenmore and Brother make good basic machines. I've sewn on Kenmores for years and just got a high end Brother for machine quilting. Pfaff, Viking, and Bernina are great machines but pricey. Better to start small and grow since you are new to it. Don't go investing a lot of money until you know you love sewing. Personally, I don't know how anyone doesn't. I've been sewing since I was 12 and love it. You can make curtains, clothes (people and doll), book covers. Dang near anything.
Here's a simple 1st sewing project. I make "blankies" from fleece and cotton. Get about a yard and a half of fleece. Since it's 54-60" wide you'll need twice that of 45" fabric unless you can find 60" wide cotton. If 45" cut the length in half and then cut one side in half lengthwise. Sew each side to the whole piece to make the yard and a half really wide. Lay the fleece and cotton with right sides together with the fleece in the center. Cut off the excess on either side. Then stitch a wide (3/4 to 1") seam allowance all around except for about 12" on one end for turning. Turn it inside out and straighten out the corners. Then topstitch all around about 3/8 or 1/2" from the edge. Then fold in thirds to mark and then topstitch straight across from side to side for the minimal quilting. Voila! Very nice for naps and tv watching. Babies too.
Posted by Sewlittletime on 2006-01-11 14:36:07
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I usually get burned out after a big or complicated sewing project.
I give myself a break by working on x-sticth, painting an item, matting/framing a picture, clothing repairs, or simply planning out another cool sewing project.
Posted by tosha on 2005-04-12 01:35:56
Post Subject: Pillowcase Top
The April/May 2005 issue of Budget Living magazine has directions for making a top out of a vintage pillowcase (page 78). Has anyone made anything similar? It this the kind of thing that only looks good on a model in a magazine but bizzare on everyone else? I see old pillowcases at the thrift store all the time; it would be fun to use them in a sewing project.
Posted by MonaMew on 2004-04-19 19:51:18
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My utility knife. I used it all the time. It cuts paper and cardboard, opens bags, I even used it today to cut out a tag from my cardigan when I was too lazy to retrieve my seamripper! Plus it has those break off blades so when it starts to dull - snap! All sharp again. Plus it takes refills so I have had it for just about forever! I have 3 exacto knives but they hardly see any service (except for intricate cutting) because the utility knife gets all the love. Plus it is bright orange so I can always locate it, no matter how big of a crafty mess I have made. :o)
Steel knitting needles... but I don't use them to knit. They are perfect for applying a small dab of glue, poking a hole into your glue bottle top when it has dried over, turning out corners on sewing project or for any of your pokey needs!
Posted by Parel on 2005-03-30 21:33:31
Post Subject: supasimple hobo (bag)
I'll post a picture as soon as i find my digicam (so probably never), but I designed and made a supasimple hobo bag as my first ever sewing project (yay).
INSTRUCTIONS
1. make a pattern like figure A.
2. fold your fabric into quarters, so it looks like figure b.
3. cut out your fabric and lining (optional, of course, we like ragged). when unfolded, they should resemble figure C.
4. if using lining, sew fabric and lining right sides together (except for a little bit), pull through so that right sides are facing out.
5. sew side seams together (right sides together), as in figure D.
6. pull bottom so that original side seams are in front and back (strap should now reach from side to side). sew bottom either straight or curved, depending on how slouchy you like your hobo.
7. pull right side out and MARVEL!
Posted by sewoff on 2005-04-03 01:39:05
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Is okay to start with, but you might want to consider buying a machine from a dealership instead - you would get a lesson on how to use the machine and have someone to go to with any questions -- the best thing to do is buy the best machine you can afford. ie. if you can afford a $200 machine go for it -- it will be nicer than the $99 machine. With regard to jamming -- there are 3 main reasons machines jam and stitching gets messed up. 1. the bobbin has been put in backwards 2. the needle needs to be changed - a burr or slightly bent needle will cause all kinds of problems -- you should change your needle with every sewing project or after about 10 hours of sewing -- most people just leave it in until it breaks! and 3. the machine is not threaded properly. If you watch your threading needle and bobbin you should be fine with whatever machine your choose.
Posted by fairgreenlady on 2006-05-10 10:57:32
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A good first sewing project would be to make simple square pillows for your sofa or bed. Just figure out the dimensions, even a rectangle if you prefer, and add 1" to the width and height to account for seam allowances. Sew around the perimeter with right sides together, leaving a hand's width in the middle of one side. **
Cut your corners at an angle to the fabric turns easier, turn right side out, stuff with polyfill, then hand stitch the pillow closed. You can machine stitch it closed, too, if you don't mind it showing a tad.
If you want, you can even decorate the pillows by sewing ribbons and buttons and trims at different angles across the right side of the fabric before putting it all together.
**Don't leave the opening at a corner. It is harder to turn and make it look nice.
Posted by somnambulicious on 2005-04-18 13:03:22
Post Subject:
I'm in the same boat here, with two daughters aged 3 years and 18 months. Sadly, the sewing machine sits unused in the closet, but I do find lots of time to knit. Like a lot of the other moms here, I craft after my kids have gone to bed, but I've also found that I can get a lot of knitting done in the backyard while the girls are playing in their sandbox. I swear, that sandbox has saved my sanity. I can sit in the sun and knit for an hour while the girls have fun, and they're not messing up the house! They don't interrupt me like they do when we're inside. I also spend a lot of time hand-sewing felt puppets for my girls, and they both show a lot of interest when I'm doing that.
My advice would be to look for a craft project that's portable, something you can take out in the backyard or to the playground (or while you're sitting in the passenger seat of a car!) Knitting and crocheting are good, but if you're into sewing, you might try embroidery or simple hand-sewn projects like the Japanese art of omiyage. You could even work on something small like a lap quilt without using the sewing machine.
But if you really want to use the sewing machine, you might try setting it up after your kids are asleep. When I simply have to use mine, I keep it on a shelf in the kitchen during the day and set it up on the dining table at night. I keep everything I need for the sewing project in a Sterilite bin nearby, so it's very quick to set up and put away.
Good luck, and don't give up! There are times when I've sworn I wouldn't ever be able to craft again -- when weeks have gone by without an opportunity for me to do anything -- but it does get better, I swear! You just have to find a way to work around the kids.
Posted by somnambulicious on 2006-02-23 13:14:53
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As a mother of two toddlers, I've done a lot of thinking about this subject. Mine are 18 months apart, and there have been times when I've felt that I lost a big part of myself, for months at a time, but I've made an effort to get that sense of self back. I think that often, when a woman's entire identity is taken up with being a mother only, she comes to depend on her children in a way that's unhealthy for everyone. It's unfair to your children to have your identity depend on them; it saddles them with a responsibility they shouldn't have. I've seen this happen with both stay-at-home mothers and mothers who have careers outside the home.
Sewlittletime, I hate those patronizing comments people have about being a stay-at-home mom, too. When we bought our last car, the finance guy told me this long story about how his wife, a mother of five, had a career for about a year until she "learned" that "everyone was just happier" when she was staying at home and "not working." I kept wondering how his wife felt about that. While I feel that I've made the best decision for my family - and myself - under our circumstances, I know that it's not the best decision for everyone else. I was stuck in a dead-end job and didn't know where to go from there; staying at home for the past few years has given me the time I needed to know myself better and decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. In a couple of years, when I go to grad school, I know that I'll be doing what's best for myself and my kids then, too.
A mother who feels resentful because she HAS to make sacrifices for her family isn't a happy mother. And the children WILL know this. Each family has to find the right balance of sacrifice and self-fulfillment, and it's not easy.
slowgraffiti220, don't feel bad about letting your mother help you out with your child. That's how children were raised for thousands of years, with extended family and close friends all collaborating to care for the children. About once a month, I take my kids down to my parents' house and they stay there for the weekend, while my husband and I take care of the things we can't do with two toddlers in the house - go out to a movie or a concert, take on a major sewing project, reorganize the garage, spend a weekend at a conference out of town, etc. On Friday, when I drop the kids off, I feel so relieved to not have that responsibility for a few days - but at the end of the weekend, I miss them so much it almost hurts. I think I appreciate my kids more because of those weekends apart, and I definitely need the "me time" for myself.
Posted by slowgraffiti220 on 2005-02-15 21:57:31
Post Subject:
i've been thinking about this sort of thing myself recently-- that is, how i would teach a home ec course -- and i second most of what's been said here, definately. i think it would be cool to add an interdisciplinary angle to it, with supplemental readings and whatnot. i'm an anthro major, and one of the best things about it has been how it has connected all of the areas of my life, as in, i can see how my choices in the home affect the rest of the world and vice versa...for example, i just read some amazingly touching ethnography that detailed the history of sugar production up until the current times, and it really made me think in a different way about plain old, take-it-for-granted white processed sugar...it's really such a loaded product/industry. i think it's important for people to realize that the home is an economic unit, and that what you buy for it, or choose not to buy for it, matters and affects the world.
some other things that i think would be cool are a bit of info on food science, so that students can start to learn about how to be creative and innovative with food. you could maybe show pertinent good eats episodes or something?
also, maybe some lessons on relationship skills? i mean, i know not everyone wants to get married, but i think that living with people and being a good family member or neighbor is a good skill to possess, so maybe just simple conflict-solving strategies, etiquette lessons (as in, when-to-send-a-thank-you-note-so-as-not-to-make-grandma-disown-you kind of stuff), organizing/leadership strategies?
also, more simple finacial/life stuff stuff that can't be forgotten...insurance, in all it's varieties...the doctor, dentist, etc..., how to find and pick one, how to deal with an hmo...retirement, drill it into them to start saving early!
and finally, the three Rs...reduce, reuse, recycle! i'm 21 and very concerned about recycling, and i still don't know all of what's recyclable and what's not! maybe have a compost heap, make reusable grocery totes as a unisex sewing project, organize school waste reduction projects (and tie that in with learning leardership/organizing/good neighbor skills).
Posted by Miss Rachel on 2005-02-16 11:08:52
Post Subject:
I was thinking about the idea of teaching home-ec too!
One really good project that I remember from junior high home ec was the final project: making a full, healthy meal for my family, including a main dish, a starch, a vegetable, and dessert. I had to hand in a short report afterwards, which included the recipes I had used, a page about how it went, and reviews from everyone in my family. I thought it would be an impossible task, but I did it! That was a good lesson. Lots of adults seriously have no idea how to make a good, substancial meal.
A simple, unisex sewing project that my sister had to do in home ec was a patchwork pillow. Four squares in different patterns on the front, and one square for the back. But I think it would also be great to teach how to replace a button, hem pants, and patch a hole. For kicks, you could also show how to do creative clothing alterations, which is really fun and also earth-friendly. Maybe kids could bring in clothes they didn't like and try to alter them.
In general, I think it would be great to repeatedly stress the idea of creativity, recycling, and maintenance instead of over-consumption. That would tie everything together into a cohesive theme: learn how to make it or do it yourself, so that you don't have to either a) do without or b) pay someone to make it or do it for you.
Oh, and here's a quick idea about teaching about how to live on a budget: when I was in college, there were huge pieces of paper on the walls outside the financial aid office where you could list what you did to save money. Cut your own hair, go to matinee movies, go to the reduced section at the grocery store, ride a bike instead of a car, etc. That was really helpful and cool.
One more idea: you could do a craft project that would contribute to a cause that the students cared about. Something you could sell or auction off (like little boxes of cookies or something), or maybe a hanging quilt to be installed in a local shelter. Maybe that could be an after school project for whoever was interested. Or you could create an afterschool club based on that idea.
By the way, if you taught home ec in a public school, what kind of teaching licensure would you need? At a private school, would you not need any at all?
Posted by sheofthescepteredisle on 2005-04-30 10:58:41
Post Subject:
What wonderful ideas for gifts. I am engaged, and the idea of anyone making something, putting so much thought into it is wonderful. Seeing as you say you crochet, I have a pattern for an irish sow thistle square. Each takes about 14-20 minutes to do, and the best thing is that you join the squares as you crochet them, so no big sewing project at the end! If you like I could dig out the pattern. Good luck in whatever you choose!
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2006-02-27 09:28:43
Post Subject:
This helps me....A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN IT'S PLACE.
Yes! I find if you put things away right after you're finished using it, there's no mess to clean up later. And you aren't searching for things if you take it from its place and put it back in that exact place. My husband teases me about the pantry and refridgerator but without opening them, I can tell you where everything is.
I also try to do stuff now so when I get to a task later, it's not so big. Like I try to empty the dishwasher in the morning so everyone else can be responsible for putting in their own dishes during the day so I don't have a big pile at night. I have a three bag laundry sorter where clothes get sorted as we take them off so I'm not digging through dirty underwear later (gag). Even at the grocery store, I insist on bagging my own groceries so I can put everything where I want it to be easier to put away when I get home. When cooking, I get out all my ingredients and as I use them, I immediately put them away. My husband's problem is coming in the house with an armload of stuff and just dropping it in the kitchen so we've made a rule - you bring it in the house, you put it away. Also he sprinkles while he tinkles so he's been "trained" to wipe the toilet seat when he's finished using the potty.
My last tip - don't take out more than you can finish. I used to be awful about dragging out some huge crochet or sewing project, strewing it across the couch or dining room table to remember that I only have 10 or 15 minutes and clean-up would take more than that and then it stays for a day or two because putting it away would be silly, etc. Same with cleaning, really. I used to pull everything out and try to go through it all at once, get discouraged because of the size and eventually put it right back where it was. Deal with one pile/box/drawer/closet at a time instead of one room at a time.
Posted by mindshare on 2004-12-15 18:09:02
Post Subject:
sallysunshine -- oh, I hope you're not naive. And I think your post was brilliant.
'Cause yeah, it's about bringing women in, making connections. I don't have anything to add to it right now; I think you said it wonderfully.
As an aside -- you made me think about my mom, who I asked a few years ago to help me on a sewing project -- I wanted to make cloth menstrual pads. She thought it was a pretty weird idea at first, but she loves sewing so she got right into it, and kept making improvements on her design, trying different material, etc., and through it all I got to talk a bit about female body issues, the treatment of menstruation as a disease, etc. Now she even uses cloth pads herself. Rawk.
