Totally OT question - SEWING

[ctsiouts]

Hi everyone - I know this has nothing to do with parenting (but I am sewing to make my daughters clothing and possibly to earn extra money by selling other things that I eventually make)
Are there any other sewers out here? Anyone recommend any good sewers message boards or web resources? Or any good sewing machines or sergers? Any print magazines?
ANY input would be greatly appreciated. I have a kenmore right now but it doesn't have a twin needle function or a scallop stitch or anything else really fancy. I don't know if I want a serger or what... There is a brother machine at wal mart for 140 and I wonder if that's a good deal.
help help help somebody!!!
every time I have a question someone here has good advice and suggestions so I'm throwing this one out! :-)
thanks!
Christy

[suzska]

I don't do much apparel sewing. I'm more into quilting. Or at least attempting to make the quilt tops that some day I really will get around to quilting. Other than that, I collect a lot of fabric! ;)

Try the Bulletin Boards over at Joann's (http://www.joann.com and click on Bulletin Boards at the top right). I can't speak for the general sewing boards, but the women on the quilting boards are great! I'm sure someone there can help you.

HTH!

[AngelaS]

I do a lot of sewing! I have an under $200 Singer that's served me very well for almost 10 years. I also have a serger that I LOVE! I paid almost $400 for it tho. I woudl be hesitant to buy one from Walmart personally. One of my diaper making friends has gone thru three from there in a very short time frame....

[flagger]

Hi Christy,

I just bought a used one for Ms. Flagger for her birthday. (Please ya'll don't yell at me, she really wanted one) After checking out models at Wal-Mart, I went to a Singer store and bought one that is 10 years old for $150. It had been used at a school and had been traded in for a newer model. It is not computerized, but it has several stitching patterns and a button-holer.

My observations is the models (even the name brands) at Wal-mart seem very cheaply made. The one I picked up seems built like a tank. My advice would be consider checking out a repair shop for a refurbished model. Many people get machines with the best of intentions and never have time to touch them. :)

[ctsiouts]

Flagger - YELL at you? Heck, you made me laugh just by saying that!

As soon as I got pregnant I made my husband buy me a kenmore sewing machine (without ever having sewn a stitch) from sears since I just HAD to start making clothes for my upcoming child. My sister in law made fun of me for asking her how to knit - 'feeling a little domestic?' Of course the machine sat gathering dust for over 7 months until finally I forced myself to spend a whole lot of money on supplies for a stupid halloween costume - that gave me a deadline and a starter project. For those of you interested (and I know you are just dying to see! LOL), here are some pictures of it/her last october - the last one I just added because she reminds me of a little blooming flower in my New Native...

http://www.growthspurts.com/drivee/images/650229837786.jpg
http://www.growthspurts.com/drivee/images/999840543267.jpg

Not a wonderful piece of work, but she WAS the cutest kid on the block!

Angela - can you explain the uses of a serger to me? What would you do with one that you wouldn't do with a regular machine, what are its primary uses? As in diaper making... etc. I know its a completely different machine but I don't know the first thing about it except for its appearance. I am looking at a like new brother 929D I htink on ebay for 125 with shipping... don't know if that's good or not.

And Sue, thank you for the link! I never knew there were boards over there. I'm going to check them out. I hope they aren't a bunch of meanies on the sewing one... I'll just have to post on the quilting if they kick me off ! :-)

Christy
Anya Christina 08.09.02

BTW, how can i get the pictures to show up as LINKS instead of images in my text here? I have tried and tried and its not working for me! ARGH sorry to clog everyones page up....

[egoldber]

Well, sewing and quilting are my big hobbies. I have several sewing machines and a serger. I thought I would use the serger all the time, and I have just never really gotten into it. If you do get a serger, get the EASIEST serger to thread possible. I look longingly at the Babylock with the "jet air" threading on the lower loopers and tell myself I ought to sell the one I have and buy that one. You don't "need" a serger, so I would hold off until you really need one. And I would definitely buy a serger from someplace that can help you get the most out of it.

I am a huge fan of buying sewing machines at small sewing specialty shops. They often have used machines in excellent condition. Many people have to have the latest and greatest machine and trade in perfectly good machines to get a newer one.

My main sewing machine is a Bernina 1130, that I got 11 years ago. It is a tank and works beautifully. But machines are really a preference thing. Some people like the feel of Asian designed machines (Singer, Brother, Babylock, New Home, newer Elnas) and others prefer the feel of European designed machines (Bernina, Pfaff, Viking, and older Elnas). They all make nice machines, but I would be a little leary of some of the newer machines that are sold very cheaply in places like Walmart, JoAnn and Sears.

As for sergers, they are ALL made in Asia and mostly by one or two companies and just branded under different names for the various companies.

I stopped hanging out on various sewing boards awhile ago since I just kept ending up with more things I NEED to have. :)

Here are some sites that are helpful:
http://www.lilyabello.com/sewdir.htm
http://www.rummageads.com/rummage/ (This is a place to buy and sell machines. It gives you a good feel for the higher end used market place and is usually a better place to buy and sell machines than eBay)

I subscribe to Threads magazine. I love this magazine. It has tips and techniques for everyone from the beginning sewer to the experienced seamstress making tailored suits. If you mainly sew for your DD, take a look at Sew Beautiful. Gorgeous things!!!

And to be honest, I have not found that sewing for Sarah saves me any money. By the time I buy fabric and notions, I could have bought a similar outfit off the clearance rack at Lord&Taylor for less. :( So I don't sew her clothes for price, but to be special. I made her a special dress for her first birthday and plan to continue that tradition.

HTH,

[ctsiouts]

first off, typing one handed so please excuse my typos!
i saw threads a while ago and liked it so i think now i'll have to subscribe. i'll check out those links too.
i definitely do NOT sew to save money directly, but in the long run it does save me from spending a whole lot more - let me explain! ;)
i don't like being in the house for too long if i don't have something other than anya to keep me busy. so we end up going out shopping - mall grocery store, whatever, every single day. and not just one or two stores, i mean we travel allll over houston to stay entertained. this way i am having so much fun at home that i don't mind not leaving the house (and inevitably buying something i see in a store that i like!). plus i really enjoy this amateur sewing effort! i also like making anya cute and unique things, like you do. i'm trying to make myself some cute summer tops also. it's definitely worthwhile to me to invest in the sewing thing since its such fun for me.
ok, well I wanted to thank you for your response and for all the info on the machines!
Christy

[C99]

I also have a Bernina and LOVE it (although right now it needs a tune-up). My experience with sewing is that you get what you pay for. And if you buy a cheap machine, you don't want to sew b/c everything's such a PITA. If you are serious about it, it's worth investing. But if you don't yet whether you will be able to find the time and effort to make things or be able to sell them, you might not want to buy a new machine.

[mama2be]

I've never seen anything so adorable in all of my life!!!
What a sweet outfit, gorgeous baby and smart (and gorgeous) mom :)...

[JulieL]

Hey I too sew. But I don't have the patience for sewing clothes. I like to quilt and do sewing for household items. Anyone else out there just hate following a pattern??? Ok I am not an expert on sewing machines but I can tell you that the ones sold at Wal-Mart are the lowest quality you can buy. Most don't even have a buttonhole feature on them. Though I never have used mine on my Singer, I like to know I have one if I feel so enclined to use it. Kenmores are a great buy and so are Singers. You can always go to a used sewing store in your area and may find a good buy. But I think if you want something with fancy stiching you will have to spend $200 to $250 for basic fancy stiching. So basically you will have to upgrade yourself. Hope that helps some. Oh yah Brothers is a good brand as well. Don't go crazy at the sewing stores on Pfaff's and Berneda's I drool when I see them, but honestly don't need something so expensive more myself.

-JulieL
mama to Anthony 3/23/02

[JulieL]

Christy your little girl is SSSOOOOOOO Cute!!! What a great job you did on her Halloween costume! So glad you shared with us!

-JulieL
mama to Anthony 3/23/02

[peanut4us]

I've only been sewing for about 3 years. And I do all different kinds: clothes, house decor, quilting. When I bought my machine, I actually had never sewn anything with a machine in my life. And I shelled out for a Bernina. I got their lowest end electronic model (at the time), so it was about $700. Before you choke on that though, understand that it does stuff like auto buttonholes... and then remembers what length it was and does the rest for you automatically. I didn't need a machine with 50000 stitches, but I wanted a machine that would make my life easier and ultimately make sewing more enjoyable. I adore my machine!

Other important items of note: Singer isn't made by Singer anymore... the brand was bought out by an Asian company and it's not the same qual it used to be. I have heard the same thing about Kenmores these days too.

The deal is: You can shell out 2-300 bucks for a machine now... and again in 3-5 years when it dies or you can get something that will last forever.

Also, not just Bernina, but other top manufacturers (Elna, Viking, Pfaff etc) if you change your mind or want to upgrade etc, they retain their value quite well and you can sell it back to a dealer or eBay.

I strongly recommend that if you are going to buy a nice machine that you buy it from a reputable dealer (usually small mom and pop shops). THe service and classes, clubs, expertise are priceless and they are usually included in the price of your machine.

What else??? Oh I have a serger too. If you are going to make clothes or do home decor, do yourself a favor and get a serger! You can do so many things (like finishing raw edges, hemming, etc) in 1/4 the time of sewing. If you get a serger, I would strongly recommend getting one that has 4 spools not 3, that way you can do rolled hems, and those are priceless.

Good luck. If you want to talk about it further, email me at [email protected].

Joey
BTW I think I'm in labor!

[ctsiouts]

Wow! I love those dresses, but especially the birthday dress! Where did you get the fabric for that one?

I don't generally follow patterns very closely myself - in fact I just started buying simple overpriced tops that I wanted for myself and 'copying' them as closely as possible on my own. My neighbor wants to buy one from me now!
The pattern I used for Anya as a 3 month old was sized for a 12 month old+ so I had to adjust my seam allowances by a whole lot. But I had a great time making it.
Thanks everyone for the compliments.

I really think I would like to get a serger but I do need to do some research on them before I figure out which one I want to get. I have no idea where the small sewing stores are around here but since it's Houston I'm sure I will have no problem finding plenty of them.

Joey - I probably WILL email you later. If you don't respond for a while that's ok, I'll know you're very busy with something much more important!!! Good luck!
Christy

[sweetbasil]

Christy~
I'm in Houston, too. I'd love to hear about where you two are- so nice to have another humid-weather friend on the boards! :)

Joey, are you doing okay? Love how you just inserted that, "Think I'm in labor" part at the end of your post! Best wishes!

[hbangthompson]

If you're looking for a pretty good selection of fabric and don't have time to browse through a fabric store, www.fabricdepot.com has a nice selection. I've ordered tons of cotton flannel from them for baby blankets and some children's prints (like curious george). They have a large selection of quilting fabrics, too. I make receiving blankets that are hemstitched and crocheted around the edge so I'm always looking for places that have a wide selection of flannel prints. And you get a 30% discount just for ordering online and sometimes they have 40% sales. It's just so hard to browse through a real fabric store when you have a little one getting bored.

[heidi_timms]

I don't have any input on sewing machines, but I browse lots of homemade baby stuff on ebay. This might be a good way to sell your stuff if you don't plan to do it locally. I see lots of homemade quilts, diaper bags, bibs, burpcloths, and cloth wipes in beautiful fabrics. There also are lots of fabric dealers on ebay. I bought a crib set and cradle set from a lady that works out of her home with three kids that sews for a living and she did a beautiful job! I actually met her on ebay and had her make custom sets for me. I definitely think that it's a good job for a stay-at-home Mom!

Good luck!

[anna lisa]

I just wanted to say you ladies are all very talented. I completely envy you all!

[ctsiouts]

I know what you mean about browsing through fabric stores with the little one... Fortunately I remembered to bring my floppy seat for the cart on my last trip to JoAnns but I still had to move her back and forth from cart to sling. Thanks for that link, it will definitely come in handy.
I stopped by a small shop today - they pretty much only carry berninas and the least expensive one was around $500. I don't mind spending that much, the problem is I don't HAVE that much. Guess I'll have to wait a while. I don't have a paying job and don't plan to have one for a few years - until I'm done with the chillin's and they are in school. Oh well, I guess that gives me plenty of time to research, right? It would be great if I knew someone with one I could borrow but none of my friends even own a normal sewing machine.

sweetbasil - Julie - I emailed you using whatever address you have on the board. I am behind memorial city mall. And you?

I love seeing everyone's stuff... Maybe they should start a new 'hobbies and crafts' room below the MommyFIT one!

Christy

[luvbeinmama]

OMG, Christy, that is sooooo cute!!! That was your first try? Wow! Year before last I made DS a Tigger outfit that was really great. Last year, he was a dinosaur, but grandma had to make it since I was too busy having DD! Oh, well. I have a New Home (a basic, non-computerized, but has the important, stuff model) and love, love, love it! Mom has a computerized singer (read: much more expensive), and I really don't like it at all because it pauses right when you start sewing. So it may pay to test out the machine before buying. Mom & pop stores will most likely let you do that. I did much of my college time in the theatre costume shop and they had only Bernina's and New Home's because they lasted under really heavy use. My machine was thrown across the room in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (6.8, my butt, that sucker was over 7.0!), and it was just fine, thank you! A serger is really nice when you are sewing clothes, and I made DS's blankie's by just taking the flannel fabric he chose cutting a half yard in half and serging the edge all around.

[nigele]

Christy,

I have a Pfaff that I use for quilting and love it. The built in walking foot is great to keep the layers of fabric from shifting while you sew. E-mail me if you have any questions on Pfaffs!

[kapow]

I bought a White 2037 on eBay for $199 with free shipping, and so far I've been happy with it. I consider it a starter machine, and if I end up sewing as a long-term hobby, I will look for a real work horse. For now I wanted to get something at a cost that DH wouldn't choke on. I was inspired to sew my own nursery set instead of buying something, and so far so good. I'd be even more excited about sewing if I were having a girl - there are so many cute patterns out there.

[suzska]

Since everyone else is posting pics of things they made, here's mine. I made Evan a "Clifford the Big Red" dog costume for halloween. I took the basic pattern and added things like the dog collar. I also ran out of material--I washed the red flannel before hand and it shrunk too much--so I grabbed some solid red cotton from my quilting stash and used it for one side of the ears. I don't have a copy of the backside photo with the tail on this computer or I'd post that one, too.

I think if I had a little girl I'd sew more outfits. I just love all the things you guys have made!

I agree about it not being cheaper--I can find stuff on clearance for Evan for $2! I can't buy the fabric that cheaply--usually. We won't talk about the 30 or so yards of different calicos I bought for $0.44/yd at Joann's last year.


P.S. And to post photos as attachments, click the "click here to choose your file" link under "Attachment" below where you type your message. Then you should be able to select the file from your computer.

[luvbeinmama]

BTW, don't bother with the attachment on that last message. I just now figured out how to shrink my picture files from my camera so they are under 50kb. Here it is:

[egoldber]

Don't feel bad about the money! I spent MUCH more than that 11 years ago on my Bernina and I have never regretted it. My ony regret is that I didn't spend MORE for the next higher model! I love my Bernina! :)

Someone asked about following patterns. For clothes, since I am not that experienced a garment sewer, I do usually follow a pattern the first time (unless the pattern is obviously wrong, which happens). But I like to make notes on the pattern sheet so that if I make it again, I will know better/easier/faster ways to make the garment.

I love watching Nancy Zieman (Sewing with Nancy) and she gives a lot of tips and tricks for simplifying patterns.

Here are a couple things I made for Sarah last year. A yellow floral summer dress and her blue "birthday" dress.

[AngelaS]

Hi. I use my serger A LOT! I make my girls dresses and I make stuff to sell. I like the way my serger finishes seams so they don't ravel. :)

I'm attaching the pic of the dresses I made my girls last Fourth of July...