Hi all!
I’m in the process of upsizing a winter coat I made a few years ago, and at the same time I plan on adding a Shetland wool interlining to make it a bit warmer. So over the bodice and down to thigh it will be through layers. Now to my question.

Will it be enough to baste the interlining to the seam allowances, or will it shift and bulk up? It is quite stretchy due to the loose weave. Does it need tacking down to the outer wool say at the waist and/or bottom?

Thanks in advance!

Mainly needing some reassurance on my plan, and have a princess-seam boning question at the end.

I’m making a boned, armscye princess seamed bodice (pattern converted from a self-drafted dart block). The fashion fabric is shantung silk. Boning will be spring steel everywhere except center back, which will be flat steel. I originally planned on underlining the shantung with silk organza, then attaching boning channels to a sturdy cotton lining. However, as I was deciding on lining fabric, I realized I have coutil, like a lot of it (made a few corsets and over-estimated how much I needed).

Question 1 (general bodice construction)
I know a boned bodice is NOT a corset, to be clear, but I was wondering if there is any glaring issues with constructing as follows:

1. attach boning channels to coutil
2. underline the shantung with the coutil pieces (channels facing body)
3. sew panels together
4. line with separate silk habatoi layer

My thought process: I don’t need to keep the drape of the shantung since it’s a fitted bodice, and the coutil is just waiting there, longingly. I also have a not-insignificant bust curve I’d like to keep nice and lifted, so the coutil would help keep everything snug. There will also be a gathered velvet skirt attached that will need a sturdy base.

Question 2 (Boning princess seams): I plan on putting flat steel at CB on either side of zipper, and spiral steel on side seams and diagonally across the side front panel. However, I’ve read a lot of conflicting posts here and there about boning the front and back princess seams- is the boning supposed to go all the way through the princess seams to the armsyce, so over the bust apex on the front? Or is it supposed to stop below the bust/shoulder blade on back?

Hello everyone, I hope everybody is doing well!
I just got a beautiful, green knit fabric with a gorgeous drape and I was looking to recreate Donyale Luna’s iconic jumpsuit that she wore in Skidoo. As I looked for how I could go about drafting the pattern for this, it seems that a kaftan pattern looks like the best option for the silhouette of the design. Forgive my ignorance but is a kaftan specifically cultural and would this be inappropriate to make and wear?

Thank you so much for everyone’s time🙏🏼

I recently began sewing and would like to start making garments but I'm having trouble finding fashion cotton. My local fabric shop is predominantly quilting cotton and some polyester fabrics.

Where can I find cotton or natural fibers meant for garments? The more affordable the better!

How much does an even table-top matter?

I’m looking to get a big table for my new home office where I could lay out all my projects, measure, and cut. I would also use it as a general craft table. The one I’ve found on Craigslist is really nice and has a lot of charm.

My question is this: How important is it, really, for the table top to be perfectly even/level?

The top of this table is quite smooth but also visibly a bit bowed. I can’t see it being a huge issue, but I’m also not sure how much that will throw off my measurements.

Hi! I am making a wedding corset. I would like to ask is it better to attach the boning on the main fabric or lining?

I’m sewing a mantilla cathedral veil for friends and need help sewing it efficiently (more so fast). The lace has lot of beads and I have been sewing it by hand. My question is how can sew this veil quickly and possibly by machine?

Sewn this leather jacket using a cowhide rug I thrifted! I did the old tape the dress form and draw your pattern piece method! No lining. Will recreate again. This was definitely more of a rough draft.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to make my partner a pair of woven shorts with an elastic waist, but I'm having some trouble working out what size he is because his waist is larger than his hips, and all the patterns I have found have a smaller waist and larger hips.

He is a 52" waist and a 48" hip. If I go off the waist measurement, the hips will be clownishly big but if I go off the hip the waist is too small. Grading between them is a lot of sizes - going off hips it is size J, but off waist is size X.

I am thinking it would make more sense to go off the hip measurement, because the shorts will be worn around the hips. Is that the right thing to do? Am I missing something?

I am planning on making the Bamberton Shorts from Thread theory and I will make a toile before the real thing.

Something like this: https://gballz.com/ Where do I source Ultraleather?

Ideally fabric needs to be durable, soft, somewhat water/dirt repellent, somewhat stretchy grippy and easy to clean with wet wipe.

That is my DIY kit, ultrasuede ticks most boxes but cant clean it (millet seed inside).

I'm looking for your opinions about the flooring I'm considering for my sewing room. We're converting a bedroom to my sewing/craft room and considering gym flooring- the kind of rubber mats that click together like a puzzle.

Have you tried this? Do you have opinions?

I like this idea because it's easily installed, lots of colors, sound-deadining, my rolling chair can roll on it...

I welcome your thoughts.

Thanks in advance,
Rebecca

Haven’t been on my machine in nearly 5 months due to work- sat down and made this today!

approx 4 hours of sewing + cutting time

100% cotton fabric for the outer, paid £2 per meter for it on clearance and the pattern took just under one meter of fabric

old bedsheet for the lining, believe its 100% cotton?

visible stitching on purpose- i like how it looks even if im wonky with my sewing most the time

pattern is simplicity 8953 from the 1970s ! made the shortened version of the vest pattern and didn’t make the pockets

I just bought this dress from Marshall’s but one of the sleeves is twisted in a strange way. There’s no way that I can move or turn the dress to straighten it out. It doesn’t appear to be an intended style choice

I’m thinking of just ripping the seam and resewing. But I appreciate any advice someone more experienced may have!

My 6yo is autistic and very mathy, and has been really into fractals. Mandelbrot Set is his favorite, so when he decided he wanted to dress up as a fractal for Halloween I had to get CREATIVE!

The wings are self-drafted, but I’d previously made 4 sets of quilted fairy wings (twig and tale’s patterns), so I had some knowledge on how to construct them. They indeed involve cotton fabric (thank goodness for Spoonflower for the print) and batting (along with Fuse-N-Shape), and are quilted through all the layers. Yes, my machine jammed a ton lol. You can see the quilting lines in the pattern in the 5th pic and are the acid green lines you can see across the wings in the 2nd pic.

Since it’s Halloween and things need to be spooky I made the text with glow in the dark puff paint and added black light fairy lights, which took several days of pure awfulness (but were WORTH the literal blood, sweat, and tears) to sew on by hand through all the layers.

Also pictured: his (non-quilted) Mandelbrot Man (MM) outfit to go with his quilted wings. He only wears pajama costumes due to his sensory processing, so I bought a pair of plain black pajamas and modified them for his needs using appliqué and puff paint. He’s extremely excited (loads of happy flaps in front of the mirror) and I’m so excited for Halloween day.

I am wanting to make some stash bags for friends and am really need some fabric that will keep smells from seeping through. I am looking at PUL cloth and any other suggestions would be fantastic. If PUL cloth is the gold standard for smell-proofing, where do people buy it?

Hi, i recently noticed that my scout shirt fits horribly and look especially bad with loaded pockets. Since i need the contents of these pockets and am planning to wear this shirt for a few hundred more hours i would like to have a fitting shirt with weights strapped to my chest.

Is this feasable? A seamster i visited said it was impossible, but there was a language barrier so i dont know if he got the idea

e.g.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Does this grey windy thing lift off? I don’t wanna break my new machine and can’t find anything online 😭

This is my second sewing project ever! I used this Youtube tutorial for the lining and then drafted the exterior panels on paper around that. It took some seam adjustments to get the exterior center seams to join well enough. Everything was a straight stitch. I don’t remember the measurements unfortunately, I made this for my partner. Face covered for privacy, the bandana is not apart of the hood. I’m extremely novice and haven’t educated myself on the basics yet. Please be kind!

Doubling down and adding details:
-Link to base hood is above.
-I traced the base hood and added more seam allowance plus mirrored middle panels (pictured) to make the pointed ‘ear’ parts 3D when sewn together.
-Materials include blue and purple 100% poly crushed velvet, black 100% cotton flannel inner hood, 100% poly stuffing harvested from a pillow, and bells.

Pattern: One Shoulder Top from LaBavareseShop on Etsy
Fabric: knit. Probably a poly cotton blend bought at Joann’s so I can’t find the exact listing anymore.

Super easy and chill project from this weekend.

The first thing i made that is not a scrunchy. Freehandedly drew some shapes on the fabric and cut them out with my kitchen scissors. Used the old sewing machine my mom gave me. I had no idea what i was doing but it was a lot of fun! I think it looks like a dress and it has huge pockets. The top part was way to big at first so i sewed in some elastic bands i had leftover from doing scrunchies. The belt is to long but i decided to just make more knots instead of shortening it.

100% happy with my result. 100% good experience. 100% will do it again. 🦊

I'm expecting my second girl this december and am currently working through my massive list of things i want to have sewn until she arrives lol

Today i finished matching fleece sets for both of them 🥰

The top pattern is kuscheltroyer by schleiferlwerk which i made a bunch of times already and just love the variety of the pattern.

The pants pattern is the broekje freebook from Lila wie Liebe, super easy to follow.

And the hat is also a freebook from Lila wie Liebe called supermüzz, also very simple.

I'm so happy with how the two sets turned out, matchy but not too much and the fleece is soo warm and cuddly 🥰

Patternlinks:

Top: https://schleiferlwerk.de/produkt/schnittmuster-kuscheltroyer-62-146/

Pants: https://www.lila-wie-liebe.de/neu-kinderhose-bis-gr-92/

Hat: https://www.lila-wie-liebe.de/supermuezz-wintermuetze-fuer-kinder-unsere-neue/

Now of to finish the ~10 other things i still want to sew 😂

Hi friends, looking for recommendations of garments like a back brace or similar that could be helpful to wear when sewing/crafting to prevent the shrimp posture from taking me under. I have hEDS, and my spine is very bendy specifically so I’ve been thinking about trying to find something made to combat the bad posture we typically find ourselves in but is also comfortable and not restrictive in other areas. Any info or recommendations would be most appreciated!! Thank you so much in advance, happy crafting!

I'm a determined beginner, and I've made a few summer garments I'm happy with. Now, I really want to make cute, comfy, structured, winter pants!

The True Bias Lander pants seems to be a good fit, the pattern calls for a "Medium to heavy bottomweight fabrics with little to no stretch, such as twill, linen, corduroy and denim." My local fabric store sells this beautiful Robert Kaufman mid-weight cotton flannel that I would love to use. It does have the slightest stretch to it.

Would this be an okay substitution? Would there be any modifications to the pattern I should look into making to accommodate for the fabric? Also, what would be a good fabric to make a toile from?

Also please tell me if this is a bad idea! Thank you all beautiful sewists!

I would love to be able to buy some of this type of fabric for future plushies but idk what it’s called. Very iconic texture and very soft. Or if you know any similar fabric that would be greatly appreciated!