Sewing for Yourself

I only use old sewing machines now. I have about a dozen Necchi sewing machines, all older models made in Italy – not the newer ones made in Asia. The free arm Supernova models are fabulous for clothing, but even the more readily available straight stitch BF or zigzag BU are fabulous. A cheap old Singer is better than any new machine. I have a 99…[Read more]

I could recommend you Brother sewing machine. It is great, I’ve been using it for some time, and had no problems with it, it costs no more than $200.

The local places around me start at $89 and a few weeks for service (or did when I asked a few years ago). I don’t doubt that that’s a fair cost for someone’s labor, but it is a little hard to swallow when it approaches the cost of the machine itself. I paid $50 for my old Janome L108 on Craiglist, so when it stopped working a few years ago I hit…[Read more]

I would recommend calling around to local shops I see what they charge for a servicing and what their turn around time is. I recently did this for my serger and one shop was $50 more than the other and the turnaround was twice as long! In some shops, you’ll be able to talk to the techs who will service your machine, and in others, they’ll send it…[Read more]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think I will redo B6567 in rayon or similar fabric. I really like like the look of it. As for the sewing, I can figure the seam finishing since I’m more experienced now. I do need to think and figure places to baste especially around the seam pockets and neckline. Also, I already have B6567 traced out on tracing…[Read more]

Tough call, right? The style lines on both are very similar, you’re right. The only real difference is in the neckline, which has gathering in the Cappuccino as opposed to the flatter panels of the Lisette pattern. I think it has to be your call, really. The important part will be to find the right fabric. I’d look for a rayon or a drapey silk,…[Read more]

The tube idea is great, thank you. I’m gonna try it for my next project with this pattern.

Ok, you’re looking for more like a funnel neck. You could measure the neck and cut a tube/rectangle to be the same length as the neckline. That’s where I’d start.