Tag: Clementine

Turkey Tracks:  October 2, 2017

Sewing Clothes!

And Learning A Serger

One of the really fun things about sewing is the young women who are making their own clothes these days.  For fun and satisfaction.

They are inspiring!

Leah Ondra of Clementine (Rockland, Maine) was the Coastal Quilters speaker at our September meeting.  She lit a fire under many of us about making clothes.  Including me.

I have not made clothes since my 20’s as a newly married and poor wife and mother.

But…

Here I go.

Linen tunic, which I shortened:

Skirt to go with…

I have no idea what this material is.  I knew when I left the store but I have to learn garment fabric names.  I cut the skirt on the bias, and the material is nice.  I will make this skirt again and make it a tiny bit longer.

On advice, I prewashed the materials.

Together–and best of all both pieces FIT.

Tunic top is 100 Acts of Sewing Tunic No 1

Skirt is Colette, “Ginger”

I can wear a warm t-shirt beneath the tunic for now.  And, tights or leggins with the skirt for warmth.

I bought a table from amazon that I had to assemble myself.  I loved doing it.  Here is just came up from being upside down on the floor.  (Studio Designs:  Comet Hobby Center)

Here it is with the SERGER (Brother 1034DX I also ordered from Amazon.  (Under $200)  Leah Ondra swears by using a serger in garment making and says this one is just fine.  The thread cones (Mettler polyester) came from Red Rock Threads.  The colored thread spools came with the machine, which is fully color coded, which makes it easier to thread.

Sergers are so NOT like a domestic sewing machine.  And they have sharp knives as they trim off the excess material in a seam allowance.  The threading problem seems to be ok what with all the color coding involved here.  Brother is trying to make this easy.  I keep reading the instruction book, watching the DVD that came with it, and patting the machine.  I did sew ONE line of stitching.  But I need to switch out the thread and PRACTICE.  Which will start, maybe, with learning how to disable the knives.  There is no use in letting them get dull, is there?

Next week’s plan:  get comfortable with the serger.  I have a knit top I want to make.

And “En Provence” only needs 2 1/2 passes on the long arm.

And “My Milli” needs to be loaded on the longarm…

Life is fun and busy.