UPDATE: Out of Action

Hi guys, Jess here.

Just a quick update to let you know I am out of action at the minute. Dear Betsy is missing stitches again and I have tried everything Google and I can think off to fix it. So she is going to see the lovely men at the repair shop and we should be back on track soon.

Till then, keep stitching!

Beginner Sewing Course: Equipment

Hi everyone, I have just started the beginners sewing section of the sewing and tailoring course. So in the first few videos we went over the equipment we'd need and the basics of the sewing machine again, which I won't bore you with since you've already been over the sewing machine course with me.

Anyway today we are going to talk about the equipment that was recommended for this course and for anyone who wants to start sewing.

So the equipment that was recommended to us was:

• A Tape Measure - It's best to have two of these - keep one at your sewing machine and the other at your ironing board.

• Scissors: 
• Tailoring scissors. for material
• Paper Scissors, for cutting patterns
• Pinking Scissors to prevent material from fraying.
• Small scissors to cut any loose whiskers and notches. Once again it's best to have two of these. 

• Hand Sewing Needles.

• Pins.

• Sewing Machine Oil.

• Tailors Chalk.

• Thread: For the machine and hand stitching.

• An Ironing Board and Steam Iron.

• Buttons - which can be collected over time. 

• A Sleeve Board: For ironing sleeves.

• Unpicker/ Stitch Ripper. 

And Last but not least. In fact it's probably one of the most important things, and that is....

• A Sewing Machine! 

Optional Equipment:

• Fray check - this gets put on a button hole and prevents it from fraying.

• I can't remember the name but it's a tool which turns small straps in the correct way. 

Final World: 

One final tip I wanted to share with you was the sewing machine needle size recommended for most project, and this was a 90. So I need to change mine since I normally work with an 80.

Course Update: The 5 Main Presser Feet

Hey Everyone! Just to let you know I have finished the sewing machine section of the course and will be starting the sewing section soon.

Anyway in the last few lessons today, we covered the different types of presser feet and their functions.

Something I didn't know is there are two types of presser feet. These is a whole presser foot like Bernina uses and a snap on plate presser foot.

The 5 main presser feet for everyday tasks are: 

1. Zigzag foot - This foot is used for straight and zigzag stitching at the same time. 

2. Denim/Jean foot - This foot is used for thicker fabric. This foot has a hole and groove which makes the needle move around less therefore it's able to penetrate thicker fabric. 

3. Button sewing on foot.

4. Button hole foot.

5. Zip foot - This foot is very thin and has two grooves, one on each side, which allows you to get in close to a zip. 

Additional Feet: 

• Invisible zipper foot.

• Leather roller foot.

• Patch/ quilting foot. 

• Walking Foot. 

3 Top Sewing Tips To Wet Your Early Morning Whistle.

Good to see you again sewing addicts, get your morning off to a great start with these 3 quick and easy to digest sewing tips. 

• If you cant find a thread with a colour that matches your fabric exactly, go one shade darker. It will draw less attention to the fact you couldn't find the perfect colour, or for new sewers like me your hems are perfectly straight.

• For the health and longevity of your sewing machine give it a clean every 4-5 weeks. No I don't mean give the plastic or metal a wipe over. Use the brush provided with your machine to clear out any lint and fabric fibres which could of gather inside your sewing machine.

• Keep the scraps of left over fabric when cutting out your pattern to practice on. By doing this you can check you are happy with the tension, length of stick or the way a decorative stick looks before doing it with the real pattern pieces.

Update: The Course

I am now about two thirds of the way through the sewing machine section of the course and am learning so much about my machine, it's unreal!!!

What what have covered today:

• Cleaning the sewing machine.
• Sewing machine needles.
• Thread tension and feed dogs 

Tips I have picked up and wanted to share with you.

•  You want to clean machine every four to five weeks. Using a brush which should have come with the machine and some sewing machine oil. You need to clean the machine to remove lint and fabric fibers which could of gathered in the feed dogs. 

• The numbers on the needle pack when you buy them are to indicate the thickness of they can handle. For example 70 would be for thin fabric and 100 for Jean fabric. 

• To check the tension is correct in the bobbin, place the bobbin in the case and hold the thread and let it hang if the bobbin falls out or begins to wind down the tension needs to be adjusted. To do this use the screw driver which came with the machine.

The Magic Of A Bobbin

Hi everyone, Jess here. Today we are going to be talking about Bobbins.

So every machine uses bobbins however some need a bobbin case, some don't. Mine has a bobbin and bobbin case. I don't know what's better. SO leave me a comment and let me know what you prefer!

Something very important we learnt in today's lesson is that there are different types of bobbins, these are:

• Plastic Bobbins
• Fully Metal Bobbins which are used in industrial machines.
• Bobbins with holes all round the front and back circle.

Apparently it's best to not use different bobbins with your machine, so always stick to the type you originally received when you bought the machine. 

Other things we learnt:

• How to fill the bobbin. 
• How to tread the bobbins in the bobbin case. 
• How to place the bobbin into a sewing machine.