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Topic: Sewing

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Subject: Sewing
Date Posted: 7/20/2007 6:49 PM ET
Member Since: 5/9/2007
Posts: 40
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Can anyone reccomend any good titles for newbie sewers? I have looked around here on PBS and at random stores and such, but nothing seems to catch my eye. Suggestions? :)

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Date Posted: 7/23/2007 4:23 PM ET
Member Since: 6/5/2007
Posts: 6
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My best friend recently got Sew U by Wendy Mullin and raves about it.  She said it's really good at explaining all of the basics in every day English.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780821257401

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Date Posted: 7/28/2007 10:10 PM ET
Member Since: 5/9/2007
Posts: 40
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Thank you Mallory! I will look into this. :)

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Date Posted: 8/30/2007 7:36 PM ET
Member Since: 4/24/2006
Posts: 368
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If your looking for patterns for clothes I recomend Kwik Sew. They usally have very simple and easy to follow instructions.

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Date Posted: 9/8/2007 11:21 AM ET
Member Since: 7/13/2006
Posts: 348
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Sadly my 35 year old sewing machine has given out and I am going to get a new machine. What brand/type of machine do you all use? I am looking for suggestions. One feature I would like is the ability to quilt. I am not a quilter yet but plan to take it up soon. Any positive/negative information would help. I'm a little overwhelmed by all the choices and information out there.

Thanks!

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Date Posted: 9/8/2007 8:28 PM ET
Member Since: 5/9/2007
Posts: 40
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I use a Brother.. and I love it! :)

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Date Posted: 9/9/2007 11:35 AM ET
Member Since: 7/13/2006
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Thanks for the info Kristin. I'm still shopping and comparing sewing machines.

I see you're reading The Secret Life of Bees. That was the first book I read that came highly recommended at this site. I love it and among all the other pluses was a reason I got hooked on PBS :)

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Date Posted: 9/9/2007 6:37 PM ET
Member Since: 5/9/2007
Posts: 40
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Yeah, I am about 80 pages through it. Right where August tells her the story about the Nun.
We'll see how I like it... ;)

I got hooked here because of the awesome concept.. plus I hate to waste both money and books!

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Date Posted: 9/10/2007 6:45 AM ET
Member Since: 2/24/2007
Posts: 898
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Kristen, I've heard good things about Bend the Rules by Amy Karol. She has a great blog here. Are you looking to do craft sewing or clothing sewing? Clothes-wise, start off making a pair of PJ bottoms. They are easy, fast and you get to wear them. Shirts a bit more involved to be a good first project. Aprons are also good first projects.

Kathy, I'm sorry your machine died. I've done a lot of sewing on different machines (working at different costume shops for 10+ years). Newer machines aren't a good as the older ones. I'm not sure what your budget is. I'm not too familar with what you'd need for quilting but here are the best brands: Bernina, Husqvarna and Pfaff. You can also go to a sewing machine dealer or repair shop and get great deals on used machines.

The older models of Singer, Kenmore as well as the ones I mentioned above are GREAT! The Singer and Kenmores with a metal body (as opposed to today's plastics) are great workhorses. My mother has a Kenmore from the 70s that still works. Buying a new sewing machine is like  buying a new car. We see the new cool models and we want them! I haven't used computerized machines very much, so I don't know what they're like. I think I'm old school though. :)

I hope that helps.

Kim

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Date Posted: 9/10/2007 8:33 PM ET
Member Since: 7/13/2006
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Thanks for the information Kim. My 35 year old machine was a gear driven Singer and it sure was a workhorse. I've mended canvas tents with it! I'm still shopping. My budget is limited...I'm used to paying $5,000.00 for a used car, not a sewing machine. LOL!

Thanks again, Kathy

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Date Posted: 9/14/2007 5:43 AM ET
Member Since: 5/6/2007
Posts: 175
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I have a question for you folks, I am just starting to sew....i had my setting where they were working for me and than my little one got after the knobs and now my sewing machine is out of whack.....the top stich is nice under the cloth is all fussy and loopy, is this the tension that is out of adjustment? what is a normal setting for the tension? my machine is just a regular 'WHITE' Thank you for any input...........

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Date Posted: 9/14/2007 11:23 AM ET
Member Since: 2/24/2007
Posts: 898
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Lena, sounds like your tension is off. Pull out your manual. It should tell you how to adjust your tension. I would  adjust it to what the manual tells you. Then sew a few inches on some scrap fabric to test. If it looks good, yay! If it's a bit off, I would adjust it a little bit, test sew some more, and so on until it's the way you want.

Kim

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Kim (Mistry) -
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Date Posted: 9/17/2007 10:17 PM ET
Member Since: 6/23/2006
Posts: 4,134
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  Check out  a few books by Melanie Paine.  I just ordered one of her books on Custom Decorating... Curtains and Drapes.  Very detailed instructions and easy to follow, too! 

Schatje65 avatar
Date Posted: 9/18/2007 1:16 PM ET
Member Since: 5/16/2007
Posts: 336
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Currently working on Stockings for the women/men over in Iraq.  My daughter and I are having so much fun we are going to make new stockings for the whole family...including the puppies...LOL 

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Date Posted: 9/19/2007 3:51 PM ET
Member Since: 8/17/2007
Posts: 773
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Can relate to the old-school sewing machine mindset - When my 1980 Kenmore gave out, I looked at those computerized models & said NO WAY.  I ended up buying a basic Singer - the school model - the kind they teach 7th graders to sew on!  I'm pretty sure it cost less than $500.