williamsews

  Or not. I have just finished sewing two shirts at the same time and It won’t happen again – it was too much like hard work, sewing is supposed to be fun. Anyway, they are finished and OK. This is the ‘Creature’ shirt, cute, with foxes, Raccoons and friends. nice fabric to work with. It would have been good to match the pockets to the body of the shirt but didn’t have enough fabric, it barely shows anyway. It is a crisp cotton. The second shirt is a busy, floral, rather difficult to sew with it’s tiny pattern. No need to match the pockets on this one, it certainly doesn’t show, It is a type of polished cotton, pleasant to sew and handles well. It’s surprising how different the fabric quantities are, the top shirt is a size 38 average and the bottom a 42 long, there is at least .5 of a metre difference. It’s the last month of winter, it’s been cold but not too bad, this means that work will have to start on the garden soon. I took a few photographs yesterday; Azaleas and Trumpet Vi...

Please visit my site:  william-sews.com   The charity/op shops are opening again, and I found a real treasure during my first visit. A 1976 shirt pattern in my size, I have been wondering whether epaulettes may be due for a comeback…and here they are. I like the waist-tie safari pattern, it would be great in lightweight cotton for summer. I would be better with a smaller and lower collar, which is what I’ve done with other vintage patterns, high collars are a bit uncomfortable. Still working away at my two shirts at a time job – that was a mistake and I’ll never do it again but now only have the cuffs to attach and then the buttons/holes. The weather is warming up, not sure whether that’s good or bad, the last two summers have been far too hot. That’s my lot for today,  Take care,  Will.

I’ve been wearing masks spasmodically but they have been medical style, I find them uncomfortable, so I looked for a pattern online and found one I like; It’s from a YouTube site named Gentleman Doll. It included a PDF of the pattern in four sizes, I chose the medium. It has worked out well and I shall copy it onto Ramboard, it will last and be easier to trace around. It only took a few minutes to make this mask and it’s comfortable.  I can breathe and should be better for people who wear glasses. I have ordered 3mm round elastic for the ear straps and it should be here in a week. Please visit my site at;  william-sews.com I have a lot of pieces of fabric left over from shirt making and I could make matching shirt and mask combinations…but I won’t, I’ll just keep them plain. Winter will soon be over and then I can complain about summer instead. Regards,  Will.

I have finished my ‘Down on the farm’ shirt. I like the fabric, I thought it may be difficult to sew because it’s a loose weave but it was alright. It will be a great summer shirt because it’s so light. I was lazy and top stitched a few millimetres in from the edge – a bit 80’s perhaps but it’s a change from edge stitching (and so much easier). I sewed a rounded pocket this time instead of my favourite chevron style. I should have matched the pattern because I had enough fabric, maybe next shirt. I have the next two cut out and ready to go, I’m going to make both at the same time, that will be fun. Please visit my  site;  william-sews.com/ Keep well, keep safe, Regards,  Will.

Foxy fabric. Please visit my site at;  william-sews.com I visited the big fabric shop today; I returned the Singer Confidence Quilter machine I bought a few months ago because it wasn’t working properly – I’d had it for about six months and the buttonhole wouldn’t work, it was sent to Singer and it was taking too long, so the shop suggested that I choose another machine. They didn’t have the one I really wanted, an Elna, so I took a cover note and will buy it when it’s back in stock. In the meantime I bought fabric (of course), two lengths, a small floral for me, it’s the type of pattern I’ve liked for decades and I’m looking forward to making it up. The fabric is cotton and has a slight sheen and feels lush. I also bought a ‘Foxy’ fabric for David…well foxes, Raccoons and bears. Same type of fabric; cotton with a sheen and also feels great. I have cut out a shirt for me and may start sewing it tomorrow – it’s a rustic theme, looking forward to getting to that machine. It’s cold an...

I finished David’s ‘Car’ shirt and he wore it yesterday. He doesn’t like to model, so it’s the dummies turn to wear it. All the vehicles are the right way up, even the cuffs. The pattern ran across the fabric instead of down so I had to fold it across at the length, a strange way to print it, I’m making a rustic shirt for me from a similar fabric which also runs across. I still prefer to sew the collar from the centre back to the front and leave threads that I tie off and weave back instead of reverse stitching, I think it is a better finish. I have always sewn the cuffs by sewing the inside, then the ends and top stitching but on the last shirt and this one, I have bagged the cuff and attached it, it looks much nicer and is easier to do. Me, me, me, my shirt next, my trips to hospital are over and a bit of gentle sewing is just what the doctor ordered. Fabric is waiting for me, Take care,  Will. Share this:

Please visit my site;  william-sews.com I am getting back to sewing, I have been anxious to start again. I have a bit of a concentration issue and my sewing is not the straightest – when I was attaching one of the pockets, I ran off course; when I have this problem with top stitching, I don’t unpick and start again but I replace the section, this works well. I ran off the pocket here. I removed the thread from that section, leaving a tail, sewed a new section, pulled the threads to the back, knotted them and wove them through, inside the pocket. And it works, I’ve done this whenever I go wonky, saves a lot of grief and unpicking. Love my sewing room and I’ve missed it. Take care,  Will.