Does anyone sew?

[Brooke B]

:straightface:I have the house to myself tonight. Threw on some comfy clothes and enjoyed the evening. I decided I wanted wanted to make a pillow so I pulled out the old sewing machine and made one. Went to town and bought the material and stuffing. Put it together but wanted to put a fine zipper on the top. How do you sew in a zipper?

[Alice_2014_B]

I really want to learn to sew, but I know very little of the basics. It would also really help with my military uniforms for me to learn more.
But sorry, cannot help you on how to sew in a zipper.

[docrobbysherry]

I do a lot of repairs, etc. But, only with needle and thread. I'd love to learn to machine sew.

If my internet connection goes down for a few days? I'll try to figure it out!:eek:

[DanaR]

I took a sewing class a couple of years ago. You might search your area for sewing classes.

[DebbieL]

Two ways to put in the zipper. First is to put it in before you star sew the rest together The second is to fold the fabric as close to the zipper with the pillow inside out, then sew along the fold. The second is more of a kludge, but it works in a jam. I usually use that technique when I'm repairing pants or something I can't turn inside out.

[AndreaNz]

I have done alot of hand sewing in the past.

I have found myself looking at some of my skirts and thought that I should get a zipper put on the split as I like tighter fitting clothing and dream of wearing it much more often, at the moment am Very New to this and only now coming out.

[Teresa]

Tammy, I made a tight taffeta skirt by hand and the tricky bit was sewing the zip in !

I bought a reasonable electric machine for my wife many years ago and the store offered free lessons, my wife didn't take them up , but I was so tempted ! I bought a dress using the correct size guide and when it arrived it was two sizes too big, so I bit the bullet and taught myself to use it so I could shorten the hem and reduce the waist, which was tricky as the skirt had box pleats to alter as well ! I made the mistake of forgetting to remove the lower bobbin and so my wife knew something had been going on as she didn't have that shade of blue in her sewing box !

[Welshgirl]

This is too big a subject for someone who sews to answer in a few short sentences! It all depends on the type of zipper, the type of fabric, whether or not your sewing machine has a zipper foot, whether you want to make an invisible zip or if you want the teeth to show... lots of choices.

Looking on youtube for a tutorial would be a good move, and I am happy to talk anyone through specific issues if you want to contact me directly. Just send me a pm.

[Kimonogirl]

I could learn but......will men's pattern size calculations apply to cute clothes such as very short pleated skirts/yukatas/shimapans/see-through white summer dresses as well?

[Barbara Black]

I love to hand stitch, always have since having to do it during my military years. Another 'feminine' trait that peeked out eventually. So many coming out.., how could I be so dense most of my life?

[CD_DIANE]

Several suggestions.... First there are a ton of videos on Youtube on sewing, everything from the very basics on up. Fabric is cheap. Go to Fabric.com and you can get anything you want . Sewing machines are available from places like Overstock.com . Janome is a good brand. As far as patterns are concerned, you can download many. The idea is that when you start, you WILL make mistakes, BUT that is not bad, it's how you learn. Do some research and go for it !

Diane

[Rhonda Darling]

A quick search found this excellent tutorial: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/10/sewing-tips-installing-a-basic-zipper.html.

Reading it, I remembered that this is the way my Mom taught me to sew zippers. She made all her own clothes and many of mine. For a while, I was her try on model so she could measure the hem for her dresses. I spent ages helping her in her sewing room. Ah, the fond memories.


Rhonda

[Welshgirl]

Kimonogirl, if you are not sure about the conversion from men's sizes to ladies, then the usual thing to do is get some cheap, thin fabric that has about the same amount of stretch as the one you want to use for the final piece, and make a test garment. That way, if you need to make any alterations you can mark them up on the practice piece and apply them to the final one later.

[Beverley Sims]

I sew, have been doing it for ages on and off.

Results are borderline disasters usually.
I get by though.
A zipper? Sew inside out hat usually works for me.

Replaced a few on skirts and dresses.

Did a reasonable job on widening a wedding dress once.

Even a dressmaker thought it was "not too bad". :)

[Jeri Ann]

I love to sew but haven't done it in ages. I have made skirts, tops, pants even a jumpsuit once when they were in style.
It is a great advantage to be able to modify patterns, especially lengthening the torso for a perfect fit.
You Tube is the way to go to learn how to do anything. I learned by watching my mom when I was young and experimenting.
You can learn anything if you want to badly enough. good luck with the zipper.

Jeri

[Brooke B]

Thanks for the link. That was helpful.

[Sharon B.]

I was taught by my mother when I was in my teens. Haven't sew with a machine for a long time.

[Brandy Mathews]

Yes,
I sure do sew, by hand and on sewing machine. Have done it since I was a little girl, ;). Watched my mom and have done it since then. Really enjoy it too.
Hugs,
Bree :)

[Jackie7]

My mom taught me to sew when I was a little kid, both hand and machine. I liked creating secret pockets inside my jackets. Now I mostly mend by hand.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Tammy, I learned to sew 60yrs. ago when I was 12 and it has served me well all of these years.:daydreaming:
I started on an old Singer foot treadle sewing machine.

[DorothyElizabeth]

My mother raised four boys, and firmly believed that ever child, regardless of gender, should know how to sew, darn a pair of socks, cook, iron, clean house and make a bed. Being the eldest, I got the full treatment. When I was in the ninth grade, she made me make a short sleeved button down collar oxford cloth white shirt, and wear it to school!! Well - you KNOW I wasn't about to screw THAT up, 'cause kids can be brutal. Since then I have made many of my own clothes and skirts, tote bags, blouses and vests for my wives and girlfriends. MY mother's machine was a 1932 Domestic. After mm died, we gave it to my niece, but I went out and purchased a Euro Shark that has a double needle system (if I care to use it). I also have my grandmother's Singer - one of the first electrics, that uses the long narrow, horizontal bobbin, like most of the treadle machines. It is handy for sewing heavy items, because it has a larger frame than most new home machines. I have used it to put a new floor in my 8X10 canvas tent, and a new zipper in my tenor saxophone rain cover. But I detest hand-sewing. I don't even like to replace buttons, let alone hem skirts or pants. And I have not darned a hole in a sock since I went into the Navy in 1963, where I also learned how to iron and how to make a bed. (Some D.I. statements are never forgotten. "I'm only going to say this once, slime balls. There are three ways to do things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way. I don't care about the first two. When I tell you to do something, you will do it the Navy way, and damned smartly. Now everybody drop and give me fifty. Last man finished does fifty more.")

[SometimesJen]

My dad was a mechanic who did embroidery to keep his fingers nimble. When I was in scouting he taught me to hand sew simple things like mending my uniforms & replacing buttons. In college I taught myself to machine sew to make a kite for fun. Knowing how has served me well many times through my life to make shirts, pants, quilts, skirts, & kites, fix coats, gloves, tents, & more. It's great to know!

Rhonda, thanks for the link. That's by far the easiest way I've seen to put in a zipper on a new piece.

[char GG]

The directions used to come with the zipper.

I'm sure you can find instructions on U-tube.

[Jules Spirit]

I have been learning to sew over the last two years and love it. The Internet seems like the easiest way to learn how to put in a zipper. I have been using a book called S.EW., Sew Everything Workshop, and I definately recommend it to anyone wanting to learn. ��

[MelanieAnne]

I bought a sewing machine 35 years ago to make some canvas boat awnings and cushions, and never looked back. It's not that hard.

[Genifer Teal]

Lots of how to's on you tube. Not that hard but may have been easier earlier in the process.

[Alice Torn]

As a lifetime bachelor, I sew regrettably. I sewed for three hrs a few weeks ago on a winter guy coat, that had several big rips. I have "sewed" hems on dresses. Each time, it is like torture, and i stick myself with the needles often, yelling in pain. Threading needles is agonizing too. At one time, wives would sew their families clothes. But, us lifetime bachelors have to try to do it, or pay someone to sew on out lady stuff. I have taken some dresses to cleaners, and they looked at me funny, but did it. I cannot afford to have a lot of sewing done, so put myself through the torture of some of it.