What's Your Sewing Experience?

**cormacmacguardhe** · 5th October 05, 04:38 PM

I have a limited knowledge of sewing, but have done a few things in the past. Made my own caftan once. So, I am waiting for a copy of "The Art Of Kiltmaking" from my local library, not sure yet about fabric, but have some ideas in mind. With the help of the book and a little advice from my wife who used to sew alot, I hope to be off on the trip of making my own kilt.

**chasem** · 5th October 05, 04:48 PM

I had limited knowledge when I jumped on this. I'm still working on my first kilt (taking my time with it), and I've learned a lot so far. But I started with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever. I'm learning, and I think my kilt looks great so far.

**MacHummel** · 5th October 05, 05:11 PM

The first kilt I ever made was a denim kilt I went to Value Village and found 10 yrds for 3.00. I have a mother who is a seamtress so she got a ton of phone calls about how to make pleats. The needle of a sewing machine moves very fast and when it goes throw flesh it causes a lot of pain so lesson 1 if it bleeds keep it away from the pointy thing. Besides that in the beginning the worst part for me was taking accurate measurmnts( I have a kilt or two that are too long or too short) and using those number to make a kilt I'm no math expert so you can imagine the frustration when you are working with 6 yrds of fabric and you constantly ripping in apart to fix a mistake by a 1/4 of an inch.I still pull my hair out at times especially when I'm doing spilts and I have a million and one things going through my mind.
But when I finally got it I was like a kid that road a bike without training wheels for the first time I didn't want to stop. I owe a lot to my mother for sticking by the phone and a special wife who put up with my stuff.
In all my sewing experiences have been educational and fun.
MacHummel

**starbkjrus** · 5th October 05, 05:38 PM

I'm just trying to teach myself to sew. (Don't even ask why we have a sewing macine) I'm not about to attempt a kilt - I can't even get the needle to pick up the bobbin thread without sewing the fabric to the bobbin.

Sign me: Getting REALLY fed up with sewing. Please PM me if anyone has an idea.

**bubba** · 5th October 05, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

I'm just trying to teach myself to sew. (Don't even ask why we have a sewing macine) I'm not about to attempt a kilt - I can't even get the needle to pick up the bobbin thread without sewing the fabric to the bobbin.

Sign me: Getting REALLY fed up with sewing. Please PM me if anyone has an idea.

Sounds to me like your machine needs some fixing. Take it in for cleaning and adjusting.

**bubba** · 5th October 05, 10:02 PM

I'd made some outfits for my wife and a few odds and ends before I made my first kilt. Mostly I've used my Baby Lock machine.

**starbkjrus** · 6th October 05, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by bubba

Sounds to me like your machine needs some fixing. Take it in for cleaning and adjusting.

Bubba, I wish I could use that excuse but the machine is brand new. It's only been used once by my Partner's daughter to make a set of curtains for the breakfast room when she was visting in August. She had no trouble with it whatsoever. But she's a dressmaker by profession.

It seems to be me but I'll keep plugging at it. :confused:

**bubba** · 6th October 05, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

Bubba, I wish I could use that excuse but the machine is brand new. It's only been used once by my Partner's daughter to make a set of curtains for the breakfast room when she was visting in August. She had no trouble with it whatsoever. But she's a dressmaker by profession.

It seems to be me but I'll keep plugging at it. :confused:

If you don't have the manual for the machine get a copy from the manufacturer. Pay close attention to the tension settings and threading. Be sure the bobbin thread is run properly and make sure you have the needle threaded the right way. Be sure you have the thread run correctly from the spool to the needle. Follow the manual step by step setting up the machine until you're completely familiar with it. My guess is you may be threading the needle backwards or the bobbin is improperly set up.

**Alan H** · 5th October 05, 05:42 PM

Don't like needles? Tired of pushing needles through six layers of heavy twill?

Try a sailmakers Palm...

http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat278.htm

Or for a REALLY nice one ( I have this one) order from the Wooden Boat Foundation. These are British and EXCELLENT quality for the price..

http://www.woodenboat.org/store/folder.asp?f=255

I have the "Store Quality Seaming Palm" and it's a beauty. I bought it and soaked it in warm water for 2-3 hours. Then I taped it on my hand and wore it all day. fits perfectly, never slips...I love that palm. I restitched twelve feet of ripped out luff on the mainsail of an Islander 36 with that palm.

**richardljohnson** · 5th October 05, 05:46 PM

8 yards of black cotton duck on sale at Walmart for $.85 a yard. This was a test.

After this I found some camo fabric on sale and made 13 kilts of green, grey, sand and my favorite rust(black and white) autumn camo.

All were using a machine. I did try 1 hand sewn but too many mistakes. Lucky for me it was from a fabric warehouse on sale for $5.00 a yard and not the $50.00 a yard it normally sold for.

It's been a year and I am getting the 'bug' again so no telling what I'll try next.

Richard-