Thread: Non-Quilt Sewing

You can use old clothes for patterns which I have done and it has worked well. I was at Walmart and noticed they have beautiful fabric for $2.77/yd. I like wandering through thrift shops and recently found a skirt that I bought for $1 It was to big but the material was so pretty. I bought it and re did the waist to fit using elastic.

Do you do hand embroidery? I have 40 dishtowels ready for friends and for sale at our church fall soup supper/bake sale. Last year I donated 18 and they all sold early. I do hairpin lace to make afghans. You need a loom to do this. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby. you can do this when riding in a car or bus. I did huck toweling when I was in my early twenties. I make pin cushions out of tea cups.
Made a mistake. I gave away my white correlle cups (the ones with the handle that does not connect to the cup on the bottom. Then I saw where I could have glued them to the saucer and would have made cute pin cushions. I could have used many different colors of material in the cushions. I went back to where I donated them to buy them back but they were already gone. So looking for more of them. need to go to some rummage sales ha

I love to make bags. Watch youtube for tutorials. There are a lot of things to make without buying patterns.

If you are going to sew clothing take the Vogue pattern magazine as it has pages of sewing lessons and you can buy one pattern from them and get two free. I also follow them ,Butterick and McCalls on face book and they have good sales on patterns. Hobby Lobby and Hancocks also have great sales on patterns. New Look patterns on the rack at WalMart and Honcocks are easy and cheep patterns.

Originally Posted by Geri B

The cost of patterns has really gone up, along with the coat of fabric it is not really worth "sewing".... Generally, anyway. IMHO.

Sometimes you can find patterns on sale for 99c each, but once you add on fabric and notion costs...I totally agree with you. Most of the time there is no money saved sewing for the home rather than buying premade. It's only worth it if you enjoy the process of making as much as the finished product.

That said, I enjoy sewing things for my other hobbies, like cute drawstring bags for knitting socks. Funnily enough, picking out fabric for those kinds of projects is what lead me wanting to try out quilting! All those beautiful prints. Hand embroidery is fun, too. Some little home dec projects aren't pricey at all, like pillows or wall hangings.

Originally Posted by ManiacQuilter2

Yes, that was difficult for me to switch from sewing 5/8" to a 1/4" seam allowance. Considering making some tops so I wonder if I can handle the switch back.

I sewed clothing for years and years before I learned to quilt. My first quilt has 1/2" seam allowances.

I wish you were closer. I would be happy to share. My DM sewed everything and I did some, so I have more patterns than anyone would believe. DM made western shirts, almost all of my clothes, formals, suits, upholstry, drapery, almost anything you could do with a machine(and some I would never try)! She also had a small, country mill-end fabric and quilting shop, until my DD became ill.

Depends what you can use or like...you could try window treatments or a simple valance.

I make my own nightgowns.