To all you sewing lot...

Thin and flimsy? I’d go tape

Tape is easiest, give it a good margin around tear to stop it continuing.

Ok cool, I’ll order some

Just successfully replaced chest pocket zips on a couple of cycling jackets but have more to do.

Problem is I need chunky plastic zips, preferably water resistant but unable to find suitable items on the internet.

Any recommendations of London based suppliers or top-notch haberdashers I can get outdoor zips from?

https://www.profabrics.co.uk

Pretty good in my experience

Cheers!

https://jaycotts.co.uk/collections/zips
https://www.williamgee.co.uk/product-category/zips/plastic-zips/

William Gee are a fantastic company when I've had order mix ups, and they stock the commercial versions of sew-all.

I've just bought the stuff (well, more than needed) to make a couple of waterproof pouches/envelopes for documents and electronics for bike/backpacking. I bought Ripstop Nylon silicone coated, 20den, 36g/sqm; how likely is it I can sew it by hand? I'm trying to borrow a machine but I'm struggling.

ok sewers

my wife likes to sew and she has a John Lewis machine that cost her around £100 I think. I think this one: https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-jl110-sewing-machine-white/p317685

and every time she's sewing i hear her grumbling that it's getting tangled up. not really sure what's happening – whether it's the needles or the machine or what – but i was thinking of getting her one a bit better for christmas – or at least a gift that solves this problem.

is this type of entry level machine prone to tangling up the thread and will a "better" one be easier to use? she makes nice stuff, but i hear her shouting at the machine a lot. maybe i will need to stealth ask her what the problem is.

I'm using my mum's old machine, which was in the 300 range rather than the 100 range but I'm not sure if the difference is in features or in robustness.

I had a lot of tangling when I started out and sorted most of it by boring @pdlouche with a lot of stupid questions via Instagram DMs. Not sure if he's up for another pupil, but what I mean to say is there's a good chance it's user error. Just threading properly in the first place and then getting your thread tensioning right. It's something you can learn off of Googling it (just like basically everything else) but some formal training in the form of a workshop might be helpful as a lot of it is down to feel. I also had my machine serviced at some point, but it's hard to say if that solved it or that I just got better at things. The main thing they can fix that's hard for a hobbyist is sorting out timing issues, it's a bit like a combustion engine in that late or early firing can run somewhat okay but still give a lot of issues.

Not very helpful or actionable maybe, but there you go.

I found this pic and link both helpful (both posted here). But mainly my problems are user error. I swear at my machine a lot.

https://microcosm.app/out/Wmrii

But it sounds like she knows what she is doing.

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Rubbish machines don’t make life easy. However, in general, it’s user error.

Best to avoid getting yourself in the dog-house.

Best method:
Ask if you can try make yourself a little pouch.
Be adamant you want to do it yourself.
Cut two rectangles of standard weight cotton (trouser, not dress shirt), get a zip.
With or without the audience, get the manual and set up original spec tension.
Wind a new bobbin. Make sure bobbing thread tension is correct.
Do the threading yourself. Make sure needle is correct and in line. Make sure thread tension is correct.

Test with two strips of excess material, correct spec tension correct spec thread for needle, etc. Make sure the material isn’t bunching and is sewing correctly.

If after a few attempts you can’t get a simple line of thread seam, then you can blame the machine. Otherwise, it’s user error.

cheers – the machine works well in general and she's made loads of nice clothes, blinds, face masks, etc. so i'm going to save myself £300 (or whatever it would have cost).

now back to square one on the xmas present ideas

Buy her an overlocker.

xmas present ideas

Day trip by Tram to Eccles ?

how much does sewing string cost? you know the colourful kind you put in the machine?

she also tells me off for calling it "cloth" and not "fabric"

It would be like the difference between riding a supermarket bike and riding a something with XT or Ultegra.

That stark? You seem to be disagreeing with everyone else?

I'd say it also depends on what kind of materials/projects you are using.
If you're not going to go full heavy duty, 4+ layers of thick fabric, you'd probably get along just fine with a well adjusted lower tier machine.

That said, my wife and I upgraded from a super market machine to a higher end Bernina, and the added power and stability was definitely welcome.

I'm not sure I'm disagreeing with anyone.

Well, that was the experience I had going from a similar price range to a getting a Janome HD2200. Being able to sit at the machine and it just working massively increased my enjoyment when sewing shirts. I still occasionally have hiccups, like putting the bobbin in the wrong way round.

As you say, she's made loads of nice things so it must be a hobby she enjoys, does she enjoy it as much as you do riding?

Disclaimer: I'm not your wife trying to score a new sewing machine.

Serious question? I can't state it enough in this thread....

If you want to buy Gutermann sew-all ( the thread that most craft shops stock), buy Gutermann Mara 100 online. It's the same stuff, just £20 for 10,000m of the stuff, rather than £10 for 1000m. The 1000m spool will fit most machines, the 5000m kings spool just need a wire coat hanger with a straight section with a hoop twisted at top and a base for it to stand upright.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-98200.html

All cloth is fabric but not all fabric is cloth.

@Kurai ‘s Gutermann link is best to understand thread and such.

I don’t think anyone here is saying all machines are equal or that it’s not worth upgrading, only that the chances of user error is much higher than machine fault.

I loved my domestic machine but it just wasn’t cut out for doing anything like my ‘industrial’ machines. I’d find it difficult to use a domestic now that I run Pfaff and Sewmaq.

Buying a Bernina or similar high end machine is never a bad investment. I really wanted to buy a portable industrial machine but it was far cheaper and easier to use real-estate and have a table-mounted one.

Also re: bobbin wrong way round, I always say “number 9” to myself as I put them in, even now.

I always say “number 9” to myself as I put them in, even now.

Wait are you saying I've always had them backwards? Decidedly not a 9.

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Don't panic that's the same way as mine.

Hi sewers, hope this is an okay place to ask this -- would anybody here be up for making a reasonably simple zipped coin/card purse for a Christmas gift for someone? Looking for something made of that nice durable canvas you seem to get on most handmade bike bags (not sure what it's called), maybe with a separator of some sort inside to keep cards together. Oranges, yellows, greens and/or pinks preferred but really anything considered. Please DM me if you're up for it! Cheers