Misc Basic sewing preps

[bluelady]

We're moving to a very small house, but I've been able to claim a tiny bedroom for my office/sewing room/guest room. Having to destash a lot of excess, but also making sure I have all the basics covered. I've been sewing my whole life so it's not like I'm clueless, but thinking through what I have room to keep/still need to get. Forgive me if there is already a list as I searched but couldn't find one.

*Fabric: have more than I can sew in a lifetime, so not a problem there! Getting rid of most polyester as dh and I both hate wearing/using it. It's going in tubs in the closet. And under the bed. And...

*Thread: have a wide range of regular spools of different colors. In reality I end up using mainly white and navy blue in any large amount; have some cone spools for my serger. They also have bulk spools; I'm sure they're cheaper than lots of regular spools for white/navy/maybe black. I've had very old thread break; because it was old, or because it was probably cotton? I love natural fiber, but will the poly or cotton/poly store better? (BTW, I saw a genius idea for using the larger spools on a regular machine: put the cone/spool in a cup so it can spin, run the thread through the holes of a round bobbin and put that on the pin that usually holds a spool so it feeds properly, then thread as usual.) Have a spool of clear & one of heavy weight (plus lots of dental floss).

*Needles: have a bazillion hand needles and have never had one break anyway. Machine needles: I've been buying Schmetz because they come in those cute little holders and have a consistent color coding. Have plenty of ball point, I rarely sew on knits anymore. Universal: mostly 12-14-16, some 10 & 18. They do come in bulk, but I never have that kind of money at once; have just been buying a pack when I go to Walmart for something else (which isn't often...LOL!)

*Notions: Long & short straight pins (could maybe get some more as they do bend & get lost); lots of safety pins; measuring tape; snaps, grommets & tool; good scissors & sharpener; rotary cutter & pack of replacement blades; cutting mat & ruler; gauge ruler; cardboard cutting thing that folds out; seam rippers; velcro; huge jar of buttons plus more in a box; beeswax; assorted patterns for basic garments in all sizes; rolls of paper for making patterns; sewing machine oil. Have some elastic, need to get more but it does go bad eventually. Thinking that drawstrings would work if no elastic. Have some other odds & ends but I consider these the basics.

*Machines: I have 4 Singers! A newer electronic, a 99 electric portable from the 50's that was my mom's, a 27 treadle from 1900 or so that was my grandma's, and a serger. I plan to get a hand crank for the 99, attachments and an extra belt for the 27, (the attachments would work on the 99 also), and get them both in good running order. I've sewed on a treadle that had all the attachments and found it could do all that my electronic does and more, so I may get rid of it when the older ones are in shape. Maybe even the serger; it's great but I haven't used it in forever, and space is a huge issue.

That's all I can think of now; my stuff is in a bin while I paint the room so going from memory. Input for anything I've forgotten/tips for storing, etc.?

Adding: maybe replacement zippers/pockets/patches for pants; dh is hard on his clothes. I never put zippers in my own clothing; I take them out when I can! Oh, and I need a zipper repair kit...the little tabs for separating zippers, pull tabs, etc.

 

[kyrsyan]

Thread and fabric are the worst to store. Even if never used they will degrade. Everything holds up pretty well. As far as machines, all of mine are older ones. Really older ones. I tried newer ones and had them break on denim and upholstery materials so they went back.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Thread and fabric are the worst to store. Even if never used they will degrade. Everything holds up pretty well. As far as machines, all of mine are older ones. Really older ones. I tried newer ones and had them break on denim and upholstery materials so they went back.

Ages ago I picked up a cast iron treadle. The Amish store supplied an adjustable pulley. Grid down I still have a working machine. Need more bobbins, thread, material and notions. Worst case I make over saved clothing that has been put by.

 

[kyrsyan]

I will eventually get a treadle machine. One of my machines will convert to treadle easily. It's a Singer 915. And the other can probably be easily converted by the local amish. IIRC, from the last time I searched, it just needs a different exterior wheel put on it and then it will connect by belt.

I used to have a big stash of thread but came to regret it when most of it got too old and started breaking continually. So now I tend to keep a smaller stash based on the projects I'm working on. I don't throw out what isn't used, it goes in thread storage bins and that is where I look first when I start a new project.

I'm already having fun making new garments out of old ones. I did one sturdy knit skirt from the pants that had worn through. Then a "pretty" one from a yellow gauze skirt that wasn't long enough for my preference. Now I'm working on another knit one with a bit more "pretty" to it because of the way the panels were cut. All the material is from older clothes that were no longer wearable for one reason or another. The next one will use denim from an old bedskirt. Mainly because I need another sturdy one. I hoping to get 7 or 8 "every day" skirts done and another 2 or 3 "pretty" ones. And then some for winter that are fleece because my house gets really cold sometimes. They are all ankle/floor length as that is really how long I like them. And because I made them, I know that they will hold up for years. And then I'll probably work on comfortable tops to "match" them. In between all the other projects. But I have to admit, the first 3 are all hand sewn because I didn't want to unbury the sewing machines. It was surprising how quickly I got back into being able to do tiny regular stitches. And how quickly I can get a piece done. It's not taking that much longer than machine sewn. I think because it's knit and I've always had problems with the machines and knits.

 

[Barb]

Maybe some heavy duty sewing machine needles. I would really love to have one of the new Janome treadle machines.

 

[summerthyme]

About the only thing I didn't see on your list was interfacing. And while "structured" or tailored clothes aren't common these days (at least not for home sewing), many items require some interfacing to hold up or to hang right.

I bought basic patterns (everything from men's boxers to t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans... basic every day clothing we'd need if stores suddenly weren't stocked). I bought them for $1 each when JoAnnes used to have a sale, and bought one of every size (or several multi-size patterns of the same item)

Then I ironed them onto fusible interfacing. That gives me reusable, nearly indestructible patterns.

*Definitely* you want some zipper repair parts, and probably zippers for things like jackets and jeans. I suppose we could go to button flies on pants if necessary, but I prefer zippers.

They sell sharpeners for rotary cutter blades. I do a lot of quilting, and it's a real money saver to sharpen a blade rather than tossing it and using a new one. They can't be sharpened indefinitely, but unless you run over a pin and nick a blade edge, they can be redone several times.

On thread, I haven't had problems with it lasting. I keep it in closed plastic containers, away from direct sunlight. For really nice quality thread (and great prices, especially if you get on their mailing list and then wait for them to have a 40% off sale, which they do several times a year), try www.connectingthreads.com. They have both cotton and poly, in large cones and small spools.

My "go to" colors are black, white, ecru, dark gray and navy blue. I have spools for my serger in all those, and probably 90% of projects are just fine with one of them.

Summerthyme

 

[bluelady]

I will eventually get a treadle machine. One of my machines will convert to treadle easily. It's a Singer 915. And the other can probably be easily converted by the local amish. IIRC, from the last time I searched, it just needs a different exterior wheel put on it and then it will connect by belt.

I used to have a big stash of thread but came to regret it when most of it got too old and started breaking continually. So now I tend to keep a smaller stash based on the projects I'm working on. I don't throw out what isn't used, it goes in thread storage bins and that is where I look first when I start a new project.

I'm already having fun making new garments out of old ones. I did one sturdy knit skirt from the pants that had worn through. Then a "pretty" one from a yellow gauze skirt that wasn't long enough for my preference. Now I'm working on another knit one with a bit more "pretty" to it because of the way the panels were cut. All the material is from older clothes that were no longer wearable for one reason or another. The next one will use denim from an old bedskirt. Mainly because I need another sturdy one. I hoping to get 7 or 8 "every day" skirts done and another 2 or 3 "pretty" ones. And then some for winter that are fleece because my house gets really cold sometimes. They are all ankle/floor length as that is really how long I like them. And because I made them, I know that they will hold up for years. And then I'll probably work on comfortable tops to "match" them. In between all the other projects. But I have to admit, the first 3 are all hand sewn because I didn't want to unbury the sewing machines. It was surprising how quickly I got back into being able to do tiny regular stitches. And how quickly I can get a piece done. It's not taking that much longer than machine sewn. I think because it's knit and I've always had problems with the machines and knits.

Oh, I envy you being good at hand sewing...I can do it, but I don't enjoy it and it's not fast or even. At all. I remember in the Little House books how their stitches had to be perfect, Mary could do it when blind. Wow.

I too wear long skirts; until recently have been wearing dresses but have lost enough weight I finally have a hint of a waist so can wear skirts again. Simple dresses aren't hard, but skirts are even easier and I like your creative ideas. Would love to see pics!

 

[bluelady]

Summerthyme, I don't use interfacing for my shapeless dresses but I do for crafts and such so should get more, in different weights; it's good for all kinds of things. I've copied my favorite patterns onto butcher paper which holds up fine as long as I don't go crazy with pinning.

The link is connectingthreads.com with an s. I'll have to be careful there...they're having sales!...and nice fabric which I do NOT need...LOL!

Do you buy cotton or poly thread? I'm not sure that my cotton/poly has gotten old, I suspect it was the older stuff which was probably cotton. And I don't know if one or the other is stronger or holds up better in garments. I do know that the stuff in the cheap bins is horrible...it shreds up in the needle.

 

[summerthyme]

Oh, I'm sorry about the link! Darn it, I should have checked.

yes, they have GREAT sales, and (shhhhh... I can't buy another yard of fabric, probably in this lifetime!) the quality of their fabric is superb. In fact, it was finding that company that got me back into quilting again... I was so disgusted by either the cheapie stuff available at WalMart- or the insane prices for decent quilt cottons, that I hadn't indulged in that passion in years.

What I LOVE about Connectingthreads.com is that all their "precuts" (cut in strips or fat quarters or "charm" squares, etc) are *exactly the same price per yard* as their yard goods! Compare that to ANYwhere else that sells precuts.

I use cotton thread when quilting, and polyester mostly for my serger when sewing clothing. I do a lot of sewing on PolarFleece and other quality knits, and the poly seems appropriate for that. I suspect poly probably lasts without breaking down a lot longer, but you know- I'm not actually sure. I think I'll dig around the 'net and see if I can find something authoritative that makes sense.

Connecting Threads has wonderful thread storage cases for around $10. They hold a lot of spools, and keep them dust free (and away from any potential insect or rodent issues). Oh, they're on sale right now... http://www.connectingthreads.com/Tools/Double-Sided_Multi-Craft_Carrier__D82068.HTML

I'm going to dig around and see what the latest is on cotton vs poly. I'll post anything I find.

Summerthyme

 

[bluelady]

I had never really thought about how I store thread. In the past I've had it in a drawer, so I don't think exposure was a factor in it getting old. But now I have a really nice wooden thread shelf that hangs on the wall...saves space and looks soooo pretty, I actually put my thread in rainbow order...LOL! Maybe that's not such a good idea. Though the cones, and larger spools like Connecting Threads sells (so cheap; yay!), don't fit there anyway, so they are put away; I won't buy any more of the small ones. (Funny, what we consider small now...the 300 yard ones...used to be large. Years ago the spools were about 1", don't remember how many yards on them but I had to buy several for a dress as I remember.)

I have an antique oak spool cabinet, but it's full of other stuff, no thread!

 

[kyrsyan]

Oh, I envy you being good at hand sewing...I can do it, but I don't enjoy it and it's not fast or even. At all. I remember in the Little House books how their stitches had to be perfect, Mary could do it when blind. Wow.

I too wear long skirts; until recently have been wearing dresses but have lost enough weight I finally have a hint of a waist so can wear skirts again. Simple dresses aren't hard, but skirts are even easier and I like your creative ideas. Would love to see pics!

I didn't use to be good at hand sewing. But nowadays, with so much stress, sitting down to sew by hand is relaxing. Simple repetitive motion that requires enough concentration to let me shut out other thoughts but not too much when my brain is fried.

I gave up wearing long skirts when my son was young. He would hide under them. And he had/has no understanding of what was appropriate so I had to switch to pants for both mental and physical comfort. Now he's taller than me so hiding under long skirts isn't something he can pull anymore.

The first knit was was super simple. I just took several pairs of pants that I liked but were too damage in one area or another to wear. I measured down from the waistband 12" and cut the legs off. That left me with a completely sewn waistband/yoke to work with. Then I took the legs and cut long rectangular panels out of the undamaged sections. Next I stitched all of them together. When there were enough to stitch to the yoke with just a tiny bit of gathering, I did so. That skirt is entire of knit and is so incredibly comfy even if it looks boxy. That was the first one and the experiment. Oh, and I matched the bottoms up when stitching rather than the tops. That way I didn't have to sew a hemline. If it had been too long I would have just taken it up where I stitched it to the yoke.

The second one, I started with a layered cotton gauze skirt. I cut the waistband off of it and ended up cutting off the top two layers as well. They were only about 4" wide and when added to the yoke it fell too far. So the top two layers off. Then it turned out that the built in slip had a lot more gathering in it that it appeared. So I cut enough off of it. Then I pinned everything to the base of the yoke. Two rows of stitching around and I had another one done. That one is more delicate so I save it for nice days. And it falls exactly to the ground. Well, it did until I lost some weight. Now I may have to go do another 1/4" to 1/2" of stitching where it joins the yoke. Again, I didn't mess with the already existing hemline on the yellow gauze, so I didn't have to do it again.

The third one, I played with a variation on one of my favorite dresses. I laid it out and created a pattern from the waist down. Then I shortened it by the length of the yoke. The ends of the pieces curl like flower petals. (I think the design is called a swirl skirt.) That was from a chunk of scrap green knit that I found at the thrift store. I did 8 "petals" carefully stitching to make sure that it would fit the yoke exactly. It does. Now I'm stitching the petals and the yoke together. Then it will get washed and hung a dozen times or so. That way the fabric gets all the stretching and kinks worked out. Then I'll have a friend mark the hem and I'll get it hemmed. Again this one will be ankle or floor length. Probably about a 1/4" above the floor. There are also denim scraps to make a couple more of these out of. I just need to find some more pieces to work with what I already have. I should end up with one out of lightweight denim and another out of heavy denim. Pretty by the design but sturdy enough to handle most days' workloads. (Each petal takes about 3/4 yard of fabric because of the spiraling.)

The one not started is a lot like the first. I'm taking a denim bedskirt and working with it. Although, since it's not already hemmed, I may do it as horizontal layers rather than the vertical piecing. Actually, now that my brain is thinking about that, that may actually be what happens. If I do it that way, the bottom hem of the bedskirt can be the bottom hem of the skirt. Yup, I definitely like that idea. (Can you tell that I hate doing hems?)

 

[summerthyme]

I don't know if you have pets, but if so (and even if not!) be careful making a skirt or petticoat out of fleece. It's wonderfully warm, but is an absolute magnet for pet hair (or human hair or almost anything else)

Maybe you keep house like my Mom, in which case, no problem! Around here... let's just say, a long skirt would probably do more "sweeping" than I manage! And with 4 long haired dogs in and out of the house... nope, not happening.

Of course, I work with cattle, horses and machinery. A skirt simply isn't practical. I DO love my fleece or flannel lined jeans, though!

On hand sewing... I haven't ever done much in terms of actual seams, but I've sewn a few miles of "invisible" hems, for garments and quilts. I remember when I was 9 or 10, and (procrastinating as always!) I was furiously hemming a skirt in the car on the way to 4-H Dress Revue. My Mom was furious with me for putting it off, but she flat out didn't believe it when she saw the nearly invisible, perfectly spaced stitches. For whatever reason, I've always been able to do that easily.

Lately, with a disk out in my neck, my hands are half numb more often than not. I'm grateful for my machines (and yes, I have a treadle, although I don't use it now), because I'd be in real trouble if I needed to do much hand sewing. You can't hold a needle if you can't feel it!

Summerthyme

 

[kyrsyan]

I don't know if you have pets, but if so (and even if not!) be careful making a skirt or petticoat out of fleece. It's wonderfully warm, but is an absolute magnet for pet hair (or human hair or almost anything else)

Maybe you keep house like my Mom, in which case, no problem! Around here... let's just say, a long skirt would probably do more "sweeping" than I manage! And with 4 long haired dogs in and out of the house... nope, not happening.

Of course, I work with cattle, horses and machinery. A skirt simply isn't practical. I DO love my fleece or flannel lined jeans, though!

On hand sewing... I haven't ever done much in terms of actual seams, but I've sewn a few miles of "invisible" hems, for garments and quilts. I remember when I was 9 or 10, and (procrastinating as always!) I was furiously hemming a skirt in the car on the way to 4-H Dress Revue. My Mom was furious with me for putting it off, but she flat out didn't believe it when she saw the nearly invisible, perfectly spaced stitches. For whatever reason, I've always been able to do that easily.

Lately, with a disk out in my neck, my hands are half numb more often than not. I'm grateful for my machines (and yes, I have a treadle, although I don't use it now), because I'd be in real trouble if I needed to do much hand sewing. You can't hold a needle if you can't feel it!

Summerthyme

I have pets. One long haired cat and one short haired lab. Yes I expect the pet hair. I'll be using dark fleece. And most of those will be for in the house.

I'm still keeping pants around. They have their uses. Try climbing one of those flimsy pool ladders in a skirt just one time and you'll appreciate pants even more. I just have a fondness for skirts. And the "work" skirts will be ankle length for the most part. That way if I wear them in the garden or for other projects they won't do a lot of sweeping. And then my pants can last for a bit longer since the ones I prefer are becoming more difficult to find.

Sorry to hear about the disc. That can be a pain in the you know what. I have two in my lower back that like to cause problems. And the nerve in my neck occasionally likes to get pinched. So yeah, it can indeed cause havoc if you want to be sewing. Here's hoping that it will settle down soon and stop giving you so many issues.

 

[ginnie6]

if you use a rotary cutter then extra blades. What about a way to sharpen scissors? Extra needles are always good. At some point when the kids are all grown I will travel with dh. I will have to downsize from an 11x14 room to a small space in a camper....already trying to think of must haves. My treadle is one must have. Then to choose between the White or the Davis.....

 

[ioujc]

As far as polyester fabrics, I also can't tolerate the "feel" of them!

However, they make great quilting material. i have taken a lot of old clothing that's poly and cut it up and pieced together to make very thick quilts.....double layer the material and make the insides with old blankets...wool is best, but anything works. I don't use them for quilts so much as I do for tarp kinda things....for example, I have rabbits. During the coldest, wettest part of winter, I cover the sides of the pens with tarps and the front I cover with these polyester "quilts." They work really well to keep out the snow and cold. Sometimes I cover them with a tarp also, but often, just the quilt. My bunnies have always stayed nice and comfy with this arrangement. For better protection, cover the sides of the cages under the tarp with a poly blanket too!!

Also, no home is complete without a "Rag Bag." I save all the old t-shirts, underwear, jeans, everything, in my rag bag. Then, I always have rags to use to mark trot lines. wash rags for really dirty jobs, any and everything I need. It is something i grew up with in my family, I just don't think many people do it any more.

 

[kyrsyan]

As far as polyester fabrics, I also can't tolerate the "feel" of them!

However, they make great quilting material. i have taken a lot of old clothing that's poly and cut it up and pieced together to make very thick quilts.....double layer the material and make the insides with old blankets...wool is best, but anything works. I don't use them for quilts so much as I do for tarp kinda things....for example, I have rabbits. During the coldest, wettest part of winter, I cover the sides of the pens with tarps and the front I cover with these polyester "quilts." They work really well to keep out the snow and cold. Sometimes I cover them with a tarp also, but often, just the quilt. My bunnies have always stayed nice and comfy with this arrangement. For better protection, cover the sides of the cages under the tarp with a poly blanket too!!

Also, no home is complete without a "Rag Bag." I save all the old t-shirts, underwear, jeans, everything, in my rag bag. Then, I always have rags to use to mark trot lines. wash rags for really dirty jobs, any and everything I need. It is something i grew up with in my family, I just don't think many people do it any more.

I like the poly quilt idea. But I'll use it for the dog and cat.

I had a rag bag. The problem was it was always missing when I needed them. So now I take the rags, except for socks, cut them to paper towel size and serger them. If you want to get fancy, put snaps on them, and roll them on a piece of PVC. They are always handy when I need a rag and if the job is ultra gross they can go in the trash.

 

[summerthyme]

For those who think they hate polyester, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! The new (not cheap) "wicking" polys are amazing... as are the GOOD (not Walmart grade) fleece fabrics. Malden Mills activewear fabrics are unbelievably comfortable- I bought a bolt of "silk weight" wicking "fleece" (it's actually more like lingerie fabric) in black, and it makes incredible sleepwear, long underwear, turtlenecks (My go-to "first layer" in our cold winters)

Back to thread. I finally got a chance to look around a little. It appears that thread quality has changed in the past 30 years or so (big surprise, huh?) and while you'll still get a lot of websites (including "official" ones from "experts") saying to never use poly thread on cotton fabric, etc, it now appears that the consensus is that you should purchase quality thread (not the "5 for $1 spools" or the "$1 each cones"!). Polyester DOES stretch a bit more than cotton.

The biggest issue for those of us preppers is long term storage. Fine sewing thread is one of the few things I *really* don't want to have to try to replicate if TSHTF! Essentially, the environment is the biggest factor. Stored in the dark (or at least out of direct sunlight), in relatively cool temps and *not* extremely dry, it will last for many years.

Here's a weblink: http://sewsitall.blogspot.com/2009/12/when-good-thread-goes-bad.html

Rag bags- how does anyone get along without them? When I'm doing laundry, if I find an item that is no longer worth mending, I set it aside. Once everything else is folded, I get my good scissors out and start trimming. Buttons go into the button box. Cuffs, collars, zippers (or rivets on jeans) are cut out and thrown away. Then I cut sleeves open, and depending on the size of the garment, I may cut the front and back pieces into halves.

They get put into a mesh laundry bag in the back of our closet. Once the bag is getting over full, I transfer most of them to a cardboard "rag box" in our machine shed.

I don't hem or serge them, and we do wash and rewash the "good" ones (but burn the ones which were used on "gross" stuff or are caked with grease and oil), but they seem to hold up without any significant ravelling for a long time.

Summerthyme

 

[bluelady]

Rag bag...mine is a rag barrel! And I too cut off all the useful bits.

Good link, Summerthyme; thanks! I found out the hard way about those bins of cheap thread; threw all of it away!

I love the idea of using synthetics for outdoors; that would be great to insulate the chicken coop (when we get one. )

A couple more items I thought of that I use frequently:

magnetic pin holder, which not only keeps the pins from getting knocked to the floor, but when they do fall (because you have to actually put them in there ) it's easy to pick them up. I have a pincushion for a few hand needles.

pinking shears

duplicates of things used most often, both for sewing kits (travel etc.) and for having where you will use them; for example I have a seam ripper in my crochet basket by my chair in the living room so I can rip while I talk.

long knitting needles (I crochet only) for turning things and poking out corners.

thimbles

 

[Barb]

I have a set of darning eggs which don't get used much but are nice to have.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I have some strong white quilting thread but want to get some German sewing thread. The German brands I've come across in the Amish dry goods stores are stronger and heavier than the standard stuff I've seen sold in the American chain craft and fabric stores. It is easy to test the thread. A woman who helped taught me how to put quilts together told me to test if by seeing if I could break the thread by giving it a good yank with my hands. If it parts find pass on that and find stronger thread.

 

[nomifyle]

speaking of zipper repair kits, my favorite sweatshirt has the kind of zipper that opens at the bottom and it is broken, any way to repair that with out replacing the zipper?

TIA

Judy

 

[Bensam]

Do you ladies know the best place to buy the old bobbins (the ones that look like dumbbells) for the older Singer machines?

 

[nomifyle]

Do you ladies know the best place to buy the old bobbins (the ones that look like dumbbells) for the older Singer machines?

Have you tried Ebay?

Judy

 

[WildDaisy]

Don't forget some Zorb, Flannel and PUL fabric. If you ladies still get your monthly, or have small babies, you will need to have a stash to make feminine pads or cloth diapers.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Anyone know where to get the soft, thick old fashion diapers? They made really great dust cloths after the kids grew out of them. The new ones for sale at the box stores are thin rougher fabric. To use the things they would probably have to be doubled up to be effective.

 

[summerthyme]

OGM... I really don't think they exist anymore. And given some of the new fabrics (Bethshaya mentioned them in the post above yours), I'm not sure that's really a bad thing.

Even my Amish neighbor ladies make feminine pads and diapers from PUL, fleece, etc rather than the old fashioned cotton.

Summerthyme

 

[summerthyme]

speaking of zipper repair kits, my favorite sweatshirt has the kind of zipper that opens at the bottom and it is broken, any way to repair that with out replacing the zipper?
I
TIA

Judy

How is it broken? There may be a way, or not. Need more details.

A couple of things came to mind while rereading this thread. Kyrsyan said that fabric and thread will break down in storage. ALWAYS prewash your fabrics before storing them... much of the reason they discolor or break down is due to the various chemical surface treatments they apply during manufacture. Preaching makes a huge difference in how well it will store.

I can't live without my rotary cutter! But blades are expensive! I have a hand operated sharpener for them which does work fairly well, but I splurged on an electric sharpener a couple of years ago, and it was worth every penny. It took a bit of a learning curve, but not bad, and now I never have to struggle with a blade that is skipping a couple of threads every few inches, or worry that I'm running low on blades and don't have the cash to buy a new pack. I probably should put a couple ads at local Amish fabric shops and see if I can make a little money sharpening them for others.

I'm starting a new baby quilt this morning... our youngest son's wife is expecting their first in May, and we're excited. I love making a classic quilt pattern for baby quilts, rather than "cute" baby-only stuff. I'll have to post a couple of pics of the ones I made for my daughter's babies... I liked how they turned out. I'm still not sure what pattern I'm using for this one... I've narrowed it down to four choices, and I think I'll drag a bunch of fabric out and let it tell me what it wants to be!

Summerthyme

 

[Old Gray Mare]

OGM... I really don't think they exist anymore. And given some of the new fabrics (Bethshaya mentioned them in the post above yours), I'm not sure that's really a bad thing.

Even my Amish neighbor ladies make feminine pads and diapers from PUL, fleece, etc rather than the old fashioned cotton.

Summerthyme

Thank you Summer.

 

[anna43]

Does anyone know if you can still buy darning thread? I've been using embroidery floss to darn socks because you can easily match the number of threads to each sock. Old light bulbs make good darning eggs.

I have a 1930ish Franklin (Sears) treadle machine in a very nice cabinet that doesn't work. Its a long bobbin machine and I really don't like long bobbins. I'd dearly love to put a new Janome treadle into that cabinet.

Recently I did a pattern purge. I kept only basic patterns for simple clothing. Due to the very good thrift shops in our area, I think I could probably go the rest of my life without buying clothing except for under garments and socks (which I keep in my stash). For instance, I recently got 4 brand new sweatshirts for a total of $5.25. I like long flannel nightgowns and have not seen a decent one in a store or thrift shop for years so I keep fabric and patterns for those in my stash. For clothing, I kept a pattern that has skirt, tops, slacks and jacket all in one pattern with multiple sizes on the pattern. I also kept an old slacks/shorts pattern that has no zipper or elastic. It has a placket in the side pocket and fastens at the waist with a button -- after losing a button one time at work, I now put two buttons on the waist!

I store all my sewing findings in plastic shoe boxes inside a closet. No dust, no mice and no fading. I agree that elastic does not store indefinitely. My solution is to buy some (Hobby Lobby 50% off) every year or so and then check and weed out any that has died. Easy to tell when its dead! Buttons are in glass jars and tins. Needles are easy to store and don't take up much space so I store a lot of all sizes for the machine. I keep a heavy plastic container that diabetic test strips came in to put needles and pins I'm throwing away in to prevent getting stuck with them in the trash.

When Hobby Lobby has their Sewology findings 50% off, I stock up. This includes rotary cutter blades.

The only thing I don't think I've seen someone mention stocking is thimbles. I learned to sew with one and can hardly thread a needle without one. I currently need to buy an extra or two as I'm down to one. Which reminds me, needle threaders are also a good item to have several of on-hand.

 

[summerthyme]

In looking, I found that what they are calling "sock darning yarn" is pretty well what I've been using all along... a wool blend (blended with a poly for strength) 2 ply yarn...

http://yarnatwebsters.com/store/reg...ogleshopping&gclid=CJHNyIG4ktACFVM2gQodbzUPBA

The only socks I bother to darn would be the good quality wool ones, so that works best for me.

On the patterns... when we did our major clean/sort/organize of our upstairs rooms, I tossed a TON of old patterns. Dress patterns from the 80's just aren't anything I'll use again. Starting in the late '90's, I really only bought basics... although that does include a few classic princess line dresses, classic skirts, as well as shirts and jeans for both men and women, plus basic items for youngsters from infancy to when they grow into adult sizes. A few years back, I spent a lot of time ironing interfacing onto the various sizes of some real basic patterns- t-shirts, sweatshirts, boxers, sweat pants, etc.

I generally wear silk knit nightshirts for bedwear, and have enough silk jersey to last me the rest of my life- thankfully, because if you can even find it, it's insanely expensive! The "silk weight" poly wicking knits from the top line manufacturers (Malden Mills, for example) is close, but just isn't the same, especially if you are of a certain age and still struggle with occasional night sweats.

We don't have decent thrift shops in our area, not like where my kids live (a much more affluent area)... they can find things like vintage Levis' jeans in top condition for a couple bucks, and DS has a cashmere men's overcoat that was originally around $800 new he got for $15! Here, most people are poor, and I'm guessing any "good stuff" gets snapped up *fast*. Since I rarely go to town, and dislike shopping aside from filling my list, thrift shopping just doesn't work for me.

I've got a list of fall sewing to do- a couple silk jersey turtlenecks for me for base layers in our cold weather. Hubby has worn our his wicking turtlenecks he wears, and my stash (which has kept us going for over 15 years) is getting pretty bare. I've got a good pattern, and an entire bolt of silkweight wicking fleece, as well as several bolts of heavier weights, so I'll get an assembly line going and make him half a dozen or so.

But first, since my DDIL is having a baby in May, I'm getting the baby quilt made! I spent the last several days looking through my (ridiculously large- man, I LOVE the used books available online!) library of quilt books and patterns, and found one I just had to make. It's a 3-D block in a honeycomb pattern, and since they and I keep bees (and just spent a day harvesting my honey last weekend together), it's the perfect choice. I dug into my stash for a couple hours today, needing to find 3 shades (Light, medium and dark) of 5 different colors plus the background, and got all the basic strips cut out before my neck and shoulders told me it was time for a break. After we get the evening chores done, I'll get back to it, and hopefully will get the strip sets sewn together, and maybe some of the pieces cut out. It's one of those patterns which looks extremely complex, and is... but isn't really difficult as long as you stay organized.

I'll have to dig up the photos I've got of the quilts I made for the two previous grandsons.. one of them was a simpler version of the 3D blocks, and I think it really turned out well.

Anyway, lots of fun, but because of the world situation, I think I'm going to grab a few bucks from my emergency fund and buy some PUL fabric so I'll be set to make reusable diapers, if things get bad enough they're needed.

On thimbles... I never did learn to really wear the hard ones that fit over the tip of your finger, but I must wear one while quilting. I found the deerskin ones which slide over the finger, and have a sort of textured "coin" in the tip, work well for me. Expensive, for what they are (and they do wear out), but I've got a couple of them, and leather which I could use to make more easily enough, using the old ones as a pattern.

Summerthyme

 

[SackLunch]

Refreshing Old Thread

I inherited some old thread on wooden spools. Some of it is very "dried out" and breaks easily. From what I've read online, the solution is to humidify it. There are various ways touted. Has anyone tried this?

 

[summerthyme]

No, but I'll be very interested in your results!

I think I would add a couple drops of some sort of anti fungal essential oil (tea tree, or maybe lavender) to the water you are going to use to "moisturize", because you really don't want mold to start getting hold on the thread.

I'm not sure "dryness" is really the reason for the weakness of the thread, but it would be great if that was all there is to it.

If I were going to try this, I'd probably put the thread spools on a cake rack in a container which can be sealed fairly tightly, dampen a clean sponge with water and a couple drops of tea tree oil, and seal it up for a day or two. Open it up to "breathe", and don't use so much water that you get condensation built up.

And please do let us know how it works!

Summerthyme

 

[SAPPHIRE]

Thanks for tip on thread.........I inherited a box of older wooden spool threads, but they're mostly silk......seem to be just fine for now......I BARELY SEW ON BUTTONS MUCH LESS CLOTHING...I have a seamstress neighbor who obliges..........a wonderful mobile talent for the ages!!

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I inherited some old thread on wooden spools. Some of it is very "dried out" and breaks easily. From what I've read online, the solution is to humidify it. There are various ways touted. Has anyone tried this?

If the thread is dry rotted I'd toss it and get new. Sewing is to much effort to have seams popping the first time a garment is worn.