I have recently been approached by a few people asking if I knew anywhere that sells cheap sewing machines. I can’t help but ask what they mean by ‘cheap’. As you know, everybody has their own idea of the term ‘cheap’. An amount that is considered cheap to one, may be thought of as expensive to another.
The best beginner sewing machine, in our opinion, would be a sewing machine that is not overly complicated. By that I mean a sewing machine that doesn’t necessarily have hundreds of bells and whistles. Like the Brother FS100WT for example. – A Free Motion Embroidery/Sewing and Quilting Machine.
In a nutshell, an overlocker is a sewing machine that stitches with either 3, 4 or 5 threads at the same time. They are mainly used to join seams, trim off the excess fabric and stop the cut edges from fraying all in one simple operation.
Pictured to the right is a Toyota SL3335 Overlocker
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To be honest, personally, I love my sewing machine. I don’t mind the odd bit of sewing by hand, but it’s definitely a case of the less the better. Maybe it’s because I’m not very quick at hand sewing, or because I have an awful habit of jabbing myself with the needle.
Obviously there are some things that need sewing by hand like hemming trousers and skirts. Unless that is, you happen to have a Blind Hemming Machine. That would be a subject for another time though.
Learning how to sew with a sewing machine (a standard one), is relatively easy. The vast majority of things can be made this way,and it really isn’t all that complicate.
Some of these are obvious, some maybe not so much. The first thing is that the most common stitch by far, is the straight stitch. This type of stitch is used on literally everything made through the craft of sewing.
The second most common stitch, would be the zigzag stitch. For example, around the edge of the faithful old buttonhole, look closely, and you will see a compact form of zigzag stitch. They also appear in combination with the straight stitch, to create the Overlocker stitch
When you want to learn how to sew, it may seem rather daunting. Fear not though, it’s really not all that complicated. Just take a look at any of the fabric items around you. I can pretty much guarantee that they will be made up of just two things – Seams and Hems.
These are were two (or more) pieces of fabric join together.
These are found at the edges and formed by folding and stitching the fabric in place, to form a neat edge.
So there you are. Putting those few things together gets you well on your way in your quest to learn how to sew.
Here at We’re in stitches, to help you further along your way, we have put together some easy sewing projects. They will show you step by step how to sew a range of soft-furnishings including pillow cases, cushion covers and curtains. So be sure to check them out!
Washing symbols, or Laundry symbols as they are also known, are pictograms found on tags attached to almost every item made of fabric. Clothing, curtains, cushion covers and bedding all have these labels. Even leather items like jackets and trousers carry these laundry symbols. Possible exceptions would be things like bags or shoes. These washing symbols are there to show you the best way to handle the laundry process for that particular item.
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Well, that would depend on where you live.
Washing symbols vary in different regions of the world. In this section we’ll concentrate on those used in the UK and Europe.
In the UK and Europe there are five different types of laundry symbol used. The basic shapes of these are shown above. However, each symbol has a different version depending on the laundry process required for that peticular item.
The list below contains the most common washing symbols found, along with a breif discription of their meaning.
This washing symbol means the item is machine washable.
Machine washable ~ Maximum wash temperature 40 degrees centigrade. (may be higher or lower than 40°c.)
1 bar below – Machine washable ~ Wash on a synthetic cycle.
2 bars below – Machine washable ~ Requires delicate wash cycle.
Item should be Hand Washed at a warm temperature.
Not to be washed with water.(requires Dry-cleaning).
The use of bleach in the wash is acceptable.
The use of chlorine bleach is acceptable.
DO NOT use bleach.
Items showing this symbol can be tumble dried.
Tumble dry on a Low heat setting only.
Tumble dry on a Medium heat setting only.
DO NOT tumble dry items with this symbol.
Drip drying is recommended for this item.
Item requires Line drying or Hanging.
For items with this laundry symbol it is recommended that you lay them flat to dry.
1 dot – Cool Iron. (upto 110°c) – Generally used for acrylics, acetates and nylons.
2 dots – Warm Iron. (upto 150°c) – Generally used for polyester mixes, and wool.
3 dots – Hot Iron. (upto 200°c) – Generally used for linens and cottons.
DO NOT Iron items with this symbol. Ironing may cause serious damage to the fabric. E.g. Melt it!
Item is suitable for Dry-Cleaning.
The ‘A’ symbol indicates that Any solvent may be used during the dry-cleaning process.
An ‘F’ indicates that solvents R113 & Hydrocarbon should be used for dry cleaning.
The ‘P’ indicates that any solvent except trichloroethylene may be used.
DO NOT Dry-clean items with this symbol. The solvents used during the dry claening process may cause damage to the fabric.
(Please skip this step if there is an existing pole or track you intend to use.)
First we need to measure the inside width of the window recess. (Measure A)
Next, decide how far your curtains will over-hang the wall, each side of the window. This would normally be around 20cm (8 inches) each side and enables the curtains to open wider, allowing more daylight to enter the room. (Measure B)
Now add A + B + B. This will give us the length of the track or pole needed (C), excluding finals.
(If you skipped step 1, measure your track/pole (excluding finals), this will give you measurement (C).)
When you measure for curtains width, it is important to consider the ‘gather’.
To have curtains with a medium gather when closed, we take our track/pole measurement (C), multiply it by 1.5 then divide by 2. The result is the required width of Each curtain.
For curtains with full/normal gather when closed, measurement C would be the required width of Each curtain.
If you desire a heavy gather, multiply measurement C by 2.5 then divide by 2. Again, the result is the required width of Each curtain.
Ok, we’ve now established the width of our curtains. Here’s how we work out the length.
Before we can measure for curtains length, we need to decide whether our curtains will fall to the sill, below the sill or to the floor.
– Sill length curtains usually finish 1/2 inch (1.25cm) above the sill.
– Curtains that fall below the sill usually finish 15cm (6 inches) below. This, of course, can be adjusted for personal preference.
– For floor length curtains you should allow 1 inch (2.5cm) clearance to avoid dragging.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Now, with your track/pole fitted 6-8 inches (15-20cm) above the window recess, measure from the top edge of the track/pole to your chosen finished length.
Sit down and relax with your favourite beverage!
Well… maybe you could put away your step ladder and tape first… I’ll leave that up to you.
When you measure for curtains, and intend to buy ready made curtains, there are a few things to consider.
Here is a list of the more common sizes available. The first number given is always the width. So curtains that are 117x137cm would have a width of 117cm, and a length of 137cm. Please remember when buying ready made curtains, the sizes given are approximate.
Standard Ready Made Curtain Sizes:
