You know those days when it seems like everything goes wrong? Yep, I had one of those days and it occured the first day I started working on my husband's smoking jacket. First, the pieces are so long it was pointless trying to use my cutting board. I didn't want to pull a Lucy Ricardo and cut a robe-shaped hole into my carpet, so I opted for cutting on my kitchen floor. So fine, I put on a movie and spend the next two hours wedged between my stove and refrigerator cutting out all the pieces. I figured it would be somewhat difficult sewing the velour, so I decided using my walking foot would be the best course. I attached it to my sewing machine and started to sew a test swatch. It went fine for a few seconds, then I heard a loud clanking a realized my walking foot had come apart. A spring had come loose in a very awkward place. It took me awhile to fix it, but eventually I got it to work again. More sewing on the test swatch, and another clanking. Twice more the walking foot broke, and I finally gave up and shoved the pieces back in the box.
Fine. I will just move on to overlocking the edges of the brocade with my serger. You just look at brocade and it starts to unravel, so I wanted to get this done quickly. I was serging happily, and suddenly my serger stopped. Nothing was jammed, and the light was still on so I knew it was still getting power, but the motor wouldn't go. It took some fiddling to realize that the cord was starting to come out of the pedal.
All the while, several hours had gone by and I felt like I hadn't accomplished much. Once the brocade pieces were all serged, I went down to a local craft store that sells presser feet and bought a new walking foot (in fact, one that seems to be much nicer than the one I previously used) and also a roller foot. I have never used a roller foot, but I read that they are good for bulky fabrics (like velour) and slippery fabrics (like brocade). I tried out my new walking foot briefly, and it seems to be good. But of course, my husband came home two hours early, so the sewing had to stop and quickly get thrown under a blanket.
Yesterday I had time to start sewing for real! I wasn't feeling confident about sewing the velour, so I started with the brocade pieces. I certainly won't win any prizes for my sewing, but I am pleased with it so far.
Fine. I will just move on to overlocking the edges of the brocade with my serger. You just look at brocade and it starts to unravel, so I wanted to get this done quickly. I was serging happily, and suddenly my serger stopped. Nothing was jammed, and the light was still on so I knew it was still getting power, but the motor wouldn't go. It took some fiddling to realize that the cord was starting to come out of the pedal.
All the while, several hours had gone by and I felt like I hadn't accomplished much. Once the brocade pieces were all serged, I went down to a local craft store that sells presser feet and bought a new walking foot (in fact, one that seems to be much nicer than the one I previously used) and also a roller foot. I have never used a roller foot, but I read that they are good for bulky fabrics (like velour) and slippery fabrics (like brocade). I tried out my new walking foot briefly, and it seems to be good. But of course, my husband came home two hours early, so the sewing had to stop and quickly get thrown under a blanket.
Yesterday I had time to start sewing for real! I wasn't feeling confident about sewing the velour, so I started with the brocade pieces. I certainly won't win any prizes for my sewing, but I am pleased with it so far.
Now, before you start laughing, let's keep in mind that my dress form is MUCH MUCH smaller than my tall, barrel-chested husband, and the brocade is the lining and NOT the main fabric. The only part of this that will show is a bit at the collar and cuffs. And speaking of cuffs, don't these sleeves look ridiculously long?? I love a good turn-back cuff, but really! There isn't a sneaky way to measure my husband's wingspan while he's asleep, so I guess I'll have to wait and see. After lunch I'm going to muster up my courage and start sewing the velour. Wish me luck!
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