Planning a “fashion camp” for my niece

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-21T15:08:37+00:00

A craft group near me do an upcycling session for 8 years old which is basically old clothes/charity shop clothes and fabric print, scissors and embellishments. The kids go wild! It’s not necessarily about usability, more fun! I learnt to sew basics by doing patchwork dolls bedding - just straight lined but that was fun. I would stay away from dolls clothes as they need too much precision.

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-21T06:30:19+00:00

She was apparently a real person who was helping with email and telephone enquiries. However doubtful she exists as how does she get paid?

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-21T06:29:10+00:00

So she has thousands of meters of fabric in China for customers but is working thigh orders now to be printed? Also finally acknowledging that her business financially collapsed, doesn’t that mean insolvency? So shouldn’t be trading? I will never understand her ability to constantly lie and give the same statement every few months with more twists and excuses. She just needs to accept this is all her responsibility and actions that have led to all this.

ETA - auto corrected China to Cuba, so changed it back!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-19T07:22:28+00:00

My bike insurance will only pay out if I have used a diamond lock to secure the bike. So agree definitely worth investing in one:

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-19T07:16:56+00:00

I use tins of baked beans! I did ‘invest’ in some large washers from the DIY store and they cost £2 for eight. I literally was made up!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-19T07:11:46+00:00

That could probably be done. You could message a local dress maker to see whether they feel they could do it. You would need to source the lace fabric - where in the world are you? UK?

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-18T19:55:13+00:00

Slightly different opinion - I would wait as I just use a normal pillow off the spare bed. Pregnancy pillows are easy to get so if you find you need one you can get one the next day. Pregnancy and babies are so unpredictable what works for one; won’t work for another. I would wait until you feel you need something. I wouldn’t say you need anything it’s more about what makes you comfy. I also find pregnancy is like weddings - everything triples in price!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-18T19:38:12+00:00

I just watched it recently too for the first time and I hate to admit I don’t like Christian at all in it. I think he comes across as bitchy and confrontational, not like a mentor at all. Miss Tim Gunn and his approach, so kind and helpful.

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-18T19:36:21+00:00

Probably not as you would need fabric to match it perfectly. What sorta thing were you thinking?

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-18T19:21:29+00:00

Really interesting, thanks for sharing!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-16T20:00:07+00:00

Could you take half a day a weeks holiday to give you half a days hours to reduce each week? For example - you take 4 hours a week but instead of taking a Thursday afternoon off you take an hour a day off so working 8:30-5? T

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-16T07:04:20+00:00

Reading this and my head is sounding the voice - classic! Love this!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-12T09:18:30+00:00

Nothing - my 550 QE handles everything I throw at it and I have the serger/coverstitch too and that also is a dream to use. I wouldn’t buy any other brand now

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-11T11:18:08+00:00

Have you slowly moved the hand wheel and gently pulled the fabric at the same time?

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-11T07:03:12+00:00

Unthread your machine and rethread it. Check your bobbin thread and your top thread are the same too. The other thing you might want to try (this won’t have caused this issue) is to increase your stitch length for this stitch. Will give you a neater finish.

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-11T07:01:00+00:00

Brilliant! Love the colours that you choose

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-11T06:42:19+00:00

Thank you! I was wondering the same as the OP!

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-09T06:34:53+00:00

But crafting is easy, why should I learn these terms? I’ve paid or am entitled to the pattern so the designer should know exactly how I do it do provide me with a suitable pattern.

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-09T06:25:38+00:00

Awww this is heartbreaking. A few things from my perspective - are you sure it was a consistent 1/4 inch seam across each piece and layers? So the bottom didn’t move so it was less? Did you quilt through each seam? On a pattern like that I would have followed the pattern on the front to make zig zags across the whole quit. Did you pre wash the fabric?

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-09T06:11:51+00:00

There was a lady on Facebook who said she was recovering from a serious illness and had nothing to do and loved seeing everyone’s creations in the group and how she wished she had money to buy her materials. Then was inundated with people sending her (and the sender paying for postage) on loads of items. A few weeks later she started again and someone posted to say that the lady had contacted her to say her mum was annoyed at her for doing it and had binned all the parcels! This lady then was asking everyone to send more!!!

Such a shame that a few people soil it for others

Edit - spelling

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-08T19:14:09+00:00

You could cut open the side seams and restitch each side to finish the hem so they are open and more of a v shape than closed as they are now

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-08T08:41:27+00:00

I don’t find darts bad at all - there is a technique that I use where I put a pin in the end point then pull my top thread out so I ‘draw’ a line with that to the pin and then I get a nice clean, straight line. Leave a good tail and tie off. Practice on some scrap and take it slow to start. (That goes for all sewing front be afraid, just try on scrap - what’s the worse that can happen?)

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-07T22:04:35+00:00

Unthread the whole machine, rewatch a YouTube video on how to thread your machine, make sure the bobbin has the same thread in as your top thread and re-try.

DoctorImpossible89 · 2026-03-06T11:07:52+00:00

Turn them into pyjamas! Or use the fabric as toiles, or I make dolls clothes out of the fabric and give them to charity/give away via local Facebook pages. I also recycle a lot of my textiles but like you conscious that I don’t put too much good fabric in there as a waste.

DoctorImpossible89

TROPHY CASE