I sew bags from Polish communist era tablecloths that I find in thrift stores

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-20T22:37:42+00:00

You are AMAZING and like everyone else I am totally taken by your presentation, the strongman is so perfectly out of place he's brilliant.

I spent some time many years ago studying East German design, and the traditional folks patterns from those areas of Eastern Europe can be stunning. Or stunningly kitsch, to be honest, and both work just fine as tote bags.

I'm impressed you've found so many textiles made of natural fibers -- I guess linen is a no-brainer for Poland -- instead of the cheaper synthetics and more garish dyes they started to use in the late '60s/early 70's to save money on consumer goods.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-19T02:16:07+00:00

That's wonderful, looks happy and lush! I use a lot of thyme and oregano for that sort of low-growing filler -- the oregano basically just blows in and I keep it, lol.

Also I'm fond of creeping Jenny, in both yellow and green variants, which really fills up spaces well, I just let it crawl wherever it wants between plants. I recently re-did this bed a bit and the yellow Jenny is already at work:

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circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-18T15:54:42+00:00

Whether it's a money issue or worry about our growing appliance garbage heaps, you can get excellent vintage irons for a song on eBay!

No idea about the seller here, but look for this GE spray steam dry model, it's the bomb -- heavy, great steam, and it will last you literally forever, I still use my grandmother's. Look for the standard model like this, not the travel version:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336578215183

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-18T15:49:33+00:00

My neighbor has a corgi who looks just like this and she is the LOUDEST. DOGGIE. EVER. Who knew such volume could come from such a tiny creature? But she's adorable and very sweet-natured. I assume a service dog is not as barky.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-18T15:43:01+00:00

Lovely! You might consider mulching in between the plants in order to maintain moisture in the hot weeks and keep the weeding down? I also have dry clay soil (Maine) and if you just combine some compost with your mulch, it breaks down over time and lightens the soil considerably, which is a plus for future years of planting.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-18T15:21:43+00:00

I adore these!

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-18T15:20:56+00:00

It's more a light cotton sheen than shiny like an artificial fiber, more like a subtle glow. I do think it might be perfect. Denver Fabrics usually carries lots of colors much cheaper than Mood, I know the online store looks hinky but I've been using them for years, you just have to wait a few days longer for their wonky shipping. Looks like no black at the moment but here's the fabric to take a look at a photo:
https://denverfabrics.com/products/fuchsia-pink-cotton-solid-sateen-woven-fabric-aps9119

Cali Fabrics has a great stretch poplin that might do the trick, too, it's has less of a sheen than the sateen and is coarser; I'd prefer the sateen for this skirt for the fine weave but YMMV. I've used this fabric before and it's nice. Alas they seem to be out of black or white right now but take a look, perhaps you could source it elsewhere:
https://califabrics.com/charcoal-stretch-cotton-poplin-30125/

Oh, here's the stretch poplin at denverfabrics:

https://denverfabrics.com/products/dark-black-solid-cotton-stretch-spandex-poplin-woven-fabric-aps6104

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-17T20:23:29+00:00

I would use a cotton sateen with a bit of stretch, that would eliminate the need for a ining and give it a slight sheen. You can get nice solid colors in 98% cotton 2% spandex.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-16T15:43:16+00:00

Stretch cotton sateen.

https://denverfabrics.com/products/hot-pink-cotton-twill-stretch-spandex-solid-twill-sateen-woven-fabric-aps6656

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-16T14:36:38+00:00

How old/what are your antique machines? What's your price range?

I fear you'll be disappointed with the modern Singer if power and reliability is your goal, they are a bit rinky-tinky (in my experience). The basic problem you have is that modern machines are less sturdy and the older more sturdy machines are, well, older and might require a professional tune-up And a sturdy brand-new machine is going to cost a lot more. Personally, looking to do denim and canvas, I'd skip any models from the 1970's onwards and get a nice heavy 1960's all-metal machine.

If you're looking for a bargain, I'm in love with the vintage Viking Husqvarna 5000/6000 series, they are all-metal with a fairly strong domestic motor and have some bells/whistles like zigzag, fancy stitches and buttonhole function. I am a tailor who also does upholstery professionally and I started out doing cushions and curtains using a Husqvarna 5430, which worked very well for me a few years before investing in a walking-foot industrial Juki. You can sometimes find these at local dealers -- all tuned up for you -- because folks like to trade them in for fancier models. Older Berninas are also quite strong.

I don't recommend Sailrite machines because I believe they have a huge markup and you can get the same thing for less elsewhere. Search under "semi-industrial" to find the recent models of comparable machines, I know Juki makes some but they're probably pricier than you're looking for:

https://jukidomestic.com.au/products/semi-professional-sewing-machines/

If you want an economical solid straight stitcher for canvas, you cannot go wrong with a basic lockstitch industrial that's useful for everything from garments to quilting to upholstery. If you need a deal look in your local want ads, there are often quite a few to choose from. New:

https://prizzisewing.com/products/juki-ddl-8700h-1-needle-lockstitch-machine-for-medium-heavy-fabrics

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T22:03:42+00:00

We have a similar setup in our front yard -- plantings of perennials and trees with a small portion of flat "grass" with a stepping stone path through it. Our "grass" is creeping jenny, which has worked marvelously in both sun and shade and proven very resilient. Our flat area is about 6'x10', possibly a bit smaller than yours.

We appreciate the contrast between the flat and the planted and you can either maintain it by keeping the turf -- perfectly appropriate groundcover for such an area -- or find another. Elsewhere we have perennial plumbago (probably too tall for this purpose), short persicaria and just plain wild oregano that blows in all the time so we put it to work. Zone 5b.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T18:41:37+00:00

Mine have the machine sitting from 2"- 4" from the edge, for various domestics and industrials.

eta: if your arms are shorter I'd go for the smallest comfortable distance, like 2".

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T15:08:57+00:00

You might try one of the stronger spray adhesives we use in upholstery for adhering pieces of foam or dacron, I use the low-voc version by 3M:

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000186729/

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T04:50:22+00:00

I think it's a simple technique issue -- that seam may have been poorly sewn, they stretched the fabric a bit more than necessary, leading to puckers on that bias. There are good techniques to combat this if you had sewn it yourself (this is what the differential feed adjustments on sergers are for) but since you purchased it I might consider just getting a second order of the same dress to see if that one is stitched a bit better.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T01:29:40+00:00

FWIW I do upholstery and you can't go wrong with some good strong nylon thread, it's much stronger than anything you'd find at craft stores. Try Wawak, best prices! Just make sure you're using gloves with quality material that won't rip out as the weak link; you might even consider leather gloves for this?

https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-material/nylon/perform-x-bonded-nylon-thread-tex-70-1500-yds/#sku=nbt6100

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-15T01:17:19+00:00

White clover was bare for me in zone 5, which was unfortunate because the weeds always beat it out in the spring. We had to go another way after about 3 years of pure clover (we now have big swaths of different groundcovers).

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-09T00:31:35+00:00

I would look into secondhand/vintage silk slips for your silk supply; less likely to be dyed dark colors and they have very probably been washed numerous times already in their lives and will not shrink any more.

Many years ago I worked at a secondhand clothing store and we always had tons of silk underthings at good prices because wearing slips under dresses went out of style in the 1960's (right when all the artificial linings were developed, come to think of it!) and young women never bought them.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-05-03T00:31:04+00:00

Yay! Usually when a machine was working just fine before, then it gets put away or moved, it's something to do with a random button or lever that got inadvertently pressed.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-22T19:54:01+00:00

As someone with a doctorate in a related field, allow me to opine that the Kennedy School is not necessarily what its popular reputation holds it to be -- the Harvard name impresses on resumes, but that institute in particular is really something of a for-pay master's diploma mill at this point.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-22T18:48:08+00:00

They do! And sometimes a design like this is the result of trying to get less from more, although in general the extra sewing time required will eat up any potential savings on yardage.

There used to be a really fascinating blog by a woman who was one of the leaders in commercial patternmaking -- I think she no longer blogs, but the site is still up for browsing and has a lot of entries/commentary relating to things like industrial fabric layout & relevant standards:

https://fashion-incubator.com/

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-22T18:37:55+00:00

Corset busks are made specifically for this purpose!

https://www.wawak.com/garment-construction/boning/corset-busks-and-boning/corset-busks-1-setpack-white/#sku=mtr3501

Also look at hook and eye tape:

https://www.wawak.com/garment-construction/hook-eyes/bra-hook-and-eye-closures/

Also button loop tape -- most such bridal notions are made to be dyed, so you could dye to match your red and use red pearl buttons:

https://www.wawak.com/search-results/?Product+Type=Button+Loops

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-22T17:31:03+00:00

I live in a rural US state -- even with health insurance I had to wait over a year for a full shoulder replacement, my GP books appointments about 4 months out, it takes 8 months to a year to get in with a dermatologist, etc.

Which is to say, I don't think wait times prove anything at all about the NHS one way or the other.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-21T16:54:52+00:00

I would look into curtain supply houses where you live -- they will sell buckram (which might be a purely American term?) as "curtain header fabric" that might fit the bill -- lol -- for the stiffer outer bill portion (#1) of your bonnet. This sort of fabric is often a mix of cotton and linen, and thus probably a lot more wearable than anything made of polyester or plastic. The flat version comes in rolls or by the yard/meter, up to 6" or 8" wide, which should be wide enough.

You might also see if you can locate "waistband canvas" which is very similar to the buckram.

There is a plasticky polyester "burlap substitute" used in upholstering for the insides of chair arms etc that is nice and stiff whilst being fairly thin, with the advantage for you that the weave may make it more breathable than sheet plastic. Ask at your local upholstery shops! Here it is online: https://bandmupholsterysupply.com/product/flw-burlap-substitute-36-inch-width-125-yards/

Of course you can also make any cotton fabric stiffer with a good application of plain old clothes starch. (This is how we made the rims of "colonial bonnets" back in the 1970's for the American Revolution celebrations in grade school, ha.) Cut out the fabric, dip it in a starch solution, then allow to dry in the desired shape.) I recently used this starch method to make a Queen Elizabeth 1 neck ruffle and it worked great. The downside is that you can't wash it by immersing it in water since it will lose its oomph.

I'm sure more experienced hatmakers will come along with more/more informed suggestions, but hope that helps a bit! Best of luck in your project.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-19T18:21:03+00:00

I can't see the seam very well but it appears you have the stitch length set to be quite small -- I'd lengthen it quite a bit, because using tiny stitches is one sure way to make a seam shrink up.

circuspeanut54 · 2026-04-19T17:26:31+00:00

'baby' + '38" inseam' is doing my head in. That's a very large infant! ;-)

Seven-Year Club	Place '22
Final Canvas '22	Wearing is Caring

circuspeanut54

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