Plookiss' Threadware

Plookiss Folksy Shop Now Open

2012-02-10T15:59:00.000Z

I now have a Folksy shop. Please stop by and browse my items and your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Plookiss Shop & Twitter Account

2011-05-29T09:07:00.000+01:00

Sorry for the lack of updates on my blog in the last few months, this is because I have been busy creating my online shop, which I am pleased to say is now open. Please visit Plookiss and have a look through the gallery and items for sale, if you have a few seconds I would appreciate it too if you can leave feedback on what you think about my site. I now have a twitter account, please follow

Organising Electronic Patterns

2011-01-30T09:00:00.021Z

Currently I have 277MB of patterns stored on my PC and I’m sure this number will keep growing, I knew it was time I should start to think about how I would organise them. I do use folders which separate my patterns e.g. Home Decor items and Dress Making, which segment further e.g. tops, dresses, accessories etc. This still wasn’t clear enough for me to see what I had. The SolutionI have created

Sewing Pattern Catalogue Database

2011-01-22T10:50:00.000Z

I have a collection of different patterns which I have either brought second-hand off eBay to patterns that are available on the Internet and believe me, there are a lot out there. With my current skill level I have a lot to learn and a lot of these patterns I have are still too advanced, which currently scare me and I have filed for future use. I guess you can say I may have a slight addiction

Inserting Neck Pieces

2010-10-17T09:49:00.001+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all of the previous links. The Neck PieceThis is the neck piece that I stitched together and added the interfacing to, as shown in my previous blog entry Interfacing. Line up the notches to the notches on the top of the bodice

Interfacing

2010-10-03T14:53:00.001+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all of the previous links. What is interfacing?There are two types of interfacing on the market, sew-in and iron-on. I will be mainly working with the iron-on type. Iron-on Interfacing is a type of material which is rough on one

Zips

2010-09-19T15:30:00.000+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all of the previous links. Different Zips There are many different types of zips out on the market, including invisible zips, zips with plastic or metal teeth and nylon zips. They also come in a wide variety of colours and sizes,

Darts

2010-09-05T09:27:00.000+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all of the previous links. What are Darts?In the simplest terms sewing darts are used to shape a garment. You will find darts on tops, sleeves and skirts- anywhere that shape will be needed. Sewing with Darts This is a bodice

Pressing Tools & Techniques

2010-08-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all the previous links. What is Pressing?Pressing is a technique sewing enthusiast use to flatten areas where stitching has taken place. A great website explaining about the difference between ironing and pressing can be found on

Stitching Seams

2010-08-22T21:17:00.000+01:00

This is part of the Skill Bite section of the Simplicity Dress 3833 series. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page, where you will find all the previous links. What is Stitching Seams?To stitch seams is to join pieces of fabric together. There are a variety of different ways to stitch seams. The most common seam I use is the Flat Seam, which is the simplest one

Skill Bites – Stay Stitching

2010-08-15T14:16:00.000+01:00

This is the start of the new section ‘Skill Bites’ in the Simplicity Dress 3833 Series, where I shall explain sewing terms used in this pattern. If you have missed any of the series please visit the Introduction page. What is Stay stitching?When I first started to read pattern instructions it took me a while to figure out what this sewing term actually meant. In basic it is a stitch done on a

Transfer Pattern Markings

2010-08-08T09:00:00.001+01:00

This is the 6th entry in the Simplicity Dress 3833 Series . If you have missed any of the previous entries please visit the Introduction Page. Equipment Needed There are a variety of tools available on the market to assist with transferring pattern markings onto fabric. The tools I use for achieving this purpose are dressmaking pins, dressmaking wheel, tailors chalk, dressmaking marker pencils,

Cutting Techniques

2010-08-01T11:24:00.000+01:00

This is the 5th entry in the Simplicity Dress 3833 Series . If you have missed any of the previous entries please visit the Introduction Page. When all the pieces have been pinned in place on the fabric they are ready to be cut. This stage is crucial in dress making and it is therefore best to cut as accurately as possible. Cutting Tools It is best to use dressmaking scissors to cut the pieces

Pattern Layout

2010-07-25T09:00:00.002+01:00

This is the 4th entry in the Simplicity Dress 3833 Series . If you have missed any of the previous entries please visit the Introduction Page. Fabric Widths On the pattern instructions it will show you recommended layouts for both the 45” and 60” wide fabric. As I am making a toile version of the dress I have chosen to follow the 60” wide Cutting Layout diagram as my fabric is very wide. Fold

Tracing Patterns

2010-07-18T09:00:00.001+01:00

This is the 3rd entry in the Simplicity Dress 3833 Series. If you have missed any of the other entries in this series please visit the Introduction page. Why Trace a Pattern? Tracing patterns may seem like a useless task when the pattern paper has been prepared already for you to cut out. These are my reasons as to why I prefer to trace the pattern instead of using the original paper. I like to

Understanding Pattern Instructions

2010-07-11T08:31:00.001+01:00

This is the 2nd entry in the Simplicity 3833 Dress Series. If you have missed previous entries in this series please visit the Introduction page for the links to other entries. Pattern Instruction Sheet Pattern instructions can at first seem daunting, I know when I started sewing I really struggled with understanding all the terminology and diagrams. I hope this guide will make it

Taking Measurements

2010-07-04T09:00:00.003+01:00

This is the first part of my Simplicity Dress 3833 Series, View A. These measurements relate to the dress I am making but can be used for reference for other clothing garments. It is important to take accurate measurements and it is advisable to get a friend to help you. Waist To measure the waist hold the tape measure around the thinnest part and write down the measurement. Make sure its not

Simplicity Dress 3833 Series

2010-06-27T09:09:00.018+01:00

Introduction After gaining experience making decor items I am going to put all these skills to use making the Simplicity 1960's Retro Style Dress 3833, view A. This pattern does not specify that it’s easy but after studying the back of the envelope I am going to give it a try. If you want more information on Understanding the Pattern Envelope please see my previous blog entry. I have never made

Scatter Cushion

2010-06-20T09:00:00.001+01:00

A friend of mine asked for a scatter cushion to place on her bed for decoration. This was the first time I made a cushion and a cover and without using any patterns. This design covered many skills which I have written about in other tutorials. I will provide links for a re-fresher if required. Equipment Required Cotton Fabric – Outside Cover Satin Fabric – Inside Cushion Felt, 2 colours –

The Sewing Directory

2010-06-13T09:00:00.000+01:00

I like to describe The Sewing Directory as a yellow pages for sewing enthusiasts, as it covers listings from finding courses to shops and it also brings sewers together by publicising sewing events. It’s fairly new website, launched on 25th March 2010, and is regularly updated with up and coming events, articles and competitions. As well as being a directory to search for dress making courses

Bean Bag Tutorial Part 3

2010-06-06T09:00:00.001+01:00

This is the last in the series on making a bean bag, where I will explain how I made the bean bag cover using snaps for the closure. Part 1 covered making the pattern and part 2 was making the lining. Making the CoverDig out the cover pieces that were cut and put to one side see the previous blog entry. I used coordinating colours of purple and green for my outside cover. As before when making

Bean Bag Tutorial Part 2

2010-05-30T16:09:00.001+01:00

If you missed the first bean bag tutorial on how to make a pattern and also to cut the fabric please feel free to take a look. In this tutorial I will explain how I made the lining part of the bean bag which uses a zip closure, to be able to get back into the bag to fill it up later. Fabric Pieces Now that all the fabric pieces have been cut from the template put the outside pieces to one

Bean Bag Tutorial Part 1

2010-05-23T09:00:00.003+01:00

I have a pet rabbit who loves to run around the kitchen area in the evening and therefore I am always sitting on the floor to play with him. I have videos following his daily activities (if you are interested in watching please visit my channel on YouTube). While watching some videos on ThreadBangers I found a great tutorial on making a bean bag. I’ve never owned one of these before and have

Storage Solutions

2010-05-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

A while ago I wrote an entry about my Sewing Workstation and I would like to share with you my storage solutions for keeping all your sewing items in a organised manner. Cutting Mat and Rulers Storage I have a size A1 cutting mat made by Olfa (approx. £34) that fits on my table perfectly. At first I thought it was expensive but after constant use it still feels like new, there are no scratches or

Sewing for Pleasure at the National Exhibition Centre

2010-05-09T09:00:00.000+01:00

I am an active member on The Sewing Forum, which is a free source for sewing and craft information, as well as allowing the development of relationships with sewers and crafters alike. Many times I have sought the helpful advice from fellow members and found inspiration for projects too. The Sewing Forum is also great for spreading the word with up and coming events, like the Sewing For Pleasure