Hi, I'm new to this forum and need some advice. My wife's Singer Touch and Sew II gave out -- needs new gears. I think we bought it around 1968-71? Anyway, it will cost $200 to repair. The store carried PFAFF machines and they tried to talk me into a "Select 1530" for $900. They said that they...

Okay guys - I'm tearing my hair out on this one: is it okay for a Tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) to have dark green stripes instead of the blue that is traditionally used? There are no people of Jewish ancestry to ask and we certainly don't want to cause any offense with our costumes for...

Go to www.simplicity.com and click on design search. Type in number 5363. Click on the result. One of these things is not like the others. The best part? Simplicity's had this on their site for at least a week now and no one's reported it.

Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote: I know you all will think I'm a dunce here, and I guess that's okay, but I have never bought fat quarters before, and I am wondering if it's okay to zigzag the edges of them before washing them or if that is not recommended because it will...

Have an older quilt that has seen a pretty rough life and want to stabilised/hide one very frayed/chewed up edge. Rather than make new pieces, etc would like to sew a "beard guard" along the length of the edge to cover the damage, but cannot find information or a pattern. As a relative newbie (have...

Welcome Sewists and new posters! Here are some guidelines to posting to the sewing newsgroups. In case you are wondering where you are and how you got here, you are in a newsgroup, AKA "usenet" which is a part of the internet that has been around much much longer than the www, which it is not a...

Help, please! I wear a 30DD bra and the only one that I can find in this size costs $60--if I can find it. A woman at the bra shop told me that her daughter has the same problem, but she buys any RTW bra that fits in the cups and then cuts the band down to fit. Unfortunately, the woman didn't sew...

Hello! I have made great drapes and purchased a really nice rod; then it occurred to me that I need to have 1" grommets. I've checked all of our local fabric stores and can't find them anywhere. Does anyone know a source for 1" grommets, along with the appropriate sized punch? Thanks! -- Mignon

My dad's wife wants to learn how to sew, and she wants to make clothes. I want to get her a good basic book on sewing and garment construction...so I need your recommendations! My dad put me in charge of locating the best sewing machine for her, and it needs to come from Sears (where he works -...

Hi all, Stayed up all night to make my daughter a dress for the Sadie Dance. It is a "Retro" style made with some brand new fabric that JoAnns just got in. Pictures at Joy

KR wrote: I am in the process of making my baby daughter a new pair of slippers (a pair that will outlast the ones I buy at the store, which she wears holes in after only 15 days!). The pattern I have is actually a Halloween costume pattern, but the slippers part calls for JiffyGrip for...

anyone know where to get reflecter tape?--googling not helpful--i need small quantities like 3 feet thanks

I have been asked to teach teens to sew. I am stumped on how long to have the course what to teach as basic- without overwhelming them. And a contemporary project to keep them interested while teaching a variety of skill, and that's probably not going to be the classic apron. I would appreciate...

I am making a life size stuffed flamingo for my daughter's birthday. Any hints on how to keep the neck from falling over? Thanks! Linda

I don't know what happened. I've had this sewing machine for less than a year, but I haven't used it much. I've been using it lately now and then, and it's been working fine. And tonight... I finished cutting the fabric to make the most ruffly bedskirt ever... and... *sob* all of a sudden... The...

Since she has loved how the panties and tank top I made for her turned out and how they fit, Jill has asked me to make her a bra. Since this will easily dovetail into the babydoll I wanted to make for her, I thought why not. So we took the time to measure her properly for size. I checked on some of...

I want to learn how to sew. I have an old Sears Kenmore that I do not know how to use -- bought used with no instructions manual. It can do only two stitches and it didn't come with a "plug in" for extra stitches. I'm familiar with a lot of basic sewing concepts -- bias, stitch classes,...

Well, I sorta finished that shirt we were discussing in a thread called "buttons". I decided I didn't have a preference between black and white when I put swatches in the collar area to see how it'd look, so I used black because everyone else liked that, but changed it to a band collar. It's hard...

Does anyone have experience with making ruffles with a ruffler attachment on their sewing machine?

Looking for something to do normal mending and repair with - nothing fancy. Is there a good used machine to get for this kind of purpose? I am looking to do hemming, maybe sew simple things like a comforter cover, etc. but nothing elaborate.