FORT Koffee Klatch

[queenb]

Yep, that's it! Thanks again.

[MamaC]

I just ordered mine!

Hubby finally went into the nether regions of the basement and resurrected an old stereo system that had been stashed down there for ages. He set everything up and it works.

I've spent the better part of this afternoon looking over crates of albums that have been stored away for probably 20 years now. It will be interesting to see what actually does get burned onto CDs or makes it onto the iPod.

[Amanda]

My mother recently bought one as well, and is loving it.

[misskitty]

Your basic Singer should be just the thing, but don't get the cheapest - they don't have enough of a life span or power (or maybe I sew too much). At any rate, I would strongly recommend that you get a machine with an automatic buttonholer, along with the basic straight and zig zag stitches (all you really need). If you really take to sewing and decide to try making your own clothes, you will regret not having one.

If you have any basic sewing questions, let me know. I'm not a wiz, by any means, but I do make nearly all my own clothes and I've reupholstered most of our furniture, so I do know a couple of things.

Thank you Rattus!
I doubt I will ever be good enough to make my own clothes. Only made an apron in Home Ec. in school. But your recommendations make great sense! I think you are a wiz if you not only make clothes but also reupholster your furniture!!! I have two bolts of beautiful chinz material from 10+ years ago in my basement as I got inspired one day to make my own covers for an old couch and chair. Needless to say, the bolts of fabric haven't been touched. I got overwhelmed. And then I couldnt' find anyone to do it for me.

Note to self. Take course in upholstering some day.

Note to self:

[MamaC]

WOW! I ordered that InstantMusic Vinyl & Cassette Ripper thingie around 7 p.m. on Wednesday and here it is not even 48 hours later and UPS just dropped it off at my door! I didn't even pay for the more expensive rush order postage fee. I figured it wouldn't come for about a week since I used just the standard postage rate.

Now I have to figure out how to use it. I haven't even opened up the box yet.

Good weekend to stay indoors here and get into this project as it is so cold out and the wind chill factor has kicked in here in upstate NY! Right now it has warmed up to 7 degrees F and the wind chill is ONLY -7 F. It did get down to -16F overnight. Brrrrrr.

[Marleybone]

Thank you Rattus!
I doubt I will ever be good enough to make my own clothes. Only made an apron in Home Ec. in school. But your recommendations make great sense! I think you are a wiz if you not only make clothes but also reupholster your furniture!!! I have two bolts of beautiful chinz material from 10+ years ago in my basement as I got inspired one day to make my own covers for an old couch and chair. Needless to say, the bolts of fabric haven't been touched. I got overwhelmed. And then I couldnt' find anyone to do it for me.

Note to self. Take course in upholstering some day.

Note to self:

I don't sew either. I've got some throw pillows that don't match now that I've re-painted my living room. I was thinking of having my mom help me and sew some new covers for them but instead I bought some matching pillowcases and they look great. It was so easy and it only cost me about $20 to cover 8 throw pillows.

[Gutmutter]

My mom taught my sister and me to sew when were were in 5th (me) and 6th (her) grade. From then on we could either sew clothes with fabric they paid for or buy store-bought with our babysitting money (50 cents/hour). Needless to say, we learned to sew well enough that as an adult I worked for a while in a custom sewing shop. I even made several wedding gowns. Then fabric became so expensive and store bought clothes so cheap that it wasn't worth it anymore. I may be making my daughter's prom gown next month, though. That is still and expensive item.

[misskitty]

True Gutmutter: Sometimes it is cheaper to buy certain things now than probably get nice material and spend the time.

I could ask my mom to do the small alterations, who actually is a great seamstress and made clothes for us when we were small, but I'd rather her not be involved. I would be inviting criticism and never get to actually learn myself. That's why none of us 3 girls ever continued on with sewing. We never did it right and would never be good enough at it, according to her. Took every ounce of fun out of it.

[hepcat]

My mom taught my sister and me to sew when were were in 5th (me) and 6th (her) grade. From then on we could either sew clothes with fabric they paid for or buy store-bought with our babysitting money (50 cents/hour). Needless to say, we learned to sew well enough that as an adult I worked for a while in a custom sewing shop. I even made several wedding gowns. Then fabric became so expensive and store bought clothes so cheap that it wasn't worth it anymore. I may be making my daughter's prom gown next month, though. That is still and expensive item.

Same here. We were taught to sew growing up. I have to say, though, that even though I have been thankful for the knowledge more than once, and I ended up working my way through my last three years of college doing seamstress work, I have never enjoyed sewing. It's just a task to me, kind of a chore.

It's crazy how expensive fabric is these days, especially since it seems like the quality just goes down and down.

[Muduh]

I honestly can barely remember when I didn't sew. I was sewing buttons on way before I started school. I bought my first sewing machine with babysitting money when I was a young teenager. I made wardrobes for teachers and office personnel when I was in junior high and high school. When I was divorced I worked a full time job and sewed at night for a couple of years. I don't sew now and miss it a lot. My back can't take it any longer.