Let me begin by sayin I been sewin for more than 30 yrs and I've made everything from car seat covers to my own undies if it can be sewn I've prolly sewed it sometime or another.
Material bought today is not the same as it was a few yrs ago the quality just isn't there used to be ya sewed it lasted forever now material is more or less made to last a year or 2 as most of us only uses stuff a year or 2.
Now for my RANT!!
I bought flannel to use as a lining in a quilt. Preshrunk it same as always with any material before cutting. The material was not cut straight I took the time to straighten it doin the pullin of the tread thing that I normall don't do but I was curious as to what I had. To begin with I got cut short almost a half yard of material on 2 different pieces from same bolt. Half yard each piece between the shrinkage and gettin material straight.
OK I measure out my pieces about 4 times checkin recheckin before I make my 1st cut. I laid the material out flat wanted the width of the material then a yard long. I sew the one end to the other I come up 2 inches short on the 1 piece seam is flat stitches even must not be me or machine. Then I sewed the 3rd piece to the 2nd piece keepin my 45 in width. Now this piece is the same lenght of the 1st piece. STRANGE I've taken the lenght of a piece of material cut it and sewed it together and the piece in middle which was the piece in middle of material before cutting is 2 in shorter than the other to pieces. Doesn't matter I'm gonna have a couple inches at least to cut off around the edges in the end anyway prolly. I've allowed for the 2 inches I'm short.
OK now I'd bought 2 pieces of flannel from same bolt same yardage. I did same thing with 2nd pieces as 1st commin up 2 inches short again. VERY STRANGE!!!!
OK now my project is not wide enough so I cut material to make it wide enough this time sewing the lenght material instead of the width. I measure and remeasure. This seam is about 95 inches long a long seam I want everything right only want to do it once lol, I came up 4inches short on one side the piece i was sewin onto my project. ok I take it off turn it around starting from other end of the material now it's 4 inches to long.
That's a 8 inch difference between sewing 1 direction or the other?? NEVER in my life have I seen anything like it. Being 4 inches to long doesn't matter it's just the simple fact of it happenin and the diff between sewin from 1 end or the other which for flannel should not matter much if at all.
Right now seam is only basted together gotta stitch it again to see if everything gonna be OK. I been workin for close to a week if not a week on this simple flannel that I need in 1 big flat piece when done with it it shouldn't be that hard to do.
My mom bought same material from same bolt I did the day before I bought mine she was smart left hers in 1 piece just put 1 layer on top of another still had trouble when she sewed it of it stretchin least she was just able to trim hers up and move on.
I was back at my local fabric store today gettin other stuff there was couple older ladies talkin sayin they still mend what they got but they no longer buy new material and try to use it cause it not worth it, cause the material not worth usin. the trouble I've had I believe it.
I come from a huge family all the females sew and we all gripe about material ya buy today.
On that note DD bought a pair of jeans from a well known popular store in most malls she wore them twice before the whole crotch ripped out of them goin up a flight of steps at school. The seam didn't rip the demin did around the seam. Yes she was able to return them and get money back. In the 60's and 70's jeans wasn't even broke in till they was couple years old till then usually would stand up and walk by themselves but they lasted forever. Which was why demin was used to begin with not for fashion statement but because it was a good durable material that lasted long time for farmers to wear while farming.
OK enough ranting
Material bought today is not the same as it was a few yrs ago the quality just isn't there used to be ya sewed it lasted forever now material is more or less made to last a year or 2 as most of us only uses stuff a year or 2.
Now for my RANT!!
I bought flannel to use as a lining in a quilt. Preshrunk it same as always with any material before cutting. The material was not cut straight I took the time to straighten it doin the pullin of the tread thing that I normall don't do but I was curious as to what I had. To begin with I got cut short almost a half yard of material on 2 different pieces from same bolt. Half yard each piece between the shrinkage and gettin material straight.
OK I measure out my pieces about 4 times checkin recheckin before I make my 1st cut. I laid the material out flat wanted the width of the material then a yard long. I sew the one end to the other I come up 2 inches short on the 1 piece seam is flat stitches even must not be me or machine. Then I sewed the 3rd piece to the 2nd piece keepin my 45 in width. Now this piece is the same lenght of the 1st piece. STRANGE I've taken the lenght of a piece of material cut it and sewed it together and the piece in middle which was the piece in middle of material before cutting is 2 in shorter than the other to pieces. Doesn't matter I'm gonna have a couple inches at least to cut off around the edges in the end anyway prolly. I've allowed for the 2 inches I'm short.
OK now I'd bought 2 pieces of flannel from same bolt same yardage. I did same thing with 2nd pieces as 1st commin up 2 inches short again. VERY STRANGE!!!!
OK now my project is not wide enough so I cut material to make it wide enough this time sewing the lenght material instead of the width. I measure and remeasure. This seam is about 95 inches long a long seam I want everything right only want to do it once lol, I came up 4inches short on one side the piece i was sewin onto my project. ok I take it off turn it around starting from other end of the material now it's 4 inches to long.
That's a 8 inch difference between sewing 1 direction or the other?? NEVER in my life have I seen anything like it. Being 4 inches to long doesn't matter it's just the simple fact of it happenin and the diff between sewin from 1 end or the other which for flannel should not matter much if at all.
Right now seam is only basted together gotta stitch it again to see if everything gonna be OK. I been workin for close to a week if not a week on this simple flannel that I need in 1 big flat piece when done with it it shouldn't be that hard to do.
My mom bought same material from same bolt I did the day before I bought mine she was smart left hers in 1 piece just put 1 layer on top of another still had trouble when she sewed it of it stretchin least she was just able to trim hers up and move on.
I was back at my local fabric store today gettin other stuff there was couple older ladies talkin sayin they still mend what they got but they no longer buy new material and try to use it cause it not worth it, cause the material not worth usin. the trouble I've had I believe it.
I come from a huge family all the females sew and we all gripe about material ya buy today.
On that note DD bought a pair of jeans from a well known popular store in most malls she wore them twice before the whole crotch ripped out of them goin up a flight of steps at school. The seam didn't rip the demin did around the seam. Yes she was able to return them and get money back. In the 60's and 70's jeans wasn't even broke in till they was couple years old till then usually would stand up and walk by themselves but they lasted forever. Which was why demin was used to begin with not for fashion statement but because it was a good durable material that lasted long time for farmers to wear while farming.
OK enough ranting