Brother Innov-is F560 Sewing Machine

 My review of the Brother Innov-is F560 Sewing machine 

I have just upgraded my sewing machine to this beauty. It is available from Jaycott.co.uk- just  click on this link for more information 

Brother Innov-is F560 

 The Innov-is F560 so simple to use even if you are new to sewing .

All the settings are displayed on an LCD colour touchscreen which I find to be an absolute dream - on my previous machine I was forever referring to the manual and I found that some functions just did not get used very often. Now I have no excuse. 

These are the basic stitches on the machine

From the touchscreen you can access all the stitches - 241 of them - and make all the adjustments you need. It is so simple. There is capacity to make a design using a combination of lettering and patterns and save them to a USB stick.

 

There is a very useful function on this machine, it has a square Feed Drive System which produces a very high quality stitch on all fabrics .

 It also allows the machine to sew all the way around a patch or pocket without having to move the fabric.  It is quite something watching your machine sewing a perfect square.

 

The handy storage tray holds additional feet and spare Bobbins 

The following accessories are included 

Zigzag foot “J” (on machine)

Monogramming foot “N”

Overcasting foot “G” 

Zipper foot “I” 

Blind stitch foot “R” 

Button fitting foot “M” 

Buttonhole foot “A” 

Needle set

Twin needle

Bobbin x 4 

Seam ripper

Cleaning brush

Eyelet punch

Screwdriver (large)

Disc-shaped screwdriver 

Horizontal spool pin

Spool cap (large) 

Spool cap (medium) x 2 

Spool cap (small)

Thread spool insert (for mini king threads) 

Spool net 

Knee lifter

Standard bobbin case

Foot controller

Accessory bag

Hard case

Grid sheet set

Operation Manual 

Quick Reference Guide

I am very impressed with the machine and how easy it is to use. I love the fact that everything is displayed on a screen , which again is easy to operate. The photograph above shows which folder contains the type of stitch you want to use ,simply tap on the icon and the folder opens to display everything inside it 

There are  five  fonts to choose from and ten  buttonholes 

Brother is the brand I always use and I highly recommend their products.

I also highly recommend Jaycotts.co.uk

 

The customer service is professional and friendly. If you are unsure of what exactly you are looking for then just contact them and help will be there.

They sell other machines from different manufacturers and at various prices so do visit the Web site and take a look 

HAPPY SEWING 

Angela

Sewangelicthreads 

#BrotherF560

#sewingmachine

#sewing 

Autumn Sewing Dresses, tops and utilising unloved fabrics and haberdashery

 Autumn sewing 

I want to share with you the garments I have made recently.

Everyone needs warm tops and this is where my sewing begins . I am also keen to use fabrics and haberdashery which would otherwise be thrown away.

This top , The Cosmos sweatshirt, is made from fabrics left over from  other projects.  The   beige fabric is a sweatshirt fabric and the pink is a circular ribbing . 

By using left overs you are firstly preventing the disastrous effect caused by far too much of what we buy going to landfill

Secondly, you are getting a garment for almost nothing so it makes sense doesn't it. If you make a garment from leftovers treat the project with the same respect as if you have used the most expensive fabric ever and you will get great results 

This top is by Katherine Tilton for Vogue Patterns. 

The unusual and attractive neckline is actually sewn using an unused zipper as a trim.

The top itself is made from a charcoal wool blend and I used a long open dark green plastic teeth zipper for a trim. The neckline comprises two separate collars each made from two  contrasting fabrics with the divided zipper sewn as a trim by sandwiching it between both pieces along the top edge.

In case you are wondering the zipper does not irritate my skin at all. As you can see from the photographs it doesn't actually touch the neck.

For this version I found scraps of covered Piping and used it to edge the collars in the same way as I used the zipper on the Charcoal top 

This fabric is French Terry

I love both versions. 

My most recent make is this Grey dress and shrug. The dress is made in Ponte Roma and the shrug from a fine mohair 

I added a touch of machine embroidery to the centre front 

Do take care when fitting this dress, and pay attention to your underwear as you want to display a smooth figure.  Body suits, tights with control tops and or control slips are all suitable. They make you feel confident,  so do not hesitate to buy shapewear even if you are very slim. It really does make a difference. 

I love Simplicity s9644 this one is made in a snuggly wool mix rib 

Thank you for reading this post. All of the patterns mentioned are well worth buying.  Do purchase new fabrics as and when you need them but think about how you can use leftovers too.

Angela 

Sewangelicthreads 

#Sewangelicthreads 

#sewist

#stretchfabric

#cosmossweater

#voguepatterns

#sewingblogger

#patternreview

#frenchterry

#sweatshirt

#knitfabric

#upcycling 

#simplicitys9644 

Using my new Brother Coverstitch machine on a top made in Stretch Cotton Jersy Rib

 The Brother CV3550 Coverstitch Machine 

I am very lucky to now own a Coverstitch machine,  I have wanted one for years . They are not a necessity but are an incredible addition to a sewists collection of sewing machines.

Coverstitch machines are primarily used to create professional-looking hems to garments. They can be used for covering raw edges of a fabric,  for example in seams , they can be used for embellishments and are suitable for stretch and woven fabrics ,

Mine is from BrotherUK and I purchased it from Jaycotts.co.uk

  Brother coverstitch machine from Jaycotts.co.uk

It has many stitch options plus a feature I love is the possibility of creating multicoloured stitching using any variation of thread colours to give the effect you want 

This is a Top Coverstitch using multiple coloured threads. 

This is the reverse side of the same stitch.

It has numerous stitches in addition to the top  Coverstitch with three needles it will do a Coverstitch like this one with up to three top threads which can also be adapted to wide and narrow stitches This sample is a narrow two thread 

I found that YouTube has plenty of suggestions.

***********

Cotton Rib Stretch Jersey Top.

The best way to learn about your new machine is to use it. I self drafted a top and made it up in  this Cotton rib stretch fabric which was gifted to me from Minerva.com 

Cotton Rib fabric at Minerva.com

I made a simple design as an extra layer on cooler summer days. The front and back have little shaping but the sleeves are slightly full with a cuff which can be worn in multiple ways.

The neckline has a band. This needs to be cut with the stretch along  the length and stretched slightly when applying to the  neckline. 

Whilst we want the band to stretch, the main fabric needs to remain the same. To stop it from stretching therefore I stay stitched along the garment neck edge. 

If I could give you a hint. It is far easier to install the neckline if you stitch just one shoulder and join the other one later. 

Similarly it is easier to add sleeves before stitching the side seams. 

To finish the neckline I added a triple top Coverstitch in shades of pink and purple 

I used the same stitch on the hem. To prevent the hem from stretching out of shape I used some iron on seamtape 

I think you will agree that this very simple top will be a very useful addition to my wardrobe 

Just a touch of embellishment helps lift it from the ordinary to something special

The fabric is soft, light but has plenty of body. It lends itself to lots of different garments

Thank you Minerva.com for gifting the fabric. And thank you to Jaycotts.co.uk for sorting out this fabulous machine for me

Angela

Sewangelicthreads 

#coverstitchmachines 

#stretchfabric

#top

#SewingBlogger 

Vogue 1693 Special Occasion Dress

 My Birthday Dress May 2023

I always make a new dress for my birthday,  this Vogue pattern really appealed to me. 

It looks complicated but honestly it's not. The fabric I used is from my own stash,  I have been waiting to find the perfect pattern and they are perfect for each other.

The fabric is a fairly heavy embroidered Indian cotton with a lace edging along one side. It is navy Blue with sequins 

"Broderie Anglaise" would be perfect 

I positioned the pattern pieces so that the hem and sleeves would end in the lace part and I adjusted the length of the skirt before cutting out. 

I only just had enough fabric so I was really happy that the fabric has a lace edging so I was able to utilise it in order to make ab interesting sleeves 

 The main body of the fabric is covered in sequins too.

For the lining I chose a lightweight cotton lining fabric. 

The lining actually extends right down to the hem, but I decided that I would just line the bodice and the top part of the skirt, leaving to frill to be more fluid and free.

I felt that the weight of the skirt needed some support otherwise I may have considered removing the skirt part of the  lining completely 

Hint

If you want a mini dress you could actually stop here and hem the dress as it is.  

Hint

There are many possibilities with this pattern. Another idea is to reduce the width of the upper skirt and lining , taking it in at the bottom to create a bell shape. Adding the frill to this will then produce a mermaid skirt.  This can further be adapted by lengthening the back upper skirt  This would make a stunning wedding gown especially if the upper fabric is a heavy lace fabric and the lining is satin.

The sleeves can also be adapted, mine are straight but you can make yours more bell shaped .

The pink lines  give an idea of what I mean.  I do like to reuse my patterns as much as possible and this one gives plenty of opportunity to put your own touches to the garment 

I felt that the front is a bit low for me so I joined the front pieces for three inches. It is still very low. 

You could put a piece of your fabric or a lace fabric behind the front instead to make it more modest.

I just made two carriers for the cording. I made them from lingerie elastic stitched to the inside of the dress. 

I love the way in which the sequins catch the light, and I love the swishy skirt 

An experienced beginner would easily be able to make this dress. The most important part is to get the fit right, there are separate pattern pieces for different bust sizes , so if you are not sure then please make a toile of the bodice in order to check the fit. 

The dress is very suitable for wheelchair users , it is a joy to wear for any celebration or an afternoon picnic in the park. 

Pattern is from Jaycotts and may be ordered via this link 

Vogue 1693

Thank you for reading my post 

Angela

Sewangelicthreads