Cooper Sewing Machine Blog

Sewing on the go!

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:33:43 +0000

I envy knitters, I really do. For whilst sewing is my first crafty love, hammering away with the sewing machine is not the most relaxing or flatmate friendly of activities. Nor is it usually portable! Knitters on the other hand, can take their project anywhere. They knit on the tube, on the bus, at friends houses, in cafes… Even if you want to handfinish a hem, or it’s just a quick repair, it’s pretty awkward to lug that new dress you’re stitching up out and about.

I wanted to find a little crafty something that I could do on the move, or whilst watching telly, without disturbing other people or draping them in metres of fabric. Or even something I could (sneakily) do whilst listening to that dull work presentation about online recruitment software!

And that’s when I had a brainwave. Well, to be honest, my nan had the brainwave. I was round at hers a while ago and she was talking about her neighbours new hobby. My nan and her neighbour (Cynthia) really don’t get on. I mean, they’re best friends. But they’re also best enemies, if you know what I mean! Whatever Cynthia does, my Nan thinks it’s wrong. Whatever my Nan does, Cynthia thinks it’s wrong. Something they just love telling each other…! That particular Sunday afternoon, my Nan was busy being very unimpressed with Cynthia’s newest passion… Embroidery.

Specifically, in Cynthia’s case, embroidered cushions. Largely of kittens. Now, I’m with my Nan about the cushion element (and pretty much the kittens) but I was very taken with the embroidery idea. You might not need several hundred embroidered feline cushions to adorn your sofa, but you can add a small embroidery to anything. You could make a piece of artwork for your wall, uniquely adorn any piece of clothing, or make presents for your family and friends.

Embroidery can be as big or small as you want, and smaller projects can just be slipped into your bag on their embroidery hoop (like the one above, which can also act as a frame if it is a piece to hang on a wall) You can relax embroidering on public transport, watching a movie or in the park.

You can try freehand stitching, embroidery to a pattern, or cross stitch. You can also embroider what ever you want- kittens or flowers aren’t compulsory! Fancy stitching a pin-up girl? Elvis Presley? A dirty joke? It’s your choice!

Tea towels, that blank wall above your chest of drawers, a new pair of knickers, your favourite skirt… They’re all waiting for embellishment! Stitch away!

Stitching clothes- a cool way to impress others with your creativity

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:03:05 +0000

How to look good in a party without using artificial solutions like Botox? How to use your money sensibly to enjoy long-term benefits instead of spending the same on botox London services? Well, you can become the center of attraction in the party by stitching your own clothes. Of course, some persons believe that this is a very middle-class thing to do. After all, why should we stitch our clothes when there are people who just want money in exchange of doing the same?

Well, you will not receive a lot of appreciation if you present the idea as a money saving venture. However, you will get a lot of appreciation if you present the idea as an attempt to enhance your creativity. When you walk into a party and announce that you are wearing something that you have created out of your hands, you automatically become different from all individuals on the scene. The feeling that you are superior to them because you have done something different is always going to be good for your self-esteem.

Of course, people will make fun of you and will try to ridicule you for facing poverty. However, just make sure you are well dressed and look presentable at all times. Do this a few times and people will automatically stop complaining that you are stitching your own clothes because you want to save money. The next step is to do something different. Do something really fancy or fashionable and dazzle everybody with your creativity. That is when people will realize that you are looking good and are saving a lot of money in the process. That is when you will get real respect. That is when you will realize that the hard work you have been putting in stitching your own clothes has proved to be very beneficial.

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Repair small tears to ensure clothes last for a long time

admin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:03:14 +0000

Do you find yourself spending a lot of money on clothes? Chances are high that you are committing one of the two most commonly committed mistakes as far as clothes are concerned. You are either buying poor quality clothes or are not maintaining it properly. You may be saving a lot of money when purchasing the clothes because they happen to be of poor quality. However, you will be forced to purchase clothes very often simply because they do not last for a long time. This may seem like a very profitable deal in the short run but is only going to affect your finances negatively as time goes by.

Secondly, you may be making the mistake of not maintaining your clothes properly. People believe that washing the clothes at regular intervals is sufficient maintenance. It is advisable to keep track of the condition of the clothes and make the necessary repairs before real damage occurs. If you observe your clothes properly, you will find that the clothes show signs of wear and tear before getting damaged beyond repair. Just like pop up stands start creaking before breaking down, your clothes will start looking faded or suffer from small rips and tears before getting damaged in a big way.

This is where having a sewing machine in your hand can make a huge difference. If you carry out the repairs on your own without any external help, you will be in a position to keep track of the damage without any difficulty. Most of us are aware of these issues but ignore the same simply because it costs a lot of money to tackle all the problems on a regular basis.

Having a sewing machine in your house and knowing how to operate the same can help you save a lot of money. By ensuring that the dresses and clothes stretch for one month extra for each and every family member, you will be saving a lot of money in the long run.

My Antique Office Furniture Find

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:03:10 +0000

A good friend of mine always used to ask me to check out this office furniture shop near where we worked. At the time we both worked in a supermarket and hated our jobs, and every day for two weeks straight my friend Mel kept nagging at me to go and look at the shop. I couldn’t work out why, of course – we were both mad keen on sewing and as far as I knew Mel had no secret love affair with furniture to be discovered. Besides that, Mel is one of these people who gets a great new different idea every month, and because of that I suppose I am always slightly suspicious. Usually for good reason (once, when we were both 8, Mel promised me she had found a Tarantula. It turned out to be a leaf, and once the wind had stopped blowing and the leaf had terrified me for a good long minute, I knew that Mel had a habit of exaggerating. Nothing has changed).

…it later transpired that the reason it was half price was because it only worked half as good as it should have…

So I go and check out this shop, looking in the window, and then it hits me. What she wanted me to see: in the window is an old sewing machine – the manual amazing kind which is completely vintage and super cool. The price? About half that of any I had seen before! I had to have it. I simply wouldn’t forgive myself if I walked away now and left this piece of history for someone else to cherish.

I went in and bought it there and then, and it later transpired that the reason it was half price was because it only worked half as good as it should have. Still, it was great while it lasted, and that sewing machine led me to have one very good idea indeed…

I don’t know when I had the idea of doing knitted Christmas trees and the like and putting them on the front of cards, but when I had the idea it turned out to be phenomenal. Soon I was getting requests for custom orders – I had said I could do different animals – and turning a decent profit. So it just goes to show: you never know what you might find, even at an office shop that you thought only sold the kind of furniture that is grey and boring.

A funny sewing story

admin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:33:15 +0000

I had a funny experience the other day. My daughter was trying to use my sewing machine, but little kids being little kids, was having a spot of trouble with it. I probably shouldn’t have left her unsupervised for the minute or so that I did–in that short amount of time she managed to get all sorts of fabric and thread hooked up in the foot, and my basket of fabrics was strewn all over the floor. But kids will be kids, as I said.
But my daughter, it turns out, is determined to become a world-class sewer–and in fact already thinks that she is. Rather than realising that she had made a mistake or two in her efforts to sew together a piece of fabric, she decided to blame the machine. And I guess given all the problems we’ve had with our computer, that’s not so surprising.
That is, of course, until I ended up with a whole bunch of missed calls from IT support companies on my phone. Yes, my daughter had been calling around asking for help in getting the sewing machine to work. I can’t help but wonder how many of them told her to turn it off and turn it back on again, or whether she’d called up the blue screen of death in her efforts to stitch together her patchwork dream!
Needless to say, they were surprisingly friendly, and everyone was trying to help out. If ever I need to call support again, I know where to go!

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The Great Sewing Revolution

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:19:59 +0000

Sewing: what does that word conjure up for you? For many people it – very sadly – arouses a vision of an old woman with a painful-looking hunch-back – come to think of it, I am yet to see one that isn’t painful-looking, but that’s not the point, so let us move on – but in fact, sewing isn’t just for old women with painful-looking hunch backs and a total lack of teeth. I say this because in the circle I sew in there are a number of people who you wouldn’t usually expect to see doing this actually highly fascinating hobby. One of them is featured in the Youtube video below, which goes to show you that not only are sew-ers of all different shapes and sizes, but many of them also love their exercise, too!

The problem with sewing is, of course, its image. Just as leather backgammon sets have always been associated with hardcore gamblers, sewing has always been associated with the old or those with nothing to do.

Yet the reality of the matter is that sewing forms the basis for many crafts and industries around the world. It’s no exaggeration to say that if sewing suddenly vanished off the face of the Earth tomorrow – perish that thought! – the world as we know it would come crashing down in a fury of confusion and horror.

Think about it: clothes, shoes, jackets, and even some plastics rely on sewing techniques. If sewing went the way of the Dodo then not only would Lady Gaga be in a very big heap of doo-doo – to which I doubt even she could smile her progressive smile – but manufacturers around the world would close down and be done for. Jobs would be lost, friendships would be un-done, relationships would be shattered. Indeed, it doesn’t bear thinking about, so please just stop thinking about it. Seriously, right this minute.

My prediction? Sewing is soon going big-time. I mean HUGE-TIME. Soon, very soon, some famous celebrity is going to start sewing – Nicole Kidman, maybe, or even better 50 Cent – and the whole world is going to follow and life will never be the same again. And once that happens I will finally be happy, knowing that sewing is here to stay.

Despite my predictions I have to say, though, that just in case it doesn’t happen for another 50 years I am not going to hold my breath…

Soon, very soon, some famous celebrity is going to start sewing – Nicole Kidman, maybe, or even better 50 Cent

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How to Make a Wedding Dress for a Friend

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:17:39 +0000

Weddings are complicated affairs and one of my best mates is getting married. The trouble is, both her and her husband are visual artists and they are always broke. This shouldn’t really be a problem, but she asked each of her friends to pitch in a bit so that she could reduce the cost and still have an event that reflected their aesthetics and their love. All of her friends got together at her house and we came up with a common strategy and theme for the wedding, that would enable us to create something magical.

We chose to go for a Monet inspired wedding. All of the colours would be chosen from a French Impressionist palette. Everything from printed tins with chocolates for brides maids to flower arrangements would be in the soft pinks, purples and greens of a Monet garden. The dress was a greater challenge because she had a limited budget, but wanted something special.

I started looking at dresses featured in different impressionist paintings and thought that Monet offered some simple lines that could be easily duplicated. I found the above image in a Monet painting and the bride absolutely loved it. The trick is to first go to a shop that sells drapery fabric. This is an interesting way to find cheaper fabrics that will have a nice line and fall to them, without having to spend out on expensive silks or brocades. Then, you will need to scour resources for period costuming either at the costume shop at your local theatre or university or online. If you have good connections, at this point, it might actually be worth borrowing a period dress instead of making one, but all brides tend to get carried away and have fantasies about having a family heirloom that their daughters will wear. Taking that into account, you want to simplify the lines of the dress as much as possible, and focus on creating the highest quality stitching so that the dress will stand the test of time. The dress above is perfect. It can be broken down into simple elements that you already know how to sew, but taken together they create a look that is distinctly French Impressionist; three quarter sleeves, full length rolling pleats for the skirt, and a fitted bodice. The slightly high neck is key, it is perfect for a spring or autumn wedding and the modesty is actually quite sexy.

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Inspiration comes all many forms

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:03:16 +0000

So I was having a bit of a sewer’s block, if that technically makes any sense! I was meant to be helping to design and make the costumes for a fashion show that was taking place at my university. The show didn’t have a specific theme to work towards, which is why I think I found it so difficult to come up with any designs. I was endlessly flipping through magazines and books trying to find some inspiration or just find anything at all that would help me but to no prevail.

It wasn’t until I saw my friend who was looking at online at websites that offered cd printing for his band’s new album that the inspiration really struck me! I would theme it around music and use a load of old cds that I had lying around to make a dress. Once I knew what design I was working towards it was easy, I got started right away and had my outfit finished in no time, and it looked absolutely amazing!! Once the other costumer makers saw it they all wanted to incorporate the theme into their designs and the whole show suddenly became based around my dress!

On the night of the show I asked my friend and his band to come along and play at the after party as a thank you (as it was him who gave me the inspiration after all). The night was a huge success and everyone loved it, now everyone is saying I will have to be the designer for all the upcoming shows as well. At least I know I can find inspiration in the most unlikely places now!

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The lost Art

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:33:05 +0000

We are living in a world where fashion is the key that opens the door to the world around. Sewing is an art that is slowly disappearing in this modern era. Cloth production is done with the use of modern technologies. Gone are those days were women stitch almost any thing and every thing with their hands. These days we see hardly few older women do the stitching. The other day I went to the market and met my old friend who is into to CD Packaging business. There I found a very old sewing machine. When asked he said it belonged to his great grand mother and was planning to sell it. So I showed interest and bought it for a few pounds.

Sewing is a creative art. I grew up watching my grand mother nit she stitches dresses with embroidery, crochet, embellishing, black work, harbinger and many more. None of her children were interested to learn this art. Last time when I visited her she gave some dresses which were stitched by her. It was very beautiful; then and there I decided I will learn stitching. For the past couple of months I am stitching dresses for the kids. I love to stitch and I am enjoying it, now stitching has become my hobby.

Sewing has helped me to repair the tears in my kids clothing. It gives me the pleasure to make clothes according to my whims and fancies. I want to continue to sew because I want my generations not to forget this beautiful art.

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Don’t get it crossed

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:14:05 +0000

I’m often asked by friends with kids what kind of crafts I would recommend for them. I think they’re usually looking for rainy day activities, when Mum and Dad are busy with HR recruitment software or household chores and need something to distract the kids and keep them out of trouble! Of course, a lot of the time it depends on the age of the child; very young children are probably not quite coordinated enough for most of the stitching crafts out there. It may be messy, but I still reckon the best way to entertain your younger children is some good old-fashioned finger painting.
As children get older, you could look into buying them knitting sets; these usually come with step by step instructions and even special needles so that it’s very difficult to make a mistake. This was the kind of kit I started with as a child, and I haven’t looked back since! All of my teddy bears had a huge collection of coloured scarves, as all I could manage until my teens was to knit long, straight pieces, progressing onto stripes - eventually!
My favourite craft activity when I was young, though, was cross stitching and I still enjoy doing it today. The great thing about cross stitching is that the patterns range from the extremely simple to the very complicated, so children of pretty much any age – or even adults for that matter – will be able to find a picture that they can follow and create easily. Then you can make them into birthday cards or key rings and hand them out as presents; they make an ideal gift for older relatives, since who doesn’t love something hand-made by their grand-daughter or grand-son?

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