In which I moan again

I know, I know.

It seems like all I do these days is moan. That is what happens when you are at home all the time. Not everyone though. Some people sit at home and make wonderful use of their time. Not me. All I do is plan things I want to make, start making them, and then get distracted by all your lovely blogs. Lovely blogs, which fill me up with intense envy. Ha! I said it. Yes I get envious when I see some really cool stuff on blogs, and wish I had the skills to make those things, or had access to some of the cool gadgets I see on those blogs. The american blogs are most often the guilty ones. Yes you Americans, with your Joanns and Walmarts.



Just the other day I was reading Sunny's blog. She is currently doing a sew along for not one, but 2 dresses from Simplicity 1880. I have that pattern, and will use her instructions when making mine. First I have to do my Cambie dress, which is becoming a challenge, as I have somehow managed to ruin my pattern. That, I fear, is the subject of another post. Now where was I? Ah yes. Sunny. She was doing a post on button hole placements, and she had this cool tool, the Simflex expanding gauge.

 I had seen this on the Jaycotts website, but had not really convinced myself I needed it so, I never really paid any attention to it. After seeing it featured on Sunny's blog however, I decided it was time I bought one. I went back to Jaycotts, and what do you know, it was out of stock. Come to think of it, it has always been out of stock. I am talking a year from when I first saw it there. Get your act together Jaycotts. I searched high and low for it here in the UK, to no avail, and finally bought it here, on ebay. I probably did not search low enough though, because one day, I found it here.

 Yes people, in a place called Sew-Quick. According to their website, they are " A leading supplier of American sewing notions". Truer words have never been written. They stock items from Nancy Zieman, Clotilde, Sandra Betzina, Collins, Dritz and Palmer Pletsch, and are based in Scotland. I am beginning to love Scotland more and more each day. Not only has it given me Andy Murray, who I love with a passion (sorry Mr.Dibs), it is now leading the way in providing me with american sewing notioins. Take that you American bloggers.

Now on to another thing. Stabilising tapes. 

Source:Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers by Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor

When I flicked through my copy of the most recent Threads magazine, I saw a feature on stabilising tapes.

Naturally, as I am wont to do, I went searching for them. And again, did not find them. I'm sure we have them here, but probably under different brand names. I don't care for that. I want what I see on those blogs. After searching extensively, I ended up ordering some from a US based shop on ebay. And that is not the only thing I have bought from american based shops on ebay. I also ordered some Hug Snug seam binding from this place. All is not completely hopeless though, because I managed to find Steam-a-Seam fusible web from this Welsh ebay shop. England what are you doing?

See the pattern here? Why do we in the UK not have access to these nice notions? If, and that is a very BIG if, we do see them here, they are most often expensive. In my last moan about our lack of visible sewing experts, Karen mentioned the size of the US compared to the UK, and that the craft industry there is massive, and well supported. True. However, the craft industry in the UK is growing, and we need the all the support we can get. There are probably more shops selling these goodies, but either they are not publicising themselves well, or I am just not doing my research well. 

What about you, have you seen and sourced something locally that helps you with your sewing? or in the absence of that, can you recommend useful sewing gadgets which you bought from another country?