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Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

squirrellypoo posted:

I hacked two Ikea pillowcases into four placemats (with cutlery pockets) and coasters last weekend. I've been meaning to do it for ages but hadn't quite gotten around to it.

Looks nice! I made placemats with pockets a while ago but it was a complete waste of time- I use them occasionally but my boyfriend completely ignores them so they sit in the drawer. This is what happens when we scorn the dinner table for eating in the living room, I guess.

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Buddleia
May 22, 2007
I like butterflies; butterflies like Buddleia.

Buddleia posted:


My first silk project will be Vogue 8392:http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V8392.htm?tab=very_easy_vogue_sportswear&page=2

The middle view, of course. Who on earth would wear the other two views? Anyway, I've made it once already out of a cotton blend I picked up at an estate sale years ago, and it turned out really nicely and was very easy. So, the pattern is easy and I've done a dry run that went well. Also, it's dupioni silk, so much more manageable, as far as I can tell.

Et, c'est fini! My god, it turned out well. I'm wearing it to work today. I must say, that pattern is easy as sin, and looks great. The only part that was a real pain was slipstitching the collar. But that wasn't hard, just really tedious.

So, I'm gearing up to my big, scary charmeuse project. I was thinking I might do a practice run with that pattern, too. I have a couple of metres left of some black poly chiffon with cherries on it. Perhaps that might be a close enough approximation of my silk charmeuse? I could also go to my local fabric shop and pick up some cheap poly charmeuse. Eeek. I'm getting nervous.

squirrellypoo
Feb 8, 2003
Buddleia, this "Fear Not The Fabric" post was written just for you!

I just finished up two shirts and made a 30 second muslin of the next blouse I'm going to make in some silk charmeuse. Want to do a sew along on our respective patterns?

Buddleia
May 22, 2007
I like butterflies; butterflies like Buddleia.

squirrellypoo posted:

Buddleia, this "Fear Not The Fabric" post was written just for you!

I just finished up two shirts and made a 30 second muslin of the next blouse I'm going to make in some silk charmeuse. Want to do a sew along on our respective patterns?

You have no idea. This is probably not the best time to talk about the couple of metres of chinese silk jacquard that's been sitting in my hamper for almost four years.

I probably should do a semi mock-up (a wearable one, ideally, as I did for this dupioni blouse) with the chiffon. In which case, you'll be miles ahead on your blouse, I'm sure. I don't think it would be much of a sew-along.

Janelle
Apr 5, 2004

Strelnikov posted:

What kind of a machine do you have?

If it's a normal straight stitch type, the easiest way to gather is to set it to the longest stitch you can, loosen the needle tension, and sew two parallel rows of stitches about 1/4" apart without lockstitching either end. Then you pull the needle thread to gather the fabric as tightly as you want it, pin it in place, readjust your machine settings back to normal, sew the skirt on the same way you would a normal seam, and pull out the gathering threads.

What's the point of the 2 parallel rows? Are you pulling on both rows to make the gather, or just one?

Not an Anthem
Apr 28, 2003

I'm a fucking pain machine and if you even touch my fucking car I WILL FUCKING DESTROY YOU.

Goldaline posted:

And for embroidery, I've always found tracing paper is amazing. Trace your pattern, tape the tracing paper to the fabric, and stitch through both it and the fabric. Then tear away the tracing paper. Woo.
Are there any websites that have a good description for step by step embroidery for idiots? I want to embroider a metal band logo on one of my sweaters and I have never embroidered, although I'm pretty handy with sewing and can crochet. I don't know how the stitching/patterning works (unless its just "COVER THE LINES WITH LOOPS OF THREAD!")

handbags at dawn
Mar 8, 2007

Not an Anthem posted:

Are there any websites that have a good description for step by step embroidery for idiots? I want to embroider a metal band logo on one of my sweaters and I have never embroidered, although I'm pretty handy with sewing and can crochet. I don't know how the stitching/patterning works (unless its just "COVER THE LINES WITH LOOPS OF THREAD!")
Here is a good resource for basic embroidery stitches: http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/06/basic-embroidery-stitches.html

She also has video clips of the stitches, if you learn faster that way: http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-embroidery.html

You may want to practice on a more "flat" material than a sweater until you get the stitches down, knits can be tricky for embroidery right off the bat.

Edit: Crap, I forgot - put some kind of reinforcement behind the embroidery if it's not a tight knit. I've never embroidered on knits, but I'd imagine that's a necessity.

handbags at dawn fucked around with this message at 05:25 on Mar 13, 2008

squirrellypoo
Feb 8, 2003

Janelle posted:

What's the point of the 2 parallel rows? Are you pulling on both rows to make the gather, or just one?
Pull on both lines to make the gathers, then sew your seam between the lines. After it's all attached, remove the gathering stitches with a seam ripper. You want to have two rows of gathering stitches so they don't shift and become uneven when you go to sew them permanently. Believe me, your gathers will look much, much nicer if you do two rows, and it usually don't take much more time.

Janelle
Apr 5, 2004
thanks so much. I hit a standstill last night. Working on my first real sewing project making St. Patrick's Day outfits for my girls.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

Not an Anthem, hopefully those links helped- if you're up for learning more about it and don't mind an investment, I really thought the photo how-tos on "Doodle Stitching" were great.

http://www.amazon.com/Doodle-Stitching-Fresh-Embroidery-Beginners/dp/1600590616

Unfortunately, the cover is the best part of the book in terms of the cute factor (and, sadly, you don't really see the cover on the inside anywhere- but there are cute projects), but like I mentioned the photo how-tos are nice. Lots of books I've seen just have illustrations and somehow that doesn't help me much.

I learned the little bit I was doing before just from the simple instructions on Sublime Stitching patterns, but that meant my work was fairly limited and didn't really pop well.

Anyway sorry, just pimping a book by a sweet girl from Crafster. ;) I'll shut up now.

Janelle
Apr 5, 2004
I'm probably going to be heading to barnes and nobles next week to look for some explanation sewing books. I'll look for that one. I don't have much more to do on one pair of pants and still have a full skirt to make (possibly some scrunchies too, since they are so young). I would LOVE to make me some skirts and dresses, but that scares me. I think I'm going to start by altering t-shirts. I like the girl-fitted t's, but I prefer them a bit longer than you can buy them. :shrug:

Lixer
Dec 3, 2005

What does Depeche Mode mean? I like kinky sex with a scoop of ice cream
Where does everybody go to look for quilting patterns? Is there a good site online?

My grandma offered to make me a quilt if I picked out the pattern and the main fabric. I'm thankful, but also a bit worried because I don't really think that quilts are really my style. Are there any good modern looking ones that won't look too dated in 30 years?

handbags at dawn
Mar 8, 2007
It seems like most quilt patterns (blocks, anyway) have been around for hundreds of years, but they can still look fresh today, because often it's the fabric that makes them look dated, not the pattern.

If the idea of "patchwork" quilts is what's turning you off, the "turning twenty" patterns are pretty modern looking: http://image64.webshots.com/164/7/85/71/2651785710086574394ALDysu_fs.jpg

seriouslywtf
Jul 10, 2003

Seriously. WTF?
This isn't all that exciting, but I put a zipper into an (originally) zipperless hoodie from Threadless.



I just left the raw edges exposed, for no real reason except that I felt like it and didn't want to mess with the front design too much by folding them back.

I also just finished my first commercial dress pattern and although it's not perfect, I'm pretty proud of it. Pics later when I get a chance to actually take them.

squirrellypoo
Feb 8, 2003
seriouslywtf, I love it! And who cares about raw edges if that's the look you're going for? Especially here, when you'd get a chunk of the print missing if you did that. I applaud your ability to cut right in and go. :)

Today's my birthday and for the last few years I've been making myself something nice to wear on the day. Since I had a four day weekend right before it, I made myself jeans and a fun little bolero. I'm wearing them right now, but with better shoes. :)

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

I have plenty of store-bought hoodies with raw edges out like that. Doesn't matter with that fabric. :) Two of my favorite hoodies are made to look inside-out all the time.

seriouslywtf
Jul 10, 2003

Seriously. WTF?
Okay, here it is (pre-pressing). Be gentle.





It needs to be fitted a little better on the bottom and I am not 100% satisfied with how I did the lining, but it's alright. ;) I don't mind it, for my first major project.

squirrellypoo
Feb 8, 2003

seriouslywtf posted:

Okay, here it is (pre-pressing). Be gentle.
GORGEOUS! It fits you like a dream and that satin is just SO lush. Great job lining up those darts at the waist, too! Did you use a pattern? (I just want to know so I can buy it :) )

seriouslywtf
Jul 10, 2003

Seriously. WTF?

squirrellypoo posted:

GORGEOUS! It fits you like a dream and that satin is just SO lush. Great job lining up those darts at the waist, too! Did you use a pattern? (I just want to know so I can buy it :) )
Thank you. :) Yes, I used a pattern. It's this one:
http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V8184.htm

Janelle
Apr 5, 2004
That is great seriouslywtf. I am working my way up to sewing my own clothes. Right now though I'm starting with the kid's stuff. Once I can do their clothes flawlessly I will move up.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

Sometimes I wonder why I got into quilting when I am clearly too lazy. I bought about 12 fat quarters at my favorite fabric store and thought "Oh, I'll do a little hexagon throw or wall hanging or something."

Then I considered how many hexagons I'd have to cut---- oh GOD, even for a wall hanging it's awful. This is why I either need an expensive die cut machine (ahahah) or I need to just buy pre-cuts from someone.

So I'm opting for that two-of-a-kind quilt with the card trick block that I think we talked about before- it's the cover quilt on the April American Patchwork Quilting. Seems more manageable and a better showcase for cute fabrics.

handbags at dawn
Mar 8, 2007

Ozma posted:

So I'm opting for that two-of-a-kind quilt with the card trick block that I think we talked about before- it's the cover quilt on the April American Patchwork Quilting. Seems more manageable and a better showcase for cute fabrics.
I finished that one! I'm now working on another one, well, it was going to be the same pattern, but due to a mistake on my end, I've now mutated it into a pattern of my own making. I'm not up to hexagons yet, I'm really just sticking with squares/rectangles. Not brave yet.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/2375689980_e42cd2d2a3_o.jpg

It still uses the two main blocks, 3"x3" and 3"x5 1/2", but moved around. The blocks are square and will be "on point," which makes it look like it was harder to do than it really was for some reason. I want to point out that I did not pick out that flowery fabric, I hate it, but it was free and I'm making the quilt for someone else.

I've now finished three quilt tops since the end of January, this will be the fourth (probably this week). I've got it bad.

seriouslywtf
Jul 10, 2003

Seriously. WTF?
Sorry for whoring so much on page 8 here. I just made this today on a random whim, because I was trying to figure out what to do with this houndstooth skirt I got from a thrift store that didn't fit me. So, I turned it into a (lined) messenger bag with a felt applique of an oldschool floppy disk.



The bag happens to fit my laptop, which seems strangely appropriate.

Buddleia
May 22, 2007
I like butterflies; butterflies like Buddleia.

Ozma posted:

Sometimes I wonder why I got into quilting when I am clearly too lazy.

Hey, it may take me over a year to finish most quilts I do (two for the big king-size guy I've got on our bed), but I'm always so happy with them in the end that I can't wait to start another. I may not be that productive at quilting, but I'm happy.

seriouslywtf, your dress turned out awesome, especially for a first project. Well done.

Prophet 60091
Sep 28, 2007

The lucky person wins a free plate of their choice.

seriouslywtf posted:

This isn't all that exciting, but I put a zipper into an (originally) zipperless hoodie from Threadless.



I just left the raw edges exposed, for no real reason except that I felt like it and didn't want to mess with the front design too much by folding them back.

I also just finished my first commercial dress pattern and although it's not perfect, I'm pretty proud of it. Pics later when I get a chance to actually take them.

Thanks, you inspired me. I had a pull-over hoodie I bought a year ago, but it was too tight and I never wore it (I never return clothing). So I added a zipper last night:



Not bad for a sewing dude, huh? Well ok it took a few nights. Except for a few frayed corners here and there, and sewing lines that aren't straight, it looks professional.

So speaking of guys sewing guy-clothes, I need more inspiration for stuff to make besides PJs. Has anyone sewn any good mens clothes? Unless I get distracted by something, I might try and replicate a utilikilt next.

Prophet 60091 fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Apr 3, 2008

Aericina
Mar 3, 2005

Meez, please.
My mom is somewhat of a seamstress by trade, so it would be awful for me not to at least try to make something. I came up with this:





I used outdoor super thick fabric for the black lining so I don't think water should be a problem (spills and rain). It's not super awesome but as my first completed (!) project it's not too bad. Next projects are corduroy totes for my bridesmaids and either a laptop bag or a diaper bag, depending on who wants it more. I also need to start and finish the 5 or 6 dress patterns I have lying around.

meltie
Nov 9, 2003

Not a sodding fridge.

Prophet 60091 posted:

Not bad for a sewing dude, huh? Well ok it took a few nights. Except for a few frayed corners here and there, and sewing lines that aren't straight, it looks professional.

So speaking of guys sewing guy-clothes, I need more inspiration for stuff to make besides PJs. Has anyone sewn any good mens clothes? Unless I get distracted by something, I might try and replicate a utilikilt next.

I started small, modifying t-shirts, making baggy trousers for clubbing... If I were looking for a starting project to practice on, i'd be looking at mp3 player cases or a wallet. Utilikilt sounds like quite a good start too, they're quite blocky so any minor wobbles shouldn't matter.

Juriko
Jan 28, 2006

meltie posted:

I started small, modifying t-shirts, making baggy trousers for clubbing... If I were looking for a starting project to practice on, i'd be looking at mp3 player cases or a wallet. Utilikilt sounds like quite a good start too, they're quite blocky so any minor wobbles shouldn't matter.

I would have ti disagree with that. Good pleats are pretty hard to get done well, and a utilikilt would be a lot of work. My entire alice in wonderland costume for halloween, including double pin tucks, ruffles and the blouse, was easier than my one attempt at clean pleats.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

Prophet 60091 posted:


Not bad for a sewing dude, huh? Well ok it took a few nights.

I'd make a remark about how guys are just as capable of sewing but then I remember that I had to explain threading/knotting thread on a needle and basic stitches to my boyfriend. He was seriously CLUELESS.

But OK, he's the exception. I know lots of guys who sew. Your jacket still looks cool. ;)

Russian Dollies
Jun 25, 2006

Basically... RUN.

Okay, I'm at a loss. I've been knitting since November of last year, and decided I wanted to try out crochet. I looked at online lessons first, but I'm very visual, and reading text and looking at tiny rear end illustrations aren't helping. I tried going on YouTube, but the videos there have people moving at lightning speed, and I can't tell what they are doing where.

So I've determined I'm just going to have to buy a book with clear illustration using real pictures. I went into Barnes & Noble and found a really good book, but while its great for knitting, it only has one little chapter on crocheting. Does anyone know of a really good, well illustrated (preferably w/pics) book that could help me out?

akanekun
Apr 5, 2008

Russian Dollies posted:

Okay, I'm at a loss. I've been knitting since November of last year, and decided I wanted to try out crochet. I looked at online lessons first, but I'm very visual, and reading text and looking at tiny rear end illustrations aren't helping. I tried going on YouTube, but the videos there have people moving at lightning speed, and I can't tell what they are doing where.

So I've determined I'm just going to have to buy a book with clear illustration using real pictures. I went into Barnes & Noble and found a really good book, but while its great for knitting, it only has one little chapter on crocheting. Does anyone know of a really good, well illustrated (preferably w/pics) book that could help me out?

Quick search on amazon turned up this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Visually-Crocheting/dp/0764596411/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207406959&sr=8-4

Sounds like from the reviews that it's what you're looking for, especially since they use photographs over illustrations.

Stijl Council
Jun 16, 2003

Hip to be Squares

Russian Dollies posted:

Does anyone know of a really good, well illustrated (preferably w/pics) book that could help me out?

I'll preface this by saying that I'm, like, 98% knitter and just do crochet for edgings and stuff. So weigh this recommendation accordingly. But I have this book and the illustrations are beautiful and clear. Most of the crocheters in my life are lefties so what little crochet I can do I've learned from this book.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

boscokitty posted:

I finished that one! I'm now working on another one, well, it was going to be the same pattern, but due to a mistake on my end, I've now mutated it into a pattern of my own making. I'm not up to hexagons yet, I'm really just sticking with squares/rectangles. Not brave yet.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/2375689980_e42cd2d2a3_o.jpg

I think it looks cool. :)

When you quilted the two-of-a-kind, did you stick with the dragonfly or floral motif that they suggested? I'm not worried about the effort but am already dreading machine quilting it that way (though I'd probably stick to squiggles). I'm trying to decide if the quilt would lose something if I were to just quilt around the edges of each "square." One part of me thinks it would make the squares pop, the other thinks that it would not look as interesting if it wasn't quilted as much as it is in both of the finished shots. Does that make sense?

Russian Dollies
Jun 25, 2006

Basically... RUN.

Stijl Council posted:

I'll preface this by saying that I'm, like, 98% knitter and just do crochet for edgings and stuff. So weigh this recommendation accordingly. But I have this book and the illustrations are beautiful and clear. Most of the crocheters in my life are lefties so what little crochet I can do I've learned from this book.

Thanks. I'll see if I can't find in it a local bookstore to look through.

I saw that Visual Crochet book at Amazon, but I haven't seen it locally, and I'm afraid I'll waste my money if I don't look through it first. I'm always hesitant to accept online reviews at face value, because half the time I don't agree with them.

handbags at dawn
Mar 8, 2007

Ozma posted:

When you quilted the two-of-a-kind, did you stick with the dragonfly or floral motif that they suggested? I'm not worried about the effort but am already dreading machine quilting it that way (though I'd probably stick to squiggles). I'm trying to decide if the quilt would lose something if I were to just quilt around the edges of each "square." One part of me thinks it would make the squares pop, the other thinks that it would not look as interesting if it wasn't quilted as much as it is in both of the finished shots. Does that make sense?
I was thinking of doing the "stitch in the ditch," which would have made the squares really pop out, as you said, but since the quilt was for my 9-year-old daughter, I had my mom quilt it on her machine. Her machine is similar to this http://www.crawfordcountywi.com/images/artisan/Jean-Mezera.jpg . She can't free-hand with it yet, it's better for tracing continuous patterns. She did a pattern that looked like this: (pardon my mad paint skills)


I just thought a tighter pattern would keep the quilt together better. (not much confidence in my sewing ability yet, and I like the way the "squiggly" quilting looks anyway)

Anyway, to actually answer the question, the quilt still had a lot of visual interest without quilting it the way they did. If I did it again, I'd stitch in the ditch with something that would blend in or even try the transparent quilting thread.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

Thanks! I'm still kind of torn on it but I have time to think. I just started cutting today. :)

I just have a regular sewing machine but it's not too awful to use if I just get the feed dogs out of the equation. I think I'll just have to decide after I lay out all of the pieces.

But either way, that squiggly pattern you put up is exactly what I was thinking of so we're of like minds!

handbags at dawn
Mar 8, 2007

Ozma posted:

Thanks! I'm still kind of torn on it but I have time to think. I just started cutting today. :)

I just have a regular sewing machine but it's not too awful to use if I just get the feed dogs out of the equation. I think I'll just have to decide after I lay out all of the pieces.

But either way, that squiggly pattern you put up is exactly what I was thinking of so we're of like minds!
Glad to hear someone else likes the squiggles! I need to take a picture of the quilt - my daughter took it over to sleep with at her dad's house, and it hasn't made it back over here yet. (She wanted to show it off, I was so pleased.)

Have you tried a walking foot? It's a foot that hooks onto the machine in place of the regular foot (and the part the foot hooks onto) that has additional feed dogs on the top of the fabric, and the foot floats a little more than the regular one to handle several layers. I haven't gotten brave enough to quilt an actual quilt with it yet, but I've made a couple of little purses and it quilts those just fine. (It is also great to use to sew the first edge of the binding on a quilt.) Since it's got feed dogs coming from both directions, the fabric doesn't bunch or slide. I got one at JoAnn's for about fifteen bucks and it was well worth the money to me.

I don't work today, so guess what I'm going to be doing. Cleaning the house? Oh hell no.

squirrellypoo
Feb 8, 2003

boscokitty posted:

Have you tried a walking foot? It's a foot that hooks onto the machine in place of the regular foot (and the part the foot hooks onto) that has additional feed dogs on the top of the fabric, and the foot floats a little more than the regular one to handle several layers.
I am totally gay for my walking foot. Besides the standard and zipper feet, it's the one that gets used the most, and I don't even quilt. I originally bought it for sewing velvet, but I've used it equally well for leather and knits and slippery fabrics. I call it my magic foot because any time I'm trying to sew fabric that has a mind of its own, the walking foot solves it, like magic.

If you're a visual person, I posted photos of all my feet the other day - the walking foot is the big one on the left in the first photo.

Debbie Metallica
Jun 7, 2001

boscokitty posted:


I don't work today, so guess what I'm going to be doing. Cleaning the house? Oh hell no.

Haha, nice. I know my living room is an absolute disaster zone because I spent all day yesterday cutting on the dining room table. Sure, I have my own sewing room but there's no TV in there!! I'm going to get yelled at if I don't do some vacuuming today since it's my JOB. ;)

I'll look into the walking foot. I haven't investigated my machine too much but remember that I got it because people said it was OK for smaller quilting projects (I'd die if I did intricate quilting on a bed-size one). It's supposed to have a couple stitches that can mimic hand-stitching and it definitely has some fun stitch patterns that I can exploit for edging.

All of this is yet another example of why one should research HOW to sew a project while they're getting fabrics/patterns: it sounds to me like this foot would have saved me when I tried my FIRST quilting project- with satin no less- years ago. It was a nightmare to make and it showed.

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MoCookies
Apr 22, 2005

Russian Dollies posted:

Crochet books?

I really liked this book - Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker - and got it to re-teach myself how to crochet. I think the explanations and diagrams of the stitches were excellent, and the patterns in the book are pretty wear-able as well. I'm totally addicted to making and designing bags now. I really should open up an etsy shop to sell off a few.

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