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Bees on Wheat
Jul 18, 2007

I've never been happy



QUAIL DIVISION
Buglord
Guys, I just bought some muslin and this pattern from Vogue, and I think I need someone to hug me and tell me it's all going to be okay. I know it says "advanced" on the package, but I didn't realize quite how many pieces and steps there are until I got it home. It has a full lining and a foundation lining that includes boning in the bodice and the goddamn shoulder straps. I may even have to buy new machine feet because I don't have a decent zipper foot, and apparently you need two different kinds to do this right.

And I'm making at least two of these, because the long one will be my wedding gown, and the short version will be for the bridesmaids' gowns. :suicide:

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Comrade Quack
Jun 6, 2006
Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Mizufusion posted:

Guys, I just bought some muslin and this pattern from Vogue, and I think I need someone to hug me and tell me it's all going to be okay. I know it says "advanced" on the package, but I didn't realize quite how many pieces and steps there are until I got it home. It has a full lining and a foundation lining that includes boning in the bodice and the goddamn shoulder straps. I may even have to buy new machine feet because I don't have a decent zipper foot, and apparently you need two different kinds to do this right.

And I'm making at least two of these, because the long one will be my wedding gown, and the short version will be for the bridesmaids' gowns. :suicide:

You could decide not to have bridesmaids. :j:

Bees on Wheat
Jul 18, 2007

I've never been happy



QUAIL DIVISION
Buglord

Comrade Quack posted:

You could decide not to have bridesmaids. :j:

I like this plan. :j:

Unfortunately, I already promised to make my sister's dress, since she'll be my maid of honor. It's going to be a bitch and a half since she lives in another state, but she's visiting right now so I can get all her measurements and talk colors and all that crap. Current plan is to make a muslin, mail it to her for fitting, and hope for the best.

I have no idea what to do for the other bridesmaids. Even if I do make their dresses, I doubt any of them are going to fit Vogue sizes since they're quite curvy. Pattern sizes are really bad for your self-esteem, by the way. My measurements put me at a pattern size 18 or 20, depending on how much ease the garment has. Oh, and 20 is the largest size. I know I'm a goon, but I'm not that fat. Meanwhile, my sis is something like a 12. :argh:

Bitter Beard
Sep 11, 2001

I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing!!

nolen posted:

Whoops. I bought a new toy today.


Is three machines enough? I'd say yes but I know that I'll eventually add a fourth...and a fifth.



I have a problem.

What are you making with those machines? and is that an 8000 series Juki?

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

Mizufusion posted:

I like this plan. :j:

Unfortunately, I already promised to make my sister's dress, since she'll be my maid of honor. It's going to be a bitch and a half since she lives in another state, but she's visiting right now so I can get all her measurements and talk colors and all that crap. Current plan is to make a muslin, mail it to her for fitting, and hope for the best.

I have no idea what to do for the other bridesmaids. Even if I do make their dresses, I doubt any of them are going to fit Vogue sizes since they're quite curvy. Pattern sizes are really bad for your self-esteem, by the way. My measurements put me at a pattern size 18 or 20, depending on how much ease the garment has. Oh, and 20 is the largest size. I know I'm a goon, but I'm not that fat. Meanwhile, my sis is something like a 12. :argh:

Make sure to wash your muslin well and keep in mind that the pattern calls for a lightweight fabric on the bottom. The vogue instructions are usually pretty clear but you may consider having a book handy like the vogue sewing quick reference to help through some of the more challenging steps.

nolen
Apr 4, 2004

butts.

Bitter Beard posted:

What are you making with those machines? and is that an 8000 series Juki?

My serger is mostly used for rolled hems these days, though sometimes I'll use it to create some nice seams on a few hats.

The embroidery machine is mostly used for well, embroidery. I use it for lighter sewing projects as well but didn't want to burn out the motor with some of the thicker seams on some projects. That lead me to purchase...

The industrial machine. It's a Juki 1541S. I wanted a walking foot industrial so that I could move onto experimenting with heavier materials for my plushies, though so far it's been used to make a few bags. EIGHT layers of thick-rear end vinyl and it didn't even blink.

taiyoko
Jan 10, 2008


I have a small handbag that I take with me to conventions, because it's just the right size to hold everything I carry with me. Unfortunately, the strap on it is just too short, and I want to replace it. It's a simple webbing strap, and I've found a site that sells it in a color that should match, but what would be the best way to attach the new webbing? The current setup is that it's stitched in place on one end of the bag, and the other has a length adjustment slide. I don't think I can get my sewing machine into the bag enough to simply stitch one end in place like the original, at least not as firmly held. I can take pics if my description isn't clear enough.

PezMaster
Nov 15, 2006

Though they won't admit it, women were much happier when all they had to do was bake shit and pump out babies.


My very first sewing project! I got the directions from here if anyone is interested: http://www.amyalamode.com/blog/2010/04/04/laptop-sleeve-tutorial/ It's lined with some neato iron on quilting batting, and I even did the button holes without great injury. For my next project,I bought some superman fabric for a skirt pattern I got down in the states for 70 cents (some of those Joann Craft sales are nuts). Any hints for a someone who's never dealt with a pattern before?

madlilnerd
Jan 4, 2009

a bush with baggage

PezMaster posted:

Any hints for a someone who's never dealt with a pattern before?

Good job doing buttonholes on your first project! As for dealing with patterns, my advice is just to read it ALL first. Then translate any terms you don't understand, read it through again, then start working. Don't start working and read as you go along, it'll end in tears. Don't be afraid to stop and ask someone what something means if you're not 100% sure.

I've been on a bedding binge. Finished a cot quilt made from reclaimed fabrics (mainly summer dresses). I was hoping to sell it, but I had an issue with the binding and my machine which meant that I ended up hand sewing all the binding in place, so I worry it's not durable enough to sell now. I might keep it for myself as some kind of sofa decoration (lol, like I live anywhere with a living room) or a wall hanging.




Then I had a go at making pillowcases, using an existing case as a pattern. The fabric is African cotton known as Hollandaise- I love the bright colours and I can get misprinted stuff extremely cheaply off a market. I plan to make lots of them and then hawk them to middle class people at a craft fair, making a 700% profit. They're very quick to sew up.



Oracle
Oct 9, 2004

quote:

Any hints for a someone who's never dealt with a pattern before?

The pattern is not gospel, patterns have been and will continue to be wrong, if you read it three times and it still doesn't make sense, check with a more experienced sewer before concluding you're just dumb and it will all make sense once you get to that point. Things like missing or incorrect measurements for notions in the materials list and having you cut on the wrong side of the fabric (wrong as in incorrect not as in the side without the pattern) aren't unusual, reversals of pattern placement etc.

Also, if they show you a specific layout for your width of fabric, they do so for a reason, don't get cute and try to save fabric by laying it out any which way to maximize space saving, it will end in tears.

zamiel
Nov 12, 2005

Pugs not drugs
I'm not sure if this is better asked in the knitting thread, but does anyone here have pointers for lining hand knit bags? I'm currently working on this monster since I finally have a sewing machine.

My main question is how to draft the liner. Is it really as basic as getting inside measurements? Taking into account seam allowance of course. I could try to fancy it up with a divider, pockets or zipper but I think I'll just try to line the SOB first, then I can always take it out and replace it once I get more experience. Plus I figured I'd be best trying a square bag first, then onto the pig bag fiasco of roundness. I'm also assuming I'll have to hand stitch it to the bag itself since it's way too thick, but I'm not sure which hand stitch would work best with yarn.

Comrade Quack
Jun 6, 2006
Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.
Basically you're making a simple bag that goes inside another bag. I'd think it can be as sewn in as you want. If you think you migh want to switch it out sometime soon you might just hand stitch around the opening and maybe the bottom.

Stultus Maximus
Dec 21, 2009

USPOL May
Does anyone know where to find child-size shoulder pads for suit construction, or at least the dimensions so I could make my own?

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

Stultus Maximus posted:

Does anyone know where to find child-size shoulder pads for suit construction, or at least the dimensions so I could make my own?

Maybe not at a store locally but there is a store in NYC that may have them- Steinlauf and Stoller. I think they do orders over the phone but I could be wrong.

Stultus Maximus
Dec 21, 2009

USPOL May

Funhilde posted:

Maybe not at a store locally but there is a store in NYC that may have them- Steinlauf and Stoller. I think they do orders over the phone but I could be wrong.

quote:

Minimum order 100 pr.

Probably not what I'm looking for.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.
Maybe consider DIY? here is just one tutorial.

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/diy-shoulder-pad

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

Do you like superheroes? Check out my CYOA Mutants: Uprising

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

I'm installing my first zipper and I can't get it to lie flat - there's a bubble in the fabric. I'm going to pick out my basting stitches and try again but I was just wondering if maybe there was 'one weird trick' to getting a zipper to look smooth. I'm pretty sure I just need to pull up the fabric on one side to make it straighter... it's in the side of a dress.

Oracle
Oct 9, 2004

Do you have a zipper foot? They are magical.

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

Do you like superheroes? Check out my CYOA Mutants: Uprising

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

I do! It works really well.

I'm still hesitating on sewing the zipper in. I need to just do it.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.
I also try to iron my zippers on a low setting to get any package folds out.

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

Do you like superheroes? Check out my CYOA Mutants: Uprising

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

I did take it out and iron everything again and then basted and then it was still off a little but I just sewed it in. I suffered a little because I believe I made my seam allowances too small, but I managed to take it in in the back at the zipper so it fits pretty good. For my first fully lined, zippered and boned dress I think it turned out pretty good.

Having a serger to finish the inside seams would be great but oh well! All I have are some Instagram pictures, sorry. :blush:

hollylolly fucked around with this message at 01:24 on Sep 19, 2013

Oracle
Oct 9, 2004

Nice job on the hem! Very straight. Looks great.

BonerGhost
Mar 9, 2007

Oh my word what a dress. Love that silhouette.

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

Do you like superheroes? Check out my CYOA Mutants: Uprising

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

Thank you! It's a great pattern - unfortunately I lost one pattern piece to one of my kids enthusiastically cleaning it up when it fell onto the floor and I didn't put it away immediately. Oops. There's some things I know I'll do better next time, like the boning and the zipper but overall I'm really pleased with it. :D

ReelBigLizard
Feb 27, 2003

Fallen Rib
Hello sewingoons. I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend a more solid sewing machine for her birthday next month. She's only got a small cheap portable thing that has broken a couple of times now and she'd like something more proper. She is threatening to re-upholster my boat so something that can handle upholstery weight material would be nice and it would be nice to be able to do my own sail repairs.

I have a couple of questions:

Can you use such a heavy machine for finer work, or would you want to have a machine designed for light work and one for heavy?

Is an old machine a good idea (assuming it's in good condition and well serviced), or will it be more trouble than it's worth?

I'm mostly into working on motorcycles and wood/metal work, where you usually want to use the right size tool for the job. Also old tools are often cheap and very solid. I'm wondering if it holds true for sewing. Suggestions for good brands/models are welcome. I'm in the UK so there's a billion old Singers and some European brands.

hollylolly - that is a cool dress.

nolen
Apr 4, 2004

butts.

ReelBigLizard posted:

Hello sewingoons. I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend a more solid sewing machine for her birthday next month. She's only got a small cheap portable thing that has broken a couple of times now and she'd like something more proper. She is threatening to re-upholster my boat so something that can handle upholstery weight material would be nice and it would be nice to be able to do my own sail repairs.

I have a couple of questions:

Can you use such a heavy machine for finer work, or would you want to have a machine designed for light work and one for heavy?

Is an old machine a good idea (assuming it's in good condition and well serviced), or will it be more trouble than it's worth?

I'm mostly into working on motorcycles and wood/metal work, where you usually want to use the right size tool for the job. Also old tools are often cheap and very solid. I'm wondering if it holds true for sewing. Suggestions for good brands/models are welcome. I'm in the UK so there's a billion old Singers and some European brands.

hollylolly - that is a cool dress.

Sounds like you'll want an old walking-foot industrial if you're planning on doing something along the lines of upholstery.

You typically don't want to try and do light work on a machine designed to sew heavy materials, as it can throw off the timing. They do make industrial machines for lightweight materials though, and those can be found cheap.

For heavy, an old walking-foot Juki would suit you well. Parts are readily available and they're easy to maintain. I've seen them go for around $700 on the high end used for older generation models.

Check thrift store warehouses and Craigslist. I've seen industrial machines (table, motor, and head) at the local St. Vincent de Paul warehouse for $200. Not bad if you know how to clean it up.

If it's your first industrial, go easy on the clutch motor until you get used to how touchy they can be. Either that or buy a servo motor and call it a day.

Comrade Quack
Jun 6, 2006
Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.
If you're not set on upholstry and are thinking of just sticking to sewing clothes and such get a regular home machine. Yes those older metal beasts are generally better than today's newer counterparts. But check thrift shops; I've picked up machines as cheap as $1.29 and it shouldn't be hard to find something for less than $50.

Bitter Beard
Sep 11, 2001

I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing!!

ReelBigLizard posted:

Hello sewingoons. I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend a more solid sewing machine for her birthday next month. She's only got a small cheap portable thing that has broken a couple of times now and she'd like something more proper. She is threatening to re-upholster my boat so something that can handle upholstery weight material would be nice and it would be nice to be able to do my own sail repairs.

I have a couple of questions:

Can you use such a heavy machine for finer work, or would you want to have a machine designed for light work and one for heavy?

Is an old machine a good idea (assuming it's in good condition and well serviced), or will it be more trouble than it's worth?

I'm mostly into working on motorcycles and wood/metal work, where you usually want to use the right size tool for the job. Also old tools are often cheap and very solid. I'm wondering if it holds true for sewing. Suggestions for good brands/models are welcome. I'm in the UK so there's a billion old Singers and some European brands.

hollylolly - that is a cool dress.

I did a ton of research on this and the ones you want to avoid are the Chinese walking foot knock off machines like Yamata's. You might be able to get one for 300 or so but they quickly run into issues and then you are spending more for repairs then the thing is worth; the general consensus from the pros that sew for a living. A local shop I called said if I bought a Yamata to not even bring it in for him to repair/service, another said 'repairs will be expensive, I never recommend them to anyone.'

For sewing leather the soft vegtan to the cow hides for seats you should look for a tri-fed(compound) industrial machine because they will not mark up the leather on top of the stitches they are putting down. I'm constantly on the prowl for a Consew 206RB-(5), or a Chandler 406RB. Consew are more expensive around 700 to 1300 and that comes with a servo motor usually and the Chandler 500 to 900, both are well built machines that will last a lifetime with proper maintenance. But this is only if you want to do real leather and make heavy things like gun holsters and knife sheaths.

For sail repairs you will want to find a zig-zag machine like a Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1, forgot to add that and I believe they are a feed dog machine so real leather will leave marks, there are videos of people using these to reupholster vehicles as well.

I picked up a Juki 1181 because for upholstery work you usually are dealing with heavy cloths and pleather and even with the dual fed system this uses, doesn't mark up the materials I'm practicing with. So far the projects I've started are re-upholstering dining room chairs and making welting and this things is just unbelievable awesome sauce. I have a Brother SE-400 which is great for garments and home repair but anything more then stitching kids clothes together, I go out to my garage and use my industrial.

Strongly recommend finding a machine already setup with a servo motor, the clutch motors work just fine but they are an older technology that use a TON of electricity and some models are stock car loud

I recently had a ton of sun screen material as scrap and I took it all and did some french seams on it and now I have some great frost covers for the winter, looks like I bought them all. If you really look at the seams I'm all over the place as I learn how to us the machine, but the quality is top notch that the Juki can produce through 3 layers of heavy material.

For my quads I'm practicing up with the embroidery I am able to do with my Brother machine, just an example.


Once I have a design I like I'll take the material out and stitch it together and replace the riding boot ripped up seats on our quads with something fantastically custom and it will cost, 20 bucks to make? Plus time. Just waiting for the heat of the summer to gently caress off and then I'm out in the garage all night.

Hope that helps?

Bitter Beard fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Sep 21, 2013

nolen
Apr 4, 2004

butts.

Bitter Beard posted:


For my quads I'm practicing up with the embroidery I am able to do with my Brother machine, just an example.



Do you find you have crazy hoop-burn with pleather or similar materials when you machine embroider?

The thickest material I've thrown in my embroidery machine is denim, but I would love to experiment with vinyls without having to just lay them on top of the stabilizer with some adhesive.

Bitter Beard
Sep 11, 2001

I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing!!

nolen posted:

Do you find you have crazy hoop-burn with pleather or similar materials when you machine embroider?

The thickest material I've thrown in my embroidery machine is denim, but I would love to experiment with vinyls without having to just lay them on top of the stabilizer with some adhesive.

I've only been doing this for two months, I had to lookup what you were talking about :) I need to pay attention to that after I work on this little sub-project, I'm cutting inside the hoop to make the things so it doesn't matter for the moment but i'll have to experiment with it and try using no stabilizer since it has a backing, just worried pieces will fall out without a stabilizer as it would cut through it like a stencil.

I use cut away stabilizer and don't use adhesive, should I be doing that? So far I've been happy with the results but I want to try and get the threads tighter and more dense, again practicing with Embird to get it right. It has been a learning experience.

Possible :nws::nws:
http://i.imgur.com/sT9M8rp.jpg

Robot Sidekick
Sep 14, 2013

Voice box, electric mistress, freeze tube zipper?
For awkward things that don't hoop well (or hoop burn) I have had good luck hooping up a cut away stabilizer, masking my hoop with some tape then spraying the stabilizer with a temp. spray adhesive made for fabric. Takes a good coat normally, and you have to let it dry a touch otherwise you risk it bleeding through thin fabrics and causing a stain. This almost never happens when I spray the stabilizer instead of the finish fabric but you are forewarned. Then just press and smooth out the fabric onto the stabilizer. I run my embroidery machine on the slowest setting for a while to get a solid tack down, but once the outline is done you can crank that baby up. It takes a bit more baby sitting then normal but works pretty well.

Another option I have done is to stitch out on to organza with either wash-away or regular stabilizer depending on the design. Once it is stitched out you can cut the design out. The organza is so sheer you can applique it onto something and not see it. Particularly if you match the organza to what you are appliqueing on.

ReelBigLizard
Feb 27, 2003

Fallen Rib
Thanks for the info! Some of the brands you guys are talking about don't appear to have a lot of presence in the UK, but it gives me a good idea of the kinds of machine/capabilities I should be looking for.

Anyone got any strong opinions on Toyota machines? This one seems to be good for the prices/features, like the button holing and such.

I got talking to my aunt over the weekend, in the last two years she has gotten back into sewing in a big way thanks to all my cousins suddenly engaging in a game of marriage/babies one-upwomanship. She's a big fan of Brother machines and recently treated herself to some super high end Brother machine with about 4 million modes and touch screen controls :psyduck:

nolen posted:

Do you find you have crazy hoop-burn

I don't think that's a google search I can make at work...

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.
There are a few Pfaff and Bernina machines that are out there that don't have too many frills but can sew through Denim and lightweight materials. The ones we used in the costume shop in college were Bernina machines and they had 'Denim' in the name. Those two brands tend to have more metal parts and last for years and years.

Here in the US you can go to a sewing machine/vacuum shop and get great refurbished or new machines for a variety of prices. They also give you a warranty so repairs can be done regularly. Something like that is great for first time machine owners.

Grape Juice Vampire
Aug 1, 2009
After a weekend of working with chiffon, I start my first project with pleather today! :buddy:

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009
So I am a total fashion and sewing idiot and need a little help in my quest for fabulousness. I scored a great-looking wrap dress from Salvation Army yesterday. It features 3/4 length sleeves. The sleeves have, for lack of a better descriptor, fake French cuffs. One side of the cuff has a true buttonhole; the other side is false. It's currently secured rather flimsily by a button sewn to the false buttonhole, then a thick thread through that button connects to another button which is secured into the true buttonhole, if any of that makes any sense. Structurally, it's sort of like a cufflink.

I think the buttons are kinda ugly, and I'd like to replace them with something more interesting and maybe make the fastening system a little more substantial. Any ideas?

PS I might be a sewing idiot but I am A-OK with sewing on buttons. Help? :ohdear:

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

Save me jeebus posted:

So I am a total fashion and sewing idiot and need a little help in my quest for fabulousness. I scored a great-looking wrap dress from Salvation Army yesterday. It features 3/4 length sleeves. The sleeves have, for lack of a better descriptor, fake French cuffs. One side of the cuff has a true buttonhole; the other side is false. It's currently secured rather flimsily by a button sewn to the false buttonhole, then a thick thread through that button connects to another button which is secured into the true buttonhole, if any of that makes any sense. Structurally, it's sort of like a cufflink.

I think the buttons are kinda ugly, and I'd like to replace them with something more interesting and maybe make the fastening system a little more substantial. Any ideas?

PS I might be a sewing idiot but I am A-OK with sewing on buttons. Help? :ohdear:

Can you post a picture? It may be easier to make suggestions.

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009
That might help, huh? :downs:



Thread between cuffs.



Fastening button hanging free.



My pinkie in the "true" buttonhole.

Bees on Wheat
Jul 18, 2007

I've never been happy



QUAIL DIVISION
Buglord
I had a shirt like that, with the fakey buttoned French cuffs. I just replaced them with actual cufflinks. I found a nice pair at Target that I didn't mind wearing with that shirt all the time. You could try making a matching buttonhole so you can put cufflinks in, or different buttons or something.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

Save me jeebus posted:

That might help, huh? :downs:



Thread between cuffs.



Fastening button hanging free.



My pinkie in the "true" buttonhole.


Looks like you could just get new buttons and remove the old. If you still needed distance between the one side and the other you would just make a shank between the two buttons but make it smaller than is already present.

Here is a good visual tutorial on how to sew a button that way. In this case you would just have another button on the other side as well.

http://manmadediy.com/users/dan_e_t/posts/2607-the-diy-tailor-how-to-sew-on-a-button

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HodjasBitch
Apr 24, 2003

Too bad you revealed what a huge asshole you are so early in the game.....I woulda put out.
Fun Shoe
Hey thread! I've been a quilting fool, and popped in to show you one of my latest.



"Boxing Scorpions" for a friend who has a birthday coming up. I forgot to get proper pictures of the two quilts I finished and threw at my parents last month, but I know where to find them.

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