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I just sewed my first ever anything. It's part of my Halloween costume, which I did from instructions here. It makes me look smaller and rounder than I already am (as does the angle, taken by someone a foot taller than me) but since I'm supposed to be a fairy, I think that's all right. Also, dyeing elastic bands is an absolute bitch.
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Oct 20, 2013 05:42
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Cute tu-tu! Hopefully everyone posts their Halloween sewing projects here--I'm hopefully going to finish up a Starfleet uniform this week, we'll see. Other things I've been messing around with lately: Saw camo pants everywhere this summer, decided to make a pair for myself. Added a little floral contrast cuff because why not?  Another western shirt--the purple cloth was originally a men's xxl button up that I salvaged. I'm going to taper the sleeves next time I use this pattern though--they're so wide! Please excuse the half-finished tattoo.  Moving into fall, saw in stores lots of quilted sweater/sweatshirt things, decided to give that a go. I like quilting right through tracing paper better than trying to transfer to cloth. Also a salvaged thrift-store find--old tan XL sweatshirt cut down to size.  I did some corded quilting (I think it's also called Italian Quilting?) where you thread cord through 'channels' in the stitching. It worked quite well, and I'm already wearing it a lot.  My mad experiment this season? Buying all the bathing suits at the thrift store at the end of the season, when they're about $.50 a piece, cutting them into 2.5" squares, and making nine-patches out of them. I wanted to see if I could create yardage that way that you could still use as a stretch material--and you can! I was worried the serger seams would get too stiff.  And that, of course (?) led to this. Combining my love of patchwork quilting with my love of garish work-out clothes. Pleased as punch that everything lined up pretty well. It's fully lined (to avoid uncomfortable seams against skin) Just wish I had access to a coverstitcher to finish edges, I had to improvise the top and bottom edges. Any recommendations for a serious but not horrendously expensive serger/coverstitcher duo?
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Oct 21, 2013 14:27
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Those shorts are ridiculous and I love them.  My Halloween costume is almost done! I'm actually about to hit up the cosplay thread to ask about boot covers because I bought pleather to make them out of but haven't gotten further than that. 
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Oct 21, 2013 21:17
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Hi guys, I recently decided to dig out the old sewing machine that I got a couple years back, and try my hand at making some dog coats for my dog, since every one I buy or receive as a gift, seems to fall apart in the wash, or they're ugly/plain, or just poor quality. I would like to eventually make a few as gifts for friends/family however I started out by attempting to create a pattern from my favorite coat for my dog (I suspect it's going to have a lifespan of months after its first wash.) Apologies for the poor quality, it's hard to make her sit still.. Original:     First draft (had to get some help creating a pattern since I'd never done it before, so I packed up my old Kenmore and went to visit an expert  )   Edit: better pics http://imgur.com/4V8Leox,oKdIpVe,ayYTs1B So anyway, I learned a ton about doing correct arm-holes for a garment with batting in it, collars, and shoulder seams. The garment is made from some almost-denim cotton with poly batting and flannel lining inside, although I made the leg-holes too big and the space across the chest too generous, it fits surprisingly well for a first attempt, and it's extremely sturdy, so at the very least I've got an extra coat to keep the dog (Devotchka - "Devo") warm for night walks in dry weather. I will also use some lighter fabric for the outer layer next time, and want to try some quilting-style stitching for look and keeping the stuffing (batting?) in places, along with the eventual colored slashes around the back and chest for that sweet, sweet retro vest look. So now I have some questions, the first being that I'm interested in finding/making a mannequin, and most of the stuff I've found online seems to be about covering a person in tape, or has vague enough instructions that I'm unsure what they're referring to (like this for instance http://www.ehow.com/how_12046214_sew-dog-mannequin.html , I have no idea what a "facade" of my dog is, and the "guide" basically says "trace a sketch, cut it out, stuff it, voila!") I was wondering if construction one from wood or PVC or something might be easier and cheaper than stitching one together of the right proportions and then stuffing it hard enough that it'd be able to stand under both its own weight as well as the weight of anything I was working on, etc. I tried searching in Pet Island first, but wasn't able to find much that looked to be of use. Goldaline posted:
coyo7e fucked around with this message at 17:43 on Oct 22, 2013 |
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Oct 21, 2013 22:24
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I love those shorts! The dog coat is also v. awesome! I didn't have the free time to make a Halloween quilt this year, so I made a bat pillow with an invisible zip closure.  I have a pattern for a dog coat that I'm dying to use, but my mother's dog is a gigantic lard rear end black lab. He would have heat exhaustion issues in anything but sub-zero weather.
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Oct 23, 2013 00:47
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Oh, and another silly thing. One of my good friends is about to turn 50 next month, and there is going to be a huge party. All of our musician friends will be there except one who died recently in a motorcycle accident. There were thoughts of doing some fund raising for his kids at the party, and I made these beer ponchos to sell as raffle tickets (I'll staple one on) for either a split cash prize or a quilt. It kinda depends on how many more of these I can crank out, and whether I can actually finish the quilt I would donate. Upside to beer ponchos, nobody grabs the wrong beer. I have an endless supply of fabric scraps to make each poncho unique. 
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Oct 23, 2013 00:59
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Sat down at my machine for the first time in about 14 months and cranked out four tote bags (two with handles, but I ran out of webbing) and an infinity scarf. Came to revel in my not-so-lost skills and Goldaline posts and makes me feel newbish again (just kidding. I think). For the totes, I was thinking of making a set for my girlfriend's family for Christmas. She has three adorable nephews and my mom made tote bags when I was 2 with my hand and foot prints all over them and it's kind of precious. My mother still uses hers, 23 years later! Is there a way to make an art quilt that doesn't look like it's out of the 80s? I like the thought of a wall-hanging quilt but maybe it's just not a medium that translates well now.
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Oct 23, 2013 04:42
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coyo7e posted:I'm interested in finding/making a mannequin, and most of the stuff I've found online seems to be about covering a person in tape, Ignore the 'dog mannequin' instructions you posted. That would result in a flat, nearly 2 dimensional representation of a dog. Like the Nagas they used to give out with bean bag chairs. You pretty much want to modify the people mannequin instructions for your dog. Put her in a t-shirt or two to cover up her fur, and wrap her firmly but not too tight in duct or paper packing tape. You don't have to be AS exact as you would with a person because she is a dog, but you want a bit more than just the general shape of the dog. I would go up her neck a bit, partially down each front leg, and down past the ribcage. Mark a line on the tape up her spine, add a few alignment marks so it lines back up when you take it off, and CAREFULLY cut the tape/shirts off your dog. close up the back seam with more tape, fit it over a wood or pvc frame so it stands up easier if you like, close up the neck, leg and waist holes and then stuff her firmly full of stuffing, straw, whatever you want that will hold a shape. Then you have a Devo 2 to make coats on. (Devo is super cute, btw)
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Oct 23, 2013 04:54
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Amykinz posted:Ignore the 'dog mannequin' instructions you posted. That would result in a flat, nearly 2 dimensional representation of a dog. Like the Nagas they used to give out with bean bag chairs. You pretty much want to modify the people mannequin instructions for your dog. Put her in a t-shirt or two to cover up her fur, and wrap her firmly but not too tight in duct or paper packing tape. You don't have to be AS exact as you would with a person because she is a dog, but you want a bit more than just the general shape of the dog. I would go up her neck a bit, partially down each front leg, and down past the ribcage. Mark a line on the tape up her spine, add a few alignment marks so it lines back up when you take it off, and CAREFULLY cut the tape/shirts off your dog. close up the back seam with more tape, fit it over a wood or pvc frame so it stands up easier if you like, close up the neck, leg and waist holes and then stuff her firmly full of stuffing, straw, whatever you want that will hold a shape. Then you have a Devo 2 to make coats on.  HodjasBitch posted:I have a pattern for a dog coat that I'm dying to use, but my mother's dog is a gigantic lard rear end black lab. He would have heat exhaustion issues in anything but sub-zero weather. One thing though I was thinking, was that they make all kinds of super nice, stuffed/cushioned harnesses and stuff, as well as dog-packs which you could use to keep leashes and poop bags and stuff on a day trip, and a puffy harness is really just a cut-down coat, and a pack could be made of mesh and stuff. coyo7e fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Oct 23, 2013 |
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Oct 23, 2013 21:50
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Could anyone help me with identifying the fabric or make? Album Link     
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Oct 24, 2013 00:02
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Rurutia posted:Could anyone help me with identifying the fabric or make? Looks like micro-suede.
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Oct 25, 2013 15:58
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That's what I thought at first, but it it doesn't have the almost rubbery flexibility I associate with micro-suede and it feels thinner. You also can see the knit distinctively, so I've started wondering if it's a sueded cotton of some sort? I don't know. It's way too long for me (almost to mid calf) but I'm worried about doing anything with it without knowing anything about it. 
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Oct 25, 2013 19:20
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Rayon or polyester knit suede? It kind of looks like a faux camel-hair style coat. Thrifted?
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Oct 27, 2013 16:47
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My wife has gotten into sewing, and wants a new sewing machine so I'm getting her one for Christmas. What are some comparatively inexpensive accessories that may come in handy?
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Oct 27, 2013 20:56
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Man, I ain't know about the rest of you, but a steady supply of SHARP seam rippers, one of those handy magnetic seam guides, bunches of pins and a couple different pincushions, and several magnets for organizing machine needles have been really useful to me. Depending on what she sews, maybe a really nice steam iron, a cutting table/mat/rotary cutter (and spare blades!), and a good pair of scissors? I'm also a big fan of bobbin and thread spool cases. I work best when my poo poo is organized.
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Oct 27, 2013 21:39
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I'd say these are all pretty valuable to me day to day. -Small scissors for thread clicking -Really awesome dedicated fabric shears -Double sided marking pen or Chalk marking tool -Good seam ripper -2"x 18" clear ruler -Good Iron Extras -Rotary cutter -Healing cutting mat Also get her machine from a sewing machine shop rather than a Jo-Anns or WalMart. You can probably get a great machine for a good price and the usually have warranties and classes.
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Oct 27, 2013 22:03
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I find my fabric shears, long pins, and walking foot (for sewing knit fabric) invaluable.
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Oct 28, 2013 00:28
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Cool, thanks. She has this sewing machine on her amazon wish list so that's what I plan to get her. I like the scissors and seam ripper ideas. I'll look for those as stocking stuffers.
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Oct 28, 2013 00:31
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I have that exact machine and... it's not that great. See if you can take your wife to an actual sewing shop to test out other models. The decorative stitches don't work really well and are very finnicky when it comes to setting the tension just right. I also am annoyed at how the foot for regular stitching is more than 1/4 an inch wide, which makes it harder to eye seam allowances. It is alright for what it does at the price. But personally, I only use 2 or 3 of the 60 computerized stitches. Also, as someone who sews quilts, the tiny 'quilting table' that it comes with does not really help at all. The cover is nice for it, though!
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Oct 28, 2013 02:15
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pointers posted:I find my fabric shears, long pins, and walking foot (for sewing knit fabric) invaluable. Cannot say enough good things about a walking foot. Either an addon http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine-Machines/dp/B001UBMDCQ or a literal cheap industrial http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/for/4130036460.html I'd personally go with industrial walking foot from the quality work it puts out and the range of material you can use.
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Oct 28, 2013 02:27
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Building a relationship with a good shop is invaluable. I know most people would never think to take something like a vacuum or other small home appliance in to the shop but sewing machines really do need to go in every so often. I had a machine in the other day for a tension issue. Turns out the stitch length was just too long for that particular fabric I was working with. Because I purchased my machine there and they know me they sat down with me and helped me figure out the best setting for my fabric and even showed me a few tricks I had not known about. I got a half an hour lesson with an expert for free because that is what a good local place will do for you. In the past there had been an issue with that machine and they did have to fix a part on it. Everything both times was free and painless because I am a standing costumer with that shop. At most shops you can find a used machine for 200-400 that will just plain stitch and zig zag but it will actually last and be worth fixing if it ever needs it. That cheapo Brother is going to cause her nothing but frustration and many of them can't even be repaired if there is something wrong. My mother has owned the same Pfaff machine for 27 years and she sews all the time with it. It is worth as much today as she paid for it because it is such a solid machine (about 250). I have in my collection a Pfaff 230 I have had for years now, made in East Germany in the early 50s. She is a beast, and other then the bulb (still worked but it had oil on it and smoked) she is 100% original. I paid 300 bucks for that machine and it is very much a professional quality light industrial machine. My point is if you go for just a little more price range and get a used machine from a good dealer you will have something your grandkids will be able to learn to sew on, and great service/help to boot. I promise you no one uses those decorative stitches. A few utility stitches is nice to have but those decorative stitches won't get used. Put your money towards quality instead.
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Oct 28, 2013 04:24
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I have a Brother LS2125i and I HATE the thing. I can never get the drat tension set right and it really can't handle denim. If you're going to get a cheap machine like that, find one on craigslist. Don't pay full price for a brand new one unless you're buying it from a shop.
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Oct 28, 2013 04:43
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My shop usually has refurbished machines at good pricing and they still offer the warranty/service plans and classes.
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Oct 28, 2013 04:52
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Is there a thread anywhere about textile printing - screen, block, batik, etc?
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Oct 28, 2013 17:34
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I found a couple of easy Simplicity patterns on sale and decided to get bold. Today I tried my hand at a cardigan: It took me five hours, several instances of having to rip the seams and start over (including one sleeve sewed on inside-out) but I feel very slightly better about my ability to read and follow a pattern now. Plus it's comfy as hell, I used a nice medium-weight jersey fabric I found on sale yesterday.
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Nov 11, 2013 03:41
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That looks so soft and comfy, and like it could totally be dressed up or down. Nice color, too.
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Nov 11, 2013 14:44
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sithwitch13 posted:I found a couple of easy Simplicity patterns on sale and decided to get bold. Today I tried my hand at a cardigan: Beautiful! Awesome job. I really want to get into making things with jersey. 
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Nov 13, 2013 01:04
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sithwitch13 posted:I found a couple of easy Simplicity patterns on sale and decided to get bold. Today I tried my hand at a cardigan: Do you have a serger or do you use a regular machine? I have a hell of a time with anything stretch on my machine, but that is probably because it is a piece of poo poo and can't maintain tension to save its stupid, plastic life. Anyone have a good resource for altering jackets? I really don't want to buy a new winter coat right now as I have several pea coats that are too big and I'm still dropping weight. I can figure out the side seams just fine, but I really don't know what I'm doing in the shoulders. I know that's the most difficult area to alter and I'm basically going to be sewing a new jacket by this point, but I guess it's time to learn anyway. Even a good pattern that I can get online without having to wait for it to be shipped would be nice.
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Nov 13, 2013 07:17
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HodjasBitch and A.s.P. - Thank you! I wore it to work yesterday and got a few compliments. It's pretty much fueling my desire to see what else I can do now. NancyPants - I use a regular machine. The instructions said to use a "narrow zigzag stitch" and after a few tries on some of the scraps, I found a setting that seemed to work pretty well. The hardest part for me was the elastic in the stretchy neck bit on the back where it gathers and drapes. I had to undo and redo that three times, and I'm fairly sure that's where I sliced my finger open in retrospect.
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Nov 13, 2013 16:54
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Hi sewing thread! So I, like many, did a little haphazard sewing when I was in high school (I did a few drawstring skirts, one with like 8 huge colorful gores but I only really knew how to do insane bulky rolled seams) and am looking to get into it again, mostly for alterations and wackiness. I don't think my mom even knows where that ancient Singer I used to use is, and if she did I'm sure it needs an extensive tuneup. I've been reading through the rest of the thread and have thrown all sorts of useful tips into Evernote. I've already registered for a beginner-but-not-introductory sewing class to freshen up my abilities (bow ties!) but I also have a sewing machine on my wishlist for christmas--it's this one. It seems to have good reviews but I wanted to run it by this thread. If this isn't a good idea, do you have any thoughts on a sub-$100 entry-level sewing machine with a zigzag that can do / repair stretchy fabrics? Not worth it at all at that price point and I should get my mom to dig out the Singer?
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Nov 13, 2013 22:07
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Nicol Bolas posted:Hi sewing thread! Dig out the Singer. If it's really old (pre-1970) it will be better than anything new in your price range.
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Nov 13, 2013 22:15
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Stultus Maximus posted:Dig out the Singer. If it's really old (pre-1970) it will be better than anything new in your price range. The complication there is that my mother got me a knife set for Christmas last year (which I opened at her house) and promised to ship it and some other stuff to me in January and I still haven't seen any of it. If I were personally going home this holiday, I'd do it myself, but I'm spending Christmas with my fiance's family. It's also enormous and heavy and (I imagine) fragile, so it'll cost about as much as a new machine to ship. Edit: Okay, I think I'm going to just take that machine off my wishlist altogether and see if I can frame it to my mom as THIS year's Christmas gift. Any thoughts on shipping a potentially-ancient heavy-rear end sewing machine? Nicol Bolas fucked around with this message at 22:26 on Nov 13, 2013 |
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Nov 13, 2013 22:20
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Nicol Bolas posted:The complication there is that my mother got me a knife set for Christmas last year (which I opened at her house) and promised to ship it and some other stuff to me in January and I still haven't seen any of it. If I were personally going home this holiday, I'd do it myself, but I'm spending Christmas with my fiance's family. It's also enormous and heavy and (I imagine) fragile, so it'll cost about as much as a new machine to ship. If it's an old Singer you can probably drop it off a roof. I have a 40's Singer and that motherfucker is heavy and tough as nails. It's probably crazy-expensive to ship, though. Have you considered going on Craigslist and seeing if you can get people to rideshare it to you for some compensation? Just a thought. vvv aww boo. That sucks  I hope you figure out a way to get it to you!
don longjohns fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Nov 14, 2013 |
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Nov 13, 2013 23:01
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Haymaker_Betty posted:If it's an old Singer you can probably drop it off a roof. I have a 40's Singer and that motherfucker is heavy and tough as nails. It's probably crazy-expensive to ship, though. Have you considered going on Craigslist and seeing if you can get people to rideshare it to you for some compensation? Just a thought. Unfortunately, I don't think anybody's gonna rideshare me the 10-hour drive one-way from my mom's house to mine. (We're 300 miles apart, which is how a new machine looks so appealing.) I think it's from the 60s or 70s--my mom made her wedding dress in '77 and I believe this is the machine she had and used.
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Nov 13, 2013 23:06
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Nicol Bolas posted:Unfortunately, I don't think anybody's gonna rideshare me the 10-hour drive one-way from my mom's house to mine. (We're 300 miles apart, which is how a new machine looks so appealing.) I think it's from the 60s or 70s--my mom made her wedding dress in '77 and I believe this is the machine she had and used. Old machines are workhorses. Try and get her to ship it, or get on craigslist to see if you can find a similar machine. Also check your local thrift shops.
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Nov 14, 2013 01:46
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Heard and done. Nix the new sewing machine, and will look for an old one! (Any guides out there about what to look for on an old one besides "old Singer from before the 70s and not obviously rusty / broken?) And I just google mapped it and I have no idea where 300 miles came from, it's actually almost 600.  But whatever, I'll pay for the shipping myself if it comes to that. I already know how to thread the drat thing.
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Nov 14, 2013 06:44
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Nicol Bolas posted:Heard and done. Nix the new sewing machine, and will look for an old one! (Any guides out there about what to look for on an old one besides "old Singer from before the 70s and not obviously rusty / broken?) Well if you were in AZ and asked this question literally a few days ago you could have taken the old Brother my mom gave me. I couldn't sell it on Craigslist so I gave it to Goodwill.  Which is where you should start your search, try the ones near retirement communities and the family members literally load up Grandma's old stuff and drop it off. You might get one for 50 bucks that is in fantastic shape. If you can find an industrial sewing machine and I posted about them a page or so ago, cannot recommend them enough. The quality of the stuff they put out is fantastic, but they can be a bit larger then a regular home machine.
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Nov 14, 2013 08:59
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Hello sewing thread. My boyfriend has a quilt that is quite sentimental to him. It's unfortunately falling apart, mostly on the non-quilt side. I think getting it in better condition would be a nice Christmas present for him. I am a pretty beginner sewer, but I have a nice machine (Brother CS6000i) I can use. I've never quilted before. Is this something I could probably fix on my own over the next month, or should I find a professional? It looks like the entire back needs to be replaced. e: it's about 5'x5'. 
Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Nov 27, 2013 |
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Nov 27, 2013 20:18
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Invalid Octopus posted:Hello sewing thread. My boyfriend has a quilt that is quite sentimental to him. It's unfortunately falling apart, mostly on the non-quilt side. I think getting it in better condition would be a nice Christmas present for him. I am a pretty beginner sewer, but I have a nice machine (Brother CS6000i) I can use. I've never quilted before. Is this something I could probably fix on my own over the next month, or should I find a professional? It looks like the entire back needs to be replaced. Maybe find a quilt shop and ask if someone could help you redo it.
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Nov 27, 2013 21:35
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 13:58 |
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Invalid Octopus posted:Hello sewing thread. My boyfriend has a quilt that is quite sentimental to him. It's unfortunately falling apart, mostly on the non-quilt side. I think getting it in better condition would be a nice Christmas present for him. I am a pretty beginner sewer, but I have a nice machine (Brother CS6000i) I can use. I've never quilted before. Is this something I could probably fix on my own over the next month, or should I find a professional? It looks like the entire back needs to be replaced. Looking at it from a time/effort prespective, I don't think you should bother trying to replace it. It's probably going to take forever to take it out. It might just be better to just sew a new piece of fabric over it
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Nov 27, 2013 21:53
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