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Wungus
Mar 5, 2004

I've got a wool blend peacoat kinda jacket that I got as a gift, and there's a few things on it that don't really fit super well - mostly, the sleeves are too long, and too wide. Does anyone have any tips on how to take in/hem sleeves for a lined coat without ruining the shape? Also, just in general, how to work with coat linings? I'm pretty drat confident with sewing lighter fabrics, and do most of my own alterations and tailoring anyway - it's the benefit of being a little guy who can't buy clothes that fit him anywhere. I'm just really nervous about taking this thing apart; it's not going to be like bringing in the sleeves of a dress shirt, where I can just move the button, realign the bottom seam and sew away.

Does anyone have any like, decent tips bookmarked, or just some advice, before I take this apart? I know I could just go to a tailor and pay a hundred or so bucks to do all the small alterations I want, but I feel like my skill level's at the point that I could tackle this and I want to learn anyway... I just don't want to gently caress up like I am pretty sure I will if I just get a couple shots of whiskey under me and go wild with a seam ripper.

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10 Beers
May 21, 2005

Shit! I didn't bring a knife.

My girlfriend has decided she'd like a sewing machine. She'd just be using it for light repairs and modifications, nothing fancy. Is there a brand/model you guys can recommend for around $80?

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

10 Beers posted:

My girlfriend has decided she'd like a sewing machine. She'd just be using it for light repairs and modifications, nothing fancy. Is there a brand/model you guys can recommend for around $80?

Going to be challenging to get anything great for that price. Maybe something used from a thrift store or craigslist would be a better bet than a new cheap model from wal-mart or whatever. I would just insist on plugging in the machine to make sure it works.

It does look like Joann Fabrics is having a sale on all their machines- I don't see reviews however.

http://www.joann.com/sewing/machines-and-furniture/sewing-machines/

ReelBigLizard
Feb 27, 2003

Fallen Rib

10 Beers posted:

My girlfriend has decided she'd like a sewing machine. She'd just be using it for light repairs and modifications, nothing fancy. Is there a brand/model you guys can recommend for around $80?

Brother make some half decent budget machines, and this one is on offer down from 150 right now:
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-XL260...+sewing+machine

Other than that, you'll get much more machine going second hand. Local classifieds / flea markets / thrift stores will be your best bet.

Muffy_the_Diver
Oct 19, 2004

ALL ABOARD THE BUTT TRAIN
I would also recommend looking at repair shops, they usually have older workhorse machines that have been overhauled for pretty cheap, so you don't have the Craigslist gamble of "will it even work?"

canyoneer
Sep 13, 2005


I only have canyoneyes for you
Don't buy your first machine on ebay.
I bought a 90's, Swiss-made $550 Bernina for my wife on ebay. The rear end in a top hat seller shipped it to the wrong address, wrapped in a curtain inside a box. When it finally got to me it was all kinds of broken, and took me 3 months and about 15 hours on the phone to get refunded by ebay/paypal.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

Muffy_the_Diver posted:

I would also recommend looking at repair shops, they usually have older workhorse machines that have been overhauled for pretty cheap, so you don't have the Craigslist gamble of "will it even work?"

This is good advice.

Bitter Beard
Sep 11, 2001

I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing!!
I ran out of excuses to not buy a Singer 14T968DC serger so I finally ordered one. I made some couch pillows for my wife and using my Baby Lock BL4 to do the pillow forms, they were done so quickly I felt bad that was the extent this great machine could go. So I figured why not buy a machine that has some expanded features if I like serging so loving much?



I tried sewing the welting directly onto the pillow instead of making it separate for the first time, I liked the results and plan on doing this for any weltig in the future. The cat hair attracting faux suede my wife picked for the backings tried to be as difficult as possible when I was sewing the 4+ layers together and I had to switch to a leather needle with a blade point to punch through consistently.


Pillow! I whipped these up in an afternoon, good fun quick project.


Bitter Beard fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Jan 13, 2015

Fatkraken
Jun 23, 2005

Fun-time is over.
There's a seconds warehouse I sometimes go to that does all sorts of crazy prints for as little as £1 a metre, and I want some fun patterns to play with, I have several metres of blue and red fabric with pictures of lizards on it and I'd love a funky summer dress or two. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good rockabilly/1950s style dress pattern?

I have new look 6020



which is cute but a bit on the simple side, I'm after something with a bit more going on, like a halterneck or a fancier collar, something like these



Stultus Maximus
Dec 21, 2009

USPOL May

Fatkraken posted:

There's a seconds warehouse I sometimes go to that does all sorts of crazy prints for as little as £1 a metre, and I want some fun patterns to play with, I have several metres of blue and red fabric with pictures of lizards on it and I'd love a funky summer dress or two. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good rockabilly/1950s style dress pattern?

I have new look 6020



which is cute but a bit on the simple side, I'm after something with a bit more going on, like a halterneck or a fancier collar, something like these





I made my wife the Vogue 2902 with a green and white polka dot pattern and white trim. It works really well as a casual summer dress. It looks similar to that second picture you posted (the B&W polka dot).

Fatkraken
Jun 23, 2005

Fun-time is over.

Stultus Maximus posted:

I made my wife the Vogue 2902 with a green and white polka dot pattern and white trim. It works really well as a casual summer dress. It looks similar to that second picture you posted (the B&W polka dot).

Ah that's really nice, and I could easily convert it to a halter since the straps are on a separate piece of fabric from the main body. ta.

Hypnolobster
Apr 12, 2007

What this sausage party needs is a big dollop of ketchup! Too bad I didn't make any. :(

I have a question because I haven't sewed anything other than drawstring bags when I was a kid.

If I took a pair of Carhartt bibs in to hem/shorten the leg an inch or so, is it possible to shorten a zipper and not cause problems? They're zippered legs with a snap on the bottom to keep the flap shut, ideally I'd like to have them shortened, the zipper shortened and a new snap pressed in.

Worth going to the alteration shop or just live with my bibs always dragging in the mud?

Staryberry
Oct 16, 2009

Fatkraken posted:

There's a seconds warehouse I sometimes go to that does all sorts of crazy prints for as little as £1 a metre, and I want some fun patterns to play with, I have several metres of blue and red fabric with pictures of lizards on it and I'd love a funky summer dress or two. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good rockabilly/1950s style dress pattern?

I have new look 6020



which is cute but a bit on the simple side, I'm after something with a bit more going on, like a halterneck or a fancier collar, something like these





Check out Butterick's Patterns by Gertie. Gertie, from BlogForBetterSewing.com has a great rockabilly style.


http://butterick.mccall.com/b5882-products-44960.php?page_id=4453

Pile of Kittens
Apr 23, 2005

Why does everything STILL smell like pussy?

Hypnolobster posted:

I have a question because I haven't sewed anything other than drawstring bags when I was a kid.

If I took a pair of Carhartt bibs in to hem/shorten the leg an inch or so, is it possible to shorten a zipper and not cause problems? They're zippered legs with a snap on the bottom to keep the flap shut, ideally I'd like to have them shortened, the zipper shortened and a new snap pressed in.

Worth going to the alteration shop or just live with my bibs always dragging in the mud?

What do you mean they're zippered? Can you post a picture or find a similar picture online? You can't really "shorten" most zippers, but you can remove it and install a shorter one, or take in the fabric above it to move it higher. Depends on what kind of configuration you're talking about.

taiyoko
Jan 10, 2008


So my mom's asked me about making my niece an Elsa costume for Halloween as a surprise, using the Simplicity licensed pattern. She's 4 years old, turning 5 in March, and her measurements make her pretty solidly a size 4 for the pattern right now. How much should I anticipate her growing by Halloween? Just make it a size bigger?

Fatkraken
Jun 23, 2005

Fun-time is over.

taiyoko posted:

So my mom's asked me about making my niece an Elsa costume for Halloween as a surprise, using the Simplicity licensed pattern. She's 4 years old, turning 5 in March, and her measurements make her pretty solidly a size 4 for the pattern right now. How much should I anticipate her growing by Halloween? Just make it a size bigger?

making costumes from a pattern shouldn't take too long, I'd probably just wait until maybe August before starting on any of the fitted portions. You can buy the fabrics and findings now though

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

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

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

taiyoko posted:

So my mom's asked me about making my niece an Elsa costume for Halloween as a surprise, using the Simplicity licensed pattern. She's 4 years old, turning 5 in March, and her measurements make her pretty solidly a size 4 for the pattern right now. How much should I anticipate her growing by Halloween? Just make it a size bigger?

If my kids are any indication she is going to grow a LOT this year. I would wait to make it until later because a 5 would probably be right, but you never know.

Staryberry
Oct 16, 2009

taiyoko posted:

So my mom's asked me about making my niece an Elsa costume for Halloween as a surprise, using the Simplicity licensed pattern. She's 4 years old, turning 5 in March, and her measurements make her pretty solidly a size 4 for the pattern right now. How much should I anticipate her growing by Halloween? Just make it a size bigger?

Also, a kid's interests can change pretty drastically in 8 or 9 months. You might finish the costume now, and then she might not want to wear it by Halloween.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

taiyoko posted:

So my mom's asked me about making my niece an Elsa costume for Halloween as a surprise, using the Simplicity licensed pattern. She's 4 years old, turning 5 in March, and her measurements make her pretty solidly a size 4 for the pattern right now. How much should I anticipate her growing by Halloween? Just make it a size bigger?

Yeah. Simplicity patterns have a ton of ease usually so maybe the size 5 will be good. I would probably wait for a while to start if I was the one making the costume. Some kids grow bigger all around and some just get taller.

Bitter Beard
Sep 11, 2001

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

Staryberry posted:

Also, a kid's interests can change pretty drastically in 8 or 9 months. You might finish the costume now, and then she might not want to wear it by Halloween.

I have started and not finished GhostBusters costumes from last year, my kids went berserk for Iron Man and that's who they were last year instead of the Ghostbusters I was making for them.

I'll wait until August myself before finishing these or going in another direction, hopefully it's Ghostbusters jump suits tan because that's what color they ARE going to be regardless of character.

Pile of Kittens
Apr 23, 2005

Why does everything STILL smell like pussy?

Why wait for Halloween? That's a long way away and kids that age love having costumes for play any time of the year.

Staryberry
Oct 16, 2009

Bitter Beard posted:

I have started and not finished GhostBusters costumes from last year, my kids went berserk for Iron Man and that's who they were last year instead of the Ghostbusters I was making for them.

I'll wait until August myself before finishing these or going in another direction, hopefully it's Ghostbusters jump suits tan because that's what color they ARE going to be regardless of character.

My mother made my two year old niece a lovely Elsa costume, using things like vintage buttons and french seams. On Halloween my niece announced that she wanted to go as a firetruck, and had to be bribed into her Elsa costume.

flutterbyblue
Oct 29, 2007

I'm a little cat in a pretty hat!
If you were considering sewing the costume for her now, just make it a size bigger and give it to her so she can play dress up (and have a bit of room to grow into it so she can play with it for a while) perhaps? Agreeing with the sentiment that it's likely she won't want to be Elsa for Halloween, but would love the heck out of being able to play dress up with it for years probably.

holttho
May 21, 2007

So I love making awesome Halloween costumes. But, I hit my limit as to how far I could go without a sewing machine; hand stitching plain cloth was a big enough pain in the rear end, let alone any type of leather(esque) material. I told my mom to keep an eye out for a decent sewing machine, and less than a week later she had a line in with a coworker friend who was a big-time quilter who had a brand new, twice-used Janome Jem Gold that didn't fit her needs and was looking to get rid of. $40 later and I have an awesome little machine that will do everything I'll ever need. (Button holes! :D)

Anyways, I figured I needed a warm-up project before I get into the nitty-gritty of designing my own costume. I did some sewing machine stuff back in 8th grade home-ec, but that was about it. I think we made a gym bag. I didn't want to do something lame like a pillow case where I wouldn't learn anything, so I figured I'd up the difficulty ante a little.

I went online and found a pattern for a shirt and went with that. Was about $8, and it includes patterns for 4 variations on the theme. I kinda picked and chose what I wanted on the shirt, and ended up with something which would be a yolked Cuban style. Sterling Archer wears one in one of his episodes and I was like, "holy crap, that's an awesome shirt!" I wanted it linen (because I love my other linen shirt) and figured it should be black (to hide my amateur mistakes and blunders).

About 10 total hours and half a bottle of rum later:





I have since finished the buttons. And on that note, when I was doing them, I didn't really like the spacing provided on the pattern, so I went to measure some of my other favorite shirts to see what they did. Other than my super-fancy hand-bespoke shirt, NONE of the shirts had even button holes! They all had random spacing! Rocked me to the core. I had to finish the other half of the rum off after that to soothe my jangled nerves.

I really like how it came out. Thoughts on it: the collar is a bit ...70s? It seems a bit fat and a little too dramatically swooped at the peaks. Next time I'll trim it back a little. Also, when working with linen, cut the patterns slightly larger and double-fold each of the edges. I have a feeling I'm gonna be peeling out tiny little strands for the rest of eternity with this thing.

Time to move on to bigger and better things!

Total cost:
$40 sewing machine (included all the needles and thread and accessories)
$8 pattern
$16 2yd black linen
$2 (8) buttons
$10 0.75L Cruzan Black Strap Rum

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

holttho posted:

So I love making awesome Halloween costumes. But, I hit my limit as to how far I could go without a sewing machine; hand stitching plain cloth was a big enough pain in the rear end, let alone any type of leather(esque) material. I told my mom to keep an eye out for a decent sewing machine, and less than a week later she had a line in with a coworker friend who was a big-time quilter who had a brand new, twice-used Janome Jem Gold that didn't fit her needs and was looking to get rid of. $40 later and I have an awesome little machine that will do everything I'll ever need. (Button holes! :D)

Anyways, I figured I needed a warm-up project before I get into the nitty-gritty of designing my own costume. I did some sewing machine stuff back in 8th grade home-ec, but that was about it. I think we made a gym bag. I didn't want to do something lame like a pillow case where I wouldn't learn anything, so I figured I'd up the difficulty ante a little.

I went online and found a pattern for a shirt and went with that. Was about $8, and it includes patterns for 4 variations on the theme. I kinda picked and chose what I wanted on the shirt, and ended up with something which would be a yolked Cuban style. Sterling Archer wears one in one of his episodes and I was like, "holy crap, that's an awesome shirt!" I wanted it linen (because I love my other linen shirt) and figured it should be black (to hide my amateur mistakes and blunders).

About 10 total hours and half a bottle of rum later:





I have since finished the buttons. And on that note, when I was doing them, I didn't really like the spacing provided on the pattern, so I went to measure some of my other favorite shirts to see what they did. Other than my super-fancy hand-bespoke shirt, NONE of the shirts had even button holes! They all had random spacing! Rocked me to the core. I had to finish the other half of the rum off after that to soothe my jangled nerves.

I really like how it came out. Thoughts on it: the collar is a bit ...70s? It seems a bit fat and a little too dramatically swooped at the peaks. Next time I'll trim it back a little. Also, when working with linen, cut the patterns slightly larger and double-fold each of the edges. I have a feeling I'm gonna be peeling out tiny little strands for the rest of eternity with this thing.

Time to move on to bigger and better things!

Total cost:
$40 sewing machine (included all the needles and thread and accessories)
$8 pattern
$16 2yd black linen
$2 (8) buttons
$10 0.75L Cruzan Black Strap Rum

I really suggest the blog https://www.malepatternboldness.com for some great tips on sewing men's clothing (he does women's stuff too). He is a self taught sewer but now makes amazing stuff.

holttho
May 21, 2007

Funhilde posted:

I really suggest the blog https://www.malepatternboldness.com for some great tips on sewing men's clothing (he does women's stuff too). He is a self taught sewer but now makes amazing stuff.

Awesome, thanks. Shockingly, I couldn't find anything for regular-people sewing for men when I was searching. Everything men was haute couture. A cursory glance at that blog looks very promising.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.

holttho posted:

Awesome, thanks. Shockingly, I couldn't find anything for regular-people sewing for men when I was searching. Everything men was haute couture. A cursory glance at that blog looks very promising.

Yeah. His Men's shirt sew-along was very helpful for me when making shirts for my husband.

Oldsrocket_27
Apr 28, 2009
Another interesting one is Taylor Tailor: http://www.taylortailor.com/ It's a guy who decided he was going to make his entire wardrobe himself, and has successfully been at it since about 2010.

absolem
May 21, 2014

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 [is] immoral
insofar as it is coercive towards someone, yes

I am retarded and compassion is overrated.

AUSTRIANECONOMICS
AUSTRIANECONOMICS
AUSTRIANECONOMICS
AUSTRIANECONOMICS
AUSTRIANECONOMICS
AUSTRIANECONOMICS




My first project, adapted from a McCall pattern in what may be fabric for upholstery. Its more wearable than I expected, but I'm not sure that's enough to wear it.

Valdara
May 12, 2003

burn, pillage, ORGANIZE!
After waking up constantly too cold because my duvet is slippery and doesn't stay on the bed, I got up this morning and sewed a cal king flat sheet we don't use into a duvet cover. I hope it adds enough friction to keep the drat covers on me at night, and I'm glad my sewing machine still works after being neglected for so long. I only had to rip out and re-sew one seam! It's also 4" too short because the fabric did not rip straight, but I don't have a naked duvet any longer.

Here are the cats enjoying it:

Verimus
Oct 1, 2009
I'm studying tailoring part time, and I'm getting close to finishing my first suit. I've made a couple pairs of trousers and a vest in the past, but now we're working on a three piece suit in a wonderfully soft blue flannel. The fabric is incredibly forgiving, which makes it a good choice for my first time practising many of the techniques. I've been working on the jacket and vest since January, the trousers I just about completed last year.


The coat just before sleeves are attached. The colour is somewhat washed out here, its actually more of a grey/navy sort of thing. The vest and trousers are also on the hanger, but most of the shape is provided by the canvas inside the coat. The lapels will roll down to the second button, the roll is finalised by the final pressing. The coat is lined and the pockets are constructed, so once the sleeves are on it's just a matter of covering and attaching the collar, sewing in the lining permanently, buttonholes, removing the basting, and the final press, all by hand.

If you look at the top of the lapels, they look a little lopsided. That's because my shoulders are a little different, and the shoulders were adjusted to account for that. On the straight shouldered hanger, it looks off, but on me it sits straight.

The padding stitches that provide the shape inside the coat. This photo is of the inside of the left side of the coat, the diagonal line of dark silk is the break/roll line of the lapel. Visible on the right edge is the wonderful decorated selvage, detailing the fabric and weaver.

This Friday we will finalise the insertion of the sleeves and hopefully finish the collar. I'll try to take a photo of the coat on a manikin or myself.

Verimus fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Mar 2, 2015

Pile of Kittens
Apr 23, 2005

Why does everything STILL smell like pussy?

You are hardcore. Keep up the good work!

Staryberry
Oct 16, 2009
Any advise on getting a dress form? Should I get an adjustable form or should I get something non-adjustable and pad it to match my dimensions? Is there anything in particular I should be looking for? I wear a size 16 in American sizes, and I'm pear shaped, if that makes any difference.

In other news, I spent all day trying to make a jersey dress. It is my first attempt as an adult-sized dress. I used up all the fabric I had bought to make muslins and I still cannot figure out how to get the fit right.

Nicol Bolas
Feb 13, 2009
Soooo...how would y'all go about repairing a fur stole? It's real fur, it's lovely, but a few seams are coming apart and it has a small hole or two, about the size of a half dollar--I'm pretty sure I could hide it in a seam but I want advice on the best way to do it. The fur is thick and full and beautiful otherwise and I don't want to damage it. Thoughts?

Amykinz
May 6, 2007

Staryberry posted:

Any advise on getting a dress form? Should I get an adjustable form or should I get something non-adjustable and pad it to match my dimensions? Is there anything in particular I should be looking for? I wear a size 16 in American sizes, and I'm pear shaped, if that makes any difference.

If you are adult, only plan on making stuff for yourself, and don't expect to be changing sizes anytime soon, it would probably be best to either buy a quality "one size" form and pad it to your shape, or just look up one of the million "make your own dress form" tutorials and make one that will fit you properly from the start. If you make things for more people, the adjustable forms are nice enough, but they never are perfect for any person, and are honestly pretty flimsy for their price.

Invisible Ted
Aug 24, 2011

hhhehehe
So I would really like to start sewing some of my own clothes (male), however I have never really sewn before. I'm looking for a book or resource that covers the most basic of basics for sewing, the end goal right now being something like a basic V-neck t-shirt. I'd prefer not to buy a sewing machine for now, so hand sewing is a must. Many of the links in the OP are broken now, and the ones that work use a lot of terminology that I'm unfamiliar with.

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

Invisible Ted posted:

So I would really like to start sewing some of my own clothes (male).

hand sewing is a must.

I hope you have a literally infinite amount of time and patience. :cry:

I really think you don't want to do that.

That said, perhaps a beginning sewing class at one of your local fabric stores. That should teach you things like how to run a machine and read a patten. Plus they'll like have a machine you can use.

Think about buying a used machine for cheap. Check yard sales and thrift stores.

Funhilde
Jun 1, 2011

Cats Love Me.
Yeah. Hand sewing clothing is a ton of work. Also hand sewing knit/tshirt fabric may not really get you the results you want.

holttho
May 21, 2007

Invisible Ted posted:

hand sewing is a must.

Definitely go to a thrift store or Goodwill. There will be a glut of cheapo sewing machines there. They may be ugly, jam-prone, and mind-boggling; but it will be heaven-sent in comparison to doing it by hand. Just make sure it has the manual.

The shirt I made for myself a little while ago took like 6 hours even with a pretty good machine. If you do it by hand your stitches will be weak, uneven, crooked, and ultimately unattractive. Hand stitching is for crafts, not clothes.

As for terminology, just google/youtube things as you go; it's pretty straightforward. I had no idea what basting stitches, right/wrong side, or any of that stuff was before I started, but it picks up quickly.

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Stultus Maximus
Dec 21, 2009

USPOL May

Invisible Ted posted:

So I would really like to start sewing some of my own clothes (male), however I have never really sewn before. I'm looking for a book or resource that covers the most basic of basics for sewing, the end goal right now being something like a basic V-neck t-shirt. I'd prefer not to buy a sewing machine for now, so hand sewing is a must. Many of the links in the OP are broken now, and the ones that work use a lot of terminology that I'm unfamiliar with.

Get a Singer 99 and Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing for $75 combined.

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