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File: 1618939381421.gif (2.05 MB, 500x278, tumblr_p205498WeM1vkg43bo1_500…)

No. 180491

A thread for anons who sew. Feel free to discuss anything related to sewing, ask for help and advice or show off your projects!

No. 180520

File: 1618948728115.jpg (1.19 MB, 1920x1080, PhotoCollage_1618949222416.jpg)

I do embroidery but I'm hoping to learn how to sew. These are two super old pieces I did during early quarantine, I've been too busy to do any at the moment and it's sad 'cause it's one of my favourites hobbies

No. 180521

File: 1618948919455.jpeg (1.36 MB, 3024x3024, IMG_7135.jpeg)

>>180491
Omg this thread is PERFECT. I have always wanted to express my love for embroidery. >>180520 Same anon!

For this Mothers Day I bought a DIY embroidery compact mirror kit on Etsy to make for my mum. I will post a pic!

No. 180522

File: 1618949427385.jpeg (167.35 KB, 900x1125, 595EAF13-54EA-4108-8780-D82B6D…)

I was just thinking about a thread like this! Bless you anon ily. I’ve only hand sewn and embroidered before but I’ve been looking at embroidery+sewing machines recently. Experienced sewers regarding wearable clothing, how difficult would it be to stitch up something like this? The original material is made of 89% polyester and 11% spandex. This photo best shows the pattern used imo and it looks simple enough. Am I unknowingly stepping into a world of headache with this?

No. 180545

>>180521
This is such a cute idea!

Does anyone know any good resources for making clothes smaller? I lost a bit of weight and had the habit of buying clothes that were too large so I'd like to take some things in but for some reason I'm finding it very hard to find good ways of going about resizing things like pants or dresses (shirts are easy enough).

No. 180557

Awesome thread!
Has anybody some experience with embroidery machines? I really want one but they're so expensive. Also which software do you guys use for your individual projects? I was shocked to see how much it costs; it's literally the same amount for a low budget embroidery machine. Like wtf

No. 180580

>>180521
This is so cute!! Do you have a link? I might pick this up as a present for my grandmother!

No. 180596


No. 180612

>>180522
Stretchy material is typically harder than sewing non-stretchy (woven) material, so I recommend practicing on a smaller stretchy project, like a headband or scrunchy. Once you get a hang of the zigzag stitch and your preferred tension, a top like this will be much less daunting!

No. 180621

>>180545
You can resize shirts and dresses by adding darts. With pants you most likely have to undo the waistband completely, then take them in from the side seams and/or add darts to the waist area (sorry esl not sure if I explained that well). Then shorten the waistband and sew it back. Tbh altering pants smaller is a lot of work and you're better off just buying ones that fit.

No. 180623

File: 1619015900882.jpg (294.55 KB, 1000x1250, 0993482901934776528.jpg)

>>180491
read my mind anon!! I so badly want to make my own funky outfits and upcycle old clothes.
>Where can I buy a durable, but affordable100 bucks would be awesome but ik sewing machine online?
>What can I do for now to hone my sewing skills for clothesmaking while I put money aside for a machine?
>What's the best machine that can deal with jeans?

No. 180624

File: 1619016876926.jpeg (450.64 KB, 640x704, 63B3B023-DCBA-4C38-923A-F658CC…)

I just got these heat erasable pens so I can draw my own embroidery designs. I tested them on a piece of fabric, doodled all over it, then blew a hairdryer over it for a few seconds and all the pen marks totally vanished! This is great for embroiders who need a few attempts to get their drawings right.

No. 180626

File: 1619018145688.jpeg (1.13 MB, 2245x3178, 1_RJ7MtQUIFqxq7TtmcXKzDw.jpeg)

Aw fuck yeah, thank you for this thread anon!

I also do a lot of embroidery (love making flowers) and crochet (can only do flat surfaces as of yet but progressing fast!) and some knitting (started learning recently). I know the basics of sewing and operating a machine (practiced a bit on a friend's), so this year i'd love to get into making my own clothes with a sewing machine! Anyone have any good resources that teach basic/advanced pattern-making? Seems like a very valuable skill to have, even when you can copy and combine pre-existing patterns and so many can be found for free online.

No. 180628

>>180623
>Where can I buy a durable, but affordable100 bucks would be awesome but ik sewing machine online?
Try asking around for a sewing machine from older relatives first, they're often the ones who have those sturdy, made to last sewing machines. For all you know you could be gifted or buy it up for a good deal or lend it for a while until you know for sure you want to keep sewing. My grandmother left me an amazing Singer just a year after I bought my first budget sewing machine, I wish I had thought of asking to buy hers as she wasn't using it anymore due to bad eye sight.

No. 180629

>>180624
I use these for sewing because tailors chalk be damned, they're a godsend honestly. My sewing instructor said to be careful with them because they may stain some fabrics but I haven't encountered any so far.

No. 180662

>>180623
Any new sewing machine under 100$ is going to be a hunk of plastic junk and a waste of money. Definitely go for a second hand machine, older models are way more durable than the shit that's being produced nowadays and if you're lucky you might find one dirt cheap from like a yard sale or something.

No. 180691

>>180623
>What can I do for now to hone my sewing skills for clothesmaking while I put money aside for a machine?

I highly recommend doing some small projects, like DIY scrunchies, masks, or tote bags, to practice the skills you use when sewing clothing! Sewing the stitches is probably the easiest part of sewing, honestly: following patterns, pinning pieces, clipping curves, gathering (which is easier by hand imo), hemming, etc etc are all important steps in any project.

>What's the best machine that can deal with jeans?


It's actually not the machine itself, but the type of needle that determines this. The needle in the machine will dull over time and needs to be replaced, but there are different types of needles (such as universal, stretch, quilting, and leather), including denim needles suitable for denim fabric.

No. 180753

>>180623
check a couple thrift stores before throwing mpney at anything, I got a cheapie one for $30 that handled anything needed to start out, you dont need a whole lot lol

No. 180793

File: 1619098120247.jpg (107.93 KB, 750x1125, 43866376670_6e6347fc45_k.jpg)

Hey anons, I'm interested in replicating the cape in picrel for a formal look. The patternmaker recommends heavyweight wovens like wool, but I live in a really warm place and don't want to have to wear that, so I'd like to use a heavy or midweight linen instead. Alternatively, I could just use a really flowy, light fabric and go for a completely different effect. What do you guys think? What would look nicer?

No. 180796

>>180793
I'd go with the linen. I think a flowy, light fabric would make it look almost clownish.

No. 180803

>>180796
Thanks for the advice anon, I think I see what you mean!

No. 180860

File: 1619118898573.jpg (544.96 KB, 2050x2560, 91vcEeNensL.jpg)

>>180626
So I wanted to know about the patternmaking too and I've googled around a bit and apparantly this book is really good. Here's a detailed rundown of what's in it and it sounds pretty good: https://www.textileebook.com/2019/04/patternmaking-for-fashion-design.html
I'm still looking for a "free" copy

No. 180861

>>180860
Samefag, found a scanned copy of the book: https://vk.com/doc278403527_419184950?hash=0d5338faec1daaebe2
Doesn't use metric measurements though, which is unfortunate (for me)

No. 180863

File: 1619120212395.jpg (18.54 KB, 366x499, 41bxg1uDToL._SX364_BO1,204,203…)

>>180861
Samefag, found a good book for patterndrafting in metric measurements. I found an excellent pdf on irc but idk how to share that here.

No. 180999

File: 1619164534307.png (1.18 MB, 654x1054, Screenshot 2021-04-23 at 1.24.…)

>>180860
>>180861
>>180863
anon THANK YOU! this is awesome! i found the fifth edition of the Winifred Aldrich book p. easily, both the books look really good.
i'll think of you every time i make something and it turns out well!

>>180793
i second the linen suggestion too, structure is going to give it a clean classy look. however depending on what you want to pair it with, do you think a semi/fully sheer flowy fabric could look good? like on top of a slinky silk dress or something?

(i thought it looked good in my head, so i did some googling, and now i really want picrel in my life lol)

No. 181038

File: 1619193756430.png (102.39 KB, 361x287, tails.png)

>>180999
Cape anon here, thanks for the advice! You're right, that's a gorgeous picrel kek. After mulling it over I agree with both you and the previous anon that linen will work for my intended effect (structured and dramatic), but I think I might give the light, flowy version a try sometime!

On another note, is OP's thread pic bothering the shit out of anyone else? The fact that she's not really sewing anything, plus the thread just… popping loose

No. 181458

Anons where do you get patterns from? (Especially anons in West Europe) I've seen a few sewing magazines with patterns in bookstores but that seemed to be mostly aimed towards middle-aged women.

No. 181724

>>181458
there's tons of stuff available for free if you just google, plus etsy has some great finds for pretty cheap too

No. 181761

>>181724
I don't have a printer, or are supposed to manually copy digital patterns? I'll check etsy, thanks.

No. 184632

I have this dress that's slightly see-through and that's annoying so I was thinking of putting lining/underdress into it but I have limited sewing experience (I can construct simple skirts and tops and know the basics of patterndrafting but don't sew regularly) How difficult is something like that? If it makes a difference, the dress itself has a very clear structure and I can probably trace and put together all of the panels.

No. 184637

>>181458
Mood Fabrics has a lot of free patterns you can download and print out! https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/ You just have to put in your email to get them.

No. 184638

The video isn't a tutorial, but I did my best to follow it and handsewed this pirate shirt. I love it and it's my favorite shirt, but now I'm super into patterns that use lots of rectangles and squares, not only for ease, but also to lessen fabric waste. Now I'm really into looking up zero waste patterns, I'll do a dump of patterns I've collected if anyone is interested!

No. 184667

File: 1620668875238.jpg (115.1 KB, 618x500, Corset-AMBER-Front-Back-Diagra…)

I keep putting this project off because I'm so intimidated by it, but I really want to make a proper corset bodysuit. It's for costume purposes, obviously. You can really tell the difference between a well-constructed bodysuit with good boning and a shitty stretch leotard in my opinion. I've made the Yaya Han pattern before with a zipper back and plastic boning, and it just wasn't that flattering on me even after altering it. If anyone has any advice or words of encouragement, I could use it!

No. 184738

>>184638
Do share! I saw her video before too and thought it was so cool, I had no idea you could make a non-boxy top just from squares!

No. 185255

>>184738
Sorry for the late reply! Here are the one's I've saved and plan on making some day.

- Kimono pattern (looks like it'd make a really nice long cardigan)
https://elbetextiles.com.au/blogs/news/zero-waste-pattern-making

- Collection of dress patterns (and one shirt)
https://www.refinity.eu/uploads/2/1/9/8/21986448/flyers_zerowaste_fr-en-1.pdf

- Kurta
https://seweverythingblog.com/2013/11/15/kurta-construction-cutting-out/

- Dress with gathers on the shoulders
https://www.offsetwarehouse.com/products/zero-waste-dress

- Another dress
https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2020/04/18/how-to-sew-a-no-waste-dress

- Wide leg pants (this one I'm most excited to try out. The tutorial is in german though so lol)
https://seemannsgarn-handmade.de/2019/05/zero-waste-schnittmuster-hose/

- This link has links to various zero waste patterns:
http://www.studiofaro.com/well-suited/garment-pleating-homage-to-issey-miyake

The above are free. I'm also the type of person who will look at someone's pattern draft and try figure out the measurements and draft a copy up myself (never learned how to properly pattern or use patterns lol) so some links might not be helpful to you if you're looking for patterns to print out and use.

This dress is also SUPER popular and takes up a lot of results when you search for zero pattern dress.

https://www.birgittahelmersson.com/collections/pdf-sewing-patterns/products/zero-waste-pdf-pattern-gather-dress

I've been thinking of just purchasing it since it's just a cheap pattern that I'll most likely use over and over again but I also saw a girl do a sew along tutorial so I kind of want to try using her video to figure out the pattern for myself and make it from there lol (vid related)

No. 185744

I mostly do little fixes on my clothes here and there. I would love to get more into sewing. Do I need a machine? What would be a good practice garment to make?

No. 185750

>>185744
If you want to make your own clothes then yes you should get a sewing machine. There's reasons to handsew (precision and control on smaller projects, maybe for meditative reasons or historical accuracy if that's your thing) but for the vast majority of sewers who want to make their own clothes machinesewing is the way to go. When I took sewing lessons, the first thing I had to sew was just straight stitches on a piece of fabric, stiching backwards, corners, curves, then a pin cushion. The first garment I made under supervision was a skirt.

No. 185855

File: 1621110369383.jpeg (843.2 KB, 2576x1932, CEB8AE75-E30A-46C8-B783-F2C18D…)

sewed this swimming costume almost entirely by hand. one of my fav creations. cant wait for travel rules to be relaxed so i can wear it in a Portuguese plunge pool

No. 185856

File: 1621110452163.jpeg (381.67 KB, 1242x1552, D19029B5-9FAA-43A3-AD6A-434EA6…)

sewed this Miffy dress by hand

No. 185885

>>185856
This is cute! Well done

No. 185891

>>185855
Cute anon! Advice and troubles from this project?

No. 185912

>>185856
Love the fabric! The edges look raw/unhemmed tho

No. 185920

>>185891
yes actually it was a nightmare. i used my sisters seeing machine for the arms and sewing machines DO NOT like this kind of fabric so it constantly skipped large parts of ghe fabric and i had to touch it up by hand. i wish i hadnt gotten so impatient

if i could redo this project i would do it entirely on a machine and find a mode on the machine that is lycra-friendly

>>185885
thank u anon!

>>185912

thank you! its not raw or unhemmed it just curled up towards the end because i used blanket stitch.

No. 185960

>>185856
Fits you like a dream anon! Self-drafted pattern?

No. 186690

File: 1621474622809.jpg (195.84 KB, 955x972, IMG_20210519_223719.jpg)

Does anyone have a pattern or instructional video that is similar to picrel? TIA!

No. 186693

>>186690
no sorry but this is hideous. a high-low hoodie with a kangaroo pouch? the high-low trend hasn't been in fashion for years, and for good reason. it should have died off completely in 2013.

No. 186694

>>186693
Nta and I agree that it's kinda ugly and outdated but damn not everyone cares about what's on trend

No. 186695

>>186690
i cannot help but i just want to say other nonnies are wrong this looks cool. gives off a witchy/fantasy vibe

No. 186697

>>186693
>>186694
>>186695
Yeah, I don't really care about trends, using that as an argument just sounds silly, I just generally wear what I like and what I think flatters me the most.
But this is actually for a costume, so I was thinking of not doing the pouch and maybe use a thicker fabric as well

No. 186699

File: 1621479271716.png (422.73 KB, 387x622, 4739284832-49832654.png)

>>186690
This is fairly close, just extend the back and use a light fabric. The pattern comes with several front variations so you could do the plainer style instead of this split(?) type.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/648828666/sewing-pattern-womens-tunic-top-pattern

No. 186703

>>186693
You sound fun

No. 186710

File: 1621484037688.jpg (78.97 KB, 515x515, CMS-K-LMSILV.jpg)

>>184667
Good luck anon! I've made three corsets before. They were all Laughing Moon Silverados, but I altered the second corset pattern to be underbust and the third was for someone else.
Maybe it wasn't flattering because the materials weren't sturdy enough to hold their shape? You need to season a corset (break it in like a shoe) before it really develops that nice shape. Also zippers kinda suck for corsets if there's no back lacing because you can't adjust the sizing to compress you at all without it being hard/impossible to put on. My third corset had a front zipper closure and it worked just as well as a busk but it's hard to find correct sizing for zippers :(
"The Basics of Corset Building" by Linda Sparks is really good to read, it helped me a lot. Linda is also the woman behind www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/
I bought my materials from there. I altered the pattern to be more nipped at the waist and less rounded like pic related

No. 186723

>>186693
How dare people have their personal taste in fashion instead of blindly following trends created to drain you of your money every new season!

No. 186735

>>186695
My thoughts exactly! For that reason I love clothes with longer back end. IDK about trends, they look great

No. 190669

I desperately want an elaborate, mostly historically accurate tudor-type dress, but it seems like it would take so much learning, I have absolutely no idea where to start

No. 190670

>>190669
That looks awesome! Do you already know how to sew?

No. 190671

>>190670
I've only ever sewed really simple things, like I sewed a bodice once. I've never used a pattern. I don't know anything about interfacing or fabric types either lol

No. 190977

>>190671
Do you have an era you want to start with? Seamstrue has a free pattern for a mid-to-late 1500s smock, or Sharon Burnston’s 18th century “cognitive shift” guide on her website are good places to start. You’ll always need a basic undergarment like a smock or shift under your clothes, and they’re mostly straight seams, so you get to practice basic practical sewing skills like gathers and felled seams on a garment that isn’t necessarily visible (so you don’t have to worry if it’s not perfect). From there, I’d recommend purchasing a support garment for your particular chosen era (Elizabethan bodies, 18th century stays, etc). There are plenty of great patterns out there for all kinds of historical garments, both constructed accurately and for modern sewing technique.
> https://seamstrue.com/generators/1575-english-smock/

No. 191065

>>185742
super late response but thank you for the links and doing the math!

No. 191171

Is it difficult to size down/alter bathing suits/bikinis? Like does it require special tools/material or special skills because it's made from swimmaterial?

No. 191175

>>191171
Use a ton of pins, I find swim material to be very slippery due to its stretch, Sarah Tyau has a tutorial for simple resizing and
Remy To has one for a bikini style although it is not in english and has no subtitles its easy enough to follow.

No. 191190

>>190977
thank you!

No. 191678

File: 1623484491935.png (1.08 MB, 892x648, mossstitch.png)

any nonas here into crocheting? i've been learning it recently as a relaxing hobby as well as to get some hand exercise (recovering from an rsi) and i'm loving it so so much. i've been working on a simple wrap in moss stitch (picrel) and it's so relaxing to get in a couple lines before bed each night!
(using a variegated white, baby blue and sage thread for it. i'm looking forward to wearing it so much)

No. 193435

Would purchasing a serger second hand be a bad idea when I don't have much knowledge of these machines? I don't sew a lot but when I do I want to be able to finish my edges nicely. I've worked with a serger before when I used to take sewing lessons and I hate having to work around it with an overlock foot at home. I've seen a couple second hand ones online for as little as 80ish euro which is much better than spending a couple of hundreds on it. Thoughts or advice on what to look out for?

No. 193446

>>193435
I would say if you can get one cheap and have used one before and will actually use it then yeah definitely
Because you’ll be getting it second hand you wouldn’t have to feel too bad about not using it too often

No. 194465

File: 1624764944267.jpg (260.22 KB, 750x1150, Serger-Tension-Infographic.jpg)

>>193435
I got mine used for $300 Canadian in 2016 and it's very reliable (Janome XG-43D). Usually they have a diagram on the inside on how to thread it, you need tweezers to make it easier. They all thread up mostly the same. Basic tension for the dials on most fabrics is 4/4/4/4. Buy serger needles (I use Janome ballpoint needles size 11, 15x1sp but you should check what your machine will need). Also, just like a sewing machine you need to clean out the fluff inside with a brush. It also might need oiling depending on the model. Some are made so that you don't have to.

Don't forget you can always contact the manufacturer or the shop you got it from to help you. I test the tension on scraps to make sure it's normal using pic related. Save it for your reference and good luck nonnie!

No. 194501

I recently found one of those handheld sewing machines at a thrift shop for $4. I was able to help repair a dress that had a loose strap.
Any anons done anything pretty intricate with one of these? If so, how difficult was it compared to using an actual sewing machine? I know one day I'm going to shop around for a used machine, but I definitely would like to start doing some crafty stuff before then.

No. 194752

File: 1624926621513.jpg (25.57 KB, 614x768, 82fe3308ce9e82591fe4eb99b09240…)

How badly will I fuck up if I just start draping directly onto a mannequin? Can you make a whole dress this way? I can follow a pattern but I'm not comfortable making adjustments to the design of them, and I feel like I might get closer to what I want if I just went for it and made a toile. Picrel, I want an Ossie Clark style dress

No. 194756

>>194752
You can try but it will turn out shit unless you know what you're doing and if you can't alter a flat pattern I doubt you know what you're doing

No. 194760

>>194752

But if you do try i think you should use a shirt pattern with a yoke for the bodice, get that fitting you how you would like then you can add the waistband sleeves and all that on the mannequin if thats what u prefer. No point reinventing the wheel

No. 194945

>>194752
Why not purchase a book on draping for beginners and do the exercises from it before taking on an intermediate project like this? I learned flat patternmaking first and may not be much help in the way of starting with drape, but patternmaking isn't really a skill you can easily wing lol

Also, when you drape you may have to do some flat patternmaking as well. Draping sleeves requires an arm attachment for your dressform, and is still wildly easier with flat pm. However, don't get dejected. A lot of people who begin with drape find it helps them start to understand flat pm and vice versa. Why not try out an exercise following a youtube tutorial?

I learned drape with "Draping for Apparel Design" by Helen Joseph-Armstrong.
For flat pm I first learned with "Principles of Flat Pattern Design" by Nora M. MacDonald. Just to let you know, you can buy older editions if they're cheaper. There's nothing wrong with them.

(P.S. Vogue V9076 is a similar pattern to your pic)

No. 195393

File: 1625217032756.jpg (1.41 MB, 2732x4098, 00005-Temperley-London-RTW-Fal…)

What RTW/high fashion brands do you guys look to for sewing inspiration/your next project? I save a lot of looks by Temperley London because they're tailoring goals (and I also like their dresses), but I'd really love to hear what others look at, especially if they're a little more wearable for everyday.

No. 195458

>>194756
>>194760
Thanks nonnelle, I was getting way ahead of myself. The shirt idea is really good, there's a lot of fancy shirts out there that will make a good dress. I looked up some sleeve adjusting and skirt drafting tutorials.
>>194945
This is all gold, thank you. I did see that Vogue pattern but it was out of stock near me, I'm going to order it when it's in. I am going to find patternmaking exercises, I can't really ignore the fundamentals.

No. 195599

Does anyone have any experience sewing bras? I've read and watched a bunch of tutorials and guides and I've been thinking about purchasing a pattern and the recommended fabrics for my first one. I'd say my sewing skills are intermediate and I'm fairly confident that I could make a wearable bra following a pattern, but I'm curious if anyone has any experience or tips.

No. 196009

File: 1625358278020.jpg (629.97 KB, 1077x1600, 310089614680940864.jpg)

Absolute embroidery madwomen.

No. 196937

>>195599
I've just got into making bras this year, I bought all sorts of patterns and drafting books my favourite so far though has been bare essentials by porcelynne, u can buy it in a pdf download from porcelynne website. Its seems complicated but there's a calculator on the website that does all the maths if u can't be arsed with maths lol. The book has all info you need, constructing the bra, materials, altering a pattern to fit as well as drafting. It also includes a pattern to start with if u don't want to draft from scratch.

No. 196948

File: 1625767490569.jpeg (336.96 KB, 1600x1600, C6E00CDC-0320-4B89-8286-574B64…)

Might try making pic rel, (2 and 3) even though I barely know how to use a sewing machine

No. 197081

I just wanted to make sure that all you sewing pals have heard of the epic website lekala.com. Its got hundreds of clothing sewing patterns to download in pdf and print at home. The patterns are cheap as chips, totally licence free and you can enter your personal measurements and its drafted to your size and sent to your email, only takes a few minutes too. I've made tonnes of patterns from the website now and I don't even bother making toilles now cause they always fit to a T. Only one downside is sticking together all the a4 paper sheets to make the pattern whole once you've printed it. It has an option to download in different formats if u have a bigger printer or u want to send it to a printing company to print full size but I don't and haven't. I promise am not a shill I just can't imagine buying patterns from anywhere else since I discovered this place and I never seem to hear folks mentioning it online, so thought I'd spread the word lol

No. 197089

>>197081
I'm totally sold but so everybody knows the website is lekala.co! Lekala.com is dead space

No. 197128

>>197089 oops lol you are right. I was spreading the wrong word. Glad u found it despite my directions lol

No. 197179

>>196948

This is so cute, anon, share how they turn out if you try it.

No. 197235

File: 1625911817080.jpeg (213.42 KB, 750x683, BF531BA2-9B54-438F-A44A-D156F0…)

>>196948
Oh! I am going to make this exact pattern too soon!

>>197081
Oof I hate PDF patterns so much they are the bane of my existence. I hate how much paper it uses and using up my printer ink even if I use greyscale and toner saving mode and fast mode. I will never buy pdf patterns again if I can help it.
However, I figure because I bought a bunch of pdf patterns on sale (and some cute patterns I’ve wanted are from indie companies who only sell pdfs) what I’m going to do is put the pdfs on a usb drive and go to a print shop or library or something and print it there because it’s cheaper.
But if I can help it: never again

Also, thanks for the site! I love it omg! I don’t even care that it’s pdfs! Gah!

No. 197260

>>197235
Artfag here, you can just open the pattern in Photoshop and go play with the Threshold options, or play with the levels until you're only left with the black lines on white paper.

No. 199172

File: 1627108560639.jpg (8.31 KB, 300x255, 300.jpg)

First time sewing with a stretch twin needle today and I broke two (one 4mm and one 2.5mm). What am I doing wrong? I threaded and re-threaded my machine exactly as a youtube video instructed for my specific machine, even reassembled the bobbin compartment underneath. Anyone have any advice? For specifics: I have a Singer 3223 and was trying to sew a rib knit fabric with tension set to 3, while playing with stitch lengths 2.5 and 3mm.

No. 199173

>>199172
samefag, forgot to mention they were schmetz needles (130/705 H-S ZWI, one was 4,0/75 and the other 2,5/75).

No. 199209

>>199172
Have you checked your bobbin tension (not just the bobbin assembly)? It’s different from your top thread tension, and each machine has a different way to adjust it—it’s a little tricky but there’s lots of guides out there. In general that much needle snapping that isn’t attributed to the top thread tension (too tight), width (most dual needles can only do 5mm or less but you said you were at a 3), or thread (some people have more luck with nylon in the bobbin thread, but that can cause more tension issues too), it’s gonna be bobbin tension.

No. 199212

>>199209
I saw that mentioned in my google searches. Wasn't sure if it was the root problem because I did the tension test where you hold it by the thread and dip it like a yoyo and it seemed fine. Might be ok to experiment though. Thanks for the suggestion nonnie!

No. 199261

>>199212
I’ve had bobbin tension problems that I only discovered when the bobbin thread on the finished garment started snapping because it was too tight! It’s a much more subtle problem than top thread tension. Definitely play around and see if that helps.
What kind of needle break was it? IE, did it remain on the thread, did it go flying off into space, did it bend first, etc?

No. 199284

>>199261
First time, I definitely could see the left needle bend first before ultimately only the end snapped off, though the eye was still on the thread. Second needle, the end snapped off the right without warning but also still stayed on the thread. Have to admit that troubleshooting for knits is foreign territory for me kek

No. 199293

File: 1627193632539.jpg (189.25 KB, 484x800, IMG_20210725_031250.jpg)

Hey there nonnies!
I've been sewing doll clothes for a little while now, I'd still consider myself a noobie but I've sewn simple dresses, skirts, tshirts, sweaters and pants. I really wanna do something a little more complex and I really liked this design, but I don't even know how to start. Any ideas? How do I do this shirring effect? Do I use an elastic band? Is it done like a frill for the whole top? I just need a little guidance.
Thanks in advance!

No. 199338

File: 1627228371371.jpg (382.77 KB, 1365x2048, 1e31ae_514223a6ca4b4eceb307830…)

Let's be controversial, nonnies. What's a popular pattern (commercial or indie) you see all the time and absolutely hate? For me I get what the Zadie Jumpsuit is going for but sometimes I just have to hatescroll its tag because it never seems to look good on anyone. It literally reminds me of when Ariel had just gotten legs and covered herself with an old sailboat sheet. Makes thin women look frumpy and larger women look like they can't find anything that actually fits/flatters.

>>199293
I don't sew for dolls, but my friend does, and I researched about it with her for a bit. You just used elastic thread like you would for a human-sized shirred top. Hope someone else here can give you more detailed advice. Good luck anon!

No. 199339

>>199338
It looks like something I'd make for loungewear that my husband would hate.

No. 199340

>>199338
Yeah those wrap jumpsuits and dresses are really frumpy. I see them everywhere (ready made) on Etsy.

No. 199421

File: 1627267335652.jpg (65.36 KB, 740x1180, c5e2d2a564bdba90b3f36227ae74eb…)

I recently rediscovered this cow print cotton fabric that I bought and promptly forgot about. I have about two yards of it. I'm thinking about making a simple A-line miniskirt, or maybe a pinafore with a short skirt. What do we think?

No. 199440

>>199421
A skirt would be really cute! I think a pinafore might read a little too "farmgirl". If you'd like another suggestion, maybe a cropped jacket?

No. 200534

Long shot because she has a small presence, but has anyone tried Mariah Pattie's patterns?
I'm obsessed with the idea of making bra-free linen summer tops like vidrel, but the underwire and bodice shape is more advanced than I'm used to sewing so I'm not confident I could pattern-hack it, though I do have a bikini top that I could pattern for the cups.
Also as a D cup, I'm worried I'd pay for the pattern, spend expensive fabric and loads of time making them, then be nervous to wear them out because I never ever go braless otherwise. She's not small busted but it doesn't look to revealing on her, what do you think anons?

No. 200559

>>199421
This is amazing, think of lolcow when you make it please!

No. 201973

File: 1628997396034.jpg (198.91 KB, 1536x2048, 236421034_420119139420701_4942…)

Bought 2m of this cantaloupe-colored yarn-dyed cotton with the plan to sew a simple buttoned blouse, but now I'm feeling experimental. Any suggestions anons? I'm open to tops, dress, and bottoms, though I don't really wear ultra feminine stuff like bows or frills.

No. 202026

>>201973
A wrap skirt could be nice!

No. 203631

File: 1630360176660.jpg (30.39 KB, 640x640, 232702306_1240500819784586_779…)

This might be a dumb question, but can anyone tell me how a mockup is used? I know it's just making a version of your pattern in undesirable fabric to test the fit and make changes, but what do you do with it after you make it and alter it? For example, if I needed to take in the waist on my mockup, what would I do to my final product? Would I take the mockup apart and then use the altered mockup pieces as my new pattern?

No. 203651

>>203631
no questions are dumb questions anon!

generally speaking, if you make alterations to a fabric mockup it's good form to copy said alteration to your paper pattern. You could use your disassembled mockup as a pattern but I find it more precise to use net patterns (no s/a) and add seam allowances when i cut. As for what to do with finished mockups - if it's a big piece like a long skirt, the panels can be re-used to cut out smaller pieces for other mockups or draping something on the stand. I also use old mockups to practice new handsewing techniques or mess around with my machine settings, particularly if the pieces are too small to be re-used elsewhere. Hope this helped!

No. 203661

>>201973

Sorry sewist-anon but this is hideous and you shouldn't make anything, unless it's for a baby or an old woman

No. 203710

>>203661
NTA but shut the fuck up, anon. It's no hideous at all. I love it.

No. 207109

File: 1632704829904.jpg (284.75 KB, 1500x1874, IMG_1162 copy.JPG)

I recently found this girl on instagram, and she posted the pattern for these pants for sale if any anons are interested. I'm thinking of buying her patterns soon, they look easy to make and I love the simple look of them!

No. 207110


No. 207331

has anyone attempted a diy weighted blanket? i want one so bad but i'm piss poor

No. 207344

File: 1632885790069.jpg (84.15 KB, 640x640, ddc20a96a0f4e0fbe0c450c7766563…)

>>207331
I've been pushing that project for literal years lmao
But when I finally do it, I think I'm doing something like picrel

No. 207373

>>207344
Is that sturdy enough?

No. 207391

>>207373
I guess the sturdiness comes with the fabric and filling choices

No. 209346

File: 1634152636613.jpg (362.59 KB, 1080x1192, Screenshot_20211013_204322.jpg)

I want to dupe this coat with a Lekala pattern, I don't want to make big pattern alterations, besides making it oversized in the arms and longer length I think this will work https://www.lekala.co/catalog/women/jackets/pattern/2289#model

No. 209347

File: 1634152679895.jpg (161.04 KB, 983x961, Screenshot_20211013_205913.jpg)

>>209346
The pattern flat looks right to me but I'm not an expert

No. 209366

>>209347
The style lines are similar, but if you wanted to replicate >>209346 exactly then you'd probably need to widen the shoulder seam to create that cute slouchy, relaxed fit in your inspiration image. Also, the pattern you chose has a yoke and the inspiration pic doesn't but it seems like a nonissue to me

No. 210023

>>209366
Thanks anon, yeah the yoke is troubling me… I might make a toile and try to remove the yoke and do a regular drop shoulder. Wish me luck

No. 210121

File: 1634668883797.jpg (172.13 KB, 1482x1800, 9b.87.88.D3BranditBWParkaschwa…)

I need a jacket/coat for autumn and winter and I just can't find anything that matches my expectations, so I guess, I have to make one myself. I'm a dressmaker, so sewing that thing shouldn't be the problem, constructing the pattern is a another thing (trainee in that subject right now, kek). I thought about something like a military parka with detachable, fluffy wool or cotton lining, as I'm not freezing very often and most jackets are way too warm for my needs. So I could remove the lining when the temperatures are above 5°C and insert it below that.
Has anyone of you some instructions on how to make the pattern for something like this or maybe a pattern where you can see how it works with an detachable lining. Guess if I could see the pieces needed I could come up with something for myself.

No. 210133

>>210121
I've never heard of detachable lining before, but it's a really clever idea! My initial thought is using snaps?

No. 210298

>>210133
there are few jackets that have something like that and I just like the idea. Snaps is a good idea or maybe normal buttons.
I wonder how it works construction wise, my idea is, that I will make the lining fitted and the jacket 2 cm larger, but I'm not sure if that's enough and the right way. Pattern construction is just a very different thing compared to using a pre made pattern.

No. 210734

>>210023
ayrt, if you're any good with pattern drafting then you could probably take out the yoke via dart manipulation. Personally I love the challenge but it can be quite daunting at first glance

No. 210898

File: 1635175632896.png (2.11 MB, 1584x1050, couture-herringbone-stitch.png)

does anyone have any links for hand sewing tutorials? I want to make my own clothes and accessories but I don't have a sewing machine. I know how to sew and can embroider. is it even possible to make simple clothes without a machine?

No. 210899

>>210898
It is definitely possible, but extremely time consuming. I say just get a sewing machine, pick up an extra shift at your job if money is an issue, you'll quickly make up for the lost time you save from machine sewing instead of hand sewing, even for just a few garments.

No. 210909

>>210898
I love hand sewing, it's my favourite part of any sewing project especially as you get better and the stitches look professional. There are only really a handful of stitches you need to know to construct a world of garments. Vidrel is a decent start.
If you just want to make clothes, get a second hand non-computerized sewing machine. But if you want to hand sew as a craft in itself, it's so beautiful and rewarding,even if you do small things like alterations, you'll be amazed how strong and clever these stitches are.

No. 210910

>>210909
Bernadette Banner? I'm not gonna watch the vid to check but hasn't she been put on blast by proper seamstresses that she isn't all that good at sewing?

No. 210912

>>210910
Who are these proper seamstresses?

No. 210913

>>210910
Ayrt yes she is annoying and her garment design/construction is nothing to write home about, but this video is a good clear tutorial for a backstitch which is what anon asked for. I don't follow her so I don't know what she's "put on blast" for, but she has some helpful content for basic stuff like this.

No. 210917

>>210913
Anon is likely referring to the anti-milk thread over in /ot/ where some anons said they liked her and another had a full on meltdown over it, referring to her as geriatric and a liar, etc.

>>210912
No one. Nonita just can't think for herself or realize that even "controversial" content creators can make useful tutorials from time to time, such as Michelle Phan. Her early vids were great for absolute newbies to makeup even if her recent videos are clickbaity and devoid of the same care and magic.

No. 210919

>>210917
Why is Bernadette controversial? Or is it just one anon with a hate boner.

No. 210928

>>210919
go to /ot/ and read the antimilk thread

No. 210930

>>210928
The only thing I learned from that is that she has a sister who is an enby.

No. 210957

>>210930
Basically she tries to shove a lot of irrelevant sjw stuff into historical fashion topics (i think?) but the one thing i am sure of is her advocation for corsets based on the fact that she wore a medical corset for many years which is not comparable to corsets designed to reconstruct your silhouette and are still largely damaging no matter what.

No. 210964

>>210957
the whole historical costuming community is very political and goes on witch hunts every month without fail. Makes me feel like shit bc it's my special interest and i want to see pretty dresses without grown ass women sperging out over perceived slights

No. 210993

>>210964
Well that sucks, it seemed like such a nice and relaxing hobby.
>>210957
>advocation for corsets based on the fact that she wore a medical corset for many years
That really bothers me too, it's just not the same thing. Karolina Żebrowska also goes on about corsets being great while totally ignoring all the women in the 1800s who wanted to get rid of them.
Also does Bernadette have an ED, she looks scarily thin sometimes.

No. 211005

>>210993
it is for the most part but if you want to share your creations or even look at other people's expect to be bombarded with social justice tripe. Like >>210957 said, a lot of them tend to insert their own politics into pretty dress content which is really irksome imo

No. 212032

File: 1635916124561.jpeg (4.14 MB, 4032x3024, 8CD39AFC-8116-4664-9D1F-7DD75B…)

Have any farmers had experience repairing old lace? I want to start buying dresses from the 30-40s and altering/refurbishing them to wear out. I bought this one for super cheap and it’s beautiful but the lace has a lot of holes like this one. I made a thread on Reddit but because it’s not a home sewer mommy project or vintage wedding dress restore it’s not really getting any traction

No. 212033

>>212032
Fat hand

No. 212038

>>212033
Rattle rattle. She's not fat if she's fitting in old time lace dresses.

No. 212055

>>212032
No clue but it looks beautiful! Hope you can figure out how to mend it.

No. 212069

>>212032
The only thing that comes to mind would be trying to mend it by connecting the tiny tiny individual threads somehow with newer similar thread to sort of reinforce it, as if carefully trying to mend something knitted that has a hole in it. Got no idea if the beautiful pattern of the lace is fully reparable though. You could also try to use miniscule patches of similar lace to fill in the holes, and try to connect the edges to the old one. It does carry a risk of looking… patchy in the end though.
Agh, I'd struggle with this one too. I guess your method would vary by how absolutely precise you want to be with restoring it. A more experienced seamstress with more knowledge on restoring might disagree with my ideas though.
Have you tried contacting anyone who could help you expand your knowledge on how to restore garments like these, or at least explain what's up? You might want to look for hobbyists that are specifically into this sort of stuff instead of just general sewing projects.

No. 212072

>>212032
What a cool project! Good luck anon. You could try patching it with a similar patterned modern lace, if you do it by hand and are careful to bury stitches in denser parts of the pattern I think you could get away with it. If you're feeling brave you could try to mend it properly, vidrel is how to make lace by hand, I imagine you could use this technique to fill the patch but I've never done it myself.

No. 212074

>>210964
>the whole historical costuming community is very political and goes on witch hunts every month without fail
Samefag but I guess I'm lucky this hasn't been my experience. I subscribe to smaller creators usually. Angela Clayton, Enchanted Rose Costumes, Maria Pattie and Morgan Donner are my favourites. I might be ignorant of their dramas though because I don't read YouTube comments or follow them on social media.

No. 212082

>>212032
If it’s very fragile, replacing the lace is better.
Sometimes starting a repair rips more fabric.
But if it’s mostly ok, this is a basic mend to stop it getting worse.

No. 212255

>>212074
ayrt and I really wish I hadn't gotten instagram to lurk their profiles. Youtube comments are usually safe though! The creators you listed are usually drama-free but Enchanted Rose Costumes was recently cancelled for comparing vaccine mandates to holocaust tattoos.

>>212032
as a vintage collector this hurts my heart, hope you get that repaired ok anon! If you need any tips for acquiring wounded bird pieces to mend and wear for cheap, check out ebay. Got a few great deals off there for both garments and vintage sewing notions and trim to make my garments as authentic as possible.

No. 212742

Does anyone have a good rec for a beginner sewing machine I can buy in Canada? My max is 300$! I’ve got some basics I remember from as a kid and want to get back into machine sewing again

No. 212793

I don't know if this is the right thread, but I though maybe some of you experienced the same. I used to love sewing, and I am studying fashion design. But my mental health has gotten on the way and I no longer enjoy it, but I am trying to get back to it.
So my main question is, do you have any tips on how to get back? Which smaller projects should I start doing so I get the feeling back?
And an extra question: can someone from EU recommend me a dress form store?

Thanks a lot, sorry for so many questions!

No. 213301

>>212793
You could probably make a really cute skirt in a day or less! Find a cute fabric that makes you happy to work with and consider using a commercial pattern so you don't have to stress yourself with drafting a pattern yourself and enjoy the process.

No. 213984

File: 1637377894412.png (719.08 KB, 636x1215, cope2.png)

Adapted from a Simplicity pattern, for anyone in want of a simple Christmas present etc

https://www.simplicity.com/globalassets/catalogs/simplicity/lets-stay-home-proj/letsstayhome_projsheet.pdf

No. 213985

>>213984
Excellent thanks, was looking for exactly this.

No. 214012

>>213984
Fucking kek. God bless nonny.

No. 214014


No. 214029

>>213984
I can’t wait to get cancelled in the retirement home for this nonners ♥

No. 214594

>>212793
were in Europe are you based? I'm at school right now to become a "pattern maker" (don't know the real English term) and two known companies in Germany for dress forms are "Berliner Büstenfabrik" and "Spur Dressform". I also found "Royal Dress Forms" online, I like the idea of rather soft dress forms for corsets and stuff like that. Other brands I can think of are Stockman and Kennett & Lindsell, for non German stuff. I don't have much money at the moment and I think about making myself one of those https://patterns.bootstrapfashion.com/diy-dress-form-sewing-pattern.html
What you have to think about is that many dress forms are for rather "short" women and if you study fashion design you would probably go for women taller than 1,68 m.


For your mental health, I don't have any real ideas, I'm struggling myself right now. I love what I'm doing but I feel so tired and out of ideas. Maybe just make a basic pattern for a skirt and create some fun stuff out of it.

No. 214717

>>214594
Have whipped up a bootstrap dress form myself and it was really easy to put together. The shoulders did come out a little funky though but I think that's an error on my part with how I stuffed it, but I made little shoulder pads out of scrap cotton canvas and those seem to have done the trick filling the space in. It cinches down fairly well with my 1890s corset but it wrinkles in the back a little when you tighten it. Nothing a bit of steam can't sort out but if you're a perfectionist you might be bothered by it

>>213984
seamstresses with legendary auras, thanks nonnie

No. 214728

>>214717
that's what I really like about the bootstrap dress form option, it's soft, so you could "fit" a corset on it. Guess I will give it a go and get the measurements of one of the professional dress forms at my school to create a bootstrap pattern. What kind of fabric did you use?

No. 214741

What is a good sewing machine for an absolute beginner?

No. 214746

>>214728
12oz artist canvas from Vena Cava Design, the stuff is amazing for corset mockups and has absolutely zero give so you won't need to interface it. Just be sure to clip all your curves when working with it though because it's quite thick.

https://www.venacavadesign.co.uk/product.php/73/14/12oz_artist_canvas

No. 214824

>>214746
that one looks good, will have a look for something like that in Germany, Brexit made shopping from the UK so damn annoying.

No. 216427

File: 1638933759995.jpg (976.46 KB, 2048x3070, tumblr_adbadf9f0001936c3d0330c…)

How would I go about sewing a blouse with sleeves like this? I'm having trouble imagining what the pattern will look like. What are they called?

No. 216428

>>216427
Looks like a longer version of a leg o’ mutton sleeve.

No. 216442

>>214741
Singer 1306!
Straight and zigzag stitch, automatic buttonhole option, easy to thread, haven’t had any trouble with the timing belt in three years of frankly abusing the machine, and with the right needles you can sew a big range of fabric weights. Like, from chiffon to layers of cotton duck. Decent throat size unless you want to quilt. It’s cheap and reliable and most sewing machine repair shops know them really well so it’s easy to get repaired if needed.

No. 216447

>>216445
Just add what’s needed to the hem for pants and skirts, and extend the bodice in tops and dresses.

No. 216499

File: 1638987976971.png (260.77 KB, 652x717, 4083db82c9ebe4b84a7aa7957bd01a…)

>>216427
It should work if you make a normal puff sleeve. Divide the sleeve into parts, cut them apart and put space between them. You can experiment with how many parts and how much space between the parts you need to get the same result as in the picture. After that you will have to find a new seam line where the middle part of the sleeve will be sewn to the lower part. Something like shown in the picture. That will make the fabric fall over the seam and should get you that puffy look.

No. 216546

>>216499
Thank you so much anon! This is a really helpful graphic.

No. 219135

File: 1640335871188.png (1.73 MB, 1356x1918, kwik.png)

Can someone recommend patterns for garments that aren't…. this? Almost everything looks like a stiff paper bag, or it's another wrap dress. What gives? Am I missing something?

No. 219542

>>219135
What sort of garment are you looking to make anon? Sometimes it's easier to find patterns if you have at least a general idea of what you'd like to make.

No. 219757

So, for one of my new years' resolutions, I would like to learn how to sew/use a sewing machine. I have acquired an old Singer 5528 and am very excited to start. However, I have so many questions! And confusions.
>What's a good beginner project? It can't be something too simple or something I won't use because I'll get bored.
>What am I doing wrong if when I'm trying to make stitches, the threads get super tangled? I think I threaded the embroidery needle fine and the bobbin, but less sure about the latter. Am I using the wrong pressure/stitch pattern?
>How long did it take you to tailor a piece of clothing? I thrift a lot and it'd be so helpful to make them fit better and for the clothes I already have.
Happy sewing!

No. 219763

>>219757
the first projects i made from scratch were bags, i made a few purses and tote bags. it's a great first project because you can make it a little more complicated if you want but it's simple enough. if your stitches are getting tangled either your bobbin is going the wrong way or the tension on your machine is wrong. tbh im not that experienced but that gives you a direction to look at least, setting the tension is kind of complicated. as for tailoring it depends a lot on what you're doing. it's really easy and quick to hem a pair of pants or a skirt. shoulders are the most complicated part of a shirt so if you are thrifting, make sure the shoulders fit, you can fix the rest easily. also definitely buy an iron, it makes such a huge difference in how finished your sewing projects will look if you iron your seams when they are done. good luck nonna!

No. 223478

File: 1642137129681.jpg (108.29 KB, 570x737, il_570xN.3120807139_ch1z.jpg)

I found this cross stitch pattern guide from a used bookseller on amazon and I'm super excited to get it! It's kind of hard to find any info on it because it's from the 70s, but it appears the finished design is 14 in x 14 in or 15 x 15, so it's quite large and intended for a pillow. I'm thinking it would look cool on the back of a jacket or a tote bag, though. I would love some ideas about what else I could do with it.

No. 223489

>>223478

Ahh, this is so cool. I don't know how to do any needle work but this makes me feel pretty interested to look into it.

I like your ideas of a tote bag, jacket. It would also just look cool framed and hung on the wall!

No. 223490

>>223478
If you put some kind of interfacing behind it, you could make a really cute shirt. Nice find though.

No. 223724

>>216617
same anon
I'm so sad I bought a serger and now I have to return it because I'm moving soon and can't take it abroad.

No. 223740

>>223478
holy shit this one's amazing! I'd totally put it on the back of a denim jacket, it's so cool it needs to be displayed. Share the finished result plz

No. 223893

>>223478
any chance you could scan and share the stich chart?

No. 229135

Unicorn cross stitch anon here with a tragic update. I had fully planned on posting it here once I received it, but it seems like the package got lost in transit. I doubt I'll ever be receiving it. Sorry everyone.

No. 229159

File: 1644207328742.jpeg (190.29 KB, 750x921, 34F97990-FFCC-4FC5-B18C-53B952…)

Can someone clue me in on the fabric that’s used for the black far left top? I think it’s a kind of yarn but it looks more “tight”.

No. 229162

>>229159
Looks like thin yarn sewed with thin needles

No. 229163

>>229159
Small gauge cotton or acrylic yarn in a jersey knit. You could also try knitted terry or any other single filament knits for a similar weight.

No. 229164

>>229162
>>229163
Thank you! Do you know what the bottom “ruched” knitted part beneath the squares is called? Or is it just regular knitting/crocheting?

No. 229166

>>229164
it's just ribbing, anon

No. 229167

>>229164
Yeah that’s a rib knit at the bottom and usually on the hem and cuffs of knitted garments. Nice and stretchy lengthwise and well structured vertically. Only way to make a knit fit well imo.

No. 230518

File: 1644816861039.png (553.05 KB, 1960x2000, 8899BE9C-9C80-4C3B-98AC-B13FE8…)

Hi embroidoids, >>213984 here!
Here’s a pattern made from one of Elaine Reichel’s samplers. More of her embroidery pieces: http://elainereichek.com/Project_Pages/8_WhenThisYou/WhenThisYouSee.htm


>>229135
There was one left on Amazon so I got it and will scan when received!

No. 230519

File: 1644816941564.jpeg (113.21 KB, 1308x188, D0547279-036F-4C8C-85BD-3BEBBF…)

>>230518
Colors approximate ofc

No. 230520

File: 1644817127169.jpeg (2.45 MB, 2698x2721, F567AAB3-C666-4A9B-B674-FF68FD…)


No. 244159

File: 1645484818409.jpeg (4.23 MB, 2496x3832, 56DF0883-48F4-4B8E-A432-970868…)

>>223478
>>229135
Sorry about the watermark, here’s the captive corn

No. 244185

File: 1645485097268.jpeg (2.06 MB, 3280x2128, 7EC1A1E7-0ABB-42DF-9AC4-1D2804…)

>>244159
Cover and general instructions

No. 245646

File: 1645596378133.jpeg (113.08 KB, 505x1021, CF04F6A5-841A-441B-B110-98E616…)

I bought this coat. Didn’t realise at first that it was a Tall and that the model in picrel is 5’10. I am 5’6 so this will be a problem. Any way I can hem it?

No. 245666

>>244185
thank you, thank you! i am so excited to fill my time up with this right now. shit sucks.

No. 245667

>>245666
by which I mean life stuff sucks, your post is the best. <3

No. 245688

File: 1645622306314.jpg (519.18 KB, 600x800, hems4.jpg)

>>245646
Here is an article on blind hems as I think the coat doesn't have a visible hem. Let the coat hang for 24hrs and measure the new length of the sleeves and the coat. best thing to do is to make two lines one for the new length of the coat when folded as a hem and other as a marker on cutting the excess fabric. For the lining you can sew that over the folded hem of the coat.
https://blog.megannielsen.com/2013/03/tutorial-hand-sewn-hems/

No. 245691

>>244159
Fantastic, thanks for the willingness & time to share anon!!

No. 245707

>>245646
Where did you buy it? I’m 6feet tall and need a new coat.

No. 245718

File: 1645638241791.jpg (193.55 KB, 1280x853, RepairCoatLining_007_2017_11_2…)

>>245646
First you have to know how much shorter the coat has to be, then I would open the seam between lining and outer fabric at the bottom of the coat and have a look how they made it. After that I would shorten both lining and outer fabric according to the length you need, don't forget the seam allowance. The outer fabric is folded into the coat, so the lining can fold over the outer fabric inside the coat. It's constructed like the example in the picture, to give you place to move (sry, can't find the right words today). If you have a sewing machine, you can turn everything on the left and sew it, leave a hole, turn it back on the right and close the rest with the catch stitch.

No. 246967


No. 247030

>>246967
Only $25 rn!

No. 247087

File: 1646182808403.jpg (90.87 KB, 733x657, fabrics.JPG)

Not sure if this should go in fashion or sewing, but I saw this rainbow cotton at Joann's and I'm kind of obsessed with it, particularly the one with the black background. I also have a pattern for a cami dress, McCall's M8209, that I have been meaning to try out. I wonder if the print would make a cool dress? I could do it all over or half pattern-half solid black like the pattern shows. Wondering if this would be cute or too loud and tacky.

No. 247090

File: 1646183686963.jpg (1001.05 KB, 1862x2560, M8209_03-scaled-1.jpg)

>>247087
I think you should go for it anon, it sounds cute! The pattern is quite large and simple so it shouldn't melt the eyes like a more intricate pattern might. I think the half black and half rainbow idea sounds really nice, it could maybe kind of show the pattern off a little more and make more of a statement. I can't put it into words very well so I hope what I'm saying makes sense!

No. 250181

File: 1647463901056.png (1.93 MB, 1000x1549, pattern.png)

Is there anything like z-library or libgen for sewing patterns? I feel like all of the patterns I like are kind of expensive for a poorfag like me.

No. 250182

File: 1647463978145.jpg (64.26 KB, 574x552, skele.JPG)

I'm new to cross stitch, but I think it would be a cool idea to put this design on a round canvas bag that I found on amazon to make a custom bag for myself. I'm wondering if it would be easier to stitch it onto aida and then sew it onto the bag like a giant patch, or if I should stitch it directly onto the bag using waste cloth. The only difference I can think of is whether the design will be slightly raised off the bag or right on the surface of it, if that makes sense. Also, if I was using waste cloth, I'm not entirely sure how I would get the bag's face into a hoop but I guess I'd just have to try my best. Can any anons give me some advice on this?

No. 250186

File: 1647466583108.jpg (1.33 MB, 3003x2340, IMG_20220212_133516~3.jpg)

I've been embroidering for a while but I still can't get some techniques right. I hope I'll be able to embroider some of my clothes without fucking it up one day! Here is one of my latest works.

No. 250194

>>250182
I found this video quite helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8rpyj3y5Q
if I would make such a project, I would stitch it onto the canvas bag, using fusible interlining and a lining for the bag, so it's stable and won't get damaged when I put stuff inside the bag.

No. 250215

>>250181 check thrift stores and Freecycle for cheap/free patterns. I got a whole collection of sewing mags from Freecycle with every basic pattern you could imagine & also details on how to customise and make your own patterns. Basically learnt to sew from scratch and made so many garments for free

No. 250221

>>250186
beautiful colors nonna

No. 250289

>>250182
If you're gonna sew the pattern onto the bag you might as well just make the damn bag yourself. Canvas is cheap and Amazon is a ripoff.

No. 251939

File: 1648281598168.png (1.7 MB, 857x1200, __original_drawn_by_yujup__c81…)

Nonnies I need advice. I've had a Brother sewing machine for a decade now but I've never ventured into actually making a garment. I've only done minor clothing adjustments, fixed tears and holes, things like that. But I've always wanted to be able to make clothes for me, sadly I cannot afford proper classes with a seamstress. Do any of you know of maybe a youtube series of "sewing 101" that's reputable? maybe even a blog, anything that could help me get the basics right and expand on the little knowledge I have. My ultimate goals are solely be able to make a maxi coat, a flared skirt and a sundress. If possible maybe even a bonnet.

No. 251947

>>250186
Beautiful, well done

No. 256702

My friend gave me a pair of super cute trousers, perfect fit for my legs but the waist is way too big. I want to try and take them in but they have elastic in the back, I don't have a sewing machine so I cant fully redo (plus I have very basic shit sewing skills kek). I was thinking about doing that triangle sewing hack thing off tiktok (vidrel) but again the elastic waistband might get in the way, if any nonnies have a solution to my problem I would appreciate it

No. 257369

>>256702
Just take them to a tailor, alterations don’t really cost much. I’m a pants/jeans designer. I am tired of seeing these viral videos of usually bad alteration techniques. The technique shown in that video will create a weird back rise shape and excess bulk, esp on an elastic waist style. It will look okay for like a photo shoot or cosplay or something but it’s not a good choice for a pair of pants you want to wear & love for a long time because you’ll always have a that chunky weird bunch at the back waist.

No. 257655

>>257369
Nta, do you just do jeans. Like surely all the jeans have been designed already. Do you have brainstorms like ooh yes, how about a wide leg in medium rise and a stone wash?? Then everyone thumps the table and says Anon, we're gonna be rich. You came up with a new kind of Jean

No. 258008


No. 258266

File: 1650694772456.jpg (171.99 KB, 1500x1231, 9ac48b10020bad52c318a5e04e8daf…)

do you guys have a favorite machine? or maybe a dream/ultimate goals machine? I really love the Singer Rocketeer (picrel) from the 1950's. it looks like a beautiful classic car.
I'm saving up for a Janome HD 3000 BE in black, as well. I'm so sick of fighting with cheapy machines. the woman who runs the sewing lab in my hometown had me sit down and sew through like 5 layers of denim with the Janomeand it sewed through like butter. it felt so secure compared to the plastic, computerized machines I've been using for years. I love that the Jenome HD 3000 is fully mechanical so I can learn to repair and maintain it. manifesting!!
show me your favorite machines nonnies! it can be your current machine too, of course! and if anyone is comfortable enough, pics of your craft spaces/sewing rooms would be cool, but totally understandable if anons don't want to post their personal spaces. I work on a tiny desk built into my apartment, but I used to have a gull fledged crafting space that I was proud of

No. 260030

File: 1651323079553.jpeg (238.85 KB, 768x1024, e62635be-5793-4258-8d87-0574dd…)

Embroideryanons, can I hand embroider straight onto a garment like pic rel? I have a green knit ribbed sweater I got for pretty cheap, I want to add something to make more interesting. Should I even use a hoop for this or will it stretch and distort the fabric? And what about the back?

No. 260032

>>260030
for sleeves using a hoop would make things more difficult imo, but you may want to use one for the back. personally i've always found embroidering straight onto a garment way easier

No. 260242

>>258266
I'm also saving up for the Janome HD 1000 in black :-0 manifesting with you nonna!!(:-0)

No. 260683

>>260030
Make sure the garment is hefty enough to support whatever you want to embroider on it. If the fabric is too flimsy it won't support your designs! Also I think you need to use some kind of stabilizer on the back of the fabric. Good luck!

>>260242
Omg yesss… manifesting nonna. I was so pumped when I looked the machine up and saw that it came in black. I took it as a sign lol

No. 261005

File: 1651600468914.jpg (41.44 KB, 700x525, large-juki-ddl-9000-b-ss.jpg)

Do some of you have any book recommendations, everything around the sewing subject, from pattern construction over fabrics, leather, how to sew, etc? I don't care for the release date, so could be a new book or something that is 100 years old, just something you thing that is really good, interesting and maybe helpful.

>>258266
my dream machines would be an industrial sewing machine (a Juki or Brother) for everything, then an industrial overlock and a household sewing machine for zigzag stitches and stuff like that, maybe even an industrial sewing machine for leather. Problem is, no money and no space for all that, got one room with my desk, bed, closet and everything else in it, a sewing machine wouldn't fit anymore.
Are those Janome HD 3000 and 1000 really around $500? Maybe I should see if I can get a look at them somewhere in Germany, a black sewing machine would be very fitting for me, kek.

No. 261713

So I blind bought a genuine leather jacket and it's too large at the shoulders and the sleeves are too long. I have basic sewing skills and a very basic understanding of pattern construction so I was thinking about taking it apart and tailoring it myself. However it's leather and I have no experience with that. Can you sew leather like regular fabric by hand with regular thread or does it require specials tools and skills?

No. 261818

>>261713
I say this as an anon with leather work education and bg: you are gonna fuck it up amd it will not hold up in use.

No. 261825

>>261713
as a dressmaker with no real experience in leather I would say, take it to a professional, leather is very different to other fabrics and it's another subject to learn.

No. 261891

>>261825
>>261818
All right message is clear lol, I'll take it to a leather worker. Sucks it's very expensive but it'll have to do. Thanks for your input anons I would've definitely tried to DIY it otherwise.

No. 261901

>>261891
You could sell it and get something that fits.

No. 261947

>>261713
I would just wear it oversized or sell it and buy a new one.

No. 261954

>>261005
Industrial sewing machines are a dream to work with. I have an eletronic industrial one and its wonderful.

I found some very interesting pattern books (A tecnica de dei modelli) online and they are packed with information you normally dont find on pattern books, like specific pattern corrections. But i only found them in italian language.

No. 262066

>>261954
they are, they are reliable and work way smoother and faster than household sewing machines. At my former workplace we had some that were 25 years old and still running.

Very interesting books indeed, had a look at them right now and I guess I should learn Italian. Thank you for the recommendation.

No. 262573

>>184638
I'm going to try to sew an 18th century/pirate shirt by hand before the ren faire on Saturday following this video and a few other resources. I got the linen yesterday so today I will prewash it, draft the 'pattern' ie carefully draw some boxes, and maybe sew the cuffs. Wish me luck sewanons.

No. 262703

File: 1652143755741.jpg (67.82 KB, 605x945, wrapdress.JPG)

Does anyone have any good recommendations for wrap dress patterns like picrel? I think this one is so pretty, but I can't help feeling like I could easily make it at home for cheaper than 52$ + shipping from UK. Here's a link to it so you can see other pictures.

https://www.disturbia.co.uk/collections/womens-dresses/products/celestial-midi-kimono-dress

No. 262883

>>257655
> Nta, do you just do jeans. Like surely all the jeans have been designed already. Do you have brainstorms like ooh yes, how about a wide leg in medium rise and a stone wash?

Yeah it’s pretty boring and is almost entirely informed by business mathematics, customer feedback and trend forecasting. It’s not “I’m going to design a brand new Jean” it’s “these silhouettes, details and washes are over/underperforming so I will use this info to design an assortment of jeans that will probably do well in the next 12 months”.

No. 262907

>>262883
nta from before, but kek, I think that's the whole thing behind pattern making, I'm at school for it right now and get to know all the basics, but if the "market" doesn't want high waist jeans, you won't design high waist jeans and if you only need to change the placement for a pocket about 5 cm, then you do it.
As you are designing jeans, has the fabric choice changed? In Germany it seems like people start to prefer fabric without elastane in it, just pure cotton, did you notice that, too, or is that just something going around richer people trying to be woke and safe the environment.

No. 263045

>>262907
nta but I also work as a fashion designer (in a neighboring country) and yes there are less and less fabrics with elastane. People (mostly women and girls) tend to buy less skinny jeans which use fabric with elastane and prefer straight/wide jeans made from pure cotton

No. 263091

>>262907
Yes, most brands are running 100% cotton denim nowadays, which is easier to achieve pretty washes in. The company I work for still uses 98/2 stretch denim most of the time though. It’s not as pretty or durable but it boosts true to size ratings pretty substantially.

A big challenge for us in the US has been the trade tariffs & legislation on Chinese sourced cotton (and maybe inflation to some extent?). Cotton is so much more expensive than it was just a few years ago so margins have gotten tighter

No. 263398

>>262883
>>262907
>>263045
>>263091
Fascinating, nonas! Ty for sharing. Funny one of you mentioned 100% cotton jeans. I've made the decision to forgo denim with more than 1% stretch recently. Weirdly enough, my jeans from Old Navy are more substantial and thick than my (new, not vintage) Levi's 501's. If anyone is interested, vidrel is a trailer for a really interesting documentary about the history of denim in the USA and beyond. I think you can probably find it for free to watch somewhere.

No. 263406

>>263045
>>263091
>>263398
thank you all for the information. It's really interesting to see that this seems to be a global trend and not just a European thing. I think that 100% cotton will really be more durable. For the environmental effects it doesn't change a thing as cotton is produced under horrible standards. I wonder why they don't go back to using hemp in general, there are some stores that sell jeans made out of hemp in Germany and those jeans seem to be very durable.
Love that you shared your knowledge, especially as you seldom have the chance to work with people from different countries.

No. 266282

File: 1653531291313.jpg (22.9 KB, 654x879, 30026f216b8525aa3a4c86c9e8d9d2…)

I found this exact dress at a thrift store today for a really good price (it was like 50 cents for the sale they had today) The rabbit collar was too cute to pass up. However I'm not in love with the cut of the dress on me, it kind of looks like a judges robe kek. What modifications do you think would make this cuter? I'm thinking about adding buttons or trim to it

No. 266297

File: 1653544688628.jpg (48.78 KB, 693x1500, 61KL7oZFd6L._AC_UL1500_.jpg)

>>266282
What a cute find, nona! If the dress is too rectangular, I would recommend waist darts or other tailoring at the waist area to give it some shape in the body. That way it might look less flowy/robe-like as you put it.

If the sleeves are too large in the arms/wrist, I would also consider playing with the sleeve length! A fitted 3/4 or short sleeve would be very cute.

No. 267797

Nonnies I'm retarded and spent most of my life being a neet and missing out on core skills. I have a bf now and sometimes he wants his pant legs shortened or I want to add some buttons to my clothes etc.
Where should I start when learning how to sew? Is there a good channel/site you recommend?

No. 267828

>>267797
If it's a core skill then tell your bf to hem his own pants

No. 267899

>>267797
It’s not a core skill, he can do his own hemming kek if you’re serious, you can check skillshare and I’m sure there’s loads of beginner stuff on youtube

No. 267903

>>267828
>>267899
jeez I didn't expect the hostility. I find it a core skill because even my own clothes I still have to ask my mum to fix for me, hence my wanting to learn, not just to help my partner.
Anyway thanks I guess.

No. 267911

>>267903
most people nowadays cant do that shit at home. its not normal for everyone to be able to hem something. also theres some tailors that only charge like $10 to hem something. its not a big deal to go get something hemmed professionally.

No. 267954

>>267911
but I dont want to do thay anymore? thats the whole point?

No. 267965

>>267911
Depending on the fabric, you don’t even need a machine even as a newbie, don’t talk like it’s some dark magic to be done at home.

No. 268093

>>267903
at least in Germany there are some older (around the 20s to 50s) sewing or housekeeping books that will teach you all the basics, guess other countries have something like that, too. I find them very helpful, they are full of pictures and a great overview of stuff to learn when it comes to fixing clothes or doing basic sewing stuff. Honestly, I find it nice that you want to learn that stuff, knowing how to sew on a button (in a professional way) or shortening your own pants saves money and time. If I find time, I will have a look if there are good books in the English language (except another nona knows some before I come back)

No. 268287

File: 1654446412943.png (252.65 KB, 734x552, 124447.png)

do you guys have any ideas about using and storing sewing machines? i bought a singer 99k almost a year ago and admitidly i have just left it in my garage because I thought I would use it there, but now my dad is using it for his car and it's also really unplesant in there. I was thinking about getting a sewing cabinet but i don't want anything expensive because i might move across over seas in the next couple of years. i was also thinking about getting a small foldable table too but I still worry about the lack of workspace.

No. 268359

>>268287
When I'm not using my machine I unplug it and put the dust/carrying cover on with the cords wrapped up neatly in the space inside. I have a large foldable work table (think those ugly cheap grey ones lol) but before that I just sewed on a regular desk and cut large projects out on a freshly cleaned floor. It hurts your neck/back sometimes though so be careful you don't slouch too much and take some breaks to stretch.
You can make a small workspace work with bigger things if you pin your fabric in place so it doesn't shift, fold the excess fabric to be put on a chair or the floor, and cut things out one at a time. Sewing weights can help make sure the fabric doesn't slide off if it's wider/longer than the desk.

As for using your sewing machine, your user guide manual is at the top here: singerco.com.au/support/manuals/
I really recommend reading your guide all the way through and to save it for reference. I also attached a video on how to service it yourself just in case you can't find anyone in your area to do it for you since it is a vintage machine. Happy sewing!

No. 268375

>>268359
Thank you anon for your help!

No. 269339

Are there any professional books about altering clothes, like taking in a t-shirt, making the back of a coat smaller, downsizing your trousers, just things you would pay an alterations tailor for?

No. 270424

File: 1655305228528.jpeg (68.96 KB, 480x640, Celestial velvet.jpeg)

How do I stop buying prints and patterns when 99% of my wardrobe is solid colors reee

No. 270425

>>269339
Idk if this is a genre, probably because general sewing knowledge is exactly what you need to alter clothes. Maybe look at YouTube for specific projects, I remember following a With Wendy tutorial for downsizing jeans years ago.

No. 270434

>>270425
sadly there is a difference between alteration and dress making, I'm a learned dressmaker, only had to alter clothes one time, as you go to other shops for that. People making alterations have tricks to do it fast and cheap and I would like to learn those but not work at an alteration tailor to learn there, kek. Had the hope that there might be a book out there, as I dislike watching videos, but I will have a look at With Wendy.

>>270424
it's nice how the moon in that seam fits, kek. If you like patterned fabrics, don't stop buying them or give you a rule, something like "one patterned for ever 10 uni fabrics".

No. 270969

File: 1655621073091.jpg (33.99 KB, 353x499, 51R7Ub4xscL._SX351_BO1,204,203…)

>>269339
I work for an alteration place and you learn a lot of new tricks even when you have an extensive sewing rep. I agree with >>270434 building something from the fit and pattern up is very different than altering pre-existing garments.

If you want a book on alterations, don't buy something that advertises making or altering patterns (e.g. "The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting") as those books will probably be 90% of what shows up in a search. I looked and found "Mending and Alterations Made Simple: A Complete Guide to Clothes Repair" by Anna de Leo and read the table of contents, it looks pretty good imo. Good luck finding what you need!

No. 271079

>>270969
alteration in my country is also a job where you have to be very fast and will be paid for how much you can alter in a certain time, so you need to know tricks that a normal dressmaker won't learn.

And thank you, looks like what I've been searching for. I have the "The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting" book and while it's helpful to alter patterns, it has nothing to do with altering already made garments.

No. 272405

How do you convince yourself to finish a project when you know the end result is already disappointing?
I know I need to practice finishing and closures. But the dress I've been working on for a month isn't going to fit me well and is too sloppy even to give away. I keep abandoning projects at the 70% mark when it's obvious it won't be what I want. How do you motivate yourself to finish an ugly dress lol

No. 272406

>>272405
You will keep them to compare them to see how much you've improved. One day you will take them out and put them next to your newest work and go wooow look how far I've came. When you master the skill you will love them in a sentimental way.

No. 272412

>>272405
Finish then keep for improvement comparisons, then repurpose the fabric for small projects like pouches afterwards.

No. 272440

>>272405
I'm with you on this. I have a plaid dress where mistakenly I cut the centre fronts to be matching horizontally, but are off by 1/2" vertically. I don't have enough fabric to re-cut and even though I know horizontal matching is the most important/noticeable it still pisses me off lol it's been sitting in my room for months
I agree with the other nonas - finish it with the intention of improvement and then donate it. You never know who might love it even if it doesn't fit you!

No. 273141

girls, how do i teach myself embroidery from scratch? what do i even need to buy? i don't know how this works. i want to be able to embroider my jeans pockets and tote bags.

No. 273144

>>273141
You would need fabric, thread, needles and an embroidery hoop. Thread I like DMC, except for black, black I go for Madeira or Anchor or silk thread. Fabric I would use some basic cotton for the start (if you want to cross stitch, use aida) and hoop I like the beech wood ones from Nurge. For needles you have to try what you prefer, I like working with needles in middle length, but some prefer shorter or longer needles. If you decide that it will your hobby for the future, buy yourself a colour card with real threads from the company you prefer, like that one https://www.dmc.com/de/farbkarte-500-mouline--perle-9004276.html so you don't have to run to stores for a colour check and you can just buy at the cheapest online store.
I would get some good books (I liked Stitch Encyclopedia Embroidery by Bunka Gakuen, you can find it on Zlibrary) and if you are interested in needle painting try books by Trish Burr. I also found this website https://www.needlenthread.com/ very interesting for material, ideas and questions.

No. 273390

>>273141
I would buy a hoop kit, they come with enough thread for the project and the pattern already printed on the fabric. Makes it easy to follow and you won't have to commit to buying supplies when you might find that you don't enjoy it. They do usually come with instructions on how to do a few different stitches, it's a good start for a total beginner I think.

No. 273818

File: 1657127854068.jpg (92.52 KB, 500x667, 005933872alt3resize.jpg)

I need some new shorts but almost all the ones I like have a distressed hem, which I hate. I should be able to hem these, right? I need a heavyweight needle and a slightly heavier thread and my domestic machine should be able to handle it?

No. 273885

>>273818
I think you should be able to hem, but the problem might be the available length to do it. I know the pic probably isn't the exact shorts you've probably getting but if you hemmed those, they'd probably show your ass since there's not enough extra fabric.

No. 273918

>>273818
If the side seams on the hems are too thick you can hammer them to flatten them out. Fold them in the way you want to sew them and give them a few firm taps to flatten the thick bits so they'll go through the machine easier. Go slow over these parts too, sometimes I hand crank the stitching over them. Levis denim is the worst for thick ass seams lol
If your machine can't handle that you could always serge and topstitch the hem. Also what >>273885 said if they're too short you could bind the inside with a bias bound hem. Then you'd only have to sacrifice 1/4" of length. Here is a good tutorial for it -> https://www.cucicucicoo.com/2017/03/easy-way-to-hem-a-circle-skirt-bias-tape/

No. 274512

>>219135 I think Kwik Sew is acceptable if you're a beginner or just want a simple article of clothing. Check out Vogue and McCall's. I find their patterns more interesting.

No. 274553

do you need special needles to sew through PLU/faux leather?

No. 274656

File: 1657552496331.jpg (58.98 KB, 800x566, needles.jpg)

>>274553
if it's very close to real leather, I would use special leather needles and I'm sorry, I don't know the proper term in English, in Germany we call it needles with a "Schneidspitze" (maybe cutting tip?). It creates a little hole in the leather so the thread can go through it. If the leather isn't that thick, you might try a denim needle, but I really would use the right needles instead of just something you have at home.

No. 276923

File: 1658428969056.png (110.04 KB, 1440x880, 702BE22C-FD21-4E90-9B20-BED169…)

Another silly xstitch pattern a la >>213984

No. 285502

File: 1662387227579.jpg (1.41 MB, 3120x3120, fabric.jpg)

I got this fabric from the scrap bin at the craft store, I have about 2 yards of it. It's a stretchy knit type of fabric. What would be something cute I could make with this print?

No. 285520

>>285502
a spaghetti strap top?

No. 285522

>>285520
and matching high rise briefs or other underwear with white lace! make a matching lounge set if you have enough! its gorgeous fabric

No. 285533

>>285522
Oh pj shorts would be cute! Maybe I'll make a pillowcase set too. I have quite a lot of it

No. 285623

File: 1662424162689.jpg (6.22 KB, 183x276, Robe.jpg)

>>285502
You could make light sleeping robe, one of those shorter ones. If you do a 3/4 sleeve it would look nice with some soft white lace trim

No. 287637

I just started learning to sew and regret not learning sooner anons. I’m short and now I feel like I can tailor and fit into all the clothes I like now. I’ve been avoiding pants for like decade because they always fit like shit so I wear leggings most of the time.

I’ve been borrowing a friend’s machine for now and I can’t wait to get my own. If you have any suggestions for a starter sewing machine let me know. I’m waiting until there’s a good sale at Joanns.

No. 289172

File: 1663727610578.jpg (92.06 KB, 1280x720, maxresdefault.jpg)

I've been thinking about shopping around for a cheap/secondhand serger. I am interested in making more garments for myself for everyday wear, so the finished, serged edge definitely appeals to me. Is a serger worth it, or should I just suck it up and investigate ways to finish my edges nicely on my sewing machine?

No. 289289

>>289172
Sergers are great if you plan to work with sheer materials or don't want to mess with french seams. I have one and am quite fond of it, but sometimes it's just easier to do french seams instead of preparing my serger for smaller projects. If you get one, re-thread it by knotting your threads and then letting it run until the new thread color is set, re-threading a serger is one of the most annoying things a seamstress can do ime. It takes forever and a single wrong thread placement can break a needle (especially if it's attached to the lower "looper" needles. I have broken so many of those.)
But if you plan to be really hard on your clothes, I'd combine a serged edge and a french seam. I did that for a viking serk and it's sturdy enough to hike in.

No. 289325

Is anyone from you into sewing leather? I would love to learn more about how to use and sew leather, are there any good websites, books, knowledge I could have a look into, maybe with the goal to one day make my own bags?

>>289172
buy one, as a professional I can tell you that you will enjoy using it, especially for knitted fabrics like jersey. And don't be afraid of re-threading one, you learn that over time.

No. 289340

>>289172
I'm just a hobbyist sewer so take with a grain of salt I guess, but I had the pleasure of using one when I took a sewing course and I still miss it at home. I work around it by using french seams mostly and it's doable but I find that the process sucks.

No. 289344

>>289172
>>289340
if you look into vintage clothes, they sometimes used pinking shears to avoid the seam allowances from fraying, it works, but it takes a lot of time to make that look nice and a very good scissor. So if you have the money and space, get yourself a serger, you won't regret it.

No. 290168

File: 1664083434757.jpg (111.07 KB, 1059x846, Screenshot_20220924-222109_Ama…)

Can't wait to get a new sewing machine!! It's metal! And fully mechanical! AND BLACK!

No. 290803

File: 1664309590145.jpg (49 KB, 800x800, heviduti.jpg)

>>290168
I just got mine today! Not all metal or black but I'm still psyched, gonna put it to a test tomorrow with few jeans I gotta hem and finish a shoulder bag whose seams my old machine couldn't handle.

No. 290965

Embroidery anons, what sort of frame do you like to use? I like hoops the best, but I'm always afraid they will distort the aida, so I only use them when I will frame the work in the hoop. I bought a Q-snap frame, it's kinda OK but it does slide around way too easily. I'd like one of those wooden 'scroll' type of frames, but my pieces tend to be on the smaller size so seems like it would be overkill.

No. 291658

File: 1664595027670.jpg (150 KB, 1200x628, featured-image-q-snaps.jpg)

>>290965
I use a q-snap frame too, I like them because keeping the work taut is a lot easier than with a hoop. If it slides around maybe you could put some felt (preferably non-coloured so the dye doesn't transfer) in it like picrel to help with that?

No. 291727

>>291658
Thanks anon that's a great idea! I saw a suggestion of using some sort of medical tape but didn't want to have to go and buy a whole roll of it. I do have some felt scraps though!

No. 294832

I wore a me-made dress out in the world for the first time since I took up sewing ~5 years ago and it felt so good nonnies! I'm thinking about sharing my work on social media (mainly pre-1950 vintage and historical costuming) but I am dreadfully nervous and I don't know if I should make the leap of faith just yet. If any of you also post your work out there, how did you overcome the nerves?

No. 294911

File: 1666243747427.jpg (49.19 KB, 564x709, dc560cbfff1e9607da046295809a22…)

>>294832
Congrats on your wearing your first dress anon!
You can overcome your nerves by always taking pride in your work! Most people have good things to say and want to see your fun projects. Some historical costuming ladies are snotty/nitpicky about accuracy (even about fabric content, like, come on) but you should just ignore them, if they weren't elitist about this they'd just go do it about something else. Who is anyone to tell you how to enjoy your hobby?

Do you have a favourite era? Mine is Edwardian. I made a more simple Edwardian outfit a while back, but I made the blouse out of muslin to test the pattern and never made it in a nicer fabric lol

No. 295011

>>294911
AYRT and I currently have an extremely autistic hyperfixation on 1897-1901. Just finished digitising a couple of jackets from an 1898 issue of De Gracieuse and I think I'll mock those up soon. What pattern did you use?

No. 295212

File: 1666385659153.jpg (55.9 KB, 564x846, edwardianblouse.jpg)

>>295011
Making jackets sounds so nice for the coming season, be sure to share how it's going!!
I made the patterns lol the skirt was a basic pleated one that I sewed and draped on a dressform, the blouse I made from a photo that I no longer have. It looked similar to this one though. For the lace inserts I just did seams, no lace. The pintucks were enough for one project lmao.
One day I want to make an s-bend corset and a full tea gown though, I've only ever made corsets using the Laughing Moon Mercantile Silverado pattern. It's pretty good but I had to nip in the waist more, it's very curved/smooth on the sides.

No. 295216

>>295212
Nta but that's a beautiful blouse.

No. 295295

Does anyone here see dolls or other similar crafts? I prefer it to sewing clothes.

No. 295304

>>295216
Amen, I want to wear it with a long skirt and be an elegant period lady but ik people would take the piss irl.

No. 295320

>>295295
I want to learn how to make amazing looking stuffed animals, haven't gotten very far with it, but one day I will, kek.

>>295304
nta, but honestly, if we could go back to the victorian fashion, everything with nice fabrics, corsets, etc, I would. I watched "The House That Screamed" some weeks ago and a fashion style like that would be amazing. So, please, wear that blouse with a long skirt, I would love to see people dressed like that instead of another girl/woman with a croptop and leggings.

No. 295386

>>295212
Very pretty anon, I did lace insertion on my combinations! I made them entirely by hand a couple of years ago after getting into Bernadette Banner's content. Seems like a rite of passage in this niche little hobby of ours kek

If you want to make more curvy corsets, I recommend sticking to sources that are pretty close to the originals - I made one from the Symington Collection ca. 1894-ish and it has a beautiful shape. I've also had luck with Atelier Sylphe patterns although I still struggle with making alterations to edwardian patterns. If you feel like a challenge, this lady has digitised every adult corset pattern from Dutch fashion magazine De Gracieuse from the late 1860s-1920s. I got my jacket patterns from the period magazine!

Corset patterns link, if you're interested: http://www.clusterfrock.com/p/de-gracieuse-corset-patterns-page-1.html?fbclid=IwAR1Rc0IYkGPsUeKAsfZLyQGrwhfDcWwx4xj4-MzyZdp1p2mjRxj52BtjuUA

No. 295402

File: 1666480451560.jpg (1.83 MB, 1512x6048, halp.jpg)

I'm fairly inexperienced with my serger (it intimidated me so I kept it in my closet for 2 years kek). Trying to blind hem my many many black t-shirts that need shortening & I've been practicing with scraps bc I'm terrified to ruin my shirts, anyways, it's very difficult for me to see the folded edge of the fabric when it is passing under the needle (pic 1). Obviously the guide (white plastic piece to the left) is used for that purpose but there is so little room to see the fabric directly under the needle that it makes me a little nervous. The amount of edge for the thread to "bite" is sooo tiny in order to get the blind hem to lie flat when turned right side out (see pics for examples).
Anyways do you nonnies have any advice for me? The edge guide mentioned above seems flimsy? loose? enough that I feel like the fold can easily slide under it and makes it useless. Do I just need to practice more? I really really don't want to fuck up my shirts!
Sorry if pics are huge… lol

No. 295405

>>295402
Samefag, white piece to the RIGHT*
Also pls no judge for the cat fur (aka cat sparkles)

No. 297488

File: 1667501125919.jpeg (40.73 KB, 480x640, fLr29iybFSVFG4ouDDBBAYun05fOpo…)

I have this blouse which I really like but it's too long and wide for me and makes me look bulky. I was thinking of adding some shirring to make it fit me better. Would something like picrel be possible to do for an amateur? I think it'd look good with a flared empire waist like that.

No. 297519

File: 1667516846273.jpeg (29.87 KB, 356x360, 1608403311798.jpeg)

I've mostly used industrial machines for sewing but am looking to get a nice, sturdy home machine finally. Any recommends, I live in Europe and do have some shops I can go to order or buy a machine but I wanna hear your actual opinions first nonas! I'd mostly use it for basic clothes repairs, I don't really care for any fancy settings. >>295402
For me, just using machines as much as you can makes you develop a touch for it, unless the white thingy is absolutely loose and wiggly, I think you just gotta get that touch with time. Cute nails btw

No. 297634

>>297488
Do you have a sewing machine? Sewing some flat elastic on by machine is pretty easy but I’ve never done it by hand. I imagine it’s tricky to keep the tension even, though it should be doable.
And does the blouse fit well in the shoulders and arm area? Because if it’s baggy in those areas as well then it probably won’t look right. The elastic over the bust in particular is going to pull the armscye towards the middle of the bust if there’s too much ease there.

No. 297956

Nonnies, how do i sew pockets into a skirt without a side seam? do i just have to cut a slit into the sides like a barbarian, and sew the pockets into that?

No. 297991

>>297956
Do they have to be in-seam pockets? Patch pockets are easy but you’ll need fabric that looks nice with the material of the skirt. If you want something more subtle you could do welt pockets though I would recommend practicing on scrap fabric first.

No. 298042

>>297991
I need big pockets i can keep my phone, wallet, etc. in so a patch pocket probably wouldnt work. Would a welt pocket do?

No. 299398

Is it realistic to hand stitch a garment (skirt, sweater, shirt) as a beginner?
I can’t get a sewing machine atm and I’d like to make my own clothes. I’m sick of all the stuff I see online. Also, I don’t live in the US so sewing your own clothes isn’t more expensive than buying them, in case anyone is worried about that.

No. 299403

>>299398
You can totally do it, it will just take ages. It’s a good way to see if you enjoy the general vibe of sewing and making your own things though, before making the investment of a sewing machine.
Start with something simple so that you don’t overwhelm yourself too badly and give up. Skirts and tank tops can be done pretty simply and effectively. They’ll still take a looooong time but it can be a mindful process!

No. 299406

>>299403
> before making the investment of a sewing machine
Yeah, that’s pretty much my goal! I want to try it out to see if this is something I’ll be doing regularly enough to warrant the purchase of a sewing machine. Will try out a circle skirt!

No. 299427

>>299406
nta but I know I would've never kept sewing for a hobby if I had started out handsewing and based my decision on that. It's a very different and tedious experience imo. I'm reluctant to say you can accurately base how you'll like machinesewing on handsewing.

No. 299428

>>299427
Samefag but imo if you're interested in getting a sewing machine down the line anyway you're better off borrowing someone else sewing machine and use that for a while to figure out if you'll like it.

No. 299506

>>299428
I can’t borrow unfortunately, asked around and couldn’t find one

No. 299517

File: 1668548948274.jpg (182.65 KB, 1024x845, dsc_6672.jpg)

>>299506
I bought my first machine off Craigslist. A 1941 Singer, first electric model. The model number is 201-2. Bought her for $80 mounted in a cabinet, woman was selling off all her mom's stuff and had no idea what the machine was worth. Great starter machine as they're virtually indestructible so long as you find one that has been fairly well cared for… as in not left outside or in a humid environment. Only a straight stitch, but I make a lot of vintage/period pieces anyhow. If you search your area, you can usually find a proper sewing machine repair service with someone who knows their shit. Highly recommend reaching out to one if you find a vintage machine. I named my machine Audrey. Still trying to find one of the pic related beauties. Got one once upon a time but the poor girl was rusted through.

No. 299679

>>299517
Nonnie, she's BEAUUUUTIFUL, oh my god I'm so jealous

No. 301057

File: 1669464239419.png (653.96 KB, 525x700, CF1101B7-8AEE-443F-9D9E-B74B27…)

where can I get gobelin fabric like pic related, (or some similar heavy textured fabric) to sew with? nothing polyester - the description of the dress says it's gobelin cotton but I can't find anything similar online

No. 301085

>>301057
That looks like a cotton print to me, gobelin has a design woven into the fabric and it tends to be quite heavy and stiff because it has many different threads for all the colors in the design. I've made a skirt with gobelin but I used box pleats rather than gathers to control the bulk. For fabric like picrel, I would suggest searching for "antique" "baroque" "rococo" floral print cottons. A good fabric retailer should tell you the weight of the fabric too; look for midweight cottons as these are ideal for dressmaking.

No. 301143

sorry for being a newfag but I genuinely just want to sew on zippers and repair the occasional tear, but my hand sewing is trash. I don't have a lot of room and would love some small sewing rec.

No. 301144

>>301143
*sewing machine rec

No. 301150

File: 1669531483837.jpg (80.09 KB, 500x375, cotton gobelin.jpg)

>>301085
thank you for all the info nona. I found what appears to be gobelin or some other similar heavy woven cotton fabric for sale, pic related, but I want to make a lolita op with it and still debating if this print would look good or not. the only other gobelin fabrics I found were half polyester or were only being sold in small squares so I guess this one is my best option

No. 303323

does anyone have any tutorials on how to make coat bust bigger? i tried searching everything but for some reason i can't find anything online even though i don't think this is some rare problem, i have a winter coat that is perfect fit otherwise but the bust is too small for my breasts and it looks shitty when i close the zipper all the way up. like it closes but it gives me ugly uniboob how do i make it better

No. 303339

>>303323
the only thing I can think about would be the seam allowance. If the side seams have more than 1 cm seam allowance you could open the coat at bust height and let the seams out and maybe get 2 to 4 cm of extra space. Sometimes you also have a seam in the middle of your back and you could make it wider their. Sometimes you have darts around the bust area where extra fabric could be hidden and you could open the darts and make them smaller. Important would be, that you sew nice curves, no harsh corners and stuff like that.
You also have to be careful around the armholes, you wouldn't want to make them bigger or else you would have to adjust the sleeves as well. If the coat has a lining, you might have to make that bigger as well.

And sorry, I don't have any tutorials at hand, can only find stuff about making a coat smaller.

No. 305132

Got a second hand sewing machine despite not knowing what the fuck to do kek but I’ve always wanted to tailor thrifted clothes I have and make plushies. I found this woman on yt and she actually has her own website dedicated to making plushes and what materials to use and where to buy them from. Might make my own husbando dolls just to practice making my own patterns!

No. 305138

File: 1672042641750.jpg (75.98 KB, 564x837, e902ba7f75c8b0e74ea7901300c683…)

I bought a sewing machine for myself for christmas and i'm really excited to start learning! I decided to start because I love vintage (especially 60's mod) fashion, it was also a culmination of my frustration that I couldn't find a plain black mini skirt that was cute and reasonably priced… I have my black skirt now! I eventually want to recreate picrel, liza is honestly 40% of my motivation

No. 305146

>>305138
Nonnie I'm so happy for you! I'm also really into vintage/historical fashion and I wish you the best on your sewing journey! You can do it!

No. 305358

File: 1672228833018.jpg (258.65 KB, 1080x627, blue-argyle-scottish-tartan-pl…)

I'm a sewing newb.. how do I best repair a garment with a pattern sorta like picrel? It has a couple of spots where the threads have broken and they're starting to become tiny holes but not quite yet if that makes sense. I'm not sure how to repair it while disrupting the pattern as little as possible? I have more of the same fabric to repair it with if needed be.

No. 305734

File: 1672429933523.png (110.7 KB, 243x581, uniform closeup2.png)

Hi I have two questions: what is this type of skirt called so I can find patters for it? And would this kind of skirt be too complicated for a beginner? It looks simple but I'm scared that I might bite off more than I can chew lol

No. 305739

>>305734
Look for jumpskirt or salopette. Can't comment on the difficulty, though.

No. 305771

>>305734
That's a pleated skirt with a high waist and suspenders. All the techniques are pretty generic skirt making skills

No. 305909

File: 1672513244393.png (382.65 KB, 535x421, sewing eyelids.png)

saw this and snorted out loud

also i got a plushie making book for christmas and can't wait to make one in the new year, once i get some supplies

No. 306131

>>305909
I found this old lady's personal website and she has some info on teddy bear making! Website was last edited around 2003 and it shows
http://www.carolabbott.net/teddyinfo.html

No. 306219

What do people do with the raw edges after they’ve sewn a garment together? Like if I were to sew two panels together and the raw edge is on the inside, surely that will just fray pretty quickly especially if it’s a garment being worn. I know that using a serger is an option but if I only have access to a pretty basic sewing machine, what can I do instead?

No. 306242

>>306219
Look up seam finishing on YouTube. My favorite finish is a French seam. You could also zigzag stitch along the fabric edges, but it's best to do that before sewing pieces together.

No. 306362

>>306219
>>306242
Additionally, you could use pinking shears or bind the seams with lace

No. 307492

File: 1673494461852.jpeg (36.32 KB, 334x550, 42C28C32-CC8B-499C-AAB0-1F488E…)

Any anons itt have websites used to archive sewing patterns from vintage sets? I only found one pattern for a vintage gram carebear through a bidding site but haven’t found any for the others.

No. 307509

>>307492
If there is, I haven't found it. Tbh there just isn't a huge overlap of people who collect vintage patterns and people who know how to digitize them in any usable way. Not to mention the big 4 pattern makers are very particular about intellectual property rights and wouldn't hesitate to get that shit taken down (I used to work at a fabric store and all discontinued patterns were supposed to be destroyed and couldn't be given away). Unfortunately your best bet for anything specific is to keep an eye out on Etsy and Ebay.

No. 309597

File: 1674151110499.jpg (22.73 KB, 558x517, 940530_6093282.jpg)

I bought this on sale, I guess it's for little kids but I just wanted a basic one and this one was cheap. For my first project I will be altering a dress I have!

No. 309598

>>309597
Oh and also I am gonna put so much stickers on it!!

No. 309604

>>307492
Take it from someone who has spent years trying to track down the vintage BUTTERICK pattern for a gigantic retro style my little pony: no they are fucking nowhere and every day I want to kill myself because of it

No. 309605

>>307509
I ran a Hancock Fabrics as my first adult job and just gave the patterns to my HS home ec teacher kek. I could have gotten fired, but I didn't care. I remember being in her class and not able to afford jack shit, relying on whatever scraps were left over in the classroom. Gave her lots of fabric too.

No. 309610

>>307492
vintage patterns are just hard to come by as most weren't made on a computers like today. It's sad, I love old patterns, especially as it's my job and if I had the resources and time, I would digitise them for everyone, kek

>>309604
maybe this might help a little bit
https://www.mlptp.net/index.php?threads/i-just-got-a-butterick-mlp-pattern-now-what.101490/
you could use the pictures, trace them in something like inkscape and then print the pattern as big as you like

No. 312157

File: 1676029118613.jpg (300.92 KB, 484x645, kumyas sweet ice cream.jpg)

how hard would it be for a complete noob to alter an existing pattern a bit to fit me (one from otome no sewing for example), design a custom printed fabric that has a border print, and make a lolita dress? I also can't seem to find any good info on what size canvas to use for designing the print, how to make it repeat smoothly, just the general print design process and how to sew a border print so that it doesn't look broken up/choppy. I want to make something like pic related, or maybe even a skirt without the bodice if a jsk is too hard for beginners. would any of this be doable?

No. 312164

>>312157
Can't say anything about the print process but as far as lolita dresses go, the patterns are quite simple. The skirts are just super full rectangle skirts and usually the bodices are pretty rectangular too. Shouldn't be too hard especially if you're using an existing pattern to go off of.

No. 312189

>>312164
thanks nona maybe I'll make some plain ones with no print to practice. I really just need a longer skirt and bodice but it sounds like that'd be easy to do for a beginner using existing patterns

No. 312205

>>312157
ONS includes instruction on altering the patterns for different body types

No. 312209

>>312157
You might want to make a mock-up first to make sure your pattern fits and falls the way you like. It's way cheaper to make mistakes on $3/yard muslin or old bedsheets than on your custom print fabric.

No. 312232

im gonna sage for length and specificity of my issue. ive been doing this dumb thing: i know i enjoy sewing from a brief first foray into it, and id like to make my own clothes from now on, but ive been putting off until i lost weight.
i generally dont think much about how i look, but as i get older i notice i carry my weight differently and its been an odd hurdle. are there adjustable patterns i could begin with and kid myself i can tailor later?
ive also thoght about using cardboard and other materials to just modify my dress form to my exact measurements, so at least i can see if something is flattering without having to constantly undress and test. there will have to be some of that, of course, but ive found when i get in my head about my body doing its things and being a body, its best not to obsess and spend to much time in front of mirrors poking and prodding at all the jiggly parts.

No. 312289

>>312205
it's all in japanese I thought, which might make following along a bit tricky. but it's good that's included, maybe google translate will be enough to make sense of it
>>312209
yeah I definitely won't use the printed fabric until I know what I'm doing, using old bedsheets is a good idea since I can find some at a thrift shop for cheap I'm sure

No. 312860

>>312232
I'm the same, I want to make my own clothes and I'm very much capable of it (like I know how to sew and make patterns, etc), but I've gained weight and I want to wait until I've lost some of it. For me it's just that I don't want to spend the time and money on making something that I might only be able to wear for a short while.
Every pattern you find can be adjusted to your body type, if you understand the basics of pattern construction you can do it yourself. When you start making your own clothes, you might want to add more seam allowance to everything, so you can alter them later on, most dressmakers do it, like 3 cm seam allowance in the back of your trousers so you can gain a little weight later on. You should have a look at some books about pattern construction and from there you can start to understand bought patterns and where you need to change things so it fits. I recommend making a mock-up if you alter things before you use the expensive fabric.
For dress forms, maybe have a look at this one https://patterns.bootstrapfashion.com/diy-dress-form-sewing-pattern/exclusive-diy-dress-form-sewing-pattern-and-a-complete-step-by-step-sewing-photo-guide-2553.html I think modifying an exciting dress form won't bring the same results as one that fits your measurements.

No. 321412

Hey nonnas, just wanted some input. I am planning on following this diy corset video. I just wanted to know if this video would be very beginner friendly? I've messed around with some minor adjustments with clothes (all hand sewn) and this would be my first time using a sewing machine to make anything. I have the drive to do it but I was wondering if anyone could offer up some additional advice not included in this tutorial? Any tips for a very new beginner?

No. 321472

>>312232
You're just delaying gaining skills and experience to make really cool stuff you genuinely love. So you could look at it this way: I'm not at my desired weight right now but I'm going to use this time to develop my skills so I can sew nice stuff by time I am at my desired weight.

Realistically you probably won't even want to take in most of your beginner clothes.

No. 321474

>>321412
That's a bit steep if you've never made anything from scratch. The easiest garment you can make is probably a circle skirt or tube skirt. You might want to try that first just to get the hang of the basics.

No. 321490

>>321474
Thank you for the input nonna. I'm going to do a mock-up version with ratty tshirts first to get the hang of it and then use the real materials once I really know what I am doing. Through perseverance and will anything is possible. I will definitely do the circle skirt thing.

No. 321586

does anyone else think it's cute that this is the "sewing thread" or is it just my punloving self?

No. 321591

>>321586
Oh! Lightbulb moment

No. 321638

>>321472
thats a great point, im a beginner and my first projects will likely be rough. i like that first draft mentality a lot!
and if i dont lose the weight, whatever. at least i can make things that fit my shape, no matter what that shape is. >>321472

No. 322144

File: 1681766178825.png (37.2 KB, 484x437, 239847eaehbfdkbf.PNG)

>>321638
In my experience, clothes that fit will significantly improve your looks at any size. Even just tailoring some basics to fit your current shape for practice is a great way to get acquainted with a lot of techniques, and you aren't making a whole garment start-to-finish.

Lately, I've really enjoyed turning some of my unflattering, oversize tshirts into cute fitted baby tees to give them new life.

No. 324528

>>321412
Came back to say that I sewed this corset and completed it and wore on a night out! My very first sewing project and it came out VERY nice considering I'm a total newbie. To all anons who want to start sewing but don't know where to begin: find a beginner-friendly tutorial of something you REALLY want to make and just do it nonnies.

No. 325228

>>324528
Congrats nonna! Doesn't it feel amazing to wear something you made yourself? I hope you continue learning and making even more cool projects

No. 338527

File: 1688268233115.jpg (405.79 KB, 1116x1536, 59.jpg)

sewing noob trying to figure out this pattern - does it only include the bodice plus sleeves and not the skirt? I think I can tell which are the bodice pieces and sleeves but what are all the rectangle pieces on the bottom - the skirt? frills?

No. 338528

File: 1688268291831.jpg (291.1 KB, 744x1024, 04.jpg)

>>338527
samefag here is what the dress is supposed to look like completed. from gosu rori volume 8

No. 338605

File: 1688322522547.jpg (499.47 KB, 1116x1536, Pattern.jpg)

>>338527
As far as I see it (and I know nothing about lolita fashion), it's the complete pattern. I also found the whole magazine here https://chochololita.livejournal.com/1982.html and the rectangular things seem to be the skirt and trimmings. If you need that dress for an event, start early, it's a lot to sew for a beginner and having enough time will make it more fun.

No. 338627

>>338605
thank you nona this is very helpful! luckily there's no rush for me to make it, I just thought it was cute and want to attempt something more difficult

No. 338628

>>338627
if you have all the time in the world, I would recommend making a muslin first, so you can test if it will fit and if you need to adjust some small things, maybe skirt length or something like that. Find fabric that is cheap and similar in texture and weight to the one you want to use in the end. This way you won't waste expensive fabric in case something goes wrong and you learn a lot by sewing something twice. I know, many people hate making a muslin, but it's somehow freeing to just draw on the fabric with markers and sew and not having to care about mistakes.

No. 338671

>>338628
yeah that's a good idea, I know for sure I'll definitely need to lengthen the skirt and lower the waist on the bodice.

No. 339820

>>299517
I’m so jealous Nona! This is gorgeous

No. 339850

>>299517
Jealous, I wish I had known about vintage machines when I first started out sewing. I bought an all plastic Brother as my first sewing machine, it still works fine years later but wisu I had purchased a more sturdy second hand/vintage model!

No. 339971

File: 1689190805250.jpg (71.13 KB, 741x742, shopping.jpeg.jpg)

Every time I use picrel to hem a regular jersey t-shirt, it stretches out the hemline ever so slightly. You have to apply pressure with the iron in order to bind the material with the melted adhesive, and that's enough to stretch my shirts out. The instructions say not to use steam but wouldn't that help with heat conduction? I'm wondering if maybe I should just heat the adhesive by hovering the iron over it and gently press it together with my fingers. That"s obviously still putting pressure on the fibers but I can be more gentle? Idk.. halp please (Side note/blog but I I am sooooooo fucking tired of trying to figure out how to hem my t-shirts without wanting to off myself. I literally had to walk away from sewing for the past few years because nothing I was trying would ever work and I was literally getting rageful. And I've been sewing for like 15 years. I hate this so much nonnas. I need to take apart/reassemble my sewing machine bc I had to adjust the timing of the bobbin shuttle but I messed up the disc that is connected to the knob which chooses different stitch patterns. I just want to turn the fucking thing on and sew without issues, for fucking once! Agh see I'm getting triggered just talking about it!)

No. 340006

File: 1689202823026.jpg (60.19 KB, 449x449, bernina-l220-seam.jpg)

>>339971
Jersey fabric can be annoying to handle. It's not easy to hem or interface them, as they will stretch, because they are knitted and not woven like normal fabric. I never used interfacing to hem a jersey t-shirt before, only for the should seams so they won't stretch out over time. I'm not familiar with the product you use, I would use this one https://www.vlieseline.com/Produkte/Buegeleinlagen/H-609 as it doesn't stretch much, if you really want to use interfacing for the hem on a t-shirt. Important is, that you pull the interfacing a little bit while applying, just a little bit, so it will snap back in place afterwards. You have to use the right amount of heat for the right amount of time and afterwards you have to let it completely cool down before taking the next step. I don't know what machines you have, but for jersey hems you normally use a cover stitch, like picrel, so maybe you want to invest into another machine so you have fun sewing jersey again. What also helps a lot and what we did before cover stitching the hem, is basting it, so it won't slip while it's under the machine.
I hope what I wrote makes sense as I'm bad at English today, kek. I've been sewing a lot of jersey shirts at my former workplace and that's just how we did it, no interfacing, basting and cover stitch for the hem.

No. 340024

Anyone have tips for improving handsewing? I don't have enough space for a dedicated machine, amd I only really sew doll clothes. I'm just really trying to improve my basic stitches.

No. 340132

File: 1689294427247.jpg (50.64 KB, 894x744, 613gKALpxyL._AC_UF894,1000_QL8…)

>>340006
Thank you for your reply sweet nonna. Your english is perfect. Did you do any ironing/pressing before sewing the hems at your old job? Thanks for the tip to ever so slightly stretch the interfacing as I apply it. That's a great idea. It won't work with the product I mentioned but I'll definitely be filing that tip away for future reference. Funny you mention a coverstitch machine- I want one so bad but right now I can't justify the cost since I can technically achieve something very similar using my serger and/or sewing machine. Maybe one day… I was honestly just using the HeatnBond because I was so fed up with trying to hem the t-shirts using my machine, but I 100% forgot that walking foots (feet? foots?) exist, and I think it may solve the issues I was having, along with the fact that I fixed the timing of my needle and I fixed the bobbin shuttle. Please pray for me and all of my beloved t-shirts.
Also! I'm getting my first Janome sewing machine and I'm so excited! The body is aluminum and it's black! I kinda wish all the components were metal but I'm not brave enough to sink money into buying a vintage machine (yet) since it may require repairs. I'm happy because I can buy a service manual for the Janome and learn to properly service it myself.

No. 340134

File: 1689295646638.jpeg (356.1 KB, 828x503, IMG_5785.jpeg)

>>340132
I went the older sewing machine route from fb marketplace. Found a singer 15-91, just needed the old grease cleaned out, replaced, and works perfectly. It was about 140-150 altogether. If you decide to pick up a metal machine, the parts are out there, ytube has some good tutorials on cleaning/servicing/using, and sometimes thrift stores or antique stores have the replacement parts for stupid cheap. I love mine. It’s beginner friendly as all get out.

No. 340135

>>340024
I've been practicing by making a shit on of pillows, it's basic but it has helped me with keeping a straight like and a more consistent stitch

No. 340234

File: 1689358872669.jpeg (54.67 KB, 628x501, shopping.jpeg)

>>340134
I was looking into buying an old Kenmore off of Craigslist and I was shocked to see that a lot of the parts for this 60-year-old machine were still for sale from the manufacturer itself. I also just realized there's a Janome HD3000 and HD5000 but I read that Janome changed the motor output without saying anything in machines produced after 2018. That got me learning a little bit about sewing machine motor strength and how most new machines are pieces of shit now and I'm even more conflicted. Maybe I should go with the Kenmore after all

No. 343630

I feel like an idiot but I just don't understand how lining something works. I've only made simple things so far, and I'm currently trying to make another drawstring bag from a tutorial I followed before (video rel). It doesn't include lining, but I've embroidered the fabric I've prepared for this project so I think it makes sense to add lining to protect the embroidery's back. I've been watching other tutorials for lined drawstring bags and they don't draw the seam allowance or show a full, zoomed out view of their flat pieces so I don't understand them.
Am I understanding correctly that I sew the outside fabric + lining's sides separately from one another, then sew the bag's opening with the two layers together and right sides in, then flip the bag the proper way around? Or is that a bad way to do it since the lining won't be fully stitched in?

No. 343724

Is there a list somewhere of all the stuff you need to start sewing your own clothing? I wanna find out how much I gotta buy and the cost altogether so I can save up. Also where do you get fabrics? I feel like whenever I try to look up fabrics online I get stores that definitely look cheap and sketchy. Would it be better to go to a store in person instead of buying online?

No. 343737

>>343630
Yes, you are correct! You want to sew the outside fabric and the lining fabric separately, and then attach them. If you cut out a lining layer and then sew each lining piece to the fashion piece, then sew the item, it's called an underlining. For a drawstring bag, it'd be helpful to attach your lining and outer fabric together before sewing the channel that the drawstring goes into.

No. 343828

File: 1691520674478.jpeg (55.38 KB, 1105x832, 1691520487647.JPEG)

>>343737
Thank you for the explanation nonnie! I made a few mistakes so there's some ugly bits, but the bag feels nice and sturdy.

No. 343832

>>343828
oh my gosh anon it's adorable! Love the colour choices too. What are you gonna use it for?

No. 343840

>>343832
I'm using it to hold some sewing/embroidery supplies! All my supplies are in ugly plastic bags (and I keep misplacing things), so making pretty bags/pouches for them is really good motivation to get some practice!

No. 343885

>>343828
I'm no expert but it looks like it turned out good. the embroidery is very cute

No. 343900

>>343828
Is learning to embroider something like this hard? I'd love to attempt something like this but I 100% know myself and will definitely get discouraged if this has a steep learning curve lmao

No. 343907

>>343900
I'd say it depends on whether you can already sew and whether you have art basics! This is actually only the third thing I've embroidered and the first time I didn't follow a pre-made kit, and my previous attempts were pretty messy (but I didn't know how to sew so I struggled with super basic things like threading my needle). I do draw/paint a lot though, so that makes choosing colours and estimating proportions easier. This project also only uses fairly easy stitches.

If you want to try embroidery out with minimal investment, you could get a kit from etsy/amazon. It'll have instructions for everything and all the tools you need (pre-printed fabric with a design on it, all the embroidery floss etc), so you don't need to think too hard, and if you end up not enjoying it you didn't spend too much money.

No. 344212

>>340132
sry, I got carried away and therefore my reply is very late. We would iron the hems before sewing them, always watching that we don't stretch them out. Then we would bast them and then coverstitch the hems. Most important thing about jersey is that you don't stretch it while dealing with it. You can iron it smaller and back into its old form with pressure and steam, but we had really amazing ironing boards and most people at home won't have them. If your sewing foot gets stuck or your sewing machine skips stitches, you can attach non-sticking tape to the foot, it really helps with stretchy fabrics. Hope your t-shirts are all hemmed by now and look amazing.

>>343724
do you want to make the patterns yourself or not? If not, you will need a sewing machine with the equipment (like different feet, bobbins, needles, etc), hand sewing needles, scissors, chalk (or soap, I prefer soap), measuring tape, steam iron, ironing board, fabric, yarn and interfacing. For fabric, I like to feel the fabric before I buy it and I prefer natural fibres. So, if you buy the fabric online there should be the possibility that you can get a sample (for a low price of for free), if not, I wouldn't buy from those store. It won't be as expensive than high quality clothes but not as cheap as stuff from like Shein, in the end you will have fitting clothes made from fabric you really like, so it's worth making your own clothes.

No. 345673

File: 1692565437801.jpg (129.44 KB, 1600x1600, 71rQklbaqVS[1].jpg)

I recently moved to US from a country with limited sewing resources. I bought myself a digital sewing machine and went to a Hobby Lobby for the first time and I'm overwhelmed with the amount of tools that exist now to make everything so much easier.

This may sound super silly but this is all new to me.

Could anyone give me a list of essentials that would help so I don't just end up buying a bunch of useless things compulsively? Does anyone know if there's a tool specifically for making the knot at the end of the thread when hand stitching? So fat I got these and they've been a godsend!

No. 345769

File: 1692624390987.jpg (70.01 KB, 350x332, N0089A.jpg)

anons do you use thread magic/any thread conditioner, and do you find it effective in any way? I'm asking here as it's used with machine & hand sewing, though my actual use case would be cross stitch. My X's tend to look fuzzy - and no, I'm not using excessive thread length, just forearm length. Wondering if it's worth a try, some people say it does nothing at all. People mention it helps with threading needles and gliding the thread through fabric, but I didn't see much mention about the look of the stich itself in the reviews.

No. 345916

>>345769
For machine and hand sewing, no, never, I use good thread and therefore don't need any thread conditioner. For cross stitching I sometimes use beeswax with thread that seems to be badly produced. I don't trust the other options like Thread Magic regarding durability and possible damage to the thread over time. Beeswax does help with the fuzzy look and threading the needle, but in the end the thread quality, like fibre length and treatment of the fibre will producing the thread, like mercerisation for cotton, are more important. Silk is one of the nicest materials to work with when hand sewing or cross stitching, it's just so expensive that I only use it for button holes.

No. 346306

I struck gold today. School I was working at had a tonne of fabric and I was allowed to cut around 3 metres of it. Turns out it's a Liberty fabric (very expensive) and I think it's silk judging by the burn test. Any pattern suggestions using crêpe de chine?

No. 346617

>>345673
Pattern weights, rotary cutter, thread conditioner/beeswax, chalk, and those acrylic rulers with grids. If you're making clothes with buttons there's a tool for spacing buttons out evenly that's a godsend but I forgot what it's called. A tray or jewellery box lined in black velvet is a lifesaver if you want to do beading or goldwork (velvet stops the gold pieces from sliding around, black makes them stand out). Idk what you plan on making but the things I listed are pretty cheap and you'll be able to use them in all sorts of projects.

No. 346662

File: 1693229021322.jpg (41.93 KB, 800x800, sewing-gauge-610730.jpg)

>>345673
please don't go for the cheap stuff and buy quality things that will last you years. Prym and Clover have good quality things and I'm happy with most things I've bought from them. Besides what nona >>346617 wrote there are some others things that are good to have. What I always have around is:
- point turner
- magnetic needle cushion
- measuring tape
- Prym chalk marker with exchangeable chalk leads
- sewing gauge (like picrel, not sure if that's the right English word)
- tracing wheel with sharp spikes
- seam ripper
- tailor's awl
- lint roller
- seam marker set
- curve ruler set from Clover
- stuff for ironing, like a tailor's ham for example

I also mostly don't use chalk, as I find tailor's soap more comfortable, because steam will make it disappear and you can make it yourself from leftover soap, kek. And if you want to buy some scissors, get one with micro serration, they are amazing for cutting smooth fabric like satin or lining.

A fast way to knot your thread would be something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-IbkK9Gpo8

No. 346668

File: 1693236905102.jpg (57.67 KB, 556x630, 2622033.jpg)

>>346617
>>346662
These nonnas are 100% in their recommendations. I also have a large cutting mat like pic related. Very helpful for measuring certain cuts, rotary cutting and finding the bias. I highly recommend checking facebook marketplace for women unloading their sewing notions, machines, tables etc. as they typically have phenomenal prices. I recently picked up an immaculate Singer 177c for $50.00 and my prized straight stitch machine, a Singer 201-2 for $80.00 years ago. My 201-2 came in her original cabinet as well.

No. 347029

File: 1693514363315.jpg (248.35 KB, 1280x852, dogue-de-bordeaux-4360237_1280…)

we had to put our 10 year old french mastiff down due to cancer. i wasnt as close to her as my mother was, and shes taking it much harder. i wanted to purchase her a plush but cannot find a decent one that resembles how she looked and not just the standard Dogue de Bordeaux. plus they are from the uk and im not sure. i figured i could maybe sew one but i cant find any patterns either, and im not that amazing with sewing. are there any resources i can use to make my yown pattern to use? or some hidden one? she looked basically like picrel

No. 347119

>>347029
sorry for your loss.
i think plushies are very hard, unless you go for total simplicity. while i cant find patterns specific to french mastiffs, maybe you could try blending more than one pattern. for example, you could use a dog body pattern, but use the head of a teddy bear, with an altered nose. that's the only think i could suggest. it would take trial and error. the wrinkles would be very hard to make for a beginner, but you could embroider them on. i don't know what else to suggest, other than not going for total realism.

No. 347180

File: 1693661546449.jpg (1.97 MB, 4080x1836, 20230830_140231.jpg)

Got into making plushies lately. Started with animal ones but I'm a weeb whose goal is to make husbando plushies. I'm pretty satisfied with my latest one (in picrel), but hope to make bigger and better ones.

No. 347181

>>347180
Is this Yakumo from Nu:Carnival?

No. 347182

>>347181
Yup!:D(:D)

No. 347183

>>347182
I love him! The way you made him makes him look absolutely adorable.

No. 347187

>>347183
Thanks! Planning to make some clothes for him next, then a bigger version and a matching Eiden plush. I even bought a singer sewing machine recently for making clothes for him and future husbando plushies. For bigger plushies machine sewing is pretty helpful for sewing parts together. This one, as you can see, was so tiny that I had to handsew pretty much everything.

No. 347232

>>347180
Anon, these are absolutely adorable! I'd totally commission you for one of these.

No. 348158

I'm going to attempt learning pattern drafting and sewing but I don't know what to draw out the patterns on. I only have small pieces of flimsy printer paper currently, should I get one of those big rolls of bee paper to use for patterns? they're somewhat cheap on amazon and I saw them being recommended to use for drafting on a sewing blog

No. 348357

>>348158
I don't know what bee paper is but you can get rolls of pattern making paper from the store you buy your fabric from, they're not expensive. I've also used the backside of gift wrapping paper as a substitute when I first started out, not ideal but works.

>flimsy printer paper

Proper pattern making paper is even thinner, a bit translucent. You don't want much thicker because that's more difficult to pin and more expensive. Also bulkier to store if you keep your patterns.

No. 348393

>>348158
seconding >>348357, i myself use semi-translucent parchment paper. it's good enough for patterns, ticker cardstock is fine for basic slopers you'll copy to modify the basic pattern. also thin paper is the best if you copy patterns from a magazine like burda, if you're an eurofag

No. 348395

>>348393
samefag but i did use thicker paper/cardstock initially when i drafted my patterns and it was mistake, they were terrible to store. with thin paper you can fold them and store in sheet protectors in a binder, which is very convenient solution i currently use

No. 348442

>>348357
bee paper is just a specific brand of those rolls of pattern paper sold on amazon, the nearest fabric/craft stores are all quite far away so I can't get materials often.
that's true I wasn't thinking about how it would be more difficult to pin and store thicker paper but I can see how thick paper would make it inconvenient.
>>348393
>>348395
yeah I had a posterboard/cardstock laying around I was going to use for my first few patterns but after reading the replies maybe it's best I hold off until I have thinner paper.

thanks for the advice nonas. I'll look for a roll of pattern paper next time I make the trek to the fabric store.

No. 348458

any eurofag sewing nonnies who collect vintage burda here? i currently have late 90s and early 00s issues, but i want to get some 60s and 70s ones and i'm curious about sizing, how sizing table looks like? with late 90s ones i noticed that every size is one size smaller compared to modern sizing, eg. 38 is current 36. i wonder how different it's with older patterns, knowing that 60s/70s sizing was waaay smaller than current I wonder how big difference is

No. 348473

>>348357
Nta and also very, very amatuer seamstress but ive used wax paper/parchment paper before. Like, food grade. Wax side down, iron it on, no pinning. Only certain fabrics but iron should be only hot enough to adhere the paper. Peels right off after no trouble. I know this isnt what to do for anything too complicated but I used to make unerwear and the pattern irons on over and over for many uses. Then just trace and cut new one if it ever stops staying put. I just hate pinning and keeping pins secure etc kek

No. 348799

>>348473
that's a neat idea for simpler projects, thanks for the tip nona

No. 349776

File: 1695446027090.jpg (1.57 MB, 1800x2334, scan0086_english.jpg)

attempting my first sewing project using a pattern from otome no sewing for bloomers (pattern 6) - does anyone know what measurements are shown in the pattern pieces? are they supposed to be in cm?

No. 349777

File: 1695446453869.jpg (619.36 KB, 1800x2334, scan0087_english.jpg)

>>349776
samefag I'm also a bit confused what is going on with the lace in this pattern. maybe someone who isn't a noob can understand. what does it want me to do with the lace in the top of the instructions? I don't get how it's supposed to be sewn on.

No. 349806

>>349776
it's in cm. the 110 in the Fabric Cutting Diagram part also has a U shape, which shows it is the length of the fabric when not folded.

No. 349862

>>349806
thanks nona, I figured it was in cm but wanted to be certain

No. 350059

>>349777
The top right picture just means that you have to make a ruffle out of the lace with two large stitches, pull the lace together with them until you get the length you need for your pants. This has to been done before you attach the lace to the pants.
Then you have to put the lace on the right side of your pants piece, with the edge of the lace close to the edge of the fabric. You can see the wrong side of the lace. Sew the lace onto the pants part, I think there will be a marked seam allowance in the pattern where you should sew, then use a zigzag stitch for the edges. After that you have to press the seem allowance upwards, it has to look like the lace is behind the fabric, the edge of the lace is hidden and the scallops are coming out from under the fabric. Last step is that you topstitch it, so it can't move around anymore.
I hope you understand what I mean, I tried it with a piece of kitchen paper and it should work like that, kek. If you didn't understand what I tried to explain, just tell me and I will make some pictures as soon as I have time.

No. 350066

I know the best way to get better is to practice, but are there specifics I should try over and over again as exercises before diving into a full piece?

No. 350108

>>350059
thank you nona this is super helpful! so I'm basically sewing the lace into the hem it sounds like.

No. 350127

File: 1695768876201.jpg (384.99 KB, 1228x1050, bloomers-sewing.jpg)

>>350108
I had some time and made a little walkthrough, kek. In picture 6, please ignore the shadow, it would all be flat if I would have sewn it. This is the way I would sew it according to the pictures you posted. And I don't know if you ever made ruffles, if you did, ignore me, if not, keep on reading. You sew two basting stitches, mostly at around 0,5 cm and 1,2 cm, if the seam allowance is at 1 cm, and than you ruffle it and the basting stitches will stay inside the fabric until you did sew the ruffles were they belong.
And yes, if I'm unsure of how I should make something, I always make a fast mock-up out of kitchen/toilet paper or greaseproof paper (the stuff you would wrap your sandwich in), it's cheap and helps visualise the things you are about to do.

No. 350130

>>350127
this was so nice of you to take the time to make, I really appreciate it! wish otome no sewing and other pattern books included more detailed visuals like this so sewing newbies can see what the process looks like.

No. 352320

File: 1696966249236.jpg (74.97 KB, 700x699, 0x0.jpg)

is it possible to turn a regular bag into an itabag? Basically I want to take an old backpack, remove the front part and replace it with a see-trough material like an itabag. But I'm just wondering how doable this is and even if it's possible. Also what material should you use for the see-trough parts if you decide to do it? Vinyl fabric?

No. 352352

>>352320
Yes it's possible, but if you're that new to sewing it probably won't look very good tbh. Probably less money to just buy one anyway.

No. 352649

>>352320
Nonna, if you have any/find any nice patterns for making ita bags can you post them here? I think these are really cute

No. 352831

Whenever I add side seam pockets to a skirt I can never use them because the weight of my phone/wallet pulls down the whole skirt or it pulls down the fabric and looks bad. How can I fix this?

No. 352879

>>352831
The pocket needs to "hang" from a firm waistband, not be suspended from halfway down the panel of the skirt. The hole to reach the pocket and be wherever you want but the structure of it needs to start up at the top of your skirt if you want it to handle the weight without altering a flowy skirt. Essentially you want to make old fashioned removable pockets and then attach that.

No. 353391

>>352879
What can I do if I want to add pockets to something that doesn't have a waistband? Like a princess seam dress for example.

No. 357046

File: 1699171094004.jpg (39.45 KB, 457x775, Skirt.jpg)

I feel so stupid today, so any help will be very much appreciated. How would the pattern for that kind of skirt (it's a dress in the picture, but I only need a skirt) look like. I've been thinking about it for hours but my brain is not functioning and maybe one of you has an answer for me. Somehow I need to figure it out in the next 3 days, guess that's why my brain won't work properly, kek.

No. 357077

>>357046
it looks so unstructured i'm not convinced it's not just a piece of fabric wrapped around this person. I haven't sewn in a long time but to make something similar I would suggest just draping it on a dress form or on yourself if it's for you with a mirror and maybe some help until it looks right, pinning/marking where you need to sew from there. I don't even think making this a pattern first would be feasible anyhow.

No. 357096

>>357077
It's a real dress, so there has to be a pattern behind it. I agree, I think the pattern was achieved by draping. Sadly I have no dress form at home, but while I was sleeping my brain came up with some ideas and I will try some small scale patterns and see if it works.

No. 358362

I'm a super beginner to embroidery and basically completed 1 actual project so far (2 flowers on a stalk) but I eventually want to get to a point where I'm making patches that I can put on my denim jacket or just keep a personal collection of them. Maybe I'll make patches for my smaller fandoms and interests that dont have a huge range of merch to pick from?

I'm not quite sure how else I can use embroidery more "practically" bc there's going to be a limit to how many projects I want to display on my wall, and embroidered clothes apparently need to be hand-washed ideally (ngl if they cant survive my washing machine i dont rly want them long-term anyway)

No. 358703

File: 1699947354430.jpg (102.5 KB, 987x362, Screenshot_20231114_133339_Sam…)

I'm a sewing noob who has only made doll clothes with simple straight and zigzag stitches so far, but now I'm trying to make some actual clothes and plan to learn how to overlock properly for that. Here is the stitch list of my singer machine, can nonas help me identify which stitch is the best for that?

No. 358754

>>358703
You can't overlock on a sewing machine, you need an overlocker (serger) for that. You might already know that but since you said "to overlock properly" I'm mentioning it just in case. You can just use the zigzag stitch until you get a serger. Alternatively you can use french seams, but it's a little more work and only suitable for thinner fabrics, but look much better than zigzag-edges.

No. 358955

>>358703
Incoming sperg building off the other nona: since the point of overlocking is to finish your seams and prevent them from fraying, generally you want it to be as close to the fabric edge as possible. You can do this with a normal or even zigzag presser foot, but apparently they even make overlock presser foots too specifically to do this job! Many machines also have an overlock stitch, usually represented as a zigzag with dashes on one side, though in your case it could be the one with a zigzag that has dashes on both—I'd test on some scrap first. If all else fails you CAN actually overlock stitch by hand. It'd be really tedious, but doing it that way would ensure you actually get the stitch to overlock, aka go over the edge of the fabric; a simple zigzag might not do that, which likely won't hold up as well, since it'll still fray up to the zigzag stitch. That's why sergers usually cut off a bit of fabric, and why any good overlock presser foot does the same. Basically, you want it to go over the fabric edge. Good luck with your project, nona!

No. 359065

>>358754
Too broke for a serger sadly. I'm not trying to go full professional, just want something that's better than zigzag stitch for preventing fraying

>>358955
Thank you so much nona! The stitch with dashes on both sides worked pretty well, I'm assuming it will be even better with an overlock foot (<$5 on aliexpress nice). I'll report back once I manage to actually make something

No. 361851

File: 1701296853883.jpg (275.03 KB, 1024x1024, sg-11134201-7rbn2-lnrm54k57t0m…)

Considering getting picrel cause I'm not getting a real sewing machine anytime soon, I don't think

No. 361854

>>361851
My niece got this for her birthday a couple years ago and asked me to set it up and it's honestly pretty shit. I feel like you'd be better off hand sewing

No. 361871

>>361854
I guess I won't waste 60 bucks of my shitty third world currency then.

No. 361941

>>361871
Maybe you can find a used sewing machine for a good price? Older sewing machines are pretty good and if they are old enough to have nearly no plastic parts, they are also good to repair.

No. 361952

>>361871
Anon idk about your country but in the EU/US you can typically find a second hand/vintage one for the price of a toy sewing machine or less relatively easily. I see second hand machines for like 25 euro at my local thrift store relatively frequently. Some people even encourage beginners to get a vintage one because they're typically made of metal parts instead of shitty plastic ones like modern machines, and really all you need for the vast majority of projects is a simple forward stitch. You don't need a computerized sewing machine with 40+ stitches you'll never use. Sewing machines haven't really changed that much over the decades. Keep an eye out on thrift/antique stores and second hand market places online, if it's anything like here you'll be able to find one before too long.

No. 362083

File: 1701413700890.jpg (269.7 KB, 986x1003, Screenshot_20231201_125516_Chr…)

I'm from a third world country myself, and imo the best compromise is to buy a electronic sewing machine that isn't computerized but can offer more variety of functions than a vintage machine. As other nonas said, maybe you will only need the straight stitch, but you also might need the common ones like zigzag stitch and some others that can be used for connecting fabrics, making hems and preventing fraying. The singer model I got was about $110 in my currency, first hand. Got it from a official showroom that had their own mechanic so I can go there to get it repaired in case there's any problem, but it's been months and haven't had any issues yet. You can get brandnew singer and brother machines for pretty cheap if you keep an eye out for sales.

No. 362088

>>362083
realistically speaking you only need straight stitch and zigzag for stretchy fabrics, anything else is extra.

No. 362116

File: 1701435578916.jpg (25.29 KB, 679x545, 61euS2miJ9L._AC_SX679_.jpg)

Do any nonnies have a Singer Heavy Duty? Some sewing youtubers I watch recommend it and it's within my budget, but my local craft shops don't have it so I can't give one a try before committing. I make simple things (soft toys, bags, want to start making clothes) so I wonder if something called "Heavy Duty" would be overkill? My main requirements are for the machine to have several speed settings and not get stuck when I'm adding lining to things. I've only ever used a garbage "toy" machine so far so I have no idea what's normal or needed for a real machine.

No. 362150

>>362116
My own machine isn't heavy duty, but from my understanding heavy duty machines have stronger motors and can sew through more layers than usual, which I assume will lead to the machine getting stuck less often. My non-heavy duty singer machine normally runs great, but betrays me when I try to sew 4-5 layers of minky fabric when making plushies. It might be worth getting the singer heavy duty if you wanna make thick bags that use lots of layers or clothing that uses tons of thick fabric like denim. If it fits your budget I'd say go for it as long as you are buying from a reputable shop with warranty and refund options.
From the pic you've posted I don't think this machine has multiple speed settings. It's something I really wanted before I actually bought my machine and was sad mine didn't have it, but after actually using my machine I don't feel the need anymore since it only sets the max achievable speed, the foot pedal is actually what one uses to control the speed by applying different amounts of pressure. The speed of the sewing also changes based on your stitch length and fabric type, my motor sounds ready to croak when I sew small stitches on multiple layers of minky lol.

No. 362155

>>361871
I highly recommend getting an old school sewing machines second hand.

No. 362157

>>362116
I've read that it doesn't live up to it's heavy duty name lol.

No. 362240

>>362116
I have this machine! It's great for sewing through multiple layers of thick fleece, and I've also tested it on denim. It's never gotten stuck. It doesn't have speed settings though, so it might be challenging to use for a project where you need really precise stitching.

No. 363384

File: 1701970405623.png (11.09 MB, 3672x2649, 20231207_233329.png)

>>347180
Back with more plushies! Tried a simpler look for these two

No. 363406


No. 364563

>>347180
>>363384
Anon can you link the pattern/tutorial you used? I've been wanting to make some husbando nuis but my searches always bring up sellers.

No. 364790

>>364563
Step 4 of the tutorial links to a bunch of patterns, I used the MiNi盒子 10 cm one for my plushies.
https://aurora6290.wordpress.com/2023/09/06/plush-doll-nuigurumi-making-tutorial-%f0%9f%92%95/
I highly recommend checking out the piyopicco youtube channel mentioned in the blog, she has lots of video tutorials on this stuff. She has a video showing how to apply the Mini pattern too, but it's subtitled in Japanese (I used Google translate app on phone to read)
https://youtu.be/AmjXWDD-xow?si=f8xUs3PyeHlUL6z_

No. 375907

is sewing hard to get good at in a somewhat short amount of time? right now I have a low salary so buying materials (lace, fabric, drafting paper, etc) is like a splurge. my main goal is to eventually make a lot of my own wardrobe (mostly lolita but also some general versatile clothes) via sewing although I haven't attempted to make anything yet since I'm afraid it'll turn out bad and I'd feel horrible that I basically wasted money on materials to make something ugly/unwearable. is it possible to make decent looking durable clothing and accessories as a beginner? how long would you estimate it'd take me to get to the level of skill needed to make well constructed garments?

No. 375969

I feel like lolita and cosplay stuff require a relatively high level of skill, but general things like skirts, simple shirts/tops etc are pretty easy? I am pretty new at this myself (started around October/November last year) and made a circle skirt based on this youtube tutorial yesterday, and it turned out pretty ok despite it being my first try. Top comment is even an 11 year old sharing her success lmao
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oqNU0-ORkbA

No. 375970

>>375969
Same anon but adding one last tip: you could try going to discount/charity shops and buy some bedsheets to get cheap fabrics for practice. No need to spend a lot of money buying brand new fabric online when you're still new.

No. 376025

>>375907
Lolita dresses is gonna be incredibly hard to sew and you’ll risk looking like an ita. But sewing clothes in general like a plain top isn’t hard to get into

No. 376037

>>375907
Now I don't sew so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I do wear lolita and I've heard from many others that the construction of your average JSK is fairly simple, what's difficult is choosing good fabrics and lace and making a design from scratch look good. Stick with simple, high quality materials. Bloomers are a great project for a beginner like you if you want to make your own lolita. However, with the price of good quality materials, it feels like you might as well just buy secondhand unless there's a design you want that doesn't exist or is so obscure it would be difficult for you to obtain.

No. 376104

>>375969
>>375970
I'm assuming you meant to reply to my post (the one above yours)? anyways if an 11 year old is able to make something wearable than surely I must be able to as well kek, maybe I can attempt a rectangle skirt and other simple things to build up skills
>>376025
it would look ita even using patterns from otome no sewing and glb?
>>376037
yeah I've actually been meaning to make bloomers but am having trouble deciding on what lace to use. sourcing cute and good quality lace is hard because I don't want to buy it directly from china yet everyone always recommends taobao or aliexpress. also I cannot fit in most secondhand brand because I'm almost 6ft tall and the dresses I want would look more like shirts on me due to their lack of length. sometimes I get lucky and find some btssb or innocent world that is long enough for me but most jp brands don't have anything I like that also has enough length.

No. 376213

anyone own an overlocker/serger just for at home use, and can recommend whether it's worth it or not? I've been sewing since I was little and I want to get one but honestly the amount of pieces I've never finished/hated/never worn like it's probably a waste of money. but I still want it lol

No. 376621

File: 1706710558882.png (448.16 KB, 508x591, bag.png)

How can I sew a bag like that? The construction looks relatively simple, it's just all scrunched up.

No. 376653

>>376213
Time to get a serger. I started sewing so much more once I got the convenience of a serger even though I knew how to finish edges without it.

No. 376670

>>376213
Absolutely worth it. You can get one for ~$250 new and even less if you want to comb through Craigslist or FB.

No. 376959

File: 1706898213056.jpg (486.42 KB, 1836x2948, 20240202_224822.jpg)

Made another plushie this month. This was the first female character I made, happy that she turned out cute. The clothes gave me a lot of trouble, I'm truly a masochist for making doll clothes with slippery silk kek

No. 376962

>>376959
Whoa is that Beniyuri from the Psychedelica series? The embroidery is really impressive, she looks great!

No. 376965

>>376962
Glad to meet a woman of culture, yes she is beniyuri! And thank you nona, I'm also pretty happy with how the embroidery turned out, this is the neatest I've managed to do so far.

No. 382801

anyone else here hates how many fabrics nowadays must have fucking elastane? most of silk satin fucking has 3-5% of this goddamn evil shit, some nice wools i wanted had it too so I didn't get them. Every cotton twill fabric in color I liked has fucking elastane except few ones in that store… I hate it so much. It's even worse with knits as pure cotton knit fabrics are rarer and rarer where i live…

No. 384838

>>382801
My mom has the same complaint kek. Personally I'm not inconvenienced by that too much since I mostly use polyester fabric for sewing plushies. I'm branching out to making dresses though, so I'm probably going to start suffering soon

No. 384844

>>376959
Very cute!

No. 384910

What's the price point of a "good enough" overlocker basically? Is it like a regular sewing machine where a basic machine that does a straight stitch is good enough to do nearly everything or do I need to spend hundreds?

No. 384913

>>384910
samefag, is it a bad idea to go second hand?

No. 384917

Any sewing nonnies here have discord? Would you like to be low-effort friends and just share with each other our sewing project updates to keep each other motivated and inspired? I'm a self-taught beginner.

No. 384921

>>384917
I'd like to! I'm also a beginner who wants to get back into sewing after not having sewed for several years. Having a low-pressure beginner friend to talk to would be nice. What's your discord? (Or email if you don't want to post it directly)

No. 384923

>>384921
Yay! Contact me here: glossyramen@proton.me

No. 386585

>>384844
Thank you nona!
I have been thinking of selling my plushies, but I'm a weeb that mostly makes plushies of obscure fandoms I happen to like. Have any of you commissioned a custom plushie like my >>376959? If yes, how much more does it cost compared to factory mass produced ones?

No. 386798

Would a pair of culotte pants be too difficult for someone who has never made bottoms? I have this pin tuck fabric I want to use but I don’t wanna waste it if it’s a hard project.

No. 387219

File: 1711322160762.jpg (31.24 KB, 365x500, s-l500.jpg)

>>386585
How did you learn to make them? I'm interested in making them as well. Did you watch any tutorials or purchase a book like pic rel? Yours is very impressive.

>>386798
Have you ever put in a zipper before? If not, do an easy pattern with an elastic waist or maybe even something with ties. Pants are not too hard, easy culottes are like two steps more than a basic skirt. Just make sure to follow the instructions and you'll be good!
Like this -> etsy.com/listing/499996295/culottes-sewing-pattern
Also the "I don't want to waste it" mentality is how you end up with a massive hoard of fabric you'll never use KEK

No. 387233

>>364790
nta but thank you for these. I found a small pattern and I hand sewed my first plushie. It was my first time embroidering as well, it turned out better than I hoped for.

No. 387338

File: 1711363563895.jpg (646.99 KB, 1977x1825, 1000014616.jpg)

>>387219
I'm the plushie anon, the piyopicco channel I mentioned in >>364790 basically held my hand through every single step of sewing plushies. Some of her newer tutorials assume that you already know xyz and link to previous vids, but the first few videos she added English subtitles to were super detailed. I was so grateful that I ordered the sewing book she wrote even though it was in Japanese and I already knew most of the advice there thanks to her videos.

No. 387366

>>386798
if you can sew in zippers it isn't that hard, it's the best to pick a pattern without a waistband and fly, just zipper on the side

No. 387447

File: 1711407985374.mp4 (14.29 MB, 648x1440, 1000014646.mp4)

Took a break from making humanoid plushies to make a cute blob. Feeling complicated that my mom praised this more than my way more complicated plushies like the last beniyuri one

No. 387450

>>387447
This is so cute, I wish I could buy them

No. 387551

>>387447
It's just cuter to someone who isn't that into anime stuff, I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it.

No. 387584

>>387447
oh, I love that, very cute and fluffy. I'm not so much into the humanoid plushies, even though I know how much more complicated they are to make. Do you have any books or tutorials about making non humanoid plushies, I'd love to get into it myself.

No. 387592

>>387447
This is so adorable, you could definitely sell them. People who are not into anime would prefer these, don't worry about it, nonna. Both looked amazing, you are incredibly talented.

No. 387627

File: 1711486675625.jpg (173.2 KB, 1080x1747, 1000014664.jpg)

>>387551
>>387592
Thanks kind nonas, I am reassured now
>>387584
cholyknight's free plush pattern book helped me a lot when I first started, picrel is my first ever plush which I made using the level 3 plush instructions in that book and changing things up a little by embroidering the face instead of using applique. She also has lots of other free patterns, I used her eeveelution blob plush pattern as the base when making the pattern for the purple round plush.
https://cholyknight.com/tutorials/
You might also find the plushie 101 videos in this channel useful.
https://youtube.com/@makeshiftwingsplush?si=flkja9Z-oPLyPoGc

No. 387633

>>386585
I've been poking around Etsy to get a custom 20cm plush of my OC made sometime soon and I see them being priced around $75-$200 for fully custom dolls. Things like adding poseable skeletons and more complex embroidery being in the higher range. I think that's a fair price for something 100% custom. Non-custom handmade dolls tend to be a lot more inexpensive from what I've seen.

No. 388567

File: 1711963265420.jpg (2.82 MB, 3426x1836, 1000014775.jpg)

>>387633
Thank you so much for doing the research, nona! When I was searching I only found factories and dropshippers shilling mass produced stuff at like $30 and was getting depressed since my material cost alone is close to that. Now I have a better reference.
Anyway, currently making a new doll with expensive ass shampoo model hair lol. It's been very taxing but he's shaping up greatly

No. 388977

any nonnies using modern singer machines? i was trying to find used husqvarna or brother machines, older models from 00s but I couldn't find any near me. so i thought i might get one of these modern singers, as i need buttonholes and few additional stitches i don't have on my vintage machine which i love but it's limited. i want to sew shirts and bound buttonholes are only fit for coats and blazers…

model that interests me is exactly this one that nona posted in thread before >>290803. are they reliable, are there any issues after longer use?

No. 388996

>>387219
>>387366
Thank you nonnies! I’m gonna take a class before I dive into something with more structure. a few pairs of pj pants and I’ll be ready for sure!

No. 391208

Nonnies I found my custom bodice pattern blocks from when I was in school and the toile made from them and it still fits! I've been putting off projects because I didn't want to remake the blocks/slopers. The way we learned it was with the Natalie Bray books and we found them hard to follow in class without a lot of instruction, so I was dreading it. I still need to draft a sleeve but I'm glad I don't have to completely restart.

No. 391211

File: 1713074729607.jpg (148.39 KB, 850x572, sewsewsewsewsewsewsewsewsewsew…)

>>388977
I don't have the exact model in that post but another from that line, I believe it's the 4452. For readily available domestics they're pretty good, I have used mine regularly for about 8 years now. Keep in mind the Heavy Duty part of the name just refers to all the moving parts being made of metal, not plastic. It isn't comparable to a true industrial or anything like that. It did struggle a bit when I tried to sew through four layers of canvas, so I wouldn't say it's incredibly strong.
I like it alright for sewing knits and other stretches, the thing I hate the most about it is that I can never get the buttonhole foot to work properly. That said, I did drop it in a parking lot 5 years ago and other than the plastic case being a little wonky it still works fine.

If you actually want a machine that lasts at a similar price point you're better off getting a vintage machine. Like a Singer Featherweight or 401A. I know many people love Juki but I have limited experience with them so can't say too much, but something else for you to investigate. I would avoid Brother unless you really like quilting or sew small things like doll clothes.

No. 391216

>>391211
Same anon as above and I take back featherweights being affordable kek. I had only seen them at estate sales or thrift shops so I was completely wrong.

No. 391239

>>391211
AYRT thank you for your insight nonny! I still consider one of them though I'm still looking for different options before I'll set on getting a certain model. I actually already own a vintage 800 series singer clone which serves me well and has basic functions I need but I need some more functions that more modern machines have. It's mostly for buttonholes and blind hems, also as an backup machine when I'll have my main one serviced.

>I would avoid Brother unless you really like quilting or sew small things like doll clothes.

Why? I found one simple computerized brother machine that got good reviews and has everything I need (5 types of automatic buttonholes, blind hem stitch, overlock stitch plus some really fun decorative stitches that would be fun to use with a wing needle) and I'm partial to it though one of these simple new singers would definitely last longer.

No. 391295

>>391239
Which Brother model are you looking at Nona? I generally dissuade people from going down the brother route as I find their basic machines to be heavy on features but light on practical use. Yes it may have 40+ different stitches but practically you only need like three of them, so it feels like you're paying for the novelty rather than anything actually useful.
Don't get me wrong, I think for a casual hobbyist it is a perfectly fine machine, but for something that sees regular use and will be sewing anything heavier than a circle skirt they tend to struggle. It's the brand I have consistently had issues with that I couldn't troubleshoot my way through.

No. 396622

Hey anons, what kind of things should you get for a basic sewing kit? My first sewing class is this Thursday and I'm not sure what to get. Something simple with some pins, threads, etc or a fancy big already assembled bag?

No. 396838

File: 1715385366762.webp (41.76 KB, 1000x667, sewing-kit-essentials.webp)

>>396622
I would say a basic sewing kit needs:
Sewing needles in assorted sizes
Pins
A pin cushion or box
A safety pin
A seam ripper
Thread snips
Tailor's chalk and/or a frixon marker. White tailor's chalk is best, the colour ones can stain
A thimble that fits your middle finger on your dominant hand
A ruler or seam gauge
A point turner (kinda optional but nice to have)
A tape measure
Fabric scissors
Paper scissors
A nice pencil case to keep it all in

I think most other common things are for the machine, like replacement machine needles, bobbins, a screwdriver, different feet etc. If you're taking a class those things should be provided with the machine you're using. Same goes for the threads and possibly the scissors? Does the class provide your fabric? If they do, they most likely provide the thread as well.
You can buy a pre-made sewing kit, but be careful it's not full of cheap/low quality stuff. Working with dull needles/seam rippers/thread snips will drive you insane. Most travel/dollar store ones are crap. I hope you have fun at your class!

No. 396903

>>396622
When I took a course, this >>396838 was all provided to me (except for the point turner, scissors and pins, a pin cushion we made as our first project). As in I could keep it, not just for the duration of the course. You should probably ask before you buy stuff.

No. 397529

>>396903
>>396838
Hey anons, thanks so much for the thorough advice! I did buy a basic sewing kit from Michael's that included a seam ripper, small scissors, pin cushion etc and the instructor gave everyone some other things as well, like lockshift needles, the screws, bobbin stuff, tweezers. It was pretty fun and I just practiced sewing straight stitches which involved controlling the pedal which I still don't have exact control of. For next class, we have to pick out a beginner's pattern (with her approval) and WOVEN fabric. The instructor recommended to either make a simple skirt or shorts with an elastic band.
I was thinking:
-https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1031405872/mini-skirt-aureliusdiyskirt-pdf-sewing?click_key=216d1b4add0347f8517c45bc5e5c12f19adc5003%3A1031405872&click_sum=c9045417&ref=shop_home_active_11&crt=1
- https://sewliberated.com/products/gypsum-skirt-pdf-sewing-pattern
I'm open to suggestions as well! Money isn't really a concern but obviously I would not like to spend more than 25 dollars for one especially as a beginner. Thanks in advance!

No. 397574

>>397529
They're both going to teach you useful things and they're both cute. Personally I'd go for the miniskirt. Maybe ask your teacher, you might have a class that focuses on zippers or pockets later on so you can make your choice based on that.

No. 398183

>>397529
i'd choose the miniskirt over the sack with elastic waistband as it has darts and a zipper closure and learing how to sew them opens for you possibily of sewing tops and dresses

No. 398314

>>397574
>>398183
Thanks! Wouldn't the miniskirt be a little too difficult for someone who's never sewed clothes before though? I've only sewed plush toys when I was a preteen and nothing really after that. Anyway I did send some patterns to my instructor so I'm also waiting to hear back from her beforr buying/printing.

No. 398391

>>398314
I mean it's sewing in elastic and simple pockets vs invisible zipper and darts, take your pick. There's no significant difference in difficulty. Otherwise they're both as simple skirts as you can get, you can't do much less and still have a skirt.

No. 398447

>>398314
my first real project was a dress with multiple darts and i only had some previous really basic sewing experience and i knew how to operate a sewing machine only. darts aren't hard to sew, only thing you need to remember to sew the tip of dart slightly curved, not straight (especially bust darts). invisible zipper is a bit more diffictult but the key to getting it right is good iron on interfacting, basting it first for stability and presser foot for sewing in invisible zipper. maybe i'm biased against cringe millennial indie pattern overpriced sacks i guess. miniskirt pattern is cute and a timeless classic

No. 398471

>>398447
>>398391
I really appreciate the feedback, since I really don't know much about the difficulty of doing things. Thanks for helping a newbie with all this!

No. 402202

>>398471
How did it go?

No. 402211

I really wanna learn how to sew but it seems so intimidating, like it seems everyone starts with a huge project like a dress and they always have a sewing machine. I cant justify getting one just to try a new hobby.

No. 402220

>>402211
A sewing machine is a great tool for repairing clothes though. It's less time consuming than sewing by hand depending on the type of repair. Plus you can tailor your clothes to fit you better. Plus, you can make a lot of other things than just clothes. It's genuinely a great tool to help with sustainability. It's literally not even that scary. You can buy one for like 40 bucks on ebay or Facebook market place, preferably one that comes with a manual but that's not too important because rest assured there are a trillion youtube tutorials showing you what to do. It's easy, you just need to get off your ass and start learning. It's that simple.

No. 402240

>>402211
You can get 2nd hand sewing machines for a good price fairly easily. I see them regularly at thrift stores, you don't need anything fancy.

Alternatively, have you asked your mom/aunts/grandmothers if they have a sewing machine you can loan? Most older women have a sewing machine they barely use ime.

>>402220
>preferably one that comes with a manual
You can usually find the manual for free online including for older machines! (That's true for tech in general)

No. 402244

>>402211
Are there any maker's spaces or equivalent near you? I've also heard of libraries having sewing machines available to rent, and I just took a couple of fashion classes at my community college when I was getting started to see if it was an interest that would stick. There's a lot of options nowadays that don't involve investing in a machine if you're just dipping your toes in.

No. 402250

>>402240
They had but they gave them away/sold them cuz they're not into sewing

>>402244
Idk if my country has that

No. 402272

>>402211
Hand stitching is a good way to get your feet wet and learn the basics of construction. You can start off small with mending tears, reattaching buttons, and taking in hems. If you find that you're still interested and want to tackle those bigger projects or more advanced tailoring, then jump into a machine. Seconding Facebook Marketplace as a great resource for cheap machines and material

No. 403441

I found a used serger online for only 170 bucks but there isn't too much info on it as it's from a company that got swallowed up by the larger SVP company. The seller said it's in good condition and it comes with accessories and threads but unfortunately they have no video they could show me. Should I buy it anyway? I'm still a beginner but the serger is so nice with the clean seams it creates.

>>402202
Oh boy. So I'm more than halfway through but it has felt like a trial by fire. The course I'm taking at a school uses only industrial grade machines so I made a lot of mistakes before I moved to one with motor control. I had slightly more control with the industrial sergers but I cut off about an inch or two of fabric at the bottom so it's going to be way shorter than expected. The overlocked seams are wonky as fuck but they are overlocked. After that, I didn't follow the instructions for the invisible zipper so I had to remove the zipper entirely and redid it again. I was able to put it in BUT it's not very invisible… but I learned something I guess? The next step I have is to sew the waistband and tops of the skirt. The skirt… is definitely not wearable but I learned! Definitely not an easy first ever project.

No. 403451

>>403441
Sergers are notoriously finicky.. maybe ask your sewing instructor to be sure but I'd pass on this one.

No. 403502

File: 1717538865411.png (977.01 KB, 1185x885, machine.png)

>>403441
Good job nonny! And don't worry, no one's first sewing attempts look good kek. Gaining a mastery of the machines takes time, you will get a feel for it eventually. Also don't look at the needle while sewing, look at the seam guide and hold the fabric there or look where you want the direction of the stitching to go and guide that to the needle. If you're watching the needle and not the direction the fabric is going while sewing, it's like staring at your dashboard instead of the road while driving. I practiced sewing straight lines and curves on lined paper and scrap fabric when I first started.

Also I'm going to be really honest with you, a lot of used machines you buy off marketplace or whatever are total crap. You can find good stuff sometimes but be careful, you don't have a warranty to go back on if there's an issue with it. Is the person you're buying from the original owner/sewer who worked with it? If it's someone selling their mother's old machine after she passed, then they really have no idea what condition it's in even if it seems to work. Also a lot of sewing machine technicians either won't work on super old machines, or they'll straight up tell you it's not worth it to work on because the fix costs more than what you paid for it. I got a used Janome XG-43D domestic serger from a local shop for 300 CAD years ago and it's pretty good, they were honest with me about it's user friendliness and how old it was etc. because they know machines. Maybe try seeing if there are any sewing shops that sell new and used machines around your area? It's harder for them to sell you a lemon because you have a place you can go back to and complain kek

No. 403599

>>403502
> Also a lot of sewing machine technicians either won't work on super old machines, or they'll straight up tell you it's not worth it to work on because the fix costs more than what you paid for it.
Really? In my country there are loads of old machines still on the run and technicians still fix them, parts are easily available for most of models and they even recommend them to beginners instead modern plastic crap. |It's cheaper to buy a machine like this and spend a bit on restoration as it will last long time.

No. 403981

File: 1717690770982.mp4 (17.35 MB, 480x1068, Test.mp4)

>>388567
I completed it! It was a lot of work but I'm happy with the results. (Skill unlocked: sewing in a spiral?? kek)

No. 404105

>>403981
she's so cute! i love the little bell, and how fancy the hair is

No. 404218

>>404105
Thank you nona! I actually didn't make the dress, only the plush itself. The dress is a temporary way to protect my baby's dignity while I sew a more lore-accurate outfit (which is quite complicated with tons of decorations) lol.

No. 404951

>>403599
Oh that's good, then it's up to you! You're very lucky, where I'm from sewing machine repair is not a common career and they charge a good chunk of change for it. I really want to learn to service machines myself. The machine tech who frequents my work learned at a local college in the 70s, now it's impossible to find a place that does lessons or workshops pretty much at all…

No. 405294

File: 1718114904583.png (177.52 KB, 655x609, 06_11_24_20_07_chrome.png)

>>404951
That sucks nona, maybe you can pick up some knowledge through youtube. I sometimes look at this channel to fix small issues with my machine.
https://www.youtube.com/@SewingMachineRepairGuy

No. 406023

Anons what would you consider the best beginner sewing machine? I want to start making my own clothes but don't know where to start

No. 407268

>>403502
I got the skirt back from grading and I did better than I expected to. 7.2/10! Which is something I would have not given myself. For my second project, I chose an easier one (https://peppermintmag.com/sewing-school/wrapskirt/) in an emerald green cotton fabric. Much, MUCH easier to work with than my last twill cotton too, but because it is thinner, you can see the holes from the pins and from ripping up seams. Oops. I finally have a better handle on the pedals too, for my domestic and the industrials at school (albeit I do use the ones with cruise control). It's been fun and I've been super hyperfixated on sewing!!
Last thing, I also did get the $170 serger and it's been working pretty well. The lady who was selling it was selling it for her mother, who used to be a seamstress. It's in great condition and came with a lot of extra cones of threads, paper manuals, and get this… a VHS manual. Hilarious.

No. 407350

>>407268
you did really well for a beginner! cotton twill is good to work with if you have more experience imho, plain canvas weave is better if you just started. i like the pattern you picked now, for a wrap skirt linen would be interesting choice too, but some linens can have lots of shear and it can frustrate you while laying pattern pieces and cutting… even myself I prefer more stable linen fabric as cutting isn't that annoying

No. 407417

is there any website, book, video, or other resource that goes over basically everything a complete beginner needs to know before sewing? things that explain seam allowance, cutting on the bias, mock ups, basic pattern drafting, sewing machine use and care, gathering, finishing seams, etc? every time I try and learn from a tutorial they always include terminology or things a noob wouldn't yet know. I'd really like to learn the terminology and basics/foundations before actually setting my machine up and trying to make something.

No. 407931

File: 1718976817517.jpg (176.16 KB, 1158x1500, 817ErkWVV0L._SL1500_.jpg)

>>407417
Personally I learned to sew by a weird and probably inefficient mix of books (most not in English) and youtube videos. Even most of the English books I read were for a specific thing and not general sewing, but this particular book by one of my favorite writers describes the basics of sewing in very newbie friendly language, you can give it a try.
https://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Basics-Beginner-Friendly-Easy-Follow/dp/1574214233

No. 408141

>>407931
thanks for the recommendation, from the book preview this looks like it'll help me out a lot.

No. 409016

I saved up for months to get myself a sewing machine after my last one actually completely died was already in horrible condition when i got it used for $40 but now this sewing machine won't work and I'm having the WORST time trying to troubleshoot it. I did get to sew some cute small seasonal things with it last year as gifts for people during holidays, but i feel like i just set a bunch of my own money on fire because I'm apparently too retarded to figure out what's wrong with it. RIP kek

No. 409104

File: 1719335639576.jpg (18.23 KB, 320x275, sewing-machine troubleshooting…)

>>409016
What exactly is the problem, nonnie? Maybe nonas can help you identify the problem. When I was a noob (last year actually kek), these websites helped me:
https://www.sewingsupport.com/sewing-machine-troubleshooting-guide-title-page.html
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_c/C202/index.html
https://ohyoucraftygal.blogspot.com/2013/07/sewing-lesson-8-trouble-shooting-your.html

No. 409105

I've been sewing baby butt wipes and I'm so sick of pointing out edges lol. I'd like to make some baby clothing later on down the line but I'm still at a very basic skill level.

No. 409433

I found out that I accidentally bought Singer 15 series bobbins when my machine needs the 15J kind. I'm so mad that the company makes the bobbins so damn similar but slightly different (slightly curved top/bottom vs flat) enough that it can affect stitch quality. Fuck this, now I gotta waste $15 buying bobbins again

No. 418055

File: 1721829283384.jpeg (81.64 KB, 960x723, 9d848d3d-108d-4251-b697-3c5c07…)

Nonnies should I buy this machine for 50 euros? I want to learn how to sew. I couldn't find any reviews in english about it, but I've read that the brand is good, and it's new in box.

No. 418068

>>418055
I'm not familiar with this brand, but before you buy it, check what kind of bobbins and feet they take (universal or brand/machine specific) and if they're available for a reasonable price where you are. Some machines only take machine specific bobbins that are expensive. If you have a sewing machine dealer/repair shop near you, you could ask about repair costs for that brand/type. If the parts for that brand are hard to get where you are it might be worth getting a different brand.

No. 418247

I'm in the bay area and want to learn how to sew, but no one seems to have available classes. Anyone got tips?

No. 419306

File: 1722112998773.png (513.03 KB, 470x483, 1420515358759.png)

I bought a machine, I'm gonna learn how to make cute dresses!
I'm an adhd tard with a million hobbies but I've always wanted to try this one. I know I can make it nonnies.

No. 419500

>>419306
Fellow ADHD tard here, cut out fabric for projects, mark it out carefully so you know where everything goes, and put it in a bag with sewing instructions. When you're in the mood to sew you can pull a project out and get sewing without having to do all the ironing and cutting first.

No. 419533

Is sewing easier than crocheting and knitting? I want to work with my hands and make my own clothes but I tried both crocheting and knitting and was too retarded to make anything other than a few basic stitches. I'd really like to sew but I don't want to waste money on a machine if it's too hard and I'll end up not being able to understand it like with crocheting.

No. 419554

>>419533
it's much easier, requires much less dexterity and there is more room for fixing errors

No. 420161

Nonas I want to start sewing doll clothes as I have been getting really into customizing dolls, my only gripe is that I do not have a printer. Sorry for the dumb question but for those of you who do not own printers but still are able to get the patterns you want what do you do?

No. 420186

File: 1722356679365.jpg (422.1 KB, 1333x1000, barbiepatterns.jpg)

>>420161
You're probably gonna have to either buy secondhand patterns (relatively cheap) or learn how to draft them from scratch (free but challenging). Ebay is a good place to find cheap patterns, what size doll are you working with?

No. 420196

>>420186
Thank you for the reply nonnie, and I hadn't even thought of looking up patterns secondhand!
I am mainly wanting to sew for generation 1 monster high dolls, my first custom is the average body and my second custom will be the "little sister" body type. There are many cute patterns for them on etsy but alas no printer.

No. 420524

>>420196
Since they're quite small, you could trace the pattern from a computer or laptop screen onto a piece of paper. Make a mockup and see if it fits the doll, if not adjust the size as needed.

No. 420600

>>419533
>>419554
Idk about knitting but personally I find sewing a bit more difficult than crocheting. I feel like it requires more precision and it takes more techniques to sew things you'd actually want to wear. But most of all they're just two completely different crafts that are difficult to compare..

No. 420655

>>420524
Ayrt, KEK I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT! Thank you for the recommendation!

No. 421565

File: 1722772209588.jpg (1.03 MB, 1836x2599, 1000019216.jpg)

Made my first mochi minky plush~ Sewing was initially a nightmare since mochi minky is super slippery and stretchy. Using pins or clips weren't enough to keep the layers aligned so ended up basting all seams before sewing. It was fine afterwards thankfully. Also changed the needle to one specifically for knit fabric which may have also helped

No. 422453

File: 1723098516409.webp (48.63 KB, 1500x2100, 123diufg12.webp)

I posted in the stupid questions thread but I think you guys would know better. There is a pair of jeans I want to buy and I wasn't fast enough to get the size I wanted (26x30), so I have two options. I can get the waist in 26 with inseam in 32, or the waist in 27 with inseam 30. The model in this picture is 177cm tall, wearing 26x34. I'm 165cm with an inseam of 27-30. I'm not sure which one to get, because it seems like the rule of thumb is to get something that fits in the waist perfectly, but with the pant's tapered/curved leg opening, I don't know if removing 4 to 5 inches of hemming will preserve that cool barrel shape.

No. 422796

>>419533
I'm just starting and this is so hard kek. Crocheting was easier to start imo. Idk what tf I'm doing.

No. 422815

>>419533
Knitting and crochet are was easier but it takes longer to finish a piece, honestly even if you knit continental. Both being easy to learn is why you have so many annoying types in communities who stir drama. Sewing takes more space and skills, but producing a simple piece takes less. For example, making a dress or pants which are more complicated than for example, a top or skirt, takes me a day. A top or skirt is one evening of work, including cutting and everything. It's faster only if you have some experience already.

No. 422864

>>421565
cute, it looks very soft and squishy. did you draft the pattern for it yourself or use an already existing one? and did you hand embroider the eyes/face or do you have an embroidery machine?

No. 423210

File: 1723290442447.jpg (113.19 KB, 1200x793, GUHSLdfakAA4CVx.jpg)

>>422864
Thank you nona! The story of the pattern is a little silly, I noticed cholyknight's free capybara pattern (something I plan to make in the future) included the pattern for an optional orange, I just enlarged the pattern and edited the back a little bit to give him a tail (he's supposed to be a super fat snake lol).
As for the embroidery, I did it by hand, it was much easier than what I have done before (like >>>/g/376959). The black part of the eyes is an applique though.

No. 424054

>>422453
I work as a seamstress in an alteration shop and you could get the 27" waist and have it taken in to preserve the leg shape. If it's solid black you can have it done on the back seam as long as it won't pull the back pockets too close together. I always do my personal denim items on the sides because it looks the most original, but it's more money. I think they can definitely preserve at least some of the shaping on the hem by tapering it in a little more before they finish it off, but it might not be 100% the same. At the place I work at doing either job would probably cost almost the same amount kek.
I would say if you know you want that cool shaping on the bottom to be 100% original then go with the bigger waist and have it taken in, then all of it will fit you perfectly. Launder it as you usually would to pre-shrink the material first and take it to a reputable place!

No. 424877

>>421565
>>423210
You are so good at this, your embroidery is so well made. I love it.

No. 427538

File: 1724692654255.jpg (1.77 MB, 1830x2321, 1000020108.jpg)

>>424877
Thank you nonnie!

Got a week-long break and spent it making an outfit for the plush I made before >>403981. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out despite just eyeballing it without a proper pattern

No. 430458

File: 1726555238928.jpg (151.99 KB, 724x1500, 1000020831.jpg)

I love clover's fine pins so much, I deal with silk and thin minky that I need to avoid putting holes in, and these pins are the only ones I have that don't damage my fabric.

No. 431122

>>427538
Damn nonnie, you are my inspiration. If I posted my lame ass attempt at a plushie you would laugh, but I had a lot of fun doing it. I loved how the outfit turned out. That silky looking fabric must be hard to deal with.

No. 431135

File: 1726771677032.png (1.3 MB, 900x618, t3.png)

can anynonnie give me advice on where i may begin, as a beginner sewer, on making something like this? i was thinking of finding a top and just upcycling/decorating it in a similar manner, personalized with costume lace, maybe charms, etc., but im really overwhelmed figuring out what all i need, where to begin, or if its even possible.

No. 431163

>>431135
I think upcycling an existing top is a good idea for a beginner sewer project. Your second picture is a bit more achievable, and I would recommend starting out by learning how to do this by hand. The little charms attached to the blouse like the bow and the doily can be called "appliques." When they're like a long strip that attaches to the hem or encircles a garment they're called "trim." You can google these terms and look up the sorts you can buy.

I'm guessing you know how to straight stitch/backstitch? If not, I recommend looking up how to do those first They create your stereotypical stitch line of ———. For appliques, look up videos for slipstitch and blanket stitch as they (imo) are the cutest stitches to use for applique. It's more convenient to attach trim with a sewing machine straight stitch, but it's definitely achievable if done by hand and lots of sewing pins.

No. 431168

>>431135
first one seems to be just rectanges of lace/chiffon/tulle cut and sewn with lace tape together. other one is embellished with small crochet/knitted doilies - they are just sewn on as with lace tape. second option is easier though, as it's just sewing on lace/doilies but you need some patience and care to make it not sloppy - it might be also a good precision practice.

No. 432249

>>431122
Aww, you should share. I'm sure it's an adorable product of love ♥

No. 433690

File: 1727537486419.jpg (2.18 MB, 1836x4080, 1000021285.jpg)

South Asian here, this is my attempt at a kameez. Fucked up here and there (crooked collar line, oversized armholes, too large chest) but still a success compared to my past attempts kek

No. 434635

can I vent here about how it's hard to get affordable to moderately priced quality fabrics, especially wool? both suiting weight and now, even coat fabrics have to have fucking polyester even at higher price point. despite muh sustainability, quality clothes/materials and other virtue signalling shit it's harder to get decent 100% or at least 80% blend for price that doesn't break the bank (and at least in europe, factories are going bankrupt by retarded EU politics). i was trying to find decent gray wools but only option is ridiculously expensive thin men's suit wools. similar for anything beige or any other fun color. in my country situation is grim, only functioning factory has fabrics for high prices and small choice. anything imported now is cursed polyviscose with max 40% wool. i hate this shit and it will be worse and worse with every single year. there's less issue with linen but prices are batshit too. i geuinely wish i was born earlier and could experience time where clothes/fabrics actually lasted

No. 434959

File: 1727982133836.jpeg (1.24 MB, 1052x1435, 70A88823-FFE0-435D-B102-88E0E7…)

>>434635
It’s not much better on the other side of the pond. I live in an area known for textile production, many factories shutdown in the 80’s. In the 90’s you could still go to local warehouses and find what you wanted at affordable prices. Now there is almost nothing.

Last I heard the fashion district in NYC was hit hard by covid and it’s nowhere near what it once was. It probably will never return to what it use to be. Same in LA. Fabric is one of those things that you really need to see in person to buy the right thing for your project. Wools are especially hard compared to special occasion fabric or cottons.

No. 435064

>>434635
My biggest textile pet peeve is when a fabric is advertised as wool when it’s only 10% wool and 90% polyacryl or whatever. That shit should be illegal.

No. 435094

>>435064
same here, I saw sites listing blends as 100% wool even if they had 10-20% poly. same shit with linen, v*scose blends are called "linen" instead linen-viscose blends, similarly for ones with cotton but it's less of issue. even worse thing is putting elastane in linen which for me is a crime, because it has enough of shear already
>>434959
I knew things were bad in US already as synthetics razed wool production starting with the 60s and by end of century it was already nonexistent and casualization of dress happened here way faster than in europe, so there was less demand anyway but now it's the same here too. but i believe you that finding good wool in US is an impossible task now, I browsed some stores and only few had decent wools which were designer deadstock and 100% wool but so few and with boring color options. It's horrifying that even high end fabrics suck now, i've read some fine dressing scrote's blogpost once where he complained about his suit from loro piana fabric was piling in the crotch area after two fucking wears. fabrics are thinner, more loosely woven, with thinner fibers which doesn't make them last
i genuinely hate cotton and polyester for everything and green politics tards defending polyester and acrylic so badly and using "vegan" excuse. people wore woolen garments in many cultures for centuries and they lasted but now it's supposedly bad and endless fast fashion is better for these people i guess.

No. 437008

Day 8000 of not investing in a thimble and just letting the needle eye stab into me fingers if I'm not careful. I've been doing so many bound button holes or at least it feels that way. Hands so tired. I hate doing the facings but otherwise enjoy the process. Does anyone have a particular way they like to do theirs? I make my welts out of a single piece of fabric and then use a razor blade to cut through the middle instead of making separate lip-like pieces.



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