sewing - revisited

[lee&lyric]

the sewing part was fun and easy. It was whatever came before that was hard.

Here, here! Honey, ain't that the truth. I've recently acquired three step-children. And lordy, my culture dresses to the nines (more often than not); their's doesn't so I've got my work cut out for me getting them up to snuff, LOL. Making men's/boy's clothing has NEVER been my strong point (I raised four girls). I'll take the advice I gave OP and keep it moving.

 

[Leta]

I can sew, and make my own patterns (to an extent)- I had the privilege of being taught by an award winning seamstress- but I have a crap machine. I have not used it much, despite it being purchased brand new, because it's always in the shop! I don't really know enough about machines to feel confident purchasing another one.

Part of me wants to get an all metal Viking, and part of me wants to try to find a manual or treadle machine. I just don't know.

Hey Lyric, do you have Netflix? If you do, you should watch the Sommore stand up comedy movie. She has this bit about getting dressed up, having plans fall through, and then "looking too sharp to just go home" and having to walk around your friend's neighborhood to be seen looking good. It's hilarious.

 

[Emerald]

I can sew, and make my own patterns (to an extent)- I had the privilege of being taught by an award winning seamstress- but I have a crap machine. I have not used it much, despite it being purchased brand new, because it's always in the shop! I don't really know enough about machines to feel confident purchasing another one.

Part of me wants to get an all metal Viking, and part of me wants to try to find a manual or treadle machine. I just don't know.

Hey Lyric, do you have Netflix? If you do, you should watch the Sommore stand up comedy movie. She has this bit about getting dressed up, having plans fall through, and then "looking too sharp to just go home" and having to walk around your friend's neighborhood to be seen looking good. It's hilarious.

Do what my mother did for me-find a nice montgomery wards machine at a yard sale for $10. I've had it for years and it still outdoes any other machine I have. Poor thing is probably older than me! I have a newer machine(white heavy duty)that works okay but not as nice as the MW. I was silly and missed the opportunity to buy another one(a bit newer and fancier) at a yard sale this summer and I keep thinking about just stoping there and seeing if she still has it.. I think it was $35. But those older machines (with a bit of love) work so much better than you would think.

 

[MorelCabin]

I can sew, and make my own patterns (to an extent)- I had the privilege of being taught by an award winning seamstress- but I have a crap machine. I have not used it much, despite it being purchased brand new, because it's always in the shop! I don't really know enough about machines to feel confident purchasing another one.

Part of me wants to get an all metal Viking, and part of me wants to try to find a manual or treadle machine. I just don't know.

Hey Lyric, do you have Netflix? If you do, you should watch the Sommore stand up comedy movie. She has this bit about getting dressed up, having plans fall through, and then "looking too sharp to just go home" and having to walk around your friend's neighborhood to be seen looking good. It's hilarious.

Quite honestly, the first thing you have to do is start asking around town who thier most valuable fixer guy is...seriously. Go to material shops and ask them who they would reccommend to service all makes of machines...and not just one palce, go to a few places that women hang out and sew and ask around. When you are confidant that you know who is the best service guy forall makes of machines in town then go see him. He will guide you to a perfect machine for you...because unlike the sales guys, he KNOWS all the brands, what thier faults are, and isn't trying to sell you on a particular brand because he sells that brand.

My personal favorate brand is Brother. They are user friendly, you get good value for your money they don't always need repairs, and I have the best service guy in town to get it working RIGHT when it does need work.
If you are looking at a used machine, those older singers can't be beat, and there are a million parts available for even the oldest models. Don't buy a newer singer though, anything after 199something is absolute crap, and will always be in the shop more often than not. Pfaff is the same.
Bernina I think is a pretty good machine, but make sure you have a good reputable service guy who knows Bernina. No sense having a machine that you can't find service for.
Hope this helps!

Oh ya...and stay away from Walmart or big box stres when buying a machine...those are NOT sewing machines, they just look like it. You'll never get them to sew for longer than a couple of months, and that couple of months will convince you that you never want to sew again...trust me. they sell brothers with differnt parts than a brother is supposed to have...and all plastic junk too.

 

[tortoise]

A friend helped me make a dress form of myself. It's actually about 1 size too big because of how it is made. (Boo)

Did you make the duct-tape t-shirt form?

Also, I've noticed the the worst part of sewing is the part before you realize that patterns don't always make sewing easier. I made some pants for DD and had a terrible time trying to figure out which size to make them. None of the measurements agreed on the same size. After some anguish, I used the hip measurements because I figured those are the hardest to modify later. But the point is, the sewing part was fun and easy. It was whatever came before that was hard.

Yeah, it is a duct-tape form!

Fit is awful! I measured myself and was super-careful cutting a shirt pattern. It looks like it will be 2 sizes too big! I'm not so far along that I catn' fix it, but then my pattern won't be right next time.

With pants, fit the crotch depth first - you can't change that later.

 

[BirdBrain]

Go to the library and check out the book "Fit for real people". It shows you how to tissue fit a pattern. It is very clear with lots of pictures and can make making adjustments a breeze.

 

[Emerald]

Go to the library and check out the book "Fit for real people". It shows you how to tissue fit a pattern. It is very clear with lots of pictures and can make making adjustments a breeze.

thanks for the book title.. I alter clothes for the high school drama club (the kids call me the costume diva! probably cuz I am the only one crazy nuf to keep coming back even tho I have no kids in school!) and quite frankly I feel that I am just a bit above a beginner in sewing. I mean, in 4-H as a tween/young teen I used to sew a storm and have ribbons to prove it but as an adult who has only started sewing again in the past 12 years, there is so much I have forgotten. But I did get a nice book from my SIL's grandma this summer that is from beginner and up. But altering all the odd stuff in that drama closet is quite the challenge.
the one trick I did figure out by myself is take up clothing that needs to be smaller a tiny bit on each seam and not one big clump in the back!
I will be in town later today and I may just swing on by the library and see if they have it. Thanks sooooo much!

 

[k15n1]

A friend helped me make a dress form of myself. It's actually about 1 size too big because of how it is made. (Boo)

Did you make the duct-tape t-shirt form?

Yeah, it is a duct-tape form!

Fit is awful! I measured myself and was super-careful cutting a shirt pattern. It looks like it will be 2 sizes too big! I'm not so far along that I catn' fix it, but then my pattern won't be right next time.

With pants, fit the crotch depth first - you can't change that later.

BTW, shirts are easy to modify. Just take in a little on the side seams and under the arms. I usually put the shirt on, pinch it on the sides and try to remember how much to take it in---1 knuckle, etc. I know it's not what a proper seamstress or tailor would do, but I'm neither of those, so why pretend? Works great for men's shirts and even knit t-shirts. I like to cut the extra off, finish the edges with a zig-zag, and press the seam open. But sometimes I just finish the seams together and don't bother with pressing.

 

[tortoise]

I worry too much! The fit on the shirt was fine except one thing.... The pattern was labeled "for moderate stretch". My fabric was very stretchy - a 2-way stretch. So cut it cross-grain to moderate the stretch. I should have left it alone. It's a bit tight on the arms and I had to cut the tunic length to a normal shirt length. Now I know for next time! I do like the shirt and it was simple to construct. I'll be looking for fabric to make it a few more times.