Sewing

[crepebacksatin]

can you explain what you want to make a little better? explain the fabric you want too... just viscose is too general to give you a good answer...

 

[bismarck]

and the SuperLouche
*please don't quote pictures*

i am working on a few different shapes, something tiny & delicate and something slightly more boxy. i want the call those ones "the Big Bruiser". hehe.

SwanDiamondRose, I love the print on this SuperLouche! I was wondering if you would be so kind to tell me where you got it from?

 

[*Kristina*]

Here's my outfit that I'm working on now for a fashion show I'm helping put on, the theme is Marie Antoinette/ French Gardens, etc. This coat/ cocktail dress ensemble is inspired by the total look of Marie Antoinette's bedroom. The wall coverings, the bed curtains, the headboard, the bedding, the furniture, etc are all in this floral pattern, and that was the inspiration. Here is a picture of her bedroom-

(academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu)

So for my outfit, I have a watteau pleats inspired coat in a floral upholstery fabric, a cocktail dress in the same fabric and then I will get some shoes and cover them in the same fabric as well so it's a complete and total floral look.

(my photobucket)
The cocktail dress actually isn't sewn, it's just draped and folded and pinned on the dress form!

You did an amazing job.

I just finished sewing my sister a quilt which I gave her for Christmas. It was a lot of work but it payed off in the end.

 

[RubyJewelStone]

How did you all learn how to sew? Did you take a class or are you self-taught? I want to learn how to sew so badly, but I don't have time for a class.

If you're self-taught, what did you do? I want to get to the level where I can even make my own patterns.

 

[ysljunkie]

I really got to work on this

 

[dior_couture1245]

How did you all learn how to sew? Did you take a class or are you self-taught? I want to learn how to sew so badly, but I don't have time for a class.

If you're self-taught, what did you do? I want to get to the level where I can even make my own patterns.

I've never taken classes and I've only been sewing for a very short amount of time...a year or so, but I've only really sewn 5 things! The first thing I ever sewed was a coat! Ambitious, huh! Most people start out with a circle skirt or a pillow! I don't know what I was thinking! But I guess I was just ready for it...I wasn't interested in sewing little simple stuff, I wanted to sew actual clothes that I designed and I just did! Now that I've had some practice in sewing, I think it would be a good idea to take a sewing class to help me become a better sewer.

As far as pattern making goes...that's more difficult. You see, I started out with pre-made patterns, but I've always adjusted the pattern to follow my design ideas. I don't think I'm ready for full on pattern making, myself, but I am ok with adjusting a pattern (ie, shortening/ lengthening a sleeve/ skirt...the watteau pleated coat I posted a page or two back was from a pattern where the top part was connected to the bottom part below the bust and the bottom part was gathered...I changed it so the part where the two pieces meet is above the bust line and I obviously didn't gather the bottom piece of the coat, instead pleating it.) So, if you are interested in pattern making, start off by working with pre-made patterns because it helps you get to know patterns in general and the whole science of patterns...then begin adjusting patterns to fit your designs, then I would suggest taking a pattern making class...that's what I would...and am...going to do!

 

[fourboltmain]

I took an apparel construction class because I'd never touched a machine in my life. It was a steep learning curve, but definitely worth the wait, it just takes practice. The funny thing is when the big industrial overlockers would go down, the teacher would take forever to set them back up. One day I helped her re-thread all off them with a quickness, and she asked where I learned how to do it, to which I replied 'Carburetors?'

Anyway, one book that's awesome and easy to understand is the New Complete Guide to Sewing (Readers Digest)


amazon.com

Concise and easy to understand and at a pretty good price. I should read it more, my sewing isn't pretty, I never took much seriousness in the construction, it's not like I was building rockets. Just remember that most of your mistakes will be hidden and/or easy to cover up.

 

[RubyJewelStone]

Thanks and thanks.

The whole making pillows thing is another reason I'm not interested in a class. After all, I never understood home decor, I'd rather make something I can wear, especially since just about everything I buy has to get altered. So I'd much rather cut to the chase (for lack of a better wording atm).

So self-taught is appealing. I already have the machines. My mom sews for a living so we have a few industrial size machines. Of course, since she ALWAYS busy (no exaggeration) I can't just ask her to show me.

Maybe, I'll go the self-taught route with books and patterns. After all, I'm totally not in the mood to pay good money for a class just to do painfully basic stuff that I've helped teach to kids in summer camp.

Then maybe I'll go and take a class that's more advanced. (Or hope my mom retires by then.)

 

[dior_couture1245]

Here's a new outfit I'm working on. It's for the same fashion show as the pleated coat, so it's 18th century/ French inspired.

The dress is inspired by French gold wall ornamentations,the elaborate garlands and bows and florals, etc. on white walls.
like the picture below-

(parisapartment.wordpress.com)

This is a white evening dress, the fabric is a heavy, matte weave...almost canvas/ denim like. I chose this fabric because I didn't want a competing sheen or a lot of drape and flow to the fabric. Right now, in the pictures below, the gold accents are simply draped and pinned, not sewn on (so in the finished garment, things will lay a bit flatter). I'm using gold trims of various sizes and lengths, as well as gold ribbons and I am also going use little gold trinkets (leaves, berries, etc) to incorporate into the trims to add more depth.
Here are the pictures of the dress so far-

(my photobucket)

 

[educo]

^^ that's really beautiful! You captured your inspiration!

I was looking at the shell fabric, is there a reason your side bust dart is really high like that? The apex is a lot lower.

 

[dior_couture1245]

^^Thanks! About the dart, I just have it draped kind of high on the dress form...that's all.

 

[zistam]

Nothing too special, I just made this to carry around my laptop,although there is no padding on the inside.. and sorry the pics are so crappy,I took it with my blackberry so thats why

By any chance does anybody know of a pattern with a hood like this sweater: http://nimany.com/onlineboutique.php?action=details&tshirtID=102&category=2##

I bought a sweater from Puma with this kind of hood and its soo warm

 

[crepebacksatin]

^^ you can always pick up a hooded top at a thrift shop and cut it along the seams, adding seam allowances to make a pattern... but i'm sure that something that simple will be available pretty much anywhere, just look through the books at your local fabric shop.

i wanted to ask you all how you store your fabric? i'm at the tail end of organizing my joint sewing/office space, but am still left with lots of fabric with no home. i have a bunch in the attic in giant plastic containers, but i think there has to be a better solution... what do you do?

 

[zistam]

Thanks....I store mine in boxes and bags but I think maybe shelves would be nicer

 

[gius]

i see you guys like using shiny material wonderful !

if there is anyone who could help me with pattern grading... i posted a question here
I'm basically trying to enlarge a pattern

Pattern making help

It's at the bottom

 

[loonaka]

I so wanna learn how to sew^^

 

[ParadEyes]

great work, dior couture

i'm not an expert in sewing but i'm learning !..

doll's gown and cape * inspired by lacroix

 

[dior_couture1245]

^^Looks really good! How was it working with the fur (fake, I'm assuming?)...I make a fake fur collared coat once...let's just say it was a huge pain!

 

[educo]

^^Thanks! About the dart, I just have it draped kind of high on the dress form...that's all.

I understand, but if you plan to wear it, it won't fit. Because your boobs are not naturally that high. It will look homemade. You can achieve the same fit, with the correct placement of the dart. Just my two cents.

 

[purselover]

i wanna learn how to sew..