Sewing

[karatekid]

So, I had this project at school, where we were supposed to make whatever we wanted to do. I am so inspired by the Burberry Prorsum S/S 2010 skirts, so I decided to do one. I have never made a piece of clothing before, and definitely not a skirt!

This is what I ended up with:

I actually surprised myself with my result! Quite satisfied with it!

 

[KissenKatja]

Good job karatekid!

 

[dior*kiss]

Love the colour on that skirt, karatekid!!

 

[cygnenoir]

Ooooh, that's so cute karatekid!

I'm thinking of getting a dress form. I know I could make one from tape as shown in this thread but I think I want a real one that would look nice in my little faux atelier!

Any suggestions? I do know they are pricey. I'm also interested in any experiences with adjustable ones. That seems like it might come in handy. The one at Ronis has been recommended.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[jun3machina]

ebay^

 

[cygnenoir]

Yes, I have been looking at ebay! But ideally, what brand is best?

 

[KissenKatja]

Hey cygnenoir,

I think you should invest in a dress form if you're serious about sewing! It's soooo worth it- another step into making your clothes look more professional. I made a tape dress form before, and although the advantage is that it has the same form as me, it's not as sturdy and overall isn't worth it in my opinion. The "professional dress form" are usually better because they are made out of foam and linen. Along with the quality also comes with the price. They range anywhere from $200-$800? I'm no professional with the brands and such, but I say buy it from an eBayer whom only sells high quality dress forms. They are cheaper ones that are made out of jersey and foam, and they cost about $50-$60 dollars. These do the job and you can save money to buy a really nice one later (the $300+ kinds).

"Professional" dress form:

http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/sstuble/images/dress form 1.jpg

Jersey ones:

http://www.manne-king.com/SkuPix/701blk.jpg

 

[arthur-aleksandr]

cygnenoir:

a dressform is probably the best thing you can invest in! and they do vary depending on what country you live in. if from the US, then there's Wolf Form, which is what i personally use and prefer. Wolf Forms come in a variety of types and prices. on average you'd be spending about $650-$1000+ (http://wolfform.com)

PGM is another manufacturer and are a lot less expensive. typically ranging from maybe $250 - $500

Global is yet another, and they range from $400 - $700

the latter two are LA-based and you could walk in to see them in person; the Wolf Forms are made to order via their web site.

hope that helps!

 

[le'sof]

my friends and i made this for a school project!

 

[cygnenoir]

Love that jacket le'sof!

KissenKatja and arthur-aleksandr, thank you for the dressform advice and the links!

I'm taking a sewing/design class this semester and I just looked and nearly all of the forms at my school are Wolf. I'm still beginner-ish so I don't see myself making things for others - I really only need one that fits me. I do know a good one will be probably be a bit expensive so I'm saving up.

I have heard rumors through the grapevine that students can order some brands through our school at a discount. I have to check into that as well!

 

[porkchopgirl]

leather pouch

i've been curious about sewing leather and made myself a little silver pouch to use as a wallet. now i want to make bigger things, specifically, a leather tote bag. as an experiment, i sewed two pieces together about 6 x 9 inches using soft pebbled leather. however, the seams won't lie flat. how do i get more crisp seams without topstitching? i started reading some books about leather and it seems like there are several tools that are needed. and do i really need to skive the edges?

 

[arthur-aleksandr]

porkchopgirl

it is only advisable to skive/notch/clip at curves, no need to do so for straight stitches for leather or otherwise (unless needed/noted). what notching the leather does is it allows the folds in the leather to overlap, so as to lay flatter and smoother in the curved areas (style lines etc.)

also, take note that since you can't iron leather, you should use a mallet (or hammer, whatever you can get your hands on) to press the seams so that they will lay flat, as well. i've never invested in any specific tools for leather, i take the poor man's route haha

 

[minxlove88X]

I make jewelry, not too good on fabric though. X

 

[Serenity*Now]

^ me too, though I've made it a goal to learn to sew this year.
I'm so inspired by this thread.
I NEED HELP: I want to take lessons at a shop locally but you must have your own machine to bring with you. I have no clue. I searched back a year ago on this thread for similar ?'s and there was one response about a Singer model.

I don't want to get something that will obsolete after 6mos but I don't want to get anything that's so advanced I'll get frustrated and give up.
What machine do YOU use? Do you wish you had another type? Why? I plan on doing small clothing items and accessories and probably not work with leather but with some thick, eco-minded materials in addition to "regular" soft fabrics.
Karma to anyone who helps!!

 

[porkchopgirl]

^ me too, though I've made it a goal to learn to sew this year.
I'm so inspired by this thread.
I NEED HELP: I want to take lessons at a shop locally but you must have your own machine to bring with you. I have no clue. I searched back a year ago on this thread for similar ?'s and there was one response about a Singer model.

I don't want to get something that will obsolete after 6mos but I don't want to get anything that's so advanced I'll get frustrated and give up.
What machine do YOU use? Do you wish you had another type? Why? I plan on doing small clothing items and accessories and probably not work with leather but with some thick, eco-minded materials in addition to "regular" soft fabrics.
Karma to anyone who helps!!

If you haven't sewn and aren't sure what kind of machine you want, I would get a used one off of Craigslist. They always seem to have older Kenmores and Singers for about $60 or less. The interface is simpler and have fewer features to confuse you. Also, if you decide to stick with sewing you can do the research to figure out what you want next. Have you tried going to a sewing shop and testing a few out?

 

[arthur-aleksandr]

this is a dress i made for fun, more or less, about a year ago in April. i was sketching a collection, and this is one of the dresses i pulled from those sketches and draped and sewed. here is a look at the front and back of the dress.

 

[cygnenoir]

^ Ooooh, that's stunning arthur-aleksandr!

I NEED HELP: I want to take lessons at a shop locally but you must have your own machine to bring with you. I have no clue. I searched back a year ago on this thread for similar ?'s and there was one response about a Singer model.

Funny, I just asked one of my sewing instructors this the other day. I use the industrials in the lab, so I don't often use my own machine (which is ancient, plastic and crappy). I'm not in the apparel design program so I'm limited to the classes I can take.

I just found an outside class I want to take and yes, it requires bringing a machine. My instructor suggested this Babylock called Audrey. It's super small and light, but it does seems to be around $400.

Lots of people I know have found great deals on Craig's List and eBay though!

 

[KissenKatja]

arthur-aleksandr, the dress looks amazing! Your tailoring skill is very impressive.

I was looking on shopbop and caught a glimpse of a dress by Rory Beca, and because it looked so cute, I had to make it. This is my second time sewing a dress (as I have only sewed pajama pants before) so I am pretty proud of myself.
stock picture; shopbop
first picture; me

 

[jun3machina]

^ that looks really comfy and wearable. did you put a zipper or anything in it or does it just slide on? also, is the drawstring elastic or not? thanks a bunch. i think im gonna make one of those.

im finishing up a jacket right now inspired by MARC JACOBS astrakhan mohair coat from fall 09....i'll post pics in a bit

 

[jun3machina]

i work at a fabric shop, and i always advise new sewers to go with a basic singer. they're generally around (sometimes under) $100 and i familiarizes you with all the basics. you'd only need a serger if you got into sportswear and knits IMHO. i think the best way to learn is all the old school finishing techniques personally and almost every single one can be done with just a straight and zig zag stitch. i dont care for all the automatic machines where you just press a button to change a stitch. with a basic model singer, you learn how to control tension and what stitches work with what materials.

^ Ooooh, that's stunning arthur-aleksandr!



Funny, I just asked one of my sewing instructors this the other day. I use the industrials in the lab, so I don't often use my own machine (which is ancient, plastic and crappy). I'm not in the apparel design program so I'm limited to the classes I can take.

I just found an outside class I want to take and yes, it requires bringing a machine. My instructor suggested this Babylock called Audrey. It's super small and light, but it does seems to be around $400.

Lots of people I know have found great deals on Craig's List and eBay though!