Sewing?

[Pacion]

Other than Salsachinita who I believe sews/quilts, anyone else?

What do you sew/make (and especially for the guys, sorry but putting a button back on your shirt does NOT count :lol: )?

Any tips for home decorations :D

[pygmalion]

when I was young, we were pretty poor, so I made almost all my clothes starting in high school (UK college) and college (UK university.) I haven't had to sew in quite a while, so now I do it just for fun.

For home deocrating, try the no-sew window dressing patterns. There are a lot of them that involve draping bed linens or lengths of fabric, with no sewing required. :)

[peachexploration]

I make clothing every one in a while. I used to be an anvid seamstress mostly to keep my mind off things. (Going through a divorce at the time :? ) Then it became too confining. I needed to get out and experience a new life. Now, I can't stand it! :x ROTFL. :lol: I only sew when I have to which is when I can't find something I want in the clothing store. That only happens maybe twice a year. Thank goodness. :doh: :lol:

For home deocrating, try the no-sew window dressing patterns. There are a lot of them that involve draping bed linens or lengths of fabric, with no sewing required. :)

Yeah, the window scarfs work wonders. That's what I normally use. You can also use very decorative curtain rods for good accents. :)

[pygmalion]

Yes. I understand. Sewing does take your mind off things. 8) You may come back around to it, after you have a chance to heal more. On the other hand, maybe you really hate it. There ARE some tedious aspects to the whole sewing thing.

[peachexploration]

... On the other hand, maybe you really hate it......

:lol: :lol: Yeah, Jenn. Although, it may be more of what it represents. Anyways, enough therapy. Your check is in the mail. :wink: LOL. Just kidding.

Speaking of window scarfs. I forget what show this was on but this lady used a real tree branch as a curtain rod and threw a white window scarf over it. It was absolutely beatiful. Also, I've seen many people use their heirloom quilts made by the family as wall coverings in frames or just as they were. Very nice.

[Laura]

I sew ballgowns and latin dresses. I sometimes do home decorating things (I need to make a new duvet cover, in fact). I also sometimes make clothes for me or my husband. The best thing I ever made him was a pair of denim cargo shorts :-) I'm supposed to be working on an evening gown for someone entering the Miss California contest, too, but I'm procrastinating (as usual).

[Chris Stratton]

I have a sewing machine and serger fighting for desk space next to a couple of computer monitors as I post this...

Funny thing is I've never worn anything I made except for costumes - first a renaissance musician thing for a party, now dance stuff. I've never actually set foot out of the house in any street clothes with my hand in them... I think in part it's just so hard to compete with things that are commercially available, not only in terms of time but also materials cost. It's only in a niche or creative area like dancewear that it becomes economical to make things yourself - though of course it can always be fun.

[dancin_feet]

I'm starting to get into the sewing thing. My mother has always done all my sewing for me, but due to not living with her anymore, I think it may be time for me to branch out and buy my own sewing machine.

I would like to be able to make my own costumes and the like. At the moment I am limited to anything I can do by hand, so darting at the waist of pants and skirts and sewing on sequins, etc are all I have done so far.

[Chris Stratton]

If you are thinking about buying a sewing machine with dance costumes in mind, take some bits of lycra to the store with you, and insist that the salesperson demonstrate that the machine you are interested in can be made to handle the stuff. Personally I always find it a struggle to get my older sewing machine to do lycra (I finally got there with a schmetz universal needle and a premium all-polyester thread like Gutterman - the common cotton covered stuff would just fray until it broke).

Sergers just love ballgown lycra, but they limit your options for alterations, so I think Laura does all her gowns initially on a normal sewing machine and overlocks them only after fitting. Being something of a hack working in discount materials, I just hope for the best with the serger from the start (you can still take things in even after overlocking)

[ShyDancer]

The only thing I can do with a sewing machine or needle and thread is ruin whatever I touch :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have tried a few times to make something or other but I really dont have the patience for it, Id rather just buy it..I love shopping!

[pygmalion]

I think in part it's just so hard to compete with things that are commercially available, not only in terms of time but also materials cost. It's only in a niche or creative area like dancewear that it becomes economical to make things yourself - though of course it can always be fun.

Yes. This is quite true, these days. When I was growing up, there were several textile mill outlet stores where the fabric was very inexpensive. I haven't seen any such thing in a long, long time. It's usually less expensive to just buy it off the rack. :?

[Chris Stratton]

And even when fabric is cheap enough that say my wool tailsuit trousers cost less than a buget pair of poly/rayon slacks, dancewear lets you leave out time-wasting details like pockets!

[Laura]

I have a serger and a regular machine. Depending on what I'm doing, I'll either sew on the regular machine and then re-serge the seams when I'm done, or I'll just do the whole thing on the serger. I love my serger, it gives such a nice finish to the seams and the seams hold up really well. I also love it for finishing the edges of chiffon.

I'm really lucky because there's a couple of cool fabric outlets in my town. I try to never pay more than $6 per yard for fabric. I also buy fabric online from time to time -- I've had really good luck with a site called fabric.com . It's hit or miss, but when you hit, you can hit it BIG.

[salsachinita]

Sorry I'm late to this thread. In the eve of possibily returning to work, this topic seems timely :P !

I am a fashion designer by qualification & trade. Eventhough it seems like a life time away to me now :roll: .

I started sewing in highschool, out of neccessities. Back then it was cheaper to buy fabric & make your own rather than buying things ready made (such is the opposite these days :roll: ). As we never had the budget to satisfy a trend-consious (but far from obsessed) teenage girl, I started to make my own thing (my grandma was a sewer, watched her all my life).

Then a I got a call from a friend of a friend. She needed a prom dress. Pronto :shock: (this girl spent her entire budget on a pair of shoes, so there were nearly none left to buy a dress)!

We went shopping for fabric & pattern. I had never made such thing in my life but I followed the pattern. The dress turned out as it should. Happy ending.

Since then I stared making everyone's prom dresses, including my own.

Then my fine art teacher from highschool got brain tumour & quit. I had lost my mentor for painting/visual arts.

As life would have it, the replacement teacher was a textile specialist, recognised my work, recommened that I try gearing my folio to target the most prestigious fashion degree course in town :shock: (at the same time I made a bet with a really b*tchy friend of Mum's.......to show her I can get in to that course).

I ended up winning the bet. While it was considered an achievement by all, I had never set out to be a fashion designer. To this day, I could never be sure if my heart was actually in it :? .........tis why I didn't think twice about leaving it all either.

I had made numerous salsa costumes though, and they still fit 8) . I wear them on special occasions.

[squirrel]

Salsachinita... maybe you'd consider giving it a try now... I mean, the fashion idea... :) Why not, if you're a good designer?

[lily]

Hope it's ok to join a thread so late! But I was just browsing the Dancers Anonymous section and I have found lots of really interesting topics that I had missed before!

I have always enjoyed sewing (I find it relaxing and extremely rewarding. At least, once the material is cut that is. I hate cutting the material; it's so scary! But once that part os over and done with, the rest is relaxing and fun!)

I have made many skirts for myself, cat nip toys for my cats and at the moment I'm working on a dress. It's an Italian Renaissance style dress and it's so beautiful - I just hope that it comes out like the photo :? :)

The skirts I've made have been medieval style (for SCA events), but also full circle Swing skirts and long flowing belly dance skirts.

It's true though that buying the material and everything you need to make clothes, works out far more expensive than buying something ready made. But it's worth it when you go dancing and people compliment you on your clothes and ask you where you bought them :D

[DancingMommy]

Other than Salsachinita who I believe sews/quilts, anyone else?

What do you sew/make (and especially for the guys, sorry but putting a button back on your shirt does NOT count :lol: )?

Any tips for home decorations :D

I sew! I've made maternity clothes for myself using a vintage 190s sunsuit pattern (pretty cool), I've made clothes for my daughters including pageant dresses, ruffly butt diaper covers, cloth diapers, slings etc. My most recent project was a new car seat cover. GADS!!! I had to make my own pattern for that - UGH WUGH WUGH WUGH!

I've sewn pillowcases and curtains and all kinds of house junk, too.

Once upon a time I fould knit and crochet too. Maybe one day I'll take up needlepoint *again*. 8)

Sign me,

Nina <--- Sally Jane, Domestic Engineer & Goddess.

[Laura]

I have always enjoyed sewing (I find it relaxing and extremely rewarding. At least, once the material is cut that is. I hate cutting the material; it's so scary! But once that part os over and done with, the rest is relaxing and fun!)

Oh my gosh...I thought I was the only person who felt that way! The more expensive the fabric, the worse I feel about cutting into it. One time I had some $45/yard (US) gold stretch fabric that someone wanted a dress made out of. I couldn't bring myself to cut into it so I "fired" myself from the project.

[Chris Stratton]

The *******ing liberation of using cheap fabric has to be experienced to be believed.

I'd still be sweating over untried patterns if not for $3/yd wool suiting and ballgown lycra... Instead, I have a closet, boxes, and comp video collection full of learning experiments.

[lily]

Even if I buy cheap material, it ends up being more expensive as I always buy far too much "just in case". But at least it eases the stress a little when it comes to cutting as I can say that even if I do make a mistake, I've got extra material. I haven't made a mistake when cutting yet though because I waste a great deal of time checking, double checking and triple checking before I finally convince myself to cut the damn stuff. :lol:

Last time I even said out loud, "Look, right now you have a length of material. If you cut it, you may just be able to make a dress. If you don't cut it, you will only have length of material." :oops: :D

[Pacion]

Hope it's ok to join a thread so late! But I was just browsing the Dancers Anonymous section and I have found lots of really interesting topics that I had missed before!

It's never too late Lily! :banana:

:lol: Laura re "firing" yourself

[pygmalion]

Yep. Cutting can be WAY scary. It's so ... final.

[DancingMommy]

Even if I buy cheap material, it ends up being more expensive as I always buy far too much "just in case".

Have you been looking in my closets, window seat, armoir and under my bed? 8)

[lily]

I have always enjoyed sewing (I find it relaxing and extremely rewarding. At least, once the material is cut that is. I hate cutting the material; it's so scary! But once that part os over and done with, the rest is relaxing and fun!)

Oh my gosh...I thought I was the only person who felt that way! The more expensive the fabric, the worse I feel about cutting into it. One time I had some $45/yard (US) gold stretch fabric that someone wanted a dress made out of. I couldn't bring myself to cut into it so I "fired" myself from the project.

It seems we are not alone after all. We are not the only innocent victims suffering from the little known, but often devastating disease known as cuttingmaterialobia. How therapeutic this group is :D

[bjp22tango]

Sewing shouldn't be called Sewing.

Instead maybe Pattern selection/Fabric Selection/Pattern Fitting/pattern adjusting/fitting/cutting/fitting/sewing/fitting/sewing and, hopefully, Wearing Whew! and I LIKE to sew! :wink:

But I REALLY hate cutting and fitting. Once I've got a pattern I like I tend to make many, many of the same think because it's too much of a pain to start with a different pattern.

I sew because I have a body that doesn't easily fit into today's ready to wear. I am female, not a pipe cleaner. :shock:

I also sew dance costumes and other costumes, my favorite being a black velvet renaissance costume back in my thinner days. Very hot for the Maryland summer heat, but I suffered for vanity for once 8)

Sergers and rotary cutters are the best thing that happened to the consumer sewing market.

I made latin costumes for a local formation team several years ago. Simple form fitting skirts and jackets with lots and lots and lots of circle ruffles. I would still be cutting and sewing if I had to use scissors and a regular machine :(

Warning, get a rotary cutter with a blade guard that is not pressure sensitive. I dropped one on my bare big toe once and will NEVER make that mistake again. (Not much pain, but A LOT of blood).
My mother told me I also ran over my thumb with the sewing machine when I was about 5. I don't remember this, thankfully, and I still sew.

A survey noted that sewing can be very relaxing and stress relieving. I am assuming they meant to experienced seamstresses with no fitting/cutting phobias :wink: Actually, I find hand sewing very calming. I was also taught to Knit and Crochet when I was little and taught myself to Tat and to make Bobbin lace, but I sit still so little that I will have to wait until I can't dance anymore to take those skills back up!

[cl5814]

This thread made me feel so at home. Interesting conversation.