Sewing Lessons & FAQ

Rosie said:

you know what I'd like to know? What stitches are appropriate for what?

My machine has 17 stitches, not counting the decorative ones but, I only use a few as I don't know what the rest of them are for really. [huh]

For example, I may sew something using fabric A and everything is fine but then, I'll use fabric B and the stitches start getting weird, bunching up, not sitting flat to the fabric. It isn't the tension because I'll go through the entire possibilities (for lack of a better word at the moment) of tension settings. Is it a needle thing? a thread thing?

Also, hope I'm not sounding dumb, what is this overlocking everyone is talking about? I don't do anything to the edges or seams of my clothing that won't be seen. Am I messing everything up?

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lol
My machine has an obscene number of stitches as well! I use mainly 4 (the button hole options, the straigh stitch and the zig zag). Thats pretty much all you need. The others are great for decorating. I have a honeycomb stitch that I used for a jacket I made, it was nice, but such a complicated stitch, the machine kept chocking. I had to go nice and slow

Im just paranoid about raw edges. I dont want just one straight stitch to hold the garment together and the fabric as well, so I tend to overdo it. I doubble a straight stitch, fold over raw edges, princess seams, french seams, whatever. I just HATE raw edges :rage:

Maybe its a childhood trauma or something.
LD

Miss Neecerie said:

Ok...my addition..

Ideas for inexpensive dress forms? I need to start actually having something like me so i can do a better job fitting and perhaps not be frustrated when everything turns out not quite right....

so sources, ones to avoid? things to look for....? I have read the Threads article on them, but some personal experience would be good...

I am a size 14-16 currently and hoping to be a bit smaller but probably wouldn't be smaller then a 12 at best, based on bone structure....so i need a bit of adjustability....

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Hi Miss Neecerie,

This article has some great low cost ideas for dress forms http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp

Also, there are some good deals on ebay from time to time.

Good luck!

mysterygal said:

For a beginner, what would be a good first project to start?

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How about a skirt? Skirts are easy to make. Go with a Simplicity pattern when they're on sale at Joann's for $1. Look for the package to say that it's a beginner or easy pattern. I'm not sure if Simplicity has it, but Vogue has "body shape" symbols on it as well, to help you decide if a pattern will look good on you.

Lady Day said:

If you are going to be serious about sewing, stay above the $300 range, look for one that will allow you to adjust the with of a seam, and also get one that had 4-5 cone capacity.

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Or look at your local sewing store for a good used machine. I got a great used 4-cone serger for under $100.

colleency said:

Or look at your local sewing store for a good used machine. I got a great used 4-cone serger for under $100.

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Awww LUCKY You!:eusa_clap

LD

Sergers

You know I have one of those sergers in the back of my sewing room closet and I have NEVER touched the darn thing. With my seams I press open or press over as the patterns calls and then do a big old zigzag over the seam edges. The vintage patterns I have seem to call for a hand finish or bias tape and I find doing the zig zag to be a pretty good modern compromise! I also like to do french seams in my skirts particularly if its an easy to fray fabric. For a french seam you sew wrong sides together first and then flip the seam to the inside so that the fabric is then right sides together and zip it thru the machine a second time.

Okay, looking at the seams of bought clothes, I see what you all are talking about. I've never "finished" off an edge, I guess I'll start.

duct tape

Miss Neecerie said:

Ok...my addition..

Ideas for inexpensive dress forms? I need to start actually having something like me so i can do a better job fitting and perhaps not be frustrated when everything turns out not quite right....

so sources, ones to avoid? things to look for....? I have read the Threads article on them, but some personal experience would be good...

I am a size 14-16 currently and hoping to be a bit smaller but probably wouldn't be smaller then a 12 at best, based on bone structure....so i need a bit of adjustability....

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make one out of duct tape...seriously.
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp

Good old-fashioned pinking shears work too!

I don't have a serger, just a plain old sewing machine that probably does about 10 different stitches and button holes. I never worried about finishing my seams before until I started on my 1930s satin evening dress. That fabric frays so bad! I went to my local Joan's store and picked up some nice pinking shears (I also had a coupon for 40% off--even better). Using my pinking shears is a real breeze and the fabric doesn't fray one bit. Now I can't wait until I have to "pink" a seam--it's so much fun! (picture BonnieJean roaming her home looking for things to "pink") My sister has a serger and just loves it. But I'm just as happy with my nice pair of pinking shears and I don't need electricity to use it!

Miss Neecerie,
I was fortunate to get my sister's old Twinfit dress form. Its not nearly as "shapely" in the waist and hip area as I am. I thought I needed to find a form that fit my body exactly--but there aren't any "pear-shaped" dress forms out there. In my research I did find out how I can "build up" the form to my exact measurements. So, if you can find a used dress form that's smaller than your size and/or can be adjusted--mine has dials on it, then you can create it to be your sewing double. If you want more info on how to make the form your size, just PM me and I'll send you the links. This may be putting the cart before the horse because you don't have your form yet, but put the word out with friends/family that you're looking for one; that's how I got mine. But my silly sister has misplaced a few of the feet for the stand, so its a table model for right now until I can figure something out.

I believe the Twinfit forms are foam, right? You can customize one of them to your shape by making a cover for it. So lets say you bought a foam form that was 34" 26" 26" but you are 34" 24" 34". No problem, you just sew the cover to your exact dimensions and put it over the foam. Once you zip it up, it is your exact measurements.

I have a My Double (bought for half off, sometimes they go on sale), but since I have a large bust, I put an old bra on it and stuff it with socks, so then it fits tops just like me. It is also great for my ever expanding measurements. It's only downside is that it is hard to pin in the cover.


Also, ladies (and gents) new to sewing, you must use an iron, or your garments won't look good. A pressing ham and seam roll help a lot too (in addition to the ironing board).

Sewing is an expensive hobby.

My Twinfit is kind of plastic--definitely not foam. My sister really didn't use it much and I don't think she utilized the full benefit of it. She had gotten it when she sewed a bunch of bridesmaids dresses and the girls were all different sizes. I'm going to put an old bra on mine and stuff it, as well as some extra stuffing around the middle and hip area. Then I'll put one of my tops that fit me over that--like a camisole or lightweight t-shirt. I should be able to pin the form much better than what it is right now. I think this one is an older Twinfit form. But, beggars can't be choosy.

Tourbillion said:

Also, ladies (and gents) new to sewing, you must use an iron, or your garments won't look good. A pressing ham and seam roll help a lot too (in addition to the ironing board).

Sewing is an expensive hobby.

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True true true.

Ironing usta be against my religion but I had to convert when I moved to the faith of sewing. [angel]

Oh, and it costs somethin aweful, but you get exactly what you want, and the fit will be great.

LD

OK, well if the twinfit is plastic, then my instructions about the cover apply to the other kind of dress form, the foam ones.

Anyway, does anyone here use Olfa cutters and mats? I used to be a skeptic when my mom was using them, but now I am a convert. I mostly use my Gingher's for detail cutting now, I use the Olfa with a ruler or curved ruler for cutting--way easier!

Lady Day said:

True true true.

Ironing usta be against my religion but I had to convert when I moved to the faith of sewing.

Oh, and it costs somethin aweful, but you get exactly what you want, and the fit will be great.

LD

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Don't say that! I am starting sewing because I have no money to buy clothes!

And Ironing is definitely against my religion. I don't iron anything ever, because my mum doesn't either (we have all sorts of tricks to avoid it!) but I realised that for sewing it is essential.

Thanks for the responses about serging/overlocking. I think that when I have some more money I will definitely consider investing in one. But I'll make do for now. And I am soon going to get hold of a dress form for free from a friend. Hoorah!

You ladies sort of scare me cause I actually start it to save the money that goes into buying my daily wear and shooting clothes. I have to admit though that I realised that the cute knobs I saw and liked are allways the expensive ones.... Well... maybe I find a ebay-seller that sells 2 pounds knobs for 1 € or something

I also plan to learn knitting and already saw a book with great instructions that I plan to get.

You ladies sort of scare me cause I actually start it to save the money that goes into buying my daily wear and shooting clothes.

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It is a way to save money, sort of. You'll be saving money from buying from on eBay and you'll own clothing that you probably wouldn't find anywhere else. If you have a local fabric store, a lot of them have sales flyers with coupons that you can sign up for (we have a Joann's). And sometimes you can find that elusive fabric in thrift stores and other places, just by keeping your eyes open. When you sew your own clothes you can make them to fit your body and can add your own unique details. I look at it as being my own personal fashion designer and eventually I'll have a one-of-a-kind wardrobe. I think my total cost for fabric and other notions for my 1930s satin evening gown was about $50 (I used a 40% coupon). Even the ready-made vintage-styled stores cost a lot more than that. When I was searching for a dress (before I decided to make mine) I couldn't find much for under $100 that I really liked. So, for me, I really am saving money.

I'm so glad to hear that some of you are learning to sew. I was afraid it was going to become a lost art like tatting and making your own bobbin lace. (I have a cousin that still does that.)

For you sewers out there, have you noticed a trend in the fabric stores? Regular bolts of assorted fabrics, like rayons and satins--real fabrics--are being taken over by quilt fabrics and rows and rows of fleece material. Not that there's anything wrong with quilt fabric and fleece, but its getting harder and harder to find a good selection of fabric for dresses. And the craft section is getting larger than the fabric section. At least this is what I have observed locally.

And like others have said, sewing is addicting because then you realize you need this and you need that in your sewing supplies--but oh, what a sweet addiction it is and it's calorie free! Maybe I could use my trips back and forth to the fabric store as part of my exercise routine?

Tourbillion,
I just checked my Twinfit dress form it is plastic with a thin layer of a flocked type of fabric over the top. (It isn't the top of the line dress form but I think it will work for my purposes.) I'm going to use quilt batting to add more fullness where needed. It should "stick" to the flocked fabric pretty well--at least that's what my instructions say, I haven't tried it yet.

The quilter/crafter-vs.-dressmaker thing's been going on for quite a while around here. We've had an independent fabric store in town for years and years that used to be a great place for general sewing supplies, but about five years ago they converted to all-quilting-all-the-time, and that was that. I think the emphasis is on quilting as a social activity -- something you can get together and do as a group, rather than the sort of solitary pursuit that sewing clothes can be.

Some of the lighter-weight quilting cottons are actually quite good for sewing vintage repro dresses -- and if you cruise the remnant racks you can often find good yardage fairly cheap. I'm a regular at the $2-$4 tables, and most of the dresses I make in everyday late-30s-early-40s styles will cost me less than $20 for fabric and notions. Of course, more complex projects -- suits, evening dresses, more elegant fabrics -- are going to cost more, but it's possible to sew good practical everyday vintage fairly inexpensively if you're a careful shopper.

Thanks, LizzieMaine, for the suggestion to use those quilting fabrics. I had thought that they would be too lightweight for a dress, so I'll have to give them a try. I can see them used for something like a housedress. But I have to admit I'm a big rayon fan and prefer that for dresses and skirts.

Now call me thick, but I only recently realised that what we call "viscose" is actually the same as rayon. I always thought viscose was horrible, shrinky stuff, but it seems to have a lot of fans here! I know this is a thread about sewing, but I have a pair of vintagey linen/viscose mix sailor type pants and I am scared to wash them in case they shrink (and so haven't actually worn them!). They do say dry-clean only, but my mum often never bothers with that, and washes everything. And thus has shrinkage mishaps from time to time. How do you girls care for rayon and rayon mixes?

I use a product called Dryel and "dry clean" my rayon things in the dryer. I don't know if you have something similar where you live. But my mom who grew up in the "Golden Age of Rayon" said her mom used to just gently wash them and then hang them up to dry. Some of the rayon (at least today's rayon) can be a little forgiving. I saw a beautiful rayon dress at the thrift store, but it obviously had been washed in a washing machine and then dried in the dryer because of all the wrinkles. It was pretty sad looking. I bought it, took it home and gently pressed it and it came out looking beautiful.