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suzukigrrl

suzukigrrl

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May 19, 2005
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Anyone sew?? I do, but not very well and not very often. I do have a few skirts and things that I've made for myself. Who else sews?? Would anyone be interested in swapping patterns?

 
I quilt alot, but I haven't made clothes since those sweatpants in Home Economics!
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Originally Posted by suzukigrrl Anyone sew?? I do, but not very well and not very often. I do have a few skirts and things that I've made for myself. Who else sews?? Would anyone be interested in swapping patterns? I love to sew (I work in the garment industry and my college major was fashion design). I don't have enough time to sew, but I always make a coat every year for the winter. This year, my coat is black wool gabardine and is from a (now discontinued) Claude Montana for Vogue pattern. I'm about halfway finished (I need to get cracking on it, it's a complicated style and winter is soon). Last year I made a grey wool flannel coat. I also want to make some skirts this year (but after I finish the coat).
 
Originally Posted by Naturally I LOVE to sew! I have 3 machines and 1 serger ..funny thing is ...my oldest machine is the one I use the most ..it's over 50 years old ..but I love it! I used to sew a lot when I was younger because I couldn't find clothes to fit me (I was size 1 for a long time in my late teens/early 20's). I made pants, skirts, shirts, you name it!
I made a gorgeous black velvet cloak with purple satin lining ...I still have to make the hood (it is detachable) so it wasn't necessary. I've made costumes for my kids for halloween ...it's great! I think my favorite patterns were always Vogue ..but lately it's usually McCalls or Simplicity. If/when I drive an hour to the fabric shop ...I get patterns when they are on sale.

I usually make a lot of my Rennfaire costumes (because I can save SOOO much money ..those things are so costly otherwise to buy).

My desire ..one of these days though ..is to SPLURGE and get one of those machines that does embroidery and so forth also!

The older machines are the best ones, but I have a newer Kenmore and it is great. I don't own any industrial machines (too big and too loud).
Vogue patterns have gone downhill now that McCalls owns them (Butterick used to own them but McCalls bought Butterick and got Vogue as part of the deal). I still use my old Vogue patterns, and I have always like Simplicity.

The machine I'd most like would be a blind-stitcher, which are the machines in alterations shops that do blind hems. I used to work in a tailor shop and now when I have to hem my pants by hand, I miss that machine so much.

 
Wow.. everyone sounds like they mastered it! I've always been into sewing but just little things. I've been wanting to get a cool sewing machine so I can start making clothes too.

And I love shopping for fabric! I can spend hours in a fabric store!
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great to hear from other sewers!! I have an old machine too. We bought it from the flea market for $40. We suspect that it is from the 40's or 50's. It has all metal parts and works like a dream!! It could sew through leather if we had the right needles.

 
Originally Posted by suzukigrrl great to hear from other sewers!! I have an old machine too. We bought it from the flea market for $40. We suspect that it is from the 40's or 50's. It has all metal parts and works like a dream!! It could sew through leather if we had the right needles. Those old machines are unstoppable. It's such a shame that the new machines are made with so much plastic. Even Singer machines aren't what they used to be. Although, Kenmore has managed to remain a good machine (the best new model machines on the market, imo). If you're having a hard time finding leather needles that fit older model machines, you may want to check out "Nancy's Notions" or "Clotilde's" catalogs as they are very helpful.

My favorite book on sewing is "Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing", it takes you from beginner to advanced by the end of that book. Even now, if I get confused that's the first place I look for my answer.

 
Originally Posted by lilyindavis Wow.. everyone sounds like they mastered it! I've always been into sewing but just little things. I've been wanting to get a cool sewing machine so I can start making clothes too.
And I love shopping for fabric! I can spend hours in a fabric store!
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My favorite fabric stores are Poli and Paron Fabrics, and I also like Mood Fabrics. I like B&J Fabrics, but they're way out of my budget (all of these are in NYC). For the national chains, I like Hancocks the best. For button stores, I like Great Buttons and M&J a lot.
 
I love to sew, but have been *self taught* until recently. I started taking a sewing class with some friends a few weeks ago. We have had so much fun! We started off making dresses for our daughters since they were all the same age. Those turned out adorable, so next week we start on jackets.

After that we are going to try and make the stuffed chairs like pottery barn sells.

I am making curtains for several of the rooms in our new house.

 
I'm mostly self-taught. I picked up most of what I know when I did costuming in my high school theater department. That sure was fun! I've been wanting to get a copy of Vogue Sewing. I had a copy when I was younger and learning to sew, but I don't know what happened to my old copy.

 
Originally Posted by suzukigrrl I'm mostly self-taught. I picked up most of what I know when I did costuming in my high school theater department. That sure was fun! I've been wanting to get a copy of Vogue Sewing. I had a copy when I was younger and learning to sew, but I don't know what happened to my old copy. If you go to meetup.com they list different activity/hobby clubs. If you type in "sewing", you'll probably find a sewing club in your area.
 
Originally Posted by SamanthaBNYC If you go to meetup.com they list different activity/hobby clubs. If you type in "sewing", you'll probably find a sewing club in your area. I actually just found a stich and witch group. I've just been doing hand sewing projects because I can't carry the machine along. It is SO MUCH fun to sew with a group!! So motivating too.
 
Sound fabulous! I wish I could figure out how to do a buttonhole on the machine. I think I just need to find a buttonhole foot for it. Do a Google search on the guide! Sometime you can find scans of the guide online, parts too! There are a ton of these old machines around, so there must be info available somewhere.

Originally Posted by Naturally Well ..my old machine is a Pfaff ..my mom got it when they lived in Germany. It does a zillion stitches ..unfortunately I have NO idea where the guide is that tells me how to set the dials to get those stitches! I know it did smocking and blind hems also! I think I used to use it for that long ago when I made a lot of pants! It's all metal and all the feet that came with it are metal also (more mia items). One of these days I'll go thru all my crap and hopefully find all the parts to it. I have 2 belts for it just in case those die because I was told they no longer make parts for it it's so old! I'll cry if/when that happens as it's my fave machine!
I'm self taught ..and my mom taught me some things also ..she used to make dresses for women when I was a wee one! She still sews to this day and she's 85! She has enough fabric to open her own store because she buys something ..and then forgets that she has it! (part of growing older - forgetfullness). And she has a drawer full of buttons ...all sorted into different colors, etc! My kids LOVE to visit that drawer! Oh ..she's got OLD Vogue patterns ..and I mean ANCIENT ..from the 50's and 60's ..god it's so funny to look at some of them too! I'll save them if she gives them to me!

 
Originally Posted by Naturally Found a photo of it ...check this out (threading guide I found): LOL! That's one sexy machine!!
 
Yay! I just hemmed two pairs of pants, fixed a waistband on another pair, and fixed a belt loop on another.

 
U ladies r making me jealous .. it's been quite some time since I got my machines going. I have the Pfaff machines (sewing and serger). I have a ton load of fabric that I need to get cracking on. I'll probably sew some pants for the winter. In NYC u can check out sewfastsoeasy. Now, I have to get off my bum and get motivated.

 
Originally Posted by SamanthaBNYC Yay! I just hemmed two pairs of pants, fixed a waistband on another pair, and fixed a belt loop on another. That's fabulous! My mending pile is getting too huge. I'll need to take a week off work to get it all done!
 
Originally Posted by phoenix461 U ladies r making me jealous .. it's been quite some time since I got my machines going. I have the Pfaff machines (sewing and serger). I have a ton load of fabric that I need to get cracking on. I'll probably sew some pants for the winter. In NYC u can check out sewfastsoeasy. Now, I have to get off my bum and get motivated. I've got a ton of fabric too that needs to be worked on! Now that I'm going out to clubs and bars more often I want to make some cute dresses to wear. Wish I was in NYC!!!!
 
I teach beginner sewing and I design capes for plus sizes! Take a class somewhere. If you cannot, go to a sewing machine dealer and have the salesperson walk you through some basics (using the button hole option etc). I have 18 sewing machines! I like anything old and made of metal but I am not a Singer person. My dream machine is an Elna or a Bernina (Martha Stewart uses Bernina exclusively of course--they are the Lexus of sewing machines. They cost more than a used car.) Believe it or not, a good value is the Brother sewing machine that Walmart sells. For $149 you get a machine that will help you sew everything from beautiful velvet to home dec. My user name is SewAmazing because I demonstrate a 90 minute dress (no pattern) in class that always blows my students away when they are wearing it home at the end of class.

 
I'd love to take your 90 minute dress class! I don't suppose you teach in the San Francisco Bay area??

 

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