Costume & Crafting Help

Cheyenne · Post by **Cheyenne** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:24 pm

burning Pug, thats hilarious, he/she doesn't look all that impressed with the fluffy jumper... but cool though

Its great that peeps are doing their own thing with creating outfits... I sew historical and archaeological textiles for a living - and its great to see people get inspired by their own imagination!

lucky420 · Post by **lucky420** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:12 pm

No she loved it. I made a belt for it but it didn't turn out very well, so as I was sewing a bit of elastic for her underbelly she waited right next to me (as if she couldn't wait to try it on). It was really cold that weekend and she wore it a lot...she belongs to my daughter and as college kids tend to keep the heat turned down, I was happy to make it for her.

Post by **Savannah** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:08 pm

The photo--and the mental image of the dog waiting eagerly to put her coat on--slay me.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:21 pm

Looks like some kinda sheep dog, black sheep in wolfs' clothing, in a good way.

delle · Post by **delle** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:21 pm

Ack!!! I'm desperate for some knowhow here!!!

My darling husband has decided that I need a new sewing machine pronto - something that can do everything that I've been coming up with over the last bit.... of course that means fake fur, leather, canvas, tulle, silk.... you name it.

My cheap little machine sat in the basement too long it seems, and doesn't like to do anything very well anymore.

Anyhow, on looking tonight I came across an ad for a (semi-?)professional Bernina 850 with a nice large working surface. 1970's model, completely serviced in 2006 then left to sit (in a dry spot) until now.

The woman selling it can't tell me much about it, as she bought it on a whim, immediately got ill and never really used it.

She says it's "too much machine" for her, and she never really got the hang of it.

So I'm wondering.

I'm not much of a sewer.... I do ok, have been pretty proud of my creations in the past... but I can't say I'd be all that confident with something REALLY speedy. On the otherhand, having something I could count on to go thru anything would be a real treat.

Is there anyone in here who knows these machines at all and can tell me if I'm going to kick myself if we don't buy this thing?

It's $350. An identical one sits farther away at $950.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:42 pm

Um. Don't kick yourself. You'll find something else amazing without having to wait too long. I bet a lot of people buy them and don't use them. Also, you want to make sure that the innards are metal, not plastic. I don't know what makes are made from metal, but anything older than about 30 years should be okay. Then get it serviced. Also, I'm sure that you can find tutorials and comparisons and opinions all over the web. Crafting sites might be a good place to start. Remember to get the proper strength needle for the fabric.
I know nothing about surgers.
And yes, it's the internet. Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one and no body want's another.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:32 pm

delle wrote:Ack!!! I'm desperate for some knowhow here!!!

My darling husband has decided that I need a new sewing machine pronto - something that can do everything that I've been coming up with over the last bit.... of course that means fake fur, leather, canvas, tulle, silk.... you name it.

My cheap little machine sat in the basement too long it seems, and doesn't like to do anything very well anymore.

Anyhow, on looking tonight I came across an ad for a (semi-?)professional Bernina 850 with a nice large working surface. 1970's model, completely serviced in 2006 then left to sit (in a dry spot) until now.

The woman selling it can't tell me much about it, as she bought it on a whim, immediately got ill and never really used it.

She says it's "too much machine" for her, and she never really got the hang of it.

So I'm wondering.

I'm not much of a sewer.... I do ok, have been pretty proud of my creations in the past... but I can't say I'd be all that confident with something REALLY speedy. On the otherhand, having something I could count on to go thru anything would be a real treat.

Is there anyone in here who knows these machines at all and can tell me if I'm going to kick myself if we don't buy this thing?

It's $350. An identical one sits farther away at $950.

Delle my dear, if you can afford to buy it, I think you should go for it. The wonderful thing about those old machines is that they will run for hours. I don't sew that often either but when I do, it's usually a huge project: costuming the entire cast for an amateur Shakespeare production, 46 floor-to-ceiling drapery panels for a school auditorium, outfitting a group of friends for a Lord of the Rings convention (that was fun, we wound up sharing a suite with a gang of armorers and filled one of the bathtubs with beer... )

Anyway, for projects like that you need a machine that will run and run and run, one that will take any size of needle and handle every kind of fabric. Sergers are easy, can save you a ton of time and leave a non-moopish finish with one pass; french seams are very time-consuming but imagine shredding all over the playa!

Or being scratched and irritated by that lovely tulle while you are dancing.

Or worse: getting down to the wire with one last day to sew and having your machine crap out on you.

I have three old machines; one was my mother's, one was my aunt's, and one was my grandmother's, a very old Singer in a walnut case that my grandfather retrofitted with an electrical kit from Sears.

I use all of them. I wish I could find an old professional-grade machine. These moderns ones are made of plastic and won't stand up to heavy use.

Any old machine that still works is obviously very sturdy. Pick out the lint and give it a few drops of oil once in a while

and it will last forever.

delle · Post by **delle** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:08 am

Thank you, Fish and MDF, for your insight. I appreciate it.

I think I will go by after work today for a test drive, if it's still available.

It's not a surger -- although strangely enough, that was what Ken had first offered me. After looking into sugers, I thought that (although of course very exciting) the application might be a bit limited for what I usually do with a machine, and we started looking at used machines instead. The fact that my machine is unreliable made a good standard one a bit more of a priority.

I don't want to rush ahead and get this just because it's there... but the more I read about it, the more I like the idea of it.

The way I figure it this morning is that if it's still available and I love it, I'll go for it and just learn to use it properly. If it isn't, I'll probably say yes to the surger (which really does have its place), get my other one serviced, and start actually taking a much closer look at the older metal machines that keep showing up at the Church Basement for $10.

Tho I have to say, Ken really got me as I was going to bed last night, still waffling over the decision. He said "think of it as having a 4-wheel drive button for your sewing machine".

Unfair! He KNOWS how much I love my 4-wheel drive button on my truck!!!!

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:26 am

Sergers (not surgers) and sewing machines are two completely different machines. Sergers don't sew, they just serge. I'm not really sure what your quandary is. If nothing else, at least take some stuff over there and give it a test run.

I have a Pfaff several decades old, works fine. I have the Project Runway machine from Brother on my want list, it is beyond excellently rated for a simple model.

delle · Post by **delle** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:38 pm

Sorry 'bout the typo. I guess after hours of searching them as a "surjeteuse", I got a bit stuck with the beginning of the word....

Serger it is!

So I ended up getting a Toyota instead. (I suppose something about the 4-wheel drive got to me.)

1950's. All metal. Completely overhauled and like-brand-new.

Will do silk up to 5/16" leather and everthing in between. And for about half the price of the other one. It's simple and straitforward and there's nothing to confuse me on it.

So now I'm looking for the old overlock companion to go with. That should provide HOURS of confusion!!!

Quandry was simple: I know shit about these machines and was hoping someone would be able to say "oooh, nice. Really easy to handle" or "oooh, noooo. You'll never figure that one out".

I guess in the end I just went with my gut. That usually steers me toward something tasty.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:38 am

I just inherited mom's old Pfaff. Older than I am, which is old. I'm afraid to plug it in. It has been stashed in a box for decades, I think I might have to oil the snot out of it. She made so many mother-daughter outfits over the year I thought that was normal. She sewed beautifully, her mother was a professional seamstress for a department store before most nice dresses were off the rack. I can muddle through costume pieces.

We thought it had been stolen, her Brother machine was taken and hocked by the meth addict boyfriend of a granddaughter. I am so relieved the Pfaff was found. Mom used to say it was valuable, I suppose it might be.

delle · Post by **delle** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:53 am

Oh sweet!!!

That's a great score on so many levels. A grand old machine that Rocks, and that you probably won't be able to use without thinking of your mom. Nice.

I suppose it would be worthwhile to bring it in to the shop for a proper look-over and lubejob before getting started with it.

Congratulations!!! ENJOY!!!

Cheyenne · Post by **Cheyenne** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:44 am

What is a 'surger' ? I've never heard of one of those... is it like an overlocker?

If so, then you can get machines that overlock and sew a seam all at once. Just look for the ones that have 4 spool holders... you can set them up so they just edge overlock or seam it aswell... and if you are pushed for time, then the latter is the best option

You can pick them up 2nd hand pretty cheaply

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:32 am

Cheyenne wrote:What is a 'surger' ? I've never heard of one of those... is it like an overlocker?

It's my understanding that the terms in the U.K. and U.S. are different, although I cannot remember the brit term. So you are probably right.

delle · Post by **delle** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:38 pm

Actually a surger is just an unfortunate typo whose function is nothing more than to make people in the know cringe a little bit.

A serger and an overlocker are the same (I believe... I only have 3 days' knowledge on the matter, remember).

And.......... I'm the proud owner of one now as well.

There was one on "special" at Walmart for $300. Small, compact, easy to use, blah, blah, blah..... But I happened to go into the local internet sales engine and found a professional Juki for $400. After a bit of research on the matter the decision was made for me. It's a 5 threader, so it does it all.

When I went to see it, they asked if I wanted the sewing machine as well. $600 for both. Also a Juki industrial. Pristine and beautifully maintained.... We ended up settling on $500 for the both, and she threw in about 50 large spools of premium serging thread in a rainbow of colours and every other thing she had in the house for sewing. She's not a sewer. They belonged to her ex-husband.

Then I spent 2 full days trying to learn how to thread the serger so it would work!!! Ouch!!!

Today tho, my hours of toil came together and I got it! BEAUTIFUL!!!! Seriously cool machine.

So now I have 2 industrial sewing machines and a serger where previously I had just a clunker (which I've also since fixed to the point of singing).

....I figured that selling just one of the two good machines at what they can easily go for could give me a tidy profit enough to bring the individual prices of the remaining units to the "whooooooahhhh great deal" range.... but now my daughter has decided she too has 65 plans in her head that she'd like to work on, and we'll have machine enough for both of us to work together without glaring at each other with that "it's my turn" look.

So now I just have to learn how to sew. Hahahahaha.

I'll keep you posted.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:32 am

A simple zig-zag stitch works, too, for those of us uninterested in the time or space a serger takes.

Next on your list should be a blind hemming machine. Thems fancy.

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:53 am

I thought you can always buy a blind hem foot for your current machine. Are they not as good?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:06 am

lazerfox wrote:I thought you can always buy a blind hem foot for your current machine.

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:30 am

Hi Fish...does that mean you also thought the same or am I way off base??

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:46 pm

I was referring to the hierarchy of snazzy machines to have, not necessarily anything practical.

delle · Post by **delle** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:55 pm

Good lord. A blind hemmer? I've never even heard of such a thing! I do have a blind hemmer foot that I'll be checking out after the holidays.

Yesterday I met the woman who runs the little sewing store down in the village. Turns out that she speaks English -- which is always a treat out here in this particular stretch of "English-gets-you-looked-at-funny" Quebec. It's really not something you come across very often.

It also turns out that her machines are mostly Jukis, and after bemusedly listening to me get all excited about how I'd finally figured out the threading (but was still totally lost on tension and stitch differences), she let loose some real pearls of wisdom... including...

Once you've got the threading right, you're good to go without having to do it again for a good long time (unless threads snap, etc.). To change colours, just snip the already-in-use thread near the spool, replace the spool with the new colour and tie it to the old thread... then just just pull the old thread thru --- instantly rethreading the machine with the new colour. just have to make sure it gets properly seated into the tension spots ok, and then thread the needle manually. VOILA! DONE!! Seconds rather than (at this point in my game) hours!

I was almost moved to tears. Who knew it could be that fucking easy!!!

Anyhow, she now has a couple of bottles of wine here with her name on 'em and will be coming by after the holidays to show me exactly how this thing works and what it can do.

I'm really looking forward to this!

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:28 am

WOW Delle that is a really great tip! Thank you for sharing.

I just started to use a machine myself last year and while it does not take me too long to thread it this will surely take a lot of stress out of the equation

So excited for you and all the awesome knowledge this great lady will bestow upon you.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:23 am

lazerfox wrote:WOW Delle that is a really great tip! Thank you for sharing.

I just started to use a machine myself last year and while it does not take me too long to thread it this will surely take a lot of stress out of the equation

So excited for you and all the awesome knowledge this great lady will bestow upon you.

Easy threading tip: snip the thread at the end of the spool, leaving it still threaded all the way through the needle eye. Tie the new thread to the end of that one, pull through.

delle · Post by **delle** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:43 pm

Heheheh

Interesting.

It took me 5 lines to say what you did in 1 1/2.

The shortcuts I'm learning here don't all have to do with sewing apparently!

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 10:25 am

delle wrote: We ended up settling on $500 for the both, and she threw in about 50 large spools of premium serging thread in a rainbow of colours and every other thing she had in the house for sewing. She's not a sewer. They belonged to her ex-husband.

OH MY GOD I HATE YOU. Nah I'm just really really jealous.

good score! i would keep both machines if I were you!

delle · Post by **delle** » Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:15 pm

Thank you, Tristan, for your hate. I do appreciate the sentiment!!! Tells me I wasn't wrong in thinking it was a good score.

Sooooooooo.... I started working on a project yesterday. A hat for a guest coming to our New Year's party. I couldn't think of anything to get her, and had stuff for everyone else, so I settled on a hat.

I've decided to call it the "Fuck Me!!" hat. Not because it's particularly sexy. It just happened to be the phrase I blurted out most often when making every mistake in the book.

What was supposed to be a simple pull on "tail top" (which I actually watched someone do in 5 minutes) took me all evening last night and part of today.

Ok. The (so far)final hat is nothing like the original recipe, and I had to figure out a decent head-size adapter in the back because the material I used to tart it up took away all the stretchiness of the polar fleece... but still. I've got to learn how to do this right!!! And I definitely have to get my shit organized. I lost more time in locating what I needed than actually doing anything useful -- which unfortunately tinged the otherwise extremely pleasant undertaking that it was.

http://s423.photobucket.com/albums/pp31 ... G_1980.jpg

It's a start!

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Sun Dec 26, 2010 4:54 pm

sweet hat!

delle · Post by **delle** » Mon Dec 27, 2010 6:17 am

Thanks!

It's supposed to be an "invisibility hat" to remind her and the world around her that her own time is precious. She seems always to be in work mode.

I wonder tho if it's subtle enough.

It'll have bells on it that can be removed for when she wants to go into Stealth Mode.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Dec 27, 2010 7:17 am

Elorrum wrote:sweet hat!

She is an authority on sweet hats, too.

Cheyenne · Post by **Cheyenne** » Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:04 pm

"Invisibility Hat"

I want one of those....