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Thread: Sewing Your Own Clothes

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    Veteran Member Stipperella's Avatar
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    Default Sewing Your Own Clothes

    I wanna learn how to sew mainly clothes, not craft projects, but i need a sewing machine. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on buying one. Also would it be o.k. to buy one from wal-mart???

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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    sew me thawngs!

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    God/dess MrChristopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    What are you looking to spend? My wife is a seamstress and has her own site etc. She has a couple of sewing machines, and a serger as well. So, if you let me know what price range you're looking in I can ask her to pop in with some details on what brand/model she thinks would work best for what you're trying to accomplish.
    waffles are just pancakes with little squares on them.

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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    i try to make my own basketball shorts and other things. I made some costumes last halloween. Scouting around for a hardcore sewing machine these days.

    I want a "multi-fuction one" that happens to do a good blind stitch, which might be next to impossible to find.
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    Veteran Member Stipperella's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    I just really want to learn how to make clothes i'm willing to spend in the $200.00's MAX (for now at least).

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    God/dess Lysondra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Buy a vintage (1970) singer machine... no crap from walmart or target, got it? Your clothing is only as good as your thread. Spend your money on the good thread. Always watch the needle, not the fabric... and use babypowder to sew vinyl.

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    Featured Member Muyaha's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    If you don't really know how to use a sewing machine... I would advise you to go to a sewing machine store vs. wal mart. The staff at the sewing machine places are usually old women who have been sewing for years and can help you out alot more than some sales person from walmart. Plus the sewing machine stores usually have classes avaliable etc..

    I may have many faults, but being wrong ain't one of them.

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    Featured Member krys's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    If you are going to be making clothes for work make sure it has a good "stretch stitch" on it... essential for succesfully sewing lycra!!

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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    I would love to sew my own clothes one day ...just cute thing here and there.

    I was talking to the lady who is almost done w/ my stripper dress she is making for me and she said that she would love to have a machine that does really nice and easy on stretch fabrics. Something to keep in mind.
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    Featured Member Veronika's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    For work you need a serger and a regular machine... that said (and I come from a family of pro costumers for movies and stage) yes.. you can get by initially with a wal-mart machine. Get a brother or a singer because the companies will back you up if it breaks and get a good basic model that has a straight and a zig-zag. Fancy things are not necessary. Next go buy yourself the "Vogue Sewing Book" and get a subscription to "Threads" magazine. Read them... read the manual... practice making all the stitches in the manual and the books. I promise this will only take a weekend. Practice sewing with basic cheap-o patterns and cloth at first (for wovens, thrift store sheets work well). I am so not kidding.

    If you can find the 70s machine mentioned above, get it.. any earlier and you have to manually change the cams to get different stitches. This is fine if you can *find* the cams. Older Kenmores are good too and the parts are still available from Sears. The are workhorses.

    Keep in mind that some of the less expensive machines don't have the motors to sew denim or through elastic. You might need to upgrade once you get the hang of it. Older machines will do better with those fabrics/notions.

    PVC and vinyl can also be sewn by placing tissue on the seams.. that and the baby powder keep the sticky fabrics from getting caught on the feed dogs.

    Change needles often! Most crappy stitches are from dull needles. Use the right needles for the job (sharp/ball point)... the Vogue book will clue you on this. Hell.. get the Vogue book even if it is an outdated publishing from the 60s! Indispensible!

    For a Serger.. I have a 3/4 Kenmore with differential feed and it covers most of my projects for work or my private life. I can even fake a pro cover stitch if I need to. It is one of the less expensive models. If you get a serger, read ALL the books that come with it and take the cheap classes at the local sewing center. 3 hours of your time will save you TONS in the future if you have never sewn before.

    For sewing clothes for *real life* find a copy of the out-dated but very informative "The Bishop Method of Sewing Construction". You can sew *anything* if you spend a week following that book. Seriously, I copy Issey Miyake and Gucci stuff.

    I have a library of almost 100 sewing books dating back to the 1880s that show all sorts of techniques and construction you can't find now. I've gone through tons of machines... Do it, Girl! It is so rewarding!
    Currently dancing at the Men's Club of Reno, NV
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    Veteran Member Stipperella's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Wow thanks for all the info, I've been wanting to do this for so long. I wanna start off with dancing "work" clothes. I never like what i see online it's usually a one size fit all :-( or just a style that just don't fit me and shows off my defects. I'm gonna look around to see if there are any classes available here locally, maybe get some books. I think i would still like to learn more about sewing before i go buying a machine though, also so i can save up for the machine i'm really gonna need. Meanwhile I'm practicing on my hand stitching.

    THANKS for all your help!!! any more tips welcomed!!!

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    Senior Member honey55's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    thanks Veronika that's very helpful. I'd like to sew own Robe/Gown(?) with See through/ mesh material. I think it maybe easy for sewing beginner.
    Anyone bought materials on-line? any good?
    honey55

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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    I'd reccomend not buying materials online as you cna't test the stretch, thickness...anything. ANd I don't think sewing something see-through is good for a beginner... remember, on seethrough fabric, all your sewing mistakes will show right through to the front. :/

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    Senior Member honey55's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    awww.. that's a good point Lilithmorrington. I forgot I am a beginner! It's my bad habit that I believe in "I can do this" without experience.

    By the way I found this http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/index.htm
    choose articles from let hand side of this page.
    Last edited by honey55; 04-26-2005 at 11:01 PM.
    honey55

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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Yeah, sewing with sheer fabrics takes some practice with techniques. I am definitely an amateur but have a little experience, and I also recommend a good old machine. I had a crappy machine I bought at Hancock Fabrics, then my grandmother gave me her warhorse Kenmore that's about 30 years old. Find a good service center; a tune-up will run you $30-$50 and it's well worth it. I also second getting the Vogue book--I found mine at Half Price books and I bet there are tons of used ones on Amazon and Ebay. Great for basic techniques.

    I sure would like a nice big sewing table now that I have the room for one. Anyone have any recommendations for finding one? I'm talking nice and tall so I don't have to stoop to pin and cut patterns.

    Also, if you are going to try to make work clothes, it is a good idea to take apart something you like (carefully so you can put it back together) and use that to create a pattern. I'm working on creating the perfect thong right now, which is kind of fun.

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    Featured Member Veronika's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Good machines don't need to be expensive.. this is the serger I have http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes

    You don't need the best to get started, just good. Those Kenmores last forever if you take care of them. If you get one from Wal-MArt, get a good known brand, not the Sew-pro or whatever. I've seen Singers and Brothers for $129 or less that'd do what you need when you start out. Garage sales and thrift stores rock for starter machines, too.

    There is a book called "Patterns from Finished Clothes" by Tracy Doyle that has a technique for making patterns without ripping your clothes apart. That is how I copy my work clothes. The Vogue book (which I got for a buck at a garage sale) shows how to make alterations very well so you can get the fit you need.

    Susan, my nice big sewing table is a pair of adjustable sawhorse type table legs (with shelves) from Ikea and a big piece of wood on top. I painted them to match
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    God/dess Lysondra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    "If you get one from Wal-MArt, get a good known brand, not the Sew-pro or whatever."

    Not true. Singer and Kenmore 'dumb down' their machines for Wal-Mart. As in, they make them all plastic and they only last 2 years. A good vintage singer (all metal) can last 50 years or more.

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    Veteran Member Stipperella's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    O.k i'm a little confused is a sewing machine and serger the same thing??? or its different???

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    God/dess erotictonic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    I had two cheap Singers. Those biatches break. And Brothers aren't worth the parts they are made of. When my Singer broke, I was upstairs sewing on my deceased grandmother's machine.... a Vintage like 1910 model that was sewing perfectly lol. It doesn't have a lot of options... but it works like a charm.

    A serger sews and finishes the edges at the same time. Look down the sides of your t-shirts, and you will see the stitches it makes. Kills two birds with one stone.

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    Featured Member Veronika's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Quote Originally Posted by lilithmorrigan
    "If you get one from Wal-MArt, get a good known brand, not the Sew-pro or whatever."

    Not true. Singer and Kenmore 'dumb down' their machines for Wal-Mart. As in, they make them all plastic and they only last 2 years. A good vintage singer (all metal) can last 50 years or more.

    Reeeeaaaally... I stand corrected! I have a (modern) Brother and a Singer (not from Wal-Mart) that have lasted me forever. I always assumed they were the same since I have had good luck with the brands in general. Thank you for the check. I have a Brother XL-3030 which I love and isn't too pricey. A weird brand I'd never heard of bought at Woolworths (years ago) used to piss me off because you could'nt get in to oil the moving parts. It was like it was made to die in a short amount of time. Something to look out for, I guess.

    I agree whole heartedly that the metal vintage machines are awesome. If they are cleaned and oiled on a regular basis they will outlast most people I know. I've never had a problem finding parts for any of them either. Just find them locally if possible, not ebay as they will be heavy to ship.

    ^^^ and that might be the way to go - hounding thrift stores and garage sales - to get started. I saw an old metal Singer today with all the parts and extra feet/accessories for under $50 at Value Village today.
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    Veteran Member Nina's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sewing Your Own Clothes

    Quote Originally Posted by lilithmorrigan
    "If you get one from Wal-MArt, get a good known brand, not the Sew-pro or whatever."

    Not true. Singer and Kenmore 'dumb down' their machines for Wal-Mart. As in, they make them all plastic and they only last 2 years. A good vintage singer (all metal) can last 50 years or more.
    I really try to avoid Walmart in general... even the name brand foods are lower quality to keep those Walmart prices down but On Topic.

    I received a gift of a Brother machine and needed to buy a varierty of feet for it. Well the sewing shops never had it, after checking online I found that my machine was a Canadian model....SO I need to order my parts from Canada.... The machine was bought in GA!!
    Sexy, Swarovski Stripper jewelry, OOAK, and DIY clothing


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