Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with sewing and fashion

Make me a Master Tailor...

Hollowman — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:11:09 -0800

Make me a Master Tailor: I know how to plug in a sewing machine and use a cloth ruler. Assuming nothing more, where do I begin... A chance encounter with the Book Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing last week has lead to a weekend and more of sleepless nights, thinking about a possible career change.

I've always been very crafty (woodworking, knitting, cooking, baking, cake decorating, etc.) and meticulous in all of my work, but had never considered making clothes for myself, let alone others. After reading, er, devouring the book, my brain has literally run away with itself trying to come up with ways to ease into a more tactile and creatively oriented career. I know that the bespoke industry is no picnic as far as hours, pay, etc., but I'm very much interested in what 'I' would need to learn in order to be a "Success" technically, not so much financially. I'm not that interested in the fashion design aspect, but the creation of perfectly fitted, intricately constructed, and beautiful clothing. Primarily for Men (myself especially), but for anyone willing to have custom work done.

So with that said, I'm asking the hive mind for suggestions on:
- References. Books, magazines, websites, blogs, etc. to learn sewing, fitting, tailoring techniques from absolute beginner to professional levels. Especially, anything more focused on Men's clothing. I do realize from reading what I have been able to find, that most of this information isn't in book form, but gained through apprenticing, classroom, or on the job type of training.
- Educational programs. From DVDs to Design School, what would I need to look for to be taken seriously. Is there a certification process, some sort of art degree?
- Equipment. I essentially, just have my sister's sewing machine on loan for now, and a pair of scissors. It is a mid level machine in the $500 range, but I can't remember the model right now. I'd like to get some idea of what would be needed to do one-off, or very limited copies of tailored clothes. I am not really interested in doing "sewing room" work as a main focus. So I'm not sure what features are necessary, and what ones are not needed. I don't see a massive computerized embroidery robot with 5000 fonts and Disney characters in my future.
- What else? Free for all category or wish lists.

I have a good job with regular hours with enough extra income to "invest" in myself to turn a fantasy into reality, if the reality can be anything like the fantasy. I have 10-20 hours a week to develop skills and do practice work. I realize that this is a long term plan and so I want to lay a solid foundation going forward. Worst case scenario, I have some new shirts that I can wear under my suit jackets :)

Can anyone recommend a good home serger?

pantufla — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:59:03 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good home serger? A few desired features: coverstitch, rolled hem, 4 thread. Thanks!

Looking for classy, contemporary fabric and pattern shops online.

suimin — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:07:25 -0800

Are there any trendy, fashion-forward fabric and sewing-pattern shops online? One of my friends is teaching me the basics of how to follow a pattern to sew clothing. I've been to my local fabric shops and they all have similar fabrics available, and the same clothing-pattern brands, such as Vogue and Simplicity, etc.

Now, I don't want to waste my time sewing clothes that I'm not going to like. A lot of the fabrics available in my local stores are...matronly? Country-kitchen? I've seen lots of boring florals, unoriginal stripes, and tacky satins. Even the plaids are these obvious sugar-sweet color combinations.

The patterns, by and large, tend to be boxy, frumpy, and outdated. I found a few nice dress and skirt patterns, but it seemed odd that, out of so many catalogues, I could only find a handful of designs that seemed at all well-cut, sleek, or original. I personally know a lot of younger people who like making clothes, so why did so few of the patterns seem to appeal to a younger demographic?

So I wanted to check out the competition online before I purchased anything. I mean, I see clothes in stores made from beautiful, creative fabrics. They must get the fabric from somewhere, right? And I'd always assumed that clothes made by the individual would fit better than clothes that are mass produced--and yet, a lot of the common patterns seem to be designed to fit in a boxy, not-tailored way. So, are there any online fabric and pattern shops that are more cutting-edge? (They don't have to cater to beginning-level sewing or anything--I plan on getting good at this, eventually.) I'm willing to do some work on my own--if someone could even just point me in the right direction, maybe recommend a magazine or a blog, I'd really appreciate it. All the searches I've done online have led me to more of the same tacky stuff I can find in the fabric stores here, and I'm looking for something a little more attractive.

How do I get my skirt replicated?

nursegracer — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:39:25 -0800

How does one go about getting a tailor to clone one's favorite item of clothing? I sew, but not very well. I have an absolutely amazing skirt made by Illig several years ago, and every time I wear it I get tons of compliments. I want another one, before this one wears out (although it is rather tough).

It is a thick, stretchy plaid material. It is extremely long (hits my toes and I'm 5'10"). It has interesting details like cargo pockets and weird cinching ties and grommets down the side.

Due to these details, I think it might be decently hard to have someone make an exact replica. I also have no clue where to find this kind of fabric (it doesn't need to be the same plaid) because I've never found something this thick and this stretchy. Also, grommets...do tailors do that?

So, on to the questions:
1. Can I just hand the skirt over to a tailor and say, "Make me one of these, please"? How much might it cost?
2. Do I have to provide the material, or can the tailor sort it out? I have no clue how many yards I would need, although I'll venture 4 or 5.
3. Are there good alternatives to tailors to do this? Like some clothing-copiers online that would do it for me?
4. Will my skirt be safe? I'm almost too worried about losing it to give it to someone for a while, especially if I have to send it. However, I'm not sure pictures would do it justice.

TIA, and if anyone has any Philadelphia-centric recommendations, I would appreciate them greatly. I will be following this post closely, so please feel free to ask for clarifications.

incoming sewing n00b alert

divabat — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 04:30:06 -0800

I've been inspired by t-shirt surgery and am thinking of getting into sewing. However, I've never sewed something in my life. Where do I begin? A request from a friend to design a t-shirt for her (odd, because I've only used an iron-on transfer before, but eh) and my fascination with t-shirt surgery has inspired me to delve more into it. I've been experimenting with cutting up stuff (right now I'm wearing a rudimentary skirt made by chopping a t-shirt in half) but know next to nothing about sewing.

I used to hate sewing. We had to do it as part of a Life Skills course in school and I just tossed the work to my mum. I get the basic idea of sewing, but can't tell you how to do a hem. I'm not even interested in fashion; I find it utterly boring. However, I like the creativity of turning something into something else, and t-shirt surgery seemed fun.

My qs:

1. I live in Brisbane, Australia. Are there any sewing classes in the area? Google doesn't get me anything specific (there is a Sewing Guild but that's all). Is it worth going? I'm a uni student, so time and money is a concern.

2. I've been reading up on sewing machines for beginners and I'm not sure where to get a good deal. I saw a beginner Singer for $199 at Lincraft but I have the feeling they're cheaper elsewhere. Any tips for where to look?

3. Where can an absolute beginner seamstress start? Assume I know nothing. I've been reading up things online but even the name of stitches elude me.

4. How do you do a hem?

Any info appreciated, though if it's Brisbane-specific even better. Thanks!

My Beau Wants to Design Menswear

ao4047 — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:17:22 -0800

My boyfriend wants to experiment with designing menswear - both casual and formal (he's had experience sewing wedding dresses). Looking for:

Standard books/design he should look at (incl pattern-making books) - what are the 'canon' books/ideas?
Online resources for menswear design and construction
Favorite fabric stores in Chicago (preferably not in the suburbs)

How to keep a sewing machine quiet?

pantufla — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 21:01:58 -0800

How can I prevent the vibrations and noise from my Juki DDL-8700 sewing machine from bothering my downstairs neighbors? I bought this machine to do school work in my apartment's living room at night. Unfortunately, from the start, the vibrations from the sewing machine have bothered my downstairs neighbors, who unfortunately are now sleeping in their living room, directly beneath ours, since a sick family member has moved into their bedroom. I bought a thick rubber pad from the sewing machine retailer and placed it under the machine, and I've also bought blocks to place under the four legs that support the machine and its table. Sadly, the noise/vibrations from the machine are still bothering the neighbors. I was wondering if anyone had sound/vibration proofing tips specific to sewing machines or other heavy appliances that may not make a lot of audible noise, but which emit bothersome vibrations. Thanks!

Please help me dress myself better than the mall can...

Alison — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:51:46 -0800

What are your favorite styles or pieces of clothing that defy trends? I have recently been inspired to make most of my clothing for this spring/summer and next fall. Due to the time and energy investment I would like to end up with a wardrobe that will be unique but will still look good years from now. I am fairly experienced at sewing and have a big pattern library, so I can figure out how to make almost anything.

I am looking for things that can be hard to find at times as availability is often decided upon what will be popular rather than what will be practical for years. For example, I like making things like pleated skirts or fitted tweed jackets, but these might not be in stores depending on the trend cycle and most likely won’t be available in a color I like. Lately, I have been finding a lot of inspiration from vintage clothing.

So what are your favorite looks? Is there a skirt you have that looks good with everything? Do you have a coat that still draws complements after five years? Have you seen something special enough to make you look at it again? Pictures or links to patterns would be appreciated as would any inspirational book recommendations. This is also not limited to women’s clothing; I’m interested in looking at men’s styles, too.

Help me make a belt

amtho — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 09:56:54 -0800

Wanted: tips or detailed instructions for making a belt (clothing) out of fabric, iron-on "waist maker" tape, needle, thread, "belting" strap material, and (probably) some hooks. I'm not 100% sure how to fold/sew the fabric around the tape, especially the ends. No luck with Google, and the package instructions are sparse. I've got this kind of nice 50s-style dress I'm working on accessorizing with white shoes, hat, gloves, and a string of fake pearls; it needs the perfect belt. I've decided I need to make the perfect belt: simple, fabric, about 1" wide, buckle optional (can't find the right one anyway). I went to the fabric store and found the materials described above and now own them.

The iron-on tape will let me use heat to stick the fabric to it, but what about the back, where the fabric would probably be two layers? And what about the ends? I'm thinking the ends should be rounded or pointed, but what's the best way to fold the fabric over?

I've got a thinner fabric and a thicker fabric; I think I'm going to try to make belts out of both of them. Oh, and I have to have it done by Friday.

(I already made my own crinoline - _without_ instructions or any experience, so I'm feeling pretty able)

Surely there are some instructions out there somewhere...

How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error?

SpecialK — Tue, 20 Jul 2004 15:57:29 -0800

ClothingFilter: I need to find a tailor to make some alterations to an expensive sportcoat. The retailer I bought it from only does alterations to new items, and their tailor works for them... I've always had good experiences with that tailor, but the other things I've gotten done (through the place that dry cleans my clothes) really sucked. How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error? Also, does anyone know what the standard turnaround for getting some shirts laundered is? I just started having to wear all this professional stuff regularly, and while I know how to dress and how to select clothes, I'm finding I'm really clueless on the maintenance part. The cleaner in my neighbourhood wants 3 days to wash, starch, and press shirts...

Any other dry cleaning tips would be appreciated. I already know little things like not to leave the plastic tabs in your shirt collar when you send them out to get them cleaned... but like I said, other than that, I'm clueless.