Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with sewing and patterns

Cross my heart

mippy — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:26:47 -0800

I've been doing some cross-stitch after a break, and have been enjoying it. Where can I find some cool, non-chintzy designs? Especially if something other than cards or big projects. Recommendations for pattern software good too! I did the blackwork Mucha lady from this book a few years back and really liked it, but I'd like some small projects too. I know there's one site that does swear cross-stitch, but it seems a bit naff - I'm looking for the cross-stitch equivalent of Sublime Stitching (I can't embroider freehand yet, but really love the designs on there).

Sewing baby clothes

oneirodynia — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:30:48 -0800

Sewing baby clothes- I have a friend's shower coming up, and I'd like to make something fabulous for an infant baby girl. Patterns you've made, pictures of clothes you love, general info on good and bad baby clothes, fabrics, fasteners, &c. I've got a sewing machine and a nice serger, and I'm a decent seamstress. So far, the patterns I've browsed online have been pretty uninspiring. I'd like to make something cute, useful, (washable !), and just generally fabulous. However, if you know of something basic that's much needed by parents-to-be, feel free to suggest that too. Suggestions also don't have to be limited to purely baby clothes.

(In 'clothing, beauty, and fashion', because for some reason there isn't a 'kids' category.)

Large scale scanning and printing?

bitter-girl.com — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:05:08 -0800

Looking for a specialty printer who can print large-format pattern pieces (and possibly scan them, too) for a new line of sewing and knitting patterns. I design knitwear and my partner designs sewing patterns. We plan to sell them both online as downloadable PDFs (like the BurdaStyle ones -- printed on a normal-sized printer by the end user, then matched up point a to point a, etc and taped together) and as regular style printed patterns in stores. Not sure if the services used by architects (as referenced here on MeFi) would help.

Here's the problem:

a. we are doing the pattern pieces manually (so they're large, life-sized pieces), and we're not sure if we should have them scanned in full-size then printed from the scans, or drafted digitally.

b. we need to find a printer who can handle printing large pieces like these, at a reasonable price. Our local preferred printer for everything else can't.

The usual size of similar commercial pattern piece sheets is somewhere around 3' x 6' if that helps. Thanks.

Pattern for Marimekko "clover" bag?

misterbrandt — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 09:49:00 -0800

I saw this Marimekko 'clover' bag at a friend's house recently, and I would love to make something similar (well, the more identical the better) for my wife. Ideally, I would prefer a pre-existing pattern. Failing that, I would also accept instructions for how to make an accurate pattern from my friend's bag without ripping all the seams out. Part of the reason that I like this bag in particular is because the panels are cut so the bag has a little "bulge" -- i.e. they are all cut in fairly complex shapes (and my guess is if I tried to guesstimate a pattern, it would look like crap. The devil is in the details, etc.)

(I have read this thread on clothing, patterns, and copyright, but since this is for my wife (not for resale) I am not concerned about the issue of copying Marimekko's pattern. Unless you think I should be...

So: pattern? Or pattern-making tips?

Pattern for velvet skirt

Sara Anne — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 10:27:18 -0800

Where can I find a good pattern for a velvet skirt? I bought a gorgeous remnant of searingly blue velvet, and I want to make a skirt. Can anyone recommend a good pattern? I'd like to make it an a-line. Also links to free pattern sites would be nice, as well as tips for sewing velvet.