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Another distinguishing feature of Nazi uniforms is that they all had trapezoidal collar patches. Just cutting a couple of felt trapezoids and pinning those to the collars of each shirt would go a long way to making them look more authentic. That and shoulder straps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_Heer_(1935%E2%80%9345)#/media/File:Wehrmacht_uniforms_and_insignia.jpg Also the Nazis wore knee-length riding boots, which you can fake pretty easily with black rubber boots. (The Americans, with the exception of paratroopers, wore much shorter boots.)
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Aug 24, 2018 18:34
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Goldaline posted:Also double posting but I'm back on my Weird Sports/Swim/Underwear bullshit. Pretty SFW even if it doesn't look like it at first glance? Thinking about the contrasts between fabric meant for ease of movement and the appearance of a restrictive garment? It's for sure an easier way of getting the strappy/harness look without having to size/buckle/whatever each strap individually! The gold "rings" are especially cute. The pink also offsets the masculine / gay fetishwear vibe. And it seems to suit you.
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Aug 31, 2018 05:18
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learnincurve posted:Please learn from me, if you plan on doing quilting ever, say no to jelly rolls, and certainly say no to jelly rolls you make yourself. Eh, I have one sitting waiting for me to make a Bargello quilt. That's actually not so much work - you just sew them together (24 seams), cut those crosswise into strips, then stitch the strips together, unpicking at a different seam for each to make the gradient. You can do the whole design in about 48 seams. Magic 8 squares are also pretty great though.
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Nov 1, 2018 08:43
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learnincurve posted:I frustrated posted, I sewed 90 FQ length 2 1/2 strips in groups of three in preparation for a king size sampler quilt, and completely burned out. Saying that I’m now at the stage where the main centre piece is about to come together and now I’m thinking the end result will be worth it. Yeah this makes sense. I've only done wall hanging / baby quilts. The prospect of doing a king sized one terrifies me.
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Nov 2, 2018 19:44
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learnincurve posted:Correct me if I’m wrong but this isn’t “something to do with weights” is it? It kinda looks like a weight belt, but velcro is a pretty terrible idea for weight belts. (It's also not the greatest idea if it's BDSM equipment.)
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Nov 3, 2018 19:21
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fuzzy_logic posted:I grabbed two vintage (pre-WWII) sewing machines for free and had them repaired - finally started sewing with one today and realized I have no idea what half the knobs and switches do. Would people here be able to help me out if I post some pictures? The lady at the repair shop had them both running fine but the second I got them home the bottom bobbin is acting up and the machine's just eating thread like there's no tomorrow. I was able to thread them by following what she did but I'm not sure how to reload the bobbin holder or adjust tension or anything. Yeah post pics. Are they Singers? Singers had some pretty standard ways of doing most things.
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Nov 6, 2018 07:41
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fuzzy_logic posted:update: I had the loving needle in backwards, I didn't even know that was a thing you could do. Yep, sewing machine needles are directional. Hell if I know how that actually works, but it is is a thing.
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Nov 24, 2018 23:41
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Sagebrush posted:Has anyone in here got experience with automatic machine embroidery? This might be worth looking into: https://github.com/Embroidermodder/Embroidermodder You'd probably still need the machine-specific software though. (Or someone who's cracked that / cracked the format.)
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Dec 4, 2018 06:11
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overall. The machines themselves are surprisingly inexpensive; $500 to $1000 for a machine with a ~5x7" working area, it looks like, which ought to be fine for our purposes. However, it seems that the software situation is really terrible. We would obviously want to be able to generate our own patterns (probably from Illustrator vectors, SVG/EPS/etc), but in the home sewing world that is apparently considered an advanced niche technique, because I don't think any of the machines come with software to do it. Instead they will advertise how many fonts are built-in to do automatic lettering, or that it can do 2000 different holiday designs, or that the machine comes with a cartridge to make 150 different licensed Disney characters, or whatever. It's like some kind of clip-art print shop software from thirty years ago.
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Comrade Quack posted:I’m not a software engineer but the way I understand this is that a lot of the commercial programs will have a working file type proprietary to that program: that’s where a lot of the digitizing work happens and the settings are chosen. They then export a more limited basic file to the machines themselves. Those machine files are more per brand than per machine. The Brother machines take a .pes file and it doesn’t matter if you have the $18k top of the home line machine or their $300 model that file will work for either. Oh, well it seems like that tool will give you the machine specific files for a range of brands. It even has a gui to help the design. Unfortunately it kinda looks like it's not under active development any more due to the death of the main developer, but it's worth trying out. Worst case, just get a regular machine that does embroidery-style zigzag and just sew the patterns you need manually.
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Dec 5, 2018 00:20
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Oh, I'd been meaning to post this. Last summer I started a theme camp at our regional Burning Man event with some people. We needed a big space to hold yoga classes and similar workshops, so I made a stretch tent out of swimsuit lycra. It took four people to wrestle the fabric while I fed it through the serger. (Person pictured is not me. This was the test erection in the local park.)  And this was the tent in action.
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Mar 5, 2019 23:36
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BonerGhost posted:That tent is giving me a test erection. Post/av combo, there. The Doctor posted:I love it SO MUCH and what I love possibly even more is the glorious open grassy space you have it set up on. That's prime festival real-estate right there. Thanks! It helps knowing the placement people, and also being super diplomatic and accommodating. Apparently there are a lot of prima donnas at this sort of thing, and being polite goes a long way! That said we were kind of in a weird place, right on the edge of general camping. The grassy stuff was reserved as footpath, so we had good frontage, but it was a bit of a forgotten corner. It *was* better than where they were going to place us, which was across the road from both a daytime sound camp, and a place called "campocalypse". But yeah, volunteer-run DIY festivals are where it's at.
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Mar 6, 2019 07:41
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Oldsrocket_27 posted:Thanks for the replies. We'll see where I'm at once I've had a chance to get some sewing practice in and start looking more seriously at getting my own machine, and what's around then. I just figured that if that was a deal on a commercial machine, that worst case scenario would be that I could re-sell it easily enough. As it is, I'll just wait. If your Craigslist is anything like where I am, you can get a really decent home machine for well under $200, which will do you just fine for most purposes. If you want to learn, I'd strongly recommend just getting a machine. Feel free to post your local CL if you want help picking out a good deal. And maybe look into sewing classes -- a lot of sewing shops provide them. Over here, the local school board even offers them for pretty cheap as part of their adult education program.
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Apr 16, 2019 08:55
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The Doctor posted:Does anyone have opinions/knowledge about the Singer "heavy-duty" machines that I'm seeing as like the first search result everywhere I look for a machine? I'm assuming they're everywhere because of marketing, rather than actually being an amazing option. A lot of people seem to think the quality of modern Singer machines is actually very bad. The quality of modern Singer machines is very bad. Also as far as I can tell, the only thing "heavy duty" about that is that it's actually made of metal rather than plastic. I doubt that the actual quality of the gearing will be that high. One potential way of getting a cheap but actually fairly heavy duty machine would be to get an old cast iron Singer second hand. I don't think they even make steel as the stuff used in those things' gears any more. Otherwise look for an 80s-era Janome, Bernina or Pfaff, from when they used to have metal gears. Those are usually pretty cheap on Craigslist. Also, how heavy a fabric do you mean? A good quality home sewing machine should handle denim. If you want to be heavy canvas or upholstery or something then you may need an expensive industrial machine, but not for most clothing.
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Sep 27, 2019 06:06
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Those slots are for a strap. Have you thought about getting a piece of strap, putting it through the slots, and sewing that to the hat? You could add some buckles or clips if you'll need to get the hearing aid off (eg to wash the hat).
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Nov 9, 2019 08:54
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General_Failure posted:
I have a 1930s-era Singer and this description fits that machine exactly.
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Dec 8, 2019 10:18
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Not that I've worked with cosplay at all, but I get the impression you might want heat-moldable plastic for something with that much detail / spikiness.
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Mar 10, 2020 05:42
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BonerGhost posted:My cursory Google says some machines don't work if the bulb burns out? Could be that. Yeah it probably came with an incandescent bulb. Find a cheap led replacement and try switching it out.
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Mar 12, 2020 17:34
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Thought I'd link this here:Youth Decay posted:There are hospitals specifically asking for homemade cloth masks and providing patterns. The situation is that desperate right now.
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Mar 22, 2020 04:22
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Bingo Bango posted:I've actually been having trouble getting a good fit with elastic - no matter what I do I never seem to have cut it to the right length, but maybe my face is just weird for testing for fit? I think I'm going to have to switch to my stash of bias binding for some easy ties before I loose my mind. T shirts (or T shirt fabric) should work too.
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Apr 6, 2020 04:17
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BonerGhost posted:That's a much better design than something that goes around your ears. I normally wear a n95 or better when dyeing yarn and the straps go around the back of my head like that design. Anything that rubs your skin can't be worn any appreciable length of time. I mean, a more important PSA is that the virus is more likely to get in through your eyes, and the purpose of these masks is to keep you from infecting other people if you're an asymptotic or presymptomatic carrier.
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Apr 6, 2020 18:00
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Peeches posted:Well.. . Button thread for buttons. Depends on the tear but normal thread. I usual buy it as needed For a second I thought we had a dedicated thread for buttons. Anyway, I finished my (small) Bargello quilt:  Some of the rows aren't 100% lined up, and the quilting was a tiny bit wonky (although it's so understated you probably have to look closely), but I'm quite pleased with it. Edit: I'm extra proud because I got halfway through making software to calculate out the cuts, then just figured it out on a piece of paper and in my head. Lead out in cuffs fucked around with this message at 04:28 on May 31, 2020 |
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May 31, 2020 04:23
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Thanks! Yeah it's kind of fun and satisfying, and the piecing is fairly simple, being all long perpendicular lines. There's actually a book on this, which your library might have, and which I found helpful to at least figure out the process. It also has some algorithms to get you started. And lol, it basically is pixel art.
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Jun 2, 2020 09:24
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scarletpandai posted:Oh, what's the book? I'll have to check it out. I'm pretty sure the book was this one: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Bargello_Quilts.html?id=8ks4DYhBcqQC
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Jun 4, 2020 09:08
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Dunno offhand about beginners' tutorials, but I've found for specific projects (e.g. quilting) that Youtube has many. I'd also recommend looking into local adult education classes. In my city you can take evening classes for quite reasonable prices (CAD$185 for 8 evenings). Some other folks in the thread have made sewing machine recommendations -- it'd be worth checking back over the last few pages or so. As someone who's main sewing machine was made in 1936, I'm not really the best to ask. Edit: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Oh yeah, without going too far beyond the bare minimum, I'd add spare bobbins to that list, and a box of some sort to keep your tools in. And it wouldn't surprise me if there was a machine shortage, both because of the number of people stuck at home and trying out new hobbies, and due to the disruptions to the global supply chain. Lead out in cuffs fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Jun 18, 2020 |
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Jun 18, 2020 20:36
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Pillow cases and curtains are pretty good "all-straight-lines" starter projects.
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Jun 19, 2020 22:43
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The "cheat" option for pants is to find a pair with a fit you like and trace a pattern from them.
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Jul 9, 2020 09:55
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Yeah I use an 80-year-old Singer (30-something?) as my main machine. But I bought it already-serviced from a local Singer dealer. I also have a serger. For zigzag, you can find a very chunky attachment that will do that. I've never tried one though. The other big thing it doesn't have is a stretch stitch. You can sort of get around this by stretching the fabric as you sew, but that's finicky and prone to making ruffles. A lot of modern sewing (tights, t shirts, tank tops, stretchy dresses, hoodies, etc) uses stretch fabric and absolutely requires stretch stitch.
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Jul 16, 2020 09:32
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Oh yeah, as a follow-up now that I'm not phoneposting at 2am, the machine I have is a Singer 15-91, a lot like this one: http://www.needlebar.org/main/15chart/index.html The serial number is a JA series, which was in use from 1924-1936. But the 15-91 model was manufactured from 1932 onwards, so my machine was made sometime between 1932 and 1936. It works really well. As you said, they were ridiculously overbuilt (at least compared to anything you can get today), and tend to just last. Here's some info on the zigzag attachments you can get: https://www.oldsewingear.com/blog/you-zig-ill-zag As a mechanical engineer you'd have some fun with them, I'd imagine. But yeah, while you could use zigzag for sewing stretch fabrics, you'd be a lot better off with a more modern machine that does a straight stretch stitch. You can also get pretty far using a serger for stretch fabrics.
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Jul 17, 2020 20:08
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How much do you want to spend? Do you need it to keep you waterproof, or just warm? Wool (woven wool) is pretty traditional, but likely quite pricey. Polyester fleece is cheap, warm, and comes in a huge range of colours. (It can even be printed -- check out the AliExpress thread for peoples' experiences ordering realistic-looking burrito blankets. You could potentially order a weird printed blanket from AE and turn it into a cloak.) You could also use something woven with a fleece lining. The big thing, though, is to make sure your sewing machine can handle the thick fabrics that coats and cloaks are usually made from. You might even be better off hand sewing if it's something simple and doesn't need hems.
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Aug 26, 2020 02:57
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:I finally finished my One Block Wonder quilt that I started in December. (note: that link includes a tool that lets you see what the blocks will look like before you make them, which is cheating yourself of half the fun.) Nice spirals! And is the leafy stuff in the border all quilted?
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Aug 26, 2020 22:59
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:No, the quilting is big loopy spirals the diameter of each hexagon. I don't have a good picture of it unfortunately. Oh the spiral quilting is visible in the photo you posted, and what I was commenting on! Some solid work there.
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Aug 27, 2020 06:18
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cloudy posted:Soooo, this might not be super relevant to you because I just used Spoonflower for a small single personal project, and not for a larger order. But I was unhappy with their print quality (washed out colors). I've used Spoonflower once, and was pretty OK with it. But I was printing mock clay tablets, where brightness of colour wasn't what I was going for. I imagine it might also depend on the fabric. hollylolly posted:Speaking of Snulsmas, I was visited by Snarls this evening as he dropped off my gift! For the OP, if it's just screenprinting you want (ie one or two colours), a lot of your local printing houses should be able to do it, and you'd be supporting local industry.
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Sep 3, 2020 21:18
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there wolf posted:If you're fine with just a straight stitch, then it's hard to beat an old iron one from the 50's/60's, like a vintage Singer. They're overbuilt to hell, easy to maintain, easy to find parts for, and the secondhand market is glutted with them so you can get one for like $50 bucks. Before you buy, you'll want to check that it actually sews, that it has a foot-petal and the wires and belt are in good condition. This is solid advice and could probably belong in the OP of that fix it fast thread.
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Dec 5, 2020 12:42
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learnincurve posted:If you are in the U.K it’s a straight line to “whichever Singer Heavy Duty you can afford” Lol the one sewing machine I actually owned while living in the UK was one I got from my drug-dealer-housemate's nan, and it was super cheap. Drug dealer dude was actually super nice, and only dealt in pot. His nan liked to source and fix up used machines and then get them to people at basically no profit just for the love of sewing. HelloIAmYourHeart posted:Oh man half square triangles are my new thing. They can be a traditional layout or really clean and modern or super complex or anything in between, and you can find a million images on GIS. This owns. Shibori is a lot of fun, and this is an awesome use of it. learnincurve posted:headboard protector Oh. We're getting a bed with an actual wooden headboard in January. I think I may have another project for my list. (Somehow, while juggling a one-month-old).
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Dec 6, 2020 11:31
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Admiral Goodenough posted:This one is so beautiful, do you know of there is a pattern somewhere for it? I've never quilted before but I am willing to learn just for this one. Is quilting easy to scale up in size, by cutting larger pieces? Yeah, I'd highly recommend doing a much simpler pattern for your first quilt, ie much bigger triangles than that. Also, this post by learnincurve has some useful tips on making triangle blocks: learnincurve posted:Oh so you have a stash... You probably want to get yourself a roller cutter, ruler and cutting mat if you don't have those. Quilt piecing has to be very precise, and it's hard to get there using scissors.
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Dec 9, 2020 12:13
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Admiral Goodenough posted:Good advive, thanks! Tools need to be aquired. I've always wanted to try a quilting project, my grandma does a lot of it and it always makes my fingers to try it myself. And I need to use my sewing machine more, in the past year or so I've only used it to make masks. No worries! I'd recommend getting a beginner's quilting book and giving it a read through. There are a lot of steps to making a quilt, and little tips and tricks to all of them. Also I'd suggest making a smaller lap-sized or wall-hanging quilt for your first project, since it'll be a bit more tractable while you're learning.
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Dec 9, 2020 14:16
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:Quarter inch foot is the best foot. Lol I was just eyeballing it using the zipper foot and a conveniently-placed screw on my machine. I definitely should get one of these before I make my next quilt. I also see they have dedicated stitch-in-the-ditch feet, which also seems like a brilliant idea.
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Dec 11, 2020 10:23
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Frankentotoro is watching you sleep... I unironically agree that it's fantastic, though. Edit: for the op, sewing things onto existing objects, ie applique, embroidery, sequins, etc, might scratch your itch while also being smaller and more tractable projects. Lead out in cuffs fucked around with this message at 01:58 on Dec 14, 2020 |
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Dec 14, 2020 01:56
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Comrade Quack posted:If you haven't run across her stuff yet you might want to check out Choly Knight / Sew Desu Ne. She has some tutorials and beginner friendly plush patterns free on her website. https://cholyknight.com/tutorials/ Oh god. Now I've ordered a bunch of minky, am making an otter for my 7-week-old, and having ideas for gifts for friends, nieces, etc. What have you done?
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Dec 19, 2020 07:51
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What's the lowdown on snaps? I'm contemplating making a baby onesie for my kid, and snaps seem to work a lot better than zips. I started looking into plastic snaps, and went down a giant rabbit hole. Apparently KAMSnaps seem to be the good ones, but they're hard to get in Canada. Some sellers on Amazon have them, but Amazon's kinda lovely for finding genuine anything, and this is easy to fake. Meanwhile, there are kits like this, which are definitely fake/off-brand, and have good reviews, but when you read into the reviews, a lot of people say the snaps break easily. I looked into ordering directly from the kamsnaps website, but they want as much in postage as the cost of the order. It might be worthwhile if I end up making a lot of clothing over time, but there's a good chance it'd be me paying US$50 for notions for just a couple of projects. And I guess there are sew-on snaps, too? How are those for durability? I guess they're just slightly more fiddly to install?
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Dec 24, 2020 11:48
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