We have people showing an interest in learning how to sew and there are a few of us that could certainly help out with that. To make it worthwhile for you all though, I'd like to know what exactly you'd like to know. Right from the very beginning? Only certain aspects? A little of everything?
I know we're going to have people at all different skill levels and levels of need so I can think of a few things that might interest people in obviously no particular order:
Pattern reading and drafting/re-drafting - altering
Preping your fabric
Cutting fabric
Basic machine information
Fabric choices
Fit
Altering Ready Made Stuff (like adding zippers or layers for definition)
Sewing with stretch fabrics
Basic sewing information (basic stitches, finishing seams, stitch lengths etc.)
Hand sewing
Helpful notions (measuring tapes, rulers, marking chalks, needles, thread types, pins, etc.)
Interfacing types and when to use it
Different waistband options.
Options for closures (zippers, snaps (set in and sew on), magnets, hook and eye, Velcro, buttons)
Difference between lining and underlining/flat lining
Hemming
Things to consider when buying a machine
Anything else that you'd like us to talk about? Of course, we'll start off with the most basic and work our way up and try to have enough structure that we sort of stick to a game plan for a discussion so that if you miss it because it doesn't interest you, you don't miss something that would have interested you but wasn't planned to be discussed. There will obviously be overlap and there will also be some stuff that will trip people up and we'll need to spend more time on.
It would be also most helpful for us if you could include a bio of sorts so that we know what equipment you have access to, what skills and experience you already have and what your ultimate goal is for learning this.
I'll start out to give you guys an idea.
I've been sewing since I was about 7 years old. Other than three years in Jr. High and taking home ec, everything has been self taught either by learning from what friends are doing or a lot of trial and error. I have a ton of books on a lot of different types of sewing techniques and I watch a lot of You Tube. I have several sewing machines, 8 to be exact. Some for the bulk of the sewing and some for very specialized tasks like embroidery or finishing hems on stretch fabrics. The two most commonly used ones though are both Juki's - a sewing machine and a serger. I've learned new techniques based on what costume I've wanted to make. I have a workroom that is predominately for sewing, including a proper height cutting table. And over the years I have amassed a lot of helpful notions that I can talk about to help you choose what you might need. I am by no means at expert at any of it but I hopefully can help all of you interested in getting a solid start. During this process I'm hoping to teach myself some more advanced tailoring techniques to really make the FUD uniforms look proper.
I know we're going to have people at all different skill levels and levels of need so I can think of a few things that might interest people in obviously no particular order:
Pattern reading and drafting/re-drafting - altering
Preping your fabric
Cutting fabric
Basic machine information
Fabric choices
Fit
Altering Ready Made Stuff (like adding zippers or layers for definition)
Sewing with stretch fabrics
Basic sewing information (basic stitches, finishing seams, stitch lengths etc.)
Hand sewing
Helpful notions (measuring tapes, rulers, marking chalks, needles, thread types, pins, etc.)
Interfacing types and when to use it
Different waistband options.
Options for closures (zippers, snaps (set in and sew on), magnets, hook and eye, Velcro, buttons)
Difference between lining and underlining/flat lining
Hemming
Things to consider when buying a machine
Anything else that you'd like us to talk about? Of course, we'll start off with the most basic and work our way up and try to have enough structure that we sort of stick to a game plan for a discussion so that if you miss it because it doesn't interest you, you don't miss something that would have interested you but wasn't planned to be discussed. There will obviously be overlap and there will also be some stuff that will trip people up and we'll need to spend more time on.
It would be also most helpful for us if you could include a bio of sorts so that we know what equipment you have access to, what skills and experience you already have and what your ultimate goal is for learning this.
I'll start out to give you guys an idea.
I've been sewing since I was about 7 years old. Other than three years in Jr. High and taking home ec, everything has been self taught either by learning from what friends are doing or a lot of trial and error. I have a ton of books on a lot of different types of sewing techniques and I watch a lot of You Tube. I have several sewing machines, 8 to be exact. Some for the bulk of the sewing and some for very specialized tasks like embroidery or finishing hems on stretch fabrics. The two most commonly used ones though are both Juki's - a sewing machine and a serger. I've learned new techniques based on what costume I've wanted to make. I have a workroom that is predominately for sewing, including a proper height cutting table. And over the years I have amassed a lot of helpful notions that I can talk about to help you choose what you might need. I am by no means at expert at any of it but I hopefully can help all of you interested in getting a solid start. During this process I'm hoping to teach myself some more advanced tailoring techniques to really make the FUD uniforms look proper.
