At home repro

[decodoll]

All your outfits are really lovely, Lauren.

I have a Brother that I got about a year ago, and I adore it. I actually had a Viking before it, but I like this better.

 

[MissQueenie]

Dress Forms

Hi ladies,

I've been daydreaming about having a dress form for a while now, and I was wondering which models you prefer. I've heard terrible things about Singer's forms (cheap materials, badly made, easily broken) -- any ideas for a reasonably priced form of good quality?

I made my own out of duct tape, pvc pipe, stuffing, and an old t-shirt, but she was too fat! I think I over-stuffed.

 

[decodoll]

I just got a Uniquely You dress form, and I'm very happy with it so far. It's a squishy base and a cover. You alter the cover to fit you exactly and then put it over the base and it squishes her to your measurements.

 

[MissQueenie]

Hi Decodoll!

Once you've adjusted the form to your measurements, is there any way of changing it in case of weight loss or gain? Anything that is dial-free is a dream come true

Are they terribly expensive? Did you order yours online?

 

[decodoll]

They are $129 from All Brands and if you buy it through one of their ebay auctions you only pay $10 shipping rather than $25. If you change sizes, just take the cover back off and alter it. If you've changed sizes too much to just alter the cover again, you can order additional covers as well, and I think they were around $30 each. One warning is that All Brands customer service is horrible, but the price is much better than anywhere else.

I had a Fabulous Fit form before this, and I never could get it adjusted right to my shape. Luckily, I didn't pay nearly as much as they charge for them nowadays. I got that one when they were just starting out and the woman's work/live loft was just a few blocks from where I used to live.

Here is a pic of mine all done:

 

[Vanessa]

I just ordered one from All Brands through ebay. Very anxious to fit it.

 

[colleency]

I make my own repros, but I'm not nearly as advanced as some of the other ladies! This is long, because I'm coming in late to the thread and answering all of the thread questions at once.

No one in my family, at least as far back as grandmothers, sews. I taught myself to sew on a borrowed machine. My first costume was for Rennaissance Faire, and it was made from a sheet and some old curtains. Two years ago I started taking advanced costuming classes at Fullerton College, and I learned to actually love sewing.

My first machine was a $100 Brother, which I used for 10 years, and I loved, but it didn't have a buttonholer. After making an Edwardian dress with something over 20 buttons, I was ready to move up! I've had a low-end Viking for about 8 years, and I love it. I also have a serger, but I don't use it as often as I could. I think I need to learn more about how to use it.

Here's a picture of me as Rosie the Riveter at the Yankee War Museum:

And here's the back of a suit I made (before I knew how to fit)

 

[MJistheBOMB]

I'm AMAZED at all of your wonderful talents . So inspiring.

Gals, I'm amazed at what all you can do. Such talent! I only wish I had learned from my grandma when I was little.

Ditto. LOL. My grandma, like the ladies here, is AMAZING at sewing (I have memories of her sewing all the time when I was little) and I can only hope that ability has been passed on to me. LOL I start college in January. I think I will eventually take some classes. Thanks for the inspiration, girls.

P.S. You all should consider having your own online Vintage Repro. shop together in the future. Everything would sell out!

Monique

 

[Tourbillion]

What kind of sewing machines do you ladies use to make your wonderful creations? I have a Singer FeatherWeight II, which frankly, is just not meeting my expectations.
linkeroo to image: http://img.idealo.de/folder/Product/297/3/297316/produktbild_gross.gif

I constantly have serious troubles with the bobbin tension and find it quite diffcult to get nice, tight, straight stitches. I've really been wanting to make my own repos, but am quite concerned this machine will make it quite diffuclt, so I've been looking for a new one.

Are you sure the problem is your bobbin tension? I used to sell sewing machines (so I had to do minor service on them too).

Usually if there are loops on the bobbin side the upper thread tension is too loose. Most people think that the bobbin is loose, but it's usually ok. If the bobbin thread tension is loose, the top thread is okay, but the bottom thread is a little wavy.

Loose bobbin tension is actually kinda rare, does your machine have a separate bobbin case? If so you just adjust the screw a little and it is all better. If it is a drop in bobbin, the tension is harder to adjust.

Hope that helps.

p.s. New machines are pretty cheap nowadays if you don't need bells and whistles. You can just give up on the old one and get a new one at Joann's or Target.

 

[16_sparrows]

Are you sure the problem is your bobbin tension? I used to sell sewing machines (so I had to do minor service on them too).

Usually if there are loops on the bobbin side the upper thread tension is too loose. Most people think that the bobbin is loose, but it's usually ok. If the bobbin thread tension is loose, the top thread is okay, but the bottom thread is a little wavy.

Thanks for the info! I'm going to try that out and see if that may be it rather than the bobbin tension. I have a drop in bobbin case, so I hope that it isn't the bobbin tension.

I have been considering just getting new one and letting my old one be my back-up. But I think I may get one with bells and whistles since my current one is so simple! Ha ha.

 

[humblestumble]

One of these days I'm going to try I've been using modern patterns as of now though. I have one pattern from the 60s that is for capri pants...but that's the only REAL vintage pattern I have.

You all make WONDERFUL clothes!

 

[Lauren]

A suit I made a few months ago. The jacket's from a 1941 pattern, and the skirt is from a 1942 pattern. Thanks to DanielJones for the fabulous plaid fabric!! And thanks to Matt Deckard for the photo

 

[DanielJones]

I'm happy to see Mom's vintage fabric got to have the life that they were ment to have. Great job Lauren!

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Vanessa]

Great plaid. I can't tell from the picture - did you end up putting pockets on the jacket?

 

[Lauren]

Yup! I did. And that's a good thing you can't see em. Means I lined them up straight

 

[Robert Conway]

Very impressive, ladies. Beautiful work.

 

[colleency]

I made a Vintage Vogue 1954 sundress:

 

[Lauren]

That is SO cute! I love it!

 

[Lauren]

Promised pics of the Phantom Dress for ChorusGirl, and my semi-finished natural form.

 

[BettyValentine]

That's amazing work! Did you pattern them yourself?