Sewing Lessons & FAQ

[Lauren]

That's kind of what I was thinking, too.
I was wondering how they got all the looks into one little envelope, and they just made perforations for you to "cut" at certain lines for different looks. Eep! I'm glad the previous owner didn't do it the way instructed! It is kind of neat, though, and for all my whining it was pretty straightforward, if a lot of work. Very depression-era money conscious!
CiCi, that one on the left is my favorite, too

 

[fifties gal]

A little off topic here............... there is a local shop that sells vintage clothing near my home. The owner who knows I sew vintage for myself has asked me to make up some dresses in larger sizes to sell on a commission basis.
My question is this- how would you finish these outfits? Would you use a serger to finish the seams for example, or try to do something from an earlier era? Do they need to look vintagey on the inside too?
Any advice appreciated as this sounds like a fun project to me.

 

[Lauren]

I think that you can use modern professional sewing methods to create vintage garments. A friend found a patent for a overlock machine from the early 1900s, and even though they weren't common, I have a few garments as early as the 30s that are at least partially serged. I also use invisible zippers in some of the things I make because you technically can't "see" it from the outside. Maybe ask the owner of the shop what her expectations are? Some are more nit-picky than others when it comes to repros, but I think most of the people buying repros just want the look and fit of the era- regardless of inside seam finishes and often times fasteners.

 

[Lady Day]

Wouldnt you have to abandon your zig zag and button hole features as well? Most early machines only had a straight stitch and youd have to knot your stitches :eusa_doh:

Unless you are making a garment historically accurate (which might be a fun exercise) I would think the term repo means just that. Reproduction of a garment done in modern times.

I overlock all of my heavy fabric (cause I dont want to whip stitch everything). Repo garments Ive seen have overlocked edges as well. But Lauren said it best (cause shes awesome) just see what their expectations are. How could they mind?

LD

 

[fifties gal]

Sounds like a plan. Thank you both for your input!

 

[Lauren]

Sure thing! And thanks, Lady Day

 

[SayCici]

When you work with fabric that is dry clean only, do you need to pre-shrink it by taking it to the cleaners as well? The fabric is 55% rayon 45% linen and the pattern is:

Thanks!

 

[kamikat]

When you work with fabric that is dry clean only, do you need to pre-shrink it by taking it to the cleaners as well? The fabric is 55% rayon 45% linen and the pattern is:

Cute pattern! A rayon linen fabric is machine-washable and dryable. The key is to machine wash and dry it before cutting. The thing to keep in mind with linens is that machine washing will remove the finish, so it will be soft, not crisp. If you want to keep it crisp, then dry clean it. No, you don't have to dry clean it before, but it won't hurt. Dry cleaning uncut yardage tends to be expensive.

 

[SayCici]

Cute pattern! A rayon linen fabric is machine-washable and dryable. The key is to machine wash and dry it before cutting. The thing to keep in mind with linens is that machine washing will remove the finish, so it will be soft, not crisp. If you want to keep it crisp, then dry clean it. No, you don't have to dry clean it before, but it won't hurt. Dry cleaning uncut yardage tends to be expensive.

Thank you!! It already seems pretty soft so I think a gentle machine wash is the way to go.

 

[Medvssa]

I would give it a good beating on the first wash, to make sure it won't shrink later. I never use the drier for my clothes, but I use it to pre-shrink fabric. I would say wash it at 60°C and then tumble dry gentle.

 

[SayCici]

So it has come to the point where I need to sew up the seams on my pants. "Close leg and side seams. Close center seam of slacks." Am I interpreting this right in that, from the 4 pieces, I sew the front pieces to each other, the back to each other, close the side seams to connect them all together, and then the center seam which is like an upside down U?

I remember when I made shorts in my sewing class she had us attach the left front to the left back, and the right front to the right back piece, and then finish.

 

[kamikat]

Cici, sew them up just like your short, right front to right back, left front to left back, then center crotch seam.

 

[SayCici]

Thank you!! I can be so awful at interpreting directions sometimes.

 

[1*Cool*Kitten]

When you work with fabric that is dry clean only, do you need to pre-shrink it by taking it to the cleaners as well? The fabric is 55% rayon 45% linen and the pattern is:

Thanks!

~~OOOOOH THIS IS TOOOO CUTE!!! I Simply LOVE it!
Rita

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

Wouldnt you have to abandon your zig zag and button hole features as well? Most early machines only had a straight stitch and youd have to knot your stitches :eusa_doh:

Unless you are making a garment historically accurate (which might be a fun exercise) I would think the term repo means just that. Reproduction of a garment done in modern times.

I overlock all of my heavy fabric (cause I dont want to whip stitch everything). Repo garments Ive seen have overlocked edges as well. But Lauren said it best (cause shes awesome) just see what their expectations are. How could they mind?

LD

Yes, to everything you just said, Lady

One good thing to know is that both zig-zag as well as many other attachments were made for straight-stitch machines early on. Basically, if you can think of something to do on a machine there is a vintage attachment for it someplace (except for digitized embroidery obviously).

I have a 1940's singer with a few attachments including zig-zag and rolled hem. The zig-zag is kind of cool, because it moves the fabric back and forth to create the stitches - it took some getting used to though! (Now I am back to using my modern machine because the old one needs some maintenance)

I hope this helps with the question about finishing repro garments

 

[Lauren]

Yeah, and my husband's vintage featherweight makes a MEAN buttonhole with the buttonhole attachment. Way better than my automatic buttonholer on my modern pfaff. I get him to make buttonholes for me on as many things as possible

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

Yeah, and my husband's vintage featherweight makes a MEAN buttonhole with the buttonhole attachment. Way better than my automatic buttonholer on my modern pfaff. I get him to make buttonholes for me on as many things as possible

Agreed! My new machine is great with many things - it can sew through 7 layers of denim like butter! But buttonholes it just chokes on and requires a flimsy plastic attachment thingie which makes them inconsistent and difficult. How silly is that?

 

[kamikat]

I'm working on the muslin for the trousers in this pattern. Let me just say, they are the best fitting trouser pattern I've every tried. Fits great right out of the envelope. Where do they appear to hit the model? Being a short person, the muslin drags the ground on me.

 

[1*Cool*Kitten]

Pants

I'm working on the muslin for the trousers in this pattern. Let me just say, they are the best fitting trouser pattern I've every tried. Fits great right out of the envelope. Where do they appear to hit the model? Being a short person, the muslin drags the ground on me.

FANTASTIC!!! wow! "right off the pattern"!:eusa_clap I'm envious/jealous! looks like to me they hit her right at that ankle bone!or a tige above![huh] which would make sence since i was about 8 when the 60's were new! fftopic: In fact we were speaking at dinner tonight "Where were you when you heard the 'news' for President Kennedy's Assination (Murder)" [i know not exactly the NORMAL family's dinner conversation but you have to know our weird family! haha!]

hope that helps, KamiKat

Rita

 

[1*Cool*Kitten]

Button holes

Agreed! My new machine is great with many things - it can sew through 7 layers of denim like butter! But buttonholes it just chokes on and requires a flimsy plastic attachment thingie which makes them inconsistent and difficult. How silly is that?

[huh] Just my humble questioning as I'm not meaning to be rude however, when using the attachment thingy (buttonholer) are you dropping the feeddogs? also if you "can sew through denim like butter" that sounds like the feeddogs again need more pressure so in order to make your pressure foot sew better there is a button with a finger tightening "ring" around it directly above the needle at the very top of the machine where your thread would rung through the arm that goes up and down rapidly to feet the thread to the needle it has notcies with numbers on it, if you press that button to 3 then your fabric should feed with your feed dogs properly.if you press on the ring to release the pressure foot to say 1 that would make sense that your feed dogs are feeding the denim through well enough with proper tension/pressure on the pressure foot/feed dog mecinism.
[huh] Hope this helps[huh]

Rita