The Spooky Basket: Crash Course In Industrial Sewing Machines By A Total Noob. (Long-ass Post)

There are innumerable amounts of blog posts, videos, articles-- ALL kinds of information on the best beginners household sewing machine, if I thought I had something different to contribute to that I might consider writing a post about that.
However, I thought I would talk about my experience in something I know very little about (lol): Industrial Sewing Machines.
Because there isn't enough conversation about them from folks who own them, and people who sell them are often unwilling to indulge newbies or most of the time assume you already know what you're getting yourself into.

These past 2 years has afforded me a crash course in the owning and purchasing of a few industrial sewing machines, so this post is going to be a combination of what (little) I do know about them and reviews of the machines I purchased myself.
Sit down in your favorite sewing chair! We're putting the pedal to the metal!

When I lived in San Antonio, I made a really great friend who I keep in close contact with and has become one of the most important people in my life-- I don't say this lightly. This friend helped me get in contact with someone who gave me first hand experience in a professional designer/fashion environment as a volunteer intern for Fashion Consulting, Pattern and Samples Services.
But most importantly, this friend gave me my first industrial sewing machine.
I owe them a debt I probably can't repay.

Entrer Vintage Consew 220.

She was in rough shape when I first received her, and it became a side project for us to rehab her to get her sewing properly, and it took A LOT of work. It turned out to be a good thing though, because when we fixed her up together I learned the bulk of what I now know about these majestic beauties: the difference between clutch and servo motors, dispelling misconceptions about industrials in general, and even putting some of my previously known tidbits into practice.

Let's start with needles.
See, there's a very specific way an industrial needle needs to be inserted otherwise it messes with the stitch, and household machine needles are manufactured with an ease of use/insertion "flat side" so the user doesn't really need to think about the "anatomy of a needle". Plus the entire mechanism is laid out so that many households now have a drop down bobbin that makes the needle eye/hole face the user, and for some reason that makes it intuitive; it's completely dummy proof.

Even though I knew all this before, I still needed a refresher of what I am looking at when it comes to a needle.
In case you need a refresher too, here it is:

Credit: Sailrite

On all my industrials so far, the "scarf" needs to be oriented to the right and the "groove" to the left, perpendicular to the seam guides; it was also my understanding that the thread must always be thread through the needle from left to right, it makes sense then that the groove has to be on the left because the thread fits snugly into it, and that helped me to remember (after many failed stitch samples).

So why is it so important to know this?
Because it's tricky getting the right placement even when you know all the above since, unlike those household needles, the shank on these are round all the way, hence why knowing the actual needle is going to be your biggest help... A scarf facing too far front or too far back can also affect the quality of your stitch.
A needle inserter tool helps, though keep in mind they're made with a flat back groove and weren't intended for thick gauges... but it still helps when you have butter fingers.

I struggled for months fighting with this machine on certain projects, getting over the immense learning curve. I thought that once I knew about the needles it would be smooth sailing... I couldn't understand why I was still having trouble.
It wasn't until after the hundredth time researching for troubleshooting that I learned one very important but simple fact about industrial sewing machines:

There is no "all-in-one" industrial machine, which is the opposite said of household machines.

Industrial machines are quite literally made for a singular purpose and they do it as efficiently as a machine can be, so they can seem to go wonky when you deviate from that "purpose". That is why there are SO MANY different types of industrial machines: from blind hem, walking foots, cylinder beds, chain stitch to lock stitch. Even whether or not it is a zig-zag or straight stitch, or single or twin needle machine. Whereas on a household machine, it's simply a matter of changing the stitch from their plethora of stitches and swapping out for the appropriate foot.

Household sewing machines are made to be able to give a user a taste of the full range of sewing applications available, but that does not necessarily make them efficient at any one of those tasks: jack of all trades, master of none.

I also discovered a little factoid along the way that I myself didn't realize: did you know that the "industrial" in industrial sewing machine refers to the speed/stitches per minute? Because even a household machine can have a strong enough motor to sew heavy duty materials.

On average the fastest "household" will claim around 1500 SPM give or take, whereas many "industrial" machines could go all the way up to about 7000 SPM.

Anyway.
I was under the mistaken impression that I could sew my lightweight materials (they sewed quite nicely) as well as some very heavy duty canvas/vinyls/etc on the Consew 220 (they didn't) because I was/am able to on my household.

Even with the strongest and largest rated needle on the list of sizes it can use, the quality of the stitch was as mediocre as my household because the machine wasn't made to sew such heavy duty fabrics. Thus constant struggle.

Apart from the above, I think another reason I struggled with this machine was also due to the fact that it was powered via a clutch motor.
Industrial sewing machines can come with one of two motors: clutch or servo. An older industrial machine will most likely be equipped with a clutch motor, such was the case.

Clutch motors are very fast, kinda finicky, low control, and extra noisy beasts.

The benefits (allegedly) of a clutch motor are that it's more powerful, faster, and it forces you to develop better control habits at the machine itself. 

You switch on the motor and it constantly runs, consuming energy whether or not you engage for sewing... hence the noise. I can attest that yes it is very fast but you sacrifice maneuverability for that speed. The peddle is very sensitive (see finicky) so it takes a seasoned foot to be able to graduate speeds, feather footed I once heard it being called. Stopping isn't easy either-- you have to stop a few stitches before the end or you end up with a few extra stitches.

Maybe I just severely lacked the finesse and patience this machine required for its very steep learning curve, but I always felt like I was fighting it.

To top it all off, this machine lacked a good system to change the stitch length (I won't even try and explain how one goes about changing stitch length on this thing) and most importantly it did not have back stitch capacity; I had to manually turn the project (not always easy) and head back to "lock" the stitch in place, or tie the knots myself from the thread tails... a very cumbersome task when speed is supposed to be the point.

I tolerated all this since A) it was a gift and I wasn't sewing for business anyway and B) my households were good enough for my own purposes when the Consew and I had one of our frequent disagreements.

Then a year ago, I started Strange Coven and production time became kind of important as demand grew and grew, I also wanted my bags to be made with heavy duty materials because it meant long term wear and usage for them.
And so once again, I struggled with the Consew.

It was when I started noticing the bald spots on my head (from having pulled out so much hair) that I decided I needed some different machinery. I started researching industrial machines for heavy duty sewing: I knew I wanted to try a servo motor, have back stitch capacity, and a stitch length dial.
I should note that the 220 seems to be an anomaly in regards to back stitch capacity, most industrials even older ones have this ability... so it's just weird. Maybe an older Consew thing? I simply don't know.

Entrer The Fabricator by Sailrite.

The fabricator is a walking foot industrial sewing machine.
A walking foot is exactly what it sounds like: instead of squeezing material along a normal presser foot, the specialized foot/feet "walk along" the material (video example). This movement is key when feeding thick or lofty materials to sew as it eliminates the pulling and tugging that causes irregular or skipped stitches when dealing with such thicknesses.

The Fabricator is a recent addition to Sailrite's currently tiny repertoire of table topped machines. Sailrite wasn't a brand I was intimately acquainted with-- I first heard about them back when I lived in New Mexico when I was searching compact heavy duty machines for the shiggles, to which Sailrite boasted some of the best rated on the web; I remembered seeing the Fabricator in passing on their website, ooggled the fact that it was glorious to behold, but the price tag was far beyond my reach then.

It took quite a lot of agonizing to pull the trigger on it, as I tried to weigh it against what I was exposed to: Juki and Consew, brands I recognized and trusted (at least for the most part; I own a fantastic Juki serger)... But NO ONE was talking about their industrials in my circles, and the Fabricator was taunting me with its sleek black exterior that also no one was making much of a peep about...

EDIT: Ironically, I did end up finding a great youtube channel that I now follow and they have a video review/unboxing of the machine: here it is.

The deciding factor ultimately was the overwhelmingly positive reviews Sailrite has as a company; their customer service is incredibly helpful. Seriously, if you got a question they will answer it... but you probably won't have any because they cover so much on their website which is very intuitive and user friendly, and their Youtube channel is chock full of great quality and informative videos; they radiate quality.

Although Juki and Consew are pretty much household names (not to be confused with only manufacturing household machines), their customer service is less than stellar, but workable.

Plus I love a good underdog.

I have to take another moment here to continue fangirling over Sailrite because their packaging was so clean, so tidy and so secure. Everything felt packed with love!
Oh and in case their online help isn't quite enough, the manuals are printed in full glossy color glory with step by step photos on every process; from building the table, to setting it up, to maintenance, to troubleshooting.
It came with a package of schmetz industrial needles and a large spool of V-92 Bonded outdoor thread in white-- very nice bonuses!

So let's go back to motors again for moment:
Servo motors differ from clutch motors in that they offer variable/controlled speeds (don't need to be feather footed to be able to graduate speeds or stop on a dime), it only engages when you sew so it's hella smooth and best of all... it's much quieter.
Again, it comes down to what you prefer/are comfortable with; super fast speeds with limited control, or decently fast speeds with mucho control. You decide.

Credit: Sailrite

The workhorse servo motor is a Sailrite exclusive. I can't tell you how it differs from other servo motors because I simply don't have a good enough basis for comparison. It has a digital display for setting SPMs which I like but not uncommon. The only immediate difference I see is that the belt used to drive the balance wheel is cogged which prevents the belt from slipping on the wheel (also notched on their machines; don't know if that is an exclusive design) thus offering a little more driving power. It seems modular, on the website you can buy a small selection of attachments/belts that affect the strength of the drive. Not much to say in regards to the motor in terms of how it runs, I think the workhorse might actually be just a little stronger since I've sewn some hardcore thicknesses like they're nothing more than quilting cotton... but my judgement might be skewed by the previously mentioned factors. The top speed pales in comparison to the clutch motor however-- top speed for the Consew's motor was 5500 SPM while the Workhorse is a paltry 3600 SPM.

One of the "quirks" the Fabricator has that often lead me to make threading mistakes is that the bobbin feeds out of the casing in a clockwise fashion, which is the opposite of how it is most commonly distributed on other industrial machines.
Even all my household machines feed their bobbins counterclockwise.
I couldn't find a reason why this was... so I guess c'est la vie.

The downright negatives to the Sailrite Fabricator come in the form of the little things. The table it comes with is not as high quality as everything else. None of the placement holes came predrilled or even premarked; it's significantly lighter than the head so I question how stable it will remain even after almost a year of owning and using it. Plus the "ruler" on it isn't printed/painted on, it's instead a sticker that comes off super easy; I never use it granted but I liked the option of it being there as a permanent aesthetic... I have already taken it off because it came up around the edges within the first few days.
The pin of the bobbin winder seems a touch too big than the holes in the bobbins, so it's tough getting the bobbin on and it's a tug of war getting them off the winder. I hoped it would be easier with time, but no change as of writing this. The screw drivers it came with are super cheap, in fact they broke while we were setting everything up.
It also didn't come with a table mounted power switch, which during my time at the fashion haus and with the Consew I own, I assumed came standard with all machines and really liked it; again I haven't as of writing this done any research into whether or not this feature can even happen with a workhorse motor, so we'll see.
Overall nothing deal breaking.

The combination of machines was working well, and things were ok for a time.; every function I required was met with the Consew and the Fabricator.
Until the combination of all my complaints with the Consew had finally come to blows for the last time.

In the fashion haus, I had the privilege of working with a number of industrial Juki's closely. Since I knew I always wanted another Juki and I didn't end up getting a Juki walking foot (the one machine I didn't get to work on, ironically)... I decided, in September, that my next machine purchase was going to be the one I had worked the closest with.

Entrer the Juki DDL-8700

The Juki DDL-8700 is a single needle lockstitch machine.
A lockstitch is just a fancy and concise way of referencing the common/standard way a stitch is created on many sewing machines.

You may have seen this gif in one version or another:

That's a lockstitch. The Consew and the Fabricator also utilize a lockstick mechanism, and probably yours too!
Pretty riveting stuff... No really! It is when you really think about it. That movement is happening super fast on these machines. You really just sit in awe at the precision and calibration of sewing machines; mechanical wonders to entice the imagination.

The Juki came with all the trimmings: servo motor (✔), reverse stitch (✔), easy to use stitch length dial (✔), robust table with permanent ruler design (✔), table mounted power switch (✔), and a perfectly functioning bobbin winder (✔). It came with a decent dust cover as a bonus, but since I've been using the machine practically everyday since I received it, I don't use it.

I did try to sew some of the heavy duty material that sews like butter on the Fabricator, on this machine to see if there was a difference between the servo motors but the machine belt kept slipping on the wheel to drive the needle down into the thickness I was feeding it.
Since it isn't a walking foot either, the layers kept slipping around making the whole experience like reliving the frustration of the Consew.
So, that was a wash. I still can't tell a difference in power, and the SPM's on the Juki's motor is significantly faster with a top speed of 5500 (just like the clutch motor) but it's a dial instead of a digital display, nothing wrong with it technically... but also not easy to see whether or not its been changed when one of your fur babes decides to poke around... lol.

I think I have the least amount of complaints with the Juki overall, less than any of my machines in general, and I actually didn't purchase this Juki through a dealer. I decided to take a gamble and purchase the machine through Ebay, because it was hundreds of dollars cheaper due to the free shipping. It came out to just about $700 exact -- that's just a pinch more than many digital household sewing machines!

My only complaints with the Juki are that there isn't any help in terms of assembly instructions such as the building of the table that comes with it. The manual it does come with is basically a pamphlet filled with brief rudimentary instructions that cover only the essential but initial key points and a tiny handful of troubleshooting... all in a slightly convoluted format (several languages to explain one thing on a page). I ended up using the Fabricator's manual to supplement what I found around the web.
It too came with very cheap screwdrivers that broke almost immediately and sadly it wasn't packed up the best-- the legs suffered a little warping during shipment.
However, the table came pre drilled and that to me made up for whatever I had issue with.

So now that I've covered all the reviews and impressions, let's discuss something they all have in common: Maintenance.
It comes as little surprise that an industrial's maintenance schedule is farther out than a common household machine. That's due in part to the fact that the mechanisms and gears that drive the entire machine are constantly submerged in a pan of machine oil preventing friction, that causes heat, that inevitably causes wear and tear.
The oil used in these pans is no different than the oil used in any other sewing machine kit. There's just more of it that's readily available for the machine to siphon instead of relying on a fallible human to remember to oil it.

I haven't felt a need to take my machines in for a tune up yet.
Mostly, it's been just a matter of babysitting the oil levels and making sure that the reservoir is clear of lint and other debris. You don't need to replace the oil unless it looks dark colored like brown or gold or has too much debris to remove on your own.

Removing the lint from the machine is easy too. Just take a brush to the areas I marked with an arrow in the photo below: where the bobbin case is and the space/pan below it that catches most of the fallout from the feed dogs.

The needles also don't need to be changed out as often because they're more robustly manufactured and meant for long term high speed usage. Aside from the ones I broke (mea culpa, nothing to do with the machine), I haven't had to replace the last ones I inserted-- that was months and many, many hours of usage ago.

Last but not least: Cost.
Weighing the cost to usage seems to be the pervading concern with industrial sewing machines; is it even worth it to invest if all you're doing is sewing for home?
For me, I measure the value of time a little heavier so time saved = great savings, and honestly the single needle lock stitch is only marginally more spendy than any mid range digital household machine. I also factor in maintenance costs; I took in my households at least once to twice a year to get a tune up/re-timing (roughly $75 to $100 every time on digitally calibrated machines depending where I took them), but I also spent hours and hours doing some of that myself along with weekly time scheduled to clean and oil the households.
An industrial was a great investment for me, but then even before I started Strange Coven I was spending huge amounts of hours at my sewing machine to make it worth it.

I think that about covers my entire experience/knowledge on industrial sewing machines.
I know, it's a lot to take in and perhaps I should've broken up this post into several parts...

Nevertheless, I hope I helped to scratch the surface and maybe help a fellow sewist consider making the investment... because once you go industrial, it's tough to go back to anything else.

Feel free to ask me questions, I'll do my best to answer them!

Spook ya later, fiends!

Mortem's Trick or Treats: For The Love of All That Is Spooky.

Ahh fall. Glorious isn't it?

I feel the shifts, like cosmic strings tugging at my being. I feel renewed, and I am welcoming of change.
That doesn't mean much in the way of weather in the places I've been living at since moving to the U.S.
That is, until this wonderful October. I'm moving again.

My new home will be in a small town in beautiful overcast (but still four seasoned) Washington state.
It also means I'll be much closer to the border of my homeland--so close to the border in fact I could take a little drive and have dinner in Vancouver city if I were so inclined, and I just may because ever since I discovered Japadog's existence several years back, I have been dying to try them.
My new home is still unfortunately about a 10 hour drive to my hometown, though... but 967 km beats the over 3000 km I was/am.
This also marks the 4th state in 5 years I'll have lived in. Pretty crazy-- for someone who lives a life indoors... I lead a surprisingly nomadic life.

So, at the time of writing this I am a little over a week from my move date; we'll be driving all the way up and it's roughly a 5 day drive at best.
I decided to say good bye to San Antonio and my current version of my creative laboratory with one final project to hold me off till I can get my new lab set up.
Since I am altogether saying so long to the South, I decided it should be with a great big bang... and what better way than with a little Hallowe'en cheer?


I made a jack o'lantern bag!
I have been after the original ones for about a year; every time I have money and think about getting one, there is none available and being a fabric/craft addict that I am I promptly spend that liquid cash on feeding my addiction. When they do have them available, I am such as I am now-- pinching every dollar in my pocket.

Well I had about enough of coveting one, and a round purse isn't terribly difficult to figure out... though the bottom piece did give me some grief.

I have a deep and difficult love for vintage faced pumpkins-- they have round eyes and sharp jagged teeth. Whenever I see one, a switch is flipped in my head and I become fevered with lust for that which triggered the desire. It's not always a pretty sight for my wallet. So I drew from that inspiration for the face of my lovely little 'treat' bag.

I had at first considered the possibility of using a vinyl for my material, but I was never able to locate any in the shade I wanted. I did have in my stash a home dec weight velvet that I honestly can't recall the purpose for its acquisition-- and for some reason it looks far more red in my photos than the muted autumn maple color that it truly is (color identification courtesy of Mutant Stomps Pantone fall colors guide).

Spider web lace not shown*

The candy print cotton was a purchase I made from this year's haul of halloween fabrics (I'll make a post of my loot some other time). The candy print was always intended for the bag because these bags reminded me more of candy buckets... and what kind of candy bucket shall I have if it didn't have some 'candy' within? This particular print however wasn't always due for this bag, I had another one from several halloween's ago, from the time I lived in Arizona, that I was going to use... that wasn't a cheap purchase, and not to mention it's out of print now-- so I chickened out at the last minute. This one is $4 per yard and it's from Walmart, so it was a formidable substitution.

My intention for this bag wasn't to make it overly complicated-- simple, but unique to that of the rest. And to think back on it, I think it would have turned out that way... if fate hadn't intervened...

I had previously worked on a small project and hadn't gotten around to putting everything away after I wiped the table down (shame, shame...), so I had a scrap of spiderweb lace and a bottle of glow paint staring me in the face, seducing me with promises of a prettier bag. I took the bait... and oh the delight.

It is with this project that I also got to try Pellon's version of Annie's soft & stable: their fusible flex foam. It's been on the market for quite some time now, but I had enough Annie's in my stash to last me a while. What I have left is promised to a messenger tote I am making my mother.

It's certainly cheaper per yard than Annie's, but the adhesive they used leaves a lot to be desired. I noticed, now that my bag is done, the back panel is coming up in places... it's rather annoying since it's quite unsightly.

I don't think I've ever used so many different weights in one single project ever. To my count, it's 5 different types! Overall I'm quite pleased with the stability of my "prototype".

The bow was always part of my original intent, what I hadn't decided until last minute was that it was to be a bat wing bow-- anything seems to be made better with bat wings! I very carefully hand-stitched the bow onto the bag, as I wasn't confident simply gluing it on, though being that it was pvc it might have actually held onto the velvet really well. I spent so many hours just hand basting much of it in place. If I hadn't I'd fear for my sanity, what with the different kinds of materials alone in this bugger.

The striped pipping was another detail I decided on adding as a lark. I had so many scraps from this dress I made a couple years back. I don't remember there being so much, but when I went digging for pieces to make a plain black pipping, I discovered the pile of varying sized chunks. I found a front bodice piece that was just large enough to square off and create a decent length of binding from. Weird, but fortuitous-- it completed a nice retro feel.

Why are you so red?! And why did I leave the shoulders collapsed?!

The bag's size turned out a little bigger than anticipated, but roomy is never a bad thing for a bag isn't it? I might have to redraft this bag to something a little more manageable for everyday wear. It makes a superb carry on though. I made sure to have pockets in it, including a zippered one for things that shouldn't bop around like my lip balm and keys. The other two pockets are for my wallet and phone, so they too don't jingle around, or get scratched up. This is where the spider web printed material (not the lace) came in, I contrasted all the pockets with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite seem to grab a decent enough photo of the pockets except the one shown below-- which still isn't that amazing. I will keep trying and edit this post when I do, though!

The bag turned out to be quite a grand labor of love, and I really couldn't be happier with how it came out. It turned out better than the preliminary sketches-- I love it when that happens! I poured my passion for Hallowe'en straight into the design.

I used glow paint to hand paint in little details on the sides; they're not so obvious by day, unless you're actively looking for them; the lace overlay keeps them quite hidden. Darkness really brings out the best of this bag, as it tends to do for us darklings-- we who bump in the night!

Glow paint! It's the medium of Gods; it's my favorite addition to this bag... I want glow paint to be my signature touch, my bread and butter, my forte-- holosexuals, meet your match... phosphorescensexuals.
Ok, it's a mouthful... but it'll catch on, I swear!

Anyway, I haven't had much of a chance since completing it to actually wear it out and it's been raining pretty unpredictably to get good enough shots modeled outdoors... maybe I can snag one soon, so I can have a completed outfit to show off.

Until then, spook ya later, fiends!

Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: 10 Things I Wish I Knew.

There was a discussion I read that I thought might be a fun topic to think about and write about here; it was a '10 things you wish you knew when you first started sewing'. Being that I am almost completely self taught, it's safe to say I wish I knew a lot of things. Most especially now.

The history of my sewing background is long and a little complicated but to make a long story short: I was sewing on and off since I was 10, mostly hand sewn doll clothes and little repairs to my own clothes. I didn't tackle a wearable garment till I was 14 when my mother bought me my first machine, an Omega. The serger I own was always in my life (it's older than I am-- my parents bought it new), but I never used it until a few months after getting my Omega; I didn't really understand it's full purpose, so how could I even use it effectively? Heh.
When it came to sewing my mother knew only how to hand sew, which she taught me, but after that I was on my own. Consequently, I spent a lot of time at the library, maybe more than I did at my machine... but everything I learned, I still learned the hard way despite those long hours with my nose in a book... surely one can write an essay on the lesson of theoretical vs. practical knowledge using 'teaching yourself to sew from books' as evidence.

So if there were 10 things I could tell myself at the beginning? Well, in no particular order...

1. Keep your measurements up to date and accurate.

Taking proper measurements is time consuming, and making sure to take your time to do it right and do it at least once a month makes it tedious. I still have a hard time making myself do it, but I do know better now. I will on occasion head onto projects willfully ignorant every now and again, heheh. Whereas when I began, many projects were dubiously "successful"-- mostly out of pure luck.

I use this template I created now, popped it in a glass picture frame and use dry erase markers, now I have a no-waste reference sheet always available.

2. Don't skip hand basting 

Once I didn't skip this tedious little task, the quality in my sewing sky rocketed. Everything was more accurately placed, with far less warping and puckering, not to mention painless to sew.When you're dealing with a lot of layers, or delicate and slippery ones... pins just don't suffice for accuracy. 

Even when you're sewing over pins (which I used to be guilty of, but don't anymore), there's still a considerable margin for error between each pin.
Always use contrasting thread, because you should always be taking it out afterwards.

It does suck to do and it's time consuming... but again, worth it-- a couture standard and for good reason. 

3. Take ergonomics seriously

When you're young, you feel invincible, but... that's pretty far from the truth. Bad lighting, bad posture, no preventative gear... it catches up. Especially when you're enjoying yourself.

Thimbles, chair cushions, extra lamps, wrist supports... these are a few of the things that will cut down fatigue and strain that cause aging to suck ass. 

4. Develop the habit of finishing your garment properly

I confess, I didn't line my garments for a very long time (but I always finished my seams!). It's kind of tough working backwards, that much is true. I wish I started learning this much sooner than when I did actually start. I think it's invaluable in learning the fundamentals in garment construction-- there's something to be said about learning something, and doing it backwards to ensure you understood what happened. Pathways in the brain open up!!

Plus, it's impressive looking as hell... heh. 

4. Don't "Cut on the fold"
I have always been one to make copies of my patterns to keep the original intact, but one thing that took me a long time to get into the habit of was mirroring those 'cut on fold' pieces into whole pieces. Cutting on the fold is a somewhat troublesome habit that pattern companies reinforce. The reason pattern companies do this is to make it easier to save on fabric, and to save on the tissue they print on... but you'll soon learn that it's not always possible, and no good has ever come from cutting corners. If you're keen on matching your print or you need to be especially conscious of your seam allowances, piles, grains, bias... basically anything (lol)... save yourself headaches and heartache by just doing the extra step.
In the photo above, you'll notice I still write in the cutting instructions; sometimes I mirror after I finish copying all the pieces, as a reminder to go back and mirror pieces. Later that will be erased.

6. Pay Attention to Grain lines. 

Seems like a no-brainer... but since I was so stingy with my fabric at first, I preoccupied myself on how much material I could save rather than pay attention to the placement of my pieces on the fabric. Cutting your material along different grains can severely warp your final product, but it won't be obvious until you try and wear it and it's not fixable mistake. Usually the material's selvage works as a guide to find your grain lines, but sometimes mystery fabrics happen and in that case research is key!

7. Be patient with mock ups, and use a material closest in drape as your 'good fabric'
If something is not working during the mock up stage, continue to work on it till it does and never mix weights; a cotton muslin material doesn't drape the same way silk crepe de chine does, and as tempting as it is to use because of how cheap it is per yard, it's not a good idea if you're looking to gauge how the fit or fixes will look as the crepe de chine...

8. Learn and apply pressing and ironing techniques and tools

Another one for the finishing technique pile but can stand on its own. Nothing looks more sloppy and more obviously homemade than an unpressed project-- it's not always needed, but it's important to learn when, where and how it should be done. I once heard someone say that an iron is as important as the sewing machine. At the beginning, I would laugh at such a statement... and now, I nod my head in agreement so fast I could sprain it.

There are almost as many tools and ways to press a garment during the construction process, as there are steps to constructing any garment... Above are just some of the 'basics'. Makes my head spin! 

9. Use and transfer pattern markings.
My very first self pattern drafts did not include a single marking, so I was unable to learn or discover any mistakes I made. I learned my lesson even harder going into commercial patterns, because without transferring the markings or even understanding why they were there to begin with, meant any attempt I made at alteration a futile one.

10.Keep Your Space Clean.
I know, ground breaking concept, heh.
Seriously, though, I think of my space much like I think of a laboratory-- hence why you'll often see me referring to my creative space as a "creative laboratory". You're dealing with a lot of things that, as funny as it is to think, can cause bodily harm. If not to yourself than perhaps a curious paw or tiny hand... You might be dealing with some substances that can destroy hours of work; like excess machine oil or grease that wasn't cleaned up properly... and suddenly you find an unsightly stain on that finished dress made up of out of print fabric in a very unfortunate and visible spot...
Shit happens, best prevent it as much as possible.

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I guess the real lesson here is take your time, and your sewing will reward you. One well made garment is worth 100 crafted pieces of mediocrity. Even if one simple blouse takes you days... that's really ok, as long as you're taking away something from the experience.
There's comfort that with enough dedication and time, speed is an eventuality.
Find and know your way before you attempt short cuts; they can be so very seductive... but in the beginning, they can only be reductive.

So those are my ten, good luck to any future sewist out there.

Spook ya later!

Mortem's Trick or Treats: A Time For Recouping.

It's been rough these past couple of weeks. Physically that is.
I have been fighting a small injury to my hip, that although small, nevertheless kept me from my usual freedoms. After I healed from that, I was stricken with a bad allergy attack that made my eyes swell up shut. After I took enough antihistamines to get them open it was just a matter of waiting and medicating for the rest of my body to follow suit...

Still, despite all of it, recovery time did offer me a moment to finish some smaller projects I kept putting off and of course writing on my blog-- that's why I have been so very active online, hehe.
Now that I'm mostly back to relative normality, I took the chance to model out a pair of overalls I finished before the allergy attack.

This was the project I had even earlier set aside to work on my version of McCall's 6503.
It was while I was deciding what to do for embellishments on this project that my path took me to the dress. After that struggle, a little break afterwards, and I guess the bruised hip (lol) I was able to finally get back to it.

This is McCall's 7547 in view C; the overall shorts.

Always wanted me a pair of velvet overalls, and now I finally have them-- with a few modifications.
And modifications there are a few of...

To start, I omitted side seams and any zippers or the connected waist bands that were originally designed with the pattern. In their place I used grommets for lace up details, and double sided button tabs to ensure they stay together-- in case unlacing should somehow occur.

Next, I added some pleather gear/cog appliques... though it would appear this idea was kind of a bust. They were meant to be more pronounce. I may add decorative rivets in order to accentuate the design, but I'm not sure I want to use the amount I would require for a substantial difference to be made. These appliques are placed on the bottom left front and the back right on the pocket.

I would give this a solid 'meh'.

Perhaps if I had not went with double textured materials, it might have panned out better.

The button tabs were things I had to draft in myself, though as you might imagine, not very difficult to do.

I took a portion of the original waist pattern piece and arrowed it off.
The method might have been easy, but the decision to use them wasn't; this new design feature. I bounced the idea around among buckles or snaps. None seemed more neutral in the end to any future belts I may wear than fabric covered buttons, since I kept the original belt loops in the design.
Lucky I had some button making kits in my stash leftover from making my bat dress.

My biggest revelation while making this up was the use of fabric glue. I know, sounds like a no-brainer to a crafter.
Once I did scoff the use in garment construction, because hand basting was more than sufficient, and glue can have rather unsightly effect on the finish, if you're using liquid glue or a strong enough stick glue. I use it all the time in my millinery and other accessory related craft... but during this, I wasn't in the mood to baste every seam in this to make it sit right.

Stick glue never liquid for basting

See, I don't have a velvet board; a tool used to press/iron velvet without affecting the pile adversely. It's also very expensive, and the sole reason I don't yet own one.
Fluffy towels are said to be a good substitute, but I don't have fluffy towels. It left me puzzling over what I could do to get the cooperation I desired when pins were too cumbersome for accuracy.

I bought this fabric glue pen to experiment in my millinery (brand: June Tailor), but the application was far too light for those purposes. Kind of an ah-ha moment.
A quick swatch test, and doors of possibilities opened.
I was able to make the straps and work under finite seam allowance with ease, all thanks to fabric glue basting; the pen applicator was acutely responsible for the level of handiness.

Pattern Overview:

• The finished garment produces a close fitting/fitted pair of overalls, worth it to note for those looking for a loose fit. With major and complicated tweaks, the possibility is there. 
• Front top pocket is not originally intended for View C, this is an optional piece for this view.
• If you're using a material with not a lot of thickness, like I did, make sure you're reinforcing and adding an interfaced thick layer where the dungaree buttons will be installed.
• It should be mentioned that originally the pattern has a side zipper closure, and a working front fly. I wanted neither.
• Comes together very easily, though I suggest paying close attention to how you finish your seams and reinforce stress points; the crotch, corners of pockets, the point where the straps are attached, as well as front and back bibs along the waist.

So despite my resting witch face, I am very pleased and relieved with the outcome. I barely tested for fit, except for mocking up just the bottom portion and trying that on once, I didn't put them on again until I was fully finished. Kind of a gamble, especially considering the material-- velvet ain't the cheapest material on the market, most especially a quality crushed velvet that isn't stretch and doesn't look super costumey.

Until next time, fiends.

Spook ya later!

-------------------

Top: Handmade-- Simplicity 8386

Necklace: Handmade

Boots & Hat: Ardenes and Ebay

Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Best Laid Plans-- When Love Isn't Enough.

You all know I love sewing; it's my passion, it's my hobby, it's basically a synonym for me.

It's with that in mind that I tell you this, not every time I sew means I'm happy. Sometimes, I am so miserable but I do it because I must... much like some sharks must keep moving in order to live; sewing is my soul's primary life source... even if at times like with this project, I resent the necessity.

So, back in late June I began this escapade (or rather lesson in patience); I was happily working on a pair of velvet overalls and it was while I was digging through my stash room for certain notions needed, that I was suddenly and irrevocably struck by an intense urge to use this spiderweb cotton material I had purchased during my time working for Hancock's Fabric... which inevitably got me digging through my pattern stash.

This hard diversion of my plans landed me on McCall's 6503:

I remember picking this pattern up a couple years ago and thinking I was going to sew view C; I began a muslin and had everything lined up and ready to go for it, I just didn't have a fabric choice to marry the dress to and so it was stamped with a big UFO label. It would have been C too, but my mind changed course once more, as it tends to do, and I found myself utterly smitten over view A.
Ironically, view A was my least favorite view when I had initially purchased this pattern.

I was still feeling the web lace vibes from my last dress, even though before this dress I wasn't working with it at all. I overlaid the collar and belt portions with a layer of lace that admittedly made them very bulky, and I was worried I would have issues later since I did use interfacing also.
Yet I continued...

As much as my gut was telling me not to use the interfacing, I was worried it would not be crisp enough to maintain the shape after laundering. I opted to compromise and use a featherweight interfacing. However, going through my stash of interfacings, I quickly realized I had nothing but scraps of featherweight left.

Instead of seeing this as a red flag, my stubborn ass franken-stitched the pieces together.

My heart was telling me I solved the problem, while my brain was in overdrive panic mode because although they were technically symmetrical... aesthetically, they weren't. My brain was yelling at me profanities and the myriad of reasons what could go wrong in the garment.
Yet I continued...

The interfacing and lace in, the bodice was actually going as planned. This pattern had an insane amount of ease in it that I drafted out during the mock up-- all in all I think I removed an entire 1/4 yard of material from this dress.

So came the lower portion, I sprung a creative leak and motivation was gushing out of me. I couldn't decide whether or not I should continue with a lace overlay on top of a solid or over top of the print.
It sat on my form, just as it was above, for days.

I was helplessly watching unable to continue my life, sometimes starring at this dress for hours while I sat in my chair with Netflix going on in the background, trying to fall back in love with it. I couldn't even work on those overalls or things I had promised to make others... I just sat there obsessively trying and failing to be enamored.

It wasn't until last week that my brain finally kicked back on, and I became decisive once more. I think part of that can be attributed to a recent commitment to my well-being that managed to get this brain train going again. I said fuck it to the solid and the lace and went a more simpler route, going completely with the print AND I even went so far as to redesign the skirt into a hi-lo hem.

Sadly I was reminded again that this dress is cursed. I was two steps from being completed, and just as suddenly as before, things went awry. Instead of a lapped zipper, I wanted an invisible zipper. I put it in, and off the dress form and off myself it got a little hung up at the waist but still went up. Now bare in mind, it was during this time when mother nature paid her visit and I was incredibly bloated and irritable... logic and reason fly out of the window with the tiniest provocation when I get it this bad.

I tried on the dress despite my better judgement, and it just didn't want any of this hot mess. It barely zipped up, let alone come together at my waist where the bulk of my bloating was highest. I struggled with this zipper for hours on end, so close to tears of frustration when I got a call from my SO, who at the time was away on business.

He barely helped, I'm sad to report. I got angrier and angrier as he spoke, but I did manage to sift and process a grain of reality from what he said and that was the fact that when my bloating gets bad, nothing will ever fit.
Meanwhile, I tugged and pulled and squeezed that zipper so fervently, I managed to give my forefinger and thumb blisters. Actual painful blisters: puffy, angry and filled with fluid... like me.

I sat in my room, feeling completely defeated and sweaty after wrestling the zipper. I grabbed a bag of almond kisses and streamed the most disgustingly cute Korean drama I could find and binged that shit during the following days.
While I sat watching the last few episodes, it dawned on me, that bloody bulk on the waist I was worried about earlier? That was what the zipper must be getting hung up on, it had to be. I grabbed my scalpel style stitch remover and very carefully removed the inner most line of stitching and moved it over the tiniest mm's to the side. I also tacked down the remaining flap of adjacent bulk down to help ease the runner a little more too.

After completing these minor fixes, and going back in to readjust the armholes because they puckered oddly, there I was in front of the mirror again, ready for round two. I put the dress on, grit my teeth and prayed... the first portion went up smoothly, and there was a certain satisfaction in feeling that graceful zip, but then it momentarily hung up at the waist again. I cursed, and buckled down for yet another struggle... but a little tug and all the way up it went. I was speechless, the bulk was the problem, and I solved it. I startled my cats when I exclaimed 'fuck yeah' with intense glee.

Pattern Overview:

• With a combination of major and minor tweaks and adjustments, this pattern can look as intended by the envelope line work.
• Adjustments will be primarily done on the bodice front piece, as it carries an excess of ease due to the gathered feature.
• The armholes for the sleeveless variations do not come with a piece for a facing, and instead bias tape is suggested for use en lieu. I used bias tape and there were puckering issues since I opted to hand stitch it in as opposed to having an exposed top stitch on the exterior. Adjustments must be made for this course of action, and my solution was barbaric but resulted in a pleasant looking armhole-- simply chop the excess ease at the top where I deducted was the ailing source of the tugging. and gradually narrow down. If I had to make this again, I would draft a suitable facing to make things easier.
• The envelope reads easy, meaning good for beginners. I would heavily debate to the contrary. However, the instructions were clear and concise.

Additional Comments on Pattern: 

I have a hunch that some of the problems with this pattern might be solved by simply having a lining. I can't confirm that, though, because it is unlikely I will use this pattern again any time soon.

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Looking back, I can't believe how much I struggled with this dress in every aspect of it-- from the beginning to the end, it was quite a journey that I won't soon forget. So much for it being labeled "easy", hah! Perhaps I should dump this post under my Trials & Tribulations!

Till next time, fiends.

Spook you later!

******
Necklace: handmade by yours truly
Spider brooch: gift from my youngest brother
Shoes: flea market buy
Fascinator: upcycled by yours truly

Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Ghost With The Most.

What do we got 'ere tonight, kids?

I'm on a roll, my fiends, sewing like tomorrow the bells will toll. Better yet, all these projects are made using fabric from the stash, and not just any stash... the good stash. The stash I didn't think I would ever cut into. So bold, so ambitious... so freaking scary.

I would be remiss if I didn't say I have (had?) ulterior motives to getting back into sewing so voraciously. Contests; contests are very good motivators. McCall's Pattern Company has such a contest of interest, for the construction of M7542.

The prizes are $100 gift certificate to Vogue Fabrics plus a 1 year sub to their fabric catalog, and $100 worth of McCall's patterns. I was so excited for those prizes, but the ironic thing was this was a pattern I actually passed on during a pattern haul (doh!).

Luckily I have have a really awesome friend here in San Antone who didn't mind buying the pattern after telling him I've been having withdrawals and wished I didn't pass it up so I could participate; I haven't bought fabric in a few months, partly because we have been heavily cutting down on the outgoing cashflow, but mostly because I made a very substantial bet with my significant other that if I managed to make it to October without purchasing fabric, I would get a "within reason" fabric/hallowe'en shopping spree in return.

Anyway, so I found this rayon challis at Walmart, and in a black and white stripe print some odd years ago now when I lived in Arizona (?)-- such an odd almost out of place good quality too that I ended up buying the rest of the bolt at the time. When I find fabric this good, I tend to get very greedy and buy entire bolts; bad for the wallet, but hella satisfying.

There isn't much to say about the actual pattern itself. I cut out a 12 and extended the back opening about an 1 1/2" down from the original ending point-- partly because I couldn't get my head through in the mock up, and partly to have a subtle skin reveal as I moved. Other than that, it fit as it should-- not too tight, not too loosely. It's semi-loose fitting with bust and shoulder darts for the tiniest bit of form fit. There was an excess of ease on the upper sleeve pattern piece, but nothing you can't just chop off after you've set it in with a baste stitch; I know, I'm a filthy savage.

The hook and eye is meh, it catches my knotty hair every time I take it on and off.
I would've added a loop closure with a fancy button if I didn't mess up that plan by serging the facing on before sammiching a loop between that and the outer fabric.
The hemline sits a touch higher than what's typical, ending right at the high hip point-- I didn't know I would like this cut as much I as do, it's flirtatious!

Sample dress #1, WIP

I used an applique bib that initially I was going to use in a dress I was designing around a dual sided lace fabric that was purchased for me from the same friend. There's a little regret in doing so, the material and the bib went so well together but when I get to designing without a clue as to what I want... I didn't know if it would ever see a use... individually, they are quite pretty.

There is one good thing that came from my indecisiveness, I mean, other than using it in this top... I started drawing croquis again . So there's that. This hasn't been a usual practice for me for the past 4 to 5 years, mostly because I now sew and design as lark rather than as a meticulous planned endeavor. Keeps things fresh and satisfying, I lose steam as quickly as I gain it anymore these days... but it feels good to be going back to my roots.

Back to the blouse, the bib didn't seem like enough and I struggled with the idea of adding more embellishments to, well... an embellishment. I landed on the idea of spikes, however, this being a rayon challis and a mesh bib, it would not stand the weight of conventional metal spikes or studs; it would sag rather unflatteringly. I remembered Hobby Lobby had some acrylic sew-on spikes with a chrome finish that turned out to be perfect.

A little dab of well placed fabric glue on the bottom of each spike and placed in their appropriate spots ensured I would get the perfect sew-down every time.

A beetle pendant makes my 'Beetlejuice chic' work properly.

I alternated the way I cut the upper and lower sleeve portions, because it can't be Beetlejuice inspired if the stripes weren't horizontal on the sleeves... but the pleats I don't think would have had the impact they do if I continued the horizontal pattern.
I guess it is worth noting that the sleeves are the hardest part of this blouse. I don't like how they have you close up the upper portion and hopefully you've accurately transferred your markings that you may or may not have drawn on the wrong side of the material; if like me, you did the latter, you might run into a little hitch because those pieces are meant to fold up and close as a kind of self-lining feature, I guess.

Because I didn't want to mess with reopening the lower portion and potentially marring such a large piece of rayon in the process, I just picked out the small seams of the upper sleeve portion and marked out the seam allowance so I could pleat along the flat length and hope for the best haha! It took a couple tries, pinning and unpinning, but inevitably I persisted into a successful even fit.

With the temps getting warmer and warmer now, I feel great that I have a top to head on the incoming weather. My latest wardrobe purge left me without many good summery tops as I've come to realize; thankfully I sew and have no shortage of things to sew... as I haven't been much in the mood for clothing shopping in a while now.

I actually think I will attempt to sew another one of these, in a different style of sleeve offered-- I'm just in love with this pattern. I fail to understand why I nearly passed on this pattern; don't be like me in this regard, my spooky friends. Get the pattern, you'll love it too!

Spooky you later, fiends! ♥