ITT: lolita sewing and shit
has anyone seen the new OnS? the shapes are all stupid boxy.
hot messes too.
>>8963447
God, that's some awful fabric...before you even look at construction and design
I have some designs for some print dresses drafted, but I want dark colours. Is anywhere similarly priced to spoonflower but can manage a good black ink? (I'm in the UK so options shipping to the UK/locally are preferred)
I'm learning how to sew, do you guys have any tips for improving skills? What helped you most when learning?
>>8964845
Sewing class and learning my machine well. For Lolita, looking at brand dresses and their construction, fabric and lace details.
>>8964851
Sewing classes is out of the question atm though. There's none available near me.
>>8964845
Start with simple sewing patterns and making samples of different construction techniques. Learn different types of seam finishes and practice them on scrap fabric. If you have trouble sewing straight lines draw a bunch of lines on your fabric and practice staying on the line. Make sure you have a good sewing setup with an iron nearby and a place to lay things out. Watch lots of youtube videos on basic construction techniques and don't be afraid to make mistakes.
>>8963438
Otome no sewing 9 is out? Can you post pics?
>>8963655
The construction isn't bad. Its all in the shitty design, but her sewing is pretty good.
>>8964854
Online.
hello, /fa/ here. could you please offer some advice to someone whose never sewn before? especially what kind of sewing machine it makes sense to buy as I can afford a nice one but don't want to overspend.
I need it to hem and taper pants and maybe take in shirts, which I figure will be easy to learn, but I'd like to spend a while learning more so I could eventually make my own basic garments like underwear and shirts, or even pants.
With a sewing machine I'd start by fucking around on some ill fitting clothes I was going to donate. Can you suggest good projects and resources for a beginner? Thanks!
>>8965297
Sewing, sure. Pattern drafting? No. The bodice is basically a poorly fitted tube, and those bows are horribly proportioned.
I also can't tell, but is this a skirt over a JSK? Or a JSK with an apron? Or what is going on at the waist?
>>8964854
This: >>8965298
There are heaps of online courses you can sign up to do. Failing that, you can look through Burda's and Threads Magazine:
http://www.burdastyle.com/howtos?by=burdastyle&most_recent=1&video=1
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/teach-yourself-to-sew
Both have more in-depth options if you want to pay for a subscription, I believe, but their basics are all online for free.
Foundations Revealed is another good resource, but they only put parts of their articles up for free, so you can sometimes get mid-project write-up, and it'll stop with a "members only" thing:
http://www.foundationsrevealed.com/
>>8965362
See >>8965369
As for a sewing machine, go to your local shop and have a look at what's available. The staff for a shop like JoAnne's or whatever won't be able to tell you much most of the time, but you can have a look at the features and see just how fancy you want to go. Bernina, Janome, Brother and Singer all make good entry-level models. More expensive brands are out there, and those brands all have higher-end models as well, but you won't need anything too fancy to start out. The trick is having a reliable machine, and the right foot for what you're doing (eg: zipper foot or button holer, etc.).
If you're on a budget, check secondhand/charity shops for older model, metal-body Singers. Shops will repair them on the cheap if they need maintenance, and they're nearly impossible to kill.
They do basic straight and zig zag stitches, which are all you'll need for most simple alterations, and they're fucking beastly in terms of lifespan. My mom's Singer from 1965 is still kicking, and is my back-up for when I take my Bernina to be serviced.
>>8965362
Going to disagree with some other advice here. If you have never sewn before, do not buy a secondhand machine. You don't know what problems you could be inheriting and it will make your learning curve steeper. If you absolutely insist on it, make sure you buy it from a sewing machine shop that offers a warranty or repair service, classes, and maybe even trade-up capability if you get sick of it quickly.
Buy new. Do not buy a machine that is clearly marketed toward beginners, like the Brother Project Runway series. Buy a no-frills, basic model. If it can do a straight stitch and zig-zag, chances are you'll be set. I use the automatic and manual buttonhole settings pretty often, as well as a zipper foot.
>>8965362
buy a brother brand machine. I personally feel that they're the only brand that has under $200 machines that aren't shit. go on amazon and check reviews.
What are your guys' opinions on sergers? I know they're certainly not necessary, but from what I've read they give the most reliable seam finishing and I'm wondering if that's worth it considering lolita is all about high quality and durable pieces. If no, then what are the best seam finishes to go with? I know french seams are often recommended, but they can be a bit bulky and you also can't use them on curved edges.
>>8965362
I owned the Janome 2200XT for a year while I was in the UK which is totally fine for beginner and intermediate sewing. I paid 125 pounds for it new, and had no issues at all - was mainly shortening pants, altering things and making basic cosplays.
>>8965740
I love mine. I have the Brother 3034D.
>>8965740
I hate serged seams, I like French seams or enclosed or flat felled seams. I know some brands use them as a pseudo 'rolled hem' and most use them on interior seams except Moitie and some AATP but I hate that too. One of the reasons to even learn to sew is to get better quality construction and serged seams say 'department store mass production' to me.
>>8965755
I'm going to second the Janome recommendation, not sure of the model number on mine but it cost roughly the same and it has been a great machine for stuff like hemming, alterations, basic garment construction etc. It handles thick fabrics like velvet and denim just fine, which is a plus because I know some cheap machines struggle with those.
I got mine from John Lewis and I would recommend that too - great warranty and customer service included which helped when I messed up the alignment (I think it got bumped or dropping during my house move) because repairs were free in the first two years.
>>8965755
Oh wow, that's the exact serger I was looking at! Glad to see the positive reviews hold true.
>>8965760
That's interesting to hear. Most normie sewing blogs I've been reading seem to say French > serged > flat felled > enclosed, so I was under the impression that flat felled and enclosed might not be seen as entirely appropriate for good lolita garments. Is this more a case of "sergers are expensive, so since you sunk more money into the hobby you're better at it" mentality?
>>8965791
Thirding the Janome recommendation. My baby powered through stacked box pleats made from upholstery fabric like it was nothing.
>>8965801
>French > serged > flat felled > enclosed
wait, isn't french seam an enclosed seam? What the difference?
>>8965740
You can french seam some curved edges like armhole seams. They're easier on an inward curve rather than an outward curve.
If you're concerned with added bulk there's always the turn and stitched seam finish, pinking, or binding in a bias cut mesh or organza. Couture unlined garments are often finished with a hand overcast stitch which is probably the least bulk you can get.
>>8965801
From an industry perspective it's more like serged>flatlock>lapped>enclosed. French seams are a type of enclosed seam. Mass produced garments are less likely to have french seams because they're more expensive to produce. Flat felled seams are lapped seams and there are machines that can produce them quickly and efficiently which is why you see them more than french seams.
>>8965760
Spoken like someone who doesn't really know much about sewing.
How difficult would it be to handmake some bags using PU / pleather similar to pic related? It looks like the first one is just die-cut pleather assembled and sewn together, and the second is sewn similar to a regular tote bag just with stiffer fabric. This leads me to believe it's not as hard as my imagination makes it out to be, but at the same time I'm worried the average sewing machine might not be able to handle working with such dense fabric.
Also, what are the hallmarks of a well-constructed, brand-quality bag versus something Taobao or eBay-quality, aside from the obvious difference in quality of materials?
>>8967566
>>8967566
Pleather isn't fabric.
To start with, any holes you make in them don't close up. So no pins whatsoever. Use binder clips to hold your pieces together.
Second, they're very, very thick (and if they're thin, you might want to ask yourself if it's even worth making a bag out of such thin material, it won't hold its shape). This means that (a) your sewing machine needs to be heavy duty in order to be able to punch through them, and (b) you may want to rethink your process, things like multiple layers of seams are going to build up and create little bumps under every surface, plus you may not be able to turn some things inside out due to the bulk.
I'd suggest you start with whatever bargain bin or throwaway pleather you can find, and do a little sewing test to see if you can even sew it, before committing to a large scale bag project.
>>8967566
Just don't, familia. It'll cost more and look worse than a brand bag, and your description of the construction is totally off. It's hard to explain, but that's not at all what brand bags are like, they're made of very soft pleather that's lined. Novelty shapes like hearts and stars have a piece of cardboard or plastic in them that keeps them stiff. I can take some photos if you are really set, but I heavily advise against it.
I don't have any taobao bags, but the novelty shapes usually look comparable to brand. I have a Japanese indie brand bag that the construction is as good as brand but the materials are a bit rougher.
If you're looking to save, just get a loris bag or secondhand brand or secondhand loris even. In my experience, AP makes the highest quality bags and although they're kind of shitty in terms of secondhand prices, they're totally worth it and you'll get a lot of use out of them.
>>8965740
I love mine, especially now that I'm really learning how to use it. Being able to serge seams and make rolled hems is great but I especially love how easy it is to sew stretchy fabrics nicely. I've been churning out cutsews for casual coords and they've been mistaken for being brand several times.
>>8965760
I've never seen the overlock stitch used as a rolled hem in brand. The only time I saw that misused was back in the talia_speaks days, and she was confirmed for shit seamstress and overall shit person. Do you have any actual photos or is this just hearsay? I've seen the actual rolled hem that sergers do on brand, but never overlock stitch in lieu of it.
Regarding seams, a seam that is only serged is cheap, but one where the serger has been used to finish the edges and trim the seam allowance as well as having the regular lockstitch to hold it in place isn't really such a big deal and still can be seen in brands considered higher end (although still mass produced in a factory)
>>8967686
It's not necessarily that I want to save money, but that I had some ideas for bags I really wanted but couldn't find. But I definitely think I'll avoid getting into it and throwing my money down the drain, because it's definitely way over my head right now in terms of difficulty.
>>8967686
>tfw IW flakes bits of pleather every time I look at that bag
What's the use of a glorious bag I can't show off.
How difficult would it be to sew something similar to pic related by hand/without a machine?
Wonderrocket put out a similar piece that I'd love for my mori wardrobe, and I have a pair of overalls in a relatively lightweight denim that I'd like to use for this.
>>8967966
Difficult. Denim is not a fabric that lends itself to handsewing and with premade overalls there will be seams you will have to sew over. I wouldn't bother trying, but if you do, get a pair of pliers and some eye protection.
>>8964845
Practice, practice, practice. Vogue sewing and the singer illustrated guide to sewing are great to start with. The singer guide also has a section on common mistakes with fit featuring pictures and how to/if it can be fixed descriptions. The singer book is great for beginners. Buy a used good older sewing machine - don't buy the 150.00 walmart special. If you're in the usn try craigslist. I have bought multiple machines off craigslist for cheepcheep.
>>8967966
Your finger will bleed and you will cry. with a machine you would use a denim needle and a walking foot.
>>8967966
I've hand sewn denim and my fingers had more holes than a sieve by the end. If you don't have a machine and can't get one for whatever reason it's still possible- especially if the denim is old/super soft- but it'll be a lot more work.
On pic related, the skirt is attached just below the seam at the waist, where the middle seam also ends. Somewhere like that is a lot easier to sew than right over the seam, so you should bear that in mind when cutting the overalls. If you can, use back stitch and strong thread, and sew 2 or 3 lines instead of just one, because hand sewing is weaker than machine sewing and I had a few horribly embarrassing moments in my newbie sewing days when clothes literally started to fall apart while I was wearing them. If you just want to hold it together for a while until you get a machine, one line of back stitch should be fine.
>>8967976
This. Pliers, eye protection and a decent thimble. And a multi-pack of needles.
A general question: Do you wear eye protection while sewing?
Yesterday my needle broke and a small part of it flew into my face. Now I just got a small scratch. But I'm scared what might happen if something like this flies into my eyes which is why I ordered safety goggles.
>>8965279
I don't think it is, I went looking for it yesterday and have been looking online for the past few days and nothing has turned up.
>>8970887
The release date is 2016/5/16.
My 40 year old hand-me-down Singer finally died. I'm planning to replace it with a heavy duty machine. I've never shopped for a sewing machine before, and don't know anything about heavy duty ones. Got any recommendations, /cgl/?
>>8970871
no, because the most dangerous thing that has ever happened to me while sewing is that I was too dumb to thread bobbin right so the thread went everywhere
I've guess I've had a shit ton of luck, but I don't sew very often so I guess that is a part of it too
Is it possible to make a handmade "sailor Lolita" coordinate and make it look decent?
>>8972812
I don't see why not? In fact, solid dresses are probably the best place to start, even if the collar can be tricky.
You can get nice cotton/polyblend fabric for cheaper than a fancy print, it's pretty forgiving to work with and you won't be stressing about the price of the fabric or ruining it.
Considering I have good sewing skills and only like non-print brand dresses, should I do and sew knockoffs for myself? Or is it seen bad like replicas?
>>8973133
Most people don't pay attention to non prints, there's too many similar designs to remember. Unless you're doing the Drink Me dress or something equally memorable, chances are no one will actually notice.
If you want to take the wind out of your accusers' sails though, you could just up front admit it's a knockoff, then say you sewed it as a challenge to see if you could. Most of them get off on being able to "out" a replica-wearer, which they can't do if you already outed yourself, and most girls can't sew, so it's going to look like sour grapes if they continue to bitch about something you copied to improve your skill.
(Mind you, this doesn't stop people from bitching about your knockoff for being a bad knockoff if your dress doesn't turn out nicely.)
>>8967966
I've seen these for $10 at Dots, if you have a store like that around.
>>8970871
I had a broken needle fly off into the air once too but it's rare enough that I can't be bothered with goggles. I do wear regular glasses, though.
>>8970871
I used to consider that as well, but stuff like that is more easily avoided if you check the tension in your machine.
If you tend to pull your fabric through your machine rather than just having it run the fabric through at its own pace, it pulls the machine slightly out of alignment, and this causes the needle to pull more and snap often.
I used to have needles snapping and flying all the time until j went and got it services and they told me what was up. I have a newer model of my old machine now, however I never pull the fabric and simply let it run at its own pace, and I haven't had a needle snap once.
Goggles can be kind of an inconvenience, so get your machine looked over before you resort to them, and you might be able to avoid snapping needles altogether! :)
>>8974320
Thank you.
I don't really pull the fabric but from now on I will be extra careful.
Making over skirts for Halloween. One for me and one to sell. I don't have a surger and I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to finish these seams on the inside where they don't look like shit. Do you think a zig-zag stitch over them will be good enough? Should I also place a top stitch over it so they don't go floppin' about?
Dumb question, but for the shirred OP in Otome no sewing 5, how long of elastic do you need for each sleeve and around the neck? The only measurement I can find is for the total amount of elastic.
>>8972812
One of the most popular sailor lolita pics is actually a handmade outfit.
>>8967566
If you have one of those hand-cranked Singer machines, that'll be great for sewing PU. If you're using a wimpy modern machine, wear goggles so the shattered needles don't hit you in the eyes.
>>8975660
French seam, anon.
>>8975660
Zigzag looks good enough if you make it very tight (if that makes sense?) and trim the fabric close to it after. A top stitch helps too.
>>8975660
Encase them with double fold bias tape.
>>8977701
I was thinking of this as well, but last time I went to buy ribbon at joanns they were sold out. (they had a 70% off sale)
>>8977721
Buy 'bias tape', not ribbon. Or make your own bias tape buy cutting fabric diagonal to the grain and ironing it to make double fold bias tape. Google it, anon, you can do it.
>>8964845
I taught myself to sew as a teenager though trial and error. Youtube didn't exist until my later teens, but I wish I had the tutorials back then. Youtube tutorials help greatly. The most important thing is to use good fabrics and the proper settings on your machine.
I bought a new sewing machine a dew years ago, and it came with a dvd that had instructional videos.
Just practice with fabric or old clothes that you don't care about. Circle skirts with elastic waistbands are really easy to make, and work for lolita with the right fabrics, trim, and skirt length.
If you do check out Youtube tutorials, avoid using Yumi King projects. She does a lot of hot gluing instead of sewing. Her stuff looks decent, but as a beginner it will look awful. Sew, don't glue. Attitude Lolita has very detailed and clear tutorials and I highly recommend her videos.
>>8965362
I would recommend a Singer machine. It's the most popular in my country, so it is really easy to get parts for them. There are entire stores for Singer, and places that do repairs. They have models for beginners, but I recommend a machine that has multiple stitch options, including button-hole stitch.
>>8977748
I wouldn't recommend wading into YouTube as a noob. A lot of internet tutorials are really bad and done by people who don't actually know what they're doing, but it's not going to be obvious to a beginner that the technique is wrong or there's a much better, more professional way to do X. Vetted information from published books is a much better place to start learning.
Also, circle skirts are not easy for a beginner to do well, and they don't really work for lolita.
>>8965740
I have always wanted a serger (is that the correct spelling?) but they are rrreeallly expensive. I do a zig zag stitch over the edges of fabric that might fray with my regular sewing machine and it has been fine. If you want to sew with stretchy t-shirt fabric, sergers are pretty helpful, but unless you plan on such selling your stuff and want it to look factory made, I wouldn't worry about it.
>>8977729
I know what biased tape is, and how to make it. Ribbon however is a cheap and easy alternative to it.
>>8973133
As long as you aren't buying the exact printed fabric and copying the design exactly, I think you're fine. replacas are stolen designs/intellectual property, which is wrong. If your dewing project is simply inspired by a brand design, I think it is okay. Honestly, I have been thinking about making something like Nameless Poem, or at least recreating the collar. For one thing, they did not invent that collar, so I don't feel as bad.
>>8977754
>Also, circle skirts are not easy for a beginner to do well, and they don't really work for lolita.
Really? Absolutely everything I've read has said the opposite for years, including Otome no Sewing. Are you sure, anon?
>>8977764
Bias tape is cut on the bias, which is not the same as ribbon. And it comes already folded. You can get satin seam binding though.
>>8977754
Can you elaborate on why you think circle skirts don't work for lolita? The allow for maximum petty coat poofage. As long as you select good fabric and elegant lace like venice laces as trim, I don't see what is wrong with it. There are a good many lolita skirts that are at least half circle skirts. I guess you want the easiest possible thing, then a rectangle skirt is easier because you don't have to measure and cut as carefully, and the waist is easily cinched int with elastic.
>>8977812
they* and petticoat* sorry
>>8977780
That they're super easy or that they work for beginners? In terms of sewing, they require exact fitting at the waist and really need to be hemmed with a facing or carefully blind hemmed by hand. An amateur circle skirt is really obvious. The sad, ripply hem is always a dead giveaway. In terms of style, the look is much more square dance than lolita or otome. There are very few lolita/otome circle skirts, and even fewer if you take out the Meta designs that are clearly referencing rockabilly/retro. There's no reason to recommend a circle to a beginner sewist since they're harder to make and really rare in the fashion.
I've been into lolita for a long time, but I'm just now getting good at sewing. I've made a few clothing pieces for both daily wear and cosplay so I have some experience and I'd like to try my hand a making a JSK. Are there any good patterns around the internet for one?
>>8977827
>really need to be hemmed with a facing
oooooh dang.
It's really sad because a few years ago when I was making a circle skirt (just a short cute one) I couldn't find a tutorial that wasn't like, "use a serger lol"
totes has a ripply hem, which I covered up with lace.
now I know. thanks anon.
>>8977780
circle skirts are not terrible for lolita but definitely not the norm, and rectangle skirts are not only easier to pattern but also easier to sew.
>>8977776
Really, though, I've made two accidental "replicas" in the past three years even when I thought I was doing something original.
One was using the bodice from a Simplicity (or was it McCall's?) pattern that grandma bought a decade ago with shirring added and the bottom being plain with two massive pleats, all made from a great fabric find from the clearance bin. I only put pleats because my friend told me my sailor dress looked weird since there were no pleats where she expected there to be some and I was kind of still salty about that... Anyway, I went to a lolita event wearing this JSK and someone was like "Is that from Innocent World" and I was hella proud that my frankensteined creation would be mistaken for one of my favorite brands at the time until I looked up Innocent World on lolibrary and bam! My dress! Almost the same fabric and everything, except with bows and a belt... Haven't worn it with lolita since then.
The other time was with the aforementioned sailor dress. It's another dress I felt pretty proud of at the same meetup because some AP & Meta designers & Misako Aoki were there and they seemed to really like the design of it. Or at least I think that's what was happening since I knew very, very little Japanese at the time. Either way, they were making my cousin who was wearing the dress feel super special since they all wanted to look at it. Two months after the convention, I see an OP from Meta that looks almost exactly like mine.
So yeah... I've just been modifying old clothes rather than trying to make my own designs ever since then.
>>8977908
Aaaaand this is yet another example of why online tutorials are in general pretty crap. Single fold bias tape is super useful when you need to hem a skirt with substantial curvature at the hem, or when working with a heavy fabric that adds a lot of bulk if you turn it under to hem.
>>8970871
One of my friends had a close call with that, 99% of the time she wears contacts but she was wearing glasses that day and the bit of broken needle pinged off of the lens. It was just luck that she had the glasses on, its really rare for her to wear them. Since then ive worn goggles when im using materials/techniques where ive had snapped needles in the past. Maybe i should wear them all the time, bu i dont
>>8977764
>Ribbon however is a cheap and easy alternative to it.
Which doesn't bend and conform the way bias tape does. Have at it, though, I guess.
>>8978051
Tl;dr
This isn't your blog.
>>8978816
Anon was contributing. Unlike you who are shitposting.
On sewing machines - don't get a new Singer, all the low- and mid-end ones they've made in the last decade or two have crappy construction. I love my Janome, personally, but they tend to be a bit pricey. Brother machines go on sale a lot on Amazon, and the one I have (SE-400) has been solid for the year I've had it, and I have a lot of friends with Brothers who are very happy with them.
Sergers are a godsend if you work with stretch fabric a lot, but not that useful otherwise, I've found.
>>8979147
Also, had some leftover lace and fabric from another project, so I decided to attempt a vest - going for more ouji/toned-down classic. I think next time I'd make the neckline a little wider/lower.
>>8965740
If someone wanted to take my serger they'd have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. It is all but required if you ever want to produce nice knit/stretch pieces, and I use it constantly to make ruffles and finish raw edges so all of my non-fancy handmade stuff can be tossed in the washer/dryer. I very rarely use french seams and don't like them. 99% of the time I use either a flat felled seam or overlock the raw edges. That trends heavily toward overlocked edges, as I make a lot of lined JSKs/OPs/SKs.
>>8979188
please use a fabric that's not quilting cotton next time
>>8977780
>>8977812
NAYRT, and late reply, but I wanted to explain
Fuller circle skirts don't have "max poofage", they have impossible poofage. Think about when girls say the skirt looks sad because there's not enough poof, the skirt looks wrinkly and all the skirt decorations are bunched together. The petticoat doesn't just give shape to the skirt, it also spreads the fabric out so that you can see the ruffles, lace, and other trim that you put on the skirt. With a full circle, you'd have to spread the skirt out on the floor or wear a table around your waist in order to fully spread out the fabric. So no, (full) circle skirts are the absolute worst to recommend. It's not that they aren't used in lolita, but you have to design around their peculiarities.
As for half circle skirts, a huge part of the skirt is cut across different directions of the grainline. There's a possibility that over time, the side of the skirt that was mostly cut on different grainline will start drooping, then your hem and any decorations will warp along with it. That's why most brands use A-line gored skirts, it's more work sewing together 6 panels of skirt that makes up the same shape you could have gotten with a half circle, but the grain lines run more evenly across a gored skirt than a circle skirt. Especially if you're planning to add heavy things like ruffles, that put additional weight on the skirt.
Just some design issues to think about, other than the problems with executing a circle skirt.
>>8979457
Not that anon, but damn. This is a Protip.
>>8979457
capped for future use. bless you anon
>>8978941
Sorry you got mad that someone didn't want to read your essay, anon
>>8979457
>There's a possibility that over time, the side of the skirt that was mostly cut on different grainline will start drooping
You have to let it hang for 48+ hours to get it to droop like that so you can hem it properly.
>>8979552
That just makes circle skirts even worse to recommend to a new beginner, because then they'd have to redraw all the lines for the decorations and the hem after letting it hang for 48 hours.
>>8979388
Planning on it! This was futzing around with stuff I already had.
>>8966212
My thoughts exactly lol, I've never heard someone say that before.
What's a good way to add ruffles to the hem of a skirt or JSK? (Or I guess anywhere on a garment, really.) From the tutorials I've watched, I've only ever seen people gathering them by hand as they push the fabric through the machine, but wouldn't that result in uneven gathers throughout the piece? And what if you ended up overdoing the ruffles and using up the fabric before you got all the way around, or the opposite?
>>8964845
Iron, iron, iron! For real, if you iron every seam right after sewing you will have have much better and neater result. And if you can't iron, because of ruffles for instance, at least scratch the open seam with your thumb nail to make the folds sharper.
>>8980034
to avoid uneven gathering you have to put marks on at least 4 points of your hem (center and sides) and same marks on the ruffle fabric, before gathering it. I say at least 4 points but I like to mark halfway theses measures too. Then you make sure those marks line up when you sew them (by pinning them down). Also you can gather fabric by stitching with a slight looser thread and the longest stitch on your machine, and pulling the thread. There's a special machine foot for gathering too, but it really makes tiny pleats and it's not really necesary to make a nice skirt. Hope this helps anon, make beautiful ruffles!
Does anyone have good tutorial for beret or some similar style hat? I have some leftover fabric and want to use it.
Any idea where I could find vinyl fabric like this one? I have been scouring all over and can't find something like this except from this shop pictured but it seems their shop is closed momentarily.
>>8981542
That's not vinyl, it's a fabric that behaves more closely to paper.
here are some things I've made so far!
On the dressform is the bodice part for a dress (pattern from either GLB or Otome no Sewing, it's a bit Frankensteined); I'm still finishing up the skirt part. Also there are a pair of bloomers, again from GLB, and a tightlacing corset - not really Lolita but I think it helps for the silhouette under clothes :) that's made with herringbone coutil. Bless this style for forcing me to become a seamstress!!
>>8981542
try looking for lame or organza
>>8982544
You still have a long way to go.
>>8979188
I like it anon! Did you use a pattern?
>>8982544
Wait, you made both that corset and that bodice? Because the corset looks great (shitty picture but still, I couldn't do that) whereas the bodice honestly looks rather amateurish with all the puckered seams and the bad fit. This is boggling my mind right now.
>>8981542
Saw something like that in eBay
Type holographic material vinyl
>>8982967
yep, I know it's daft but I find corsetry easier than general tailoring! I'll crack this sewing lark one day
>>8982986
Man, we should team up, because I find general tailoring easy peasy but corsetry makes me want to hide under the covers and cry.
>>8982670
Loosely based on McCall's M4890 (sadly oop though some of their newer steampunk patterns are similar), though I added the faux-princess seams to put in the lace and the lacing loops, and swapped the collar to something that I thought would look better with the style
>>8982986
Iron, iron, iron! That'll fix some of the messiness of the seams. Fit is hard to tell without a worn photo, because I know dressforms are only approximations of actual humans - if it's like that on you as well though, take in the side seams under where your bust ends so it's less baggy.
Any advice for bodice construction?
I'm thinking of taking the plunge and making a simple JSK.
Very close to finishing my first JSK!
I'm waiting for the lace trim for the skirt to come in the post and I've also got to adjust the straps
>>8984132
Muslins are your friend.
>>8984132
Get a commercial sundress pattern with the kind of seams you want
>>8984177
I first saw this as "Muslims are your friend."
>>8984173
Looks very cute Anon, please post when it's finished! Will you make a head bow or some accesory with the same fabric to coord with?
Does anyone bother with GLB anymore? I feel like the patterns in there are a little better than ONS, but sometimes they just have patterns for a headbow and skirt or something, so it's always a bit of a gamble getting them. I post pics online when I do get them, but haven't found anyone else do this yet. I'd really appreciate seeing the patterns before I commit to getting one next time, if any of you gulls are getting vol. 60. I can post lists of patterns for books 49–59 if anyone wants them.
>>8986771
edit: I mean for the recent editions past vol. 54 – there is a thread on egl which I've added to
Lately I have been really into local history and culture. I have been thinking have anybody brought something from their culture to lolita (that fit the aestheticks). And I don't mean hijabs etc but something more local and not so known.
Pic related, not mine. I think something similar would make good print on white skirt. Of course badly made it would scream ita but if it turns out well It might look good.
>>8986377
I think I'll stick with this one headband with stars on that I saw! I'll post once I've finished but it might be a while since the lace was just ordered on taobao
>>8986856
I've got tons of ideas for folk-inspired lolita. Bunad, Hungarian embroidery, striped folk skirts, Slavic flower crowns with ribbons, short vests with embroidery and tons of buttons, you name it! If only I had the time! So far I only have AatP's Porz Kerchief and IW's Rose Panel and Alencon on my wish list.
>>8986856
This is a really neat idea. I wish I had something more than American west, horrible murders/accidents, or Hollywood backlot. Some noir prints would be stunning though.
>>8983477
thank you! I finished it entirely the other day and that's exactly what it needs!! Also the straps need adjusting :'o
I want to make a nice lolita bow similar to brand. I'm going to go to Joann's for pink fabric, and I was wondering what is the best pink fabric to get from them?
Did they really tea-dye with a bottle of fucking nestea?
>>8991371
Dammit gulls, my phone didn't save me cutting out the name. Sorry if I get the thread deleted.
>>8991371
that's just nastea
>>8986771
The instructions in the GLBs are usually a solid block of text, I guess that's why it gets overlooked, it's not very newbie-friendly if you don't speak Japanese.
I don't have issue 60, if you already have the others up somewhere I would love a link though, if it's not too much to ask?
>>8990474
Cotton twill, preferably something thicker and softer than quilting cotton, if you can find it.
If you want to up the ante, you can try looking for cotton twill sateen, make sure the sateen is just a nice sheen that looks sleeker than regular twill, not as shiny as godawful satin. Hard to find, though, I don't think Joann's even carries it.
If you're working with pink (or lavender or brown or some other tricky colour), take your dress or one waist tie in to match the colour so you don't end up with clashing undertones.
![NTE-33310-4[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/tCKtk1I.jpg "NTE-33310-4[1].jpg")
>>8991371
Actually it looks like instant tea powder mix, not a bottle drink. So it's not really weird, I guess. I could judge her for having instant tea instead of proper tea leaves, but I drink instant coffee so who am I to judge.
If that's the fabric she's matching to the beige lace on the table though, I think she should have stuck with white lace instead, the polka dots look blindingly white from here, I'm having trouble imagining any beiges that won't look straight up dirty next to that.
>>8965806
I own my janome since I was 12 and it still works like a warrior 10 years later, never had any issues with it, never let me down and I use it to sew the most absurd materials you can think of.
>>8991371
Regular tea might've dyed it too strong a colour, when you think about it. Nestea is not as strong. I dyed some lace with regular tea once, came out khaki brown.
>>8984173
It's ruching strangely under your breasts. perhaps is it too tight? Try adding a ribbon to cover that area so you can't see the fabric wrinkle.
>>8991615
I second on the ribbon/waist ties. I can drum up a tutorial if you can't find one that meets your needs, be no problem
pic related, I have recently sewn an OP using this pattern as a rough guide - it was a brilliant guideline. The main major difference I made was lengthening the width of the skirt by >30cm, so it the skirt was 3 metres width-wise (a Loliable amount for gathering and suchlike). Without the odd 'corset ribbon' and 'apron', it makes a serviceable OP.
>>8992002
post a pic?
I found this interesting fabric on clearance at my local store, and I'm stumped on what to make with it.
I was thinking a simple JSK or JSK because the print is so busy, maybe one of these three?
>>8991501
Thank you! I definitely want to avoid the satin, and I hate that ultra low thread count cotton so this helps. Also taking the waist tie is excellent advice.
>>8993765
That's actually really beautiful anon, although it seems more otome-ish to me, and with that I would do a simple jsk, like the one on the far left. Maybe chocolate brown lace to match the print as a trim? I think the frills and bib on the OPs would be a bit too much.
>>8993765
With big patterns the simplest is best, though I like the middle.
Does anyone know of any simplicity or butterick or whatever vest patterns that I could use to make a vest thing for lolita? Just looking for something that I could use as a base so I could then alter/change up to add the right details.
Has Otome no Sewing Book 2 gotten scanned yet?
I've been looking everywhere, but I've only enver been able to find book 1 online.
>>8991615
It's because the straps were far too long and the waist was too low and hit the petti but I've adjusted the buttons and it's all good now!
>>8970871
I got hit in the tear duct when a serger needle exploded. Yes Exploded. It was terrifying.. Should I wear goggles? Yeah.. I've been hit in the face many times. I've also been sewing consistently almost every day for over 3 years now. Yet to lose an eye though!
>>8994223
https://makemypattern.com/pattern/wahid-waistcoat this might be able to help, but you would probably have to add in some tucks for tits or make it slightly more curved since it's designed for guys originally
Gulls,I'm looking at spoonflower for us printing of custom designed fabric. Anyone had experiences with the "SIlky faille" aka polyester? I live in a very hot climate, so while cotton inst out of the question a thin and fabric is desirable and it doesn't appeal to be too shiny. Totally open to other printing companies too.
>>8998101
When the fabric came out most reviewers said they liked it much better than the all-natural fabrics, the colours seemed more vibrant and colourfast on silky faille. So I guess that's a good sign, particularly if you are printing with darker colours.
If you're not making a floor-length dress or hanging heavy trim off it, I'll suggest taking a look at the performance knit, though. The colours and finish on that are pretty vibrant, and the fabric is meant to let heat and sweat pass through (while polyester traps them in). It sounds weird, but if you're just making a simple short dress without too many ruffles it will probably keep you cooler than polyester.
Has anyone ever modified their socks or thights? I'm thinking of colouring some in the future so some advices would be good.
>>8975660
I don't mean to be a jerk, but I hope that is not the one you are selling. The stitching looks really crooked.
Someone in my comm is asking for over 100usd for this
I'm not a seamstress but somebody should really buy a bunch of mr yan body pillows and use the fabric to make a dress.
>dreamy mr yan print~~
Where do you all have the best luck with fabric as far as price/quality? I get stars in my eyes when I walk into a JoAnn's but I'm wondering if there are some top-notch options on maybe TaoBao, too.
>>8998101
I've only gotten a swatch, but the colors are better than the natural fiber options and it did not fade or crock in the wash. It has a nice look and drape to it. It would make a nice dress, but in a hot climate it's still polyester.
>>9001184
It's an ugly dress but if you consider the amount of time spent making it and material cost, it is very reasonable.
>>9001249
I go to the smaller local stores and markets. Local stores for the smaller batches of nice imports, markets for cheap generic stuff that's the same as the larger stores (like plain twill, sateen, broadcloth etc)
>>9001729
honestly, doesn't look that hard to make, it's a really simple design.
Not necessarily lolita but just sewing in general: does anyone have any experience with sewing clothes for dolls? Is it better done hand sewn or with a sewing machine?
>>9006855
Christ, I fucked up the image size.
>>8963438
I need this fabric! Deets?
>>9006885
It's a Michael Miller design, currently out of print.
>>8991491
Sorry I have just seen this. I can't find all of my scans but here are 53, 54, 56, 57 and 58:
http://blackberryxmilk.tumblr.com/post/120688567745/lolita-sewing-patterns-in-glb-53-include-a
http://blackberryxmilk.tumblr.com/post/120470611205/lolita-sewing-patterns-in-glb-54-are-a-faux-fur
http://blackberryxmilk.tumblr.com/post/120294584644/lolita-sewing-patterns-in-glb-or-gothic-lolita
http://blackberryxmilk.tumblr.com/post/129073501754/glb-57-patterns-overall-its-a-cute-issue
http://blackberryxmilk.tumblr.com/post/134213100409/gothic-lolita-bible-58-with-a-doll-theme
Otome no Sewing book 9, pics from one of the facebook sewing comms
I really like these.
Guess mermaids are super in right now.
This is all I found interesting.
>>9006855
I make clothes for my bjds all the time! I like making tiny versions of my dresses so we can twin.
Anyways, I use both hand sewing and machine sewing. I use a 1/4in seam allowance and sew the sleeves in flat, like you do with menswear. Lacey details and hems on skirts are done by hand usually
>>9008099
Thanks for posting them, anon.
Is buying OnS worth it? I'm a bit too big for them, so I'd have to alter them, and I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle.
>>9008135
I own volumes 2 and 5-7 and I think it's worth it even if you only like 2-3 of the patterns in the book. I mean, normal patterns not on sale are like $14 and you get a bunch for just a little more. And the books are really nice to look at.
I have to alter some of mine also, but it's because I'm a little smaller. It's nice that they give a short guide to altering their patterns in the back of the book. So if you're only a bit big it shouldn't be a problem!
>>8977780
>circle skirts
>in ONS
nah man
>>9006855
For 1/3 DD size, definitely a sewing machine. Handsewing will be the same areas you'd handsew for humans (eg blind hems, slipstitching).
Other tips:
Attach the sleeves before you sew front and back of bodices/blouses together, then sew the sleeve shut and the front and back together in one long line.
Be anal about transferring your patterns and sewing on the line. Human clothes can be off by as much as two inches and hardly anyone notices. 1/3-scale doll clothes, even one inch being off will be pretty noticeable.
>>9006943
This is awesome, anon, thank you so much!
>>9008135
Depends.
If you can already draft your own patterns, you might as well go straight to copying photos you like.
If you're experienced and can easily modify Western patterns for lolita, you might as well wait for a sale/search for vintage and get cheap Western patterns to modify for lolita.
On the other hand,
if you're a bit of lolita noob, then the OnS is worthwhile, you can see how each dress is coorded, plus there's usually one or two "mini wardrobes" in every issue. >>9008099 seems to be part of it: the girl is modelling the dress with/without apron, hat and two different legwear, showing you different coords for the set. Some issues of OnS even include things like bags and hats.
As an extra, OnS actually tells you what brand their fabric and materials is (and their models, and who does the models' makeup and hair, etc etc). So if you can get someone to translate, you can search for the brand/fabric print name on rakuten or etsy and buy the same cutesy fabric print (though I think the fabric that were in issue 1 have mostly sold out in most shops).
The patterns themselves are really simple, and the drawing showing you how to put the dresses together are very, very clear, so if your skill level is low-ish then you might find it helpful just to see how dresses are put together.
If you only need to modify the dresses wider and/or taller, the guide basically tells you roughly where to draw vertical/horizontal lines to cut the patterns and move them apart to add the width you need. If what you need is to modify them for a bigger bust, you'll have to find another resource. But the rest of the book is still useable once you figure out how to modify the patterns.
>>9001167
the crooked stitching is just the running stitch to ruffle the edge.
Looking to make a blouse similar to pic related.
And I was just wondering how to encase the elastic. Is it okay for the elastic to be visible through the chiffon?
>>9010713
Generally, when the chiffon gathers up, the elastic is no longer "visible". Just make sure you choose a colour appropriate for your material (eg: white chiffon, white or skintone elastic).
>>9010747
alright. cool.
got cream chiffon and white elastic.
Tutorials for lolita headwear? Ideally videos, opposed to walls of text and badly drawn illustrations in paint. Attitude Lolita is the only content producer I've been able to follow.
I got four full boxes of fabrics, mostly from cosplay and lolita stuff. I have been thinking how I could use these leftover fabrics. The pieces are not big enough to make clothes and materials vary so combining are out of question.
For short, what is something you could do from leftover fabric.
>>9015740
Bows and hair accessories.
>>9014489
obligatory
>>8964602
https://advdigitaltextiles.com/page/home
This is the one I've seen advertised as a better Spoonflower alternative. Their blacks are quite true.
I just finished my first main piece ever last night and I'm super proud of it (even thought I know the design is simple). It's fully lined and that took me a bit longer than it would have otherwise but I'm really happy with the results.
I'm going to try for a partial shirred skirt next time with box pleating in the front 2/3 and shirring and elastic in the back 1/3
>>9016913
that skirt is gorgeous, you should be proud! I love the fabric. Really impressed with the waistband too
>>8982544
Did you use two different fabrics to make the bloomers or is it just the lightning?
>>9016913
where did you find this fabric, its awesome!
I would love a skirt like this in the laduree green
>>9017352
Unfortunately it's one of a kind. I scanned some Laduree bags I got in Paris and used photoshop to create the print from the bags. It's not a design I can sell because of the fact that its blatantly copyrighted.
Hi /cgl/, I'm fresh into Lolita and a poor college student who happens to really love the style
Would you consider sewing your own dresses to be cheaper than buying them? I don't have a machine, but I figure I could attempt sewing something very basic (I haven't worn Lolita before, so I'd like to opt for something simple until I get better at coords)
Should I be opting for cheap material for my first dress or opt for something of a nicer quality? not gonna lie, I'm a beginner and don't know anytthing outside of 2 stitches my grandma showed me, but I think I'm not too bad at bullshitting.
>pic related
>First time making a stuffed animal for my gfs birthday
Anyway, I'm only thinking about it in hopes that I could one day wear Lolita without having to drop an entire paycheck and not look too bad
Thanks for any help you guys can offer. I saw some other replies about checking out stitching on brand and such, so I'll look into that and see if I can learn a few techniques online
Hey gulls! I am cracking down on a dress I have been putting off for a while but I am doing a bad job of staying on it throughout the day. Does anyone have things they lie to watch or listen to that keep them motivated? Do you keep time schedules and take breaks often lie some recommend for cleaning(example, 20/10)?
Please help me keep it together!
>>9017984
**like
>>9017971
It's usually cheaper to buy indie stuff than it is to make, unless you have the skill to make something really fancy. Lace and such are usually expensive unless you buy in bulk.
I usually buy all my main pieces and make bonnets, bows, and cutsews.
>>9017971
Honestly if you'e new to both lolita and sewing I'd suggest getting a good Bodyline or taobao outfit to start with, just to get a feel for the style. The coord help threads here can be quite helpful in that regard.
As far as price goes broadly speaking making your own is cheaper than new brand but not Bodyline or taobao unless you get lucky with sales. You need around 3 metres/yards of fabric for a dress, plus lace or other trims (about 3-4 mters/yard to go around the hem and neckline if you're doing that), other notions, and then you still need to buy shoes, legwear, a purse and make/buy headwear as well.
>>9016913
I wouldn't do 2/3 box pleats. It'll look weird as anything at the back. I'd just make the box pleats at the back wider to account for the elastic
>>9017971
I'm having problems judging your skill because
>2 stitches
If you can only handsew, then you're going to have a hard time, clothing involves long lines of sewing, it takes a long time to backstitch it all by hand. Your stiches aren't even enough to flaunt publicly, so pintucks and topstitching are out, and you'll want to learn slipstitching for blind hems.
Other than sewing vs buying, look into modifying, for eg buy a normal cardi and shorten it, then add bows and pearls. Or buy a normal office blouse, modify the collars and add good quality lace to it.
The easiest thing to sew is the rectangle skirt. If you think you can complete that, then go on etsy and look for Japanese fabric, some of them have lolitable border prints, like Alice in Wonderland prints. Sew that into a rectangle skirt, add a modified blouse and you have the main parts of your first outfit (you still need petti, tights, etc, but you see how it's not hard to do rectangle skirts and modified blouses). When you have that under your belt, buy a commercial pattern (or get OnS), follow the instructions to make the bodice and attach a rectangle skirt, and that's your first dress.
Don't opt for "cheap", get something "affordable but decent" that you'll actually want to wear it, otherwise all your hard work is for something that goes straight in the trash the moment you're done. If you need to practice stitches, pick a smaller project, like a tote bag or a headbow instead of a dress.
It generally works out cheaper to buy secondhand, if you target unpopular older releases. You need a little luck, but it's not hard to buy dresses below $100. By the time you get good quality fabric, lining, notions, and good lace on par with brand, you'd have spent almost as much on just supplies.
Brand stitching isn't anything very special, most of it is done with machines, except for the blind hem on some dresses.
>>9017971
I'm sorry, just don't. You will spend so much time and money fucking up trying to learn how to sew. You can not bullshit sewing, it'll just straight up look bad. Especially clothing. And good fucking luck without a machine.
Just use the time to work more hours and study lolita fashion. Buy some bodyline, you can make a decent coord with versatile pieces for $120 during a sale. And the more you lurk in the community before you buy shit, the better your purchases will be.
>>9018029
Thanks for the advice! Do you know of a tutorial that shows you how to add an elastic waistband to a box pleated skirt?
>>9017041
aha yeah I did, they were the first ones I made so I made it from some leftover fabrics I had, next pair will be made properly. They're super comfy as pj pants!
>>9018488
No, but it's basically the same as a part-elastic gathered skirt. You just have to make sure you make the box pleats wider where the elastic is since they will be gathered in slightly by the elastic.
>>9017984
Just have some fucking self control and don't watch anything.
>>9018539
Sounds good!
Currently in the process of making my first bag and I want your input, which bow do you think works better?
>>9019638
First one
>>9019638
The shape of the first one but they both look the wrong color to match the roses, is it the light?
>>9017971
Your sewing skills are a long way from ready to make even simple Lolita dresses. Plain ones with cotton fabric usually have lots of skillfully sewn details, print dresses use more expensive fabrics and all decent Lolita dresses use better quality lace and trims. I second the advice of looking for a few used things and buy some Bodyline and get some basic Lolita shoes in black, white or both to start a beginner wardrobe. If you add that up and it's too expensive, then you can't afford Lolita, honestly because fabric, trim and trial and error mistakes would cost you at least that much before you even had anything MAYBE good enough to wear if you try the sewing thing.
>>8984132
Use a Lolita pattern with a full lining and use an invisible side zipper. Study some brand examples first.
>>9017971
Is it supposed to be flicking people off?
I unsubscribed from the Facebook sewing groups and even here I rarely see anything decent made as Lolita which blows my mind because most Lolita dresses aren't super-complex in technique or fitting, there are so many pattern books and you just need average sewing skills to make most of the Lolita bible and otome no sewing patterns I've seen. What's up with this?
Not expecting tons of ooak masterpieces here but there should be a lot more dresses and jsk like pic related in this post, right? >>8976812
Am I missing something?
>>9017984
I usually stick on films I've watched loads of times before, usually costume dramas. Don't know why, but it helps, especially when I'm hand-sewing those infinitely awkward guipure lace trims onto 5 million metres of fabric. Audiobooks are a good way for me to concentrate and revise at the same time, as well. Good luck with your project anon!
>>9019725
Lolita skews young and most young people are not trained sewists and haven't been building skills for years. A sailor school uniform is also very simple but in the era before taobao you saw a whole lot of really shitty sailor collars at anime cons.
>>9019725
>I rarely see anything decent made as Lolita which blows my mind because most Lolita dresses aren't super-complex in technique or fitting, there are so many pattern books and you just need average sewing skills to make most of the Lolita bible and otome no sewing patterns I've seen. What's up with this?
>Am I missing something?
Most people don't learn how to sew anymore, at all. My parents' generation already pretty much stopped learning how to sew, and I was never taught anything except from how to sew on a button.
So obviously I have zero knowledge. If I wanted to make my own dresses, I would have to start completely from scratch. I have no knowledge, I have no skills, I have no materials, I don't know any techniques, nothing about materials, don't own a sewing machine, etc... So obvioulsy I would need A LOT of time, patience and effort until I can sew something remotely decent.
And to be honest, I'm just not interested in that. Many people here are either students busy with college, or work full time. Like most people I don't have that much free time, and I simply have too many other hobbies I care about that take up my limited free time. It's kinda sad, I'd love to be able to sew, but I just don't see myself having the time or energy to get into it anytime soon.
So rather than putting all my energy, time and resources into learning how to sew, I'd rather just pay someone else to do that for me.
>>9019725
It's one thing that lolita attracts underage, but an additional factor seems to be that some girls think of home made lolita clothing as a "discount" way to join the fashion. So it also attracts newbies who have zero interest/experience to jump headfirst into dressmaking, most of them are impatient to get the dressmaking part over with as their real interest is to dress up and go to meetups, not staying home with an iron and a sewing machine. A good few of them probably just need practice to not suck at dressmaking, but then some of them probably can't be arsed to look into getting the GLB or OnS, let alone follow its instructions. So, mixed together, it's no surprise there's a lot of newbies churning out crap.
Then there's stuff like >>9013188, which is pretty decent construction, just poor choice in fabric.
Ironically enough, the few girls I've met who can sew well enough, would rather buy burando, for one thing it seems having sewing experience makes one really appreciate the quality of the fabric and trim, and secondly because it's less fuss than sewing their own.
bugfabric.com has a lot of border prints, and some of them are loliable.
they even have that wizard border an anon was looking for a while ago.
>>9020128
>cheap alternative
Only if:
a) you use quilting cottons or similarly shitty materials
b) don't account for the time you spend learning/sewing the garment itself (because that's time you could use to do other things, which may or may not have monetary impact)
and
c) buy materials in bulk and produce things for sale, rather than just for yourself.
I do love sewing, and the satisfaction of making something new is a unique experience, but the convenience of brand-made items is just too appealing for it to be a regular thing for me these days. I'd rather invest my time in other endeavours lately, like fixing up my garden.
>>9020128
>Ironically enough, the few girls I've met who can sew well enough, would rather buy burando, for one thing it seems having sewing experience makes one really appreciate the quality of the fabric and trim, and secondly because it's less fuss than sewing their own.
I have sewn professionally and I still do some dressmaking on commission, but I buy most of my lolita. (Well, otome now.) I like prints, and since I don't go for grandma couch florals, that's an all but impossible look to replicate. I've made a few plaid and polka dot things and I crank out a couple cutsews every summer, but generally buying premade is not that expensive and gets me exactly what I'm after. I'd rather spend my sewing time making things I either can't buy or replicating designer-ish stuff that's very expensive.
>>9019638
Do you have a tutorial on how to make these bags?
Man I love my com
I got a few volumes of otome no sewing and shared with the group, it seems that a lot of people enjoy sewing and it escalated to the creation of a casual meet where we will share patterns and books, exchange fabrics, lace and tips, and talk about sewing.
We even managed to include people who can't sew, so they can look at the patterns and ask one of the girls who can sew to make them (and pay, of course).
I'm really excited, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun.
>>9023173
that sounds awesome, anon!
>>9023173
jelly as fuck
My comm has quite a number of seamstresses, but there's a big divide between the different skill levels. On the one side there are a small number of older girls who are really good at both sewing and coordinating nicely and on the other side there are a large number of girls of a wide age range who see handmade lolita as a cheaper way to be a kawaii lolita chan and therefore don't actually want to invest in quality materials. The latter desperately needs help from the former, but the former understandably doesn't have any patience for the latter. We do have craft meets sometimes but they mostly turn into a big mess full of plastic charms, hot glue and quilting cotton. I've considered bringing my OnS collection to the next one but I don't want to get glitter or dorito dust on any of them...
>>9022161
It is actually cheaper if you
a) are comparing prices on brand new items, and
b) live in a city where quality supplies are available
It's rare to have supplies for a lolita dress exceed $150. But the kicker of course is there's secondhand brand, taobao and Bodyline available for less than that, and you don't have to sew it up.
>>9023173
Jelly of your comm, too. Last time we had a craft meet one girl volunteered to teach everyone how to make wristcuffs. Some of the girls went home with one wristcuff after struggling for like 3 hours. Maybe we should have started with simple bow hairclips
>>9023413
Sure, I got volume 6 and 7, and am going to get 8 next week, possibly 4 as well. Do you want anything in particular?
I also have a few cosplay sewing magazines, and bought one general magazine with traditional crafts, kimono combinations and hairstyles
>>9023446
It's still only cheaper if you don't account for your time.
>>9016913
Second skirt is finished! I feel like it was a lot harder this time around because I did more winging it than the first time. Still happy with the outcome (forgive the odd angle, it looks lumpy in this photo but isn't in real life)
>>9023661
I love this!
>>9023617
That's part of the "discount" logic, though. You don't need to move actual, real $150 out from your bank account back into your bank account again to pay yourself for the labour of making the dress. So by that logic, sewing it yourself is "cheaper" precisely because the "discount" comes from not having to pay yourself.
Good anons, do any of you know a good place to get printed tights (EU based if possible)? I'd love to be able to get my own and already have a few designs I'd like to wear
>>9023510
Seconded, please do share some of your spoils! Also, I'm thinking of buying an ONS book soon, which volume would you recommend?
I'm wanting to add shirring to a new JSK I'm making, but I'm wondering how I should calculate the length of the rectangle skirt accordingly. Should I calculate it from the size of the waist before the back panel is shirred, or the max size it can stretch to with the shirring in place? (And how exactly do you go about finding out the max size of a garment anyways? That's always confused me.)
>>9025260
It depends on your pattern, but usually it works better to calculate before the shirring panel, and add a bit extra to the portion gathered by the shirring. Extra fluff in back is less obvious than in front, and can make a nicer shape.
So for example (using measurements pulled from the air, since I don't have a pattern in front of me right now):
>waist is 70cm
>skirt hem will be 210cm at 3x waist measurement
>cut skirt at 220cm (plus seam allowances) to allow for a bit of extra fluffing in back
>pattern divides into six panels at waist
>measure total length of NON-SHIRRING panels across the bottom edge
So for this example, the waist is 70cm. The unshirred bodice portions use 60cm of the total. That means your shirring panel will be 10cm when flat/unstretched.
>decide how much you want the shirring to stretch (I usually go with 2-3x flat measurement; so a 10cm panel will be 20-30cm before elastic is inserted)
>for this example, we'll go with 2x
>this makes a nice, tight texture and also gathers the skirt up at the same ratio as the other gathering
>calculate how much of skirt fabric unshirred bodice needs
In this case, you'll gather 105cm of the skirt's top edge to the first 35cm of the bodice (front three panels; if your skirt has seams on both sides, the demarcation is easier to follow). The next panel (and the opposite back panel), you'll gather 35cm. For the shirring panel, you'll gather the remaining 45cm of the skirt more loosely onto the shirring panel than the flat panels. Once you've done the same with the lining, made your channels, and inserted the elastic, the panel will tighten up so the back of the skirt matches the other panels in terms of gathering, and voila. Shirring panel. For this method, I recommend your lowest shirring channel/the one closest to the waist, be at least 1.5-2cm above the waist seam, for comfort and stretch.
On a shitty computer with no software, or I'd draw you some diagrams to go with the text.
>>9025260
Make the top. Instead of finished side's in the panels with the shirring pin the sides.
Gather the skirt and sew only to finished part of garment, not the shirring panel. Take out pins everywhere, taking off shirring panel. Sew lining of panel to top of panel, turn right side and press. (*) Finish shirring panel by putting in elastic, always sandwich between lining and fabric. Sew to top.
Sew rest of skirt to shirring panel.
Two ways to line garment:
1. Make an exact top out of lining and sew after it's been complete, sewing by hand to the panels lining.
2. At * sew a lining of the pieces without panel and attatch before panel. Use a backwards French seam so there is a tab on the right side of garment (the outside). Put eyelets in tabs for ribbon lacing.
>>9025306
Forgot to specify the tabs are on the shiring panel to rest of top seams... Sorry.
Any suggestions for how to change up view A to make it more loliable?
>>9025346
No way. it's too fucking ugly.
>>9025346
Shorten the skirt, puff the sleeves at the shoulder, possibly make the sleeves 3 quarter instead of full length, and change the neckline completely to either a scoop or a square neck. But as >>9025570 said, it's pretty ugly as is and would need some serious changes to the pattern to be remotely serviceable as lolita.
>>9025287
Not OP, but this was a great description and if you do ever get a chance to draw examples I would love to see them!
>>9023661
Is this another of your original fabric designs?
>>9025346
Go to Joanns and buy a different pattern
>>9025346
as others have said, it's not particularly salvageable I'm afraid. However, View A could make a really cute EGA dress if made in solid black.
>>9026511
It would work fine as a basic bodice block. Lolita patterns aren't complex, they're just basic cuts with ruffles and crap slapped on them.
>>9023510
If you have the time, scanning them would be a godsend.
>>8977764
Isn't bias tape like $.99 - $1.50?
How do you guys storage your patterns? I have big pile of them and the only info they have is are they the front or back part. I need to find some way to sort them since finding certain pattern is like hell.
>>9028355
You could put them all on a shelf like books and organize them by type (dress, skirt etc) and make little cardboard dividers so you can find each section easily.
>>9006856
Handsewing if under 1/3(SD). 1/3 and up, you can machine sew if it's not a super lightweight or tiny piece. If you have to machine sew a tiny or light piece, put a piece of notebook paper under it so it doesn't get sucked into the bottom bobbin.
>>9019638
The bigger one, but why on earth would you stich over the clasp?
So I'm sewing this bodicething for ouji but I can't really decide what I should put on the front so it wouldn't look so empty. Maybe buttons or ribbon? After I get straps attached I will also do the final fitchech so it will look more fitting then.
>>8977764
>ribbon
no. shit frays and isn't a flexible. Bias tape looks better, especially when you make it from the self fabric.
