mox and de mix

hi
it's late at night, i've a pattern grading assessment tomorrow. i'm nervous.

i haven't taken photos. i never find the time. also my computer probably needs to be upgraded, even though it still works fine. i love you g3 ibook, but i've had you for 5 years now, and your brother/sister macbooks are just better than you.

I've a new sewing teacher. Leanne. the term is 4 weeks old now. she taught us cuffs/plackets and collars, part sandwich. i took notes so i won't write it here. i.e. i'm lazy.

today in class we had an 'assessment' which she failed to inform us about, but who cared? not me,
We had to sew a white sleeveless shirt with a part sandwich collar and armhole bind. i missed one class, so i had to catch up. I was the last to finish the shirt but it was pretty simple to sew up. i haven't cut my buttonholes.

Today robby told me i should be studying fashion design. i took it as a nice compliment. he liked my pvc-snakeskin avant garde skirt i made, and he worked in the alexander mcqueen workroom in london. So hearing that from him made me shiver a bit! loves robby!

BLAH.

the weeks have flown by splashing my face with the slaps of workoholism, it's finally the end of 1st semester.
I'm on three weeks holiday, but alas, I'm working full time. I don't even have time to breathe anymore.

Because I've been so busy I can't recall what I've learned. Except now I feel things flow more naturally. First off, my class dimished into 8 souls including myself, and that's a good number on a good day. The average number of bodies was about 5. i won't tell a falsehood, but I loved it. I think my sewing teacher grew to enjoy my eccentricities and quirks because I chose a snake skin PVC material to sew a 3 panel skirt and I adorned the front with this bow strip inspired by Viktor + Rolf and black tulle with a pocket sizeable for a credit card. It was my first real project because the material was PVC which means the needle hole damage shows through the plastic, which means I couldn't afford to make any sewing mistakes because I couldn't afford to unpick. I did have to unpick though because I wrecked sewing in the zipper. I also forget to put the interfacing on my facings. I also didn't hem my skirt and left it raw. I might do this from now on, I like the look of knees peeping through a raw edge.

Next semester I have a new timetable and myself and 3 others are joining another class. Now we'll be 16 instead of 5 or 6 or 8.
And hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures really soon.
x

Finished the bolero last week finally because we learned to use the button holer machine.
It's a button holer specific Brother machine, with really specific housekeeping rules, like keeping a piece of fabric wedge between the foot and the plate when not in use (don't know why) and apparently it's easy to muck up so we can't use it without a teacher peering over our shoulders. We did anyway (she trusts us!).
It's the cleverest baby...you just measure up your button, and for a horizontal buttonhole, place it in the width of the button into the fabric, and then just bang your right foot down on the right pedal and it sews the entire button hole. Then comes the destructive part of ripping through the hole, using an unpick and a pin halfway, so you don't accidentally rip through (like I did when I was 14).

So...punched in a button hole therefore completing the ugliest thing ever. We were given a gold shank button (buttons with the loop thing on the underside, so they sit up above the garment) and I just pinned mine on and handed it in. Apparently we're going to learn handsewing, which reminds me I've got to bring a needle in next week! Anyway, I didn't take a picture because I'm sick of the thing.

Started sewing sample skirts. The skirts are so short, like 25 cm long! Sample size...as in 'practice size' I suppose. We sewed a billion darts...each skirt has 6 - 8 darts and I calculated we had to sew 72 darts in total. Darts are quite hard, but easy. You have to get them even on both sides. and curve Inwards, like a "V" not "C" which is what I did. And I never knew you had to reverse stitch at the end of darts...

Learned another machine, called the Blind Hemming machine. It's a cute thing, with a needle that's shaped like a 'C' so it can catch tiny tiny threads. I don't know why, but you could definately see my hemming! It's also a really quiet machine, in that it doesn't have a fan...so it works in silence. shhh.

We sewed single lapped zippers, which are annoying. My needle kept skipping when I had to sew across the bottom of the teeth and it's hard to get the 'lapped' bit even the entire length of the zip.

Then we sewed waistbands. We did 2 types...A topstitched one and a Ditch stitched one. The top stitch has stitching around the waistband...so you can see stitches at the top, like a rectangle. The Ditchstitched one is where your prise apart the seam where the WB joins onto the skirt, and you sew in this ditch. It hurts your arm muscles because you are constantly prising apart the seam with all your mighty might. Plus it's slow too, because your stitching has to be exactly straight! gah.

Now I'm up to sewing invisible zippers. I tried to begin, but my machine didn't sew for some reason. We had to buy specific feet for this zip. It's really weird looking, with 2 tunnel things. Looks like a big fat stamp.

And I don't know in class for about 10 glorious minutes I was in front. The first person. And I didn't like it! haha.
There are only 3 of us who have finished the boleros. horrah for us!

It feels weird sewing on industrial machines. Like the lockstitch, the overlocker, the blind hemmer and the button hole machines are huge heavy things , and you'd beed at least the size of your dining room to place them all together!

I can't wait to start sewing real skirts.
I can't wait til we sew dresses.
I can't wait for patternmaking tomorrow. I don't know. Someone in my class called me a psycho which I took as a compliment :)

After tomorrow I am on holidays for 2 weeks, though it doesn't make any difference to me because I'll be working. And when I'm not working I'll be doing school work. That's just how it goes I guess.

I finished sewing a new thing: a bolero. It's ugly fabric, white with red tennis stripes. ew.
We had to sew practice samples, V-necks and armholes with facings. I learned Ditch Stitching which is a small row of stitching inside a seam (you squeeze it open) to keep the facing inside from popping up. I also learned how to sew on sleeves. They are hard because you sew inverted curves together, and you are continuously sewing on a curve. I also learned how to sew a collar, and sew ON a collar. first you sew the collar together and when you sew it on the back neck, you sew with a 3mm seam (!!!). Then when you sew the facing over it, it's 7mm, so it covers the stitching. It's sewing 4 layers of fabric, and I had to ram it through. The annoying thing about collars is turning it through, and trying to get the corners really sharp and square. Mine were really really round.

I will take pictures :)

I still hate the industrial overlockers. I accidentally cut one of my samples through the cutter. *cries*
I also failed my costing test and had to resit it. Haha! though I passed my Fibres and Fabrics test yay.
But I was one of 2 people out of the class who passed the 6.5 hr patternmaking assessment! I want to learn more patternmaking, but it's so difficult. Yesterday when I was walking through the city I had a stack of patterns to carry. Some older man looked at me and said "hello" and I thought, "no thanks" and kept walking, but then he said, "I'm a patternmaker too" and I stopped to talk to him for about 10 mins! I told me Akira Isogawa sacks patternmakers every 3 weeks, and that as a patternmaker I should experience getting sacked by a top designer. I asked him about costume and he said the place to be is Hollywood...and Italy and that I'd have to learn Italian first. He was so random.

I just want to sew sew sew.

On friday my dress toile was marked, and the teacher said I had "good workmanship"!!! YAAHHHHHOOOOOOO!! that means alot to me because she's a couture dressmaker and has been around for eternity :)
I made 3 mistakes on my dress. Two of them involved the two elastic casings. That's why I loathe them SO much.

1. On a dress don't sew an edge stitch for the top elastic casing (done on shorts/pants so the elastic doesn't move or twist).
You don't do this on a dress because it's ugly.
Use the zipper foot for elastic casings..and have the bulk of your material towards the machine. This is the WRONG way to sew but this is the exception. Or buy a left-side zipper foot.
2. PRESS/IRON elastic casing seams before sewing the elastic in them. Because the material will bunch and puff, when you want a nice, flat area.
3. Don't overlock the pocket seams. It wastes time. Only overlock the facing (the top part of the pocket).

I don't know. I looked in my Perks and mini skirt...the insides of the patch pockets were overlocked.

I've nearly finished sewing the real dress. The material we were given was a choice between navy, white, and red. I chose navy for the bulk and red for the pockets. The red is reversible, but it's hard to tell the front and back for the navy. Mark the wrong side with a cross with tailors chalk! The dress is due in class on Friday. I only need to sew the middle elastic casing. The dumb thing is, we can't keep them. They're returned to us at the END of the year. I'll look back at my sewing and hate it. I'll try to take a photo. I have my toile so I can show that :)

One thing I've found pretty important is the Order of Assembly. It's the process of sewing the garment, the order of doing things. You write it before you sew the toile and you correct it on the way, so when you sew the actual garment you are efficient, as it indicates your seam allowances, whether your overlocking is open or closed etc. It's very helpful because you can evaluate when to go to the iron, when to use the overlocker, so you don't have to keep moving back and forth (as it's wastes time). Also, in the future, you can sew the garment again with ease. And someone else can pick up where you left off. But like anything list-y, it's annoying to write out. Kind of like an essay plan.

I wrote too much today, probably because i have annoying sh.it going on. blaaah!

The boxer shorts are completed and I've handed them in for checking. My crotch seam junction is perfect I'm pleased it turned out! Seam junctions are annoying.

We're now sewing a dress toile. The dress is nothing exciting, just a strapless dress elasticated above the bust and at the waist. It's got two peasant pockets at the front, so we learned how to make them. I might copy the dress pattern. It's easy to sew and the dress is cute. Cute enough for home wear definately!

I've sewn it pretty quickly...Two girls have finished, I'm near finished, just gotta sew the bodice and skirt together and insert the elastic. On friday I'm supposed to be cutting the REAL fabric and making the REAL dress. cool.

Also, I think I will move on to the Theatre Costume course after this. It seems like the best option for custom garment making. I'm a bit overwhelmed though. and what if I don't get in?

x

In the midst of sewing calico boxer shorts. I'm making a size S, as the teacher said I'd be.
I noticed I can't use the industrial overlockers when there's a line of people waiting after me...I get too stressed and stuff it up. So the overlocking on my hems is sh*thouse.
I'm about the sew the left and right legs together, and sew on my labels and elastic casing. Sewing the legs together is a bit confusing, as one nestles inside the other. I also chose to sew on cotton tape...no one else but one is doing that...but I'm here to learn and maybe i'll want to hang these by a hanger one day.

I'm a bit sad, as I found out I'm not going to learn how to construct according to measurements. That's part of the diploma course. I don't know what to do :(

Friday sewing class: I am proud to admit I am one of 4 girls who are ahead of the rest of the class; meaning we've completed all our exercises and our remedial exercises! We had a 'private' tutorial about prints on fabrics...border, one way and two way. Our task is to draw a print on calico to use for our boxer shorts. I'm drawing a one way print...umbrellas. Green umbrellas.

And we each had to thread an industrial overlocker. Things to note: don't get frustrated. That means if you can't get your thread through the hole you can't see, too bad, And it takes forever. Follow the instructions. Keep trying.
Another thing to note: threading BLACK thread is difficult. Overlocking thread is also very fibrous, so it might be easier to fold the end of the thread and twist with saliva, so you have a heavier end of thread to insert through those invisible holes. Tools you need: TWEEZERS!! Definately! Thread clippers...when you can't thread those holes, you pull the thread and it gets longer and longer. And a brush. There's SO much fluff living inside the O/L.

We also had a whole class on Fibres and Fabrics, the new subject. I've got to do the beloved 'burn test' this weekend...and try to figure out which fabric is what, from the way it burns etc. It's going to stink so badly.

Already we're in week three. Finally I feel like we're progressing! I have 2 sewing classes a week, on Monday mornings for 4 hours and on Fridays all day. I have a full day of patternmaking on Thursdays, and that no doubt is the hardest day of the week...but somehow I can't get enough. I have other subjects...technical drawing, identifying the design process, specifications, identifying fibres and fabrics, costing and computing...they're not the TRUE names, they all incorporate the word 'fashion' somewhere. I can't stand computing because it's all too breezy for me...but I appreciate that not everyone knows how to use illustrator and that not everyone went to uni to learn 'digital art'. It just feels a bit strange when the teacher asks me questions.

The industrial sewing machines...I adore them (when they're working of course). I'm learning on a Consew Lockstitch. They only sew straight stitches. I've been aching to learn how to use one forever...and now I know, I feel better! Last friday we were timed for how long each person took to thread one up, and test the stitch (2 layers of fabric). I was timed at 80 seconds. The quickest person was at 65 seconds, and the last person over 200 seconds.

For 2 weeks we've been sewing simple things...not even things...just endless bands. They're long strips of calico about 1 metre long...we had to rule a straight line down the middle and sew  lines of stitches to the left and right of the ruled line, to follow the machine foot to use it as a guide. We also had to practice backtacking (reverse stitch) for 1 cm, and stopping and starting stitches exactly on the line. Altogether we had to sew about 72 lines of just straight stitches...I was a little bored but consoled myself by using the treadle and getting comfortable with various sewing speeds, and concentrating on not breaking the cycle of stitching (as in stitching in one continuous movement, opposed to fast then slow then fast etc).

Next came the overlocking excercises...now I'm scared of the industrial overlockers!! My teacher made me thread up one line...and I found it so difficult! They sew so, so, so fast...but again, it's all about feeling around for the correct speed using the treadle. I have to say once I figured that out, my overlocking improved...one of the exercises was overlocking along an S curve (hard hard hard!) and mine came out quite nice :). But I'm not very good at chaining material using the overlocker (pieces one after the other without stopping so you don't waste time cutting thread), because I can't coordinate my hand with maintaining a slow speed with my foot on the treadle.

Then we learned to pin and top stitch, on open and closed seams. Finally got around to sewing 2 pieces of material together!! Closed seams are seams sewn 1 cm from the raw edge..and then overlocked together. Open seams are sewn 1.5 cm from the raw edge and overlocked seperately, then the seams are pressed open. If you look on any mainstream garment, the seams are usually closed, because it is quicker to make as you only have to overlock the seam once. It's cheap and nasty. Pin stitching is a stitch that's a pins width away from the seam. A top stitch is a bit further, maybe 3 or 4 mm from the seam. We also sewed an edge stitch which is like pin stitching - but not really. Like sewing around a collar.

We also had to sew squares to  make seam junctions (like on a patchwork quilt, all the seams line up). I think a few people had trouble with that, as we aren't allowed to use pins. My seam junctions were good, but she made me redo some because my open seams behind were uneven (ie. not 1.5 cm). I was a bit annoyed because no one cares about the seams underneath, but I guess some people do.

Then finally finally finally this week, we learned to sew a pocket (lesson: spinning the material on the needle) and an elastic casing, and also a care and size label. I didn't like the elastic casing as I was so paranoid I'd sew ONTO the elastic...and the elastic was only 6mm wide! I hated every stitch on that exercise!! I have a perfection complex when it comes to perfect stitching. uh oh. I was proud of my pockets, because the teacher said I was "very neat". This means alot to me, because her background is in couture dressmaking. Anyway, this is all in preparation to making boxer shorts. Why oh why does the imagination never extend when it comes to the blessed 'first garment'?? Boxer shorts are ALWAYS the first thing a new sewer learns to make...and this will be my third pair! I guess I don't really mind...anything that gets me onto the industrial sewing machine will make me happy.

That's my summary of my first 5 sewing classes, and from now on my posts will never ever EVER be as long as this.
I can't even think about patternmaking. I'm creating my own personal bible for that.